124 Chapter 123: Back to the presen (1/2)

”Where did you go?”

That was the first question Bai Ning Xue asked me when I returned to the academy grounds after that meeting with Lighting Tiger…I mean Lei Yong Chun.

I resisted the urge to tell her that it was none of her business and instead smiled politely. Gesturing toward the direction of the forest outside Wu Ling Academy, I dropped my head and shook it in feigned disappointment.

”I tried to pursue Lei Yong Chun along with the rest, but…I failed. He managed to get away.”

Bai Ning Xue's expression softened. ”That isn't your job. You don't have to worry about it. Leave First Senior to Teacher Jiao and the rest.”

”Yeah.” I glanced back at where I came from. Even though Lei Yong Chun was the enemy, I couldn't help but be thoroughly impressed. The guy single-handedly fought off Teacher Jiao, the other teachers and a group of men in suits and sunglasses (again, I have no idea why the hell they were wearing shades in the middle of the night) while badly injured, and he still managed to elude their capture. If he hadn't beaten me up, I might even have asked him to teach me martial arts. Even now, I grudgingly admired him.

He's going to be one hell of an enemy, I thought. He might have named me and Bai Ning Xue threats, but he was quite the monster himelf. I wondered if he could defeat the teachers if he wasn't injured.

As expected of the one the White Tiger Sect heralds as their next leader, huh…?

”By the way…”

”??”

I turned to Bai Ning Xue, who was slowly getting to her feet. She had been taking care of her friends, detailing several of the men in suits to help bring them to the infirmary. Refusing all assistance until all the other student council members were safe and receiving treatment, she was essentially the only one left.

”What were those skills? I don't remember you being this strong. And First Senior said something about the Heaven and Earth Formula?”

”I thought you knew I was an Experimentalist trying to restore the Heaven and Earth Formula?” I riposted, recalling what she told her first senior.

”Yeah, that's right, but…even then, how did you reach such an advanced stage? You spent two years assimilating qi, unable to use martial arts, didn't you? And suddenly, you're much stronger than all the other students, including the student council members.”

”You overestimate me,” I replied with a dry laugh. ”I'm not stronger than any of the student council members.”

”Do you really expect me to believe that?” Bai Ning Xue snapped. ”After what I saw happen earlier? You fought on par with First Senior, who defeated all the student council members in less than five minutes!”

”If you call getting my ass kicked fighting on par, maybe.” I shrugged. ”Furthermore, he was injured by your Heaven's Void, Lightning Style. If he had been at peak condition, he probably would have finished me off in a second.”

That was the truth, and also why I didn't step out to intervene until so late in the game. Having witnessed his ferocity and power firsthand, I was aware that any attempts on my part to intercede would end in instant disaster. I would get knocked out like Zhu Jiao and the rest.

On the other hand, after Bai Ning Xue unexpectedly landed that attack and badly injured Lei Yong Chun, I saw an opportunity. With a strike directly at his heart, even someone as strong as Lei Yong Chun would weaken a little. That was more than enough for me to somehow make a difference, no matter how slight. And I never thought I would win. As I said earlier, my only intention was to buy as much time as possible.

After all, I had contacted Teacher Jiao the moment I saw Lei Yong Chun fighting the student council members. I didn't think he would be up, checking his email at the time of the night, but fortunately he had already been notified earlier by the student council members (being requested by Principal Xiao Zhang to stay on alert for this night, at least), and his instant response was for me to standby and hide. Apparently he didn't think I would make much of a difference if I joined the student council members and would just end up as an unnecessary casualty.

”…”

Bai Ning Xue studied me for a moment, as if she didn't believe me. Then she sighed and lowered her head, realizing that there was no point arguing with me.

”Thank you.”

”Huh?”

I was taken aback by her abrupt expression of gratitude. This was the Ice Princess we were talking about here. Where did that come from?

”No matter the reasons behind your motive, you still saved my life. I will definitely repay this someday.”

”Motives?” I repeated incredulously. Outrage welled up inside me. ”Come on, lady. I have no other motives than to help you. Do you think I want to put you in my debt or want something in return or something?”

