Chapter 2068: How to Tame the Unruly Youth 17

Jin Chen closed the ancient book, also picked up a pastry and put it in his mouth, casually saying, "This doesn't taste like Azure Cloud City."

"Hmm."

Ji Lai Zhi focused on eating the pastry, casually pushed the scroll aside, and also nudged the plate toward Jin Chen.

"How is it? Hmm… this is a pastry from Cold Moon Manor; you haven't tried it, have you?"

Jin Chen's expression didn't change; he raised his hand to wipe the crumbs from Ji Lai Zhi's mouth.

"I don't usually eat these."

"I really like it," Ji Lai Zhi propped his chin, "When I was little, I stayed at Cold Moon Manor for a while and ate pastries every day."

"Xiao Hui was sent by my maternal grandfather to make pastries for me; too bad… that's all he can do, and Ji Yuan Shan that bastard supervises him strictly."

Ji Lai Zhi finally had someone to confide in; he hid nothing, answering whatever Jin Chen asked.

"How long has he been with you?" Jin Chen asked again.

When talking about himself, Xiao Hui involuntarily glanced up, then quickly resumed sweeping.

"Hmm… probably many years; I don't really remember."

Ji Lai Zhi shook his head, looking at Jin Chen with confusion, "Why are you asking this?"

"When the time comes, I'll take you away, perhaps also bring him along; I don't have a pastry chef at my place," Jin Chen said.

Ji Lai Zhi's eyes instantly crinkled with a smile; he tilted his head and bumped Jin Chen's shoulder, "Great, great."

Enough, Jin Chen thought; if the toxin were really hidden in the pastries, even eating them once every few days would have taken effect over the years.

His expression turned cold as he swept his gaze toward Xiao Hui, who was still sweeping by the path.

——

After the match, Ji Yuan Shan couldn't wait to drive Jin Chen away.

After all, he was a Guest Elder of Cold Moon Manor; with the Martial Arts Grand Assembly approaching, Sword Manor could not yet break openly with Shen Lao Xie, so he overnight sent someone to write a letter, dispatching it by express horse to Cold Moon Manor.

The whole letter, both overt and covert, was about getting Jin Chen to scram from Sword Manor; Ji Yuan Shan believed that as long as Shen Lao Xie wasn't stupid, he should know whether it's more important for a Guest Elder to stay on good terms with two sects.

But after a few days, Shen Lao Xie's reply contained only one line: "You reckless fool, go find death yourself, don't drag my old man into it!"

Ji Yuan Shan:???

Unfortunately, Ji Yuan Shan not only failed to grasp the meaning of Shen Lao Xie's words, but also wanted to force Jin Chen to leave on his own.

By then, even if there were rumors in the martial world, they'd have nothing to do with Sword Manor; after all, everyone in the martial world knows Ji Yuan Shan is the most hospitable and modest.

What Ji Yuan Shan didn't know was that, on the very day Shen Lao Xie received that letter, he promptly wrote a reply sending it back to View Cloud Courtyard to accuse Jin Chen, copying all of Ji Yuan Shan's threats and hints, and at the end added: "Please take note, this is all the idea of that scoundrel Ji Yuan Shan; this old man dare not even think of it."

A few days later, Azure Cloud Sword Manor welcomed another batch of distinguished guests: the Grand Elder of the Martial Arts Alliance, and the Young Alliance Leader Du Gu Wen, who is acclaimed as the foremost young hero of the current martial world.

Ji Yuan Shan temporarily stopped bothering Jin Chen, focusing entirely on receiving the guests.

Ji Lai Zhi couldn't sit still, pestered Jin Chen for a good while, then rested half a day before running to the front courtyard to play—now that Jin Chen is in Sword Manor, nobody can openly or secretly bully Ji Lai Zhi.

No matter which elder secretly suppresses him, Ji Lai Zhi goes to complain at once; if disciples of Sword Manor who support Ji Si Yao provoke him, he beats them without hesitation, treating it as sparring.

In the evening, it was time to return to View Cloud Courtyard.

Ji Lai Zhi jumped down from the tree, his red outfit really eye-catching, turning as he walked the side path with his jade pendant swinging at his waist.

"This young hero!"

