“Here.” Wei Qing was equally decisive. He tossed over a green jade pendant he had won from a black-clad senior disciple. That opponent had been quite strong, but Wei Qing had been stronger and claimed the pendant after winning.
Xu Ziyan was astonished that Wei Qing conceded so readily. With his arrogance, Xu Ziyan had expected him to fight until one of them collapsed.
Wei Qing gave him a cool glance. “If we keep fighting, we’ll only benefit our other rivals.”
Xu Ziyan raised an eyebrow. Was that an acknowledgment of his strength?
He knew, of course, that if they truly fought to the death, either might win. This victory owed much to Wei Qing underestimating him.
Now that Wei Qing had a clear measure of Xu Ziyan’s ability, defeating him again would be far harder. Lightning arrows were formidable, but they were not impossible to counter.
“Thanks, then.” Xu Ziyan raised the pendant with a grin.
Wei Qing frowned, then relaxed. His teacher had told him that continuing to cultivate in the Great Liang Dynasty would leave him trapped in his own small world, ignorant of how vast the outside world was.
The world never lacked geniuses. Without competition, even people like Wei Qing and Xiahou Lian could gradually sink into mediocrity.
For Wei Qing, fierce competition brought pressure, and only pressure could draw out his full potential.
Remembering his teacher’s assessment, he frowned again. His teacher had said he was far too proud. Besides tempering his nature through experience, he needed ‘friends’ who would correct him when necessary. Otherwise, he would not travel far along the path of cultivation.
But Wei Qing knew himself. Even if he needed friends, he could never lower his pride enough to befriend people plainly inferior to him.
Only a handful of this year’s candidates qualified. And since the Wei and Xiahou families had always been at odds, Wei Qing and Xiahou Lian were natural rivals. That would not change.
The Hu family’s boy was always gloomy and looked unlucky. Wei Qing did not think much of him either.
After considering everyone, this unexpected newcomer seemed to be the only person reasonably agreeable to him…
Wei Qing studied Xu Ziyan from head to foot, weighing the possibility of making him a friend.
His stare made Xu Ziyan’s skin crawl. He coughed and dusted himself off, preparing to leave. But before he could go, Wei Qing looked up calmly and declared, “I permit you to become my friend.”
Xu Ziyan, expressionless: …
Wei Qing, expressionless: …
Xu Ziyan screamed inwardly. What kind of arrogant, adolescent brat is this?! You permit me to be your friend? How about permitting me to punch you?!
Wei Qing remained expressionless.
Xu Ziyan was at a loss. What was he supposed to say? Was this one of those moments when he should just smile?
Wei Qing remained impassive, though impatience crept into his expression. To Xu Ziyan it was as if he were saying, I’ve already allowed you to be my friend. Why haven’t you responded?
Xu Ziyan wept in his heart. His precious little brother really was the only well-behaved child in this world. Everyone else was a brat!
“Why aren’t you saying anything?” Wei Qing sensed the awkwardness but could not understand why Xu Ziyan wore such a foolish grin. (Xu Ziyan: It’s a smile, damn it!) Wasn’t he supposed to say how pleased he was to become Wei Qing’s friend?
Clearly, although Wei Qing’s teacher understood his character perfectly, he had not taught him nearly enough social skills.
As Xu Ziyan would put it, the boy’s emotional intelligence account was desperately in need of a top-up…
Another strange silence fell. Xu Ziyan had no idea what to say, and Wei Qing seemed to have realized that something about his approach was wrong.
Yet he remembered saying something similar to the son of a second-rank minister, with even more disdain in his voice. That young man had been so excited he nearly fainted. His teacher had criticized him afterward, but Wei Qing still had no idea what he had done wrong.
The awkwardness thickened, and a faint hint of anger appeared on Wei Qing’s otherwise impassive face.
Xu Ziyan panicked. How had it come to this? The habitually arrogant Wei Qing had actually offered to make friends with him. (Xu Ziyan had already mentally deleted the word permit.)
Just as the mood threatened to turn ugly, Xu Ziyan noticed something. Wei Qing’s expression was still proud, but the tips of his ears, hidden beneath his sideburns, were turning red.
Xu Ziyan fell silent.
So… this was just another brat who had no idea how to express what he really meant?
Damn it! What sort of environment was he raised in?! If Zirong behaved like this, he’d be getting a spanking!
