[02] Eldest Brother and I Are in Chang'an! Who Dares Disrupt Our Date?

Qiu Xiufeng felt his eyes bulge out from their sockets. The leading member of the protagonist's "little brother" army sauntered closer and blocked their way. Beside him were a couple of younger disciples from the same sect, looking frantic and nervous. They looked indecisive, whether they want to draw away or stop their rambunctious senior disciple. Seeing that the person in question is agitated, they chose to leave him be while awkwardly standing at his side.

An Xi afforded him a casual glance before turning to Qiu Xiufeng, gesturing to leave. Blatantly ignoring the fuming youth, An Xi attempted to walk past Zhe Lan. The Ice Dragon King of the Thousand Dragon Heads Sect immediately blackened. Gripping the hilt of his sword, he reached for An Xi's shoulder with his spare hand in an attempt to stop him in his tracks.

A hand appeared out of nowhere, followed by a shadow that stood between him and An Xi.

Qiu Xiufeng faced Zhe Lan with a pleasant smile: "Brother, quell your frustration. What is the reason for your discourtesy?"

A moment earlier, the blonde witnessed their whole silent exchange and felt his body move on his own when he saw Zhe Lan try to grab his Eldest Brother. Mildly surprised at his action, he found that he wasn't scared when confronting people who harbor ill intentions against his Eldest Brother. He used the back of his hand to move the outstretched one after closing the distance between them in a blink of an eye. Is this, perhaps, the power of the protagonist?

Zhe Lan's icy, sapphire hues shone with anger at the interruption. His companions gaped. Who does this punk think he is?

Qiu Xiufeng inwardly panicked, unaware of his movement until the last moment. He tried talking to the original protagonist, but there was no answer. Oh, now you decide to leave me to the dust!

Meanwhile, behind the blonde, An Xi watched them after he felt the presence of Fourth Disciple behind him. Witnessing the situation at hand, he decided it's best to diffuse the growing discord between the two before it draws more people. Clearing his throat, An Xi patted the blonde's shoulder and pushed him aside gently. Facing the frowning senior disciple, he was more or less annoyed. He fished out the wooden token he received for their horse cart and glanced at the male.

Zhe Lan narrowed his hues as An Xi presented the token to him: "You…! We reserved that token yesterday, so why did they give it to you!"

An Xi rose a brow, "The clerk gave this to us. If anything, shouldn't you bring your complaints to them?"

Zhe Lan kept his scowl on their calm features. Seeing that he wasn't getting his way, he thought this pretty boy doesn't know his identity. If he were to reveal his name and the sect behind him, would he fear him like everyone else? With this thought striking him, his thin lips turned upwards into a half-smirk. Leaning back, the stern youth haughtily crossed his arms. Electric blue eyes sharpened. On cue, the disciples behind him stepped forward and made his introduction in his place.

"You people do not know who you're talking to, huh? Right now, you are standing in front of the eldest senior disciple of the distinguished, powerful sect of all Jianghu: The Thousand Dragon Heads Sect, Ice Dragon King, Zhe Lan!"

Gasps and murmurs immediately surrounded the group as they heard the identity of the person who started the ruckus against An Xi and Qiu Xiufeng. Witnessing that there is a possible showdown, a crowd was already forming to Qiu Xiufeng's dismay.

However, the one whom Zhe Lan is trying to intimidate… there was no response at all. An Xi gave him a cold glance before he sheathed the token back into his sleeves and turned to his companion. Without another word, the two would make their way past the frozen disciples and finally leave the scene. Before the top student of the supposed "supreme" sect could bark, they were long gone. Disappointment flooded the once buzzing atmosphere before the commoners went back to their everyday life affairs.

Zhe Lan threw a dirty look to where they disappeared, gritting his teeth. It would seem that this meeting will be something he will remember in the future. Indeed, the world is wide; thus, eventually, he will meet them again. If that day comes… He will undoubtedly show them his great power and make them realize who they just offended casually.

