Chapter 169: Report

Amidst the storm of thunder, Zheng Fa and the other two stood facing each other.

Chen Ting's treasure mirror trembled slightly under the impact of the seal, humming as it returned to his arms, its glow significantly dimmed.

Just like Chen Ting's gaze.

He looked at Master Pang beside Zheng Fa, his lips moving as if hesitating how to address him.

Master Pang also stared at him, his eyes filled with complexity.

Zheng Fa, standing aside, unconsciously held his breath—this scene of master and disciple meeting, then falling into love and murder.

He felt he should be under the car.

After a moment of silence.

Chen Ting raised both hands.

His sudden motion startled Master Pang, who stepped forward to block Zheng Fa.

Clearly, he feared Chen Ting might ambush Zheng Fa.

Zheng Fa suddenly felt Chen Ting's gaze on him was piercing:

That look—the one you give when you're being NTR'd right in front of you, staring at the blond…

Chen Ting clasped his hands and bowed to Master Pang. "Master, do you no longer trust me?"

Master Pang knew he had misunderstood; his facial muscles stiffened, yet his tone held no warmth: "I once did."

"..."

"You said you never killed a single disciple of Jiushan Sect. I believed you." Master Pang looked at Chen Ting. "That's why I let you go. But now?"

Zheng Fa glanced at the treasure mirror in Chen Ting's hands.

He didn't know its power, but he was certain it wasn't meant for greeting him.

Chen Ting clenched his lips and said nothing.

Zheng Fa couldn't help but sigh—

Master Pang cared more for this disciple than any of the three Nascent Soul cultivators of Jiushan Sect.

Chen Ting had once been deeply favored by him.

His earlier hiding nearby had surely been to observe Chen Ting's current state.

But...

"Master True Person, worldly affairs rarely allow choice." Chen Ting changed his address to "Master True Person": "Since leaving Jiushan Sect, I have had no room left for mercy."

"..."

Master Pang fell silent, only his seal glowing faintly in the air, as if in answer to Chen Ting.

"Master True Person, are you going to attack me?" Chen Ting smiled lightly at his expression.

Master Pang remained silent.

"True Person, consider this: though you are a Nascent Soul, you are no stronger than I am within Lei Chi. Moreover, you must protect Zheng Brother and the other Jiushan disciples... hmm?"

He turned his head and realized that while he and Master Pang were locked in confrontation, Zheng Fa had somehow already boarded the Du'e Boat and was fleeing wildly with a group of Jiushan disciples.

As if sensing his gaze.

Zheng Fa turned around, bowed to him in farewell, his face full of considerate concern.

As if he didn't wish to disturb their master-disciple reunion.

"Master True Person... this Zheng Fa..." Chen Ting recalled seeing Zheng Fa twice, each time watching him flee; his expression grew complicated: "Can he really become the next Sect Master? Won't he corrupt the entire Jiushan Sect?"

Master Pang stared at the departing Du'e Boat, speechless.

Though they had planned it beforehand, Zheng Fa's swift escape still made him inexplicably embarrassed...

No, you're a member of the Nine You Demon Sect now—your loyalties are already twisted.

Why care about Jiushan Sect?

And worry so much about it?

In the marketplace, Zheng Fa saw Master Pang return and asked directly: "Master Pang, where's Chen Ting?"

"He ran."

Zheng Fa blinked—he really had an uncanny ability to survive.

Anyone else in his situation would already be preparing for reincarnation.

"This youth holds leadership over three factions—he is not to be underestimated." Master Pang explained: "Moreover, even within Lei Chi, I must tread carefully."

Zheng Fa thought about it—he was right.

Master Pang was the kind who taught his disciples.

He once had a personal elder.

Later, he sacrificed that elder and gained the Nine You Demon Ancestor's favor.

"Then why hasn't the Nine You Demon Sect sent anyone to help him?"

Zheng Fa asked, puzzled.

The main reason Jiushan Sect pursued Chen Ting was to find Zhang Shijie's whereabouts.

But the Great Freedom Demon Sect sought revenge.

With Chen Ting in such dire straits, why didn't he seek aid from the Nine You Demon Sect?

"If demon sects practiced unity and mutual aid, what would they even be called?" Master Pang snorted. "If you meet Chen Ting again, never let your guard down."

"Understood."

Zheng Fa understood Master Pang's meaning—

When Chen Ting first left Jiushan Sect, he may still have had some lingering attachment.

But now, it seemed he had none left.

"Those who maintain their original heart in this world are rare—let alone my disciple..." Master Pang's tone held neither regret nor dread: "Since betraying the sect, he must have endured much hardship."

Chen Ting's affairs had little to do with Zheng Fa; if not for his claim of knowing Zhang Shijie's whereabouts, Zheng Fa wouldn't have sought him out.

The current priority was still to find Zhang Shijie.

"It's troublesome."

Master Pang frowned.

"Yes, Zhang Shijie is now too close to the demon sect's secret realm."

This spiritual vein's emergence not only shattered Lei Chi but also revealed a demon sect secret realm.

