This Jade Refuses to be a Thrown-Away Brick 2

Yin Yu puffed a dry laugh and said, "You heard?"

Quan Yizhen nodded, and Yin Yu's expression grew complicated. He scratched the bridge of his nose with the joint of a finger.

"…You're…not…that bad…I guess…"

Any normal person would've picked up on how forced the words were, but Quan Yizhen seemed to have only taken them at face value.

"Oh."

Yin Yu could tell he took it for truth, and smiled before finally giving him some encouragement.

"You don't need to mind them. You didn't do anything wrong, really. It's good like this too."

Anyone with clear eyes could see that the shixiong and shidi couldn't stand Quan Yizhen. They found fault everywhere not because his appetite was big, not because he was cranky in the mornings, and not because he was inconsiderate of others in groups and only cared to show himself off.

At the end of the day, what they really couldn't stand was the last part: he entered the latest, but received the most.

Quan Yizhen nodded. "I think so too."

Yin Yu patted his shoulder. "Go train! That's what's most important. Don't think about anything unnecessary."

Thus Quan Yizhen hopped off the window. Looking at where he was headed, he indeed went to train. As for Yin Yu, he shut the window, picked up the books on the desk, and started studying.

After watching the two scenarios, Xie Lian praised, "San Lang, this subordinate of yours really is a rare character. What a great personality."

But then he remembered the Yin Yu outside just now almost smashed open Quan Yizhen's head with the Earth Master shovel.

He quickly asked, "Is everything alright out there?"

Hua Cheng thus showed him the outside. Yin Yu had calmed down, pulled out the Earth Master shovel, and seemed to be contemplating just what he should do with Quan Yizhen's head. Xie Lian relaxed a little.

He said, "I suppose the problems between them started after ascension?"

"Correct," Hua Cheng replied.

Then, a sumptuous great hall appeared before Xie Lian's eye.

Yin Yu sat poised and proper in the centre of the grand hall, and Jian Yu and Quan Yizhen stood guard behind him, one on the left and one on the right. Within the hall, gods after gods came in and about; they were all heavenly officials of the Upper Court. Xie Lian saw many familiar faces, like the male Ling Wen, the apathetic Pei Ming, Lang Qianqiu with his perfect smile…they were all in formal attire, with attending junior officials behind them holding large red gift boxes in their hands.

Obviously, this was the Heavenly Court, the Palace of Yin Yu. This day was the Palace Opening Ceremony of the Palace of Yin Yu, the grand, propitious day his divine residence was erected.

Xie Lian was slightly amazed. It wasn't hard for Hua Cheng to see the images of the mortal realm. The mortal realm was his domain, and as long as he wanted to cast the net, any pedestrian, feral spirit, bird or beast could become his eyes. However, the Heavenly Court was within heaven's boundary, so how could he see it too?

Hua Cheng seemed to have guessed what he was thinking. He said, "Gege, take a look at the corner, near the hall entrance."

Xie Lian listened to him and gazed over. The perimeter of this "corner" was actually quite big, because this grand hall was not small. The corner of the hall entrance had at least ten figures milling about.

Hua Cheng asked, "Guess which one is Black Water?"

Only then did Xie Lian remember that He Xuan had always been undercover in the Upper Court, and it must've been him who had been selling all the information to Hua Cheng. Xie Lian focused and tried to guess, and a moment later, he found one that seemed to match.

"That one in black?"

"This guess is too conservative, it's wrong. Guess again," Hua Cheng said.

"That one not smiling nor speaking?" Xie Lian tried again.

"Wrong again," Hua Cheng said.

He guessed a number of people and they were all wrong. Just then, someone announced:

"PRESENTING: LORD WIND MASTER—"

Xie Lian instantly looked to the entrance of the grand hall. Shi Qingxuan was fanning his Wind Master fan, strolling and swaying as he crossed over the threshold, his face bright and full of the breeze of spring. He tossed his gift box on the side and raised his hands in courtesy.

"Congratulations to the Palace of Yin Yu for its grand opening, I've come late, give me wine as punishment, hahahaha!"

Yin Yu, sitting on his throne, smiled. "Nonsense, My Lord is not late. Lord Wind Master, please, this way!"

