Chapter 144: Qi Tuizhi

Compared to Lu Xingzhou and his disciple who listened with understanding and gained a lot, the other students felt it was too obscure.

Although what Lady Ye taught was already the shallowest level of third-grade knowledge, the gap in level between the students was right there. Lu Xingzhou and his disciple were clearly a tier stronger than the others; they simply shouldn't have been placed in the same classroom.

Ye Tinglan swept her beautiful eyes over the group of confused students. She had originally wanted to see if there were any surprises, but in the end, she felt deeply disappointed. Thus, for the second half of the course, she simply made it even simpler, starting directly from the fourth-grade level.

Only then could one see that everyone understood, and Ye Tinglan sighed inwardly.

Gu Zhanting felt that he had promoted the vigorous development of Great Gan medicine and alchemy. Theoretically, it existed, but sometimes things in the world were ruthless. Perhaps there were many more ordinary people, but unfortunately, there were only so many geniuses.

"That's all for today's class." Ye Tinglan said indifferently: "Class dismissed. Lu Xingzhou, stay behind."

With this open detention, others really had nothing to say; it was normal for the Top Graduate to receive some special favor. Daoist Xuanqing left indignantly, and A-Nuo made a face at him.

Lu Xingzhou said: "What does the teacher want with me?"

Ye Tinglan said: "You don't know?"

Lu Xingzhou was silent for a moment: "I do need an excuse to treat my legs, but I don't know why you are helping so much, Lady."

Ye Tinglan said indifferently: "You are too bold... Do you know that this is openly deceiving the Emperor?"

Lu Xingzhou said: "What I am deceiving is that coming here is my private matter. What illness I choose to pretend to have has nothing to do with others. To insist on calling it deceiving the Emperor is too big a hat to put on me."

"If the Emperor could be so reasonable, then many things that are unbearable to see would not happen. You should at least think of Sheng Yuanyao. She has a public position; knowing and not reporting is even more deceiving the Emperor."

"Then..." Lu Xingzhou asked after deliberation: "Aren't you also, Lady? Why bother wading into this muddy water yourself?"

Ye Tinglan said: "I cherish talent. How is that for a reason?"

"You were warning me just a few days ago, Lady."

"It doesn't conflict." Ye Tinglan said: "I might as well speak openly. I need to keep you by my side to watch you, so are you willing to study alchemy with me?"

"If you say it like that, Lady, it will make me feel that you coming to the Alchemy Academy to be a teacher is just aimed at me."

"You can think so... Of course, there is also Lu Nuonuo."

A-Nuo opened her mouth and closed it again.

This old woman is too strong; better not provoke her.

Lu Xingzhou said: "Is it just because of the Yama Hall, or is there another reason?"

"I said, I cherish talent." Ye Tinglan didn't say much more and turned to leave: "I'll give you time to consider. You can refuse."

It wasn't until long after Ye Tinglan left, and A-Nuo had pushed Lu Xingzhou back, that Lu Xingzhou was still frowning along the way, always feeling that Lady Ye's attitude was very strange.

In the few times he had interacted with this woman, although she looked easygoing and willing to communicate, in reality, Lu Xingzhou could always feel a cold indifference from this seemingly easygoing attitude, a condescension from high to low. Just like... facing Gu Zhanting.

Although their attitudes were different, they were quite similar in their bones. That wasn't just a perspective from a cultivation base far exceeding his, but also related to status and the nature of the cultivation techniques they practiced. The so-called easygoing was closer to a kind of manufactured bestowal.

This was a woman who had been in a high position for a long time, and she was lonely, without many people she could confide in. Perhaps she was no different from the Emperor's loneliness.

But she had expressed a different attitude toward him several times. Whether it was guidance or vigilance, it shouldn't really be the case... She should be looking at him like a lump on the street, with no emotion at all.

Therefore, it gave Lu Xingzhou a very contradictory feeling. He felt that such a powerful and high-status woman would casually commit the act of deceiving the Emperor, but she seemed full of worries, not knowing what she was seeking. Just the Yama Hall shouldn't be enough for this; there should be many secrets behind her.

"Eh? Why are you two still on the road?" Halfway there, they met Meng Li, who asked very kindly: "It's been mealtime for a long time. Don't you want to eat the food here? Actually, the food at the Alchemy Academy is very good, deliberately prepared by alchemists, especially beneficial for cultivation."

"Uh, no, I was just detained by Lady Ye, and we said a few words." Lu Xingzhou asked: "Are you very familiar with her, Instructor Meng? The first time I saw her was at your house. Was it also you who invited her to be a teacher this time?"

"You could say we're familiar." Meng Li actually knew a little; how could she come to the Alchemy Academy to hold a position... She had occasionally given a lecture or two in the past, which was entirely an expectation and guidance from the National Preceptor to the students. How could she possibly be a permanent lecturer? But this time, she had actually volunteered.

Meng Li knew this must have something to do with Lu Xingzhou and his disciple. Perhaps the National Preceptor really had a heart of cherishing talent and wanted to interact more to see if she could absorb them into the Holy Land? But for such things, sending an Elder would have been enough. Why would the National Preceptor do this herself? Meng Li really couldn't guess what she was thinking.

He could only carefully point out: "Lady Ye's cultivation and alchemy are both top-notch. Since she is finally willing to come to the Alchemy Academy to lecture, you should seize the opportunity."

Lu Xingzhou said: "Could you tell me which sect or great family this Lady Ye is a powerhouse from?"

Ye Tinglan had already explained this identity to Meng Li in detail: "She is the Master of the Cloud Hidden Immortal Sect. This sect has been hidden from the world for years, and most people have never heard of it. I also had some friendship with them in my early years, which is why I could invite her to come out of the mountains."