And Lei Chi now blocked the exit of that realm—precisely why the Great Freedom Demon Sect still couldn't seal it off.

Zhang Shijie was attacked by Great Freedom Demon Sect members and fled into Lei Chi.

Though they couldn't capture her, they subtly forced her toward the secret realm's exit, where their troop deployment was most convenient; if they could drive her into their own realm, she would be at their mercy.

Now, for Jiushan Sect to find Zhang Shijie, they must first confront the Great Freedom Demon Sect.

"It's not just that..." Master Pang shook his head. "I'm familiar with the self-sealing method Zhang Shijie used—it's a magic treasure from the Huang family: Xuanguan Mirror."

"Xuanguan Mirror?"

Zheng Fa frowned.

"The Huang woman had a great grudge in her youth, but her cultivation was too weak to seek revenge. Yet she couldn't suppress the urge to leave and hunt her enemy..."

"So..."

"So she begged her master to forge this treasure—its sole purpose: to imprison her within, unable to exit unless she reached Nascent Soul."

As he spoke, Master Pang's expression looked like he'd bitten into a sour plum.

"What if an outsider tries?"

"An outsider? Only a Nascent Soul cultivator can break this treasure—and this is Lei Chi..."

Of course.

Who in Lei Chi dares use Nascent Soul-level techniques?

Zhang Shijie must have anticipated this, which is why she sealed herself with the Xuanguan Mirror.

But...

"Zhang Shijie's Golden Core is flawed..."

Master Pang sighed, voicing Zheng Fa's own concern.

"Regardless, at least now we have a target—find Zhang Shijie first."

Modern day.

Today was the day Zheng Fa and Tang Lingwumin reported to Beijing University.

Tang Lingwumin had been picked up by her mother two days ago; it was said her father had also come to Beijing to personally deliver his daughter to school.

Zheng Fa hadn't asked Bai Lao to send him.

He came alone by taxi to the gates of Beijing University.

There were already many students and parents there.

Compared to his high school classmates, Zheng Fa felt these new Beijing University students were similar yet different:

The similarity was that they were all the same age; in this internet age, fashion and hairstyles were nearly uniform nationwide.

The difference was more elusive—

Though their appearances were hardly distinct, these young people somehow radiated far greater confidence.

Another unconfirmed observation by Zheng Fa: many people seemed to come from wealthy families.

He watched for a while, then followed the crowd to the entrance of the gymnasium, where Zheng Fa needed to check in; after check-in, there would be an opening ceremony inside.

Outside the gymnasium entrance stood many tents, each marked with the name of a department.

Long tables were set up beneath them, behind which sat several slightly older youths.

Probably teaching assistants or senior students.

Zheng Fa held his notice and found the Physics Department tent.

Inside were three men and two women.

When Zheng Fa arrived, the three men remained motionless, but the two women stood up simultaneously.

They exchanged a glance.

One of them, a girl wearing glasses, seemed shy; she hesitated, then slowly sat back down.

The one who greeted Zheng Fa was the other girl—her features were delicate, her waist slender, and her smile warm and approachable.

Of course, with Zheng Fa's eyes, he could tell at least two-tenths of her beauty came from her expert makeup.

But from the unfriendly glares of the three seniors behind her,

the remaining eight-tenths were still exceptional within the Physics Department.

Thinking about it, the situation was a little sad.

"Junior, did you come alone?"

"Mm."

"Hand me your notice." The girl took Zheng Fa's notice, glanced at it, and said: "Zheng Fa? Physics Department. Here, take it."

She didn't waste any words.

She acted like she was simply completing a task—professional, with the reserved dignity of a senior student.

She handed him several envelopes of varying sizes.

"This one contains the freshman handbook—with the campus map—Canteen Two has the best food."

"This one has the letter to parents—unimportant."

"This small bag contains the most important items: your student ID, dorm key, and dorm number. Don't lose them."

Zheng Fa squeezed the small bag and nodded. "Alright, thank you, senior sister."

"Here, add me on WeChat."

"..." Zheng Fa paused, looking at the senior sister. Her face was serious. "College requirement. If you have any questions as a new student, just ask me."

Zheng Fa fell silent for a moment, pulled out his phone, and scanned the QR code on her phone.

After thanking the senior sister again, Zheng Fa walked into the gymnasium with the envelopes.

Behind him, faintly audible, came the senior sister's conversation with the next new student in line.

"Here's your stuff. Take it all. Don't lose anything."

After a moment, the senior sister asked again: "Do you have any other questions?"

The new student was a boy; he'd apparently overheard her earlier exchange with Zheng Fa. He stammered: "Isn't there a rule that we have to add WeChat?"

"I never heard of such a rule."

"... hen, as a new student, if I have questions..."

The senior sister displayed a STEM-level logic: "That's why I gave you the freshman handbook."

Zheng Fa couldn't help pulling out his phone to check the senior sister's profile picture.

In the picture, she smiled sweetly and warmly—nothing like someone so calculating.