Chapter 8: Hidden Daggers

Chang Ju, standing beside Li Hanguang, couldn't help but click her tongue in astonishment. "Who exactly is this woman? How dare she set fire in front of so many heirs, and Yongtian Palace didn't say anything?"

Li Hanguang smiled lightly but offered no answer.

People gradually arrived, and the spellcasting class commenced. The instructor briefly mentioned the annual examination, then dismissed them to find partners for practice. The instructor walked past each group, pointing out their weaknesses, but when he reached Xi Jiuge and Ji Shaoyu's group, he observed for a while and realized he truly couldn't teach Xi Jiuge anything.

However, the instructor also noticed a severe mismatch in their abilities. Ji Shaoyu always yielded to Xi Jiuge, unable to properly hone his spells, while Xi Jiuge was also hesitant and restrained in front of Ji Shaoyu. The two of them together would only waste each other's time.

The instructor, hands behind his back, observed for a while, then offered an excuse. "The Xuan Prince's Xuanming Arts are of the cold element, while the Bright Goddess's are of the extremely strong and intense fire element. Your attributes clash, which might complement each other on the battlefield, but it's not the best choice for regular practice. If the Xuan Prince wishes to practice magic, it would be best to find someone with the water element. Bright Goddess, I'll trouble you to practice on your own for a while first."

This was exactly what Xi Jiuge wanted to hear. She secretly breathed a sigh of relief and immediately agreed. "The instructor is right."

She immediately realized that she had returned with memories from a thousand years in the future. Even though her magical power was still weak, her experience and skills far surpassed those of Ji Shaoyu in the present. Her sparring with Ji Shaoyu was like a martial arts master sparring with a novice just learning to stand—it wouldn't benefit either of them.

It was better for her to practice independently.

Ji Shaoyu, hearing that the instructor wanted to separate him and Xi Jiuge, naturally disagreed. However, before he could speak, Xi Jiuge agreed, silencing Ji Shaoyu. He pursed his lips, feeling extremely unhappy. But he knew this was merely an excuse the instructor had fabricated to save face.

It wasn't that their attributes were incompatible, but rather that his strength was far inferior to Xi Jiuge's.

Xi Jiuge wanted Ji Shaoyu to practice even more than the instructor did; if he teamed up with her, his poor spellcasting would affect her exam results. Xi Jiuge said, "I happen to have a few spells I can't remember. I'll learn them for a while, and then we'll spar when I've memorized them."

"I'll go with you."

"No need," Xi Jiuge said. "The exam is approaching, and you also need to practice your spells. There's no need to waste your time for me."

After saying this, Xi Jiuge gestured to the instructor, then lightly leaped off the trial platform. Today, she wore a white dress with golden three-legged crows embroidered on the sleeves. As she swept across the sunlight, she shimmered and danced, as if weightless, landing gracefully.

Ji Shaoyu's eyes seemed to be stung by something. Her unwavering back and the radiant white dress seemed to remind him that he could never keep her.

Each of the Five Heavenly Emperors governs a region and has its own representative color. The Black Emperor favors black, the White Emperor favors white. Ji Shaoyu's clothes are mostly black, while Xi Jiuge is always dressed in white. Although Xi Jiuge often stays at the Northern Heavenly Palace, all her necessities are provided by the White Emperor, and the golden crow ornament she wears is unique in the entire heavenly realm, reserved only for her.

In this way, the White Emperor silently tells everyone that Xi Jiuge is first and foremost his sister, and only secondarily the Crown Princess of the Black Emperor. A fiancé can be changed, but there can only be one brother.

This seemed to be the first time Ji Shaoyu and Xi Jiuge had been separated since they met. Although she had progressed faster than Ji Shaoyu before, Ji Shaoyu could still keep up with Xi Jiuge's pace by working hard in private. For some reason, after only one night, Xi Jiuge's strength had changed drastically, so much so that even outsiders could see the vast difference between them.

Ji Shaoyu lowered his eyes, his expression indifferent, and remained silent for a prolonged moment.

