Chapter 86: The Entrance Exams p1 |
Chapter 86: The Entrance Exams p1
Holy shit. Bai Ruoxi’s spiritual energy is within my vessel?
Mu Zhi’an was stunned by Lan Mulian’s question.
It’s true what they say: it’s hard to see the picture when you’re inside the frame.
If she hadn’t mentioned it, he might not have realized.
Could it be from our dual cultivation?
But an Inborn Celestial Vessel’s ability is to give, not to receive. It should be my spiritual energy within her, not hers within me. He pondered, his brow furrowed.
As the elders and patriarchs departed, he looked at Lan Mulian, who was staring at him, her eyes cold and sharp, her expression a mask of polite curiosity.
Her gaze was intense. “To be honest, Senior Sister, my constitution is unique. I had to… exert myself to conceal Bai Ruoxi’s demonic aura,” he said, his voice a mental whisper.
“I’m an Inborn Celestial Vessel,” he replied.
An Inborn Celestial Vessel. She repeated the words silently, remembering something she had read in the sect’s library.
She frowned. “If I’m not mistaken, an Inborn Celestial Vessel’s ability is one-sided. It still doesn’t explain why her spiritual energy is within you.”
“I’m also puzzled by that. If you don’t mind, could you examine me later, Senior Sister? Perhaps there’s something wrong with my ability,” he said, feigning respect and deference.
She nodded. “Very well.”
She was indeed curious about his constitution.
There were countless unique constitutions in this world, but most were self-serving.
His, however, benefited others.
He couldn’t use the spiritual energy within his vessel, but he could transfer it to another person… If they were at a bottleneck, it could even help them break through.
He wasn’t a cheat code, but he was a cheat code dispenser.
She pushed those thoughts aside, then turned to Bai Ruoxi. “After we leave, I’ll address Ye Yu’s false accusation. As for the rest…”
She glanced at Mu Zhi’an. “I’ll leave it to you.”
She wasn’t good at handling such social matters, but he was.
“Thank you for your assistance, Senior Sister,” Bai Ruoxi said sincerely.
Lan Mulian nodded.
After Ye Yu’s sudden outburst, she wasn’t in the mood for idle chatter. She left the pavilion.
Bai Ruoxi turned to Mu Zhi’an, her voice soft and grateful. “I’m so sorry for causing you so much trouble, Mu Lang.”
He shook his head, his gaze meeting hers. “Anything for you, Ruoxi.”
She smiled, her voice gentle. “You’ve said that to other women, haven’t you, Mu Lang?”
The Heart-Binding Lock appeared on his wrist.
He pretended not to notice, his gaze fixed on her, his voice soft. “At this moment, Ruoxi, you’re the only one I care about.”
The Heart-Binding Lock confirmed his sincerity… Her eyes, filled with a mixture of love and apprehension, were fixed on him, her gaze unwavering.
He seized the opportunity. “Why don’t you return to the manor first, Ruoxi?”
“I still have some matters to attend to.”
She frowned. “Didn’t Senior Sister already explain everything?”
He chuckled, shaking his head. “Ye Yu’s accusations have already spread. Even if Senior Sister and the leaders of the major families clear your name, people will still gossip, wondering if we colluded.”
Which they had…
She frowned. “They don’t trust the major families, but they don’t even trust the examiner?”
“Of course not,” he replied, his voice matter-of-fact. “People only believe what they see with their own eyes.”
“Ultimately, they don’t truly care if you’re a demonic cultivator or not. They just want entertainment”
“So even if everyone else confirms that I’m a human cultivator, some will still suspect me?” she asked, her brow furrowing.
“Yes.”
He nodded, his gaze lingering on her beautiful face. “But it doesn’t matter.”
“They want entertainment? I’ll give them entertainment.”
For Ye Lingxuan and Ye Qian’s sake, he wouldn’t be too harsh on the Ye family.
However, Ye Yu seemed too idle. He had too much free time to cause trouble.
It wasn’t a major issue, but being constantly harassed by a fly, it was annoying.
He had to keep Ye Yu occupied.
…
At the Ye Manor, Ye Yu sat on his bed, meditating, his expression calm, but his mind replaying the events at the teahouse.
“Are you unhappy?” a voice asked, echoing in his mind, pulling him out of his thoughts.
