That Was... a Sign of Life
Ji Chaoyun had yet to recover from that bout of dizziness and did not notice the drastic change in Bai Qiuyue’s expression.
Suddenly, a pair of arms reached out from beside him and pulled Ji Chaoyun into an embrace. He raised his head and met Feng Qi’s concerned gaze. “What’s wrong? Where do you feel unwell?”
Ji Chaoyun shook his head. “I’m fine...”
Bai Qiuyue’s gaze moved back and forth between Feng Qi and Ji Chaoyun. He lowered his eyes, concealing the faintest hint of a smile within them. “Perhaps the match just now consumed too much of his spiritual power. Take him to Alchemy Hall and have an immortal physicianexamine him.”
Ji Chaoyun said, “There’s no need. I’ll be fine after resting for a while...”
“Little dragon.” Bai Qiuyue walked up to Ji Chaoyun and patted his shoulder. “Look at your complexion. How can you not see a physician? Do you still want to compete in the remaining matches?”
“I...”
Without changing his expression, Feng Qi brushed Bai Qiuyue’s hand away. “He’s right. I’ll take you to Alchemy Hall.”
The match just now had been fairly intense. Ji Chaoyun only felt weak all over at the moment and had no strength to refuse, so he could only nod.
Bai Qiuyue smiled. “Rest well. I’m still waiting to have a proper match with you in the final round.”
After saying this, he turned and walked toward the teleportation array at the center of the platform.
Ji Chaoyun had just been about to say something when Feng Qi, expressionless, swept him up by the waist and carried him straight out of the martial field.
“...”
By now, how could Ji Chaoyun not understand Feng Qi’s temperament? He buried his head against Feng Qi’s neck and did not dare say anything, simply allowing the other man to carry him through the crowd in long strides.
Only after they were far from the crowd did Ji Chaoyun raise his head and cautiously lean over to kiss Feng Qi on the chin.
Feng Qi’s steps paused briefly, then he continued walking.
Ji Chaoyun tilted his head up to look at him. The arms around Feng Qi’s neck tightened slightly, and he straightened to accurately kiss Feng Qi on the lips.
Feng Qi finally could not hold back. The corner of his mouth curved upward. “Trying to coax me?”
“Mm. I’m coaxing you.” Ji Chaoyun glanced awkwardly around them. They were still on the academy’s front mountain, after all. Although there were not many people here, disciples still passed by from time to time.
Embarrassed, he shrank his neck slightly and whispered, “Don’t be angry anymore.”
Feng Qi sighed and slowed his steps. “What did you promise me last night?”
Ji Chaoyun replied, “I would do what I can and not force myself.”
“Did you do that?”
“...” Ji Chaoyun said quietly, “But I didn’t feel...”
Feng Qi lowered his eyes and swept him a glance. Ji Chaoyun obediently admitted his fault. “I was wrong.”
Feng Qi gave a satisfied hum and continued toward Alchemy Hall with Ji Chaoyun in his arms.
Ji Chaoyun had been lectured for nothing, yet inwardly he was somewhat puzzled.
In truth, he had not felt that he had forced himself at all during the match just now. His opponent’s cultivation was indeed profound, so the match had lasted longer and consumed somewhat more strength than the previous ones, but it was still nowhere near the point of excessive depletion.
Why had he suddenly become dizzy?
He still had not thought of a reason by the time Feng Qi brought him to the academy’s Alchemy Hall.
Feng Qi carried Ji Chaoyun familiarly into an empty side room. Just as he set him down on the bed in the inner chamber, a woman’s voice sounded from outside.
“It’s the Heavenly Ranking Tournament again. A tournament within the academy sends half the disciples to Alchemy Hall. Do none of you care whether you live or die once you start fighting?”
The voice arrived before the person herself. Feng Qi gave a helpless, wry smile, then turned and took the initiative to draw aside the curtain to the inner chamber.
A tall woman with refined features walked in.
She glanced at Feng Qi’s action, and her expression eased slightly before she looked toward Ji Chaoyun. “Where are you uncomfortable this time?”