The instructor suddenly realized he might have made a mistake; he shouldn't have meddled. But the words were already spoken, and he could only bite the bullet and try to salvage the situation. He scanned the arena but couldn't find anyone else practicing cold-elemental magic—except for the hostage recently sent from the Demon Realm.

The instructor knew he had probably offended the Crown Prince, and now he could only find a weakling for the Crown Prince to beat up and vent his anger on. He, a mere celestial official, dared not offend the son of the Xuan Emperor, and as for the demon, no one cared whether he lived or died; accidents during cultivation were commonplace.

The instructor then said, "Hostage Prince Li, it's rare that you also practice cold-elemental magic. Sparring with someone of the same element is the best way to identify weaknesses. Why don't you spar with the Crown Prince?"

Ji Shaoyu, who had been suppressing his displeasure, noticed a flicker in his eyes upon hearing the instructor's words and surprisingly didn't object. This was tacit agreement, and the instructor breathed a sigh of relief, turning to look at the other end of the training arena.

The training arena was vast, and the instructor's words, imbued with magical power, easily resonated throughout the entire space. In the corner, Li Hanguang was practicing with Chang Ju—or rather, accompanying her.

Chang Ju had once been naive and clueless, but after arriving in the Celestial Realm, she quickly learned to read people's expressions without any instruction. She almost immediately understood what these gods wanted.

She felt angry and humiliated, but besides being angry, she was powerless to do anything. Chang Ju hated how much these gods had bullied her. She wanted to comfort Li Hanguang, but when she looked up, she was unexpectedly met with a pair of deep, dark eyes.

Li Hanguang stood opposite her, his back to the others on the field. The instructors and Ji Shaoyu couldn't see Li Hanguang's expression, but Chang Ju saw it all.

His eyes were dark and deep, a faint smile playing on his lips—not his usual gentle smile, but like a snow-white poppy, using purity to conceal his true nature, dangerous yet alluring.

Chang Ju was stunned. In her memory, Li Hanguang was a gentle, somewhat dull person. He was always a step behind others in everything he did, never competing or taking risks. To put it kindly, he was a gentleman; to put it bluntly, he was a weak and easily bullied pushover.

But now, the person in front of her felt unfamiliar, even frightening. Chang Ju was startled, but upon closer inspection, she found everything was normal. Li Hanguang was still his usual mild-mannered self. He turned around, looking very troubled but not daring to offend anyone, so he had no choice but to reluctantly agree to the instructor's request.

Chang Ju blinked hard, and the person in front of her was clearly the Hanguang brother she had known for a thousand years. Perhaps she had just seen things wrong?

Xi Jiuge had originally planned to find another quiet place to cultivate, but after taking only two steps, she heard the instructor call Li Hanguang over. The instructor had done it unintentionally, but he didn't know that he had just created a confrontation between half-brothers and rivals in love—it was extremely fitting.

Curious, Xi Jiuge didn't rush to leave. Instead, she found a clean spot and sat down to watch the battle.

Because of Xi Jiuge's actions, those practicing spells nearby also stopped and looked over. They were surprised to see Ji Shaoyu standing on the trial platform with the hostage from the Demon Realm. After their initial surprise, they became excited, pausing their practice and watching the spectacle with their arms crossed.

This Demon Realm hostage didn't know the rules and certainly deserved a lesson. They could use today's class to teach this demon prince a lesson about respecting hierarchy.

The instructor, though nominally the master, dared not discipline these young masters. He pretended not to see them disrupting class and said, "Fair combat, stop when you've made your point. Whatever the outcome, don't ruin the camaraderie among fellow disciples. Alright, Crown Prince Xuan, Hostage Li, let's begin."

Malicious jeers arose from the sidelines.

Ji Shaoyu cupped his hands and said, "I am Ji Shaoyu. Please enlighten me."

Li Hanguang smiled and returned the greeting. "You flatter me. Your Highness, please."

---

Ji Shaoyu and Li Hanguang greeted each other, but neither moved. Before the battle, the best strategy was to remain silent and observe each other.

Li Hanguang looked at the man opposite him, thinking, Truly a pampered young master—even when facing someone he dislikes, he maintains impeccable manners and refuses to launch a sneak attack. He wondered if Ji Shaoyu would remain so composed if he knew he was another son of the Xuan Emperor.

