The physical education class had ended, and Flame City Private Academy was bathed in the glow of the setting sun. The campus grew quieter as the crowd thinned, leaving behind a serene and peaceful atmosphere.
Yet, Li Guanqi's heart remained unsettled. Several hours had passed since noon, and she still couldn't decipher the deeper meaning behind Su Cheng's actions and words.
What was he insisting on?
What exactly was Su Cheng planning to do?
The statement lacked too many critical elements for judgment. She wanted to know more—what trouble was Su Cheng trying to resolve?
After long contemplation, Li Guanqi still couldn't guess the answer. For now, she could only turn to the diary, hoping to find some clues.
She had initially thought, as Gu Ruoxue had said, that she might understand the situation better. Instead, the problem had grown increasingly complex, making everything even more elusive.
With a sigh, she continued walking forward. Just as she stepped out of the teaching building's entrance, she suddenly felt an intense gaze from the side. She halted and slowly turned her head, meeting a familiar face.
"Good afternoon, junior."
It was Liu Qingyue, leaning against the wall as if she had been waiting for a while. Seeing Li Guanqi look her way, she greeted her with a smile.
"I was just about to head over."
Li Guanqi's expression remained indifferent, her tone just as calm. Of course, she knew why Liu Qingyue was looking for her—it was undoubtedly to discuss the events of noon at the Archery Club.
"So? Any leads?"
Liu Qingyue cut straight to the point, making no attempt to hide her intentions.
Li Guanqi shook her head.
Liu Qingyue frowned, pausing in thought for a moment before studying her for another two seconds. "What a shame. Let's go to the dojo first," she finally said.
With that, she led the way toward the Archery Club.
Li Guanqi followed closely behind. The two entered the private dojo through a hidden passage, where they found Ji Qingyi brewing tea at the table, the fragrant steam rising gently.
Noticing their arrival, Ji Qingyi gave a slight nod in greeting before gesturing for Li Guanqi to sit and enjoy the tea.
Li Guanqi nodded and walked straight to the seat opposite Ji Qingyi, sitting upright with her back straight, her gaze fixed on her.
Ji Qingyi's tea-making movements were elegant, her posture flawless, each pour precise—a sight that was pleasing to the eye.
Soon, a cup of tea was placed before Li Guanqi.
She picked it up, examining the color and shape of the leaves before taking a small sip.
Seeing her drink, Ji Qingyi went straight to the point. "What did the two of you discuss at noon?"
At the question, Li Guanqi raised her eyes to meet Ji Qingyi's scrutinizing gaze before lowering them again to the tea in her cup.
Ji Qingyi wasn’t in a hurry, waiting patiently.
Li Guanqi had a theory—that Su Cheng knew about her current predicament of being caught between multiple sides.
That was why he had deliberately kept things vague.
Perhaps the matter Su Cheng was dealing with was something he couldn’t share with Ji Qingyi, Liu Qingyue, or even Gu Ruoxue, which was why he hadn’t told her.
But then again, since she had chosen to help Su Cheng, she would naturally side with him and wouldn’t disclose anything to anyone else.
The problem was, Su Cheng still hadn’t chosen to confide in her.
So this theory remained just that—a baseless guess. After all, Ji Qingyi and Liu Qingyue had no means to force the truth out of her.
Staring at the tea leaves, Li Guanqi’s thoughts swirled endlessly. Finally, she lifted her head and looked at Ji Qingyi, parting her lips to speak clearly. "Regarding noon, he didn’t reveal anything more to me."
"Oh?"
Ji Qingyi lightly pressed her red lips together, crossing her black-stockinged legs elegantly. Resting her chin on a delicate hand, her deep and luminous eyes seemed capable of piercing through layers of fog to uncover the truth, leaving nothing hidden.
From Ji Qingyi’s body language, Li Guanqi could analyze her current state of mind—the unconscious crossing of legs indicated a dismissive attitude, while her gaze sought to detect any lies.
So, Li Guanqi met her stare openly, her expression calm and composed, revealing nothing of her true emotions.
The two locked eyes for a full ten seconds before Ji Qingyi relaxed her posture, returning to her usual poised and graceful demeanor. Her cool, gentle voice broke the silence. "Then do you know the reason?"
"No. Pressing him was useless."
Li Guanqi shook her head, answering just as bluntly.
Ji Qingyi’s delicate brows lifted slightly in surprise, as if she hadn’t expected such a direct response.
Li Guanqi lowered her eyes to the tea again, pausing briefly before adding, "Maybe it’s because he knows about my current situation, which is why he didn’t tell me anything."
As she spoke, she took another sip of tea, though her peripheral vision was fixed on Ji Qingyi. She noticed the subtle shift in her expression—so minute it was almost imperceptible—before Ji Qingyi even glanced back at Liu Qingyue behind her.
Li Guanqi caught the silent exchange instantly. Without hesitation, she seized the moment to stand. "Senior, I’ll take my leave now."
Because she had just confirmed her earlier theory was correct!
With that, she turned to leave.
"Wait."
Ji Qingyi’s voice, though soft, carried undeniable authority, its echo lingering in the dojo.
Li Guanqi stopped and turned back, her face impassive.
"You seem afraid?"
Ji Qingyi rose as well, her gaze unwavering as she took graceful steps toward Li Guanqi.
The two now stood facing each other, barely three feet apart. Li Guanqi didn’t back down. Tilting her chin up, she met Ji Qingyi’s eyes steadily.
"I know why he didn’t tell you."
Ji Qingyi reached out, placing a hand on her shoulder while the other gently stroked her smooth hair. With a soft laugh, she said, "I can tell you—on the condition that we continue working together. If you refuse, you’re free to leave now."
Li Guanqi stiffened for a moment before regaining her composure. "I apologize, but I decline," she replied coolly.
Without another word, she pulled away and walked off.
"Junior, don’t fall for his tricks."
Liu Qingyue suddenly stepped in, rushing forward to block Li Guanqi’s path. "We have no intention of resorting to extreme measures with you. There’s no need to worry."
Li Guanqi swept a calm glance around the room before meeting Liu Qingyue’s eyes. "Thank you, but I have my own judgment. However, I can give you one piece of advice—tomorrow, Ling Ning will go to see Su Cheng."
Having said that, she left without another word.
Liu Qingyue and Ji Qingyi exchanged a look. With a sigh, Liu Qingyue muttered, "She’s been turned."
Ji Qingyi sat back down, lightly tracing the rim of her teacup. "What did he offer her?"
"What else? He chose her."
Liu Qingyue slumped her shoulders, her tone tinged with envy. "While the rest of us might as well have amnesia or something."
Ji Qingyi let out a soft scoff. "And what about all that talk of equality and confessing your feelings earlier?"
"No, that part was real."
Liu Qingyue’s expression turned unusually serious. "Miss Ji, you should really consider it. If you make a move, you might just overtake everyone and claim victory."
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
lanned to earn money steadily and take life at a slower pace. But he never expected... his father's remarriage, and the stepmother bringing along a dependent, would completely disrupt his life's plans...
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
end. Thus one must continue to cultivate, and become a saint or great emperor, in order to prolong one's life. Chen Xia, however, completely reversed this. Since his transmigration, he has gained immortality, and also a system that awards him with attribute points for every year he lives. Thus between the myriad worlds, the legend of an unparalleled senior appeared. "A gentleman takes revenge; it is never too late even after ten thousand years." "When you were at your peak I yielded, now in your old age I shall trample on you." - Chen Xia
