Chapter 46: Drifting Days at Luyang Academy

“Take him away.”

A brief command floated down from the sky, just four words.

“Yes!”

Fan Ling struggled to his feet, bracing himself. “The Master is unwilling to see you. Come with me.”

Gu Yi was utterly baffled. What kind of strange situation was this? So I was brought here just to watch you get beaten up? And beaten so miserably at that.

How could he just leave so easily?

Ignoring Fan Ling, he took two steps forward and called out loudly, “I am Gu Yi. I hope the Master will show himself and meet with me.”

There was silence—no response at all.

“Let’s go.”

“Go? Why should I go? Didn’t your precious students say it’s easy to get in and hard to get out? Just now I watched you get beaten; once I’m out, it’ll be my turn. I was hoping you might stop them, but now look at you, beaten to a pulp.”

At times, Fan Ling really couldn’t fathom what went on inside this kid’s head.

“Not to mention whether I’d help you or not—if you anger the Master here, losing your life isn’t out of the question.”

“Gu Yi!”

Suddenly, a voice called his name. It sounded familiar.

“Gu Yi! It’s me!”

From the entrance behind him, a young girl came running, a golden chick waddling at her feet.

Eh?

Isn’t that...

Hexian?

It was really her.

Gu Yi was momentarily astonished. “Hexian? What are you doing here?”

“You know her?” Fan Ling was surprised as well.

“I greet the Talent Keeper.” The young girl bowed first, and seeing how injured Fan Ling was, she hesitated in pity. “Please wait a moment, Talent Keeper.”

As she spoke, she reached to take something out.

“No, don’t.” Fan Ling stopped her, shaking his head slightly, his eyes hinting at her. “Thank you.”

The Master might still be watching, after all.

“Then Talent Keeper, you’d better go rest and recover.”

Fan Ling glanced at Gu Yi. He wanted to leave, but this guy wouldn’t budge.

Hexian seemed a little afraid too. “Gu Yi, come with me first. We can talk later.”

Seeing he had no intention of moving, she simply took matters into her own hands. “Come on, let’s go. Shehuang, hurry up, let’s get out of here!”

This place was terrifying—what if the Master started something?

But Gu Yi was cunning as well. Being dragged by the arm was no fun, so as they ran, he suddenly stopped and broke free. “No, I can’t go yet. I still want to get into the Technique Pavilion.”

Hexian was anxious. “I know! Just come with me for now. If you upset the Master, it’ll be a mess!”

She reached out again, but Gu Yi was ready this time, lifting his arm—just right for her to grab his hand.

After spending so long cultivating in the mountains, he’d almost gotten dull. But after a spell in Luyang City, he felt like himself again.

They ran like that, the scenery shifting on both sides as the Technique Pavilion receded into the distance. At last, they stopped before a grassy hillside.

Gu Yi still had plenty of questions.

“I didn’t expect you to be a student of Luyang Academy as well?”

Hexian bent over, panting, and rested for a bit.

She was different from when he first met her—no longer in masculine attire, but now wearing a waist-tied jade-green dress, with a few wisps of bangs at her forehead, making her look pure and lovely.

“I’m not,” Hexian said, shaking her head with a smile. “I grew up here, and though I learned a few things, I’m not really a student of the academy. But you’re so bold—how did you ever think to provoke the Master?”

She grew up here?

Gu Yi mused—she must be more familiar with this place than anyone.

“Are you afraid of her? The moment you saw me, you dragged me away.”

Dragged away?

Hexian’s fingers twitched, as if she scratched Gu Yi’s palm, sending a ticklish feeling.

Only then did she realize what she’d done. With a gasp, she quickly let go.

“Just… just a moment’s panic.” Hexian blushed.

“Oh…”

Oh, indeed. He was suppressing a grin, and still had the nerve to ‘oh’ at her—how had she never realized he was so mischievous? Back when Uncle Chen called him naughty, she hadn’t believed it.