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Qiu Xiufeng and An Xi decided to stay for a day in the city. They needed to plan for their journey either way and remain low-profile while traveling. If someone catches a whiff of their trail, An Xi can't afford to explain their situation right now without giving themselves away. Their invisible enemy might seize this chance to add more complications. By the time they fixed themselves in their rooms, it was already nightfall. They ended up sharing a room due to the volume of guests pouring in the capital this time of the year. Since it is winter in the north (where their sect is), many northerners traveled south for the warmer weather. It isn't as cold, and around this time, Chang'an is holding a winter festival to celebrate the would-be first snowfall of the year.

The room they got assigned to was decent with standard furnishings and two single-sized wooden beds, and a mahogany tea table in the middle of the room. A couple of cushions surrounded it, with a lovely porcelain vase adorning the surface of the furniture. Nothing else was special within the space, and since they have an interspatial storage to keep their things, they didn't have to worry about arranging their items. With only a tall lamp at the corner as their light source, An Xi opened the windows to let the moonlight stream in. Qiu Xiufeng bore witness to the heavenly glow emitting from his eldest brother's body as if he doesn't belong to this materialistic world under the pale light. A sound gulp came from him before he took his revered gaze off of him, his cheeks tinted red.

Tang Wei: [Damn… he's charming… It's almost a crime.]

Qiu Xiufeng: [...]

An Xi turned to him after a moment of contemplation, "That fellow from earlier. It seems that the Head of Thousand Dragon Heads sent him as their representative. Crossing their paths wouldn't be for the best while going to the location. Fortunately, they haven't recognized us. We will leave early in the morning before they can figure out our purpose."

Seeing the narrowed look pointed at him, Qiu Xiufeng only has the slightest idea of why he talked to him about this specifically. I get it. I get it. The protagonist is known for its curiosity, so Brother An Xi is warning me not to do anything reckless.

Qiu Xiufeng can feel the original protagonist protest at his thought, but he ignores it: "Understood, Eldest Brother. I will behave."

As the night progressed, Qiu Xiufeng and An Xi went to sleep on their respective beds. However, it would seem that sleeping in the same room with his novel idol proved to be difficult for the modern soul occupying the body of the protagonist. Fourth Disciple couldn't even get a wink of sleep while the ignorant Eldest Brother slept. At this point, he decided just to meditate and hold another meaningful discussion with the original protagonist.

Deep within his inner realm, he saw Immortal Brother Qiu standing below a blooming plum tree. Despite the vast sea-sky plane background, the random tree must have been one of his imagination products. After all, this place is their inner realm; their converged memories, both fiction and modern, can be conjured with a thought. Seeing that Tang Wei hasn't seen this tree in particular or has no memory of it, the novel's original lead must have pulled it from the depths of his subconsciousness. Tang Wei approached the other and greeted him again.

Immortal Brother Qiu: [What are your intentions with Eldest Brother An Xi?]

Tang Wei was met with a pair of aloof amethyst crystals that seemed to pierce the depths of his soul. It chilled him to the bone, but he stayed composed.

Tang Wei: [Brother Qiu, I hold nothing but good intentions for Brother An Xi. As a devoted fan, I vow to protect him and sort the plot of this novel without his death.] He is my favorite character after all.

Qiu Xiufeng: [Tang Wei. If the fate of Eldest Brother and I are already set in stone, I highly doubt that you are so willing to put your soul on the line. Tell me, what is your real purpose for attaching to my body and coming to this world?]

The modern soul stared at the other blankly. He can faintly understand why it is hard to believe what he is saying right now, even if the protagonist asks him. The reason why he came here in the first place, he doesn't have the answer to everything now, does he?

So, the poor villain-to-be avid fan can only shrug his shoulders.

Tang Wei: [Brother Qiu, I know it looks like I'm avoiding you. But I don't know. Now, if we can somehow contact the author, they will answer all of your questions for now. But for me…]

Unknown darkness fell on his lilac hues, staring at the bewildered protagonist.

Tang Wei: [You will just trust me? Isn't it better to prove my heart with my actions than words, wouldn't you agree?] Don't underestimate my undying loyalty to your Eldest Brother, protagonist. Armed with the knowledge of the future, I can definitely prove to you that I will change the cruel fate of Eldest Brother and ours too. Maybe this way… I can also return to the real world.

