The Three Realms Thief Chapter 44

Inner courtyard embroidery building.

In front of the flowers.

The father and daughter’s conversation continued.

“There’s something else more important, back then—”

As Father Jiang said this, he suddenly noticed his daughter’s strange expression and immediately closed his mouth.

This made him re-evaluate the whole situation.

Hmm…

Apart from the matter of the two Royal Highnesses, there was no need to say anything else.

Especially that more important thing—

Anyway, the royal secret had nothing to do with this incident, so it was best not to mention it.

Not mentioning it was the safest!

Father Jiang looked at his daughter for a few breaths, then changed his tone and said:

“Forget it, that matter is even more dangerous. Knowing what you just heard is enough to understand my intention.”

“Now tell me, after hearing all this, what do you think?”

Jiang Xueyao had already regained her composure and said, “Father, you shouldn’t have let me go on a study tour. Especially at a time like this, we must show that we have no ulterior motives whatsoever.”

“You think you should continue attending school?” the middle-aged man asked.

“Yes,” Jiang Xueyao said.

Father Jiang pondered for a few breaths and said, “…I let you go on a study tour to express our stance, to prove that our Jiang family is absolutely unaware and doesn’t want to get involved in anything.”

“But you are also right.”

“When you return from your study tour, you must still participate in the next monthly exam. You absolutely cannot miss it.”

Jiang Xueyao was startled and said, “The next monthly exam! Is it still the City Destruction War?”

“It hasn’t been decided yet, but I’m afraid it will be tested again next time.”

Father Jiang sighed and asked again:

“If the next monthly exam is still the City Destruction War… what will you do?”

Jiang Xueyao immediately said, “I will act as if I know nothing, continue with my original teammates, and take the exam again.”

“That’s exactly right,” Father Jiang commented.

“Any superfluous action will make people overthink things,” Jiang Xueyao said. “Besides…”

“Besides what?” Father Jiang asked.

Jiang Xueyao quickly said:

“We are just four high school students at the early Qi Refining stage. There’s no way we could survive the City Destruction War, right?”

“So many cultivators can’t do it.”

“How can we possibly do it!”

Father Jiang nodded and said, “That’s right, I also think you overperformed this time and it’s impossible to do it again—”

“As long as you fail next time, then it’ll be fine.”

“But we must not deliberately fail; we must truly give our all in the exam and then genuinely fail in the exam,” Jiang Xueyao said.

“Precisely. If any of you dare to hold back, that would be a true catastrophe. Remember that!” Father Jiang’s tone was exceptionally stern.

He almost never spoke to his daughter in such a tone.

Jiang Xueyao naturally understood the gravity of the situation.

But doubts still lingered.

“The Emperor has always been benevolent, approachable, and mild-mannered, so where did the disaster come from?”

She asked.

Father Jiang extended a finger and pointed four times in the air.

Catastrophe.

“Just remember what I told you. You don’t need to know anything else, and I pray you never have to know.”

He said at last.

…

Classroom.

Xu Yuan returned to his seat and continued to do his assignments.

There were still a few big questions left, so he had to hurry up.

— The Luofu Independent Admissions test notice had been filled out and returned to Lin Weiliang.

Lin Weiliang didn’t say anything.

Now, it was just a matter of waiting for the notification.

He wondered when the next round of Independent Admissions tests would begin.

If he could break through to the third layer of Qi Refining before the test started, that would be great.

Xu Yuan shook his head and continued to write diligently.

Five thirty in the afternoon.

The setting sun cast large swathes of dim yellow light onto the classroom windowpanes.

Xu Yuan finally finished the entire test paper.

Hearing the dismissal bell outside, he couldn’t help but stretch, feeling like he didn’t want to sit for another minute.

He’d check the answers during evening self-study.

Hopefully, he didn’t make too many mistakes.

“Afei, heading out?”

Xu Yuan asked.

“You go ahead if you have something to do, I still have to work for a bit longer.” Zhao Afei looked troubled, staring at the last two big questions on the test paper.

Xu Yuan shrugged, left the classroom, went downstairs, packed two meals from the cafeteria, and then walked out of the school.

Right outside the school gate, just past the road, by a utility pole.

Several tall boys surrounded him.

“You’re Xu Yuan?” asked a tall boy.

“That’s me, what’s up?” Xu Yuan asked.

