Chapter 4

During this period, the disciples of Soaring Void Mountain often saw their young master in the library.
Every time they encountered him, they found the Young Master reading through that enormous stack of thick records with extreme concentration and taking a thick pile of notes as well.
It reminded them of the days when they had risen before dawn and worked until late at night at Abyssal Reach Academy.
The Extraterritorial Nightmares might return at any moment, and the once-every-twenty-years Abyssal Reach Selection was the best opportunity to replenish fresh blood. None of the major sects and powers dared relax.
Even though Xie Qingyuan was the current headmaster, he could not show favoritism. Naturally, he had to think carefully about how to recruit promising talent.
For a time, everyone on Soaring Void Mountain sighed over how difficult things were for the Young Master and how much thought he was pouring into the Abyssal Reach Selection for the sake of Soaring Void Mountain.
Lan Jueqi stayed shut away on Suncrest Peak for several days. When he finally came out, this was what people were saying everywhere.
【Selfless and devoted to the very end—just what I’d expect from Senior Brother!】
Lan Jueqi sighed admiringly in his heart as well.
Disciples he met on the road bowed to him one after another, their expressions hesitant and eager.
Lan Jueqi was very familiar with that expression; he saw it often. Whenever he stopped and waited, wondering whether these disciples had a question, all he ever received was a polite request to take their leave.
Most of the disciples before him were in the Nascent Soul or Spirit Transformation realms and carried copies of The Misty Art of Truth and Illusion, one of Soaring Void Mountain’s signature spells, taught by Yu Cheng.
【The difficult part of this spell is comprehending the laws of truth and illusion. For Nascent Soul and Spirit Transformation cultivators, comprehending and using laws is still too distant. Come to think of it, there is a shortcut for learning it…】
As usual, Lan Jueqi nodded and remained standing where he was.
Judging from how hurried the disciples looked, they were probably rushing to Yu Cheng’s class.
Lan Jueqi was not in a hurry anyway, so he simply stepped aside to let them pass.
Where are the thoughts? Why did his inner voice suddenly stop?!
The disciples watched helplessly as Lan Jueqi’s attention shifted to the little flowers beside the path.
【These flowers are blooming beautifully. Every time it rains, lots of flowers like these sprout along this little path, and there’s even a faint floral fragrance.】
This was the reason Lan Jueqi was willing to walk slowly on his own two legs.
Flying was not forbidden in this area. Most people swept through in a hurry and rarely noticed such details.
The disciples’ gazes followed Lan Jueqi’s thoughts toward the flowers, then they abruptly came back to themselves.
If there was a shortcut for learning it…
then they definitely would not fail the course!
The Misty Art of Truth and Illusion was genuinely difficult, and it was taught by the notoriously severe Elder Yu Cheng. Although this elder did not cultivate the Way of Ruthlessness, he was even harder to deal with than elders who did!
The senior brothers and sisters from the previous cohort said Elder Yu Cheng had once achieved a one-hundred-percent failure rate. Do not ask how they knew.
Their own cohort had not fared any better. Elder Yu Cheng spent every day finding fault with everything they did, raging that they were as stupid as donkeys and still could not learn after being taught so many times.
Lan Jueqi was most famous for his spells and divine techniques. His grades in every spell course at Soaring Void Mountain had been perfect. If they could receive even a little guidance from him, the benefits would be enormous.
“Immortal Venerable Radiant Ascendance,” one disciple finally lost the battle against his thirst for knowledge and asked timidly, “this disciple is slow-witted and has never been able to grasp the key to The Misty Art of Truth and Illusion. Could you explain it to us?”
As soon as he finished, another disciple hurriedly added, “Just a sentence or two. We won’t take much of your time, Venerable.”
Lan Jueqi moved a finger, and the book in one disciple’s hands floated over to him.
The pages flipped rapidly, spilling clouds and mist into the air. The ethereal haze was vague and indistinct, shifting unpredictably between light and shadow, unfathomably deep.
The disciples felt their vision blur. In the next instant they were standing inside the clouds and mist, their minds growing drowsy as if they wanted nothing more than to sink into it.
