Kofi thanks to Choco~
(4/5)
Xiao Mo carefully finished his spiritual meal, and once the others were done eating, Chu Jinglan ordered some dry rations. The lectures at Lin’an Academy would last for ten days, and carrying dry rations would help reduce the consumption of fasting pills.
After gathering their supplies, they left the city and headed toward Lin’an Academy.
The road outside the city remained bustling, as though they weren’t in the countryside. With the lectures approaching, most of those hurrying along were rogue cultivators and disciples from small sects. Xiao Mo and his group had chosen the perfect time to travel—they wouldn’t arrive too late to find a spot.
As for sitting too close to the academy’s instructors, even with the academy’s protection, it wasn’t guaranteed that they could securely hold their seats. Thus, they hadn’t even considered fighting for front-row spots.
Major sects had too many means at their disposal—it wasn’t worth creating trouble for themselves.
Some people wanted to use the lecture period to make an impression on the instructors because they couldn’t formally join Lin’an Academy. However, Chu Jinglan had other plans.
This was also one of the reasons he had chosen to bring the three children along.
After the lectures, Lin’an Academy would recruit new students—but only those who met the following criteria:
– Under 10 years old: Cultivation level must be at least Qi Refining.
– 11 to 20 years old: Cultivation level must be at least Foundation Establishment.
Mu Jian had previously mentioned that Dai Zisheng needed to form his core before joining Lin’an Academy because he was already twenty years old. Entering after forming his core would ensure that his cultivation level wasn’t at the bottom among students of similar age.
The academy welcomed disciples from various sects and noble families for cultivation training. However, conflicts between sects were inevitable. With Dai Zisheng’s higher cultivation level, he’d be better equipped to handle potential trouble and establish himself firmly.
Currently, among Chu Jinglan’s group, only Mo Zhi met the entry requirements.
As they traveled, others rushed ahead with urgency. In contrast, Crossing Adversity Sect’s leisurely pace stood out like a refreshing stream amidst the chaos. Their calmness frequently drew attention—even prompting some kind-hearted advice: “Daoist friends, there are already many people outside the academy. We’re all late—if you don’t hurry, you won’t even get to see the academy gates!”
The person was genuinely well-meaning, but Xiao Mo and his group weren’t in a rush at all. Xiao Mo smiled politely: “Thank you for your reminder.”
Seeing that Xiao Mo didn’t take his advice seriously, the man sighed and shook his head before resuming his journey on a flying sword.
When Xiao Mo and his group finally reached Lin’an Academy’s vicinity, they realized that what had been said was true.
Lin’an Academy’s grand entrance was situated halfway up a mountain. The heavenly gates stood wide open, with a thousand steps of stone paths stretching downward from the mountain gate. The path was tens of meters wide and paved with ancient jade. As clouds and mist swirled around the mountainside, it resembled a celestial palace in the heavens—majestic and ethereal, its true appearance shrouded in mystery.
For mortals standing at the foot of the mountain, gazing upon this sight—the thousand mountains opening their heavenly gates—it was impossible not to feel an overwhelming urge to bow in reverence.
Even though this was only Lin’an Academy in the Middle Realm, its grandeur was already astonishing—one could only imagine how magnificent the academies in the Upper Realm must be. It was almost beyond comprehension.
Currently, the once-spacious stone steps and the forest edges were packed with a dense crowd of people.
Xiao Mo gazed at the majestic beauty of Lin’an Academy and let out a sigh of admiration. He took his time appreciating the scenery. Having been in the cultivation world for so long, he finally witnessed the grandeur of a major sect. This is what cultivation should look like!
Chu Jinglan knew Xiao Mo enjoyed sights like these. Back during the secret realm selection at the Lower Realm’s noble families, Xiao Mo’s black mist sphere had been bouncing around excitedly, and Chu Jinglan had guessed as much. Now that Xiao Mo had a human form, even with half his face covered by a mask, it couldn’t hide his expression of awe.
Looking at the three children beside him—they were even more stunned, completely mesmerized.
But there was still a difference between Xiao Mo and the children. After admiring the scene, Xiao Mo turned to the system and remarked: “So many people—it’s just like a tourist spot during a golden holiday.”