“You’d better stay away from Jiang Xueyao from now on, don’t think a toad can eat swan meat, understand?” another burly boy shouted.

Xu Yuan scratched his head, feeling a little awkward.

How should he put it?

They didn’t seem too bright.

Was there anything he could get these boys to help him with?

“Alright, alright.”

He took the hint and asked earnestly,

“Jiang Xueyao challenged me to ten fights, and I can’t refuse. Can you fight for me?”

It was the truth, and it really happened—

Jiang Xueyao accepted the invitation to join the team and participate in the monthly exam precisely because he promised to fight her ten times.

Now, she hadn’t said anything yet, but you guys jumped out.

You won’t let me fight.

Then you go fight her yourselves, and see what happens.

I can just get out of it.

The boys gasped in unison when they heard this.

The last boy who fought Jiang Xueyao to the death was still lying in the hospital, having taken a semester off from school.

Before the monthly exam, she struck down two more boys with a single sword!

One of them was still in the infirmary.

— Who knew another fearless one would pop up here!

Jiang Xueyao appeared delicate and weak, but her attacks were fierce and she never showed mercy.

If he truly fought her ten times, he would probably be directly crippled by her.

Upon this thought.

The boys’ gazes towards Xu Yuan were tinged with a hint of sympathy.

“So? Who’s going to stand in for me?”

Xu Yuan asked, his face full of hope.

The boys all avoided his gaze, even retreating a step.

“It’s fine, you can go.”

They made way for him.

Xu Yuan paused, then slowly realized.

So, you guys only dare to bully me, but once it involves anything related to Jiang Xueyao, you become as timid as cicadas in winter?

What a bunch of outwardly fierce but inwardly cowardly fellows!

Xu Yuan sighed, too lazy to bother with these timid guys, and directly flashed away.

Looking from behind, everyone felt his back figure was lonely, with a desolate and tragic feeling.

“He is a man who sacrificed his life for love.” A boy whispered a comment.

“Admirable,” another boy chimed in.

Everyone nodded silently.

Xu Yuan, however, didn’t know what they were thinking and continued walking on his own.

About three to five minutes later.

The second street corner.

Another group of high school seniors surrounded him.

“You’re Xu Yuan?” asked a short boy.

“That’s me, what’s up?” Xu Yuan asked.

“You’d better stay away from Yang Xiaobing from now on, don’t think a toad can eat swan meat, understood?” another burly boy shouted.

Xu Yuan scratched his head, feeling a little awkward.

— Can’t you say something new?

“I grew up with her since childhood; there’s nothing I can do about it,”

he said.

The boy said, “That won’t do either. Yang Xiaobing is such a good girl, and then look at you—”

Before he finished speaking.

Xu Yuan suddenly moved.

He held the packed meal box in one hand and slapped the scabbard with the other.

The Qiongxia Sword flew out of its sheath, flashed in an arc through the air, and returned to its scabbard with a clang.

“You concede.”

Xu Yuan said.

Silence all around.

The boy slowly lowered his head and looked at his waist.

— The sword he wore at his waist fell to the ground.

Before he could even react, the opponent disarmed him with one sword strike.

If it had been off by just a little more.

He would be dead.

…How could this happen?

How could he—

How could he————

Suddenly.

“It’s—a—flying—sword—”

Someone shrieked, their voice piercing the sky.

On the other side.

Hospital.

Top floor of the inpatient department.

Deep in the dim yellow sky, a glowing thread hung down, dangling a man with six arms.

He landed lightly on the rooftop.

Nine cultivators were already waiting there. As he arrived, they all said in unison:

“My Lord!”

“Hmm,” the six-armed man looked at his capable subordinates and asked, “When will Xu Chengan’s son arrive?”

“Around six o’clock every day, he arrives at the hospital to deliver food to Zhao Shulan,” a subordinate said.

“It’s almost time… Who will go and take his life for me?” the six-armed man said.

“We are willing to share your burdens, My Lord!” the nine cultivators said in unison.

The corner of the six-armed man’s mouth twitched, showing a disdainful expression:

“You are all my most capable subordinates. Killing a mere child doesn’t require all of you. Let’s decide by drawing lots.”

“That’s settled then, I’m going to see ‘Spirit Communication’ now.”

“Later, bring the heads to the East District pier, and after I’ve seen them, send them to Xu Chengan.”

“To be honest, I really want to see his expression.”

“Yes!” the nine subordinates said in unison.