Chapter 88: She Cannot Bear the Blame for This Pot

"What happened?" Yan Shengyu asked only after Li Zhi'an had walked away.

Cheng Xi shook her head.

The two of them were still only Outer Disciples, so even if there were some major event in the Academy, they were not qualified to participate.

Yan Shengyu was a bit worried; she looked at Cheng Xi and said, "I'll go find out."

Yan Shengyu ran off. Just as Cheng Xi was about to head back, she saw the Senior Brother and Senior Sister coming over together. Upon seeing Cheng Xi, they urged her not to wander around, then hurried toward Yuguan Peak in unison.

Cheng Xi:...

She always felt that her wish to lie flat had taken off on four legs in a wild celebration, like water flowing east, never to return.

She had to make some preparations.

Thus, Cheng Xi went to Xuanyin Peak to find Jiang Miao. Jiang Miao happened to be heading out and was a bit surprised to see Cheng Xi. "Why are you here? Is something the matter?"

"I'd like to borrow your Instrument Furnace."

Jiang Miao was in a rush. "You can just go right in..."

Before the words had even faded, Jiang Miao had already vanished without a trace.

Having received the owner's permission, Cheng Xi went straight into the cave dwelling. Sure enough, the barrier did not stop her.

She took out her pitifully small Storage Bag and dumped everything inside out. It was a scattered pile; some items she had picked up when she entered Wanxing Mountain, some she had bought when she went to the market, and others were things the Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters of Qingtian Peak had casually gifted her.

She picked and chose, selecting a few items she could use, and threw the rest back into the Storage Bag.

She pulled out Feng Huo and tossed her under the Instrument Furnace, lit the fire to start the furnace, and dumped everything at hand into it all at once.

Feng Huo couldn't help but say, "I've never seen an Artifact Master like you. Those who know you are an Artifact Master would understand, but those who don't would think you're a scavenger."

"What do you know? True masters are all as free-spirited as I am."

"Keep bragging."

Cheng Xi flicked Feng Huo from a distance. "Be serious, or I'll pluck your feathers out one by one."

Feng Huo:...

She was just a fire spirit; where would she get feathers?

But Cheng Xi had said it so seriously that Feng Huo somehow felt she meant it, and she didn't dare talk back, honestly burning the furnace.

Cheng Xi occasionally glanced at the flames and then continued to draw an Array on the table to the side. Feng Huo would occasionally steal a glance; clearly, Cheng Xi looked extremely lazy, yet for some reason, the aura emanating from that Array made her feel even more tense.

As the final stroke was finished, Cheng Xi nodded in satisfaction. When the lid of the Instrument Furnace began to shake violently, she lifted it, casually tossed the Array inside, and then put the lid back on.

Feng Huo heard a series of loud clanging sounds from inside the Instrument Furnace; the furnace almost exploded. It took a full quarter of an hour for the commotion to stop. She was so scared she didn't even dare to release a tiny bit more flame, fearing that if the furnace exploded, Cheng Xi would pin the blame on her.

She couldn't bear that burden.

When Cheng Xi lifted the lid once more, Feng Huo only saw a flash of golden light. Before she could see it clearly, Cheng Xi picked up the item from inside the furnace and, with that same lazy demeanor, tossed it into her Storage Bag.

She fell silent.

Cheng Xi looked at Feng Huo, and Feng Huo looked back at her.

Cheng Xi always felt this little flame was acting dull today. She pointed to the room. "Clean this up."

Feng Huo:...

Sooner or later, she would have a fight with her.

Feng Huo honestly cleaned the room, and Cheng Xi nodded in satisfaction, picked her up, and left.

Feng Huo "whooshed" into Cheng Xi's dantian. Being carried around was too embarrassing; didn't she have any dignity?

Cheng Xi had no idea what Feng Huo was thinking. She exited Jiang Miao's cave dwelling and looked around, but couldn't see a single shadow.

The Artifact Masters were far too reclusive.