“Master, why didn’t you let me expose her?” he asked, his voice low and bitter.
“Senior Sister can use the Aura Sight Technique. If she had examined Bai Ruoxi, even Mu Zhi’an’s words wouldn’t have mattered!”
The old man sighed. “If she was determined to protect Bai Ruoxi, even if she saw the demonic aura… do you think she would tell the truth?”
Ye Yu fell silent.
“You were too impulsive,” the old man continued.
After regaining his talent, Ye Yu had been patient, focusing on his cultivation.
He had believed Ye Yu’s character was strong, that his endurance would lead to greatness.
But ever since encountering Mu Zhi’an, he had become increasingly impulsive.
Mu Zhi’an was like a… demon haunting him, making him lose his reason.
It was understandable. He had lost every encounter with Mu Zhi’an.
To fall from grace, to regain his talent, then to be repeatedly defeated. It was fortunate that Ye Yu’s spirit hadn’t been broken. A weaker person would have crumbled.
“You achieved your goal. Knowing when to stop… it’s a sign of maturity,” the old man said, his voice gentle.
Ye Yu frowned. “The elder already issued a retraction… How did I achieve my goal?”
The old man chuckled. “A retraction isn’t enough. The moment you accused her, everything Mu Zhi’an did became irrelevant.”
“No matter how hard they try to clear her name, people will still… doubt her.”
Ye Yu stared at him, then murmured, “So… I won?”
“In a way…” the old man replied. “The Ye family might pay a price, but… yes, you won. Mu Zhi’an is a proud man. To be unable to protect the woman he loves, it will torment him.”
“So instead of seeking revenge, focus on your cultivation.”
His words were a warning: Stop causing trouble. Focus on what’s important.
Ye Yu nodded, his anger fading, replaced by a sense of satisfaction.
“I’ll cultivate diligently, and at the entrance exams. I’ll defeat him!”
The old man grunted in acknowledgment, but inwardly, he sighed.
Because of Mu Zhi’an, he hadn’t been able to sleep peacefully. He was constantly worried that Ye Yu would fall for one of his schemes.
If he hadn’t stopped him today, his presence within Ye Yu’s body might have been exposed.
And then, even without Mu Zhi’an’s intervention, his enemies would have come for him.
It seemed he had to accelerate their plans, to make Ye Yu reach Core Formation as soon as possible, no matter the cost.
…
The crowd at the sparring arena had grown even larger. The Ye family elder had issued a retraction, confirming that Bai Ruoxi wasn’t a demonic cultivator.
And Lan Mulian had also spoken up, supporting his statement.
However, as Mu Zhi’an had predicted, humans were curious creatures. Many remained skeptical, wanting to hear from the individuals involved.
But even if Mu Zhi’an and Bai Ruoxi spoke up, it wouldn’t matter. Once the accusations were made, the damage was done.
“What are they doing in there? The examiner and the family leaders have all left. Why aren’t they coming out?” someone asked.
“Perhaps they’re erasing evidence, hiding the truth?”
“That’s ridiculous… If we can’t trust the families, can’t we trust the examiner?”
“No matter how powerful the Mu family is, they can’t bribe her.”
“Well, you never know…” The speaker quickly fell silent.
Questioning a disciple of the Two Polarities Sect in public, it was a dangerous thing to do.
Ye Lingxuan frowned, listening to their whispers.
“They’re so annoying. They already confirmed that Sister Ruoxi isn’t a demonic cultivator, yet they’re still gossiping,” Ye Qian murmured, her voice filled with indignation.
“The accusations have been made. There’s nothing we can do about it,” Ye Lingxuan replied softly.
“But don’t worry. It’s just idle chatter.”
“The entrance exams are in two days. Everyone will forget about this soon.”
Mu Zhi’an had seemingly won, but considering Bai Ruoxi’s situation, it wasn’t a complete victory.
And Ye Yu hadn’t lost either.
This outcome… it was probably what he had intended.
He hadn’t proven Bai Ruoxi was a demonic cultivator, but the rumors would persist.
For the next few days, the main topic of conversation in Tianxuan City would be… Bai Ruoxi’s supposed demonic cultivation.
She had been praised and admired, but now, even a hint of negativity… it would be amplified, her reputation tarnished.
It was a common phenomenon, regardless of the era.
“Young Master Mu is coming out!”