Hua Cheng finally revealed the answer. "It's this one."

Xie Lian: "??? Lord Wind Master is Black Water?"

Now that was too incredible. Hua Cheng laughed.

"Gege misunderstood. Not this one, the one behind him."

Xie Lian looked closely, and saw standing at the side of the hall entrance, behind Shi Qingxuan, was a low-ranking heavenly official responsible for receiving gifts from all the guests. His appearance was undistinguished, but fervent smiles covered his face. Shi Qingxuan crossed into the hall looking very pleased, and casually tossed him a small pearl as a tip. That heavenly official's eyes shone, and catching the pearl with both his hands, he thanked My Lord profusely, looking every part a servant.

Xie Lian couldn't help but comment, "…That's Black Water? A Black Water with such a bright smile?"

"That's him," Hua Cheng said. "The smile is fake, that's all. The man has at least fifty clones stationed throughout the Heavenly Court, each with a different identity. All so he could monitor over eighty heavenly officials of the Upper Court, and over three hundred heavenly officials of the Middle Court. Otherwise, with just the Earth Master identity, it's far from adequate."

"…" Xie Lian couldn't help but be in absolute awe of Black Water's acting, his ability to plant pawns, and inconceivably exuberant energy. "Then, where are those fifty-some clones now?"

"Jun Wu is probably pulling out those nails one by one right now," Hua Cheng replied.

Just as the words left his lips, a sudden sharp voice came from the outside.

"YOUR HIGHNESS YIN YU, YOU BETTER GIVE US A GOOD EXPLANATION TODAY FOR YOUR SHIDI!"

The smiles on all the heavenly officials instantly dropped, and they all looked to the sound at the same time. It appeared there was someone who intended to barge in but was stopped, so they were unrelentingly yelling outside.

"ARE YOU NOT GOING TO DISCIPLINE YOUR SHIDI QUAN YIZHEN, WHO BEAT UP HEAVENLY OFFICIALS OF HIGHER RANKS?"

Yin Yu's light smile disappeared, and he lowered his voice, questioning the two behind him. "What's going on? Yizhen, you picked another fight with someone?"

"Yeah," Quan Yizhen replied.

Jian Yu bulged his eyes in rage, gritting his teeth. "You again, you stinkin' brat!"

When incidents like these happened, Shi Qingxuan was always the first to speak, and he spoke up after tucking his whisk in his back collar.

"What's going on? Today is the Palace Grand Opening, so why can't this wait?"

To cause havoc on someone's propitious day; they were either blind and ignorant, or they were trying to pick fights on purpose.

The mob outside the palace yelled, "WELL NOW, SO IT'S MY LORD'S JOYOUS PALACE GRAND OPENING DAY, WE DIDN'T KNOW. BUT HE DIDN'T CHOOSE HIS DAY WHEN HE CAME LOOKING FOR FIGHTS, SO WHY DO WE NEED TO CHOOSE DAYS WHEN WE'RE SEEKING REVENGE? QUAN YIZHEN BELONGS TO THE PALACE OF YIN YU, PERSONALLY APPOINTED BY HIS HIGHNESS YIN YU, SO WHO ELSE CAN WE SEEK IF NOT HIM?"

There it was: they were here to pick a fight.

Ling Wen furrowed his brows slightly. "Why must this be?"

Yin Yu rose to his feet resignedly. "I understand. However, it's not a good time right now, can we talk afterwards?"

The mob outside snorted. "WE CAN ONLY HOPE THE PALACE OF YIN YU WON'T COVER THIS UP!"

The truth of things hadn't even been cleared, and the accusation of "covering up" already shot out; it was simply pure harassment. Shi Qingxuan seemed to be ready to speak up again when Quan Yizhen suddenly jumped down from behind Yin Yu.

"ARE YOU LEAVING OR NOT?"

The troublemakers were obviously confident that he wouldn't dare retaliate during this occasion, and they shouted fearlessly. "WHY, YOU GONNA FIGHT IF WE DON'T GO? ALL THE FELLOW HEAVENLY COLLEAGUES ARE WATCHING…"

Yet, Quan Yizhen wasn't someone who could be predicted by normal rationale. Without another word, he raised his fists and dashed out. Terrible wails came from outside the palace, and every heavenly official inside the hall was stunned!