Qiu Xiufeng narrowed his hues. Somehow, he can feel black mist seething out from the modern soul, but he turned a blind eye to it. He just couldn't understand what the other's aim was. No matter how hard the avid fan would try to convince him, the thought of his physical body being stolen all of a sudden and used for protecting that vile bastard that treated him like a bug before that eventful day… He couldn't understand any of it. He tried to steal back his body while the modern soul had his guard down, but there was an impenetrable force or rather shackles that kept him confined to this inner realm. It was as if… something sealed him here. He also tried to pry into the avid fan's subconsciousness, but it was like a labyrinth. Trying to navigate through all the complicated invisible walls within the abysmal darkness… he can only pull back sourly. Beyond the vast sea-sky landscape, he can only control the qi reservoir that he holds control with his soul energy and lace it with the modern soul to influence it somehow. For example, if their thoughts align, their qi's energy output will be twice the amount. Unaware that Tang Wei is already familiar with the separate reservoir, the protagonist itself is in the dark about the other's capabilities. Who knows how much qi that the other possesses? He couldn't imagine it. Although Tang Wei presents himself as a gentleman with a strange fondness for his Eldest Brother, Qiu Xiufeng feels like this Tang Wei is still hiding something.

Qiu Xiufeng released a heavy sigh before uncrossing his arms and facing him: [So? What is going to happen next?]

Tang Wei knew what he was talking about instantly and smiled. He also appeared to sigh as well as if he had been holding back his breath: [Zhe Lan will be meeting with us at the border gates and challenge Eldest Brother to a duel. After that, we will also enter the second arc where the protagonist, which is us, is going to the Lost Forgotten Ruins. Once we come through it, we will arrive at the location of the meeting.]

Qiu Xiufeng regarded him with a raised brow. Knowing what he wanted to ask, Tang Wei smiled: [Zhe Lan is a cocky character with a tender ego. Seeing that he was embarrassed today in front of a crowd by Brother An Xi, that is the reason why he was going to challenge him. Don't worry. Brother An Xi is capable of defeating a bratty disciple. Even if he is the top disciple of the Thousand Dragon Heads, he is destined to your "little brother," forever assisting the main character in his quest to conquer the cultivation world!]

The protagonist felt his eyebrow twitched. What the hell… Where did you even pull that nonsense from? Me? A nobody like me trying to conquer Jianghu? You must be out of your mind.

Tang Wei noted the offhanded expression he bore before he chuckled. He didn't say anything else. He returned to what he was saying before: [In the novel, the location of the meeting is…]

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The next morning came, and on the spot, An Xi woke up at precisely 7 AM. Beside him, Fourth Disciple seemed to be still sleeping. Getting out of the bed, he draped his outer robes and properly suited himself. While he waited for the blonde to wake up, he checked his interspatial storage, ensuring they have everything for the journey ahead. He already knew that Qiu Xiufeng has a habit of sleeping in, and before that, he would force the disciple to get up no matter what means. However, An Xi had left him be.

It took another hour before Qiu Xiufeng eventually woke up. The pair headed downstairs and grabbed some steaming dumplings outside the inn from a stall for their breakfast. To the protagonist's (the real one) astonishment, An Xi took the hot treat from Qiu Xiufeng when he was offered one. It wasn't until the older took a bite of the steamed goods that the modern soul recalled that Eldest Brother was a young master from a noble family. On top of that, he was a picky eater, refusing to eat anything from an unknown origin. He blinked and disguised his surprise with a light smile. He didn't bother saying anything and kept eating as well while they headed to the border gates where their carriage awaits.

Sure enough, when they got there, Zhe Lan and his entourage were waiting for them. Seeing that they couldn't get ahold of the carriage without the token, the hot-headed disciple waited for the two to show up since this morning. Upon seeing the familiar figures approaching the gates, a spiteful smirk appeared on his lips. Icy hues pierced the blonde and the dark-haired disciples of Fleeting Nine Clouds Sect.

An Xi and Qiu Xiufeng stopped in their tracks. Opening his fan, the older opened his fan and frowned at the taller disciple with a distasteful look: "It would seem that Senior Disciple Zhe Lan has a lot of time in his hands to come and greet us first thing in the morning."

Zhe Lan snapped, "You're not going anywhere unless you hand the token over."

An Xi's lilac hues mirrored the same annoyance, "My. Senior Disciple Zhe Lan sure likes to harass people for their things in the open, don't they? Why couldn't you just get another one from the owner, hm?"

