Chapter 28

In the small building of the Xun family, as soon as Xun Yi left, Xun Tan immediately changed her demeanor and went upstairs to find Ma Jingyi, whom Xun Yi had locked up the day before.

At first, Ma Jingyi tried to escape, but was later tied up with ropes by Aunt Xue's people. After being fed several bowls of medicinal soup, he finally calmed down.

Seeing Xun Tan standing at the door, Ma Jingyi lowered his head, dejected and silent.

"Who is behind this?" Xun Tan's face was cold. Although she was younger than Xun Yi, she had experienced battles on a distant continent from a young age and understood the treachery of human hearts. She was not entirely willing when Xun Yi took in Ma Jingyi.

Enemies like this should be killed after extracting their confession to prevent future retaliation.

"..." Ma Jingyi remained silent. Xun Tan took a deep breath, and her hands moved, spreading the red apricot blossoms like a cloud of fragrance and rosy mist. Xun Tan's voice was ethereal, and the young girl seemed to suddenly transform into a beautiful and alluring woman: "Tell me, who instructed you to sell the Luoru pen? Who are your accomplices in the city?"

"I don't know," Ma Jingyi blurted out, but as Xun Tan used the "Red Apricot Leaning on the Clouds," his consciousness slowly drifted away, and his mind was gradually bewitched by the apricot blossoms, allowing Xun Tan to extract information bit by bit.

"Red Apricot Leaning on the Clouds" is a deadly move from the Twelve Flower Laws, symbolizing the apricot blossoms of February, with the effect of bewitching and confusing the mind.

"Who is the evil god you worship?"

Ma Jingyi's face twisted, his eyes vacant, and he stammered, "Wenxiang Jun."

Wenxiang Jun, Xun Tan frowned. She knew little about the mainland and was unaware of this evil god's name. "It seems I need to go to the Wenqu Palace later to find out more about this Wenxiang Jun."

"Who are your accomplices in the city? Who informed you yesterday to leave Qinglong City?"

"It's... it's Hu Xiaoman."

...

Hu Xiaoman shook off Xun Yi's hand and slowly stood up, leaning against the wall. Xun Yi said, "Miss Hu, if you can't manage, I can go find Zhang Miao to come and pick you up?"

"No need." Hu Xiaoman brushed off the dirt from her clothes and suddenly noticed a scrape on her palm, with blood slowly seeping out.

Xun Yi scratched his head, looked around, and suddenly said, "Wait a moment." He handed a handkerchief to Hu Xiaoman, threw the book box to the ground, and ran to a clinic around the corner.

"..." Hu Xiaoman wanted to leave, but Xun Yi's book box was on the ground, and students were gradually entering the academy. To prevent Xun Yi's book box from being taken, she had to stay and use the handkerchief to clean her wound.

After a while, Xun Yi returned with medicine, a brown paper bag, and bandages. He held the medicine and bandages, ignoring Hu Xiaoman's resistance, and applied the medicine and wrapped the bandages: "I noticed you weren't feeling well yesterday. Haven't you been eating properly these past few days?"

He handed her a brown paper bag: "I just bought you some meat buns. Today they have fragrant celery and beef filling."

"From Jingming Hall?"

"Of course. I'm familiar with the owner there, so I got a few extra. You can eat them with Zhang Miao later. Consider it my thanks for yesterday." He put another bag of buns in the book box, picked it up, and helped Hu Xiaoman walk slowly to the entrance of the Western Academy.

Suddenly, Hu Xiaoman saw her father at the street corner. The man with the scar on his face was staring at Xun Yi, who was supporting Hu Xiaoman, with a half-smile. Hu Xiaoman's face changed, and she pushed Xun Yi away, rushing into the women's academy: "Be careful these next few days."

"Huh?" Xun Yi was confused. The gatekeeper auntie coughed and looked around at the female students watching him. She quickly handed the medicine and bandages to the gatekeeper: "Auntie, if Zhang Miao comes, give these to her. Tell her Hu Xiaoman is injured and to change the medicine at noon." After saying this, he took a detour back to the Eastern Courtyard.

