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The commotion outside the city did not cause much of a stir.
Spirit Hall remained silent, and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School was even more tight-lipped, as Xue Qinghe and Xuan Ming, who were involved, both had close ties to the Sect.
The two were attacked by what appeared to be direct descendants of the Clear Sky Sect. Regardless of the reason, it completely shattered the illusion of "the Upper Three Sects being of one mind."
If investigated further, it would only worsen the already strained relationship between the two Sects.
Regarding the qualifiers, after the Royal Fighting Team's battle with Thunder Academy, almost all subsequent teams chose to forfeit. Xuan Ming's brutal methods that day served as a sufficient deterrent.
The Royal Fighting Team won without fighting, preserving their strength but greatly disappointing the audience who had anticipated exciting duels.
The Tiandou regional qualifiers finally concluded.
The top five places were decided: the Royal Fighting Team, Shenfeng Academy, Blazing Academy, Tianshui Academy, and the Shrek Academy, which had fortunately advanced.
Shrek's advancement was widely considered a fluke.
The spot that originally belonged to Thunder Academy became vacant because its main force was severely injured by Xuan Ming, and all its members withdrew from the competition early.
Despite numerous questions about the legality of the Royal Fighting Team's match, its intensity even surpassed the previous Canghui Academy incident. However, under the joint tacit approval of the Tiandou Imperial Family and Spirit Hall, all controversies were suppressed.
Moon Pavilion.
The awards ceremony for the qualifiers was held today, but Xuan Ming did not attend. Gu Yuena was also invited by the Supreme Pontiff to the Spirit Hall.
Xuan Ming was originally cultivating in his hotel but was invited to the Moon Pavilion.
Stepping into the private room on the second floor, Xuan Ming immediately noticed Tang Yuehua's abnormality; she had not slept all night, her eyes were red, and she had clearly been crying.
"Something wrong?" Xuan Ming asked directly.
Tang Yuehua slowly looked up, revealing her slightly red eyes, "You and Spirit Hall, exactly…"
"There is no connection."
"What about in the future?"
"Most likely, we will be enemies."
Tang Yuehua was stunned: "What do you mean?"
"The situation is complex, no need to ask further," Xuan Ming said calmly.
"Tang Hao came to find you?"
Tang Yuehua's body stiffened. After a moment of hesitation, she nodded.
"He is your brother. I can understand why you trust him," Xuan Ming said.
"But you had best not interfere in this matter. It has gone beyond the scope of what you can mediate. Your diplomatic skills are meaningless in the face of this."
When violence takes the stage, everything else must retreat.
"Don't get involved. This is a warning," Xuan Ming stood up.
"Unless you want to see the Clear Sky Sect fall into crisis again."
Tang Yuehua quickly grabbed his sleeve: "Whose side are you on, exactly?"
Xuan Ming turned to look at her: "In the past, perhaps there was a choice, but now I belong to neither side, and in the future… I won't either."
"A target of public criticism?" Tang Yuehua's eyes dimmed.
"Everything I do is so that one day I can stand on my own side, doing what I want to do, not what you think should be done," Xuan Ming said calmly.
"To have the right to speak, one must first have the ability to make others shut up. That is what the Supreme Pontiff taught me."
"That day will not be far off."
…The qualifiers ended, and there was a one-month rest period before the advancement rounds began.
Unlike the team-based qualifiers, the advancement rounds focused more on individual ability, which was originally the Royal Fighting Team's strong suit.
However, the problems exposed in the qualifiers made everyone unwilling to relax, and they immediately began a new round of training.
Dugu Yan was personally guided by Dugu Bo, Ye Lingling was entrusted by Xuan Ming to Bi Ji, and Zhu Zhuqing, Xiao Wu, and Ning Rongrong were personally led by Xuan Ming for training.
As for Gu Yuena, her strength no longer required such training.
Tiandou Royal Academy's back mountain training ground.
In the evening, Xuan Ming, having finished his day's cultivation, lay on the ground.
Gu Yuena sat quietly beside him.
"She asked you to go to Spirit Hall. What did she tell you?" Xuan Ming asked.