Feng Qi spoke first. “Senior Sister, please don’t blame him. My Chaoyun just finished a match and is somewhat exhausted. I’ll have to trouble Senior Sister to examine him.”
This immortal physician was named Xihua. Although she looked young, her actual age could no longer be determined. When Feng Qi first entered the academy, Xihua had already been an immortal physician at Alchemy Hall, but she had once been a Heaven-rank disciple of the academy as well. Calling her Senior Sister was entirely proper.
Xihua was beautiful, but her temper was not particularly good. Even though the entire academy now treated Feng Qi with respect after his ascension, he still received no special courtesy from her.
“Lie down. Give me your hand.” Xihua sat beside the bed and placed her fingers against Ji Chaoyun’s pulse. “In this past year, you’ve drunk more of my medicine than anyone else. I told you before, your physical foundation is weak. You can’t cultivate as recklessly as everyone else. This body of yours...”
Xihua’s voice abruptly stopped there.
Feng Qi immediately became tense. “What is it?”
“This pulse...” Xihua’s slender brows drew together. She examined him carefully for another while before finally withdrawing her hand.
She considered the matter for a moment without speaking, and Feng Qi urged, “What exactly is wrong with Chaoyun?”
“Why are you in such a hurry? Still as impetuous as ever.” Xihua glared at him before saying unhurriedly, “What I wanted to say is that, judging from Chaoyun’s pulse, his damaged spiritual core has completely recovered. His spiritual qi is abundant, and there is nothing seriously wrong with him.”
Feng Qi asked, “That’s all?”
Xihua asked in return, “What else were you expecting?”
“Then why did he become dizzy?”
Xihua walked to the desk and picked up paper and brush. She answered leisurely, “Perhaps his spiritual core has only just recovered, and then he went through such an intense match. His body may simply be unable to adapt for the moment. I’ll prescribe two doses of medicinal decoction to replenish his spiritual power. Take them back and drink them, then rest properly for the next few days. He’ll be fine.”
Ji Chaoyun also asked, “Then what is that knot of spiritual qi inside my body?”
“A knot of spiritual qi?” Xihua’s brush paused. She raised her head. “I didn’t find any knot of spiritual qi in your body.”
“But I clearly...” As Ji Chaoyun spoke, he placed a hand over his abdomen and instinctively sent spiritual power inside, only to sense nothing at all. He blinked in confusion. “How... is it gone?”
Feng Qi asked, “What knot of spiritual qi? When did you discover it?”
Ji Chaoyun replied, “Just before you came back. That spiritual qi kept making me uncomfortable. I even thought you had done something to me...”
“Perhaps it was merely a remnant of spiritual qi left behind while your spiritual core was repairing itself.” Xihua quickly finished writing the prescription and said casually, “Since it has already dispersed on its own, that proves there is nothing wrong. There’s no need to pay too much attention to it.”
She handed the prescription to Feng Qi. “Once you’ve collected the medicine, hurry back. Don’t linger here. Someone else is still waiting to use this room.”
Feng Qi vaguely felt that something was strange, but Xihua was an Upper Immortal who had studied medicine for many years, so she was naturally trustworthy. Half convinced and half doubtful, he nodded and followed Xihua out to collect the medicine.
After collecting it, the two returned to Wenqu Peak.
Feng Qi went to the rear kitchen to prepare Ji Chaoyun’s medicine. When he carried it back into the room, Ji Chaoyun was sitting cross-legged on the bed, one hand lightly stroking his abdomen.
Feng Qi set the medicinal decoction aside and asked, “What’s wrong? Does it still feel uncomfortable?”
“It doesn’t hurt. I just...” Ji Chaoyun’s brows drew together slightly. He said quietly, “I keep feeling that the way that spiritual qi disappeared was strange, but I can’t explain why.”
“Isn’t it good that it disappeared? Or would you rather keep feeling unwell?” Feng Qi did not think much of it. He smiled and ruffled Ji Chaoyun’s hair, then picked up the medicine, scooped out a spoonful, blew it cool, and held it to his lips. “Drink your medicine.”