In fact, in his previous life, Li Hanguang had already found Ji Shaoyu's so-called secluded place long before Xi Jiuge discovered him. He planned to kill Ji Shaoyu, but Chang Ju stopped him, weeping. Chang Ju said that Ji Shaoyu was pure of heart, unlike Li Hanguang. Ji Shaoyu truly did not covet fame or fortune, and only wished to live a carefree life, and would not return to compete with Li Hanguang for the throne. Chang Ju even invoked Li Yao's life-saving grace to Li Hanguang, begging him to spare Ji Shaoyu.

No matter how the Chang family used him, Li Yao ultimately saved his life. Li Hanguang promised Chang Ju that he would leave her a magical artifact for self-protection before returning to the Heavenly Realm. Ji Shaoyu remained completely unaware of this.

He left without saying goodbye to Chang Ju, and Chang Ju knew in her heart that their years of friendship had come to an end, and their next meeting would be as enemies.

However, Ji Shaoyu ultimately returned with Xi Jiuge, and the magical artifact Li Hanguang left for Chang Ju was used to abduct her at her wedding. Li Hanguang felt that his promise to Chang Ju was a joke; to eliminate weeds, one must eradicate them completely.

Chang Ju said that Li Hanguang was cunning and scheming, unlike Ji Shaoyu's innocent heart. Indeed, Li Hanguang was almost strangled to death by his mother at birth, only saved by Li Yao's return. He was despised by his birth mother and hated by his clan from a young age, and every extra day he lived required his utmost effort.

Ji Shaoyu, born amidst everyone's blessings and expectations, enjoys a noble status, inexhaustible resources, and even a fiancée has been arranged for him.

Even though he eloped with Chang Ju, Xi Jiuge was still willing to give up her cultivation just to rekindle their relationship. Ji Shaoyu is kind and pure because he doesn't need to fight for anything, while Li Hanguang's mere existence is a sin.

Why?

The two stared at each other silently, then suddenly moved simultaneously. Ji Shaoyu was always easygoing, and Li Hanguang also appeared gentle and refined, but now, when they attacked, their moves were unexpectedly ruthless.

The power of the gods mostly comes from bloodline inheritance. The Xuan Emperor, residing in the north, possesses divine power dominated by cold, making them a rare god race that relies on cold attacks. In fact, seeing that Ji Shaoyu and Li Hanguang both possess cold-natured magical power rarely seen in the Heavenly Realm, one can deduce that these two are brothers from the same father.

The two possessed the same elemental power, and as they fought, frost and snow flew everywhere. Despite the bright sunshine, the air rapidly cooled, until transparent ice crystals floated in the air, refracting sunlight into a dazzling array of colors. The onlookers, frozen stiff, had to retreat, whispering in astonishment, "When did the Crown Prince's Xuanming Divine Power become so profound?"

"How could this demon have lasted so long?"

Xi Jiuge sat to the side, watching the battle, none of the flying ice shards able to get close to her. The sunlight seemed to possess a mind of its own, actively circling around her, dispelling the cold. Her hair was black, her skin snow-white, her neck long and slender, and the gold patterns on her white robes shimmered in the sunlight, making her appear dazzling, almost radiant.

Xi Jiuge watched for a while, thinking that Li Hanguang was indeed adept at disguise. His face was like a Bodhi tree, yet his actions were ruthless and merciless. If it weren't for the restrictions of the Heavenly Realm, he would probably have already tried to poison Ji Shaoyu several times.

However, Xi Jiuge hadn't expected Ji Shaoyu to fight with such force. Could it be that Ji Shaoyu has already developed feelings for Chang Ju? Surely not—they've only met twice.

Xi Jiuge glanced indifferently in Chang Ju's direction. Chang Ju was nervously staring at the trial platform, her fists clenched tightly, though it was unclear who she was trying to encourage. Xi Jiuge felt a headache coming on. No matter how difficult cultivation was, she could persevere, but when it came to matters of the heart, she was completely clueless and didn't know where to begin.

