/
There was still ten minutes before class.
Feng Ping Lan rounded to the school dorms by himself, passing the plaza and arriving at the gates. He hadn’t seen the administrator for a long while now, and hadn’t bumped into him during Shadow Academy, so he wasn’t sure if he was a Summoner. He was suddenly reminded that he didn’t even know the uncle’s name.
The uncle was the first one he’d met at this school, before journeying to the abandoned residence, knowing the Contracts, joining the Shadow Academy, and everything had happened all because he had arrived a day earlier than expected, and the administrator had refused to let him in.
He wanted to know if that uncle was a teacher at Shadow Academy, and if he was, he wanted to let him know that he was now one of the students at Shadow Academy, and it was because of that one unintentional action that night that had changed his life so much.
Breathlessly passing the school dorms, he came to the guardhouse at the entrance. From the distance, he had spotted someone inside the guardhouse. Feng Ping Lan rushed happily to the guardhouse, rapping hard against the small window.
“Good afternoo— uh!”
The person within lifted his head, and that was an unfamiliar man in his thirties. The man had a head of brown hair and deep green eyes, his well-favored features having both eastern and western traits that made his origins hard to determine.
A serene smile was on the man’s face, having a warm temperament that reminded Feng Ping Lan of Dongya. But this person had a solemnity that Dongya lacked.
“Hello, what is the matter?” The man asked with a smile.
“Um, may I ask if the original administrator, the uncle that’s always drinking lemon tea, has he… Has he resigned?” Feng Ping Lan asked worriedly.
“He is currently busy, and I am temporarily substituting for him.”
“Is that so…” Feng Ping Lan scratched his head, “Alright then, I’ll come back later. Sorry for interrupting!”
Before he could leave, the man threw out a question with a smile, making Feng Ping Lan halt.
“You came all the way here just to look for him? Is there anything you wish for me to pass on to him?”
“Nothing much, I just felt like seeing him, since it’s been a while…” Feng Ping Lan paused, “I’m not the kind that’s in love with an uncle, I just simply missed him!” Definitely not thatkind that existed in those midnight wet dreams.
Facing Feng Ping Lan’s idiotic words, the man did not react much, and just replied calmly, “I know.”
Feng Ping Lan sized up the man, and said curiously, “Are you a teacher?”
“I am one of the staff members of this school, but I’m not teaching.”
“Oh, so you’re a workmate.” Feng Ping Lan had a huge realization, “Um, the toilets at Building C keeps on having water tank leakage problems…”
The man smiled faintly and reached out to pull a necklace from his collar. A transparent cross hung at the end of the necklace.
“I am the administrator at the church.”
“Church?”
The man pointed towards the central administrative building, “There is a church right under that white cross. I am the person in charge there.”
Feng Ping Lan nodded. Zephaniah was a large school, and every department had different classes that had different branches and special executive units for them.
He didn’t know what a church administrator was for, but since the word administrator was in it, and he had come to substitute for the dorms administrator, he should be an administrator.
“So, you…” Which side of the faculty was he on? The Shadow Academy’s?
Feng Ping Lan intended to continue but was worried that this was an ordinary person, so he tilted his side to think for a while before speaking.
“Mm… Are you on the same group as Aunt Liang at the Block B composite building?” He probed tactfully, “And with Yin Su Shuang-laoshi and the others…”
“We are all colleagues.” The man replied with a very ambiguous answer.
Feng Ping Lan gave up on asking. If he really was a part of the Shadow Academy, they would meet each other sooner or later.
Feng Ping Lan glanced at the files in Feng Ping Lan’s hands, “Are those for the clubs?”
“Yup, these are the Supernatural Research’s records, there are a lot of mysterious unsolved cases!”
“You’ve decided on joining the Supernatural Research?” The man looked at Feng Ping Lan ponderingly.
“No, we need to pass the entrance test first…” Feng Ping Lan smiled in reply, not realizing the message that had leaked out from the man’s words, not realizing that he seemed to have already known that he hadn’t decided on which club to join yet. He continued, “It’s a combined test that the Supernatural Research, Magic Research and Drama Research Clubs set up together!”
“Oh?” The man’s lips raised in interest, “I have never heard of a combined entrance test before.”
