Chapter 71: The Drama Queen Cheng Xi

Cheng Xi did not notice the gazes of the crowd; as soon as she exited the Tongtian Ta, she saw Li Zhi'an waiting for her, and she walked straight toward him.

Li Zhi'an watched as Cheng Xi casually put the blue Spirit Testing Stone into her sleeve pocket, and he knew she still did not understand what the color blue signified.

On the other side, Fang Huiru was surrounded by a crowd, very lively; by comparison, because Li Zhi'an was on Cheng Xi's side, even if those people were eager to make a move, they dared not approach.

Cheng Xi walked side-by-side with him toward the exit, saying as they walked, "What do I need to do after getting the Spirit Testing Stone?"

"Choose an Academy."

"Choose it myself?"

"Since you obtained a blue Spirit Testing Stone, you may choose any of the four major Academies at will. If it were grey, it would require a mutual selection between the Academy and the student; if it were white, it would depend on luck."

Cheng Xi raised her eyebrows slightly; it seemed that her obtaining a blue Spirit Testing Stone meant she was likely among those with a relatively high rank present.

Being able to choose freely, not bad.

Li An trotted over, "Eldest Miss, I obtained a grey Spirit Testing Stone, thank you."

Cheng Xi nodded slightly, and looking at Li An's excited face, she couldn't help but smile as well.

The excitement in Li An's eyes could not be suppressed, and he bowed slightly to Cheng Xi, "I need to return to the palace, is that alright?"

"Do as you please." Cheng Xi waved her hand.

The people sent by the Empress Dowager in the palace had long been waiting on the side; once Li An met up with them, they immediately took him back to the palace.

Li Zhi'an looked at Cheng Xi, "With Li An returning to the palace, I am also preparing to release the matter of the Marrow-Cleansing Soup."

Cheng Xi only then remembered this matter, and looking at Li Zhi'an, she said, "By the way, you left a box of Medium-grade Talisman Beads last time; consider the recipe for the Marrow-Cleansing Soup my return gift."

The smile on Li Zhi'an's face stiffened, "We are, at the very least, an engaged couple; do you have to draw such a clear line with me?"

"Being engaged is not the same as being married, so naturally, we must draw a clear line; besides, even married couples should draw clear lines," Cheng Xi said casually.

For those of them who cultivate the Dao, each person has their own opportunities, and the heavenly treasures and other assets they obtain are naturally kept separately.

Li Zhi'an took a deep breath to suppress his emotions, then nodded, "As you wish."

Cheng Xi thought to herself that Li Zhi'an was truly quite easy to communicate with; she looked up at him and said with a smile, "If I go to the Academy, I fear it won't be easy for us to meet again. Regarding the marriage contract, you..."

"The Academy is not at the ends of the earth; a Jade Qilin Horse can reach it in a day's time, it is not far."

The second half of Cheng Xi's sentence was forcibly swallowed back; she had wanted to say that once she reached the Academy, the Empress Dowager would be unable to do anything to her, and the two of them could wait half a year to dissolve the marriage contract.

But with Li Zhi'an putting it that way, she found it difficult to continue; she wasn't the type to burn bridges so quickly.

Thus, Cheng Xi had no choice but to shut her mouth, intending to bring up the matter again in a few months.

Li Zhi'an was helping her out of kindness; she couldn't let him delay his own life's major events because of her, that would be a sin.

In the distance, the line of people waiting to enter the Tongtian Ta stretched out of sight; many children of commoners were waiting, and since there was no cost to enter the Tongtian Ta for testing today, everyone cherished this opportunity and hoped for a miracle to occur.

Just at this moment, a purple radiance erupted in the distance, and everyone present could not help but look toward the Tongtian Ta.

"What does purple signify?" Cheng Xi asked, looking at Li Zhi'an.

"One grade higher than blue."

Cheng Xi nodded, "Then that is still very impressive."

Seeing that Cheng Xi did not seem to care, Li Zhi'an suddenly laughed; yes, this was the real Cheng Xi.

"Li Zhi'an!"

It was the first time Cheng Xi had heard someone address Li Zhi'an by his full name, and she turned her head to look with some curiosity.

