Chapter 2394 - 2398: Mediation (Bonus for ’Gan’)

Sure, here’s the translation:

Sky-Cleaving City, Sky-Cleaving Tavern.

This was the agreed meeting place for Hu Yiqiu and Jiang Chen.

On the third floor of the tavern, Hu Yiqiu and Zhuo Bufan sat by the window, quietly watching the pedestrians on the street outside.

Suddenly, a fragrant wind blew into their noses, and they turned their heads to look, their expressions suddenly changing.

A beautiful woman with an extraordinary temperament sat opposite Hu Yiqiu, holding a person by the collar. The man was being dragged on the ground, looking awkwardly at Hu Yiqiu and Zhuo Bufan with an embarrassed smile.

"Greetings, Elder Saint!"

Zhuo Bufan hurriedly stood up to salute.

This woman was none other than Su Ruoyun, the Elder Saint of Changling Academy.

"Let go!"

Hu Yiqiu, however, was not the least bit courteous, glaring fiercely at the woman, and whispered.

Zhuo Bufan’s heart trembled, and he glanced at Hu Yiqiu in amazement.

Is Elder Jiu really this bold? This is the Elder Saint!

Su Ruoyun hesitated, glanced at Hu Yiqiu, pursed her lips, and casually threw Jiang Chen onto the chair beside Hu Yiqiu.

"Young Jiang, are you injured?"

Hu Yiqiu saw Jiang Chen’s pale face and bloodstained lips, furrowed his brows, and grabbed Jiang Chen’s wrist while glaring at Su Ruoyun.

"Old drunkard, do you think I’m the one who injured him? If I had attacked, would he still be sitting here?"

Su Ruoyun glared fiercely at Hu Yiqiu, showing a hint of anger in her eyes.

"No manners, is ’old drunkard’ what you call him?"

Hu Yiqiu was not afraid at all, glaring back at Su Ruoyun. At this moment, he had already figured out that although Jiang Chen’s injuries were severe, they were not fundamental, and indeed, Su Ruoyun did not make the move.

"Hmph! Stubborn drunkard, you can’t beat me now!"

Su Ruoyun frowned and looked up at Hu Yiqiu.

Suddenly, Su Ruoyun’s eyes showed a hint of panic, and she said urgently, "Senior brother, I didn’t mean it, I..."

"Senior brother?!"

Jiang Chen and Zhuo Bufan both exclaimed in surprise, looking at Hu Yiqiu and Su Ruoyun puzzled.

"It’s nothing!"

Hu Yiqiu waved his hand, turned to Jiang Chen, "Call her auntie (師姑)."

"Uh... Nephew Jiang Chen, greetings to Auntie!"

Jiang Chen was stunned for a moment, hurriedly stood up and bowed to Su Ruoyun.

Zhuo Bufan was dumbfounded, murmuring, "Wow, in five years, wouldn’t it be one sect with three saints?!"

Su Ruoyun waved her hand to Jiang Chen, turned to Zhuo Bufan with doubt, "What do you mean by one sect with three saints?"

"Haha, in five years, I’ll be able to spank you again!"

Hu Yiqiu said with a light chuckle.

Su Ruoyun’s face turned slightly red with anger, just about to scold, suddenly her expression changed, and she exclaimed with surprise, "Senior brother, you..."

"Hmm."

Hu Yiqiu nodded in response, stopping Su Ruoyun’s words.

"Haha, that’s great! Master will be thrilled when he finds out!"

Su Ruoyun spoke joyfully.

"Master..."

Hu Yiqiu’s face showed a tinge of sorrow and his eyes a complex expression.

"Senior brother, it wasn’t that Master didn’t help back then, you know the academy’s rules, all resources need to be exchanged with points, even Master has to comply. We exchanged all our points for the formation diagram; it’s all my fault. If I hadn’t suddenly awakened the formation path talent, then..."

Su Ruoyun’s face changed slightly, explaining anxiously.

Jiang Chen lightly furrowed his brows upon hearing this; was Changling Academy withholding the God Concealing Spirit Herb from Master? Certainly! Even Zhang Yubo could collect several Spirit Grasses; how could Changling Academy not have any?

Realizing this, a trace of anger welled up in Jiang Chen’s heart. Although he wasn’t clear about what happened back then, from various signs, it seemed Hu Yiqiu participated in that competition for Changling Academy, but unexpectedly...

Hu Yiqiu gently waved his hand, interrupting Su Ruoyun, "How is Master doing, elder?"

"Master has been in seclusion for a century!"

Su Ruoyun said with a dim expression, "Back then, when senior brother returned wounded, the academy refused to provide the God Concealing Spirit Herb. You left the academy in anger; upon finding out, Master fought Vice President Meng in rage, nearly destroying the academy’s rear mountain. It was stopped only when the president returned and intervened. Since then, Master has been in seclusion."

Upon saying this, she sighed, "Master only instructs me in cultivation now, never concerning himself with academy matters!"

Phew!

Hu Yiqiu trembled at the news, let out a long sigh, showing a trace of guilt in his eyes, "It’s my fault, I shouldn’t have left in anger back then!"

"Senior brother, Master doesn’t blame you; after hearing you’d return to the academy after this admission test, he went to Meng and fought him again that day."

Su Ruoyun’s lips curled into a teasing smile, glancing at Zhuo Bufan playfully, "Master returned and told me, ’That old fool was stunned by my beating, when Young Jiang returns, let him deal with that old fool’s disciples. If Young Jiang still feels wronged, let him take on a disciple, then let his disciple beat up that Zhuo brat, if Zhuo retaliates, I’ll break his leg!’"

Uh...

Zhuo Bufan froze slightly, blinking dumbfounded, "Elder Saint, you mean Vice President Meng... is my master?"

"Nonsense, how many vice presidents with the surname Meng are there in the academy?"

Su Ruoyun rolled her eyes at Zhuo Bufan.

Zhuo Bufan turned to look at Jiang Chen with a strange expression, Jiang Chen also looked at Zhuo Bufan strangely.

Their eyes met, Zhuo Bufan showing a bitter smile, Jiang Chen revealing a trace of coldness in his view.

Zhuo Bufan was startled, lightly furrowed his brow, showing a confusing expression in his eyes.

"Young Jiang!"

Noticing Jiang Chen’s unusual behavior, Hu Yiqiu patted Jiang Chen’s shoulder.

"About that incident... despite the actions of that stubborn old Meng, he is not to blame; those were the rules."

Hu Yiqiu said earnestly, "Back then, when your shiniang (師娘, master’s wife) and I fought, we received the rewards before we went, breaking the rules already. When we returned, it was within the rules that the academy didn’t provide the God Concealing Spirit Herb."

"But my shiniang died tragically, my master’s Primordial Spirit was severely wounded, weren’t all these sacrifices for the academy?"

Jiang Chen showed defiance, glaring at Zhuo Bufan again.

Zhuo Bufan’s face changed, yet he didn’t show any resentment, analyzing their conversations, Zhuo Bufan suddenly sensed something amiss.

According to their words, Elder Jiu and his wife fought for the academy, the wife died, Elder Jiu’s Primordial Spirit was injured, and despite Master’s obstruction, they were denied the God Concealing Spirit Herb? This is, this is...

"It’s a complicated matter that can’t be explained right now; anyway, it’s not the academy’s fault, and that old Meng didn’t have much fault either."

Hu Yiqiu patiently said, "Young Jiang, don’t harbor resentment towards the academy because of me; without the academy, I wouldn’t be where I am today."

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PS: Winter is coming soon; if you’re feeling sleepy, try reading my book.