It was only after a while that Ling Wen spoke up.

"Guards, go stop him, they're going to die!"

Yin Yu was also dumbfounded and hurried out. "Stop this instant!"

But those troublemakers only yelled, "THINK YOUR PALACE OF YIN YU IS ALL THAT?! GOOD, VERY GOOD! SHIXIONG AND SHIDI ARE GANGING UP TO BULLY PEOPLE!"

…

That evening, in the side chamber of the Palace of Yin Yu, Yin Yu was pacing back and forth while Jian Yu was stomping in rage.

"A PERFECTLY GOOD GRAND OPENING CEREMONY WAS COMPLETELY RUINED BY THAT STINKIN' BRAT!!!"

Xie Lian could understand Jian Yu's anger completely.

Xie Lian himself didn't care much for something like the Grand Opening Ceremony of a Palace, but many other heavenly officials thought it significant. It was a ritual that validated a heavenly official's formal inclusion to the Heavenly Court. Today's incident, for lack of a proper example, was like an emperor of the mortal realm whose enthroning ceremony was ruined, so who wouldn't be angry?

Yin Yu sighed. "Let it go. It must be the others who provoked him first. Besides, he didn't cause trouble today; it was the others who purposely chose today to come pick a fight, so what can we do?"

"There're so many people in the Upper Court, why don't others pick on others, and just have to provoke him?" Jian Yu demanded.

"You know this," Yin Yu said. "He's never one to take a beating without fighting back. It's not that others don't pick on others, it's that everyone else knows how to endure the provocations and he doesn't."

"This is the Heavenly Court," Jian Yu ranted. "It's not the mortal realm. Is it so hard to put your head down and stay low-profile?! If he never stirred up trouble and stayed an honest soul, then today's incident would've never had the opportunity to happen! Now look at us. We've lost all face! So many heavenly officials were watching! Once it gets out, who cares who started it? They'd only say the Palace of Yin Yu was being unreasonable and roughed people up in broad daylight; who's gonna debate who's right or wrong?? Do you think he has reason?? HE DOESN'T!! The moment things go down, the moment you raise a fist, you're the unreasonable one! HE UNDERSTANDS SHIT! HE ONLY KNOWS HOW TO CAUSE TROUBLE FOR US!"

After his blowup, Jian Yu ragingly left the side chamber, leaving Yin Yu sitting where he was, his heart heavy with worry.

A moment later, he looked back, and the shadow of a figure was perched on the windowsill. Yin Yu jumped in surprise once again by the familiar scene.

"Why are you perching there again? When did you come? What is this habit?"

Quan Yizhen didn't answer his question, but said instead, "They cussed at me first."

Yin Yu opened his mouth to speak, but then closed it. Then he comforted, "Yizhen, don't take what Jian Yu said to heart."

Quan Yizhen only continued to say what was on his mind. "They cussed at me first. I don't even know them. They said I was a low-ranking heavenly official, and yelled at me for no reason. They laughed at me, told me to scram, and not to block their way. I told them to apologize and they wouldn't, so I beat them. They only shut up when I beat them, otherwise I wouldn't have hit them."

Although things were considerably more peaceful now, in the earlier days, some heavenly officials of both the Upper Court and Lower Court would indeed throw the weight of their ranks around and would bully the lower rank officials with the least amount of experience. It was something that happened often. Yin Yu sighed.

"Are lower-ranked heavenly officials below other people?" Quan Yizhen asked.

"No," Yin Yu replied.

Were they not?

It was obvious that he himself didn't believe in his own words, and Quan Yizhen also noticed.

A good while later, he said bluntly, "I don't like it here."

Yin Yu said nothing.

Quan Yizhen continued, "They think I'm annoying, but I think they're even more annoying. Before, there were at least sixteen hours in the day that I could train, but now half of that time is taken up by talking and listening to nonsense with people, greeting and visiting. There are people who shame me, hit me; for no good reason, without apologizing, and I can't even fight back. This is no heaven. I don't like it here."

