Mei Hongli was the son of the Mei Clan's Second Elder, and his reputation preceded him—though rarely for his talent. Two years Yue'er's senior and one of her most persistent, unwelcome pursuers, he had reached the rank of a Seven Fangs Fighter over a year ago. Since then, however, his progress had utterly stagnated; he relied on expensive pills rather than making an effort to improve. Yue'er, meanwhile, had closed the gap through determination and talent.
As the manager of the Alchemy Center, the Second Elder controlled the most profitable operation in the Peacock School. In a world where cultivators depended on alchemical pills for survival and advancement, the wealth flowing through these halls often eclipsed even the City Lord's own coffers. As his father's heir, Hongli enjoyed unfettered access to these resources, draped in a level of luxury that few in Divine Bird City could fathom.
Luotian ignored the sneering youth entirely, turning instead to the City Guard Captain with a respectful salute.
"Captain Wen, please proceed and tend to Yue'er," Luotian said, his voice calm and steady. "Once the healers have her settled, we will head to the Peacock Pavilion to report the incident to Uncle Mei."
The captain hesitated, his gaze flickering toward Hongli's jeering entourage. "Are you sure you will be all right, Young Master Feng?"
"Thank you for your concern," Luotian replied with a composed, knowing smile. "It is merely a minor dispute. I can handle it."
Reassured, Captain Wen nodded. "Very well. We will take our leave, then."
Without further delay, the guards carried the stretcher into the building. The heavy doors hissed shut behind them, leaving Luotian and Wuji standing alone against Hongli and his pack of sycophants.
Mei Hongli's irritation flared at being dismissed so easily. Sensing his leader's growing annoyance, one of his lackeys stepped forward, shouting, "Feng Luotian! Young Master Hongli asked if you're the one who hurt Goddess Mei! Admit it already!"
Luotian finally turned his full attention toward the group, letting out a soft, weary sigh of pity. "I truly feel sorry for all of you," he said, his voice carrying a stinging calm. "It must be difficult, living with no brains."
The insult was like a spark dropped into a tinderbox.
"What did you just say?!"
"Say that again! I dare you!"
"You're asking for a beating, Cripple!"
The lackeys shouted over one another, each trying to sound tougher than the rest. Unbothered by the outburst, Luotian raised a hand as if silencing a group of rowdy children. His tone remained measured, his words mocking.
"Do I really need to explain the obvious? All right, listen closely, kids. How could I—a 'cripple'—possibly harm Yue'er, a mid-stage Fang Fighter? Please, enlighten me with your brilliant logic."
The group exchanged confused glances. The anger momentarily drained from their faces as they realized the massive hole in their accusation. No one could offer a reasonable answer.
"Well?" Luotian asked, folding his arms. "If you cannot explain how it is possible, then it didn't happen. It's quite simple."
Grasping for any excuse to regain his footing, Hongli barked out, "It's because she was with you! That's why she got hurt! You're nothing but a curse—bad luck follows you everywhere!"
Wuji rolled his eyes so hard it looked painful. "Bad luck? That's your grand argument? Did you even bother to think before opening your mouth, or does the fat just clog your brain?"
"You—!" Hongli bristled, his face turning a deep, humiliated shade of crimson. "Fine! Feng Luotian, if you have any shame, you'll stay away from Yue'er so she won't be dragged down by you anymore!"
"And why exactly should I listen to you, Mei Hongli?" Luotian retorted, his voice turning cold. "You have failed the Peacock School entrance exam for two years straight, bringing shame on your father each time. If you fail again this year, he might not have enough face left to remain an Elder. Perhaps you should worry more about your own 'bad luck' before lecturing me."
Instead of flying into a rage, Mei Hongli's expression twisted into a smug, oily grin. Behind him, his lackeys began to snicker, leaving Luotian and Wuji momentarily puzzled by the sudden shift in atmosphere.
Then, Hongli threw his head back and laughed, the sound loud and arrogant. "Fail? Impossible! Do you two idiots even know who is overseeing the entrance exams this year? My father! There is no world in which I don't take the top spot."
The realization hit Luotian and Wuji simultaneously.
"So, that's it," Luotian said, his voice calm but dripping with disdain. "You're planning to cheat your way to the top by hiding behind your father's robes."
"Pathetic," Wuji added, shaking his head in genuine disgust. "No brains, no talent, and now no shame. Do you really think being the proctor's son is enough to make you a genius? You're just a fraud in fancy silks."
The brothers exchanged a glance. Hongli was counting on his father's position to secure his rank.
Hongli, stung by the word 'fraud' but unwilling to admit his reliance on cheating, sneered. "Who said anything about cheating? You're unusually bold today, aren't you, Feng Luotian? Talking back at every turn... have you forgotten your place? Perhaps I need to beat some sense into you, Cripple Boy."
He cracked his pudgy knuckles threateningly, his expression darkening as he stepped forward.
Before his memories returned, Luotian would have swallowed his pride to avoid dragging Wuji into a fight he could not win. Now he had five centuries of experience as the Blue-Eyed Phoenix Young Emperor to draw on.
Luotian met Hongli's gaze with unflinching, azure eyes. "It's nothing, really. I simply find it hard to believe you'll take the top rank—especially with Yue'er participating."
Wuji grinned, his Theríon subtly flaring in his veins as he prepared for a confrontation. "Yeah! Don't you know Sister Mei is already a Seven Fangs Fighter? She'll leave you in the dust before the first round is over."