“That’s right,” Feng Ping Lan said in satisfaction, “We’re the only ones taking it!” His tone was as if this was a rare honor, something to be overjoyed about.
The man stared at Feng Ping Lan for a moment, then smiled again. “You want to enter the Supernatural Research that much?”
“Oh, not just the Supernatural Research…” Feng Ping Lan paused and seemed to hesitate before speaking.
Although he knew that this was a stranger he had just met before him, he had a comforting temperament that made him feel like sharing everything to him.
“Actually, I want to join all three clubs. Because there are things I want to see… Ah, it’s definitely not because I want to peek into the female changing rooms, or learn how to con people!”
The man laughed lightly, “Your reasons are pretty special.”
“It’s actually because I want to help others, that I want to join…”
The man was curious, “For your… friends?”
Feng Ping Lan was silent for a few seconds, then scratched his head in embarrassment, “It would be great if we were friends.”
His relationship with the Contracts was pretty subtle. Master and servant, classmates, and also living under the same roof, but not a single one of them could explain their situation.
Strictly speaking, they were just a group of people who were acquaintances, who had to keep the same secret. Moreover, they would leave at any time.
But were they friends?
Would he be too opinionated, would he be crossing the line, to think such?
“If you just want to read the club’s resources, you can join the student council. Every club needs to hand in any records requested by their inspector and the end of every term.”
The man’s words pulled Feng Ping Lan out of his thoughts
“Is that so?” His eyes lit up, but they instantly rescinded, “But… we’ll need to wait till the end of the term. It feels too long, and we’ll need to return it in a week.”
With the number of records the Supernatural Research had, would they be able to find the information they needed in one week? And if he became a member of the student council, what he’d need to do wouldn’t be just these, and it would definitely decrease the amount of time he had.
This time it was the man’s turn for his eyes to light up, “You know quite a lot.”
“It’s all written in the information booklet for clubs, haha!”
The bell rang.
“Oh, I need to go. Um, if you see the administrator, help me tell him. Thanks! See you!”
Just when Feng Ping Lan prepared to leave, the man suddenly spoke. “How many siblings do you have?”
He halted, “I have a brother, he’s fifteen years older than me.”
“Just him?” The man continued to ask, “Do you have any other siblings that are closer to you in age?”
“Nope, unless my dad had one secretly outside, but that’s impossible, hahaha!” The bell stopped ringing, and Feng Ping Lan hurried to leave, “I have to go now, next is our class advisor’s class. I’ll get scolded.”
“You won’t get scolded.” The man smiled, certain of his words, “See you later.”
“Hopefully! Bye-bye!” Feng Ping Lan waved at him, then turned to speed away from the dorms.
“Church administrator?” An extra silhouette had appeared in the small guardhouse.
The visitor that appeared abruptly walked towards the cabinet and put on the sunglasses that had been placed in it, then took a huge pot of iced lemon tea from the refrigerator. As he poured the tea, he shook his head in disagreement.
“You’ve become better with your words.”
“He has a good opinion of the word ‘administrator’. Using a title like this would be more intimate for him.” The green-eyed man turned his head, and asked with a smile, “Why did he come for you?”
“Who knows.” The administrator used his straw to poke at the lemon slices, throwing them into his mouth, “That weirdo’s always been a little crazy in the head, you never know what he’s thinking.”
The man sighed lightly, “…He is a good child.”
“Mm, yes.” The administrator crunched on the ice cubes, “Are you regretting involving him in this?”
“All this was not stemmed from my will, but the guidance of the Sovereign God. Even our meeting today too.” The man said firmly and gracefully, “…No matter what developments that will happen in the future, I deeply believe that all is within His expectations and control.”
*
Feng Ping Lan returned to the classroom four minutes after the bell rang, and Yin Su Shuang was standing at the podium. When he saw Feng Ping Lan, he opened his mouth to start reprimanding. But seemingly seeing something, the words at his mouth were immediately swallowed.
“Class Advisor, sorry for being late, I went—”
“Shut up, sit down.” Yin Su Shuang instructed with a darkened face, not saying anything more, and continued the class.
Feng Ping Lan scratched his head, and his mouth cracked into a smile, “Class Advisor is in a good mood today. Could you possibly have a date planned after school?”
