Chapter One Hundred and Forty-Five: To Accept or Veto, How to Decide

Even the finest Bagua Array remains the ultimate treasure of Yanlan Academy, and even if it truly is the greatest divine artifact capable of holding the King in check, it has nothing to do with us! Unless the Dean is willing to part with such a rare treasure and gift it to us, though I imagine the conditions for that exchange would be no simpler than dealing with the King! Yu Xiaoran suddenly stepped forward and flashed a mischievous smile at the old Dean. His gaze undoubtedly betrayed a deep yearning for this treasure, along with playful teasing that subtly hinted the old fox was taking full advantage of the situation.

You youngster need not use reverse psychology to force me into gifting this treasure to you. Since I chose to disclose this secret, I was fully prepared to make certain sacrifices. Therefore, I shall unseal the Bagua Array and fuse it directly into Yushang's body. Once that is done, Fuyou Ming will naturally hold some dread of you and be forced to make a temporary compromise, the old Dean stroked his snow-white beard and said casually. Then, he cast his gaze entirely upon Yushang, as if waiting for his reply or perhaps silently contemplating something.

Master, you are truly biased. Why is it that whenever a good thing turns up, it has to benefit this stinky brat without any consideration for others? You must remember that this Bagua Array is the guardian treasure of our Yanlan Academy. How can you so easily hand it over to an outsider when your beloved disciples are still standing here alive and well! Xun Mishuan protested as she reluctantly shook the old Dean's arm. In truth, she was not acting this way because she disliked Yushang; rather, she simply wanted to secure something for the person she loved, allowing him to protect himself and live out the rest of his days in peace.

Master does what he does for a reason, and even as our martial aunt, you should not be so unreasonable. Furthermore, Brother Yu surpasses any of us in both wisdom and cultivation. To leave such a rare and wondrous treasure without a master of his caliber would be a terrible waste! How could Leng Huaiyi not understand Xun Mishuan's intentions? Yet he had always viewed such matters with the tranquil indifference of flowing water. Even if Master were to entrust such a precious artifact into his own hands, he would not accept it, seeing as he was no longer a member of Yanlan Academy. Moreover, he truly had no use for an offensive divine artifact of this magnitude, making it far better suited for someone with grand ambitions.

You are simply incorrigible, I can't be bothered with these damned matters anymore! Xun Mishuan glared fiercely at Leng Huaiyi, then stomped off to the side in a huff, refusing to speak another word. Why couldn't this idiot understand her intentions? How could he be so dismissive of her feelings? Calling her unreasonable—she thought he was the stubborn one, completely indifferent and serene about everything! Just how noble and magnanimous did he think he was? She truly couldn't understand how she could have ever fallen for this blockhead!

As expected, Yi'er, you understand my intentions best. No matter what decision I make, you give it your wholehearted support. I have no regrets in this life to have such a fine disciple like you! The old Dean felt immensely gratified upon hearing Leng Huaiyi's words, realizing he had never wasted his affection on this fine pupil. Although the two of them had been separated for so long, Yi'er still understood him just as well. The bond of master and disciple between them had not faded in the slightest, and truthfully, he was finding it increasingly difficult to bear the thought of letting him leave.

Receiving a reward without having rendered any service—since I have done nothing for Yanlan Academy, accepting such a precious treasure from you, Dean, hardly seems reasonable! Or to put it another way, since you, Dean, are asking a favor of us, you are reluctantly parting with a treasure that everyone yearns for and handing it over to us. If you do not make the underlying reasons clear today, how can this junior accept the Bagua Array with peace of mind? Yushang said with a smile, though his tone was overwhelmingly authoritative. He had no desire to perform any inexplicable tasks for this old fox. Although the temptation of the Bagua Array was immense, he still felt that avoiding trouble was better than courting it. Intuition told him that this old guy definitely knew something, which explained his completely uncharacteristic behavior, though for the moment, he simply could not guess the exact reason.

The stinky brat is right. What exactly do you want, you old fogey? Just spit it out plainly instead of beating around the bush and dragging us into your schemes! Trials are imminent, and we're all in the same boat now; surely we shouldn't be engaging in this kind of pointless internal strife, right? If you lay everything out honestly, perhaps we can still help you. But if you lack sincerity like this, there's no need for us to talk any further! Xiaoyin chimed in quickly, as he certainly didn't want the stinky brat to escape Fuyou Ming's clutches only to fall right into the trap set by this old man—that truly would be losing more than they gained!

You only need to remember that you once owe me a favor, and leave the rest alone. You needn't concern yourself with anything else, nor did I lure you into a trap; at most, it is simply a transaction. Besides, I believe you are not getting the short end of the stick by trading for this Bagua Array! Furthermore, I lack patience. If you miss this chance, you won't find another opportunity this good to resist Fuyou Ming! The old Dean looked at Yushang and curved his lips into an eerie smile, one that hovered ambiguously between the triumph of a successful plot and the pride of holding absolute victory. In short, that smile sent a chill through the hearts of everyone present.

Brother Yu, this should be your own decision, and I shouldn't say too much. However, I feel that dealing with Fuyou Ming this time requires absolute certainty of success. With the Bagua Array, it would be like adding wings to a tiger, giving us that much more leverage to win. Moreover, I believe my maternal grandfather will not make an overly excessive demand. At most, he will take advantage of you a little for the sake of Yanlan Academy, but it won't be so disastrous as to force you through blades of fire or boiling cauldrons! Meng Youyuan finally voiced her thoughts after much deliberation. She admitted that the vast majority of her motivation in urging Yushang to accept this request was to allow Lan Bingxian to escape this calamity and avoid a tragic death at the hands of that demon, but it was indeed a transaction without disadvantages—they were hardly losing out!