A sea of people—who knows if they’re here to admire the scenery or just to watch each other.
System: “You enjoy traveling?”
Xiao Mo: “What nonsense. Do you think I have time for leisure travel? I went to tourist spots to work.”
Within a mile radius of Lin’an Academy’s gates, including the forest, it was already packed with people. Xiao Mo and his group approached one of the academy’s disciples and spent one low-grade spirit stone to purchase a “Territory Protection Token.” They registered five people and used the token to claim a spot under a tree just outside the one-mile mark.
The space they claimed wasn’t too big or too small—just enough for five people to feel comfortable without being overly spacious. A pale golden protective barrier enveloped their area. Once they chose their spot, the token floated about one meter above ground and became fixed in place.
Next to them, two rogue cultivators who had also set up their barrier sat on the ground, sighing: “We set out a month ago and still couldn’t arrive early enough.”
“Yeah… The grand lectures only happen once every ten years. We’ve missed our chance to make an impression on the instructors this time. Next time, we’ll have to leave even earlier!”
At that moment, someone returned to their barrier ahead and spoke to their companion: “I just went up front for a look—it’s mostly people reserving seats for prestigious sects. Occasionally, you’ll see high-level rogue cultivators bringing two or three disciples. But those sects aren’t among the top-tier ones from the Twenty-Four Provinces—the truly great sects wouldn’t bother competing with us for spots.”
“The top-tier sects aren’t here to listen—they’re here as a courtesy to Lin’an Academy. I heard that on the day before the lectures begin, they’ll all come to offer congratulations and perform ceremonial speeches before leaving. The spectacle is supposed to be quite grand—we might get lucky enough to witness it.”
Hearing that there might be an impressive display to watch, Xiao Mo became intrigued and turned his head to share this with Chu Jinglan—only to find that Chu Jinglan had already instructed the three children to open their books and start studying.
The ultimate overachiever not only pushes himself but drags others along too.
Feeling like he should set an example himself, Xiao Mo pulled out his flute.
However, as soon as he took out his flute, Mo Zhi let out an exaggerated “Wah!” and boldly threw himself onto Xiao Mo’s arm without regard for status differences; Yan Chun immediately followed suit by grabbing his other arm; Chu Xia, teary-eyed, tugged at Chu Jinglan’s sleeve instead—seeking help from the most reliable adult present.
Xiao Mo: “…”
“Well then,” he said darkly, “you really do have opinions about my flute playing.”
The three children didn’t dare say anything: Shixiong is perfect in every way—except when he plays his flute!
“Not at all,” Chu Jinglan calmly withdrew his sleeve from Chu Xia’s grasp and explained lightly: “I’m just concerned that others around us might not appreciate it.”
With so many people here, Xiao Mo replied: “I can create a soundproof barrier.”
As an Inner Demon spirit body before, he couldn’t harm or disrupt life—but now that he had Nascent Soul cultivation, creating a soundproof barrier wouldn’t be an issue at all.
Chu Jinglan was easygoing: “Mm, go ahead and play.”
The three children nearly burst into tears on the spot.
Xiao Mo couldn’t resist tapping each of their heads with his flute, one by one. After finishing, he huffed: “Fine, I’ll wrap myself in a soundproof barrier so even you won’t hear it. Happy now?”
Yan Chun and Chu Xia immediately said, “Thank you, Shixiong!”
Only Mo Zhi scratched his head and asked, “Huh? Shixiong can make a soundproof barrier? Then why didn’t you use it earlier? If you had, we wouldn’t have had to listen on the way here!”
Xiao Mo raised his hand and pretended to tap him again with the flute. But before he could, Chu Jinglan said calmly: “It was an opportunity to temper your minds along the way.”
…Was that really the reason?
The three children suddenly had a revelation—no wonder they had endured so much. It had been a test of their willpower.
Xiao Mo: …No, that’s not what I meant.
Frustrated, Xiao Mo began forming hand seals to create the barrier. Sitting beside him, Chu Jinglan said: “You don’t need to block me out.”
Xiao Mo paused mid-motion and turned his head to look at him through his mask.
