[A/N: As I said, I'm traveling. I'll be back there on Monday or Tuesday. I only have a little time at night to write, and sometimes I don't have that much creativity for it. That's why the chapters can take a while.]
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Meanwhile, Xiang Yun began to explain to Ye Ziyun the problems with the two scrolls she had handed to him for analysis.
"This bronze-rank inscription scroll belongs to the Snow Wind attribute, a technique known as
"Defective?" Ye Ziyun furrowed her brows, surprised. "But everyone I asked said it was perfectly drawn…"
Xiang Yun nodded with a faint smile. "That's exactly what makes this kind of fraud effective. It was made by someone quite experienced. If the person doesn't have deep knowledge, it's easy to be fooled. Look—" he pointed to a reddish silver line running through the center of the inscription. "This symbol was drawn with the blood of a Snow Wind Spirit Worm, but there's a subtle difference. The blood of an adult worm is silver-gray, while that of a larva is red-silver, like this one. Since the blood used is from a larva, the inscription lacks the strength needed to activate."
Ye Ziyun fell silent for a moment, absorbing the explanation. She had already consulted several of the school's professors, even Ye Xue, a master in inscriptions, and none of them had found the cause of the problem. All claimed the scroll was technically correct. Now it all made sense — the flaw wasn't in the stroke of the inscription, but in the essence used within it.
She looked at Xiang Yun, surprised by the clarity with which he unraveled something so specific with just a glance. What had puzzled her for so long was solved in mere minutes.
Gradually, a silent respect began to grow within her. "As expected from the heir of the Xiang Family. Even such a complex inscription was resolved so easily by him," she thought, a faint light in her eyes.
On the left, Xiao Ning'er observed quietly. She knew Ye Ziyun had asked Xiang Yun for help, but still, there was something about that exchange between the two that unsettled her. Even if she didn't want to admit it, a small discomfort rose in her chest — a feeling she couldn't yet describe.
And seeing the confident way Xiang Yun explained, and Ye Ziyun's admiring expression, Ning'er tightened her fists lightly under the desk, trying to suppress the growing feeling inside.
Xiang Yun also corrected the other inscription, which was Silver-rank. There was no actual defect — it was simply missing several parts. He completed them and handed it to her.
"This inscription pattern uses 36 base patterns in its structure," Xiang Yun explained, "This is a stable formation. The previous one wasn't stable."
Ye Ziyun gave a soft "Thank you", without truly understanding what he said. She didn't ask anything else, merely kept the modified inscription pattern prepared by Xiang Yun, intending to have someone convert it into a scroll to test it and see if it was truly, as he claimed, a silver-rank inscription. For a moment, she remained silent and thoughtful.
Xiang Yun looked away from Ye Ziyun, as if he had nothing more to say. For a moment, he gazed out the window at the light filtering through the leaves.
Then, as if remembering something, he snapped his fingers lightly and touched his interspatial ring, making two carefully sealed scrolls appear. He held them for a moment, then turned to the side.
"Ning'er," he called softly, extending the scrolls to her. "I found these techniques in the library. They seem to match your attributes, so I brought them for you.
Both are special techniques, and can be used even before you reach Silver Rank. They're not easy to learn, but they can greatly increase your strength and safety."
"For me?"
Xiao Ning'er looked at the scrolls in her hands, surprised. Just by hearing the names and the description, she recognized the value they held. Techniques like those weren't just rare. They would be highly coveted by anyone.
Inside, her heart raced. A silent warmth filled her chest, like a small flame had been lit. But on the outside, she tried to stay composed, holding the scrolls with hesitation.
"Xiang Yun… you've already done so much for me. You've given me so much. I can't just accept more."
"Yes, you can," he replied naturally, with a slight smile. "We're friends, aren't we? Helping each other is what friends do."
The word "friends" rang louder than necessary in her ears. For a brief moment, her smile faded just slightly. She forced a small curve in her lips, but her eyes lowered a little. It was a bittersweet feeling. To receive something so valuable from the person she admired… and be called only a friend.
Even so, she held the scrolls more tightly, as if they were a bond between them that she didn't want to lose.
"Thank you… truly," Xiao Ning'er said, with a brief hint of disappointment flickering in her beautiful eyes. If Xiang Yun asked her to date him at that moment, she would agree without hesitation.
Xiang Yun nodded, and the two kept chatting for the rest of the class. Ye Ziyun occasionally cast a glance at Xiao Ning'er, as if wanting to speak as well, but she seemed completely lacking the courage.
And so, class time passed.
The bell marking the end of classes rang throughout the Sacred Orchid Institute courtyard, and the students began to disperse. Xiang Yun turned to the two girls beside him, a calm smile on his lips.
"Well, that's it for today. See you tomorrow."
"Thank you again for the scrolls, Xiang Yun," Ye Ziyun said sincerely, her voice as gentle as a spring breeze. She then cast another look toward Xiao Ning'er, intending to start a conversation and maybe break the ice that always seemed to surround her.
However, before she could utter a single word, a tall and arrogant figure stepped in front of them, blocking the way. Shen Yue, his face twisted in a sneer of contempt, fixed his eyes on Xiao Ning'er.
"Stay away from him," he growled through gritted teeth, his voice low and threatening, completely ignoring Ye Ziyun's presence. "You'd better remember your place, Xiao Ning'er. You're promised to my brother, Shen Fei. Don't forget that."
The mention of her engagement made the air around Xiao Ning'er turn cold. Her fingers tightened around the scrolls Xiang Yun had given her, the warmth of his gesture being the only thing keeping her from lashing out.
She raised her chin, and the look she gave Shen Yue was as cold and sharp as a blade of ice. There was no fear, only deep, silent contempt. Without dignifying him with a response, she simply turned and walked away, passing him as if he were nothing more than an insignificant obstacle in her path, without a second glance at him — or at Ye Ziyun.
Shen Yue's attitude made Ye Ziyun furious. "What is your problem, Shen Yue? You have no right to talk to her like that!" she snapped, her usually calm demeanor now stiff with irritation.
Shen Yue, already enraged by Xiao Ning'er's indifference, grew even angrier at Ye Ziyun's intervention. "This isn't your business, Ziyun!" he shot back, but she was already walking away, shaking her head in disapproval, leaving him alone to stew in his frustration.
Meanwhile, unaware of the drama unfolding, Xiang Yun strolled through the bustling streets of Glory City. He was thinking about the complex materials he needed to find to improve the inscriptions on his furnace, wondering and searching through shops for anything useful.
He turned a corner, entering a quieter area of the market where many objects of unknown or illicit origin could be found.
Little did he know, from the shadows of the rooftops, a pair of eyes — sharp like an eagle's — was watching him closely.
A figure with flowing red hair followed him at a distance, moving with a stealthy grace that betrayed her identity.
The pursuer was none other than Shen Xiu, his teacher. Xiang Yun's sudden and explosive rise in cultivation had sparked her suspicions. Such a meteoric advancement in so little time was nearly unheard of. She was convinced he couldn't have achieved such a feat with talent alone; he must possess some kind of rare treasure aiding him, and she was determined to find out what it was.
So what if he was from the Xiang family? If she could get her hands on that treasure, she'd be more than happy. Her brother likely wouldn't say a word about it either.