“Sheng Yi, do you like me? I’ll come to your home and propose!”
Chu Tianle, after stammering for a long time, finally let out a roar.
His shout made Feng Wuya and the others question reality.
Feng Wuya even couldn't help but stuff his ears and ask Zhu Wu, “Wu, did I hear something wrong?”
Zhu Wu shook his head with a grave expression, “No, what you just heard and saw is real.”
Luo Feihua frowned tightly, wanting to step forward and stop Chu Tianle. She thought Chu Tianle was completely out of his mind.
However, she understood that this was a matter between Bai Sheng Yi and Chu Tianle. As a friend, she couldn’t make decisions for them. So, she forcefully refrained from pushing Chu Tianle away, choosing instead to wait for Bai Sheng Yi’s answer.
Chu Tianle’s eyes darted around. Even though he was drunk, he didn’t dare to look at Bai Sheng Yi. He slapped the wine jar and, with a stiff neck, said, “You… give me a clear answer, Sheng Yi!”
“I don’t like you.” Bai Sheng Yi refused decisively, her brow not even twitching. She said calmly, “You’ve had too much to drink, Chu Tianle.”
She had always regarded Chu Tianle only as a teammate. Moreover, she knew that Chu Tianle liked Li Shiqing. Therefore, whether Chu Tianle was just saying it on a whim to express his displeasure through marriage, or if Chu Tianle truly had such feelings for her, Bai Sheng Yi would not agree.
Thinking of this, Bai Sheng Yi stood up and said to everyone, “It’s getting late, and there’s the admission ceremony tomorrow. Why don’t we call it a day and everyone go back to rest early?”
Hua Xueji and Ximen Hongchun said, “Alright.”
“Okay, I’m tired too.” Xun Meng fiddled with his abacus, his gaze shifting slightly, casting a fleeting glance of pity at Chu Tianle.
Zhu Wu, pulling the drunken Chen Qiyang, also got up to leave, “Sheng Yi, see you tomorrow!”
“Why won’t you agree to me? Sheng Yi, I like…”
Chu Tianle took a step forward, only to be held back by both Luo Feihua and Feng Wuya.
“Brother! You’re drunk!” Feng Wuya covered Chu Tianle’s mouth, popped a hangover pill into it, winked at Luo Feihua, and dragging Chu Tianle, quickly departed.
Luo Feihua rolled her eyes in exasperation and helped Bai Sheng Yi clean up the barbecue grill and the remaining food.
“Sheng Yi, don’t take it to heart. Chu Tianle has been stimulated these past two days; his brain is malfunctioning,” Luo Feihua said, trying to comfort her after some thought.
Bai Sheng Yi’s perpetually expressionless face was a little frightening.
Bai Sheng Yi asked, “Is Li Shiqing engaged?”
“How did you know?” Luo Feihua was surprised. None of them had said anything, because they all knew what had happened during the assessment, and they wouldn’t mention Li Shiqing in front of Bai Sheng Yi unless necessary.
Bai Sheng Yi replied, “I guessed. Who is she engaged to? Chu Tianle looks so dejected.”
“Qing Bu Li.” Luo Feihua rubbed her forehead, feeling a headache thinking about the past few days. However, since Bai Sheng Yi had already guessed, she didn’t hide it anymore.
“Don’t just talk about Chu Tianle; even Feng Wuya didn’t expect it. These three practically grew up together. Although Li Shiqing is a bit older than Chu Tianle, the Chu and Li families have always tacitly agreed to a marriage alliance. Let alone Chu Tianle, even our Luo family thought they would end up together.”
“Qing Bu Li, this person, was previously unknown in the Qing family. If it weren’t for this assessment, we wouldn’t have known such a person existed. Moreover, he is also entangled with Bai Murong and Sun Yun.”
Luo Feihua added, “Chu Tianle might also be feeling wronged for Li Shiqing.”
After speaking, Luo Feihua comforted Bai Sheng Yi a few more times, making excuses for Chu Tianle. Seeing that Bai Sheng Yi truly hadn’t taken it to heart, she left with peace of mind.
After tidying up, Bai Sheng Yi returned to her room and saw Qin Si sitting silently by the bed, staring fixedly at her.
“Do you have nothing to do?”
Bai Sheng Yi was speechless. She was tired and couldn’t be bothered to deal with Qin Si. She threw back the covers and lay down.
“If you have nothing to do, keep watch for me.” She yawned and closed her eyes, falling into a deep sleep.
Qin Si: … Dumbfounded.
“You… sleep?”
Qin Si couldn’t help but think of Bai Sheng Yi’s incredibly rapid cultivation progress. He had always assumed that besides talent, it must also be due to Bai Sheng Yi’s relentless, day-and-night diligent practice.
What cultivator would sleep for no reason these days? Don’t they all use meditation to replace sleep?
Just like himself, he would only take short naps when he had nothing to do. For the most part of his free time, he would only spend it in secluded cultivation.
“Mmm…”
Bai Sheng Yi murmured sleepily, turned over, and fell fast asleep, even letting out faint snores.
She didn’t know that Qin Si had watched her sleep all night. The next morning, when she woke up and didn’t see him, she assumed he had left early.
After tidying up and walking to the designated meeting point mentioned by Luo Feihua yesterday, she saw some familiar faces, such as Bai Murong, who was following Qing Bu Li.
“Sheng Yi!” Luo Feihua waved at her.
Bai Sheng Yi walked over and found that the others were also present. Chu Tianle awkwardly said to Bai Sheng Yi, “I’m sorry, Sheng Yi, yesterday I…”
Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by a voice, “Silence! Since everyone is here, follow me into the courtyard.”
It was Mu Xing.
He was wearing a white robe that exuded an immortal aura. Without flying on a sword, he walked at the forefront.
“The academy is very pleased that your pursuit of the Great Dao is so firm, and not a single one of you has given up. However, we also hope that you maintain vigilance and always strive to improve. The trials and difficulties on the path ahead will only increase, not decrease.”
His voice was indifferent, carrying an invisible pressure that weighed on everyone’s hearts.
No one spoke, following silently behind him.
Their living quarters were located at the outermost part of the academy. After walking for a while from the meeting point, they saw a stone staircase with several thousand steps. At the end of the staircase stood a white jade bas-relief, and a majestic immortal gate towered there, with misty clouds drifting leisurely, exuding an ethereal and detached aura.
“Ah!”
The first person to follow Mu Xing onto the staircase let out a small gasp.
Mu Xing was not surprised, “Let’s go. Those who do not reach the gate within fifteen minutes will be asked to return on their own.”
“How is that even possible?” a man in white at the forefront questioned.
Mu Xing’s expression remained unchanged, “If you can’t do it, then get out!”
The man in white immediately turned pale and swallowed the rest of his words.
The line quickly regained its composure, and everyone hurried forward with their heads down.
Bai Sheng Yi stepped onto it and finally understood the peculiarity.
As soon as her foot touched the ladder, her spiritual energy seemed to vanish like a stone dropped into the sea; it was all gone.
However, after standing on it for a while, Bai Sheng Yi found that she could still use her spiritual energy. It was just that the more she mobilized her spiritual energy, the easier it was to move, but her spiritual energy would be rapidly depleted. Within ten breaths, it would be exhausted.
But instead of being annoyed, she was delighted. This was a perfect place for body tempering!