Yin Yu sighed. "I don't like it here either."

"Then let's go back," Quan Yizhen said.

However, Yin Yu only shook his head. "Even though I don't like it here, I still want to stay."

Quan Yizhen couldn't understand. "If you don't like it here, why stay?"

His smile forlorn, Yin Yu didn't know what to say, unable to explain it to him. How to explain to Quan Yizhen that the Heavenly Court was the dream end goal of how many people who sought the cultivation path, and just how difficult it was for someone his age to achieve ascension?

Yin Yu tried, "This…is because ascension is really hard. Since it didn't come easily and we've made it here, then I want to try and do better."

Quan Yizhen, however, didn't think much of it. "What's so great about ascension?! Who cares if one ascends?"

Yin Yu found him both exasperating and a little funny. "What do you mean what's so great about it?! Why don't you give it a try, then?"

Watching up to this point, Xie Lian commented, "People really shouldn't joke lightly."

"Indeed," Hua Cheng said. "Half a year later when Quan Yizhen actually ascends, he won't find it so funny anymore."

"Can we watch that part too?" Xie Lian asked.

"We can. Hold on," Hua Cheng replied.

The scene changed, and this time, it was still the Heavenly Court. However, the occasion was a banquet beneath the moon. Xie Lian watched for a moment.

He wondered, "The Mid-Autumn Banquet?"

"That's right," Hua Cheng said.

"Where's Black Water hiding this time?" Xie Lian asked.

"Look at who's eating," Hua Cheng answered.

At the banquet, every heavenly official was busy clinking glasses, making greetings and playing games; there was only one person whose face was stuffed in the giant bowl in front of him. This time, He Xuan wasn't hiding, but was sitting in the corner openly in the guise of the Earth Master. However, there was still no one who noticed him.

Yin Yu and Jian Yu were seated next to the "Earth Master", the placements considered the edge of the feast. Yin Yu wasn't eating and wasn't talking to anyone.

Next to him, Jian Yu whispered, "Thank god that mental, stinkin' brat didn't come!"

Yin Yu heard him and whispered back, "He's been ascended for a while now, it wouldn't be good if others heard you talk about him like that, so be more mindful."

"The truth is thus, am I wrong?" Jian Yu said. "So what if he's ascended? His brain won't get any smarter no matter how many more hundreds of heads he obtains."

As they conversed, a new group of heavenly officials arrived and were just seating themselves.

They were mostly new faces, and they greeted simply.

A heavenly official inquired offhandedly, "And this lord is?"

Another heavenly official also offhandedly answered, "This lord is the martial god who rules the west."

Hearing this, that heavenly official who made the inquiry instantly became enthusiastic and stood up to toast.

"Oh! Oh oh oh! I've heard much about you! I've admired My Lord for a long time!"

Yin Yu quickly stood up too, smiling. "Please, it hasn't been long."

That heavenly official replied, "Oh, don't be so humble, My Lord! I've truly admired you for a long time! I've long heard Your Highness Qi Ying of the west is young and capable; after only ascending for a few years, you're already deeply-rooted in the hearts of devotees. You've even made it to the top ten in this year's Mid-Autumn Battle of the Lanterns! You are truly the hero of the west, your status immovable, your future endlessly bright, endlessly bright! To see My Lord today, you seem a bit older than I imagined? But still fairly young, worthy of praise, young and capable!"

Hearing this, the smile on Yin Yu's face froze, and whether this toast should be accepted became extremely awkward. The other party continued to fervently try to build a relationship, even addressing him like they were brothers.

"An honest word, I rarely consider anyone worthy, but brother Quan just feels so much like family! My domain is also in the west, so if brother has any need in the future, as long as you think well of me, by all means just let me know! We should all help each other out, eh? Hahaha…"

He laughed heartily, and those on the side who knew Yin Yu also laughed heartily. Xie Lian could almost cross through time and feel that suffocating awkwardness brimming in the air.

Jian Yu's face was growing blue from rage, but Yin Yu was still somewhat composed. While his hand trembled for a second, he still steadied himself.

"Unfortunately…"

However, just as he was going to clear this misunderstanding, someone called out.

"Qi Ying is here!"