Yin Su Shuang’s expression darkened a little more, “You can be a little more moronic…”
He had intended on reprimanding, but before he could speak, he had seen the half-transparent gold feather on Feng Ping Lan’s shoulder, vanishing the instant it entered his vision.
He knew who Feng Ping Lan had been talking too, and did not try to rebuke anymore.
After class, Feng Ping Lan sat in his seat, flipping through the Supernatural Research’s files.
There were plenty of cases in it, even including incidents occurring in South-East Asian countries. While he was very interested in cases occurring outside the country, taking into account the time and money that had to be spent, he could only keep the range of scope in domestic areas.
“Where did you go in the afternoon?” Bai Li Rui came over curiously.
As Bai Li Rui approached, Feng Ping Lan could smell the scent of peaches and turned to see a can of honey peaches in one hand, an exquisite fork in another as he leisurely ate them.
“It’s been pretty embarrassing getting rejected at lunchtime in these two days you haven’t been here.”
“Aren’t you always getting rejected? You’re only feeling embarrassed now?” Conglong was astonished, “Is there something wrong with your transduction nerves?”
“When you guys are here, I’ll at least have some companions as back-up when I get rejected, even preserving my elegant and casual image. Losing a battle all by myself just looks like an ordinary stray dog.”
“Do you really need to bring disgrace on your own head?” Conglong rolled his eyes.
“This is a man’s romance.” Bai Li Rui turned, then saw the files on Feng Ping Lan’s table. “What’s this?”
“The Supernatural Research’s records. We’ve been surveying the clubs this past two days, today was the Magic Research and Drama Research.”
“I see.” Bai Li Rui ate his peaches gracefully, “Those few clubs you mentioned are pretty hard to handle, I was blocked out when I tried to join the Magic Research and Drama Research.”
“Mmmm, it is quite hard to join them, we need to pass the entrance test before we can become actual members too.” Feng Ping Lan patted the files, “This is the entrance test.”
“As expected.” Bai Li Rui sighed, “I knew it, why wouldn’t I be able to join, with all the love letters I’ve written using William Shakespeare, and the foundation I have from all those years of self-learned magic? It is definitely because the club’s standards are too high.”
“I think, that for your situation, it’s all on your character. Hehe…” Byriel laughed lightly.
Bai Li Rui looked at the files on Feng Ping Lan’s desk, and after a few seconds of silence, “The Supernatural Research researches elves, or supernatural beings, right?”
“That’s right, and aliens and spirits too!”
Bai Li Rui thought about it for a moment, “Will you let me take a look at it?”
“Oh, okay.” Those records were all informations taken from the web and newspapers, so Feng Ping Lan lent it out generously. “Is Li Rui interested in all this? I thought you wouldn’t be into weird stuff like these.”
“I’m just looking at these as a reference.” For the little beauty that he’d picked up…
“Could it be that you’ve given up on the living female population, and decided to start on the dead?” Byriel mocked.
Hearing someone mention the dead, Zong Yu turned his head from a distance away.
Bai Li Rui quickly skimmed through the contents. Haunted houses, ruins, mountains and forests, the wilderness, supernatural appearances at all kinds of places, unsolved mysteries, rumors, vivid and colorful gossip, all standing out markedly on paper. But all these information was focused on spiritual matters, not a single one of them about demons or elves.
Suddenly, a very familiar picture entered his vision. Bai Li Rui stopped flipping, his gaze set on the picture of one page.
That was a first-rate holiday villa, rumored of being haunted. According to gossip, there was a female worker who, two years ago, had been assaulted by the owner’s son after rejecting his pursuits. She had committed suicide after not being able to stand the humiliation, and rumors of the villa being haunted had since then started.
Bai Li Rui’s eyebrows pinched together.
Feng Ping Lan realized there was something wrong, and inspected him worriedly, “Is there something wrong?”
Bai Li Rui pointed at the photo, “This is my ho—” He paused, “…My relative’s hotel.”
“Really?” Feng Ping Lan poked his head over, “Is it really haunted?”
“No.” Bai Li Rui said firmly, “That was all made up. That female worker was fired after stealing a guest’s belongings, so she put all those slanders online…”
“How do you know all this?”
“Because that’s my— My relative told me.” Bai Li Rui returned the files back to Feng Ping Lan, “After finding out about this, they found the female worker spreading all those lies, and warned her that if she didn’t take down the post and make a public apology, she’d be sued.”