Zhe Lan's expression became even more twisted from the mocking tone. Gripping his fists at his side, he drew out his sword and pointed it at An Xi. The disciples behind him gasped and immediately backed away as if the presence of the sword instilled fear. At the end of its point, An Xi kept an indifferent look. Seeing that he was unaffected, his spite grew.

Despite knowing the outcome, Qiu Xiufeng couldn't help but be wary. Zhe Lan was one of the protagonist's strongest "little brother" army. The Thousand Dragon Heads Sect prided itself on its capability to manufacture powerful weapons and spiritual talismans. They mainly focus on forging swords crafted from the sacred eternal fire. According to the novel, their sect is built from an ancient burial grounds of a famous warmonger cultivation clan a hundred years ago. Former disciples from that old sect became the forefathers of a new sect founded from pacifism and spirit exorcism. Even before then, the group itself has been righteous.

But… Seeing this pompous little brother act like the whole world owes him everything. The real thing is annoying.

Qiu Xiufeng can feel a bitter taste bubbling at the back of his throat while he stood behind An Xi. Watching the older step forward confidently, snapping his fan to a close. They have no time to waste and must quickly reach their destination before the Four Heavenly Directions make their move. An Xi would need to deal with this situation at hand. The last thing they need is someone slowing down their travel ahead.

With his opponent accepting the challenge wordlessly, Zhe Lan motioned for them to follow in an open space outside the capital. The group arrived in an empty dirt lot near a thick forest, located just by the main road. Travelers crossing the path saw the band of different colored-clothed cultivators having a face-off and became interested in this spectacle. While a crowd began to gather around them in a circle, the main attractions themselves weren't focused on the onlookers.

Zhe Lan stepped forward with his blade raised. An Xi didn't draw his sword from his interspatial storage and merely kept impatiently fanning his chin. While the Thousand Dragon Heads disciples stood behind and cheered for their Senior Disciple, Qiu Xiufeng kept a watchful glance of the stand-off with his arms crossed. As the sun rose to the highest point of the sky, beaming down to the people below, the modern soul recalled a movie scene similar to what is happening right now. Never in his life that he would witness something like this in this lifetime. He couldn't keep the excitement and anticipation from his expression. After all, he got the first-class seat in front to witness the abilities of his Eldest Brother once more.

In a blink of an eye, Zhe Lan and An Xi regarded each other before the tanned male shot forward, leaving a trail of dust behind him. If one were to observe the match with naked eyes, there would only be shadows and light glints flashing about the place, accompanied by explosive yet high-pitched rings of weapons clashing with one another. For cultivators or anyone who has good perception, they can perfectly notice the experienced fighters' littlest detail and movements. In the book, An Xi wasn't one to get his hands dirty, so he let his "followers" do his bidding in his stead and take all the full credits. Rarely he fights outside of the sect unless needed on occasion required to display his abilities. Although he doesn't like fighting, he was quite capable of standing on his own in a trying battle. He wasn't the First Disciple, after all. Expert in both mental and physical-spiritual training, Eldest Brother An Xi is the epitome of a genius, only second to the protagonist, of course. While Qiu Xiufeng fanboyed inwardly at the edge of the arena, he was also taking notice of the "little brother."

Not bad. As expected from the protagonist's little brother, he's already on par with Brother An Xi and memorized the pattern… Qiu Xiufeng nodded to himself while watching his favorite character use his fan to deflect the blows and dodge the male's attacks. On the other side of the battle, Zhe Lan was more like a brute forcing his way while An Xi flawlessly made his evasion with no intention of hurting the other. From their fighting alone, it looks like the two realized the potential of each other and separated. Zhe Lan straightened his back and lowered his blade, an unpleasant expression painted on his sunkissed pallor. Sapphire gems peering at the dark-haired teen.

Zhe Lan, "You… You're from the Fleeting Nine Clouds Sect, aren't you? Who are you?"

An Xi simply huffed, "This Eldest Disciple greets you. I am Fleeting Nine Clouds Sect Senior First Disciple, An Xi."

"First Disciple An Xi, the An Clan protégé? The next heir of the sect itself has come out to the pugilist world?"

