I Apologize to You
After the two of them ate and drank their fill at the foot of the mountain, Ji Chaoyun insisted on walking back up to aid digestion. In the end, he had not gone very far before feeling tired, and Feng Qi still had to carry him all the way back to Wenqu Peak.
“...You just wanted me to carry you.” Feng Qi kicked open the courtyard gate and muttered under his breath.
The little white cat came pattering over from a distance and circled Feng Qi’s feet incessantly.
Ji Chaoyun did not answer. He buried his head against Feng Qi’s back, his every breath filled with the familiar scent.
Feng Qi often planted immortal bamboo on Wenqu Peak, so the fragrance of green bamboo inevitably clung to his clothes. Mixed with the incense he habitually used, it formed a distinctive, fresh bamboo-leaf scent.
Ji Chaoyun had never thought himself particularly dependent on that scent before, not until Feng Qi left this time.
Without Feng Qi beside him, he could not even sleep... Wait.
Ji Chaoyun abruptly thought of something and raised his head, his gaze falling toward the bedchamber.
“All right, all right, I’ll play with you later. Stop biting my shoe...” Feng Qi had not noticed anything unusual about Ji Chaoyun. After finally driving off the little white cat clinging to him, he stepped toward the bedchamber.
“Wait.” Ji Chaoyun abruptly spoke.
“Hm?”
Ji Chaoyun did his utmost to make his expression appear natural and pointed toward the bamboo couch in the courtyard. “I don’t want to go inside right now. Let’s sit over there for a while.”
Feng Qi asked, “Didn’t you just say you were tired and wanted to go lie down inside?”
“I don’t want to anymore.” Ji Chaoyun paused, then said quietly, “I... I want to talk with you.”
Feng Qi did not think much of it and smiled. “All right.”
He set Ji Chaoyun down on the bamboo couch and enclosed his hand within his own, warming it carefully. “What do you want to talk about?”
Ji Chaoyun’s eyes kept drifting toward the bedchamber as he stammered, “A-Anything is fine... Right, weren’t you going to talk to me about the Heavenly Ranking Tournament?”
Feng Qi raised a brow and thoughtfully glanced toward the bedchamber.
He did not say anything more, merely followed Ji Chaoyun’s lead and replied, “There isn’t much to say, really. The third round is in three days. Most of those who remain by then will be Heaven-rank disciples or the strongest cultivators from the other ranks, so it will be somewhat more difficult than before. Only...”
“Only what?”
Feng Qi smiled and pinched Ji Chaoyun’s cheek. “With your current cultivation, there’s only one person you need to worry about.”
Ji Chaoyun blinked. “Bai Qiuyue?”
“Correct.” Feng Qi said, “Whether in movement techniques or cultivation, Bai Qiuyue is among the very best. If it were an ordinary arena match, you might not necessarily lose, but in the Heavenly Ranking Tournament he becomes somewhat troublesome.”
Ji Chaoyun asked, “How so?”
“That fellow is a fox, after all...” Feng Qi said unhurriedly. “When you face a fox, especially one skilled in illusion arts, you can never guess what underhanded trick he’ll use.”
Seeming to remember something, Feng Qi gave a quiet laugh. “You have no idea. The first time he faced me in the Heavenly Ranking Tournament, he actually conjured a whole flock of female phoenixes to seduce me. That bastard...”
“...”
Feng Qi put on a solemn expression. “I shattered the illusion with one move. I absolutely did not look.”
Ji Chaoyun fell speechless.
Feng Qi played with Ji Chaoyun’s fingers and continued unhurriedly, “Don’t be afraid. I’ve fought him for so many years, and no matter what tricks he tried, he never defeated me. I have plenty of experience dealing with him. I’ll teach you slowly over the next few days.”
“...All right.”
Feng Qi smiled and asked, “So can you tell me now what exactly is inside the bedchamber that I’m not allowed to see?”
“!”
Ji Chaoyun reacted as though someone had stepped on his tail and nearly jumped in fright. “Nothing! What could possibly be in there...”
“...Then could a certain little dragon explain this to me?” A lazy voice came from the direction of the bedchamber. Another Feng Qi pushed open the door and leaned against the frame, holding a wrinkled outer robe in one hand.
Ji Chaoyun instantly froze.
Beside him, Feng Qi turned his head and smiled. “So my little dragon missed me so much that he nearly emptied my entire wardrobe.”
“...”
Who uses spells so casually?!
☁
Three days later, the third round of the Heavenly Ranking Tournament began.
Before the appointed hour had even arrived, Feng Qi brought Ji Chaoyun to the martial field and directly ascended to the Immortal Venerables’ viewing platform.