Ji Lai Zhi heard the voice, glanced backward, and saw two dust-covered youths carrying bundles rushing up; he raised his eyebrows alertly, arms crossed, staring.

"Where are you from, what do you want?"

"Young hero! Do you know the way to Hidden Moon Courtyard? We're a small sect, we've never been to Sword Manor."

"That's not answering the question."

Ji Lai Zhi tilted his head in thought, then suddenly laughed, "I know, go that way."

He pointed toward Ji Si Yao's courtyard, "If you get lost again, just shout loudly inside."

Seeing the two off, Ji Lai Zhi noticed they hesitated, turned back, and asked a few more nonsensical questions; he could only urge, "Don't forget to ask—if no one opens the door, shout even louder!"

Now not only those two heard it, but even passing disciples heard it loud and clear, yet nobody dared to expose them; during this period they were practically beaten into fear.

That night.

Ji Lai Zhi was sleeping dazedly when he suddenly heard someone shouting loudly outside View Cloud Courtyard, and faintly heard the clashing of swords and blades.

He jolted awake from his dream, dazedly locking eyes with Jin Chen.

"What's happening outside?"

Jin Chen gently patted him a few times through the blanket, "Keep sleeping, I'll go check."

"I'm going with you," Ji Lai Zhi—how could he possibly still sleep? The commotion had reached View Cloud Courtyard; outside must be in an uproar.

He naturally wanted to go see the commotion Ji Yuan Shan was causing.

Jin Chen saw the situation and didn't stop him, only helped Ji Lai Zhi get dressed; when they exited the Main Gate of View Cloud Courtyard, the outside was already ablaze with firelight, as bright as day.

Many disciples held torches, encircling the Sword Forging Pavilion; people from the Martial Arts Alliance were also present.

Jin Chen's brow slightly furrowed; he felt something was off.

"Hey! What's going on?" Ji Lai Zhi grabbed a disciple rushing toward the Sword Forging Pavilion.

"The treasured sword of the Sword Forging Pavilion has been stolen! The thief is still inside, and outside there are helpers and assassins colluding with the thief from within!"

Ji Lai Zhi: "Whoa."

Ji Lai Zhi turned to Jin Chen and said, "Azure Cloud Sword Manor is doomed!"

Jin Chen: "……"

"Reel in the excitement a bit."

Jin Chen patted his head, "Still want to go out and look?"

Ji Lai Zhi nodded, went back to his room, picked up his single iron weapon, and rushed out, "Yes, just in case the thief threatens View Cloud Courtyard."

【Host, why aren't you catching up?】

Ling Gun Gun lay on his shoulder and asked.

【Not right.】 Jin Chen said.

He stood in place, all he could see were disciples and swordsmen holding torches; compared to the thieves awed inside the Sword Forging Pavilion, it seemed more like a stage had been deliberately erected, just waiting for a play.

It's just unclear whether the Martial Arts Alliance people know they're being used as pawns.

Jin Chen turned back to his room, his heart already having reached a judgment.

Ji Lai Zhi saw many people gathered outside the Sword Forging Pavilion, tiptoed and jumped onto the tree, flicked aside the branches with his fingertips, and lowered his head to look.

How could the Martial Arts Alliance people also collude with that bastard Ji Yuan Shan?

He muttered to himself, suddenly saw dozens of swordsmen and Martial Arts Alliance heroes rush into the Sword Forging Pavilion, and in a moment they captured those thieves.

Because the thieves had their heads covered with black cloth, Ji Lai Zhi couldn't see what they looked like at first, and then he heard the elder of the Sword Manor Sword Forging Pavilion roar: 'Who told you the location of the Sword Forging Pavilion's treasure? Who leaked the formation guarding the treasure?'

The scene suddenly became noisy; Ji Lai Zhi covered his ears, couldn't hear well, but if he got any closer he'd be discovered.

He leaned against the tree trunk, held a tender twig in his mouth, idly played with his belt, wanting to see how the Martial Arts Alliance would punish Ji Yuan Shan later.

That was a famous sword on the jianghu rankings; the Sword Manor was entrusted to keep it but almost got stolen, and the Martial Arts Alliance leader could not help but blame him for negligence in guarding.