He thought all records on that incident had been deleted, looks like there had been a fish that had escaped the net. All information or secrets, once put up on the internet, would never be eradicated.
“I see.” Feng Ping Lan looked at the information, then took out a marker pen to put a cross on it.
Alright then, at least they were sure that this one was untrue, their scope of investigation had been reduced a little…
Looking at that thick file, Feng Ping Lan grabbed his head in distress.
He seemed to have agreed to it a little too easily, he should have haggled a little more. But if he had done that, more conditions could have popped up, and the situation could have worsened.
Conglong looked at the picture of that case, and said a little enviously, “That room looks really beautiful, and you can even see the ocean.”
He loved the seas of the human world. Whenever he came to the human world, he would go view the ocean, go to the beach, onto the sea and everywhere around. Some ocean species looked like demons, with weird attributes, yet concealed themselves in the deep lightless sea.
The deep sea was just like the underworld, and the humans were ignorant of most of it. The demons were just like the deep sea fish, perishing once they surfaced.
…But the sky above the surface, the scenery above, made him yearn.
Morris’s gaze was fixed instead on the cat lying in the middle of the bed lazily showered by the sunlight in the photo.
“That was a first-class villa, but its number of visitors dropped once the rumors spread.”
“You know quite a lot.” Byriel proposed with a smile, “Why don’t you ask your relative to let you entertain a female guest? To enjoy such a beautiful hotel, there’d probably be those in the thousands that would like to date you. Hehehe…”
“That kind of behavior would be too despicable. Violating sportsmanship isn’t something a gentleman would do.” Bai Li Rui rejected this suggestion, “If you want to go, I can give you guys the keycard.”
“Really?” Feng Ping Lan was pleasantly surprised, “Then, do I have to go out with Li Rui? I can if it’s Li Rui! But before we date, how about exchanging diaries, introducing ourselves, and setting up the basic foundation for a relationship?”
“I don’t—”
“If we need to date to go, I can too.” Conglong cut in, “But you’re not allowed to tell tasteless jokes when we date, or sing horrible self-structured songs.”
“Same for me.” Byriel spoke immediately following this, “I have no particular requests or taboos, you can do whatever you want. But if you want to play with me, it’ll all depend on your own level of tolerance, hehehe…”
“I said I don’t—”
“I can too.” Morris abruptly entered the conversation, shocking the whole group. He then said his condition, “But you’re not allowed to put your hands or your groin anywhere near my body.”
“Who wants to! Pah!” Bai Li Rui denied, enraged, “I’ll lend it to you without dating me! You say a single word more and I won’t lend it to you!”
Conglong and the others obediently shut their mouths.
“Thank you, Li Rui!” Feng Ping Lan threw himself over happily but was pushed away by him. “Then, is there a time limit on the keycard?”
“No, you can go anytime you want.” Bai Li Rui pushed his glasses up, “Inform me when you want to borrow it.”
“Li Rui, you’re really a super great guy! If it’s Li Rui, not just a date, I’ll devote my whole life to you!” Feng Ping Lan said seriously.
“Shut up.” Bai Li Rui shoved his fork into his mouth, and said with a muffled and lowered voice, “…You should have this… You’re the good guy…”
“What did Li Rui say?”
Bai Li Rui did not reply and continued eating his peaches. After finishing he even burped, revealing an uncomfortable expression.
“Why have you been eating so many peaches lately?”
“Could this be another weird way of flirting again?” Conglong guessed with a frown, “Like giving out the scent of peaches, making the girl gain an appetite, then invoking her other physiological cravings?”
“Those are just my leftover peaches, they’ll spoil if I don’t eat them. I wasn’t thinking too much, but that sounds like a great idea.” Bai Li Rui took out his notebook.
His little beauty had said that he wanted to eat peaches before going to sleep, which was why he had bought various kinds of peach-related foods, no matter if they were honey peaches, flat peaches, white peaches, wild peaches, even including canned foods, sweets, and drinks that were peach-flavored. He had prepared thoroughly, waiting for him to wake up and savor them.
But the fist-sized little beauty had kept on sleeping, and the fruits and opened cans had been placed beside his bed to no avail. He couldn’t be awakened. At last Bai Li Rui could only eat them himself.
