Chapter 20: Jiang Ye

Jiang Ye was about to turn and close the two heavy, lacquered black doors when he quietly followed behind.

A shadow, hollow-eyed and unsteady on its feet, lurched out from the darkness of the outer courtyard.

It was Lin Xiaohé.

Jiang Ye’s movement flickered imperceptibly; his aged gaze swept coldly over the girl’s pale, almost twisted face in the dim light.

Tears had not yet dried; her eyes were vacant. All her former cunning, calculations, and forced smiles had vanished, leaving only the dazed agony of being brutally slapped by reality.

“Almost forgot—this mercenary little brat hasn’t left yet.”

A cold understanding flickered through Jiang Ye’s mind.

“Jiang… Jiang Laobai…”

Lin Xiaohé stepped closer, her voice trembling uncontrollably, faint as a mosquito’s hum.

This was likely the first time since she joined the Martial Academy that she had looked directly at, and voluntarily addressed, this gatekeeper elder.

She lifted her tear-filled face; those eyes, once brimming with ambition and calculation, were now soaked in heavy regret and desperate pleading. Her slightly chubby cheeks, glistening with tears, looked unbearably fragile.

“Jiang Laobai… do you… do you know which way Shi Lei Shixiong usually goes?”

She asked the question nearly choking on it, each word laced with cautious Shitan and humble hope.

Jiang Ye needed only one glance to guess this mercenary little brat had been dumped by Hu Tian and was now desperately trying to crawl back to Shi Lei.

“I don’t know.”

Jiang Ye replied flatly.

He didn’t even spare Lin Xiaohé a second look. After uttering those three words, he turned without hesitation, his arms moving with deceptive slowness yet firm control.

Creak—Bang!

The heavy gates of the Martial Academy slammed shut behind him with undeniable finality.

That muffled crash echoed sharply through the silent night, as if sealing the coffin lid over Lin Xiaohé’s last shred of hope.

Outside, Lin Xiaohé stood frozen, staring at the sealed gates before her.

She opened her mouth, but no sound came out.

Finally, like a puppet with its strings cut, she stumbled away.

Inside, Jiang Ye stood still for a moment, listening intently.

Until Lin Xiaohé’s unsteady footsteps vanished completely.

He dropped the pretense!

Those seemingly aged eyes snapped open!

Within them blazed sharp, piercing light—like a drawn blade—where was the faintest trace of age?

With a flick of his will, the true essence of the Thousand Transformations Monkey surged through his mind like liquid mercury, instantly flowing through every meridian.

Inside his body, all two hundred and six bones were simultaneously adjusted by invisible, deft hands, producing a faint, rapid patter like rain on banana leaves.

It was not a fracture—it was the most precise adjustment and reshaping.

His spine, hunched for decades, stiffened like molten iron poured into a mold, segment by segment, slowly straightening.

His once-slumped shoulders tightened; his neck lifted. His entire frame instantly rose, standing taller by more than an inch.

The transformation of his face was even more startling.

The cheekbones subtly lifted; wrinkles on his face seemed smoothed by an invisible hand.

Though the underlying age remained visible, his overall contours had changed utterly.

From once soft and rounded, he now bore sharp angles; his eye sockets seemed deeper, and his brow naturally radiated an unshakable aura of ferocity.

In an instant.

The man standing there was no longer the harmless, frail gatekeeper who seemed one gust of wind could topple him.

He was now a tall, lean, hard-faced elder, eyes sharp as a hawk’s, radiating an unmistakable air of danger.

You could now convince anyone he was a bandit who raided villages.

The Thousand Transformations Monkey—held in the heart! A new face, forged in an instant!

Jiang Ye subtly moved his new body’s joints, feeling the power contained within.

He wasted no time—not even glancing at a mirror.

With a light step, he leapt like a graceful swallow over the high wall of the Martial Academy, following the path taken by Hu Tian and the others.