While Xi Jiuge was lost in thought, the two on the platform had reached a conclusion, each taking a step back to stand firm. The instructor had originally intended to curry favor with the Crown Prince, allowing him to defeat the demon in a glorious display and regain face in front of his fiancée. Unexpectedly, this demon didn't play by the rules; the two had actually fought to a draw.

How could a lowly demon raised in a barren land actually fight to a draw with the Crown Prince, who lived a life of luxury and had access to unparalleled resources?

The instructor had a headache, but now he had no choice but to step forward and announce, "Crown Prince Xuan, mindful of the bond between fellow disciples, has decided to stop at a draw with Prince Li."

This announcement caused a great uproar. Li Hanguang chuckled softly at the instructor's words, while Ji Shaoyu lowered his eyes, his fingers clenching tightly. Chang Ju was furious that the instructor implied Li Hanguang's draw was solely due to Ji Shaoyu's concession; the other gods were also greatly shocked.

A draw was acceptable, but for the gods, to have fought a lowly demon to a draw was an utter disgrace. Many gods, unable to bear the humiliation, clamored for a challenge.

The instructor was caught in a dilemma. He clearly saw that the demon prince had held back; if it weren't for the sake of the Heavenly Realm's reputation, the match would have been far worse than a draw. Even the Crown Prince Xuan couldn't defeat him; these good-for-nothing princes of the divine race would only fare worse. If they were allowed to go on stage and embarrass themselves, things would spiral out of control. But if the officials stopped them, it would seem as if they were favoring the demons.

The officials were caught in this dilemma when a voice suddenly came from below the stage. Her voice, though not loud, strangely drowned out all the noise, instantly silencing the chaotic training ground. "Shao Siyou is a man of hidden talents; I am willing to learn a thing or two."

The crowd fell silent, turning to look behind them. Ji Shaoyu also looked up in surprise, then frowned immediately. "Jiuge..."

Xi Jiuge, however, stood on the high viewing platform, a hairpin twirling between her fingers as she gathered her long hair, and smiled at Li Hanguang. "I wonder if Shao Siyou would be willing to offer me some guidance?"

Li Hanguang was unfazed by Ji Shaoyu's draw, unfazed by the challenge, but now, his eyes narrowed, a rare genuine smile appearing on his face. "The Goddess honors me. It is my privilege to spar with the Goddess."

The two maintained eye contact as they spoke, clearly unconcerned about the instructor's approval or the opinions of others. Only the two of them could make the decision.

The instructor inwardly disapproved. The demon hostage was involved in the grand scheme between the Heavenly and Demon realms, and the involvement of the Crown Prince of the Xuan Emperor was already troublesome enough. If Xi Jiuge were to also intervene, and something went wrong, wouldn't the instructor be in deep trouble? However, the other party was the Pure and Serene Goddess; what could he say?

The instructor reluctantly stepped aside. Ji Shaoyu, seeing Xi Jiuge's expression, knew he couldn't persuade her, so he could only remain silent and quietly leave the platform to make room for her.

After Ji Shaoyu stepped down, Ji Gaoxin put his arm around his shoulder and patted him meaningfully. "Shaoyu, what good fortune! You fought to a draw, and immediately your fiancée came to your aid. With such a wife, what more could a husband ask for?"

A group of people laughed heartily. Ji Shaoyu pursed his lips, his gaze fixed in the distance, and didn't reply.

There were many engaged couples in the divine race, and it was common for the woman to seek help from her fiancé when she was wronged. But it seemed that only in his case did the fiancée always need to stand up for him.

The trial platform was now empty, leaving only Li Hanguang standing there. Xi Jiuge straightened her sleeves, lightly touched the ground with her toes, and gracefully flew toward the platform. Her movements were lithe and graceful; as she landed, her white robes fluttered and billowed, and her eyes, devoid of emotion or desire, made her seem even more like a deity descending to earth.

Li Hanguang watched her fall from the height, his eyes filled with an indescribable smile. After Xi Jiuge had settled, Li Hanguang cupped his hands and slightly parted his lips. "Goddess, please—"

Before he could finish speaking, Xi Jiuge's magic was already upon him.

Li Hanguang sighed inwardly. Attacking without warning—how could she act more like a demon than me?

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