He wanted to the little beauty wake up, wanted to see the little beauty happy, wanted to see those eyes drooped constantly, as if they were about to cry, curve upside-down in happiness.
Just what are you? Little beauty…
I wonder if, in this world, there are any others of your kind…
*
Evening, Shadow Academy.
Feng Ping Lan entered the classroom and realizing that Kaido was absent, assumed that he was just running late. But until the first and second periods were over, there was still no sign of Kaido and Tan Hua.
He only registered the fact that Kaido was not present, not noticing a few of his classmates glaring at him with angered looks. Those were Renier’s companions.
After the second period, Feng Ping Lan chased after Yin Su Shuang, asking about Kaido in the hallway.
“Why is Kaido absent? Is he sick?” Or… had he gone to challenge someone else?
“He went back home in the afternoon, he’s been suspended for three days.”
“Why?” Feng Ping Lan was astonished.
“He attacked Renier while club was in session, even though he was prohibited from doing so, injuring Renier in the process.”
“Ah? Why?”
“He wouldn’t say no matter how much we asked.” Yin Su Shuang looked at Feng Ping Lan with furrowed brows, “I thought you’d know.” Since they’d been pretty close in the past few days, and Kaido had even moved into that residence.
“I don’t know, because Kaido doesn’t bother with me that much, hahaha…” Feng Ping Lan laughed, scratching his head.
Arm raised, Yin Su Shuang abruptly noticed the bandage wrapped around Feng Ping Lan’s shoulder.
He immediately understood, but his expression did not change, nor did he directly say out the reason.
So that was it…
So that kid Kaido wasn’t as stubborn and obstreperous as he seemed. Although he was idiotic and hard to handle, his intrinsic qualities weren’t so bad after all.
Yin Su Shuang cast a sideways glance at Feng Ping Lan.
But the most amazing of all, was this guy…
It was Feng Ping Lan that had brought out Kaido’s special qualities, letting them see the honest side of himself.
He suddenly understood why Feng Ping Lan, this ordinary human, had appeared here, and not just because of his ‘identity’.
Yin Su Shuang changed the subject, “Your zhoushu and yishu are not satisfactory. Although there is no problem in the written part, you are constantly fooling around in the practical part.”
“Ah, I’ve been seen through?” Feng Ping Lan laughed foolishly in embarrassment. “I thought my acting skills were pretty realistic, hahaha!”
Yin Su Shuang humped exasperatedly. That kind of third-rate act would probably fool a part of the students, but it couldn’t be hidden from a teacher’s eyes.
But he didn’t reprimand much, just reaching out a hand to pat Feng Ping Lan, then, with sincere and earnest wishes said, “Put in some extra effort…”
The pending road in the future would be a hard one to walk. One couldn’t pass through a thorny path with bloodied feet, after all.
*
Wushu class, self-practice session.
Feng Ping Lan summoned the shadow blade by himself, using it to swing randomly at the air.
Renier’s companions exchanged looks and approached Feng Ping Lan with unfriendly expressions.
Feng Ping Lan did not notice, but Quetzal did.
He had intended on ignoring it, but as Renier’s companions were just a few steps away from Feng Ping Lan, just when they were about to call out to him, he did the very thing he knew he’d clearly regret later.
Quetzal moved forward, moving to Feng Ping Lan’s side, blocking before Feng Ping Lan from Renier’s companions just in time.
“Your swordsmanship is imperfect…” Quetzal said with a low voice.
Feng Ping Lan was struck still at his spot, gripping his sword as if he was about to shoo away a fly. He had never expected Quetzal to speak to him on his own accord.
“Ah? Oh! Mm!”
Feng Ping Lan’s reaction caused Quetzal to furrow his brows, and he cast a glance at the people at the back. They seemed to be waiting, waiting to cause trouble for Feng Ping Lan the moment Quetzal left.
Quetzal struggled a little inwardly, and then clenched his teeth at last, speaking as if he was fighting a huge battle. “…You need extra instruction.”
Feng Ping Lan’s body went entirely stiff. He was so shocked he almost forgot to breathe, and after two seconds he finally used a soft trembling voice to say, “I-Is this reality…” He clutched his sword, “Do I need to stab myself in my stomach, to poke myself awake…”
If he really poked himself with that method, he probably wouldn’t wake up ever again.
