Chapter 134: Wise for a Lifetime, Foolish for a Moment

"In that case, the Scorched Condensation Stone placed in my room was also your masterpiece, or perhaps the Lanwu who stayed in my room was a fake as well? I am quite curious, however, how you managed to evade our eyes and disguise yourself as Lanwu to lure us here before revealing your true form!" Yushang had been unable to figure out how the Grand Elder managed to mimic the real Lanwu so perfectly as to deceive them both. It was not merely a matter of disguise; the temperament and essence of Lanwu were things he should have been unable to replicate. Yet, the Lanwu in their room had been so authentic that neither he nor Xiaoyin had detected a single anomaly.

"The Scorched Condensation Stone was indeed placed by me, but the Lanwu at that time was not my disguise," the Grand Elder said with a meaningful smile, clearly thinking that no matter how clever this young man was, he could not fathom the truth. Still, it was impressive that he had managed to guess even this much. Even that little snake, as the girl’s intimate companion, had not sensed anything wrong at first. It was only when he, the Elder, grew tired of the charade and intentionally left a flaw that the boy finally realized this Lanwu was not the one he knew.

"I beg your pardon for my dullness, but I cannot comprehend the mystery behind this. I ask that you enlighten us, Senior." Hearing this, Yushang was even more bewildered. Seeing Xiaoyin’s curiosity, he stepped forward and asked the Grand Elder with great respect. If this had nothing to do with Lanwu, and they had misunderstood the girl from start to finish, he would feel deeply guilty. After all, she had truly treated them as her closest friends, yet they had spitefully doubted her and withheld their trust because of mere suspicion. It felt rather base of them.

"I had intended to slip into your room quietly, leave the stone, and depart immediately. But just as I finished, I saw that girl, Lanwu, walk in. I leaped out the window to see what she might be doing there in the middle of the night. To my surprise, she simply looked around and sat down, as if waiting for someone. A while later, she fell asleep. When I grew impatient and wanted to leave, you two returned. Out of curiosity, I decided to observe a little longer." The Grand Elder paused there, smiling as he watched the two young men listening with rapt attention.

"Why do you keep breaking off your story like that, you old man? It’s infuriating! Hurry up and tell us what happened next! Where did Lan’er go, and why did you turn into a fake Lan’er?" Xiaoyin, unable to bear the Elder's slow pace, shouted impatiently. He was becoming increasingly confused; if that Lan’er was real, how did she suddenly turn into this old man? It was truly incomprehensible.

"Xiaoyin, do not be so rude. Listen patiently; the Grand Elder will answer all your doubts." Seeing Xiaoyin’s lack of restraint, Yushang quickly checked him. They were unfamiliar with this Grand Elder and could not gauge his temperament. Since they were here to ask for answers, they had to be compliant rather than openly confrontational; otherwise, they would learn nothing. The man seemed no less temperamental than the old Dean, so it was best to be careful.

"After that, I heard the girl pouring out her heart to you, and then you sensed something strange and tricked her into leaving. Who would have thought that silly girl would leave so obediently? However, I noticed she carried something on her that shouldn't have been there. I followed her, and after she entered her room, I waved my hand to knock her unconscious. I then transferred her true essence onto myself and waited here for your arrival. That girl seems to be burdened with some worries; you should look after her better in the future." As he spoke, the Grand Elder’s tone held a hint of pity, as if he cared for the girl deeply.

"So this was your doing from start to finish? It had nothing to do with Lan’er at all, and we wronged her!" Xiaoyin was furious, his eyes flashing with hostility. Had Yushang not been holding him back, he would have attacked the old man. Simultaneously, he felt ashamed of his own recklessness. How could he have passed such judgment on his beloved Lan’er without verifying the facts, assuming she was the culprit with ill intentions?