The moment Ji Chaoyun smelled the medicine, nausea faintly rose again. He shrank backward. “The immortal physician already said I’m fine. Can’t I skip it?”
Feng Qi said, “No. You have to drink it.”
Ji Chaoyun shook his head and kept retreating, refusing to open his mouth no matter what. After the two remained at an impasse for quite some time, Feng Qi suddenly remembered something. He set down the medicinal decoction and pulled a paper-wrapped bag of malt candy from inside his robes.
He shook the candy in his hand. “Want some?”
“...” Ji Chaoyun stared at him speechlessly. “Are you coaxing a three-year-old child?”
“You refuse to take your medicine. What else can I do?” Feng Qi picked out a piece of malt candy and stuffed it into Ji Chaoyun’s mouth. “Even a three-year-old child in the mortal realm is easier to coax than you.”
The sweet flavor melted in Ji Chaoyun’s mouth. He crunched it apart in a few bites and swallowed, his gaze unconsciously drifting toward the bag in Feng Qi’s hand again.
Feng Qi hid the malt candy behind his back and tilted his head with a smile. “Drink the medicine quickly. Once you finish it, this entire bag is yours.”
☁
The third round of the Heavenly Ranking Tournament soon ended. The fourth round followed, and because only seven people remained, one person would receive a bye.
In an extremely rare burst of good fortune, Ji Chaoyun drew the bye and advanced directly to the next round.
Feng Qi simply kept him on Wenqu Peak and fed him well while making sure he rested. Three more days passed before the final round of the Heavenly Ranking Tournament began.
The rules for the final round differed slightly from those of the previous rounds.
The four remaining participants would be randomly divided by lot into two pairs and compete at the same time. Once both matches ended, the two defeated competitors would immediately fight each other to determine third and fourth place.
After the losers’ match ended, the two winners would compete to determine first place on the ranking.
That day, Ji Chaoyun and Feng Qi arrived at the front mountain. Before they could enter the grounds, someone suddenly blocked their path.
Wei Shaoyang stood before them with his sword held across his folded arms, unable to conceal the smugness between his brows. “I’ve already made it into the top four. Well, Ji Chaoyun? You haven’t forgotten our wager, have you?”
Even when Feng Qi had still been at the academy, he rarely attended lessons, so he had little impression of this person. He tilted his head and asked Ji Chaoyun, “What wager did you make?”
Ji Chaoyun had never taken the matter particularly seriously and had forgotten to mention it to Feng Qi beforehand.
He yawned listlessly in Feng Qi’s arms and replied casually, “I wagered that if he failed to enter the top three, he would withdraw from the academy.”
Feng Qi gave an “Oh,” did not even look at Wei Shaoyang, and continued forward with an arm around Ji Chaoyun. “What’s interesting about a wager like that? You might as well wager on how quickly you can win the final match.”
“You...” This was the first time Wei Shaoyang had ever been so thoroughly ignored, but even if someone lent him several more measures of courage, he would not dare block Feng Qi’s path again. He could only turn and shout, “Ji Chaoyun, don’t forget! If I make it into the top three, you have to withdraw from Hongmeng Academy!”
Feng Qi stopped. “You agreed to that as well?”
Ji Chaoyun thought for a moment and answered vaguely, “Mm... I think there was something like that.”
Feng Qi smiled and lightly tapped him on the forehead, then continued toward the spectator stands with an arm around him, leaving Wei Shaoyang behind in a fit of impotent rage.
The disciples entered one after another. Ji Chaoyun sat in Feng Qi’s seat, sipping the hot tea Feng Qi had poured for him in small mouthfuls. His energy gradually returned.
For the final matches, all four participants entered the array at the same time before the formation randomly divided them into pairs and sent each pair into a secret realm.
Ji Chaoyun opened his eyes inside the secret realm and found an old, dilapidated temple before him.
The ancient temple was concealed deep within a dense forest. A high moon hung in the sky, and quiet moonlight spilled down, casting the surroundings in a cold, desolate stillness.
Ji Chaoyun tightened his grip on the long sword in his hand, his lips pressing lightly together.