South of Anxi County, Mirror Lake.

The lake’s surface was as smooth as a mirror, reflecting the sparse stars above and the scattered lanterns along the shore.

In the center of the lake stood several elegant pavilions with upturned eaves and ornate brackets, brightly lit, connected to the shore by winding corridors or small painted boats—this was the secluded banquet spot favored by the county’s nobles and wealthy merchants: the Lake Pavilion.

“Hu Shidi, you’re really splurging—this place isn’t cheap.”

Su Yan stepped onto the delicate boat leading to one of the isolated water pavilions and lightly teased.

As the Young Lady of the Su family, she had been here often enough to know how expensive it was.

Hu Tian’s heart skipped; his face, however, wore a humble, knowing smile, prepared in advance.

“Young Lady Su, you’re teasing me. You and Yi Yi Shijie are both noble persons—your presence here is already a great honor. How could I dare be careless? I chose the finest place in Anxi County, only fitting for two elder sisters.”

“You do know how to speak.”

Su Yan smiled faintly, unimpressed, and fell silent.

Liu Yiyi had remained coldly expressionless throughout, ignoring both the scenery and Hu Tian’s flattery, silently letting the boat drift toward the lake’s center.

Soon, the boat docked before a pavilion bearing the sign “Listening to Rain Pavilion.”

The three ascended the steps and entered a tastefully arranged private room, faint sandalwood incense curling in the air.

The carved windows facing the lake stood open; the night breeze, carrying the scent of water, drifted in, dispelling the room’s stuffiness.

“Elder sisters, please sit. Food and wine will arrive shortly. Before the dishes are served, let me offer tea in place of wine—to toast your presence.”

After the two sat, Hu Tian eagerly lifted the blue porcelain teapot already prepared on the table and poured a cup of clear tea for each—amber liquid shimmering in white jade cups, its fragrance light and pure.

This was Zhang Wang’s instruction: once he brought them to the private pavilion, he was to make them drink one cup of clear tea.

Then his task was done. Zhang Xu would appear immediately, and Hu Tian could then make an excuse to leave.

Seeing only tea—not wine—Su Yan’s wariness lessened slightly; her cherry lips parted, and she took a small sip.

Liu Yiyi, out of politeness, merely lifted the cup slightly with her fingertips and lightly touched her lips to the rim.

Seeing both had taken a sip, Hu Tian finally exhaled in relief.

Zhang Wang’s instructions were fulfilled.

“Zhang Xu Shixiong should be arriving soon.”

The thought had just crossed Hu Tian’s mind.

Knock-knock-knock…

A knock came at the door.

Su Yan and Liu Yiyi assumed it was a servant bringing dishes and paid no mind.

But the one who pushed the door open was a pale face, artificially brightened and barely suppressing excitement—Zhang Xu.

“Zhang Xu?! How are you here?!”

Su Yan and Liu Yiyi both instantly darkened, their eyes flashing with cold light.

Two icy, tangible gazes instantly pinned Hu Tian, whose face had gone ashen.

They had heard nothing from Hu Tian about inviting Zhang Xu—if they had known, they would never have stepped foot here.

“It’s…”

Hu Tian, struck by their freezing stares, felt his blood freeze.

Especially Liu Yiyi’s gaze—was it his imagination, or did he sense a faint thread of killing intent?

He swallowed hard, about to explain.

“Hu Tian Shidi today passed the martial arts entrance exam and was admitted to the Inner Academy—a tremendous joy! As his closest senior brother, I naturally had to come celebrate!”

Zhang Xu cut him off, then gave him a subtle glance.

Hu Tian instantly understood—Zhang Xu was signaling him to leave.

“Elder sisters, Zhang Xu Shixiong, I’m suddenly seized by terrible stomach pain—I need to excuse myself… I’ll be right back!”

He seized the excuse, dared not meet their cold gazes, and fled the room like a hunted animal.