As Youyuan said, Brother Yu, this is your own choice, and we shouldn't sway your decision and make things difficult for you, right? Brother Yu, you can completely cast aside everyone else's opinions and stick firmly to your own mind, because only you truly know what you need and desire most. You should not let anyone else extinguish your judgment or ignore your true feelings. Lan Bingxian quickly interrupted Meng Youyuan, fearing it would unduly influence Yushang. He did not want his friend to bear the pressure of the crowd and make a choice that violated his own heart, as that would only fill him with guilt and make him feel utterly useless.

You're in the wrong here, Brother Lan. Youyuan was merely expressing her perspective, not harboring malicious intentions to push Brother Yu into a fiery pit; she was considering the bigger picture. Besides, I also feel that with such a tempting condition, why on earth would we refuse? Furthermore, we owe this old fellow so much already that one more favor won't make a difference. Anyway, as Youyuan said, no matter how much he calculates, it's just for the sake of Yanlan Academy; he shouldn't ask Brother Yu to do anything too outrageous. Frankly, if I were you, I would agree without a moment's hesitation, rather than letting such a wonderful opportunity slip through my fingers, or allowing such a precious treasure to fall into someone else's hands. Lan Wu immediately jumped to Meng Youyuan's defense. Anyone with eyes could see she was only saying that because of Lan Bingxian, yet this man not only failed to appreciate it but even lectured her publicly. How could she possibly resist speaking up for herself?

I also feel that we aren't getting the short end of the stick in this trade. As long as we can break free from the King's shackles, making some sacrifices is entirely worth it. Anything is better than being trapped by the King for a lifetime with no freedom. I imagine Brother Yu is well aware of which weighs heavier. Seeing this, Yan Xuexue also voiced her thoughts. In truth, regardless of their various motives for persuading Yushang, they all hoped to turn the tables and take control of their own destinies. Thus, everyone's opinions were worth listening to, since none of them wanted a disastrous defeat. As long as their ultimate goal was the same, why fuss over each other's individual intentions?

As an outsider, I think I see the situation quite clearly, and I also believe Brother Yu should accept this condition. As for the reasons, everyone else has stated them fully, so I have nothing left to add. Yin Boxuan, who had remained silent for a long time, finally chimed in. He wasn't taking her side just to curry favor with the person he loved; rather, he genuinely couldn't find a reason to decline this transaction. Even knowing fully that Master had his own agenda to fulfill, he would still leap into this trap without hesitation, if only to reclaim the freedom and selfhood that had been imprisoned for so long.

Just a moment ago, you were righteousness personified as you denounced me, and now, after only a moment, you've suddenly become an outsider? Could it be that you learned the King's background and grew afraid, which is why you're in such a rush to distance yourself from this mess? Still, I happen to agree with your assessment; trading a single favor for a divine artifact is a fantastic deal! Yu Xiaoran bantered with the deadpan Yin Boxuan. In truth, he wasn't genuinely blaming him for his earlier impulsiveness; if he had heard someone speak to his own friend in that manner, he would have likely lost control and felt the urge to knock some sense into him. He could only blame the fact that their stances on the matter differed, though fortunately, this minor episode hadn't damaged their mutual camaraderie.

That's not it at all! How could someone like Yin Boxuan be a cowardly scoundrel? I desperately want to contribute my strength and stand with you all to fight against that Fuyou Ming. But you all know the rules of Yanlan Academy: leaving Biluo Ancient City without permission incurs severe punishment. You have no idea how badly I've wanted to join all of you; being left behind all alone is a miserable feeling! At this, a hint of grievance welled up in Yin Boxuan's heart. He genuinely longed to live and die alongside his friends! Finding a single true confidant in life makes death without regret, let alone having so many confidants now—how could he possibly abandon them to live out a peaceful life in solitude?

Hearing you talk like that makes the rules of Yanlan Academy sound rather cold and heartless. In truth, any exceptional talent within the academy is permitted to venture out for real-world trials and tempering. It's simply that you, bad boy, have never applied yourself. However, if you don't disappoint me in the upcoming trials, I can turn a blind eye and let you go out into the world to gain some experience, the old Dean said casually from the side. Having once been the age of these youths, how could he not understand their yearning for the vibrant outside world? In truth, allowing them some life experience was a good thing; only by trying could they truly understand what kind of life suited them best.

I knew you cared for us disciples the most, Master! Rest assured, I will certainly not let you down; I'll beat our opponents until they have no room for counterattack. I'll make them understand just how heavy a price they must pay for daring to act presumptuously in Yanlan Academy, and see if they ever dare harbor designs on Yanlan Academy and Biluo Ancient City again! Yin Boxuan was overjoyed; he would finally be able to leave this place, pursue the life he desired, and aid his true friends.

Above all, Yin Boxuan could continue to silently guard the side of the person he loved. He asked for no outcome and sought no reward, hoping only that she would live better than he did. On occasions of joy or sorrow, she might occasionally remember that she wasn't the only one shielding herself from the wind and rain—that there was also someone silently watching over her. Even though Meng Youyuan's heart held only Lan Bingxian—a fact that could no longer be changed—he had no wish to force himself to forget this woman. Even if they were merely friends, even if they were only fellow martial siblings, holding any sort of connection was enough. He didn't know how long this infatuation could last, but while he still held love for her, he hoped to do something, if only to give his many years of affection a satisfying answer.