Chapter 292 – If Life Could Be Like the Moment When We First Met (Part Five) (2/2)

The disciples of the Inner Sect of the Mount Li Sword Sect were all extremely close to each other. Under the guidance of Qiushan Jun and Gou Hanshi, they were like a family. Qi Jian, as the youngest of the Divine State's Seven Laws, was even more cherished. Deep within his heart, he had also regarded his seniors as if they were his elder brothers. And yet who could possibly imagine that the Third Brother Liang Xiaoxiao, who looked after him the most back in Mount Li Sword Sect, would actually pierce him so fiercely with his sword at the lakeshore?

Liang Xiaoxiao's attack had thrust through his abdomen and snapped several of his meridians, but it had even more broken his heart. From yesterday until now, even when his mind was still in a daze from his injuries, he had always been thinking about a question. He wanted to ask his Third Brother, just why did you do all this?

In that grass hut in the Mausoleum of Books, Zhexiu had personally seen how close the disciples of the Mount Li Sword Sect were, and even how much those people cherished and cared for Qi Jian. So he could understand Qi Jian's current emotions, and clearly empathize with his frustration, confusion, and discomfort. But he did not know how to console Qi Jian. After a moment of silence, he said, ”I don't know why he wanted to kill you, nor do I understand the relationship between you and your fellow disciples, because from the earliest moment I could remember, I was alone. I don't think everything in the world requires a reason; I care more about the result. So you must remember, he wanted to kill you, which means that he is your enemy. He is no longer your senior.”

Zhexiu was famous and his story had been discussed all across the continent. Many people knew that he was a mix of human and wolf demi-human and that he was expelled from his tribe as a child. They knew that he had lived a hard and lonely life in the snowy plains. Qi Jian lifted his head up to him and suddenly felt that his figure seemed rather lonely and very pitiful. For a moment, he forgot his own troubles and was filled with sympathy and pity for this wolf youth. He subconsciously reached out his hand and grabbed Zhexiu's sleeve.

Qi Jian didn't know why he had done this. He said, ”It's different now.”

Zhexiu tilted his head slightly, with his eyes closed as he asked, ”And what's different?”

Qi Jian thought to himself, right now I'm sitting next to you, so you're not alone anymore. But because of shame and nerves he couldn't say it, so instead he said, ”Because...you've entered the Orthodox Academy?”

Zhexiu thought to himself, that black bear truly had invited me to enter the Orthodox Academy, but I didn't respond.

The reason he had journeyed from the distant snowy plains, come to the capital, and attended the Grand Examination was because he had heard that Chen Changsheng had solved Luoluo's problem of a demi-human attempting to cultivate with human methods. The problem had some overlap with his problem. As he grew older and his cultivation got higher, his blood would grow stronger and the Tide Rush of Blood would continue to increase in frequency. At any time he could die, so he needed Chen Changsheng to help cure his illness so that he could continue to live.

If Chen Changsheng really could treat his illness, he would naturally leave the capital and return to the plains. But those were all matters for the future. Right now in front of Qi Jian, he didn't say that now that they were trapped in these Plains of the Unsetting Sun, it was highly possible that there would be no future. Why make this heavily wounded fellow even more uncomfortable? So he said, ”The Orthodox Academy… right, it's just that little princeling called Tang is a little annoying, so I haven't decided yet.”

”Yeah, I also think Tang Tang is very annoying, but Chen Changsheng isn't bad. Now that I mention it, in the guest courtyard of the Li Palace, we would sometimes discuss how—if not for that engagement—maybe our Mount Li Sword Sect could get along with your Orthodox Academy. We could be friends with Chen Changsheng, and you… you could be friends with me.”

Qi Jian softly said this as he looked at Zhexiu's face, his voice getting lower and lower. Yet the sun above the plain continued to rise higher and higher, and the air gradually began to grow warm. The pools of water began to emanate more steam, making the atmosphere stuffy. Qi Jian's hands began to sweat, because of anxiety or something else, and then the medicine began to take effect. He began to feel dizzy and drowsy.

His mind was dazed and his vision blurred, but he suddenly saw that Zhexiu had suddenly gotten closer and grabbed his hands. He did not know what Zhexiu planned to do, but he subconsciously felt nervous and even a little fearful. Yet for some reason, he did not have the slightest thought of resisting.

Zhexiu was prepared to take advantage of the medicine's effect to spread medicine over Qi Jian's wound. Because his two eyes could not see, he could only use his hands to feel. His two steady hands made their way up Qi Jian's arms, arriving at his shoulders. Then he made his way down to the abdomen, his hands separated by an inch from Qi Jian's body, not touching it at all. Then they went below the abdomen and rested upon Qi Jian's belt.

The apparel of the Mount Li Sword Sect was very concise, even simple. The belt had no complicated design upon it, but the buckle was very sturdy.

Under Zhexiu's steady hands, an even sturdier buckle would not have lasted any longer. In a flash, the belt had been unbuckled and the clothes were raised.

Qi Jian was extremely nervous, but his mind was still in a daze. With the drowsiness brought on by the medicine, he lacked even the strength to shout. His body began to slightly tremble.

Zhexiu opened his lapel, revealing the pure white skin to the azure sky of the Garden of Zhou.

He could not see it, but he could feel it.

Qi Jian's body trembled out of shame, anxiety, and anger.

His hands also began to tremble, as he had surprisingly felt that the truth had come to light.

Qi Jian was shamed beyond belief. He tightly closed his eyes, his eyelashes incessantly winking as he wished with all his might that he would not fall unconsciousness like this.

Then, he fell unconscious.