"I can't believe it! I heard that Young Master An is rarely seen since he's the sole treasured son of the famous righteous sect that fought the demon war years ago! His relatives are working with the imperial family right now, are they?"

"The only son of Prime Minister An who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth of the influential family is here? He does look like a nobleman, the more I look at him. Why did he choose to be a cultivator when he has a good life ahead of him?"

Murmurs started to circulate them as intrusive eyes settled on the dark-haired individual. Before the situation escalated, Zhe Lan roared and lifted his sword once more.

"So, who cares if you're the young master or a genius!" he piped, "As the Senior Disciple of the Thousand Dragons Head, I won't let you make a fool out of me!"

Several gasps echoed in the field as blue flames emitted from his steel blade. This was no longer a duel to showcase their physical abilities. Exuding his battle aura rather prominently, the smirking adolescent no longer held back. The air pressure forced non-cultivators down to their knees, while those below his qi ranking trembled and tried to stay upright. The only impassive ones were the pair of white-robed disciples from the Fleeting Nine Clouds. Gritting his teeth, he cursed them under his breath.

Tang Wei: [Zhe Lan is in the middle of breaking through the middle stage of Foundation Building Phase. The story didn't tell this at all…]

Qiu Xiufeng: [What are you going to do?]

Flashing a look towards An Xi, it appears that the other teen seemed unbothered by the fact his life is in danger. Qiu Xiufeng blinked, reminding himself that his favorite character rather has a strong personality and doesn't easily let his emotions expose in the open.

Tang Wei: [We won't do anything. I believe in Brother An Xi.]

Qiu Xiufeng: [...]

The two of them watched their Eldest Brother relax and put away his folded fan. Now unarmed, the air around him began to shift as well. Dark locks floated gently as a chilling breeze enveloped his form. Like a tamed creature, it obeyed every twitch of his finger. Zhe Lan and the rest widened his eyes as he realized what was going on. Before him, he watched a towering beast bearing a fox's resemblance with large tails as tall as its owner materialized beside his opponent. Its translucent shape and the bone-chilling aura covering it confirmed his suspicions.

An Xi revealed the identity of the summoned beast after he petted its head, turning to Zhe Lan with a cold smile, "Since Eldest Disciple is ignoring the rules of the duel, I will also do something to get out of this situation quickly. This humble cultivator can't delay their journey any longer, you see. So, I will let my legendary beast take care of you."

Zhe Lan felt the back of his neck tingle. Him? Getting nervous? That word doesn't exist in his vocabulary! "It looks like I also have somewhere to be. Let's end this!"

The elemental beast growled and turned its head to its target. Zhe Lan drew his sword and emitted more aura before charging towards their direction. At An Xi's signal, the summoned creature lurched forward and met his assault directly. A thunderous blast swept the grounds and almost blew the audience away. Literally. Other than the fighters and Qiu Xiufeng, the rest were forced to hide from the dangerous conflict.

However, before the "duel" worsened, a beam of light interrupted them, effectively separating Zhe Lan's attack and the creature away from each other. The perpetrator arrives at the scene with their own fellows trailing behind them. Their inky black robes are decorated with golden bands, a particular design that stood out was a thin-lined painting of a dragonfly resting on top of a blooming rose. Qiu Xiufeng was the first to notice it and determine who had arrived or which party that emblem belonged to.

Wei Yijun. Why is the Azure Lord of the Deathly Hallows Vanguards here of all places?

The mere mention of this man's name would instantly send terror down anyone's throats. Everyone in the cultivation world knows that this particular sect is a close ally of the demonic sects. Not only they practice dark arts and all sorts of trickery at the sacrifice of their souls and bright future. Most of their followers wanted to take the easy way of gaining boundless powers, and most of them blindly pursuing the path, unaware of its consequences. Though this sect isn't part of the Five Demonic Clans, they are ambitious and powerful on their own. Especially the Azure Lord, Wei Yijun.

Qiu Xiufeng: [Based on what you're thinking right now, he's not supposed to show up until further ahead, huh?]

Tang Wei: [This is really bad. He's our rival and Brother An Xi's second-in-command after he returned from the dead.]

Qiu Xiufeng moved his body, flashing to An Xi's side, keeping a wary look on the newcomers.