Of all places, it had to be somewhere like this.
This place... looked far too much like the place where he had died in his previous life.
Suddenly, a faint sound came from the bushes beside him. Ji Chaoyun silently flipped onto a tree and saw a figure in the distance.
Wei Shaoyang held a long sword as he moved soundlessly through the forest.
Ji Chaoyun’s eyes brightened slightly.
It was actually him.
When Ji Chaoyun wagered that Wei Shaoyang would be unable to enter the top three, he had not possessed absolute certainty. He had never expected to draw Wei Shaoyang himself by sheer coincidence. In that case, he had no choice but to win this wager.
Ji Chaoyun considered for a moment, then raised his hand and sent out a burst of sword qi directly toward Wei Shaoyang’s back.
Wei Shaoyang was worthy of being a Heaven-rank disciple. His reactions were keen, and he quickly drew his sword to block. Even so, the force of the sword qi drove him several steps backward.
By the time he raised his eyes again, there was no longer anyone in the dark depths of the forest.
The more profound both opponents’ cultivation became, the faster a match could end. In the other secret realm, Bai Qiuyue had already won with ease, yet Ji Chaoyun’s match still had not produced a victor.
This time, Ji Chaoyun abandoned his usual manner of confronting his opponent directly. Instead, he deliberately concealed himself and led Wei Shaoyang around in circles.
All the disciples watching immediately understood Ji Chaoyun’s intention.
Wei Shaoyang had treated Ye Chenxing in precisely this manner during the first round. Ji Chaoyun was returning his own methods upon him.
Before entering the match, Ji Chaoyun had already told Feng Qi about the grievance between them. Feng Qi quickly understood Ji Chaoyun’s purpose as well. Sitting where he was, he could not help shaking his head with a soft laugh.
“No wonder...”
Ji Chaoyun was confident that Wei Shaoyang would lose the losers’ match because he intended to exhaust all of Wei Shaoyang’s spiritual power in this first match, leaving him no strength to fight another.
In the end, this match lasted nearly two full shichen.
On the screen of light, Wei Shaoyang lay sprawled on the floor of the ancient temple, covered in dust. His hands shook so badly he could barely grip his sword.
Before him, Ji Chaoyun swung his sword. The sword qi violently sent Wei Shaoyang flying backward into the mottled wall of the ancient temple.
The screen went dark, and Wei Shaoyang tumbled miserably out of the teleportation array.
Ji Chaoyun stepped out of the array as well, a faint sheen of sweat appearing on his forehead. “Well? Do you concede the wager?”
“You... you actually...” Wei Shaoyang looked completely wretched. He barely managed to straighten his upper body, both eyes bloodshot.
In this condition, there was no possible way he could fight another match!
Ji Chaoyun said calmly, “Before you leave the academy, I still hope you’ll apologize to my friend.”
After saying this, he turned to leave, but Wei Shaoyang abruptly shouted, “Wait... I don’t understand. Even if you could defeat me, how could you be so certain I wouldn’t draw someone else?”
“Someone else?” Ji Chaoyun raised his brows, seeming to find the question rather amusing. “Do you think you could defeat Bai Qiuyue?”
“Even if I lost, I could still...”
“Still win the losers’ match afterward? No. Impossible.” Ji Chaoyun smiled lightly. “If your opponent in the next match had barely consumed any strength in the previous round, while you had just finished fighting Bai Qiuyue... who do you think would win in the end?”
After saying this, Ji Chaoyun gave Wei Shaoyang a perfunctory bow and turned away.
Below the high platform, Feng Qi was already waiting for him.
“Now only the final match remains.” Feng Qi opened his arms and caught him. “How is it? Can you still hold on?”
Ji Chaoyun said, “Of course.”
Feng Qi took Ji Chaoyun’s hand and led him toward the spectator stands. Curious, he asked, “You were certain that whether Wei Shaoyang drew you or Bai Qiuyue, he wouldn’t be able to enter the top three. Yet did you never consider what would happen if he drew the remaining person? That disciple’s cultivation isn’t among the very best. If Wei Shaoyang faced him, victory wouldn’t have been impossible.”
