Bamboo Chest Chapter Twenty: Yuan Feng and Yuan Bai

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The Taiping Academy had long been a place of peace, despite being only a temporary branch established by the bookish scholar in the capital city of Qianjing. After all, it was still the Taiping Academy. Ever since that scholar, fallen from the vast world of Haoran, personally inscribed the four characters "Taiping Academy" and had them stamped by the Grandmaster of Mount Tuoyue, none of its disciples had ever encountered trouble in the wilderness.

Yuan Bai was deeply envious of this young man.

Why, just by chance, did the dragon who fled to the White Plains Kingdom choose him? Why did the sword immortal of the Sword Qi Great Wall spare him? Why did the Taiping Academy...?

Why did all these beings choose him?

Yet Yuan Bai was powerless against this youth.

Perhaps even Yuan Bai himself did not understand why he had come here searching for Lu Yun.

So when faced with the youth’s provocation, Yuan Bai could only remain silent.

His right hand trembled slightly, and Chang Qi behind him quietly stepped back a few paces.

Lu Yun simply watched Yuan Bai without moving.

Since he had chosen the Taiping Academy, he believed Yuan Bai dared not strike him here.

In the end, Yuan Bai did not make a move. Expressionless, he said, “My brother should have looked for you already. After all, he's a traitor of the wilderness just like you.”

“But he is the crown prince of the White Plains Kingdom,” Lu Yun squinted and smiled. “Even if he went to see the sword immortal, the one in the royal palace didn’t lay a finger on him—not even a scolding, right?”

“What did he say to you?!” Yuan Bai finally lost his composure. In age, he was only a few years older than Lu Yun and much younger than Chang Qi behind him. Of course, Yuan Bai could never respect Chang Qi.

“You’ll find out soon enough,” Lu Yun chuckled. “You’ll be very surprised.”

Would this hostage prince truly believe his own elder brother wanted him dead?

Yuan Bai snorted coldly and turned to leave.

...

“Little junior brother, you did great! So dignified, you didn’t disgrace our academy!” Hong Yu patted Lu Yun’s shoulder with satisfaction. “I’ve decided to teach you a thing or two!”

Lu Yun’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

He had left Zhicui City largely to become stronger.

Now that he had reached the sixth realm, it was still not enough in Qianjing City.

He remembered what the bald giant had said when he saw him.

He was a sword immortal in the making!

Although he had chosen the path of the warrior, it wasn’t impossible to start anew, to walk the pure sword cultivator’s path!

“Of course! I never lie!” Hong Yu said.

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Hong Yu grabbed Lu Yun’s hand and ran outside the academy. “Come on, I’ll take you to a good place!”

Sheng Ge frowned, about to follow, but the bald giant blocked her way.

“Sir, could you point me to the correct path?” The bald giant bowed respectfully.

Sheng Ge was taken aback for a moment, then said, “I can teach you, but you must promise me one thing.”

...

Lu Yun was brought by Hong Yu to a desolate place outside Qianjing City.

Hong Yu smiled. “This place is good. Come on, little junior brother, try to beat me.”

“Ah?” Lu Yun was startled. Sheng Ge had told him that this red-haired woman was at the Nascent Spirit realm.

“Don’t worry, I’ll hold back. We’re both sixth realm—let’s have a match.”

Hong Yu simply coiled her bright red hair, clasped her fists, and spoke like a warrior, “Please, little junior brother, show me your skill!”

Lu Yun twitched his eyelids but took a deep breath and prepared seriously.

Influenced by Sheng Ge, Lu Yun’s aura had unconsciously grown colder and more aloof.

Hong Yu was increasingly pleased.

Look at her little junior brother—so handsome! No wonder he had tamed a dragon.

A gust of wind blew as Lu Yun’s sleeves rolled, and the youth stepped forward, rushing toward Hong Yu.

Hong Yu stood still, watching the youth approach, watching the cold gleam flashing from his sleeve.

The blade appeared, about to touch Hong Yu, but Lu Yun hesitated, his movement faltering.

“Little junior brother, you can’t be like this,” Hong Yu raised a finger. In the next moment, Lu Yun’s pupils shrank sharply, sensing a powerful danger, he hurriedly withdrew his blade, but it was too late.

In the sunlight, a red thread slowly appeared from Hong Yu’s fingertip.

Lu Yun froze, glancing sideways at the red threads entangling his body.

He couldn’t move...

He would die!

“Tsk, little junior brother, your moves are too slow. Those two blades are good, but as a Qi refiner, you must know some tricks,” Hong Yu said, stepping beside Lu Yun and lightly poking his cheek.

“Hmph, just stand there and think about it. We’ll fight again later—until you’re no longer trapped by my threads.”

“Senior sister, aren’t you going to teach me something...” Lu Yun opened his mouth.

“But your foundation is too weak!” Hong Yu was a bit frustrated. “How old are you? Sixteen, seventeen? Already at the sixth realm, no matter how good your talent, you can’t rush.”

Lu Yun felt a little embarrassed by her words.

...

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Back at the royal palace, Yuan Bai was summoned by Emperor Yuan Feng.

In the simple imperial study, Yuan Feng, clad in black robes, sat in a wooden chair, eyes narrowed as he looked at a letter on the desk.

“Father.”

Yuan Bai knelt before Yuan Feng’s desk.

Yuan Feng hummed and asked, “Did you go to find that youth?”

Yuan Bai lowered his head and remained silent.

Yuan Feng sighed, picked up the letter, and came to Yuan Bai.

“Are you wondering why he was chosen by the Taiping Academy? Take a look.”

Yuan Bai stared at the letter dropped before him, beginning to tremble.

“How could it be? How could it be...?”

Lu Yun, how could he have been the one chosen?!

Could that scholar left behind in Zhicui City really be that person?!

Yuan Feng slowly crouched down and reached out to touch Yuan Bai’s right hand, but Yuan Bai instinctively dodged.

Yuan Bai immediately realized what he had done and cautiously observed his long-unseen father.

The stern middle-aged man showed no expression. He withdrew his hand and picked up the paper again. “Whether this is coincidence or conspiracy, I cannot say.”

“But the only certainty is that youth is not important, or rather, not important to us.”

Yuan Feng looked into Yuan Bai’s eyes. “The real key is Dong Sangeng of the Sword Qi Great Wall. He killed one who ascended and another at the Jade Pu realm in Zhicui City. Now he wants to kill the Old Ancestor, to carve words on the Sword Qi Great Wall’s gate with the Old Ancestor’s head.”

Yuan Bai stared blankly at his father, silent for a long time.

“Is this acceptable?” Yuan Feng asked his son. “Do you think it’s acceptable?”

Yuan Bai instinctively shook his head.

“No, of course not.”

Yuan Feng nodded. “Zhiciu City is nominally part of our White Plains Kingdom, but you and I both know it looks down on our Yun family and never truly acknowledged me as emperor. Honestly, if Dong Sangeng had killed those two old bastards and then returned to the Sword Qi Great Wall, I would have applauded. But he didn’t leave.”

Yuan Feng’s expression darkened with anger. “He didn’t leave. For whatever reason, he is determined to kill the Old Ancestor and uproot our White Plains Kingdom. That is absolutely impossible!”

Finally, Yuan Feng helped his son, whom he had not seen for over ten years, to his feet and whispered, “The Old Ancestor hesitates, but he doesn’t know that our Great Yun Kingdom has no time left.”

“Father!”

Tears welled in Yuan Bai’s eyes. He knelt again. “Tell me what to do. I will do it!”