”Forgive me, that's not what I meant.” Bai Ning Xue raised her head to look at me with her glacial eyes. ”I mean, whatever motives you possess for hiding your strength until now.”

”I wasn't exactly hiding my strength. I just didn't have a chance to show it off until now.” Sarcasm dripped from my words.

”Nonetheless, you saved me. I owe you.”

”No, you don't.”

”Yes, I do.”

”No you don't.”

”I most certainly do.”

I sighed, giving up, when an idea suddenly came into my head. Then I smiled and stared at her before nodding.

”All right, then I'lll have to ask you a favor.”

Bai Ning Xue regarded me suspiciously, despite all the words she uttered earlier. Just how two-faced can she get?

”What is it? If it's something within my ability, I'll do everything within my power to help you, but I won't do anything unscrupulous…”

”Why do you think I'll ask you to do something unscrupulous?” I demanded, irritated. Bai Ning Xue hesitated, and lowered her head in embarrassment.

I had no idea at that time, but Zhu Jiao would later tell me the sort of shameless requests that Gu Chun Song often made of her, which usually involved her body or some sort of physical contact. The guy was an unsaveable creepy stalker.

And here I was, thinking that I was bad and socially awkward. Well, given that I actually had friends and had no problem socializing, I wasn't that bad.

Anyway, I snorted.

”The only request I have is that you keep what you saw regarding me tonight a secret. Don't tell your friends or the student council members that I was present tonight. Don't tell them that I tried to fight your first senior. That's all I ask of you. We cool?”

”…that's it?”

Bai Ning Xue stared at me in disbelief. She then glanced at the staff still milling around, and returning after their failed pursuit.

”Even if I agree to this, wouldn't the teachers and staff know about this? They saw you fighting against First Senior.”

”They only saw the last part of battle, where I got stomped by his Heavenly Tiger Thunder Crash,” I replied. ”They didn't actually see me use my Heavenly Draconic Meteor Swordsmanship or Heaven and Earth Formula against him.”

”…”

Bai Ning Xue continued to look at me for a few more seconds before she finally took a deep breath and held up her hands.

”Fine. I promise not to tell anyone about this.” she raised her head and glared at me. ”I don't know why you're so adamant on keeping this a secret, but wouldn't it benefit you more to reveal your true power and climb the rankings?”

”That's what the tournament is for, isn't it?”

Bai Ning Xue fell silent, suddenly understanding. She then nodded, more color in her expression.

”I understand. I won't say anything then. I'll look forward to your performance.”

There was nothing to look forward to. I had no intention of using Heavenly Flow and Earthly Steps during the tournament. Heaven and Earth Formula wasn't much of a combat technique in the first place. It was a cultivation technique to boost my growth and enhance my qi, but that wasn't something that I would tell Bai Ning Xue.

Besides, it would be unfair to use Heaven and Earth Formula on people from my generation. It was known as the strongest cultivation-type martial art. I would end up bullying them (though I didn't expect that I would end up losing to Zhu Jiao even though I still used it in the end – goes to show how overpowered protagonists were).

”By the way, do you know what your first senior's goals are?” I asked Bai Ning Xue. She pondered for a moment, and then shook her head.

”I have no idea what he's thinking. I don't know if he's telling the truth about the Martial Arts Alliance and their desire to destroy Wu Ling Academy, but no matter what, I have no intention of allowing him to succeed!”

”Aye,” I agreed, though I couldn't help but think back to what happened a few minutes ago, before Lei Yong Chun and I went our separate ways.

”I've decided,” Lei Yong Chun had told me. ”I won't kill you.”

”Why, thank you,” I had replied sarcastically. I'm so grateful.”

He had ignored me and continued on as if I hadn't said anything.

”In the years to come, you'll become a valuable asset. It doesn't seem like you're that loyal to Wu Ling Academy, and you're probably aware of Xiao Zhang only wanting to make use of you to restore your martial art and steal it from you.”

I wasn't surprised, having heard the conversation between Xiao Zhang and Teacher Jiao a couple of years ago. When he saw my lack of astonishment or reaction, Lei Yong Chun smiled triumphantly.