He was no longer a disciple of Hongmeng Academy, and his status now stood above everyone present. Naturally, he could no longer sit in the ordinary disciples’ spectator stands. Tianshu simply added a seat beside his own and had Feng Qi sit with them.
Feng Qi made no attempt to avoid suspicion. He wrapped an arm around Ji Chaoyun and had him sit in his own chair, then attentively poured him a cup of tea.
Ji Chaoyun did not even reach out to take it. He drank directly from Feng Qi’s hand, then rubbed his eyes.
Feng Qi was so charmed by his little dragon’s sleepy, barely awake appearance that he could not resist ruffling Ji Chaoyun’s hair several times and asked, “Still sleepy?”
Ji Chaoyun’s voice was husky with sleep, his eyes barely able to stay open. “Sleepy...”
Feng Qi laughed. “Didn’t I let you sleep for quite a while yesterday? How are you still this sleepy?”
Tianshu sat closest to them and finally could not bear listening any longer. He gave them an indescribable look and said, “Chaoyun still has a match today. Who told the two of you to fool around?”
“?” Feng Qi looked up in confusion. “What did I do?”
Tianshu could not bear to look at him and could not be bothered to answer.
The spectators gradually entered the grounds, and the disciples participating in this round were already waiting beneath the high platform. Only then did Ji Chaoyun slowly become more alert.
Only fourteen participants remained, and the top ten of the Heavenly Ranking would be determined in this round.
According to academy rules, those who placed within the top ten of the Heavenly Ranking could be exempted from one advancement examination.
Thus, after this round ended, the winners would advance to the next round, while the losers would draw lots and compete again until their rankings were decided. The top three among those defeated would become eighth, ninth, and tenth place in this Heavenly Ranking Tournament.
There was still some time before the matches began. Feng Qi leaned against the side of Ji Chaoyun’s chair, his fingers idly playing with Ji Chaoyun’s earlobe. “Why aren’t you saying anything? Nervous?”
“...No.” Ji Chaoyun answered softly.
Ji Chaoyun truly had not felt the slightest bit nervous during the previous two matches. Yet now, perhaps because he knew Feng Qi was watching from beside him, he somehow felt a little nervous even before drawing lots.
Feng Qi reassured him, “There’s nothing to worry about. Look at the people below. Apart from Bai Qiuyue being somewhat difficult to deal with, who among them could be your opponent?”
Ji Chaoyun looked toward the platform below just as someone happened to glance up at him. Their gazes met directly, and the other person lowered his head as fast as lightning.
...It was Jiang Cheng.
Feng Qi had also noticed that gaze and narrowed his eyes with faint displeasure. “If I remember correctly, Jiang Cheng is about to leave Hongmeng Academy, isn’t he?”
“Huh?”
“I heard that the Lord of Dufeng Island intends to pass the position to him ahead of time. So once the Heavenly Ranking Tournament ends, he’ll be leaving.”
Feng Qi smiled, seeming to find the matter rather amusing. “He has gone through three Heavenly Ranking Tournaments during his time at the academy, yet his highest ranking was only eighth. I hear he’s determined to surpass his previous record this time. I wonder whether he’ll actually get what he wants, hm?”
“...” The sourness in his tone was almost impossible to conceal. Ji Chaoyun remained silent for a moment, then replied vaguely, “Not interested.”
“Is that so? I rather hope you draw him this round.” Feng Qi leaned close to Ji Chaoyun’s ear and said with a smile, “Back during your entrance examination, he nearly caused you to be expelled. Now that he’s about to leave, it wouldn’t be a bad thing for you to personally cut off his chance of entering the top seven. Don’t you think?”
...This man really held grudges far too well.
Ji Chaoyun shrank his neck slightly and did not answer.
The drawing for the third round soon began.
According to the numbers drawn in the previous round, Ji Chaoyun was the second disciple to step forward and draw a lot.
He drew one and handed it to Immortal Venerable Yuheng, who was presiding over the third round. Yuheng read the number aloud. “Ji Chaoyun, number thirteen.”
Ji Chaoyun then stepped aside to wait for his opponent to be determined.
According to the tournament rules, his opponent should be whichever disciple drew number two.
The other disciples drew their lots one after another, but no one drew number two. This continued until... only one person remained.
Jiang Cheng.
Ji Chaoyun: “...”
In the viewing stands, Feng Qi could not hold back and burst out laughing.
Beginning with the third round, only one pair of disciples entered the secret realm for each match, and the next match would begin only after the previous one ended. Ji Chaoyun had drawn the second match and therefore had to return to the viewing platform to wait.