"A bit of the flavor of an ancient hidden sect... Perhaps she possesses many ancient methods?"

"That is the case." Meng Li patted Lu Xingzhou on the shoulder and lowered his voice again: "The inheritance you possess lacks people to guide you, and self-study is difficult. This is the greatest significance of you coming to the Alchemy Academy, right... According to this, she is the most suitable mentor for you; I am not."

"I understand." Lu Xingzhou bowed sincerely: "Thank you, Instructor."

"In addition, you shouldn't worry too much about Lady Ye. I can guarantee she has no malice toward you. Instead, malice will come from elsewhere; that is what you should be more careful about... I have sensed some wind, and there might be people suppressing you. It is best to stay in the academy and not go out easily. No matter how bad the conflicts in the academy are, they won't go too far."

Lu Xingzhou smiled slightly: "I have a count on that."

He had pitted one Huo family member to death, pitted two into jail, and pitted Huo Xingyuan into a demotion. It would be strange if they could just sit back and watch him flourish. Suppression was just a drizzle; framing him, pitting him against some difficult force, or even against an Imperial Prince—these were all very possible tactics.

"I only fear that they will really sit still. If so, with the cards I currently have, there's really nothing left to play. Since they want to move, that's when I can find their flaws... I am looking forward to it."

A-Nuo didn't care about that much; she just wanted to eat now.

She pushed Lu Xingzhou to the cafeteria in one go, only to find that the cafeteria was not exclusive to the Alchemy Academy but shared with the Imperial Academy.

Some of the Imperial Academy capital elites went home to eat, but there were also some who lived far away and ate here. The large cafeteria gave Lu Xingzhou the feeling of a university canteen. It was just that they arrived late, and most people had already finished eating, leaving only a mess of cups and plates.

Lu Xingzhou saw at a glance that in the generally sparse cafeteria, there was one place with a lot of people.

Pei Chuyun was sitting there quietly, eating small mouthfuls, cold and indifferent, what a picture of a great family's young lady. There were many boys beside her who could have finished eating long ago but insisted on accompanying her, eating small mouthfuls there.

The funny thing was that even though a group of people surrounded her, the atmosphere was very quiet. Everyone "did not speak while eating," not wanting to be seen as uncultured by the goddess.

Watching from the side, it was like watching a group of people performing a pantomime.

Seeing Lu Xingzhou appear, many people looked at Pei Chuyun's expression nervously. Everyone knew that this person "helped Miss Pei find her relatives." No matter how great the favor was, at least these two had a friendship. They didn't know what kind of feelings Miss Pei had for this Lu Xingzhou... Pei, a heavenly figure, wouldn't fall for a cripple, would she...

Pei Chuyun just glanced at Lu Xingzhou and stood up slightly to bow: "Greetings, Young Master Lu."

Lu Xingzhou also just smiled politely: "Hello, Miss Pei."

After a simple greeting, Pei Chuyun continued to eat, and Lu Xingzhou and A-Nuo went to get food. It seemed their friendship was just like that.

Several long sighs of relief came from the quiet cafeteria.

Miss Pei was indeed pure and clean. The rumors that she and Lu Xingzhou had an unclean relationship were indeed just rumors from jealous people!

Suddenly, a young man in white in the corner "sneered," stood up, and walked directly to Pei Chuyun: "Miss Pei, may I get to know you?"

Pei Chuyun said indifferently: "Please forgive me, but I do not wish to know such rude people who disturb others while dining."

"But I am different from them, Miss Pei. You probably must know me."

Pei Chuyun finally raised her head and glanced at him; he was indeed a heroic young master with sword-like eyebrows and star-like eyes. She glanced at him and lowered her eyes again: "I thought it was an Imperial Prince; so it's not."

Young man in white: "..."

Someone next to him said awkwardly: "Miss Pei, this is Young Master Qi Tuizhi."

The first-ranked rising star, Qi Tuizhi.

Over there, Lu Xingzhou and A-Nuo had finished getting their food, and the master and disciple huddled on one side, eating and gossiping: "No wonder he said I must know him. Sister A-Nuo is now the third-ranked rising star. If she wants to challenge the first, then she really must know him."

Lu Xingzhou just ate.

Pei Chuyun was a bit surprised: "I thought the Imperial Academy students were all scholars from the capital. I didn't expect there to be sect people from outside?"

Qi Tuizhi smiled slightly: "Who says sect people can't take the Imperial Academy exams? We are all citizens of Great Gan; the young lady is attached to appearances... I entered the Imperial Academy last year."

A-Nuo translated: "What he actually wants to say is that he is proficient in both literature and martial arts."

The voice wasn't deliberately suppressed, and everyone over there heard it. Pei Chuyun covered her mouth and chuckled, like a hibiscus flower blooming, stunning the eyes of a group of people.

Qi Tuizhi's thoughts were exposed by a child, and his face showed a little shame, but he quickly suppressed it and said indifferently: "In terms of immortal cultivation, you and I are both in the top three rising stars. I wonder if the young lady is interested in sparring a bit and verifying together?"

Pei Chuyun finally finished the last bit of food, took out a silk handkerchief to wipe her mouth elegantly, and then apologized to Qi Tuizhi: "The previous first-ranked rising star was just hunted down, and my father specifically advised that the Rising Star Ranking is nothing and one should not compete with others. Especially for those of us who filled the position, we should not pride ourselves on this..."

The onlookers' smiles became even harder to hold back, and Qi Tuizhi's face finally showed signs of cracking. His peripheral vision inadvertently swept over Lu Xingzhou, who was eating, as if he hadn't heard at all.

Pei Chuyun blinked her clear little deer eyes, looking curious: "However, I am quite curious, where was Young Master Qi when Ye Wufeng was suppressing his peers? I thought you weren't in the capital, but it turns out you were..."