Coaxing You
Ji Chaoyun took half a step back as though facing a formidable foe, his cheeks instantly burning.
Lately, this man’s treatment of him had become a matter of gaining a cun only to reach for a chi. Not only was his mouth full of indecent remarks, even his conduct had become... increasingly frivolous. That gentlemanly appearance of being free of worldly desires and courteous toward others had indeed been nothing more than a facade.
Feng Qi smiled and said gently, “All right, I won’t tease you anymore. Go wait for me over there.”
“...Mm.”
The gazes around them grew increasingly suggestive. Ji Chaoyun did not dare speak with him any longer and hurried off to the side.
Feng Qi watched his departing figure until Ji Chaoyun had left the crowd. Only then did he withdraw his gaze and straighten his expression, “...Let’s continue.”
The matches resumed. Ji Chaoyun waited at the edge of the grounds, gazing from afar at Feng Qi standing at the very front of the crowd.
Although Feng Qi usually seemed rather unserious, he never made mistakes when it came to important matters. At this moment, he was watching the two people sparring within the spell formation with complete concentration, occasionally turning his head to exchange a few words with those beside him. He fulfilled his duties as an examiner without the slightest negligence.
Once he put away his playful manner, the sight of him concentrating like this was almost unfairly handsome.
Ji Chaoyun became somewhat lost in watching him. Perhaps Feng Qi sensed his gaze, for he abruptly looked up and met Ji Chaoyun’s eyes across the crowd.
He had been speaking intently with someone beside him, yet his expression quickly softened, his eyes filling with an affection that nearly overflowed.
Ji Chaoyun froze, then hastily looked away.
He did not dare look at Feng Qi again. Instead, he took a scripture from his spirit-storage ring and began to read.
Unfortunately, he had little opportunity to settle his mind and read.
Disciples who had finished their matches could choose whether to leave the Sword Practice Grounds and were free to move about and speak with one another. Ji Chaoyun naturally became the person everyone wanted to approach.
He had won his match beautifully, and his cultivation had clearly improved. Quite a few people were eager to test themselves against him.
Ji Chaoyun had no intention of continuing to spar. After he politely declined several people, they realized they would get nowhere and stopped bothering him. He had barely turned another page when yet another person came to stand before him.
“Ji Chaoyun.”
Ji Chaoyun looked up. A tall, slender man with deep-set features stood before him.
It was Jin Ting.
Ji Chaoyun asked, “Is something the matter?”
“There is something.” Jin Ting held his sword in his arms and said seriously, “Fight me.”
Ji Chaoyun shook his head. “I ask Senior Brother’s understanding. I’m not feeling well today and don’t wish to fight again.”
Jin Ting looked him up and down, seemingly doubtful of the truth of his words.
He still said nothing about it.
The disciples who had approached earlier would have left after hearing this, but Jin Ting did not. After hesitating for a moment, he said, “There is something I wish to ask your guidance on.”
Ji Chaoyun fell silent for a moment, then said helplessly, “You are not going to ask about Feng Qi too, are you?”
Jin Ting frowned. “I’m asking you for guidance. What does that have to do with him?”
Ji Chaoyun: “...Nothing. Senior Brother Jin, please speak.”
Jin Ting swept his gaze over their surroundings and lowered his voice. “How did you improve your cultivation?”
“...”
This question was even harder to answer than the previous one. Ji Chaoyun fell into an awkward silence and said nothing.
Jin Ting stared at him for a long while. Seeing the slight hesitation in his expression, he abruptly stepped back half a pace and bowed to him.
“Senior Brother Jin, what are you—”
Jin Ting said, “I know this question is somewhat presumptuous, but to tell you the truth, my cultivation has been stagnant for a long time, and I have found it difficult to make further progress. Since you were able to improve your cultivation within such a short period, you must possess some wondrous method. I do not ask that you teach me everything. I only ask Junior Brother to offer me one or two pointers. I will certainly repay you generously.”
Ji Chaoyun was speechless. Was this not presumptuous? There could hardly be a more presumptuous question.
Jin Ting’s cultivation ranked among the best of the Yellow-rank disciples, and he cultivated with exceptional diligence within the academy. Unfortunately, his natural aptitude was ordinary, and he lacked that little bit of luck, leaving his cultivation neither high nor low.
He was upright by nature, and aside from cultivation and sparring, little else entered his eyes. Ji Chaoyun was not surprised that he would ask such a question.
It was just that the method by which Ji Chaoyun had improved his cultivation... How could he possibly offer pointers on that to someone else?
While Ji Chaoyun was caught in a dilemma, a familiar voice sounded. “What are you two talking about?”