Pressing a hand to his forehead, Xu Ziyan suddenly laughed. Wei Qing was only a child, hopeless at dealing with people, but perhaps possessed of an innocent and sincere heart.
People like him could be befriended without fearing betrayal. Their pride simply would not allow them to betray a friend.
“All right, all right. We’re friends now.” Xu Ziyan’s face looked strange because he was desperately holding back laughter.
Wei Qing’s expression stayed composed, but a trace of nervousness showed in his eyes.
See? He really is just a kid, Xu Ziyan thought with amusement.
The two had effectively formed a gentleman’s friendship. Before Xu Ziyan left, however, Wei Qing solemnly warned that if they fought again in the examination, he would not hold back.
Xu Ziyan agreed cheerfully. Even if they did meet again, there was no telling who would win.
Wei Qing had yet to reveal his trump card, but Xu Ziyan had some hidden cards of his own.
After bidding Wei Qing farewell, Xu Ziyan crossed West River Valley without hindrance. Making a new friend was an unexpected pleasure, though it also gave him a new worry.
After all, Wei Qing might have died at the hands of the novel’s protagonist. Although Xu Ziyan’s transmigration had already altered this world, who could say Bai Hua would not still be protected by some ridiculous protagonist’s halo that kept the plot moving along?
Xu Ziyan had met Wei Qing only a few times, but did not dislike him; otherwise he would never have accepted the friendship. Wei Qing was an honorable, straightforward person. He was proud, certainly, but had reason to be.
“Whatever. That secret-realm expedition is still a long way off. If necessary, I’ll drag Wei Qing to the battlefront in the far west. If he doesn’t visit that realm, I refuse to believe Bai Hua will chase him onto a battlefield.”
“Big Brother? What are you saying?”
Zirong was waiting obediently at the place they had agreed to meet.
Xu Ziyan had been muttering quietly, so Zirong caught only something about the far west.
His expression dimmed. Xu Ziyan had never mentioned planning to train in the far west. The only person Zirong could associate with that region was the tribesman Le Hu.
He lowered his eyes and thought furiously. Why had Big Brother suddenly mentioned the far west? Had he just encountered Le Hu again, the fellow with such unnaturally sharp senses?
Damn it! What did that fellow tell Big Brother? Did he reveal the heavy scent of blood on me?
Zirong’s thoughts were in chaos, but his face betrayed nothing. He devised several possible responses to whatever Le Hu might have revealed. First he needed to find out what had actually been said.
“Big Brother? What about the far west?” he asked innocently.
Xu Ziyan snapped out of his thoughts and smiled at him. Perhaps because he pitied the experiences Zirong had suffered in his previous life, Xu Ziyan never begrudged his adorable (not really!) little brother a smile, even knowing he was happy in this life.
“The far west is a battlefield. Big Brother wants to go there someday for training. Do you want to come with me?”
Zirong nodded without hesitation. “I want to go with Big Brother.” Inwardly, his worries evaporated. So his brother simply wanted to train at the demonic-beast battlefield.
Xu Ziyan said no more. He had intended to bring Zirong along all along. It might be dangerous, but could it be worse than meeting Bai Hua?
To preserve the lives of himself, Zirong and now Wei Qing as well, he intended to avoid every place where they might encounter Bai Hua.
Cherish your life; stay away from scum. (Yes, in Xu Ziyan’s eyes, Bai Hua was scum.)
If he could not stand up to the fellow, he could at least avoid him.
At that moment Xu Ziyan had not yet realized that, thanks to his interference, the world’s script had turned into a runaway horse galloping ever farther off course…
Once they were clear of West River Valley, Zirong handed Xu Ziyan another green jade pendant.
Knowing Zirong had defeated a black-clad disciple by himself left Xu Ziyan strangely melancholy. Sigh. Without my noticing, Zirong has become so strong. What a blow to my pride as his big brother! _(：з」∠)_
The brothers traveled at tremendous speed and reached the foot of the Flowing Light Sect’s mountain in only a day.
Looking at the narrow, winding trail climbing the slope, Xu Ziyan was reminded of his family’s Immortal Ascension Steps…
He had a feeling that path would not be easy to climb. →。→ And he was right. A handsome, gentle-looking young man was standing at the entrance, smiling warmly. Yet the sight of him made Xu Ziyan’s face twitch…