As Hu Tian burst out the door, Zhang Wang, waiting just outside the corridor, grabbed him and chuckled lowly: “Hu Tian, brother, you did great! Come on—I’ll take you somewhere more fun. The rest is the Young Master’s business now!”

Without further ado, he dragged the shaken Hu Tian onto another small boat and swiftly rowed toward shore.

Inside the room, the atmosphere had plunged to freezing.

Su Yan’s face was icy; she glared at Zhang Xu, who sat calmly at the table, even smirking slightly.

“Zhang Xu, if you wanted to invite us to dinner, you could’ve just said so. Why go through such elaborate, underhanded schemes, using a brand-new junior brother? Isn’t this sneaky behavior beneath you?”

Liu Yiyi said nothing, but the coldness in her clear eyes was ten times sharper than Su Yan’s sarcasm—as if it could freeze the air.

Her hands on her knees had tightened, knuckles white.

Both were sharp-witted. Zhang Xu’s sudden appearance, Hu Tian’s panicked escape—combined with all the earlier oddities—made it obvious: this was a carefully laid trap by Zhang Xu.

“Ah, elder sisters, you’ve misunderstood me. I truly came only to celebrate Hu Tian Shidi.”

Zhang Xu sighed, spreading his hands in a look of helpless Weiqu .

“Is that so.”

Su Yan snorted, rising abruptly; her robes stirred without wind. “Then we’ll take our leave. Hope you and Hu Tian Shidi enjoy your meal.”

She and Liu Yiyi rose together to leave.

Seeing this, Zhang Xu dropped the act—he was done pretending.

The pretense of helplessness and grievance vanished from his face, replaced by a leering grin twisted with sleaze, triumph, and madness.

“I advise you two senior sisters not to leave so hastily.”

“Otherwise… when the drug takes effect halfway, you’ll succumb to lust, making a disgraceful spectacle…”

“If some lowly peddler or passerby happens to see, and spreads vile rumors, your reputations will be ruined beyond repair.”

“Drug?!”

Upon hearing this, Su Yan and Liu Yiyi both turned pale.

In an instant, they remembered the clear tea Hu Tian had eagerly served moments ago.

A faint, previously ignored heat, now ignited by those words, flared like sparks in dry grass, spreading silently from deep within their lower abdomens!

“You dared to drug the tea?!”

Su Yan, stunned and furious, her voice trembling with rage, shouted sharply.

“You’re dead!”

Liu Yiyi’s reaction was even more direct and violent.

Cold flashes erupted in her icy eyes, her killing intent materializing like solid blades!

The moment she realized she’d been drugged, she shifted her stance, fingers snapping like a blade, slicing through the air with a piercing whistle, aiming straight for Zhang Xu’s heart—this strike, fueled by fury, held nothing back, meant to kill him on the spot.

But as soon as her finger strike launched, she sensed something was wrong.

The powerful qi flowing through her body now felt entangled in invisible spiderwebs, sluggish and obstructed.

An even fiercer, more numbing heat exploded through her limbs and bones as she forced her qi to surge.

The finger aimed at Zhang Xu’s heart lost most of its force, slowed drastically, and turned limp and weak.

Zhang Xu had anticipated this. Seeing it, he didn’t fear—he grinned. He sidestepped effortlessly, laughing heartily:

“Senior Sister Yiyi, save your strength for later, when you’re with me.”

“No cultivator below the Transformation stage can resist the power of Beauty’s Drunk.”

“The more you struggle, the faster the drug takes hold!”

True to his words, Liu Yiyi’s strike missed. Her porcelain-white cheeks flushed crimson, her breathing grew ragged, and her once-cold eyes now shimmered with a faint haze.

“Zhang Xu, you’re insane!”

Su Yan also felt the heat surging through her body like wildfire, weakening her limbs, pounding her heart like a drum.