Feng Qi could barely contain his gloating. “This is what they mean when they say retribution may be delayed, but it never fails to arrive. Look, Jiang Cheng’s face has gone green.”
“...”
Ji Chaoyun rubbed his brow, his head beginning to ache.
How was this man still so childish after regaining his memories? Why had Ji Chaoyun thought this phoenix mature and steady back then? Had he truly just been blinded by the other man’s appearance?
The first match ended quickly, and soon it was Ji Chaoyun’s turn.
He stepped onto the high platform, and Jiang Cheng walked up from the other side.
Ji Chaoyun was about to enter the teleportation array when Jiangcheng abruptly called out to him. “Ji Chaoyun.”
“What is it?”
Jiangcheng said, “I heard that in your first two matches, you faced your opponents directly. Once we enter, I’ll wait for you in the very center of the secret realm so you won’t waste time searching everywhere.”
After saying this, he entered the array first without waiting for Ji Chaoyun’s reply.
Ji Chaoyun sighed softly and followed him into the array.
This time, they were transported into an ordinary mountain forest.
Ji Chaoyun briefly determined the direction and headed toward the open ground at the center of the secret realm. Just as he reached the edge of the clearing, he indeed saw a tall figure waiting there.
Jiang Cheng turned to face him and smiled lightly. “Last time we fought in the arena, we both held back too much. If we fight properly this time, at least there’ll be no lingering regret.”
Ji Chaoyun said evenly, “I have no interest in helping you make up for any regrets.”
Jiangcheng’s expression stiffened.
Ji Chaoyun drew his sword from the void and pointed its edge directly at Jiang Cheng. “I intend to take first place on the Heavenly Ranking. To me, you are merely an opponent. As for Senior Brother Jiang himself, to be frank, I still dislike you even now.”
Jiangcheng’s face turned faintly pale. His lips moved, and he instinctively stepped half a pace forward. “I-I misunderstood you back then. I never truly intended to drive you out of the academy...”
“Yet you already did it.” Ji Chaoyun’s expression was cold as ice. “Something that has already been done does not cease to exist merely because of guilt or an apology. Besides, Senior Brother Jiang has never apologized to me.”
“I...”
“There’s no need to waste time.” Ji Chaoyun said, “Draw your sword.”
A fierce wind came roaring through. The two weapons clashed within the forest, and their sword qi sent countless fallen leaves flying.
Jiang Cheng was, after all, a Heaven-rank disciple, and his cultivation was far higher than those of the two disciples Ji Chaoyun had faced before. This match lasted a full incense stick before the screen projecting the secret realm finally went dark.
The two were transported back onto the high platform. Ji Chaoyun put away his sword and raised a hand to brush the thin sheen of sweat from his forehead.
Before him, Jiang Cheng could no longer hold himself up. He dropped to one knee, breathing rapidly.
Jiang Cheng had lost.
“Thank you for the match.”
Ji Chaoyun gave Jiangcheng a slight bow and turned to leave, but Jiang Cheng abruptly called out loudly, “Ji Chaoyun, I apologize to you.”
Ji Chaoyun’s footsteps stopped.
“...What happened in the past was my fault. I shouldn’t have deliberately made things difficult for you during the entrance examination and nearly prevented you from enrolling. I also caused you to be bullied by everyone when you had only just entered the academy. All of it began because of me. I wronged you. I’m sorry.”
The surroundings of the high platform fell completely silent, and every disciple stared in astonishment.
Jiang Cheng was noble by birth and the chief disciple of the Supervisory Hall. When had anyone ever heard him say such things in public?
Discussion broke out among the crowd, but Jiang Cheng paid it no mind. He stared fixedly at the slender figure before him, some fervent emotion seeming to fill his eyes.
Ji Chaoyun, however, ultimately said nothing. He did not even turn around.
He paused only briefly before continuing forward.
The light in Jiang Cheng’s eyes finally dimmed completely.
Bai Qiuyue, who was participating in the next match, had already stepped onto the high platform to wait. As Ji Chaoyun passed him, a wave of dizziness abruptly struck. His legs weakened, and he nearly fell.
Bai Qiuyue instinctively reached out and caught him.
“Careful, little dragon. You...” Bai Qiuyue had just begun to tease him when his palm happened to touch Ji Chaoyun’s waist, and he froze.
Ji Chaoyun quickly pulled himself free from Bai Qiuyue’s arms. “Thank you.”
Bai Qiuyue did not answer.
His gaze swept over Ji Chaoyun before finally falling upon his abdomen in astonishment. “You… How could you…”
☁︎₊˚⊹ The Author’s Jade-Slip Aside ⊹˚₊☁︎
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