Guan Heng was quite confident in his own abilities.

However, when he stood on the hillside behind the academy and looked at the blue and luxuriant Cunning Butterfly Orchid in front of him, he still felt that it was troublesome.

The leaves in front of him were as blue as ink, and the edges of the long stalks flickered with a dark light. Large clusters of black orchids clustered together, spewing mist into the sky. The entire mountain area was covered by the mist.

This wasn’t the standard species that Guan Heng had learned from the Illustrated Guide.

It was probably a new product that the Central Academy had cultivated after many years of breeding and nurturing with many spirit herbs.

Guan Heng squatted down and tentatively pulled out an orchid from the ground. The leaves of the black orchid shook and suddenly spewed out a puff of grey smoke. The long black leaves were as sharp as whips as they whipped towards Guan Heng’s face.

It was smacked away by the youth.

The Cunning Butterfly Orchid had the word “Cunning” in its name. It was famous for being illusory and strange.

When the day and night changed, there was a chance that a spirit plant that had entered the grade would turn into an illusion and scare passersby. It was said that people’s fear was the most delicious organic fertilizer for this special plant.

When ending a famous ghost story on the continent, just saying that it was the work of a Cunning Butterfly Orchid was enough to convince seventy percent of the naughty kids.

The orchids raised by the Central Academy were even more peculiar. Their spirit energy was thicker, and their branches were more brittle. The ends of their leaves naturally transformed into strange patterns of smiling faces. When they were plucked, the medicinal power dissipated several times faster. The herb picker had to hold it with both hands and use his profound energy to nourish it for an incense stick of time, until the broken branch was sealed.

Wu Cong was indeed up to no good.

Guan Heng made a rough calculation. According to the normal plucking procedures, he would be able to pluck at most four hundred plants in seven days.

If he used his Primal Chaos unique power to speed up the healing of the broken branches, he would be able to pluck a thousand plants in seven days.

The premise was that he would directly take root at the back of the mountain and not sleep or rest … Ah, no, he had miscalculated. At night, the power of the spirit herbs would be doubled, and the number of plants picked would be halved.

How troublesome.

Other than the problem of plucking the spirit herbs, Guan Heng’s heart was still lingering with an ominous premonition.

It wouldn’t be as simple as plucking the grass. He thought that Wu Cong definitely had other tricks up his sleeve …

Lost in thought, the youth sat on the ground and crossed his two slender legs. He casually picked up a Cunning Butterfly Orchid and gently kneaded the soft, inky blue leaves.

An extremely subtle stabbing pain suddenly came from his fingertips.

Guan Heng stilled.

He tilted his head slightly and uprooted the Cunning Butterfly Orchid in his hand. Facing the sunlight, he held it up in front of his eyes.

Behind the grass, there was an inconspicuous little bug. It had a small head and a broad back. It was sneakily extending its long, slender, and sinister mouthparts and stabbing them into his fingertips.

“Oh!”

A sharp pain suddenly came from his chest, as if a cold current was being pulled out of his heart.

Guan Heng suddenly clutched his chest, his five fingers tightening!

On his soft fingertips, the tiny wound made by the bug didn’t bleed. Instead, an extremely fine and thick gray line flowed out. It stuck together like a spider’s web and was pulled out bit by bit by the bug and swallowed into its mouthparts.

The pain came quickly and left even faster. As the gray line was gradually pulled out, a special refreshing feeling assaulted Guan Heng’s mind.

It was as if he breathed in his first breath of fresh, grassy air after the first rain in the morning. The fragrance of falling flowers assailed his nostrils, and his entire being became full of energy.

“… Strange.”

The young man’s handsome brows gradually furrowed.

He felt an extremely special profound energy fluctuation from the bug. It wasn’t an element of metal, wood, water, or fire. He had never seen it before, yet it was different from the Primal Chaos he cultivated.

But … when did he have this gray energy in his body?

Why didn’t he feel anything at all?

Could this be Wu Cong’s method of unknowingly poisoning himself?

While Guan Heng was puzzled, the bug had already sucked out all of the gray energy. It was still drooling with greed. It strode its tiny limbs, probing its mouthparts and tapping lightly.

It sniffed for a long time, but couldn’t smell any other gray energy. In the end, it shrugged its head in disappointment. It turned around and aimed its butt at Guan Heng. The carapace on its back spread open, and it flew away with a whoosh.

Guan Heng pinched his fingertips and looked in the direction the bug flew off in for a long time.

“No,” the young man muttered to himself. “Everything needs to be planned before acting. I have to go back and investigate the situation first.”

… …

In a secluded little courtyard in the corner of the academy, Xie Ziyou took small steps in distress, circling around in the garden again and again.

The wind was gentle, the green leaves fluttered in the wind, and the bright sunlight fell into the young man’s eyes, reflecting the thousands of melancholy emotions hidden in the depths of his clear pupils.

“No, I can’t stay,” Xie Ziyou muttered. “I have to leave this world …”

His heart was not made of stone.

In front of Guan Heng’s warm and affectionate smile, he could hear an uncontrollable “plop” sound in his chest. It was so clear that it was almost deafening.

There was no way to hide it. Xie Ziyou clearly realized that it was the sound of his heartbeat.

And the palpitation continued to expand in his heart. It was tyrannical, eroding his territory step by step. It was as vast as the tide. The dam he had worked so hard to maintain had long been riddled with holes and was on the verge of collapse.

If he stayed any longer, he was afraid that he would sink too deeply and it would be difficult for him to break free.