She gripped the table, her nails nearly digging into the hard wood, and roared: “Do you know what happens if you drug both me and Yiyi?! Do you think your Zhang family can control everything?! Can your father protect your worthless life?!”

She never imagined Zhang Xu would be this arrogant, this stupid, this insane!

This wasn’t mere lust—it was utter, unbridled madness!

Provoking both the Su family and Liu Qingshi—he was courting death!

“Senior Sister Su Yan, you’re right—I am insane!”

A wild smile spread across Zhang Xu’s face, his pale complexion now flushed with a sickly red.

He rose abruptly, stepping closer to Liu Yiyi, who stood unsteady yet still glaring at him with icy killing intent, his eyes gleaming with revolting possessiveness and vengeful delight:

“You still think you can suppress the drug? Don’t dream it!”

“Once Beauty’s Drunk clings to you, even the purest virtuous woman becomes a shameless whore!”

“I’ve dreamed of this day—for too long! Especially you, Liu Yiyi!”

He stared fixedly at her stunningly beautiful face, flushed crimson by drug and fury, his voice hoarse with excitement:

“Always pretending to be a frosty, otherworldly holy maiden, looking down on me with contempt! Today, I’ll tear off that false veil of purity!”

“I want to see—when the drug fully takes hold—how desperately, how shamelessly you’ll beg for me! Hahaha!”

“Zhang Xu, if you dare touch me…” Liu Yiyi bit her tongue, the sharp pain granting her a fleeting moment of clarity. Her voice, forged in eternal ice, rang out, each word a vow of mutual destruction: “I swear—I will spare nothing to tear you limb from limb… then end my own life!”

The icy killing intent and resolve in her vow caused Zhang Xu’s boastful steps to falter, a flicker of primal fear crossing his face.

Her gaze left no doubt—she would carry out her threat.

But the next second, that fear twisted into furious rage.

He’d been stopped by a single sentence from a woman about to become his plaything?!

“Kill me? Kill yourself?!” Zhang Xu’s face contorted as he screamed wildly: “I’m touching you right now! Die beneath the peony, and I’ll still be a romantic ghost! Once I’ve had my fill of you, see how you’ll…!”

Before he could finish.

Creak.

The carved wooden door of the private room, tightly shut, suddenly burst inward as if struck by an invisible, furious gale.

Cold lake wind, thick with moisture, surged in, instantly snuffing half the candles inside. Shadows flickered wildly.

“Who?! Who the hell dares ruin my fun—”

Zhang Xu roared in fury, spinning around to scream.

His shout died instantly, as if strangled by an invisible hand.

In the dim, moonlit, water-reflecting gloom at the doorway stood a tall, spear-like figure.

An elderly man, gaunt and hard-faced, with hair and temples entirely white.

No words.

No extra motion.

The old man’s figure shifted—merely taking a single ordinary step forward.

But that step exceeded Zhang Xu’s visual limits.

He saw only a blur—then, in the next instant, a withered fist, radiating power capable of splitting mountains and shattering rocks, struck dead center on his chest.

Thud!!

A dull impact.

He didn’t even feel pain—only an unstoppable, overwhelming force slammed into him, his chest visibly caving inward.

Next, his entire body flew backward like a severed kite, or a stone hurled with full force, feet lifting off the ground, crashing hard into the room’s wall.

Boom!!

The solid wooden wall, shattered like paper under the unstoppable force.

Amid flying splinters, Zhang Xu’s body kept flying, tracing a gruesome arc before plunging with a splash into the cold, dark lake outside the window, sending up a spray of water over a zhang tall—then swallowed instantly by the churning waves, silent forever.

“He wore an inner armor.”

The white-haired old man stared at the icy lake, eyes half-lidded.

He could clearly feel that his punch had been partially blocked by a soft under-armor.

Otherwise, that single punch would have shattered Zhang Xu’s chest, leaving a gaping hole.

As he pondered this,

Two fragrant winds drifted toward him.