Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

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

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Chapter 41

When Yin Feng woke up the next morning, Ling Xiao was in a deep sleep. He probably hadn’t had such a good sleep in a long time, so much so that even Yin Feng getting out of bed didn’t disturb him.

Without waking Ling Xiao, Yin Feng left the dormitory on his own. Following the address he had inquired about, he arrived at a cold weapon shop. Although the Tianyuan Network had many high-tech weapons, daggers had always been a personal weapon for everyone. Even in today’s industrial modernization, the dagger manufacturing industry still maintained the traditional hand craftsmanship.

When Yin Feng entered the shop, the shop owner, who was working at his desk, didn’t even look up. Hearing a customer enter, he asked, “How can I help you?”

Yin Feng walked over and saw him carefully grinding the blade of a dagger. “My previous dagger broke. I want a new one.”

The shopkeeper looked up, examined Yin Feng’s eyes, and said, “How hard did you hit something to break a dagger? I see you’re an adult. Did you bring the dagger of your Qizi with you?”

“It’s his that broke.”

“Did you bring yours?”

Yin Feng didn’t understand why he had to bring one. “Is there a connection between the two?”

“It’s not mandatory. If you didn’t bring it, I can only give you a general style, the kind that fledglings use.”

“What’s the difference between a fledgling and an adult dagger?”

The shop owner simply took out two standard daggers, joined them handle to handle, and with a twist, the two daggers combined into one weapon that could attack from both ends.

“See? All fledgling daggers can combine like this.” He twisted his wrist, demonstrating a flurry of moves, attacking from any angle. “But adults like to have some personal engraving on their daggers. So only the daggers of Qizhu and Qizi can be combined.”

It was the first time Yin Feng heard that daggers had this function, so he drew his own and gave it to the shop owner.

“Some engrave initials of both parties, some the date of the binding, and others carve badges or totems. What would you like to engrave?”

Yin Feng thought for a moment. “Kui.”

“That 3S rare creature, Kui? That’s an unusual request.”

The shop owner designed the pattern, engraved it while chatting with Yin Feng.

“Do you know, with the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and unparalleled regional strikes, why does everyone still equip such an ancient cold weapon?”

“Why?”

“One reason is that the Tianxiu people move and dodge extremely fast. Weapons that require aiming slow us down. Standing still makes one an easy target.”

“As for the second reason, a long time ago, daggers were essential tools for assassins, not to kill others but to kill oneself. Committing suicide in critical moments prevents falling into enemy hands and betraying the employer’s information.”

“You’re saying we were once assassins?”

The shop owner smiled. “It’s hard to say. But it’s certain that many outsiders are curious about our genetic composition. They want to capture a Tianxiu person alive and study our physiology.”

“They want to extract our eyes to see how we can view things in strong light and darkness; dissect our bodies to find out why we are immune to diseases, and to understand why we can regenerate vital organs as long as our head and heart are intact.”

“But the reason they’ve failed for thousands of years is that no Tianxiu would allow themselves to be captured alive, understand?” He gestured with the dagger’s tip towards his chest. “In a critical moment, one stab ends life. The soul returns automatically, leaving no corpse.”

“So, this is the real reason daggers exist. No matter how many centuries pass, the result remains the same.”

While talking, he finished the engravings. Two daggers, one engraved with a relief and one with an intaglio, fitting seamlessly together.

After ensuring there were no issues, the shop owner destroyed the pattern. “Now your and your Qizi’s daggers are unique. No one can use this pattern again. If lost, both must be remade together, not just one.”

After thanking the shop owner, Yin Feng, with the two processed daggers, headed to the previously decided second stop.

Books were the second ancient item of this era that hadn’t been replaced. It was rumored that the Tianxiu ancestors possessed supreme wisdom, and their collection of books was unmatched in the galaxy. The works they authored were translated into various languages and widely circulated. Even with countless book alternatives today, physical books were still the primary source of knowledge. It wasn’t a step back in civilization but a tribute to the predecessors.