The woman in the distance holding the purple Spirit Testing Stone arrived before the two of them in an instant; she wore white as snow, her robes fluttering lightly in the wind, as if she had merged with the heavens and earth.

Her brows were like distant mountains containing dark ink, her eyes like autumn waters condensing waves; as her gaze shifted, stars seemed to flicker within them, her nose was high and straight, and her lips were as pale as cherry petals; when she looked at Li Zhi'an, a faint, almost imperceptible smile curled at the corners of her mouth.

Her beauty was not like the delicate charm of mortal women, but a kind of ethereal and transcendent spiritual elegance, as if all the Spirit Essence of the world had gathered in her, making one forget the mundane upon seeing her.

Cheng Xi looked at the great beauty, then looked at Li Zhi'an.

Li Zhi'an walked to Cheng Xi's side almost immediately, a hint of impatience in his eyes, and said, "Yan Qingli, has the testing tower of your Jindu Academy collapsed?"

It was the first time Cheng Xi had seen Li Zhi'an be so impolite to a woman, and hearing the words "Jindu Academy," plus the fact that this girl was surnamed Yan...

The Dean of Jindu Academy was surnamed Yan!

"Because you are here."

A series of gasps sounded from the surroundings, and Cheng Xi knew there was likely some entanglement between these two.

She decisively looked at Li Zhi'an and said, "You go ahead and be busy, I'm leaving first."

Li Zhi'an, however, grabbed her hand and interlaced his fingers with hers.

Cheng Xi:...

The smiling eyes of Yan Qingli turned cold in an instant; those autumn-water eyes looked at Cheng Xi, "Who is this young lady?"

Sensing Yan Qingli's hostility, Cheng Xi instantly tilted her shoulder and leaned half her body against Li Zhi'an, "The lady is asking you; tell her, who am I to you?"

Li Zhi'an:!

The crowd:!

You are actually this kind of Eldest Miss Cheng!

The unique, faint fragrance from Cheng Xi's body drifted into his nostrils, and Li Zhi'an's earlobes turned completely red; he had never been this close to any woman in his life.

He steadied himself, reached out to wrap his arm around Cheng Xi's shoulder, and looked at Yan Qingli, "My fiancée, Cheng Xi."

"Fiancée?" Yan Qingli's gaze shifted between the two, "Li Zhi'an, even if you lie, you should think it through before speaking; when did you get engaged?"

Hearing this, Li Zhi'an's expression darkened, "Whether I am engaged or not has nothing to do with you; why would I lie to you?"

Yan Qingli looked at Cheng Xi with cold eyes, revealing a hint of disdain, and spoke slowly, "This young lady looks very unfamiliar; I wonder which family she is from?"

"What does it matter to you which family I am from? In any case, I am not from yours." Cheng Xi was all too familiar with such looks; an Eldest Miss who thought herself high and mighty, looking down on those with lower origins than her—that kind of disdain was practically flying out from the soles of her feet.

After saying this, Cheng Xi turned to look at Li Zhi'an, "What is your relationship with her? By what status does she have the right to question me? Li Zhi'an, if you don't give me a clear explanation today, I won't let this go!"

Li Zhi'an looked at Cheng Xi's angry appearance, unable to tell for a moment if it was real or fake; he tightened his grip on Cheng Xi's hand slightly, "Xixi, I have no relationship with her. Her liking me is her own business; I have always strictly followed the rules and never stepped out of line. You must believe in my innocence."

Good heavens, he even used the word "innocence"!

Cheng Xi laughed in her heart, but on the surface, she became even more unforgiving, "If you have no relationship with them, would they come to your door? They just said they came for you; do you take me for a fool?"

"In this life, I only fancy you, Xi Xi." Li Zhi'an looked straight at Cheng Xi with those peach-blossom eyes brimming with charm and said in a gentle voice.

Cheng Xi looked into Li Zhi'an's eyes and subconsciously covered her chest; who could withstand such affectionate peach-blossom eyes!

Yan Qingli's anger soared; how dare someone snatch a man from her? Without a second thought, she condensed a fireball at her fingertip and smashed it toward Cheng Xi's face!