Ji Chaoyun looked up to see Feng Qi striding toward him. Feng Qi pulled him behind himself in one motion and narrowed his eyes at Jin Ting. “What do you want with Chaoyun?”
A hint of displeasure crossed Jin Ting’s expression. Ji Chaoyun tugged at the hem of Feng Qi’s robe from behind him. “He wanted to...”
Before he could finish, Jin Ting interrupted, “I have something to say to Ji Chaoyun. Move aside.”
Feng Qi had not expected anyone to dare speak to him like this. Alarm bells immediately rang in his mind as he looked Jin Ting up and down. “So that’s how it is...”
Ji Chaoyun: “...”
Jin Ting: “?”
Feng Qi deliberately wrapped an arm around Ji Chaoyun’s shoulders and looked at Jin Ting with a half-smile. “I truly never paid much attention to you before. That was my oversight. You want to speak with Chaoyun? Fine. Defeat me first.”
Ji Chaoyun pressed his fingers to his brow. “Feng Qi, he does not want to...”
“Do not speak.” Feng Qi turned his head and lowered his voice. “I leave you alone for one moment and you start causing trouble for me. I will deal with you when we return to Wenqu Peak!”
“...”
Feng Qi said, “Well? Do you dare fight me?”
Jin Ting’s brows drew together in confusion. “I want to speak with him. Why must I fight you? Who are you to him?”
Feng Qi froze. “I am, of course, his—”
“Senior Brother Jin!” Afraid that Feng Qi would say something very shocking, Ji Chaoyun hurriedly interrupted him. “Regarding what you asked me just now, it involves a secret technique. It truly is inconvenient for me to disclose it. I ask Senior Brother’s understanding.”
“A secret technique...” Jin Ting considered this for a moment before nodding with a sigh. “That makes sense. If there truly were some method capable of raising one’s cultivation within such a short time, I would have heard of it. Since it is a secret technique, I will ask no further. Forgive the disturbance.”
He bowed to Ji Chaoyun again. Ji Chaoyun was still held by Feng Qi and could not conveniently return the bow, so he could only nod in acknowledgment.
Only Feng Qi remained confused. “Secret technique? What secret technique are you talking about?”
Jin Ting straightened and gave Feng Qi an indescribable look. He seemed to restrain himself before saying seriously to Ji Chaoyun, “In such a public place, Junior Brother Ji should refrain from pulling and tugging with others, lest someone see and spread idle gossip.”
“Idle gossip??? What idle gossip could there possibly be from me holding my own little dragon? You—” Feng Qi was both furious and exasperated, but Jin Ting ignored him, turned around, and left.
Feng Qi turned back and stared at Ji Chaoyun in astonishment. “What is this fellow playing at? Is he trying to dig up my wall right in front of me?”
“...” Ji Chaoyun said with a headache, “No. Listen to my explanation...”
A short while later, the two walked along a mountain path as Ji Chaoyun explained what had happened to Feng Qi.
Feng Qi pondered for a long while but still found it difficult to believe. “There truly is someone in Hongmeng Academy who does not know about our relationship?”
“Senior Brother Jin—” Ji Chaoyun keenly felt the arm around his waist abruptly tighten and immediately changed his form of address. “...Jin Ting is simply obsessed with martial cultivation. Naturally, he would not pay attention to such matters.”
Feng Qi snorted and offered no comment.
The two had deliberately chosen a relatively secluded mountain path. Only the chirping of insects and birds could be heard among the trees, leaving the surroundings quiet and peaceful.
Ji Chaoyun seemed to think of something and abruptly stopped walking.
Feng Qi asked, “What is it?”
Ji Chaoyun glanced around. Seeing no one nearby, he rose onto his toes and quickly kissed the corner of Feng Qi’s lips.
Feng Qi froze.
In their relationship, Ji Chaoyun rarely took the initiative. The few times he had done so had mostly come after Feng Qi coaxed and pestered him. For Ji Chaoyun to kiss him of his own accord like this was exceedingly rare.
Ji Chaoyun lowered his gaze and stared fixedly at the ground by his feet, the tip of one foot rubbing against the earth twice in discomfort.
Feng Qi’s heart stirred at the sight. He touched the corner of his lips and leaned closer, even his voice softening. “What is this about? Is there something you want from me?”
Ji Chaoyun said, “...Of course not.”
“Then why?” A smile filled Feng Qi’s eyes. “Why take advantage of me out of nowhere?”
Ji Chaoyun did not dare look at him and argued stubbornly, “Can I not do this without a reason? How many times have you taken advantage of me? Am I not allowed to take it back once?”
“Little dragon...”