“Morning clouds have scarcely faded when evening clouds arise; through sun and shade, all day the world remains dim and misted.” Lan Jueqi’s voice was like an icicle shattering, instantly jolting them awake.
【Truth and illusion are difficult to grasp, but shifts between light and shadow are among the most common sights. Clouds and mist affect light in many ways—refraction, scattering, reflection… extremely complex and ever-changing. If you can grasp that, you’ve already learned more than half of this spell.】
The disciples’ eyes lit up with reverence.
Immortal Venerable Radiant Ascendance had struck directly at the heart of the matter. He was practically a guiding beacon on their road of cultivation!
Lan Jueqi was also quite satisfied with this group of disciples. Their comprehension was good; one sentence was enough for them to understand.
【As expected, anyone who can pass the Abyssal Reach Selection and enter Soaring Void Mountain has excellent aptitude. Senior Brother’s hard work wasn’t wasted.】
The disciples were delighted. Not only had they grasped the trick to The Misty Art of Truth and Illusion, they had even received praise from Immortal Venerable Radiant Ascendance!
Lan Jueqi watched them give him a perfectly proper bow and take their leave. Only after seeing them go did he continue onward.
The library stood just ahead along the path.
The duty disciple saw him arrive and asked what he needed.
Lan Jueqi said there was no need for anything.
Inside the library, people were studying and reading. Most were quiet, though occasionally someone nudged a companion with an elbow and whispered a discussion.
Lan Jueqi walked familiarly to a seat by the window.
Xie Qingyuan had his head lowered and did not notice anyone approaching.
Not until two fingers that did not belong to him suddenly appeared on the page before his eyes, rapidly alternating back and forth like little legs running.
Xie Qingyuan blinked, then laughed. “Mischievous.”
Forget all of Soaring Void Mountain—even in the entire cultivation world, there was only one person who dared disturb him like this.
When they were young, the two of them often came to the library together, and every time they sat here.
Just like now.
Lan Jueqi sat opposite Xie Qingyuan and asked softly, “Are the other sects and powers expanding recruitment for this Abyssal Reach Selection?”
Xie Qingyuan closed his book. “Expanding recruitment?”
He had spent the past few days in the library and had no idea that rumors were already flying everywhere outside.
He thought for a moment, then replied, “Cloudslayer Sect does indeed have that intention.”
Lan Jueqi: 【Just as I thought! If the number-one Cloudslayer Sect expands recruitment, even more people will try to squeeze in. No wonder Senior Brother has been working so hard on the recruitment strategy for the Abyssal Reach Selection.】
Xie Qingyuan’s eyelid twitched.
Quite a few nearby disciples heard Lan Jueqi’s inner thoughts and gazed toward Xie Qingyuan from afar with renewed respect.
Xie Qingyuan: “……”
If that strange System had not resisted every attempt he made to separate it from himself, he would never have tolerated anything this absurd!
It was even more absurd than Lan Jueqi forgetting whom he secretly loved!
For the thoughts of a dignified Immortal Venerable of the Tribulation Crossing realm to be exposed was a serious loss of dignity.
Fortunately, Lan Jueqi was open and upright. Though his thoughts were lively and unpredictable, they held no malicious or underhanded intent.
The disciples were cautious as well and did not dare recklessly gossip about an Immortal Venerable.
Thinking of this, Xie Qingyuan felt somewhat helpless. “Did you come to help me?”
Lan Jueqi nodded. 【At Senior Brother’s service!】
“All right, then help me return these books.” Xie Qingyuan pointed at the borrowed books on the table and said evenly, “I’ve already finished the recruitment strategy for this Abyssal Reach Selection.”
Whatever Xie Qingyuan’s original purpose had been, once Lan Jueqi’s inner thoughts had defined it for him, that could now only be his purpose.
An Immortal Venerable’s word was as good as gold.
Lan Jueqi carried the books back to the shelves. A duty disciple came over to help, but no matter what he did he could not find the correct places for them, and in the end Lan Jueqi had to step in.
Xie Qingyuan smiled and told the duty disciple to go attend to something else.
