Chapter 30: Mr. Qi

Page 1 of 3

While Ye Xiao stood there in a daze, the scene before his eyes began to flash past at tremendous speed.

Forests, deserts, rivers...

At last, the changing scenery came to a halt before an academy.

“What is this...?”

Ye Xiao continued staring blankly at the somewhat dilapidated academy. From within the courtyard came the sound of voices reciting their lessons.

“Come on. Let’s go inside and have a look.”

The woman entered first. Without hesitation, Ye Xiao followed.

Inside the academy were only a few run-down, blue-tiled cottages. Through the windows, he could see more than a dozen young boys and girls, all seated upright within.

At the front, a scholar dressed in a blue robe held a book in his hands and spoke of something, apparently explaining the principles recorded within its pages.

Ye Xiao listened in silence. After a long while, he gradually became absorbed in the lecture.

Seeing his expression, the woman merely smiled faintly. She did not disturb him. Instead, she walked to a corridor nearby, found a place, and sat down.

The scholar continued speaking for quite some time. Suddenly, he turned toward the window and noticed Ye Xiao. After a brief start, he continued explaining the principles recorded in the book with a smile on his face.

A while later, the bright, vigorous sound of recitation rang out. The scholar finally set down the book in his hands and slowly walked outside.

Upon seeing Ye Xiao, he asked with a smile, “Young friend, what are your thoughts?”

Ye Xiao came back to himself. After pondering for a moment, he replied, “The principles in books are not as direct as those beneath one’s feet.”

The scholar nodded in satisfaction. “Well said. Reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles. One should follow one’s heart in all things. That is the principle.”

Ye Xiao respectfully bowed to him. “Thank you, sir. May I ask your name?”

The scholar smiled faintly, his manner as gentle as a spring breeze.

“My surname is Qi. You may call me Mr. Qi.”

“Mr. Qi?”

Ye Xiao furrowed his brow, then nodded solemnly.

At that moment, the woman walked over. Looking at Mr. Qi, she said with a complicated expression, “You truly are not leaving?”

The scholar shook his head with a smile. “If I leave, what will happen to the town?”

“But...”

The woman was about to say more, but the scholar interrupted her directly.

He glanced at Ye Xiao and said, “The person you chose this time seems rather good. If possible, take him to have a look at the archway.”

The woman was silent for a moment. “Can’t we go to the stone bridge?”

The scholar laughed heartily. “You already know the answer. Why ask me?”

The woman pouted. “Fine. I know you intend to leave it for that country bumpkin. I won’t compete with you for it.”

With that, she looked at Ye Xiao. “Do you still want a Stone of Righteous Vitality?”

Page 1 of 3

Page 2 of 3

Ye Xiao thought for a moment, then nodded again. “Yes!”

The woman turned to Mr. Qi. His smile remained unchanged. With a casual wave of his hand, an ordinary-looking stone from the courtyard flew into his grasp.

After examining it briefly, the scholar handed it to Ye Xiao.

Ye Xiao accepted the stone with some confusion. Was this not just an ordinary rock?

Yet the instant it touched his hand, he sensed something unusual.

The stone should have been cold, but instead, a warm feeling spread through his palm.

The woman looked at the scholar in surprise and asked, puzzled, “Why are you being so generous this time?”

The scholar shook his head with a smile. “It is not that I am generous. It is that he is worthy.”

The woman stared at him for a long while before letting out a helpless sigh. She then said to Ye Xiao, “Place the stone within your dantian. Let’s go.”

Ye Xiao nodded. With a thought, the seemingly ordinary Stone of Righteous Vitality sank directly into his dantian.

The instant it entered, the entire sea of energy within his dantian began to boil, and a dense killing intent spread outward.

The Stone of Righteous Vitality, however, remained completely still. Instead, it flew toward the stone statue.

Only after the stone settled into one of the statue’s hands did a faint golden light begin to shine, sweeping across the entire sea of energy within his dantian.

In an instant, the killing intent that had been running wild subsided completely.

Ye Xiao felt his entire body tremble, and even his thoughts seemed to grow clearer.

“Thank you, Mr. Qi!” Ye Xiao said gratefully.

The scholar nodded. “Remember this: follow your true heart in all things. Sometimes, reason is not found in books. It may lie beneath your feet—or it may lie within your fists.”

Ye Xiao nodded solemnly.

“All right, let’s go. If we stay any longer, that old man will probably come looking for trouble with me again.”

With that, she took Ye Xiao by the hand and led him out of the academy. The scholar said nothing, merely smiling as he watched the two of them depart.

The instant Ye Xiao stepped through the academy gates, the scene before his eyes changed once more. Before long, he realized that he had returned to the Haoran Pagoda.

“All right, get lost!”

The woman seemed to be in a foul mood. After casting Ye Xiao a glance, she vanished without a trace.

Ye Xiao rubbed his nose, feeling utterly bewildered.

Still, the outcome was a good one. He had obtained the Stone of Righteous Vitality. All that remained was to raise his strength as quickly as possible.

At that thought, his gaze gradually turned cold.

“Profound Yellow Sect! Xu Beichen! Just wait for me! I will personally reclaim my younger sister’s immortal bone!”

The moment Ye Xiao stepped out of the Haoran Pagoda, its doors slammed shut.

Page 2 of 3

Page 3 of 3

Only then did Ye Xiao realize that it was already deep into the night. Even so, Zhuge Lingyun and the others were still waiting for him.

Of course, Mu Bai was the sole exception.

That fellow had already leaned against the trunk of a nearby tree and fallen asleep.

Ye Xiao glanced at Yang Ye and Ao Jian nearby. Ignoring the expressions on their faces, he went straight to Zhuge Lingyun.

“Did it work?” Zhuge Lingyun asked with a smile.

Ye Xiao nodded with a smile of his own. “Yes. It worked!”

Zhuge Lingyun nodded in satisfaction. Then, glancing at Yang Ye, Ao Jian, and the others in the distance, he allowed a faint smile to touch the corners of his mouth.

“Then why haven’t you gone to thank the Vice Palace Master and Master Ao Jian?”

Ye Xiao was taken aback. Then he smiled as well, turned around, and strode toward Yang Ye and Ao Jian. He bowed deeply before them.

“Thank you, seniors!”

Since he had accepted their benefits, he naturally had to show the proper respect.

Yang Ye said nothing. He merely smiled faintly, patted Ye Xiao on the shoulder, and turned to leave.

Ao Jian, however, was not nearly so pleased.

He had spent five hundred supreme-grade spirit stones to secure this opportunity for Ye Xiao!

Most importantly, he could not seize the opportunity for himself.

For one thing, Zhuge Lingyun, who was considerably stronger than him, was standing nearby. For another, this opportunity had been granted to him by the spirit of the Haoran Pagoda. If he tried to take it by force, the consequences would likely be even more serious than fighting Zhuge Lingyun.

At that thought, Ao Jian’s expression grew even darker.

“Hmph! Kid, if I ever discover that you have betrayed the Academy, I will kill you with my own hands!”

Without waiting for Ye Xiao to reply, he transformed into a streak of sword light and flew toward Sword Peak.

Ye Xiao curled his lips, then returned to Zhuge Lingyun’s side.

“Since everything is settled, let’s go.”

Zhuge Lingyun led the way. After hesitating for a moment, Ye Xiao pointed toward Mu Bai, who was still sleeping soundly nearby, and asked, “Sir, what about Senior Brother Mu Bai?”

Zhuge Lingyun glanced at Mu Bai, then continued walking without looking back.

“Leave him. He can sleep even through this. He’s just like a pig!”

...