Ying Feng, who always had minimal interaction with others, preferred to obtain information in this manner. The social science shelves of the library were uncharted territories for him. Only a few theoretical books were left neglected on the top shelves, while the rest were popular books with colorful covers, like “100 Questions for the Qizhu and Qizi after Marriage”, “Searching for the Lost Soul—Diving into the Inner World of the Qizi”, and the like.

Ying Feng looked upwards, scanning the top shelf. A thick, conspicuous book caught his attention titled “A History of the Tianxiu Marriage System”. As he reached out for it, he paused just before touching the spine. He remembered that, during his previous visits to the library, he had to tiptoe slightly to reach books on the top shelf. But now… he looked down at his feet, which were firmly on the ground.

Ying Feng took down the book, and the first chapter in the table of contents was about the origin of the Qizi. However, when he turned to that page, he found that all relevant pages had been cleanly cut out, with not a single page left.

Confused, he put the book back and opened another on a similar topic, only to find the same thing. It seemed someone had deliberately destroyed this section, not wanting others to know the true origins of the Qizi.

Setting aside his doubts for a moment, Ying Feng picked two unrelated theoretical books. This time, the pages inside were intact, detailing psychological studies on partnerships. As he prepared to leave with his selected books, his gaze inadvertently landed on a bestseller titled “Comforting and Caring for Your Qizi during Their Vulnerable Period”. After hesitating for a moment, Ying Feng finally reached out for it.

At the same time, another hand reached out, aiming for a book right next to Ying Feng’s target. Due to their close proximity, their hands nearly touched. Both turned their heads instinctively, and upon seeing each other, one frowned while the other was taken aback, accidentally dropping the books they were holding.

Ying Feng hadn’t seen this person since their cold exchange in the cafeteria. The person, Zhu Yue, always seemed skittish around others, but today it was more pronounced. Ying Feng noticed this and looked at the scattered books: “Tianxiu Marriage Law”, “Rights of the Qizhu”, “About the Qizi”… all books about spouse relationships, none seemed relevant to the current Zhu Yue.

Zhu Yue hadn’t expected to run into Ying Feng here. The latter’s piercing gaze made Zhu Yue feel like his deepest secrets were exposed. In a fluster, he gathered the books and left without a word. For someone who used to chase after Ying Feng at every chance, this behavior was unusual. Ying Feng analyzed the situation but couldn’t figure out Zhu Yue’s intentions. Eventually, he just checked out the books he had selected.

Zhu Yue hurriedly returned to his dorm, his heart still racing. Once inside, he carefully moved his pillow and mattress, revealing a hidden compartment he had constructed. Underneath the bed slats was the soul-binding stone.

Ever since he hid the stone there, he had the same strange dream every night. At first, it was vague, but it became clearer over time. While he didn’t understand the dream’s meaning, a bold idea began to form. Suddenly, frantic knocking interrupted his thoughts. Startled, Zhu Yue quickly hid the compartment and ensured no abnormalities were visible. Opening the door, he found the instructor, the Director of Discipline, and even two military officers. Panic gripped Zhu Yue.

“Hello, student. Due to suspicions of dangerous items being brought into the dormitory, we need to inspect every room to ensure everyone’s safety. We hope for your cooperation.”

Zhu Yue swallowed, fully aware that there were no ‘dangerous items’. They were after the soul-binding stone. Without an excuse to refuse, he stepped aside, praying they wouldn’t discover his secret. After a thorough inspection and finding nothing, one of the officers glanced at the bed. Zhu Yue’s heart nearly stopped, but luckily the man merely gave it a cursory look. The two officers exchanged a glance and shook their heads, signaling they had found nothing of concern.

“Excuse us.” They left Zhu Yue’s room and knocked on the door of the adjacent dormitory.

Ying Feng had just entered the room. When he returned, Ling Xiao had already awakened but remained in bed. The moment Ying Feng walked in, Ling Xiao’s relaxation turned into alertness. The pillow he had been holding was clutched tighter, serving as a shield. Ying Feng could almost see the hair on Ling Xiao’s back standing on end.