Chu Jinglan’s tone remained as calm and steady as ever, like water in an ancient pond—still and serene, not flowing but tranquil like the quietest lake in a distant mountain monastery.
“I’m well aware of your progress in music.”
From the initial hellish cacophony that sounded like wailing ghosts and howling wolves, to the murderous screeches that could draw blood, to the beastly roars, and finally to its current state—clumsy but barely resembling a melody—Chu Jinglan had heard it all. He was undoubtedly the most qualified to comment.
Even the system had a feature to mute itself when Xiao Mo played, but Chu Jinglan hadn’t missed a single performance.
Xiao Mo rubbed his flute thoughtfully and tilted his head: “So it sounds good now?”
Chu Jinglan: “It’s still awful.”
Xiao Mo ground his teeth: “Is this your way of starting an argument?”
“There’s progress, but it’s still unpleasant. The two aren’t mutually exclusive.”
Xiao Mo was left speechless. Chu Jinglan then extended his hand: “Let me borrow the flute.”
Though annoyed, Xiao Mo handed over the flute with a huff, curious about what Chu Jinglan intended to do.
Chu Jinglan took the flute. His gaze lingered on the mouthpiece for a moment before he slowly raised it to his lips.
As his breath flowed through the bamboo flute, it transformed into a melodious tune that soared gracefully into the air.
Xiao Mo’s eyes widened slightly in surprise.
At that moment, a light drizzle began to fall outside their protective barrier, moistening the surrounding soil while leaving them untouched. A gentle breeze slipped through the barrier.
The rain falls softly on apricot blossoms;
The breeze brushes gently against one’s face.
The flute’s sound was ethereal—like misty rain over distant pavilions. It carried a sense of longing and nostalgia, evoking dreams of butterflies lost in dawn’s haze.
The three children looked up from their books unknowingly, their eyes widening in awe before gradually becoming entranced by the music. Around them, others also fell silent, captivated by this unexpected performance amidst the light rain.
There was no piercing sorrow in the melody, yet it stirred an inexplicable sadness in the heart. It seemed to lack dazzling technique, yet it left one enchanted and unwilling to part from it.
When the tune ended, the people around were still lost in the lingering notes, unable to pull themselves out of its spell. It wasn’t until Chu Jinglan handed the flute back to Xiao Mo that they snapped out of it, breaking into applause.
“Wonderful piece!”
“I’d say this melody rivals the celestial music of the Upper Realm!”
Praise from others never stirred Chu Jinglan’s emotions. Xiao Mo accepted the flute from him and remarked, “I feel like the piece isn’t finished?”
Chu Jinglan replied, “Mm, it isn’t complete.”
“You wrote it yourself?” Xiao Mo asked. “What’s it called?”
“It’s untitled.”
“That’s such a shame.”
Xiao Mo rubbed the flute thoughtfully, smiling as he looked at Chu Jinglan: “Finish writing it someday and give it a name. Then I can learn it too.”
Someone who couldn’t even play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star properly had rather lofty ambitions.
Chu Jinglan neither agreed nor disagreed: “The pieces you usually play—did you write them yourself?”
By now, Chu Jinglan could tell that Xiao Mo wasn’t playing random notes anymore—there was clearly a melody to his flute playing. However, whether due to Xiao Mo’s constant off-key performance or some other reason, Chu Jinglan still couldn’t figure out what piece he was attempting to play.
Xiao Mo didn’t even bother pretending: “I didn’t write it, but I know it.”
“It’s called Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Cute name, right?”
Chu Jinglan couldn’t help but recall their first night in Weicheng. He had been suppressing his blood and tears in a dark room while Xiao Mo sat outside on the steps, using his flute to drown out Chu Jinglan’s hatred and pain.
When he opened the window, countless stars reflected in his eyes. The night sky was clear and vast, with a magnificent Milky Way stretching across it. Xiao Mo had been sitting with his back to the starry sky, metaphorically knocking on his window with his music.
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star… It fit perfectly.
[Ding! Mental attack successful, points +50!]
Xiao Mo: ?
Are you sure there’s no mistake?
He had been captivated by Chu Jinglan’s flute playing just now—how could Chu Jinglan be considered emotionally influenced by him when he was the one playing?