The library of Soaring Void Mountain contained everything imaginable. Even if someone read day and night for a hundred years, they could not finish it all.
The duty disciple had joined Soaring Void Mountain only a few decades ago. There were parts of the library with which even he was less familiar than Lan Jueqi.
The two walked out of the library together and strolled slowly along the path.
Lan Jueqi planned to report to Xie Tai that he intended to leave Soaring Void Mountain and travel around for a while, with no fixed date of return.
Xie Qingyuan frowned. “Why did you suddenly decide this? Did an elder come to pressure you into taking a disciple?”
Lan Jueqi: 【Senior Brother must already have told everyone what I meant. With Senior Brother speaking for me, how could anyone else possibly come make things difficult?】
Xie Qingyuan relaxed slightly, only to see Lan Jueqi shake his head and say, “No matter how I try to remember, I can’t think of who that person is. I might as well go out and follow the clues to look for him.”
Xie Qingyuan: “And after you find him? What will you do?”
“That’s something to decide after I find him. I haven’t thought it through yet.” Lan Jueqi looked troubled. “Besides, I don’t think this is something I can decide by myself.”
He had never considered using his power to pressure the other person or forcing him against his will.
“That’s true,” Xie Qingyuan scoffed. “Maybe the man is hideously ugly, which is why you can’t remember what he looks like no matter how hard you try. Once you see him, perhaps you’ll lose all interest and sever your roots of affection on your own.”
【Huh?】
Lan Jueqi was stunned by Xie Qingyuan’s suggestion and froze in place.
【My taste… shouldn’t be that bad, should it?】
“I don’t think that’s possible, Senior Brother. You know me.” Lan Jueqi was completely serious. “I don’t like ugly people. Someone capable of making me secretly fall for him must be very good-looking.”
【I think that person should be as good-looking as Senior Brother! Hehe! He must definitely look exactly like the kind I like!】
Xie Qingyuan’s expression darkened, and he strode several steps ahead in a fit of pique.
Lost in his fantasies, Lan Jueqi did not notice at all.
“Senior Brother!”
By the time Lan Jueqi came back to himself, Xie Qingyuan had already put a considerable distance between them.
He reached from behind and caught Xie Qingyuan by the sleeve.
Xie Qingyuan kept a stern face and did not want to speak, yet he still obediently turned around.
Cool clouds and mist rose around them. Lan Jueqi’s figure suddenly vanished before Xie Qingyuan’s eyes.
Morning clouds had not yet dispersed when evening clouds rose again. Tiny points of light flickered within the dense mist, halos spreading outward into countless rays of rosy light, dreamlike and illusory.
Xie Qingyuan did not move, allowing the clouds and mist to transform around him.
Flowering branches emerged within the glow. Vines coiled and wound together, while buds opened one after another, releasing a faint fragrance.
“Senior Brother, the flowers bloomed.” Lan Jueqi suddenly appeared again.
With Xie Qingyuan’s cultivation, of course he could tell that these flowers were false.
Xie Qingyuan: “The Misty Art of Truth and Illusion.”
Lan Jueqi: “Senior Brother demonstrated this spell for me once before.”
Back then, Xie Qingyuan had not possessed Lan Jueqi’s current ability to turn The Misty Art of Truth and Illusion into something so extravagantly elaborate.
That had all been in their youth. The two were inseparable. Aside from the mandatory mental cultivation arts they practiced being different, they deliberately chose the same classes at the same times, attended lessons together, cultivated and finished assignments together afterward, and came to the library together.
Lan Jueqi pulled Xie Qingyuan one step forward and swept a hand ahead.
Wind rose beneath his sleeve. The clouds and mist lifted and parted like stage curtains, and the view suddenly opened wide.
Before them stretched a vast, brilliant sea of flowers.
Real flowers.
Every blossom was exquisitely beautiful. Flowering branches swayed in the breeze like rolling waves, their fragrance refreshing the heart and mind.
All the irritation drained out of Xie Qingyuan at once.
Forget it.
How could Lan Jueqi be blamed for falling in love?
It was all that ugly bastard’s fault!