Quetzal really wanted to turn around, but he couldn’t stop halfway.
“Go to the corner.” He instructed, then walked off without waiting for Feng Ping Lan.
“Wait for me!” Feng Ping Lan hurried over.
Renier’s companions knew that they’d lost their chance, and could only return in disappointment to their own respective training spots.
The two came to the corner of the rooftop, away from the crowd.
Quetzal took out a sword from the shadows.
Feng Ping Lan felt uneasy, “What do we do next—”
“Attack me.”
“What?!” Feng Ping Lan stared blankly, “But, if I accidentally hurt you…”
Quetzal frowned, “You think you will harm me, with your skills?”
“Uh, no.” What should he say? He knew that Quetzal was incredibly strong, but to wave a sword at Quetzal, made him feel a little uncomfortable…
Seeing the hesitant Feng Ping Lan, Quetzal spoke coldly, “You can train by yourself if you want.” With that, he moved to turn.
“Nonono! Forgive me for being so conceited for actually thinking I can hurt a single fine hair on Quetzal’s head! Please stay, teacher! Please accept my repentance and teach me the sword!”
“Quiet.” Quetzal reprimanded impatiently.
“Yes! Understood!” Feng Ping Lan stood to attention in reply, then said tentatively, “Then, I’ll start!”
With that, with both hands gripping the sword, he swung clumsily at Quetzal.
Quetzal dodged lightly, and the tip of the blade pointed towards the ground.
“You have too many superfluous movements.”
“Yes!”
“Arms close together, stand sideways, do not reveal too much of your body area to the enemy.”
“Yes!” Feng Ping Lan obediently did that, slanted his body, grip the sword, and stabbed forth.
Still into empty space.
“Look at your target clearly before moving. Aim at the critical point.”
“Yes!” Feng Ping Lan stabbed towards Quetzal’s leg.
“The leg is not a critical point. If you aim to make your enemy incapable of moving, you should hit his ankle.”
“Yes!”
Feng Ping Lan used his own method, randomly waving and swinging, not following the style of learning. Quetzal did not directly teach the normal swordplay either, just pointing out his existing movements and fixing his mistakes.
After practicing for a while, Feng Ping Lan’s movements became a little more nimble, and his stance at holding the sword, the way he waved it was not as amateurish as before.
Feng Ping Lan stabbed and cut forward, Quetzal easily evading them one by one.
“Your sword’s movements are too stiff. Have more variation.”
“Yes!” Feng Ping Lan did what he was told and changed the direction of his sword. Turning, the hand gripping the sword suddenly spun, the sharp edge of it slicing horizontally.
Quetzal raised his eyebrows and gracefully lifted his sword, effortlessly blocking that attack.
This was the first time he had used his sword ever since tonight’s practice session.
“Ah!” At the clashing sound, Feng Ping Lan was momentarily flustered, and losing some heart, his movements slowed.
“Continue, do not get distracted,” Quetzal warned, attacking at the same time.
Feng Ping Lan instantly came back to attention and blocked that attack, but the other’s sword was quicker than him. There were quite a few times the sword almost pierced him, and stopped about five centimeters away before that happened, then continued a wave of attacks.
If this was an actual battle, his body would already be stabbed full of holes.
“Pay attention to where the tip of the enemy’s sword is moving.”
“Yes!” Feng Ping Lan seriously observed the movements of Quetzal’s sword, but was still a step slower.
Quetzal was just too amazing, how could he block him…
Feng Ping Lan pondered secretly, as he blocked with much effort.
Quetzal’s movements were proficient and refined, coldly raw and unadulterated like melted ice, chilly and clearly penetrating.
Moreover, Quetzal looked really super cool waving a sword like that. Looking at that posture held with skillfulness and ease, that serious and prudent expression…
Seemingly sensing Feng Ping Lan letting his imagination run wild, Quetzal reprimanded. “Focus!”
“Oh oh! Yes!” Feng Ping Lan was hurriedly brought back to his senses, and pushed all his delusions to the side.
But, he really looked super cool! Cool in all ways, and the way he held his sword was also cool— mm?