The leader of the black-robed pack strode forward as if announcing his presence to the fighters. Iron black hues examined the scene before him then raised his hand beside his head, gesturing for the masked men to handle the mess. His followers obeyed his orders at once and blocked the scene from the bystanders. Seeing that another powerful sect came, the crowd briskly dispersed, not wanting to get caught in the issue. The only ones who remained were the two righteous sects that once stood against each other. Facing each other, Wei Yijun directed his attention back to the two youths bearing disinterest. However, when his gaze met the cool amethysts belonging to the Eldest Disciple of the Fleeting Nine Clouds, something seemed to shift within those bottomless dark orbs.

As expected from our rival, he already knows where his true loyalty lies at first glance.

On the other hand, Zhe Lan stood to the side and glared at the one who caused the interference. He didn't sheathe his sword yet as there was no reason for it. No matter who gets in his way, he won't let them get away. So what if he recognizes the rumoured Azure Lord from the demon sect? Talks of this b*st*rd are probably all blown out of proportion. Gripping the hilt of his sword, he roared. All of his decorum dropped when several things just kept piling up and pushed him over the edge. As Tang Wei would lightly put it, he's like a ticking time bomb.

Refusing to stand down, Zhe Lan attacked.

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Qiu Xiufeng and An Xi stayed in Chang'an one more day. After the incident yesterday, Wei Yijun rendered them immobile with a foreign enchantment which they never heard of before. It quite caused a ruckus as Zhe Lan was instantly knocked out with a flick of his hand after he charged with reckless abandon. As for Qiu Xiufeng and An Xi, they were also knocked unconscious. Upon his awakening, Qiu Xiufeng found themselves locked inside a hotel room. To his relief, Eldest Disciple An Xi was beside him and still unconscious. Zhe Lan and Wei Yijun are nowhere in sight, which made him worried. Since he's awake before his favorite character, he might as well develop a plan to escape from this room and progress the story development. The arrival of Wei Yijun and his sect came as a surprise to him. In the novel, the demonic sect wasn't introduced until at the end. Hell, they weren't supposed to show up until An Xi returned from the dead!

It looks like there will be more changes and deviations from the original storyline in the future. Depending on the plot of the book wouldn't be useful now.

Qiu Xiufeng: [There's no use mulling it over now. We need to figure out how to escape from this room. It looks like the walls and exits are sealed by their dark arts.]

Tang Wei: [En. Breaking the barrier won't be easy, but it's doable.]

Qiu Xiufeng: [Hah?]

Tang Wei: [We are the protagonist, Brother Qiu. The rules of this world ensure that you overcome any difficulties that may come across. We have something called "plot armor."]

Qiu Xiufeng: [You've talked about that before, but how is that even possible? I don't even know how to summon such powers-]

Tang Wei: [Leave it to me. It's all in your heart, or so it says in the novel.]

Qiu Xiufeng opened his eyes and glanced around, examining his surroundings for any changes. An Xi is still out cold and lying beside him on the bed, curled up under the white sheets. The scenery outside suggested that it was already afternoon. Careful not to disturb the resting figure, the blonde made his way to the door of the room and closely studied it. Upon closer look, a faint dark mist enveloped the door frame. Assuming that it's the work of Wei Yijun, Qiu Xiufeng prepared to break the enchantment.

Qiu Xiufeng: [Why do you think the Azure Lord captured both of us?]

Tang Wei: [I don't know exactly. He shouldn't know the origin of Brother An Xi yet, so we are safe for now. Perhaps… we're just for his entertainment?]

Qiu Xiufeng tilted his head: [Eldest Brother's origin? Entertainment?]

Tang Wei paused and blinked: [Ah... Didn't I mention this before? Wei Yijun has a habit of collecting beautiful things for his research. Isn't it too obvious that he would capture Brother An Xi because of his radical beauty and power? If I were in his position, I would definitely prey on Brother An Xi and whisk him away~]

The protagonist can feel a hole drilling in his thoughts as the avid fan kept talking. Are you for real? He would kidnap Eldest Brother for… such a thing?

Tang Wei decided to ignore that runaway thought and continued: [He may have also detected the abnormal cultivation prowess we possessed. I think… he knows that there is another soul sharing a body with you, Brother Qiu. Huh… it looks like we're not safe yet, now that I put it that way.]

