Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 32

For a moment, Ying Feng was in a daze, not knowing if the principal was speaking to the Qizhu who abandoned him or to Ying Feng himself. When he came back to his senses, the man in front of him had disappeared.

“Sounds far-fetched, doesn’t it?” A voice with a completely different tone intruded into Ying Feng’s ears. “Who would’ve thought someone as arrogant as him would one day spill out such sentimental words.”

Seeing Ying Feng’s incredulous expression, Fu Yao candidly revealed the truth. “Don’t be fooled by your principal’s downtrodden appearance now. Back in the day when he reigned supreme over the entire Bikong Academy. He was so arrogant that one would want to strangle him.”

Ying Feng roughly guessed the relationship between these two. “Do you hold a grudge against the principal?”

“A grudge? Ha!” Fu Yao sneered. “It’s more like mutual disdain. Even though I had major reservations about his character, I still recognized his strength and once considered him a worthy opponent. Unfortunately, after he was defeated by someone, he was defeated by the entire world. Despite previously boasting about whose achievements in the military would be greater, he ended up taking a position as a principal in a small academy. Seeing him now, constantly in a melancholic state, I would rather he maintained his former arrogance.”

Adversaries of equal strength, entirely different fates—the success or failure of a single coming-of-age ceremony could change so much.

Fu Yao waved it off, not wanting to discuss the principal any further. “Although your medical report shows no issues, I’m afraid your Qizi isn’t as optimistic. As his Qizhu and a direct witness, I have the right to detain you.”

Ying Feng knew there was more to come and waited patiently.

“But I don’t intend to. Even if I forced you to stay now, it would only be temporary. Once the restriction is lifted in the future, you can still leave. Your principal was right, if you really want to go, no one can stop you.”

He shifted slightly. “So, I have something to say. I wonder if you’d be interested in hearing it out?”

Ying Feng intuitively felt that what was coming next wasn’t what he wanted to hear, but he had to listen anyway.

“Speak.”

“After you leave, the idea that your Qizi will be sent to the Disease Control Center is a naïve notion… You should know, by procedure, he has to be arrested and await trial under incarceration.”

“For someone like him, who has just completed the coming-of-age ceremony and is forced to be separated from his Qizhu and sent to a detention center without any medical protection,” Fuyao slowed down his words, “I guarantee, he won’t survive 72 hours inside. His spirit will collapse, and his willpower will wither. He won’t even have to wait for the trial; he can directly report to the base.”

Ying Feng’s expression darkened. “Are you threatening me with him?”

“I haven’t finished my threat yet,” Fuyao responded with a smirk.

He took a step forward and walked out of the medical station’s gate. In front of him was a vast expanse of land.

“Our race is inherently aggressive. Our unique physical attributes allow us to easily defeat any opponent. If we wanted, the entire galaxy would bow to us. But to this day, the armies of our people have only set foot on a few neighboring planets. Do you know why?”

Ying Feng was clueless.

Fuyao tapped his chest. “Because of the soul’s traction.”

“I have led armies to many places and found that once we leave this planet, a sense of unease arises among my kind. The further we are from our homeland, and the longer the duration, this feeling intensifies. Once a certain limit is crossed, even the morale to fight disappears.”

“We later realized our movement is restricted by a circle with the Soul Lighthouse at its center. Venturing far from this center, our souls worry about returning and resist the journey. Only standing on our own soil do we feel grounded. This restriction has curtailed our race’s expansion. The reason behind this remains unclear and is often attributed to an implicit balance.”

He extended his hand, grasping at the distance. “It’s a pity that we are confined to this limited space in such a vast universe. Our view of the world is limited, and many never venture beyond it in their lifetimes.”

“Now, do you understand what I’m trying to say?” He turned around. “The soul’s traction always exists. Even if you go to the closest place from here, like the Wolfsbane, it will increasingly beckon you to return.”

“Don’t think that being a Qizhu means you won’t have mental pressure, and don’t assume the person who bit your principal is freely wandering the world. Freedom only exists here, under your feet. Once you leave, invisible chains will bind you. I hope by then, you won’t regret your impulsive decision.”

Suddenly, Fu Yao shifted his tone. “If you really want to see the world outside, come to the military. I’ve seen your profile; you are a promising newcomer, just what we’re looking for.”

