Chapter 133

Chapter 133: Lan Ruofeng's Visit

"Mu, Lan Ruofeng is here to see you."

Ye Shi blinked with interest, "Zhuang Yu just left and now Lan Ruofeng arrives. What could he possibly want, Mu Chen? Any idea?"

"How would I know? I'm no clairvoyant," Mu Chen leaned back nonchalantly.

"Although you're not a psychic, you usually have uncanny foresight," Ye Shi pointed out.

Raising an eyebrow, Mu Chen teased, "Really? If I predict that Ye Shi only has eyes for Mu Chen, would that be accurate?"

Ye Shi looked slightly embarrassed and shot Mu Chen a playful glance, prompting a hearty laugh from Mu Chen.

With a feigned annoyance, Ye Shi responded, "My prediction is that Mu Chen is head over heels for Ye Shi."

"Stone, your predictions are indeed accurate," Mu Chen quipped, laughing.

Ye Shi lowered his head, a warm feeling rising within him.

While Mu Chen and Ye Shi were flirtatiously bantering, Lan Ruofeng rushed in anxiously from the other side.

The moment Lan Ruofeng stepped inside, he immediately asked Mu Chen, "Has Zhuang Yu been here?"

"Yes, he just left." The instant Lan Ruofeng appeared, the flush on Ye Shi's face faded as he looked at him with a guarded expression.

With a furrowed brow, Lan Ruofeng inquired seriously, "What did Zhuang Yu say to you both?"

Ye Shi gazed peculiarly at Lan Ruofeng, "Isn’t Zhuang Yu your close friend? Instead of asking him, why are you interrogating us?"

Lan Ruofeng's expression darkened immediately. Recently, Zhuang Yu had been growing increasingly distant from him.

Especially after Lu Yao's arrival and Mu Chen's advancement to a Martial Spirit, Zhuang Yu's attitude towards him had become much colder.

At first, Zhuang Yu's eyes held nothing but admiration and reverence for him. However, now they were filled with sighs and melancholy.

Observing Lan Ruofeng's gloomy expression, a mischievous smile appeared on Ye Shi's lips, "Could it be that Zhuang Yu has shifted his affections and is now ignoring you?"

Lan Ruofeng's response was fierce, as if stepping on his sore spot, "Why does it matter to you? Just tell me what Zhuang Yu said to you both."

Ye Shi chuckled coldly. He was not inclined to engage with Lan Ruofeng's attitude, but considering Zhuang Yu's intentions, he felt it harmless to inform him.

"Zhuang Yu came on behalf of Lu Yao. He sought Mu Chen's approval for the 'Hundred Tempering Body Technique' deal. However, Mu Chen doesn't possess such a thing."

Lan Ruofeng, with a somber face, responded, "How did Zhuang Yu get involved with Lu Yao? Why did he come looking for you on his behalf?"

"I wouldn't know about that. Maybe you didn't satisfy him, leaving him feeling unfulfilled?" Ye Shi sneered with laughter.

Lan Ruofeng shot Ye Shi a fierce glare.

Mu Chen looked at Lan Ruofeng with a slightly amused expression. Initially, the main rivals were proud due to their talents and frequently clashed. Zhuang Yu played a mediating role, maintaining a superficial peace among them. However, currently, Lu Yao greatly overshadowed Lan Ruofeng, hardly deeming him worthy of attention.

"Brother Lan, you should keep a closer eye on Zhuang Yu! If that pretty boy, Lu Yao, manages to woo him away on your turf, it won't just be a personal embarrassment for you. Our entire Sacred Star Academy will share the disgrace."

Lan Ruofeng's face contorted with mixed emotions before he silently departed.

Watching Lan Ruofeng storm off in anger, Ye Shi turned to Mu Chen and remarked, "Do you think Zhuang Yu has taken a liking to Lu Yao?"

"It’s possible. Zhuang Yu always admired the powerful. Only the top-tier talents pique his interest, and those without sufficient strength are disregarded."

In the original text, Lan Ruofeng specialized in alchemy, Lu Yao in inscriptions, and Bai Yi in formations. These main rivals each had their unique strengths, and their capabilities were roughly on par.

With most of Lan Ruofeng's opportunities seized by him, and his unremarkable performance, Zhuang Yu is likely to give up on him.

Frowning, Ye Shi commented, "Zhuang Yu's behavior is quite irrational. After all, Lu Yao is an outsider!"

Mu Chen replied nonchalantly, "Once he joins the Mingyue Academy, won't Lu Yao be one of us?"

Ye Shi's eyes widened in disbelief, "That's impossible."

Holding his chin, Mu Chen responded, "It's not always up to you, is it?"

……

"Master," Lu Yao addressed Kong Sha reverently.

Among his peers, few caught Lu Yao's eye. However, he held deep respect for his master, Kong Sha.

"I've heard you've been quite close to Zhuang Yu lately. Has he caught your heart?" Kong Sha teased while looking at Lu Yao.

"Master, Zhuang Yu has an eighth-level aptitude. If he joins the Mingyue Academy, it would indeed be a significant asset," Lu Yao replied with a faint smile.

"Indeed, Zhuang Yu is a rare talent. If such a gem remains at Sacred Star Academy, it would be a wasted opportunity," Kong Sha commented, his eyes twinkling warmly. Shifting his tone, he added, "But I suspect your interest in Zhuang Yu isn't just because of his talent."

Lu Yao chuckled, slightly embarrassed, "Zhuang Yu is a man of unparalleled beauty, and I must admit, my heart stirs for him."