Feng Ping Lan noticed Quetzal’s wrist slightly revolving, moving sideways to the left.
Subconsciously, he raised his sword to the left to block it.
Clang! The clashing sound rang out once again.
Feng Ping Lan had blocked this attack.
Quetzal stopped his movements, a little astonishment and praise surfacing in his eyes.
“…You need to amend your grip.” He reached out a hand to Feng Ping Lan, moving the way he held his sword a little, also adjusting a few of the fingers’ positions.
Feng Ping Lan said in surprise, “Que—”
“I’ll leave if you call me.”
Feng Ping Lan immediately shut up, nodding adamantly to express his cooperation. “Mm mm mm!”
When Quetzal released his hold, Feng Ping Lan couldn’t stop staring at his hands and smiling foolishly.
Although he didn’t speak, Quetzal seemed to be able to hear the words in his mind.
Quetzal felt a bout of unhappiness.
He put down his sword, back into the shadows.
“We’re not training anymore?” Feng Ping Lan spoke.
“We’ll stop at this point.”
Stop at this point. Not just today, they wouldn’t continue this practice in the future. This had just been an unnecessary action he had done out of moment’s whim.
“Oh.” Feng Ping Lan looked at his watch, realizing that half the period had passed unwittingly.
The shadow blade in his hands felt warm, his palms were soaked in his sweat, and he finally felt tired.
Feng Ping Lan lowered his head, smiling at Quetzal’s back as he prepared to return to his original training point.
“Quetzal is a good teacher.” Feng Ping Lan said, as if he had discovered a huge realization.
Quetzal walked to the front, ignoring him.
With Feng Ping Lan’s degree of skill, he wouldn’t be able to tell if he was good or bad… He objected.
“Quetzal lets me self-develop, and doesn’t make me learn by following his example, picking out my mistakes during practice, letting me use the style I am accustomed to when using the sword.” Feng Ping Lan said, pleased, “This is my sword, my exclusive Ping Lan style! Hahahahaha!”
Quetzal froze, his footsteps halting.
He remembered that scene on the training grounds that very year.
“Why don’t you make me learn from you? What’s the use of practicing blindly like this?”The young prince, on the first week of swordsmanship lessons, complained.
“Even a lower-level demon can imitate me. No matter how prudent you are, it will never be yours. You need to feel around by yourself, creating your own way of the sword.”
The prince was silent for a few seconds, and smiled, “Indeed. If I keep on imitating you, I will forever be under your protection.” He raised his sword, and announced loftily to Quetzal, “I will surpass you.”
Quetzal had looked at the young prince, feeling the throbbing created by this limitless potential of this bud.
He was curious, expectant, he wanted to see the high plasticity of this sound material, and under his molding, just what kind of masterpiece it would grow into.
“I will wait and see.” He forced down the leaping of his heart, replying humbly.
“…Who knows, I might surpass you one day, Quetzal. Hahaha!”
Feng Ping Lan’s laughter cut through Quetzal reminiscing, and he felt as if someone had slapped him across the face.
“That will never happen.” He gripped his hand into a fist, replying coldly.
He was just a human, just a temporary safety net, how could he be compared to Prince Shuekan?
“Oh, I was just simply saying. I don’t want to surpass Quetzal either. I want to stand on the same level as Quetzal, stand by Quetzal’s side.” Feng Ping Lan did not care, talking to himself, “This way, I can always look at you.”
Feng Ping Lan’s unintentional words made Quetzal frown.
With his lack of experience, how could he be compared to Prince Shuekan.
On the same level…
But for some reason, these words echoed in Quetzal’s heart for a long while, before sinking slowly.
Prince Shuekan’s figure surfaced in his mind.
The prince who had taken matters into his own hands, surpassed him, and walked further away from his sight.
*
It was deep past the night. In the west past the ocean, the morning sun waited for action after having accumulated energy on the horizon.
The skyline was dyed a grayish-blue color by the first penetrating rays.
In the middle of the gorgeous hall, the rowdiness had finally ceased after a whole night of singing and dancing, the tide of people finally dispersing. The leftover wine bottles, remaining Cognac, and the messy table filled with filth, all silently divulged in an indulgent life of luxury.
Just like the uppermost floor of a palace, a room on the highest level.
