The afternoon sun hung lazily over the training grounds, spilling gold dust across the courtyard.
Li Xuan stood at the edge of the crowd, his clothes half-covered in dust and his hair sticking out in all directions.
It had only been a few days since Xiao Fengqi had smiled at him, her laughter like a quiet bell in a temple courtyard. A few days since she had stood by his side when everyone else turned away.
Now, seeing her walking toward him again, Li Xuan felt a spark of relief in her heart . The heavenly dao fruit seemed to have done its miracle,even from a far he could sense that she was no longer at the foundation level .
She looked beautiful as always. Every step she took drew eyes. Her heels barely made a sound on the stone.
"little miss ," Li Xuan said, his voice hesitant but warm. "You are also here"
He moved towards her,and placed his hand on her shoulder , staring up into her eyes . He expected her to smile but she seemed shocked in some way .
Her eyes suddenly turned cold and she raised her hand, slapping li Xuan in the face.
If today it was get slapped day,li Xuan seemed to be the guest of honor .
The sound tore through the air like a whip.
Li Xuan froze. His head tilted slightly to the side from the impact, his cheek stinging. The courtyard went silent as heads turned at once.
Xiao Fengqi's hand hovered in the air.
Li Xuan blinked at her, his mouth parting in disbelief. "What… what was that for?"
She stared at him for a long second before her lips curved in a faint, sharp sneer. "How dare you touch me with your dirty hands
Her tone was flat, like she was scolding a servant who had overstepped.
Li Xuan swallowed hard. His mind struggled to catch up. "little miss… it's me. Li Xuan. We—"
"Li Xuan?" she interrupted, her voice dripping with mock confusion. "Do I know you?"
Li Xuan frowned.
"You… don't know me?"
She crossed her arms, tilting her head.
"Why would I be friends with someone like you? Look at yourself,it feels like you have been rolling in dirt"
Ao Tu snorted from the side.
Li Xuan's stomach knotted.
"Someone like me?" he asked quietly.
Ao Tu's voice broke through the crowd like a drumbeat
"Pfft—did you all hear that? The poor boy thinks he's friends with our beautiful miss Xiao!"
Li Xuan's breath caught in his throat
If only this fool could only mind his own business and didn't interfere in their conversation, it could be better but he was already straightening himself
.
Li Xuan looked at her again, waiting for her to deny it, to at least show a flicker of warmth and some trace of the girl who once defended him but she didn't even look his way but still his heart told him that might be some kind of pretence and she played as a horrible actress .
Ao Tu swaggered forward from his boxing section,his broad shoulders casting a shadow over Li Xuan.
"Tsk, tsk. Come on I have seen many desperate people try a lot better than you, brother, you should know better. She's from the Xiao family."
Li Xuan's ears burned at hearing this fool vomit in front of him. His fists tightened until his nails bit into his palms. He forced himself to meet Ao Tu's mocking gaze.
"It could be better if you minded your own business," Li Xuan said under his breath.
Ao Tu smirked, stepping closer.
"Or what? You'll hit me? You? I heard you are the messiah of class 2H but you shouldn't worry, little miss,here got promoted to our inner academy even bypassing your beginners 4H?"
Li Xuan wanted to disappear and stop hearing this fool utter nonsense as if he knows every single thing that goes on in the academy .
He turned to Xiao Fengqi, searching her face for an answer. "Why?" he asked quietly.
"Why are you doing this?"
For a moment, something flickered in her eyes but it vanished as quickly as it came.
"I don't owe you an explanation," she said coldly. "Now, step aside. You're in my way."
Li Xuan felt something sharp twist in his gut. If this was a nightmare,then it was indeed a crazy one . She acted as if she didn't know him and the fact that she was promoted into the inner academy even before the year ended,hit harder than expected .
Ao Tu grinned, looking back at him. "
" don't worry little miss , your father asked me to take care of you and I promise that I will do my absolute best " .
Ao Tu bowed his head towards Xiao Fengqi
Li Xuan's hands shook, but he didn't move. He wanted to scream, to demand an answer once again but the words refused to come.
Instead, he turned away. He didn't expect her to change so much in just three days, but still this isn't something you expect from someone who saved your life and was willing to help you in your times of need but a noble will always remain a noble
His vision blurred slightly; he wasn't sure if it was from the sting on his cheek due to the slaps he got from the vice chancellor and Xiao Fengqi or the ache in his chest.
Behind him, Ao Tu's opened his mouth and sneered .
"Run along, little worker! Maybe you'll build yourself a backbone next time!"
Li Xuan stopped at the edge of the building and looked back once more. Xiao Fengqi stood there as Ao Tu tried to make a conversation with her but her she didn't meet his eyes which meant that she wasn't only arrogant to him but even to others
For a second, he thought she might turn. But she just stood there, beside Ao Tu and silent.
He exhaled slowly, tasting the dust in his mouth.
Maybe this is what the world really is, he thought bitterly. Kindness means nothing once gold starts talking.
The laughter behind him began to fade as the supervisor entered, carrying the wooden tablet that marked the start of their assignment. But the sound still rang in his ears.
He didn't look up as the man spoke ,his mind was still back in that moment, trapped between disbelief and humiliation.
"Alright," the supervisor's deep voice cut through the tension. "You are seven in total. You will form pairs for today's hunt."
" But aren't we seven ,this means one person will have no member to pair up with, isn't this against the rules—," lu Shan said stepping forward .
The supervisor raised a hand. "Rules can be changed. The vice chancellor approved it and there will always be one left behind."
Ao Tu smirked immediately. "Then the last one to arrive hunts alone. "
"Isn't that just too unfair?" lu Shan snapped, but before she could continue, Li Xuan's quiet voice broke in.
Li Xuan didn't know why he was trying to help but he had noticed that type of concern from Xiao Fengqi and now seeing her felt like he had never seen her in his entire life .
"Don't bother."
Li Xuan's tone was calm, too calm.
"I'll manage."
There was no anger in his voice, no desperation but just tired acceptance.
He didn't wait for approval. He just turned slightly and met Ao Tu's mocking eyes.
The words hit harder than expected. Ao Tu's smile faltered for a second before returning, wider this time.
The supervisor, uninterested in their squabble, waved his hand. "Alright. The hunt begins now. Your mission is simple,hunt down four magical beasts. Each team will face a different one but If you encounter danger, crush your spatial tablet and you'll be retrieved immediately."
He lifted his staff and a flash of gray light erupted from its crystal
Three jade tablets floated from his palm, rushing forward. Xiao Fengqi snatched one before Ao Tu could touch it while another tablet drifted to Ao Tu's partner, and the last two went to Li Xuan and lu Shan .
"Alright," the supervisor said.
"Prepare yourselves."
Li Xuan looked down at the jade tablet in his hand. The faint runes carved into it glowed like frost, cold and beautiful. His reflection shimmered on its surface ,he had tried to understand someone, seeing her in a new light but he didn't except there to be a shadow of nobility still looming
A quiet, growing hate.
The supervisor raised his mage staff high. The transparent crystal at its top glowing faintly .
"Begin."
A surge of light enveloped the students, swallowing the courtyard in gray mist.
The last thing Li Xuan saw before the world dissolved was Xiao Fengqi's distant face, her eyes darting away from his.
Then came the pull that lifted him from the ground .