Qiu Xiufeng: [How could he have detected you--]

Before he could answer him, Tang Wei snapped back to reality when he sensed the figure on the bed stir and woke up. The blonde didn't stop exerting his spiritual prowess, trying to find the exact mechanism of the spell. While he was conversing with the protagonist, he was also attempting to unlock the seal. Glancing over his shoulder, he noticed the dark-haired older youth stare at his back in confusion.

An Xi rubbed the corner of his eyes sleepily, "Fourth Disciple? Were you talking to someone?"

Oops. Did I accidentally voice out some of my thoughts earlier? "You must have misheard me, Eldest Brother."

"What are you doing?"

"The Azure Lord sealed us in this room. This disciple is trying to undo it."

At that moment, there was a soft click. He managed to break the enchantment without any trouble, leaving both An Xi and the protagonist surprised. Gathering himself, An Xi went to his side as the blonde smiled happily.

"I did it," he said, eyes shining towards the Eldest Brother, "Praise me, Eldest Brother."

The older blinked before he reached over and patted his shoulder in approval. Receiving the bare minimum, Tang Wei felt elated from the smallest gesture from his favorite shy character. Pleased with the outcome, he opened the door, and both of them hurriedly got out. It appears that they were brought to the same hotel they were staying in, except the once lively and bustling atmosphere was nowhere to be found. It was replaced with desolation and unexplainable coldness that nipped their noses and earlobes. What happened in such a short amount of time?

Descending from the stairs as they hurried to the main doors, a deep voice echoed behind them from the darkness. Where the singers and bands stood, there was a lonely figure of a black-robed teen beholding a hawk-like gaze pointed at the pair.

Wei Yijun narrowed his hues. Unexpectedly, they managed to break the complicated seal he erected in their room. That undoing triggered an alarm in his head, which was why he promptly returned to this place he took over since yesterday. As far as he knows, the two disciples before him don't practice dark arts, so how…? He shook his head. Questions are for later; right now, he needs to stop them in their tracks. The reason why he captured them in the first place was that he received a tip from a stranger that the First Senior Disciple of Fleeting Nine Clouds Sect has finally made himself known to the mortal world. His curiosity led him to follow his tracks to this capital and met him. He wants to take this person back to his own sect and examine his body for research.

If Tang Wei could read the dark arts cultivator's thoughts right now, hell will certainly break loose. Fortunately, the only mind he could read right now is the protagonist. Sensing that trouble is brewing right after their failed getaway, it looks like they have no choice but to fight.

An Xi was about to step forward as always. It is his responsibility to protect the younger disciple after all, but he was stopped by that same disciple. Throwing a befuddled glare at the blonde, Qiu Xiufeng can only curl his lips into a small smile.

"Eldest Brother, let me fight this instead."

Stunned by the underlying determination hinted at that message, An Xi stared at his back as he advanced. Blocking Wei Yijun's sight of his Eldest Brother, Qiu Xiufeng faced him with a dogged look. Within his inner realm, the protagonist couldn't help but be anxious about the present situation. They are facing the infamous Azure Lord, feared by all. He wonders if the modern soul has a hidden scheme to defeat this strong person. Sensing the tremor of the qi flowing around him and the inner realm, he can't do anything right now. For this match, his role will be the same as always: an observer. Keeping quiet, he focused on the impending fight.

Realizing that the blonde disciple will be his opponent, he casually leaped from the platform and onto the wooden floor. He didn't draw any weapons at his entrance, eyeing them curiously. After a brief moment of examination of their levels, he concluded that the duo are below Core Formation Stage. What made him imprison them was the fact that the older disciple has a complicated array blocking his dantian, limiting his qi development. He hasn't seen such a spell before, so this lit his interest in this individual. As for the other, the blonde possessed quite an abysmal amount of qi that no ordinary cultivator can easily detect. He can see that unique qi layering the body of the golden-haired youth right now as if reacting to its will. An unknown smile crept to his pallid features.

This will be interesting.

Qiu Xiufeng was tempted to ask him personally why they were taken and Zhe Lan's whereabouts, but he figured he would ask about them later. At this crucial moment, he needs all the focus he can get. Leaving An Xi's side, he approached the center of the room where Wei Yijun waited.