The bee that the system had transformed into danced back and forth in the air. Finally, it gently stopped on the young man’s silky black hair. It looked at Xie Ziyou’s tightly pursed red lips and the glimmering light in his eyes. It immediately understood.

It followed Xie Ziyou’s words and said, “Alright, You You, if this is your decision, I’ll support you.”

“If I don’t break it, I’ll be in chaos instead — I’ll immediately arrange for an escape?”

“Wait, wait, wait!”

Xie Ziyou suddenly raised his fair palm and swatted the buzzing bee to the side.

“… Don’t worry, let me think again,” he said hesitantly.

The young man pursed his lips and paced around a few more times. Then, he found a bluestone beside the pool and sat down. His jade-like hands supported his chin as he stared at the pool in a daze.

The pool was so clear that the bottom was almost visible. There were floating grasses swimming in it, and fish swayed their tails. It was very happy.

Xie Ziyou was annoyed. Looking at the silly fish, he was very displeased. Thus, he stretched out a slender, white finger, dived into the water, and secretly poked the fish.

The fish had lived in the little courtyard filled with spiritual energy all year round, so it had developed some intelligence. At this time, it did not hide. Instead, it swayed its head closer to Xie Ziyou, and its little mouth gently touched Xie Ziyou’s finger.

It was delicate and slightly cool.

It reminded one of the kiss in the cave at the Repent Cliff, which was like a dragonfly touching the water.

Xie Ziyou: “…”

So annoying!

“Miss!”

A slightly anxious shout suddenly came from outside the courtyard.

The wooden door opened, and an elegant and elegant maid quickly walked in front of Xie Ziyou. Her delicate cheeks were slightly red from anger, and her black eyes were twinkling.

Her steps were hurried, but her line of sight moved down slightly to avoid Xie Ziyou’s gaze. She seemed to be a little guilty.

“I heard that … the kid whose engagement was annulled by Miss has come to the academy.”

You Qin lowered her head slightly and bowed to Xie Ziyou. Her black hair hung down, and her flawless white dress fluttered in the breeze, outlining her slender waist.

Xie Ziyou was a little surprised. “Where did you find out?”

“It’s all spreading outside,” You Qin lowered her voice and said indignantly. “Miss, we know about that kid’s background. Two years ago, he couldn’t even break through the Celestial Barrier, so where did he get this amazing talent?”

Xie Ziyou was not this abnormal back then to be able to reach level five in just two years.

You Qin did not want to admit that the kid she had treated as a toad back then was a genius even more powerful than her Miss.

“I’m afraid he really cultivated some kind of demonic technique!”

The woman suddenly raised her head. Her gaze was cold and her expression was certain.

Demonic technique?

Xie Ziyou said in surprise, “Is this also spreading outside?”

“Yes, Miss doesn’t know?”

“…”

She really did not know.

You Qin’s angry expression did not seem fake.

Xie Ziyou blinked his beautiful peach blossom eyes. His slender willow eyebrows gradually furrowed, and the ends of his eyes curled up in a subtle arc. His thin lips were slightly pursed in confusion.

He waved his hand, indicating for You Qin to leave. Then, he slumped down on the bluestone, supporting his cheek with his hand.

There was a trace of joy in his heart, a trace of rejoicing.

The fish in the water immediately became much more pleasing to the eye.

Xie Ziyou gazed at his exquisite reflection in the clear lake water. He tried hard to suppress his surging emotions, suppressed his unconsciously arching brows, and barely maintained his indifferent tone.

“Unfortunately, from the looks of it, he won’t be able to leave for a while. We have to help the protagonist take care of this matter.”

“Why is it so coincidental? Guan Heng just stepped through the gates of the academy this morning, and now this matter has become known to the entire world?”

Even he and Wu Cong had only just learned of Guan Heng’s entry into the Central Academy this morning. How could it have spread throughout the academy in such a short time, and even to the ears of his maid, who had always lived in seclusion?

“Yes, what a coincidence.”

The System sighed. “For someone who doesn’t want to leave at all, is there anything more coincidental than someone giving him a pillow right after he dozed off?”

“… Nonsense, nonsense!”

Xie Ziyou’s cheeks instantly turned red, and he abruptly jumped up from the stone.

“I don’t want to get involved in Guan Heng’s business!”

“I just can’t stand the thought of ‘Heaven Devourer’ being passed down as a demonic technique, alright? It’s simply ruining my reputation — that’s a divine technique that I’ve carefully selected, and tailored for the protagonist! ”

“Alright,” the System said helplessly. “You You, I think you’re telling the truth, if only your tone was a little more firm and confident.”

“… Why are you so full of crap?”

Xie Ziyou turned his head away, angrily avoiding the System’s line of sight, and quickly walked out of the academy.

His steps were brisk, and his heart was beating wildly.

Even the air seemed to be much fresher. The bamboo rustled, and the green leaves were like jade.

Feeling the rapid beating of his heart in his chest, Xie Ziyou sped up while facing the cool breeze, and his brows furrowed in distress.

… His logic was clearly telling him that he should leave immediately.

But his body’s physiological reaction was actually so straightforward. Thinking of having an excuse to drag things out a little longer, thinking of having a reason to see Guan Heng immediately, the erotic thoughts he’d been suppressing suddenly swelled, and in an instant, it took over his entire mind.

He had overestimated his control over emotions.

He had also underestimated Guan Heng’s influence over him.

But … was this really good?

The youth leaped lightly between the eaves, a trace of confusion flashing through his beautiful ice-blue eyes.

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