Ji Chaoyun fell silent.
Feng Qi asked, “What is it?”
Ji Chaoyun sighed and said unhurriedly, “If that had happened, I could only have withdrawn from Hongmeng Academy, returned to the mortal realm, built an immortal temple, and lived off the incense offerings of mortals.”
“...” Feng Qi did not know whether to laugh or cry. “So you actually weren’t completely certain?”
“For a wager, having even half a chance is already quite good. How could everything possibly be flawless?” Ji Chaoyun was still trying to argue his way out of it when Feng Qi pinched his cheek. Only then did he admit quietly, “I was just a little angry at the time and lost my temper for a moment. Thinking back on it afterward, I also felt I had acted impulsively...”
Feng Qi thoughtfully nodded once. “Mm. Your temper really has been rather fierce lately.”
“Even if I truly lost, it wouldn’t matter. You’re no longer at Hongmeng Academy, so why would I stay here?” Ji Chaoyun leaned close to his ear and whispered, “If I really lost, then once the war here is over, I’d leave this place and go live freely with you.”
Ji Chaoyun had never expressed his feelings so directly before. Feng Qi froze briefly, his heart instantly filled with warmth. He nearly wanted to pull Ji Chaoyun into his arms and kiss him fiercely on the spot.
Feng Qi’s hands itched from being teased like this. He coughed lightly to conceal it and looked away. “I wonder who it was that once fought so desperately just to remain here. If you say that now, how are the Immortal Venerables supposed to feel?”
Immortal Venerable Tianshu, who had been forced to hear the entire conversation: “...”
Feng Qi pulled Ji Chaoyun into the same chair with him and waited for the losers’ match to begin.
As expected, Wei Shaoyang had no strength left to fight. He did not even enter the secret realm and directly announced his surrender.
He had lost the wager.
The losers’ match ended without a fight, bringing them to the final match of this Heavenly Ranking Tournament.
Feng Qi escorted Ji Chaoyun beneath the high platform. Bai Qiuyue had already been waiting above for some time. Feng Qi glanced at him, then turned his head toward Ji Chaoyun and said quietly, “Don’t worry. Do as I taught you. You can win.”
“I understand.”
Ji Chaoyun climbed the steps, then abruptly remembered something. He turned back, leaned down toward Feng Qi, and smiled. “Right, if I win, aren’t you supposed to...”
He did not finish the sentence.
A wave of dizziness struck Ji Chaoyun without warning. Before everyone’s eyes, he fell straight from the edge of the high platform.
Feng Qi hurriedly caught him.
“Chaoyun, what...”
Ji Chaoyun only felt the spiritual power within his body churning violently, while the dragon pearl trembled without cease. Uncomfortable, he lowered his head, and his palm slowly settled over his abdomen. “Here...”
Feng Qi covered the same place with his hand and circulated his cultivation, sending it into Ji Chaoyun’s spiritual meridians.
In the very place the immortal physician had diagnosed as perfectly normal, a mass of abundant spiritual qi was clearly gathered together. For some unknown reason, it was moving with an excited liveliness.
Feng Qi’s brows drew tightly together.
Within those spiritual meridians, there was not merely a knot of spiritual qi.
It was...
A sign of life.
☁︎₊˚⊹ The Author’s Jade-Slip Aside ⊹˚₊☁︎
I took a look through the comments and realized that ending the chapter where I originally did really did make for a poor reading experience, so I went back and added another section. It should be much better now! Those little cuties who already read this chapter will have to read it again, hhh.
————
A little off-topic today. Did anyone see the 2019 annual roundup at the top of the app? My White Rabbit is in it! This country bumpkin who’s never seen the world was so happy about it all afternoon, hahaha! _(:з」∠)_
I’ll send red packets in this chapter’s comments before the next chapter update to celebrate. I’ll work hard in the new year too!
Also, White Rabbit really is very cute. You can go have a look in my author column and treat it like a little sweet bedtime snack. Of everything I’ve written, aside from this little dragon story, that one is my favorite. =w=
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