"What?!" Hongli's face froze, the shock of Yue'er's progress momentarily shattering his smug mask. But his usual arrogance quickly returned. "So what? She only just reached the Seven Fangs, while I've held that rank for over a year! I am still her superior! I'll take the top spot in the exams and her heart along with it. The result will be the same."
Luotian and Wuji exchanged a single, silent glance before both burst into uncontrolled laughter.
"Pfft… Hahaha! 'I've been at Seven Fangs for a long time'?" Wuji howled, doubling over and slapping his knee. "Brother Feng, this is too much! My stomach actually hurts!"
Luotian smirked. "Indeed. If you've been sitting at the Seven Fangs for so long, why haven't you reached Eight Fangs already? Honestly, Hongli, your talents in comedy are truly unmatched in Divine Bird City."
Wuji wiped a tear of laughter from his eye, leaning into the drama. "Wow, Hongli. Seriously. I haven't laughed this hard in ages. My face is cramping! Hahaha!"
Luotian gave him a mocking thumbs-up. "Two years older than Yue'er, stuck at the exact same cultivation level, and you're still claiming superiority? Impressive. Truly impressive."
"You two are courting death!" Hongli roared, his face flushing a violent shade of purple. A sickly green aura of Theríon erupted around him, his temper finally snapping like a dry twig.
Wuji immediately stepped in front of Luotian, his own Theríon flaring in a defensive arc as he prepared for the impact.
Before they could clash, Luotian spoke calmly.
"How about a bet?"
Hongli's green aura wavered, his curiosity momentarily overtaking his rage. He lowered his fists slightly, his eyes narrowing. "A bet?"
Luotian nodded. "Yes. The wager is simple: I bet that you will fail to take first place in the upcoming entrance exam. If I win, you will owe me a single favor, to be called upon at my discretion."
"Heh," Hongli snorted, his green aura flickering with amusement. "And what if I do take the top spot? What then, Cripple?"
"Then you may demand one thing of me," Luotian replied, his voice unwavering.
Wuji's face twisted with immediate alarm. He reached out, grabbing Luotian's shoulder. "Brother Feng, what are you—?"
Luotian raised a hand, silencing his sworn brother with a single, authoritative gesture. "Trust me, Wuji. I know exactly what I am doing."
Hongli's interest sharpened as he realized what he could demand. "Is that so? Then let me state my demand now, so there is no room for 'misunderstanding' when you lose."
"Speak," Luotian said coolly.
"If I take the top ranking in next month's Peacock School entrance exam," Hongli began, his voice sharpening into an edge of disdain, "you, Feng Luotian, will never speak to Mei Yue'er again. You will stay away from her for the rest of your miserable life. No letters, no glances, no excuses. Do we have an agreement?"
Luotian gave a short, dry chuckle, apparently untroubled by the demand. "Fine. Since you have laid your terms out so clearly, I shall formalize mine. If you, Mei Hongli, fail to claim the absolute top rank, you will henceforth devote yourself entirely to the benefit of the Mei Clan. You will protect this city with your life on the line—without complaint and without end. Forever."
"!!" Hongli blinked, momentarily stunned by the sheer absurdity of the terms, before bursting into a fit of mocking laughter. "You want me to... do things for my own clan? To protect this city? The same city that is already untouchable thanks to your father's divine decree? Hahaha! Did you hit your head on a rock this morning, Feng Luotian?"
His entourage joined in, their cackles echoing off the stone walls of the Alchemy Center. Even Wuji looked perplexed, shifting his weight uneasily.
To them, Luotian's condition made no sense. Supporting one's clan was expected, and a city protected by his father's decree hardly seemed to need a Seven Fangs Fighter to defend it.
Still, Luotian's expression did not waver. "Do you accept, or are you afraid of a 'pointless' wager?" he asked, his tone unflinching.
Hongli hesitated at the seriousness in Luotian's eyes, then shrugged as though the wager meant nothing. "Fine. I accept. Your terms are as empty as your cultivation, anyway."
Hongli pointed a pudgy finger toward Luotian, his voice sharpening. "But remember: keep your word when the time comes. I look forward to never seeing your face near Yue'er again. Let's go!"
With a flourish of his silk robes, he turned on his heel and marched away, his mocking laughter trailing behind him like a foul scent.
Wuji watched them disappear around the corner, his confusion finally bubbling over. "Brother Feng, why? Why would you make such a ridiculous bet? His father is literally the proctor! And your condition... it's something he's already supposed to be doing! What were you thinking?"
Luotian watched the spot where Hongli had vanished, his eyes gleaming with a quiet, dangerous certainty. "'Supposed to be doing' and 'doing with your life on the line' are two very different things, Wuji. Trust me—my condition is far more difficult than you imagine. And there is no way Mei Hongli takes the top rank while we are participating."
Wuji frowned, his voice dropping to a whisper. "How can you be so sure? His father's involvement practically guarantees a fixed result."
"Everything will be just fine," Luotian replied with easy confidence. "I know it."
There was something in Luotian's gaze—a calm, sharp clarity that felt older than the school itself. Wuji hesitated, searching his brother's face for a sign of a joke, but found only steel. He let out a long breath. He was still uneasy, but he wanted to trust his brother.
"Let's hope you're right…" Wuji said, managing a wry, lopsided smile. "Because if you lose this bet and Sister Mei finds out you gambled away your right to speak to her... she isn't going to wait for a monster to kill you. She'll do it herself."