Subconsciously, Xiaoyin began to question his own heart. Did he not love Lanwu deeply? Was pursuing her merely a challenge? If he won, he would have both the beauty and the validation of his strength; if he lost, he would have suffered no real loss. At that moment, he began to doubt himself. Had he truly not cherished their relationship? Otherwise, how could he have believed the illusion and questioned her character? He was in turmoil, yet filled with guilt. Where did his heart truly lie, and where did that leave Lanwu?

"That is not my fault. If your feelings were firm enough and you had enough trust in her, you would not have been hooked. Perhaps the deeper you love, the more fearful you become—afraid that upon waking, everything is a lie: her feelings, your time together, even your beautiful memories. I understand this fear, as everyone has traveled that path, but I do not understand why your heart refuses to trust the one you love most." The Grand Elder showed no remorse for the misunderstanding he had caused; instead, he lectured Xiaoyin righteously.

"What I think is my own business; you have no right to comment. But how are we to settle the account for your deception? If not for you, this farce would never have happened! Can you say you are completely without fault? If you wanted us to come, you could have just asked us directly, rather than scheming against us without regard for the consequences!" Xiaoyin was truly provoked, especially since the old man had hit the mark regarding his insecurities.

"I did not mean to critique you; I only wanted to teach you the simple truth that one should not suspect those they employ, and certainly not those they love. If you do not trust her, how can you expect others to regard her well?" The Grand Elder spoke with fervor, as if admonishing himself. Perhaps he spoke from his own experience; after all, everyone has a past they regret.

"Enough, Xiaoyin. Stop arguing with him. Keep these things in your heart and reflect on them; there is no need to debate them with others. We have more important things to attend to. Do not let this cloud your judgment," Yushang whispered, fearing Xiaoyin might lose his temper. They still did not know the true motive behind being lured here, and fighting would only put them at a disadvantage.

"Hmph!" Xiaoyin grunted, glaring at the Grand Elder in silence. Upon reflection, the old man was right. It was time to examine his own heart. Though it was humiliating to hear it from him, it was perhaps for the best. Lanwu was a good girl, and he should cherish her rather than treat her this way.

"Then, Grand Elder, why did you place that Scorched Condensation Stone near me? If you wanted me dead, you wouldn't use such a convoluted method. A single palm strike would have left me no room to resist." Yushang smiled as he asked, though he felt displeased. The stone would not kill him quickly, but it would affect his spirit by slowly draining his soul.

"Tell me, do you remember a promise you once made to me?" the Grand Elder asked instead, his smile filled with complex, unreadable emotions. His deep, dark eyes were so inscrutable that one feared to look into them, lest they be lost. He seemed to hide countless secrets; his identity, his thoughts, and his actions were all so mysterious that even a clever man like Yushang was baffled.

Yushang looked at Xiaoyin, caught in a dilemma. If he spoke, he would implicate Xiaoyin in the secret; if he remained silent, the old man would accuse him of breaking his word. After a moment of painful struggle, Yushang sighed: "How could I forget? I would never forget a task assigned by you, Senior. But what does this have to do with retrieving your soul?"

"A part of my soul is hidden in a pool within the Mysterious Region. It has been separated from me for too long. If it leaves that pool now, it will dissipate into nothingness, and I will never be whole again. But with this Scorched Condensation Stone, everything is different. It can briefly contain that fragment of my soul. As long as you bring my soul back within five days, it can return to my body intact. Now, do you finally understand why I placed it in your room?" The Grand Elder explained with that same enigmatic smile.

"But this still makes no sense. You could have just given it to me. Why go through the trouble of hiding it in my jade pillow and then luring us here disguised as Lanwu? If I hadn't discovered the stone or followed you, your efforts would have been in vain. Did you have that much confidence in me?" Yushang remained puzzled; the old man's logic was entirely different from that of a normal person.

"I think he was just bored and used us for his own amusement!" Xiaoyin scoffed, looking at the Grand Elder with growing disdain. He decided that all the old fogeys at the Yanlan Academy were ill-intentioned. They should finish the competition, visit the Mysterious Region, and leave as soon as possible, lest more trouble follow.