She couldn't find anyone to fleece, so she had to walk back.

After leaving Xuanyin Peak, the next one over was Sixiang Peak. Cheng Xi swept a glance over it, and with just that one look, she saw Cheng Fenglan coming down from the mountain. Their eyes met.

The expression on Cheng Fenglan's face changed again and again, her hands tightly clenched into fists.

Cheng Xi looked at her once, then lifted her feet and continued on her way.

"Cheng Xi!"

Cheng Xi stopped her steps and turned to look at Cheng Fenglan. "Is something the matter?"

Cheng Fenglan took a deep breath before saying, "Be careful of Yan Qingli; she is going to deal with you."

Cheng Xi smiled. "Cheng Fenglan, you hate me to the bone. Why would I believe your words?"

Cheng Fenglan lowered her eyes slightly. "I know you don't believe me. I'm telling you this only because I hope that one day you can help my brother."

Cheng Yunjian?

"Jiang Weiran is also at Qinghe Academy, did you know?" Cheng Xi asked, looking at Cheng Fenglan.

The expression on Cheng Fenglan's face changed. "He and I no longer have any relationship."

So she did know.

Cheng Xi raised an eyebrow slightly. At this moment, she looked at Cheng Fenglan with a bit more respect; she had truly let go.

"How does Yan Qingli intend to deal with me?" Cheng Xi asked with some curiosity.

Cheng Fenglan shook her head. "She uses my brother to threaten me, making me do things for her. I only do errands for her now; she is very guarded against me, and I don't know the plan very well. I only know it roughly has something to do with Wanxing Mountain."

After she finished speaking, she paused, pursed her lips, and said, "If one day someone uses my name to invite you out, don't go. If I die one day, I hope that, in return for me not harming you, you will save my brother."

After Cheng Fenglan finished speaking, she turned to leave. She was a useless person and couldn't save her own brother. Her brother had told her not to target Cheng Xi, and she had agreed.

"Wait a moment."

Cheng Fenglan stopped and turned to look at Cheng Xi. "Do you have something else?"

"So you aren't a student of Qinghe Academy, just an attendant by Yan Qingli's side?"

Cheng Fenglan sneered. "What face do I have left now? You don't need to use the word 'attendant' to cover my shame; I am just a dog by Yan Qingli's side now."

Cheng Xi's gaze sharpened. "Why do you listen to her? Just because of Cheng Yunjian?"

"It has nothing to do with you." Cheng Fenglan turned and left, not looking back this time.

Cheng Xi withdrew their gaze and walked toward Qingtian Peak; halfway there, they ran into Jiang Weiran again.

This luck today...

Jiang Weiran was also stunned when he saw Cheng Xi.

"Cheng Xi..." Jiang Weiran's expression was very unnatural; the last time they parted on bad terms at the market, and after entering the academy, he hadn't deliberately inquired about Cheng Xi's whereabouts. "What are you doing at Danding Peak? Are you looking for me?"

"No, just passing by." Cheng Xi lifted their foot to continue walking; they should have cast a divination for themselves before heading out.

"Cheng Xi!" Jiang Weiran caught up and blocked Cheng Xi's path.

Cheng Xi looked at him. "Something the matter?"

Jiang Weiran always felt very guilty when facing Cheng Xi; his eyes drifted elsewhere as he said in a low voice, "I went to see Feng Lan, but she refused to see me. I want to apologize to her, but I don't know how."

Cheng Xi raised an eyebrow and said with a smile, "Does your family have connections in Jindu Academy?"

Jiang Weiran was taken aback, not knowing why Cheng Xi said this, but he still nodded. "A little bit, what are you trying to do?"

"Find a way to get Cheng Yunjian out of Jindu Academy, and the grievances between you and Cheng Fenglan will be settled. Can you do it? For those who cultivate the Dao, the greatest taboo is having a Heart Demon; you wouldn't want to find it difficult to break through in the future because of a Heart Demon, would you?" Cheng Xi revealed a guileless smile.