"Hmm... the meat buns today are good, and there seem to be a few with special flavors?" As he walked and ate, just as he turned the corner, Bai Fu suddenly called out: "Young Master, be careful!"

"Huh?" Xun Yi didn't react in time and collided directly with a young man who ran out from the corner.

Bang—

Xun Yi fell flat on his back, his head hitting the ground, and he was dazed for a while before regaining his senses.

"Ah... sorry." The young man, who had also fallen, quickly got up, scratching his head and smiling sheepishly: "I was distracted and didn't notice the person at the corner." He then helped Xun Yi up.

"No, I was also at fault. I wasn't paying attention to the road." Xun Yi brushed off the dirt and got up, but unfortunately, the meat buns he had just bought were now inedible.

Looking up and meeting the young man's gaze, this young man was about the same age as him, with a fair complexion, distinct features, bright and spirited eyes, dressed as a wandering knight, and exuding a free-spirited demeanor.

"Have we met somewhere before?" Xun Yi said instinctively, as the young man seemed very familiar, especially his eyes.

"You think so too?" The young man let go of his hand and said with a grin: "I also find you familiar, as if I've met you in a past life. I'm Meng Han. What about you?"

"Spring of Meng, boundless sea?" Xun Yi muttered: "Good name. I'm Xun Yi."

"Sun and moon change?"

"Exactly." Xun Yi frowned and said instinctively: "Are you going to say 'the way of Meng and Xun' next?"

"You think so too?" Meng Han looked at Xun Yi, stroking his chin: "I feel like this scene has happened before somewhere."

"Boyang?" Xun Yi suddenly mentioned a name, and Meng Han vaguely felt it was familiar. A vague memory of three boys in a dark cave surfaced in his mind.

"Boss, are you not coming in yet!" Gu Yang suddenly jumped down from the wall, slapped Xun Yi's shoulder hard, and woke the two of them up.

Xun Yi checked the time and apologized to Meng Han, then hurried off to class with Gu Yang. Before leaving, Gu Yang glanced at Meng Han and followed Xun Yi.

"Did you sense it? He seems to have a divine power." Meng Han suddenly heard an unnamed voice in his ear: "And it's of high quality."

"Right, he must have had some extraordinary experiences. But this is not our concern. We need to focus on investigating the Evil Spirit Temple." Meng Han muttered to himself, as if talking to someone, and left the inner city.

"You must have also sensed that power outside the city yesterday. That should be one of the three lords of the Evil Spirit Temple, Wenxiang Jun."

"So, the evil aura I sensed recently was indeed caused by Wenxiang Jun?"

Murmuring to himself, he ignored the looks from others and disappeared into the crowd.

...

At Lingfeng Academy, Xun Yi yawned and played the chime bells to learn music.

The first class of the day was a ritual class, learning the principles of ritual and music. Each student had to choose a musical instrument. Xun Yi held the chime hammer and played the five-tone chime bells, talking to Bai Fu.

"Today's class is with Yan Bao, and the evil spirit pens in the academy have all disappeared."

"They must have been replaced by Ke Zhuangyuan." Xun Yi let Bai Fu sense it, and Bai Fu added: "They have indeed been replaced, all with the most orthodox Wenqu pens. They gather Wenqu divine power, which can refresh the mind and enhance talent."

"Cough." Han Feng suddenly appeared behind Xun Yi, who was startled and quickly focused on playing.

Han Feng listened for a while and left a message: "Pay attention to the class, don't daydream." Then he moved to Li Junde's side. Li Junde was playing the flute, and Han Feng occasionally tapped his head.

Bai Fu was surprised. According to his senses, he didn't even notice Han Feng appearing behind him. "This teacher is not an ordinary person."

After a class, everyone was exhausted. Next, they had to prepare for the martial arts class. This time, even Xun Yi had to participate, as today's martial arts class was horse grooming, or rather, washing the horses.

That's right, not riding, but grooming the horses.

Coach Gu sat on the side watching them wash the horses. Coach Gu was from the army, and these horses were also military warhorses. "Be careful. These horses are more valuable than you! And they have a bad temper. If you don't do a good job, they might kick you to death! Work hard, and I'll take you to the horse field to ride one day."