Could it be because Xiao Mo had lent him the flute, so some credit went to him? If that were true, this point system was far too biased in his favor. But then why hadn’t he earned this many points before?
Unable to figure it out, Xiao Mo turned to the system for confirmation.
The system replied confidently: “Absolutely no mistake! Our system is professional!”
Xiao Mo: “Alright then.”
After all, if the points benefited him, why question it? He wasn’t about to turn them down.
Xiao Mo rubbed the flute again and couldn’t help but mutter toward Chu Jinglan: “Damn it—you’re way too good at this.”
The masks they wore hid their expressions, but in his peripheral vision, Xiao Mo thought he caught a fleeting trace of a smile in Chu Jinglan’s eyes.
It was brief—like a light drizzle carried along by passing clouds that vanished as quickly as it came. It left no lasting mark but lingered faintly in the air as a trace of moisture.
[Points +10!]
Xiao Mo felt like he was on track to becoming rich soon.
Far from being discouraged by Chu Jinglan’s earlier performance, he was instead brimming with enthusiasm. Using a soundproof barrier to enclose himself and Chu Jinglan, he prepared to play a piece of his own for Chu Jinglan to enjoy.
But just as he raised the flute to his lips, Xiao Mo suddenly froze.
Wait, hold on—just now… no, it’s not a matter of “just now.” Chu Jinglan had just played his flute!
When the flute was only two or three inches from his lips, Xiao Mo froze entirely. He finally realized that the mouthpiece of the flute had just been touched by someone else.
Come to think of it, this wasn’t the first time. Previously, when he had used Chu Jinglan’s body, he had also picked up the flute and played without hesitation.
But back then, both of their consciousnesses were housed in the same body, and Xiao Mo hadn’t been aware of it at all. It wasn’t until today, when they sat side by side with their identities distinct, that Xiao Mo finally noticed what he had overlooked.
The flute hovered near his lips, stuck in limbo—not moving forward or backward. His hands were completely frozen.
Chu Jinglan noticed the inexplicable pause in Xiao Mo’s actions and turned his head to look at him.
Through their masks, their gazes met. The unspoken understanding between them lingered for a moment before Chu Jinglan’s gaze slowly drifted down to the flute.
Chu Jinglan: “…”
Xiao Mo: “…”
Xiao Mo felt that sometimes mutual understanding wasn’t necessary—like right now. He really didn’t want to instantly grasp what Chu Jinglan was thinking.
Especially when a new system notification popped up in his ear:
[Ding! Mental attack successful, points +150!]
Xiao Mo… Xiao Mo suddenly had an idea about where those earlier points in Black Forest had come from.
It wasn’t because Chu Jinglan was amazed by Xiao Mo’s ability to control demonic beasts—it was because Xiao Mo had used Chu Jinglan’s body to play the flute.
Which indirectly meant… No! Stop that thought!
It must be because Chu Jinglan wasn’t used to it—maybe he had a touch of cleanliness obsession!
I might have it too, Xiao Mo thought.
But since he had already used Chu Jinglan’s body to play the flute before, would cleaning the flute with a spell now seem too deliberate?
Awkwardness hung thick in the air like a calm sea concealing dark whirlpools beneath its surface, spreading between them.
Before the whirlpool could collide, Chu Jinglan casually shifted his gaze away as if nothing had happened.
Xiao Mo gripped the flute tightly. With a resolute heart, he closed his eyes and pressed his lips to the mouthpiece. With a sharp breath, he blew—and immediately broke into a loud off-key note.
It was as if all his recent progress had vanished in an instant, dragging them back to square one. Even Chu Jinglan—who had grown accustomed to Xiao Mo’s erratic melodies—shuddered slightly as memories of those early disastrous days resurfaced.
But Chu Jinglan didn’t turn to look at Xiao Mo because he knew exactly why Xiao Mo had blown such a terrible note.
Xiao Mo himself was startled by the piercing sound. He pulled back from the flute and coughed dryly: “That was a mistake. Let me try again.”
I’ve already touched it, Xiao Mo told himself. Don’t overthink it. If I don’t care, nothing can make me feel awkward.
Besides, there would likely be many more situations in the future where he’d use Chu Jinglan’s body to play the flute—he needed to get used to it.