”As I thought. Unlike my cute junior, Ning Xue, you have no desire to protect Wu Ling Academy.”

”That doesn't mean I won't protect my friends if you attack them in Wu Ling Academy,” I had responded with a steely expression. Lei Yong Chun had laughed at that.

”Don't worry. As you've seen, I've no intention of harming them. Permanently, anyway. My true enemy is Xiao Zhang and the system of the academy. As long as I stop him from becoming a god, and destroy the technology that produces artificial qi, I'll be happy.”

He then paused and his smile grew sinister.

”However, I can't say the same about the Martial Arts Alliance.”

A chill of premonition ran down my spine.

”What do you mean by that?” I had demanded.

”Well…the Martial Arts Alliance won't stop at executing Xiao Zhang or the destruction of the technology. To them…the students of Wu Ling Academy, the beneficiaries who have received and benefited from artificial qi, are as much of a monstrous abomination as the wicked technology themselves. At least that's their reasoning, but obviously they fear the growth of the children in Wu Ling Academy, and how they'll surpass their martial arts in a few short years…they fear that you kids will take over the hegemony and rule over the martial arts world in a relatively short time, if they leave your growth and progress unchecked.”

”In the end, all they care about is themselves,” I had muttered darkly, having gotten tired of their hypocritical justifications and corruption.

”That's right.” Lei Yong Chun was growing more and more satisfied with my responses. I realized that he was manipulating me, but I decided to just play along with it for now, and nodded with an outraged expression.

It was so fun leading people on and tricking them with my Oscar Award-winning performance.

”We have to stop them,” I had declared with a straight face. Lei Yong Chun's grin then widened.

”Of course we do. That's why I'm going to let you live. I want you to continue keeping a low profile. And when the Martial Arts Alliance finally betrays us…you'll be a valuable ally in destroying those corrupted old fools and exposing their hypocrisy.”

”I can't wait,” I had remarked dryly.

”I'll be relying on you then.”

That was the last thing Lei Yong Chun said before he waved and strode away. I had watched him disappear into the depths of the forest, but knowing that I didn't have the strength to stop him, turned around in the opposite direction and returned to the academy.

Why did I follow him in the first place? I wanted to confirm what he knew about the Heaven and Earth Formula. Initially, I had thought he might have learned something about it, and wanted some information that could help me with my cultivation and martial arts, but it seemed that he had ”only” fought against martial artists from the Heaven and Earth Sect.

Nonetheless, he had provided me a vital piece of intelligence. Investigate the nine Spirit Engraved Pillars, huh?

The problem was that, there was a monstrous entity living below the nine Spirit Engraved Pillars, sealed by mystical energies and arcane formations. There was no way I would approach the Spirit Engraved Pillars of my own volition, not while that thing continued to exist beneath it. Every time I was near it, it felt as if my very soul was in peril.

That thing wanted to consume my soul, devour my spirit and take over my body. I couldn't afford to carelessly wander near the Spirit Engraved Pillars, at least not without a massive amount of preparation and spiritual defenses in place.

But with the new information Lei Yong Chun provided me, I couldn't help but wonder.

Does that demonic entity sealed beneath the nine Spirit Engraved Pillars have anything to do with the Heaven and Earth Sect?

*

And with that, the flashback came to an end.

Obviously, during that monologue, I said nothing the entire time. I wasn't stupid enough to tell Bai Ning Xue that I had a secret exchange with Lei Yong Chun, nor did I tell them anything about Wu Ling Academy or the Martial Arts Alliance. Of course I didn't mention the nine Spirit Engraved Pillars and its possible link to the Heaven and Earth Sect.

Instead, I only glared at Bai Ning Xue accusingly. ”You promised not to tell anyone.”

Bai Ning Xue's eyes widened and she covered her mouth, but it was too late. The words had slipped out, and she had no way of taking them back. She could only lower her head in embarrassment and apologize.

”I'm sorry. I spoke without thinking. That was my mistake. It appears that I owe you a favor once again.”

”Honestly, you don't need to owe me anything.”

”Uh, can someone please explain what you guys are talking about?” Tang Qi Hong asked. Zhu Jiao raised a hand.