Gu Yuena thought for a moment: "She asked me how I felt about you."
Xuan Ming was startled: "How did you answer?"
"I told her the truth."
"The truth?" Xuan Ming's expression shifted slightly.
He was well aware of his talent, strength, and appearance's appeal to the opposite sex; Dugu Yan, Ye Lingling, and Ning Rongrong's admiration all stemmed from this.
But this liking was too superficial, so he always maintained a distance, never responding and never crossing the line.
He even knew that they themselves understood he only saw them as friends, but they were unwilling to give up. And he also didn't want to lose these few friends, unable to be too harsh, which made the relationship seem somewhat ambiguous—though it only seemed so.
Zhu Zhuqing was different; he gave her the opportunity and ability to choose. They once had similar circumstances and personalities, and her feelings were deeper.
Therefore, he gave a limited response.
Ning Rongrong and the others knew this, so even when Zhu Zhuqing "cheated" back then, they didn't have any conflict with Zhu Zhuqing.
Then, Xiao Wu, this girl's feelings for him were very complex, somewhat similar to Qian Renxue, but also different. But ultimately, he could still understand it, after all, this relationship was created by him. He saved this mother and daughter, and he also wanted their lives.
Xiao Wu had no romantic love for him, only a complex kind of yearning. She could be called a good friend, or someone who saw him as an older brother, leaning more towards familial affection, just as A Rou treated him like a child.
As for Hu Liena, her feelings were an advanced stage of the superficial liking that Ning Rongrong and the others had. Her liking was not just that superficial bit; she understood him more, and her feelings for him were deeper, which is why he didn't stop Hu Liena last time as he used to.
Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue were out of the question; their feelings for him were both very twisted and couldn't be explained in a few words.
As for Gu Yuena… her feelings came inexplicably, sincere yet without cause, profound yet sudden.
"What truth?" Xuan Ming asked.
Gu Yuena tilted her head, looking at Xuan Ming with clear eyes, and said, "I just said I like you."
"Because of the Ice Dragon King, the Spirit Beast clan, or… pity, sympathy?" Xuan Ming asked.
From his previous nightmares, he didn't know how much of his past Gu Yuena had seen.
Moreover, Gu Yuena's mind was too pure, far purer than Xiao Wu when she first transformed. He simply couldn't understand her, because she seemed exactly as she appeared, consistent inside and out, without any pretense.
But he truly couldn't believe this purity.
"These are merely the causes, not the root," Gu Yuena said softly.
"Then what is the root?" Xuan Ming asked.
"I feel you understand me very well, perhaps even better than I understand myself. Then you should know that I won't believe in things I cannot confirm."
Gu Yuena leaned slightly closer to Xuan Ming, her hair gently brushing his cheek, "The root is you, all of you—your past, your present, your strength, your weakness, your maturity, your childishness, your bravery, your vulnerability."
Xuan Ming's eyes were somewhat complex, "Do you think I'll believe that?"
Gu Yuena gently held Xuan Ming's hand, "You don't have to believe it; that is your freedom. I won't force you to believe."
"But this is my answer, now and in the future."
"I know what you are doubting and what you are worried about, but at least for now, at least I, the me before you, exist only for you."
"This is for you, and it is also for me."
"You can take this as gratitude towards you, but similarly, this is also my own willfulness."
"Perhaps tomorrow will be very difficult, perhaps tomorrow I won't be able to stay by your side, but at least for now, I am still with you."
"My eyes only have you, and your eyes, only me."
Xuan Ming was silent for a long time, his gaze slowly falling on their clasped hands. Gu Yuena's hand was very cold, yet it carried a strange sense of calm, as if it could slowly soothe the complex emotions churning within him.
"Is this also what Ice taught in her training class?" Xuan Ming asked.
Gu Yuena gently shook his hand, "This is the student surpassing the teacher."
Xuan Ming took a deep breath and looked up at the sky. At this moment, the afterglow of the setting sun spilled onto the clouds, painting the sky a brilliant orange-red, breathtakingly beautiful.
He suddenly felt that perhaps some things didn't need to be understood perfectly clearly, just like the tranquillity and beauty of this moment—once broken, they could never be regained.