In fact, facing Ling Xiao again wasn’t easy for Ying Feng. The last time they were in the mine, neither of them were in a clear state of mind, with Ling Xiao being nearly unconscious. However, yesterday, they were fully conscious. A sudden intimacy between two distant individuals created an awkward tension neither was prepared for.

Just as the awkwardness spread, a knock on the door broke the standoff. It was the same group of people with the same agenda. Ying Feng immediately thought of the soul-binding stone the instructor mentioned that day. He hadn’t realized that such a simple stone was so crucial that the military would personally come to search for it.

He stepped aside to let them in, and Ling Xiao quickly got up from the bed.

Seeing this, the instructor felt relieved. A real honeymoon should be spent with two people cozying up in bed.

The military personnel searched every corner of the dormitory, naturally not overlooking the box that Ling Xiao was so nervous about. The moment Ling Xiao saw them touching his box, he lunged at it and clung onto it, refusing to let go.

Their actions aroused suspicion among everyone. “We need to check its contents.”

“There’s nothing you are looking for inside.” Ling Xiao vehemently refused. “This is my personal possession, and I won’t allow it to be checked.”

“We have a search warrant,” one of them said, and another immediately showed the document. “We have the right to check every item in this dormitory building.”

“No!” Ling Xiao held onto the box even tighter. “I won’t let you see it!”

The two exchanged glances and took a step forward, seeming intent on forcibly taking the box.

“Wait!”

“Stop!”

Two voices called out simultaneously: one from the instructor and the other from the silent Ying Feng.

The instructor tried to mediate. “Ling Xiao, they just want to take a look. They won’t take your stuff. Just let them see.”

“I won’t!” Ling Xiao’s refusal was blunt. “To open this box, you’d have to kill me first!”

“This…” Even the instructor was puzzled by his intense reaction.

“I know what you’re looking for.” Ying Feng’s voice came from the other side of the room. “And I can assure you it’s not inside.”

All eyes turned to him.

“Ling Xiao and I were rescued by the military from that incident, and afterward, we underwent full-body checks at the military medical station. If we had taken anything, it would have been discovered then, and there’s no way we could have smuggled it back secretly.”

“That’s right,” the instructor recalled. “I personally escorted them out of the mine. I can vouch that they did not have the soul-binding stone with them. And if you doubt me, you can confirm with Major General Fu Yao, who was present at the time.”

The two military men were skeptical, their gaze still fixed on the box in Ling Xiao’s embrace.

“It contains our personal belongings.” Ying Feng knew they wouldn’t let up without a valid reason. “You know what kind of items they are.”

The people present were taken aback. We don’t know, do we?

Ying Feng hesitated, then added, “We’ve recently come of age and have just gained access to the adult section of the network.”

Understanding dawned on everyone. Every young adult secretly yearned for the adult section of the Tianyuan Network. Many of them, once of age, eagerly explored it. The adult section offered a variety of exotic items for sale, and out of curiosity, many purchased them to try. If this was the reason, then Ling Xiao’s actions were understandable.

The instructor’s eyes gleamed mischievously, amused that the two seemingly reluctant partners were so adventurous. The Director, however, looked stern.

“As adult students, such behaviors can be understood, but most around you are still minors. Please keep your personal items well, so they don’t have a negative impact.”

Ying Feng replied expressionlessly, “We will.”

With his head bowed, Ling Xiao seemed on the verge of crushing the box. To the onlookers, it looked like mere embarrassment.

The military personnel accepted this reasoning, largely due to the instructor’s assurance. “We will confirm with Major General Fu Yao. We apologize for any rudeness earlier.”

Ying Feng nodded, seeing the group out.

When he turned back around, Ling Xiao’s box had disappeared again. Ying Feng knew that what he had said earlier might have embarrassed Ling Xiao. But since Ling Xiao never refuted, it suggested that whatever was inside the box would embarrass him even more than an adult toy if exposed. Thus, Ying Feng grew even more curious about its contents.

“Aren’t you going to let me have a look?”

Ling Xiao’s attitude was different from usual. He neither refused nor agreed.

His eyes flickered uncertainly, and in the end, he gave a noncommittal answer.

“If I ever die, then you can open it and take a look.”

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