A huge French window vastly projected the scenery in the distance. In the extensive field of view, directly on the other end, the light and shadow of the sun altered slightly, red clouds rolling through the light, plainly visible.
The room was incredibly spacious, with not much furnishings. There was a large seat in the middle of the room, made with top-notch satin, gems, constructed of wood, taller than a human.
The seat faced the window, and the person sitting in it reclined on his hand, observing the scenery.
The man had handsome features, golden eyes genial and calm, flaxen hair giving off a warm feeling, his entire person wafting off a flourishing aura of a king.
A subtle sound rang through the room. Then, a gray figure appeared, bending and prostrating on the floor, paying worship to the person on the seat.
The man did not turn, speaking to inquire, “Any news? Jun Sui…”
His tone was as gentle and steady as his appearance, stately and calm.
“Absolutely nothing, Your Highness Zhentsi.” Jun Sui was in fear and trepidation.
He knew that the prince wasn’t as genial as his appearance suggested. Honestly, it was the opposite…
“Oh?” Third Prince Zhentsi replied indifferently, seemingly uncaring, “Ci Mu, Mang Nao, and Jiu Shao all vanished in the same area, but there really wasn’t anything there at all…”
“But, the familiars that were sent out did not find anything—”
“Jiu Shao said he had met a Summoner. But the ones that would actually pick a fight with us would probably be a miemoshi.”
Jiu Shao’s last report had mentioned a Summoner. Jiu Shao said he was being encircled by numerous Summoners and had escaped from the enemy’s clutches with much effort, and moreover—
His words had been cut short.
He hadn’t continued listening and had broken his contract with Jiu Shao.
Most Summoners were eager for quick success and instant benefit, so they wouldn’t specifically investigate demons that hadn’t been summoned into the human world. Only the miemoshi hunted demons for fun. He wasn’t sure if Jiu Shao had escaped due to luck, or the miemoshi had released him into the wild.
He couldn’t risk himself, so he had thrown Jiu Shao away.
“If he had met a miemoshi, that would be…” Most unfortunate.
“What about Mang Nao and Ci Mu, then? Those two brought a whole two platoons, and all of them vanished into thin air.” The smooth eyebrows lifted very slightly, “Where did they go?”
Jun Sui swallowed, and gave out his speculation, trembling with fear, “Could they have… Betrayed you?”
“Betrayed me? Is there such a possibility?” A trace of brutality flashed through his eyes.
If a subordinate had betrayed him, the one that lost face wasn’t the traitor, but the master.
Jun Sui did not dare lift his head, resenting himself for speaking out.
Zhentsi slowly turned his head, staring at the Jun Sui kneeling on the ground.
“What about you? Will you betray me?”
“No, of course not! Your Highness! I will not!”
“Oh.” The third prince nodded, turning back to gaze at the scenery, saying languidly, “But, being unable to complete your master’s orders is a kind of betrayal too…”
Jui Sui, who knelt on the floor, felt his heart tremble.
In the next moment, the fingers of left hand twisted unnaturally, finger by finger.
Jun Sui was in so much pain tears flowed down, but he bit his lips, not daring to make a sound. It would be much worse if he did.
“Have you done your best, Jun Sui?” A question sounded out again.
“I will do my best! I will do my utmost best to serve Prince Zhentsi! Until my life ends!” Jun Sui tolerated the pain, yelling out that pledge of allegiance.
“I believe you will.” Because if he failed, that would be the end of his life. “Go.”
Jun Sui kowtowed, then disappeared.
The golden eyes watched out the window. The sun rose gradually, the colors of the clouds looking near yet far, creating layers of gray-blur to golden yellow.
His eyes curved into a smile.
*
Kaido was unable to arrive for the cleaning of the toilets at night due to being suspended. Everyone knew what he had done at his club, so they didn’t say much about his absence.
Only one was a complete exception, remaining perplexed with Kaido’s actions.
“What happened to Kaido? Why did he challenge Renier?” As Feng Ping Lan swept, he muttered. “Is Renier really strong? Kaido wants to win one over him?”
Everyone looked at Feng Ping Lan, utterly speechless.
“You…” Liu Yi Chen was exasperated, “The level of a moron is also a level of a top student, huh.”
Feng Ping Lan was baffled, “Ah? What do you mean?”
No one answered him.