"In other words, you're just using us to do the army's work!" Li Junde muttered under his breath: "Why doesn't the army do it themselves!"

"Alright." Zhang Yuqi and Li Junde were grooming a horse together: "Since our academy borrowed the horses from the army, we have to do this. And you can't make the girls do it, right?"

The male and female academies used the same batch of horses, all managed by Lingfeng Academy.

Xun Yi and Yang Xuan were in the same group. Yang Xuan was a transfer student and had some hostility towards Xun Yi. They didn't speak throughout the class, but when it was over, Yang Xuan suddenly said: "Last night, I saw a vulture with fangs and a green face. Did you see it?"

"Ghost-headed vulture? The one that feeds on human heads and can transform into the person's appearance after eating the head?" Xun Yi recalled: "I went to bed early and didn't notice. Is there a problem?" Just as he was about to ask, Yang Xuan left with a bucket of water.

"Master, this guy is not simple. Ghost-headed vultures are yin spirits, formed from the resentment of beheaded evil people after death, gathering yin energy in the air. They prefer to feed on the yang energy of the six yang leaders. And these yin spirits can transform unpredictably, making them invisible to ordinary people. Does this guy have the ability to see yin and yang or some other means?"

Bai Fu mused. This academy is not simple. The teacher just now, and now this transfer student, each with mysterious backgrounds, completely beyond his comprehension.

Thinking about the young man he collided with earlier, that young man had a golden light of merit, seemingly a god of blessings?

What's happening in Qinglong City, suddenly so many strange people appearing. Bai Fu said to Xun Yi, "Master, go home directly after class and find Miss and Lady Tianhu to help. If there really is a ghost-headed vulture in the city, there will likely be a significant disturbance."

Bai Fu was heavy-hearted, but he didn't know that after leaving the others' sight, Yang Xuan suddenly punched the wall.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid! Why did I suddenly say that? Isn't it obvious that I'm making them suspicious of me!" Yang Xuan scratched his head, cursing, far from the cold and aloof image others had of him.

"Should the prince reveal his identity directly?" A figure appeared beside him, a tall, honest man standing behind him. "After all, I also helped repel the evil god yesterday. The prince can recognize Xun Yi."

"I won't recognize him!" Yang Xuan said rudely: "He promised to help me celebrate my birthday next summer, but he forgot me after a few days. I don't care about him!"

The man was speechless: "Prince, don't you know? Xun Yi's memories were sealed by a heavenly god, so he can't remember those promises."

"Whatever, what does that have to do with me? If he forgot, I won't bother to find him."

"Then why did you have me help repel the evil god yesterday? Weren't you worried that after Xun Yi lost his Linglong Heart, he no longer had the power to rebuke evil spirits?"

"Who's worried about him! I was worried about the scholars in the city suffering. Protecting the people is my duty as a god." Yang Xuan punched the wall again, this time without controlling his strength, and let out a cry of pain, clutching his fist and squatting on the ground.

"Prince, be careful. Your divine power is sealed, and you are now just a mortal. Your body is vulnerable..." Xuanhu Dao Bing quickly took out medicine and bandages to wrap his hand: "You can't even break a wall, let alone those evil spirits!"

"Who said that!" Yang Xuan was furious and swung his other fist at Xuanhu Dao Bing.

"Ah—" Yang Xuan looked at his swollen hand, tears streaming down his face. He almost forgot that Xuanhu Dao Bing was a heavenly soldier personally crafted by his father, with a body as strong as a fourth-level Taoyu god.

"Stupid, I hit you, and you don't know how to dodge! Are you deliberately making fun of me!" Yang Xuan was furious and kicked Xuanhu Dao Bing. This time, Xuanhu Dao Bing obediently dodged, but Yang Xuan kicked the wall again, letting out another cry of pain.

"Damn, damn, damn!" Yang Xuan screamed, and Xuanhu Dao Bing looked at a loss, letting him throw stones.

Han Feng saw this scene through the window and shook his head: "This prince was personally exiled by the Heavenly King to cultivate virtue and accumulate a million merits to return to the heavens. It seems his temper hasn't changed much. But that Xuanhu Dao Bing is a significant force, useful when major changes occur in Qinglong City."