“In the past, only the Qizhu had to take the entrance exam for the Royal Sky Military Academy. If the Qizhu passed, the Qizi was also admitted but could only choose auxiliary majors like communications or medical.”

“I was admitted to Royal Sky without taking the exam. My only condition was that my Qizi be treated equally. Thus, he became the first Qizi to be admitted to the Combat Command major since the founding of the academy.”

“During our time at the academy, we developed a unique fighting style exclusive to a Qizhu and their Qizi. As long as the two cooperate, the energy they unleash is far greater than two Qizhu of similar strength.”

“Our training model was recognized by the academy. Five years after my graduation, Royal Sky officially established the Joint Combat major, recruiting talented Qizhus and Qizis. Both have to pass the entrance exam.”

“I’m satisfied with the abilities of both you and your Qizi. If you’re willing to apply, I can write a recommendation letter for you. You might not realize the weight my recommendation holds in your application.”

Fu Yao paused, then routinely asked Ying Feng’s opinion, “What do you think?”

“First intimidation, then enticement? Your methods differ from the principal’s, but your goals are strikingly similar. Our unfamiliarity, all the things you’ve done and said behind my back, are they all out of regard for the principal? Maybe the relationship between you two isn’t as adversarial as it seems.”

“It can’t be helped. Even though I find him annoying, Bikong is my alma mater, and he’s my fellow alumnus. Doing him a favor feels good, especially imagining his unease. Moreover, not everyone gets so much talk from me. It’s a kind of camaraderie; a strong recognition of another’s potential. I’m willing to lend a hand seeing a promising junior heading the wrong way.”

Ying Feng didn’t explicitly agree or decline. “I appreciate your kindness. If I do choose Royal Sky, I’ll get in based on my own abilities.”

“Having ambition is good. But I must remind you kindly that, at your current level, joining the military is a delusion. The premise of joining is full development. If you follow in your principal’s footsteps, you’ll undoubtedly be rejected. That eternal virgin, hahaha.”

“Really?” Ying Feng said expressionlessly. “Considering your height, I thought you hadn’t developed either.”

No sooner had Ying Feng finished speaking than a heavy punch landed on his abdomen. He was sent flying, crashing into the courtyard wall after flying several meters.

Ying Feng, falling from mid-air, felt as if the air was sucked out of his lungs. After a few painful coughs, he managed to breathe again. Having just exited the healing chamber, he felt he’d have to return soon.

Fu Yao approached without a hint of remorse, his wrist cracking. “Given your current endurance, you can probably take two of my punches. So, you’re welcome to repeat what you just said.”

Clutching his painful spot, Ying Feng struggled to speak, realizing that this man was mad.

“You probably don’t yet know the true strength of our people. What you learned at the basic academy barely scratches the surface of combat.”

He suddenly produced a crystal in his palm, tossed it, caught it, and gripped it firmly, releasing a blinding white light. After fluidly completing these actions, Fu Yao punched a stone pillar nearby. The massive column was instantly shattered, and Ying Feng raised his hands just in time to shield his face from the debris.

Fu Yao blew off the residual ashes on the back of his hand. After such violent actions, surprisingly, there was not even a slight injury left. Ying Feng was greatly shocked. Even if he tried hard to maintain his composure, a part of his emotions uncontrollably seeped out.

“Did you see that? There are many interesting things in the future waiting for you to discover. If you don’t want to miss them, walk step by step on the right path!”

Ying Feng leaned against the wall and stood up. Fu Yao casually threw something at him. His casual attitude made it seem like something worthless.

Ying Feng took it and saw that what Fu Yao threw looked like a stone the size of a goose egg, crystal clear, perfectly round, and flawless, with a dark gold flow inside. It was by no means something ordinary.

“What is this?” Ying Feng was puzzled. “Why are you giving it to me?”

“It’s originally yours. A soul stone that fell off from the Kui. You left it in the mine. The highest level—a triple S-grade soul stone. It’s probably worth a city, right? Among all those who just completed the coming-of-age ceremony, you are probably the richest.”

Ying Feng’s face turned a bit pale, half because of Fu Yao’s attack. “This isn’t mine.”