Seeing him approach, the Azure Lord openly smirked, "Don't bore me now."

Qiu Xiufeng said nothing and launched himself forward, initiating the first attack.

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Surprisingly, the two-story structure held up as violent bursts of qi energy exploded within its walls. It then came to An Xi and Qiu Xiufeng that the entire place must have been locked away from reality by their opponent. Underestimating Wei Yijun is the last thing he wants to do, as he became aware of his potential. With Wei Yijun's prowess, it managed to bound the foundation of the inn's framework, so nothing breaks easily. An Xi eyeballed the blue and black qi darting about in the air as his young brother and the dark arts cultivator met each other head-on relentlessly. It has been going on for hours on end without stopping. Despite the difference in their power level, Qiu Xiufeng was able to match his strength. It looks like the "plot" will definitely protect him from any life-threatening danger. However, that doesn't mean he can let his guard down. His body can still suffer from grave injuries and close-calls. And so, he deflected each intense blow gingerly. He also couldn't let the fight prolong as well. Born as a mortal, he can still get tired from strenuous activity. Once he falls, the Azure Lord might turn his attention to his Eldest Brother and kidnap him! He absolutely can't let that happen!

They only drew apart to regain their footing before continuing. Both of them were determined to overpower the other through force and displaying unique combos of skills.

As much as he hates to admit, Qiu Xiufeng is already close to exhausting his stamina and prowess. The willpower he summoned before was the only thing that is maintaining his concentration. Keeping up with Wei Yijun is no joke. Drawing a trembling breath, he pulled back as Wei Yijun sent a qi-condensed sphere, which was half the size of the room they were in. Raising both of his hands, he formed accurate hand seals to stop its delivery and have it explode between them. Severe winds followed up after that explosion as Wei Yijun seized that chance to shoot forward and grab the unsuspecting Qiu Xiufeng by the neck.

Asphyxiated, the blonde glowered down at the confident man. Similar to An Xi, he refused to let his weakness show to his opponent.

"I was hoping that you would hold out a bit more, but it turns out you're just like the rest," Wei Yijun sighed, peering at him coldly, "I overestimated your worth, pipsqueak."

"Shidi!" An Xi bellowed in alarm, seeing that the enemy received the upper hand. A glint of red stirred within those purple orbs. Drawing talismans from his belt, he threw them to the air and formed a seal with his hands. In a blink of an eye, the slim papers lit up and propelled towards his disciple's captor.

Using his free hand, he snapped his fingers, and those talismans disintegrated in midair, black flames engulfing them until they were mere ashes. Wei Yijun leered at the alarmed An Xi.

"Be patient. I'll get to you," he said, "First, I will discipline your rowdy fellow disciple and take you back to Guilin. Initially, you both interested me, but seeing the abilities of this young one… it really disappointed me. Hopefully, you won't be the same, Eldest Disciple. I assure you… My sect will treat you better and provide you more knowledge about the cultivation world. In return, I will have to ask you for a favor and allow me to examine your body."

An Xi gaped in disbelief and with slight disgust. He has no choice but to draw his spirit sword, Hei She.

Yet before he can do so, Wei Yijun's attention was soon stolen away by an abrupt fluctuation in his hold. Bottomless dark orbs darted to the person he was holding on to, his intuition and every fiber of his being crying out to flee.

A pale hand shot out and seized the wrist that trapped his throat. The strength it manifested differed from the degree he received from before. Raising a curious brow, Wei Yijun lifted his glacial gaze to the blonde. Behind the fair, silky bangs, there was a pair of dark plum oculars scrutinizing him. Wei Yijun ignored his numbing arm as Qiu Xiufeng stared at him.

He was all too familiar with those sets of eyes that showed a restrained beast who was about to lunge at their enemies for trespassing their boundaries. Wei Yijun released his hold and with great effort, took his throbbing arm back. His distant eyes never left the blonde before him, watching his next move.

Was this the same person he fought before?

"Wei Yijun."

The blonde called him rather informally in an insipid deep tone, befitting for the eerie yet menacing pressure surrounding the youth. Wei Yijun can sense the qi fluctuation in his opponent's figure becoming more unstable as seconds ticked by.

This is… So, he was hiding something after all.

"Who are you taking to Guilin now?"