Ji Chaoyun could not bear hearing him speak to him like this. He pursed his lips and put on a solemn expression. “You’ve been drinking vinegar all day. Seeing how hard you have worked at it, I thought I would reward you.”
Feng Qi burst out laughing. “Coaxing me?”
Ji Chaoyun seemed a little embarrassed and gave a very quiet, “Mm.”
Feng Qi’s heart softened completely. His fingers played with Ji Chaoyun’s slightly warm earlobe before he lowered his head and pressed a kiss to his forehead. The kiss traveled over his forehead, brow bone, and the corner of his eye before finally reaching the corner of his lips.
After a brief yet deep kiss, Feng Qi drew back half an inch and murmured, “How did I never realize before that you were this adorable? I really like you.”
Ji Chaoyun turned his head away and did not answer.
Feng Qi deliberately teased him and said seriously, “There is just one thing. Have you not made this too simple?”
“What do you mean?”
“The last time you coaxed me, you even let me touch your dragon horns. This time, you think this alone is enough?” Feng Qi said seriously. “If you are going to be this perfunctory, am I really so easy to appease in your heart?”
Ji Chaoyun: “...What else do you want?”
Feng Qi looked down at him, slowly leaned toward his ear, and whispered a few words.
Ji Chaoyun’s ears instantly turned red.
Feng Qi asked, “What? You will not?”
“...”
“Little dragon, did you not say you were going to coax me?”
Ji Chaoyun could do nothing against his pestering and gritted his teeth. “...Fine.”
“That’s more like it.”
Feng Qi was finally satisfied and took Ji Chaoyun’s hand, continuing forward.
They soon reached the front mountain of the main peak, yet Feng Qi headed toward the teleportation formation leading to the disciples’ peaks.
Ji Chaoyun asked, “Are we not returning to Wenqu Peak?”
Feng Qi said, “There is no hurry. There is still something to take care of.”
Ji Chaoyun asked no more. The two crossed the main peak and arrived before a familiar lofty hall.
The Inspection Hall.
Ji Chaoyun asked, “Why did you bring me here?”
“You will know soon enough.” Just as Feng Qi finished speaking, a disciple happened to walk out of the hall.
The man unexpectedly met Feng Qi’s gaze and immediately turned to flee back inside. Feng Qi seemed to have anticipated this. He raised a hand, and a golden chain flew from his wrist, securely binding the disciple who had been about to escape.
Feng Qi rubbed his wrist and walked forward with a smile. “Where are you rushing off to, Li Hao?”
Li Hao was an Earth-rank disciple of Hongmeng Academy, one of the disciples overseeing affairs in the Inspection Hall, and the direct disciple of Venerable Yaoguang. At the same time, he was also the bookmaker behind the betting pool over “Who Does Ji Chaoyun Truly Belong to in His Heart?”
Ji Chaoyun asked in surprise, “You really were the one who set up that betting pool?”
Li Hao had led the two into a side hall of the Inspection Hall and was now trembling as he served them tea. Hearing the question, he answered guiltily, “...Yes.”
Back then, a Demon Realm guardian had possessed Immortal Venerable Yaoguang’s body and nearly killed Li Hao.
After surviving that calamity, his fondness for gossip had only grown stronger. Now that he had learned about Ji Chaoyun’s past with Feng Xiao, he had devised this so-called betting pool.
Li Hao gave an ingratiating smile. “I merely wanted to earn a little extra money. Junior Brother Ji, please don’t take offense.”
“You still have the nerve to say that!” Feng Qi slapped the table and said sternly, “What kind of ridiculous betting pool is this? You have made the academy foul with this nonsense. Does this place still resemble somewhere meant for quiet cultivation?!”
“S-Second Highness Feng, I was only—”
Feng Qi ordered, “Enough nonsense. Shut the betting pool down at once and return everyone’s money. If I find out you are stirring up this sort of mess again, I will tell Immortal Venerable Tianshu!”
Li Hao opened his mouth but ultimately did not dare argue. He could only say with a bitter expression, “...Yes.”
Feng Qi nodded in satisfaction and was about to leave with Ji Chaoyun when Li Hao abruptly said, “Second Highness Feng, there is one more matter...”
“What is it?”
Li Hao hesitated before saying with a bitter smile, “The truth is, I only helped organize the betting pool. I am not the real bookmaker behind it, so whether the money gets returned is not actually up to me.”
“...” Feng Qi truly could not understand. “You created something this absurd, and there is even a secret bookmaker behind it?”
Ji Chaoyun asked, “Who is the secret bookmaker?”
Li Hao said, “Bai Qiuyue. Senior Brother Bai.”
Feng Qi: “...”
Ji Chaoyun: “...”
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