Fu Yao chuckled. “The person is yours, so the item is naturally yours. Qizis don’t have personal property. Legally speaking, it’s yours. Of course, whether you keep it or give it to him is your choice.”

A notification sounded from the terminal on his wrist. Looking at the message, Fu Yao’s lips curled into a meaningful smile.

“Your Qizi is finally awake. Aren’t you going to visit him?”

……

“Have you woken up?” The chief physician saw Ling Xiao open his eyes and quickly approached. “How do you feel?”

Ling Xiao sat up in a daze; his expression was either blank or vacant.

The chief physician checked his pupils to make sure he was conscious and repeated, “Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?”

Only then did Ling Xiao respond. He looked up with almost transparent gray eyes and asked, “Where am I?”

The physician reassured him, “This is an emergency medical station set up by the military. You’ve been here for a while.”

“What happened to me?”

“You encountered danger during your field practice, but the military rescued you in time,” the physician explained vaguely.

Ling Xiao gave a soft acknowledgment and then began to space out again.

A medical staff member’s words triggered some of his missing memories. He recalled that they were on a field training exercise. He made a bet with Ying Feng on who would score higher, and then a Kui appeared…

He remembered challenging the Kui fearlessly and got knocked aside. In his dizziness, Ying Feng pulled him away. He just remembered Ying Feng holding his hand and later holding him in his embrace.

When Ying Feng pushed him away and charged at the Kui, Ling Xiao regained consciousness. He then found the “Ember II” in his embrace—he had stolen it from the lab out of youthful curiosity, never thinking it would come in handy one day.

His memories were fragmented after that. Seeing his dazed expression, the physician suspected that perhaps the paralytic component in the saliva might have affected him, making him appear somewhat dull.

However, the next moment, Ling Xiao swiftly grabbed the physician’s clothes, surprising him. “Was I the only one rescued?”

“No, both of you. Your companion was with you.”

“Is he alright?”

The physician hesitated slightly. “His injuries are much lighter than yours. He should be fine now.”

Ling Xiao sighed in relief, whispering that’s good.

But why did he feel like he had forgotten something very important? He tried hard to remember, but the path to those memories felt tangled, leading him back to where he started.

“If you’re feeling better, maybe take a shower,” the physician kindly suggested.

Only then did Ling Xiao realize his terrible state. His entire right arm was stained with unknown blood. His uniform shirt was missing, and he had several dark red spots on his chest.

“Is my treatment finished?” he asked innocently.

The physician wasn’t sure how to tell him; while physical injuries could be healed, hickey marks weren’t physical injuries. Many who just became a Qizi would subconsciously forget certain things because they couldn’t accept the reality, and it seemed he was no different.

“Your injuries are severe and won’t heal quickly. They’ll heal over time.”

“Oh.” Ling Xiao nodded blankly. “Let’s go then.”

Ling Xiao’s feet touched the ground again, and every step he took seemed as if he were walking on clouds, making everything feel unreal. The surrounding environment, nearby objects, and the person leading the way all seemed to materialize from illusion. This moment felt like a dream, with white fog obscuring his vision. All sounds were banished miles away, with the narrow corridor never seeming to end.

The physician opened a door connecting dream to reality for him. “The bathroom is here, and the clothes have been placed inside. Call me if you need anything.”

Ling Xiao nodded, stepping through the door absentmindedly. The bathroom was immaculately clean. There was a bright mirror hanging on the wall, mercilessly reflecting all it saw. Just a brief glimpse, and Ling Xiao found himself unable to look away.

He walked closer, staring at the stranger in the mirror. The stranger stared back with pale gray eyes. They looked at each other for a moment that felt like an eternity.

After a long while, Ling Xiao reached out, his fingers trembling slightly in the air, advancing and retracting several times.

The reflection mimicked his actions, timidly approaching him until the cold sensation of the mirror met his touch, leaving no room for delusions.

Finally, he touched the reflection’s eyes, his fingertips lightly brushing the corners of its eyes, drawing a faint arc along the contour.

How could this be him? How could this possibly be him?

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The author has something to say:

Tip: The people of Tianxiu need to continuously mate in order to develop. However, there is a peak in development. Once this peak is reached, both parties will not grow any further, but physical desires will always persist.

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