“But you! Why did you just leave a note that day and disappear? Didn’t we agree to enter Luyang together?”

She was clearly upset by this.

Gu Yi just humored her like a child, his mouth running off unchecked. “Oh, I wasn’t hiding from you, I was hiding from Canlian. You don’t know what it took for me to leave you all behind! I nearly wept crocodile tears.”

“What are crocodile tears?”

“It means tears of sorrow.”

Hexian believed him.

“So that’s how it was. Then I misunderstood you.” She broke into another happy smile. “But after you left, Canlian disappeared too. I thought she went after you.”

“She disappeared too?” Gu Yi was bewildered. “I really have no idea, then.”

Strange. Someone so determined at first, and now she’d just given up?

...

“The Talent Keeper has been punished by the Master and has gone back in silence. But where did that Gu Xiaoyao go?”

“Hmph! So arrogant—he’d better hope I don’t find him! He’s still somewhere in the academy!”

...

Just as the two of them were reminiscing, they heard voices nearby.

Gu Yi realized this was bad—a miscalculation. Why did he follow this girl? Fan Ling would’ve been safer.

“They’re looking for you?” Hexian was so startled she flattened herself on the ground behind the hill, pulling Gu Yi down too.

“Seems so. When I came in this morning, a girl named Shu Le said it’s easy to come in, hard to get out. Fan Ling must’ve gone back without me, so now they’re searching.”

Gu Yi lay beside her, whispering, drawing even closer.

“Huh? Shu Le is formidable—she might become Tower Master one day.” Hexian pinched her pinky. “You’re strong too, you beat the Talent Keeper. But the Keeper can’t beat Shu Le.”

That’s what people said.

Gu Yi couldn’t help but mock, “Then why is he called Talent Keeper? Sounds fierce, but he’s really a weakling.”

Hexian considered this. “If everyone’s looking for you, you definitely won’t get out now. Let me hide you.”

She was rather amusing too. Gu Yi asked, “Aren’t you angry I embarrassed the Cultivation Academy?”

“Not at all.” She smiled. “I know you’re connected to Little Yuan Mountain. Come, follow me quietly. You absolutely mustn’t be seen now.”

Luckily, this hill was inconspicuous, and the two sword-bearing students didn’t come here. Hexian led him down the slope, through a patch of woods, and over a small bridge.

The natural scenery was beautiful—the mountain streams crisp and clear, a faint sweetness in the air, and the occasional squirrel frolicking in delight.

“Where are you taking me?”

Gu Yi followed behind, watching her long black hair flutter, full of youthful spirit.

“To the Talisman Path. That’s where I live.” She turned around, walking backward with her hands behind her back, almost stepping on Shehuang.

“I’ve learned a bit—there’s the Talisman Path, Sword and Sword, and the Technique Pavilion.”

“That’s right. But the Path Master isn’t like the Pavilion Master. The Path Master is wonderful. If you go there, nothing will happen to you.” Hexian winked her right eye at him, clearly in good spirits.

“But if you help me like this and get found out, will you be all right?”

“I’m not scared of them.” She scooped up Shehuang from the ground. “Oh, right, I’ve always wanted to ask you—what’s the hidden meaning in ‘Three men make a tiger’? I asked the Path Master and Tower Master, but they couldn’t figure it out either.”

Gu Yi: ???

“Excuse me?”

Hexian glanced at him, speaking carefully, “I told them what you wrote. That’s all right, isn’t it?”

“That’s fine.”

As for ‘Three men make a tiger’...

Gu Yi covered his face. It was an ancient fable from Handan in the Warring States—what a blunder.

Just as he was about to explain, a shout rang out:

“Found him! It’s Gu Xiaoyao! Over there!”

They both started. Looking back, they saw two fierce-looking people perched on a tree branch, glaring down at them.

Doomed. Their slow, idle chat had gotten them caught.

“Stop! Don’t run!”