With that thought in mind, Xiao Mo raised the flute again and blew—and broke another note.
[Ding! Points +20!]
Xiao Mo: “…”
He set down the flute and removed the soundproof barrier before sitting upright with an air of calm composure: “I’ve thought about it—today isn’t suitable for practicing the flute. I’ll study my heart method instead.”
Chu Jinglan: “Mm.”
At moments like this, their mutual understanding proved useful. Both silently moved past the awkwardness from earlier—so long as neither brought it up, it would naturally be forgotten.
Truly skilled actors—well done, both of you.
—
Xiao Mo spent the following days diligently cultivating his heart method and other techniques. On the second-to-last day before the lectures began, Huanjian Sect’s main group arrived.
They passed by on a flying boat, soaring over the crowd at the foot of the mountain and heading straight toward the academy. Over these two days, many sects had arrived on flying boats, so people were no longer surprised. However, when Xiao Mo noticed it was Huanjian Sect’s boat, he glanced at it for a moment longer.
His divine sense had a wide range, allowing him to see clearly.
There was no space left near the academy for flying boats to land, so the disciples descended on flying swords. Among them was Su Baimo, walking beside Dai Zisheng.
Xiao Mo only briefly scanned them before retracting his gaze. A while later, a group of three Huanjian Sect disciples descended from the mountain—likely heading down temporarily to handle some matters.
As they passed by Xiao Mo and his group, Chu Jinglan’s body suddenly tensed.
Outsiders wouldn’t notice anything unusual, but Xiao Mo immediately sensed a fleeting surge of murderous intent from Chu Jinglan—an intent he was suppressing with great effort, though the veins on his hand were bulging visibly.
Xiao Mo transmitted his voice to him: “Chu Jinglan?”
Chu Jinglan tried to keep his gaze from following one of the figures’ backs. He lowered his head and stared at the ground beneath his feet, uttering just three words: “Chu family member.”
The Chu family had a few members in Huanjian Sect who worked within the sect and secured resources for their family. However, their numbers were small—only three in total.
One of them had just walked past as part of the Huanjian Sect disciples.
“Chu Jiao,” Chu Jinglan said coldly, his tone frosty like snow. “He specializes in talisman arrays. It was him who improved the restrictions placed on my mother.”
Hearing this, Xiao Mo tilted his head slightly to watch the three figures walking away. His voice was light yet carried an eerie undertone: “Kill?”
Although he didn’t know which one was Chu Jiao, none of the three had cultivation levels higher than Golden Core.
Chu Jinglan shifted his gaze from the dirt to his veiny hand and covered it with his sleeve: “There are too many powerful cultivators here—it’s not convenient to act.”
In the Lower Realm, cultivators could only reach Nascent Soul peak at most. As such, Nascent Soul cultivators were considered each sect’s ultimate weapon and rarely acted recklessly. However, things were different in the Middle Realm—its spiritual energy and resources were dozens of times greater than those of the Lower Realm. The highest cultivation level here was Divided Spirit peak.
Among those attending Lin’an Academy’s lectures, every major sect had Nascent Soul cultivators holding their positions. Huanjian Sect’s group of fifty included five Nascent Soul cultivators—not to mention that Lin’an Academy itself housed Divided Spirit stage cultivators.
Acting impulsively here would only lead to unnecessary exposure—a loss far outweighing any gain.
He couldn’t sacrifice his chance for vengeance against the entire Chu family for just one member’s life.
Those who had harmed his mother and him weren’t limited to just one person.
But then Xiao Mo spoke up.
“I’ve recently learned a new technique over these past two days—it’s highly unlikely anyone would notice it.” Though his tone sounded casual as always, it carried an innate allure. The Inner Demon asked softly: “Would you like to hear about it?”
Chu Jinglan lifted his eyes.
“Tell me.”
He didn’t hesitate. While he could endure when necessary, why hold back when there was an opportunity to kill?
If there was a way to act without consequences, he wouldn’t refuse it.
Hatred never fades—but it can be honored with blood sacrifices.
1 Kofi = 1 Extra Chapter
Indirect kiss again 😘
thanks for the chapter!
Reminds me of WanXian…🥰