Meeting Zhuang Yu, the smile on his face faded, "If you can recruit Zhuang Yu into our academy, it would certainly be a boon."

With only one individual of level-eight potential, the Mingyue Academy currently held an advantage. But once the three level-eight potentials from Sacred Star grow, the dynamics could change. If they could recruit one of them, then…

"I think so too," Lu Yao responded softly.

"Actually, Zhuang Yu's greatest asset isn't just his eighth-level aptitude. You might not know, but he possesses a rare Yin constitution. If you cultivate together, your progress would be swift, and Mu Chen wouldn't stand a chance against you," Kong Sha whispered mysteriously.

Lu Yao was taken aback, "Is that even possible?"

"Someone has used a secret technique to conceal Zhuang Yu's true nature. Had I not previously encountered someone with a Celestial Yin body, I wouldn't have recognized it," Kong Sha revealed.

"Someone is hiding Zhuang Yu's constitution, could it be Master Zi Yu?" Lu Yao frowned in thought.

Lu Yao shook his head, "It's unlikely. The one who concealed Zhuang Yu's identity wasn't very skilled. If Master Shi Yu had done it, Zhuang Yu's Celestial Yin essence would be completely hidden. I suspect Lan Ruofeng might be behind this."

It dawned on Lu Yao that cultivating with someone possessing a Yin constitution would bring considerable benefits. Given Lan Ruofeng's closeness to Zhuang Yu, it's unlikely he'd overlook this.

If someone with a higher cultivation level than Zhuang Yu cultivates with him, the benefits for Zhuang Yu would be even greater. Conversely, if the person's level is lower than Zhuang Yu's, Zhuang Yu would be dragged down.

With narrowed eyes, Lu Yao thought to himself: Lan Ruofeng's kindness towards Zhuang Yu might be ulterior. At some point, he should reveal Lan Ruofeng's true colors to Zhuang Yu to prevent him from being deceived.

……

Footsteps approached, prompting Mu Chen and Ye Shi to turn towards the entrance.

Fu Yuanbao quickly walked in. Known for his astute business sense, with both Ye Shi and Mu Chen engrossed in their cultivation and not interested in managing their wealth, many tasks were delegated to Fu Yuanbao, giving him a portion of the profits.

With Mu Chen's vast wealth surpassing many elders in the academy, even a fraction of it ensured Fu Yuanbao never worried about his needs.

Thanks to his connection with Mu Chen, Fu Yuanbao had become a significant figure in the academy.

"Yuanbao, it seems you've put on some weight since we last met. What brings you here?" Ye Shi observed.

"The martial arts competition begins tomorrow. Here are the participant lists," Fu Yuanbao quickly stepped forward, handing over two lists.

"How did this happen?" Ye Shi frowned deeply.

Initially, Mu Chen's opponent was an eight-star martial instructor from Mingyue Academy. But now it had changed to Zhu Xu, a twenty-year-old two-star Martial Spirit. How could the academy set such a challenging opponent for Mu Chen, who had just reached the Martial Spirit level?

Noticing their expressions, Fu Yuanbao said, "I've heard that the change was decided by Master Zi Yu. Since Mu Chen advanced to Martial Spirit, facing an eight-star martial instructor would seem too easy. He believed that if Mu Chen could defeat a stronger opponent, it would greatly elevate our Shingxing Academy's reputation."

"This is outrageous..." Ye Shi exclaimed, rising from his seat.

Mu Chen still had four matches to go. If he lost the first one, what would happen next?

Mu Chen glanced at Ye Shi and sighed, "Calm down, Ye Shi. As cultivators, we must remain composed even in the face of adversity. Your current temperament can easily give rise to inner demons."

"Master Zi Yu is setting you up," Ye Shi angrily responded.

Mu Chen nonchalantly replied, "It's just a two-star Martial Spirit. It's not a big deal."

With a disgruntled tone, Ye Shi remarked, "Your master should've intervened."

"Most likely, Master Zi Yu announced the list without consulting other elders. Even if my master wanted to stop it, he was too late," Mu Chen calmly stated.

Fu Yuanbao quickly nodded, "Mu Chen, your foresight is impeccable. Elder Xiong indeed wasn't informed beforehand. Once he found out, he had a huge argument with Master Zi Yu, which even led to a physical altercation. But such internal conflicts should remain private. Few people know about this, but I heard Elder Xiong beat Master Zi Yu into paralysis."

"Serves him right. He should've been beaten even harder," Ye Shi commented menacingly.

Ye Shi intently gazed at Fu Yuanbao, making him shudder, "What do you know about Zhu Xu's combat skills?"

Fu Yuanbao looked oddly at Mu Chen, "Rumor has it, Zhu Xu is ruthless. He's a renowned bounty hunter in the Fran Empire. Many notable cultivators have fallen by his hand. He's a tough opponent. In the Mingyue Academy's competitions, he's killed several senior students. Mu Chen, if you face him, he'll likely be out for blood. Maybe it's best if you concede."

Mu Chen gave a cold smile and remarked, "Thank you for the advice."

Ye Shi looked at Mu Chen, his face grim, pondering aloud, "In fact, Fu Yuanbao's suggestion isn't bad."

Mu Chen chuckled, "Relax, it's just a two-star martial spirit expert after all."

Ye Shi observed Mu Chen's brimming confidence and clenched his teeth discreetly.

"I'll trade with you," Ye Shi proposed.

Mu Chen cast a dismissive glance at Ye Shi, "Don't speak nonsense."