The First Summoner - Chapter 75

“Sounds good.” Zhuge Youlin accepted the challenge readily.

Their exchange made Zhuge Weiran cover his face in exasperation. Countless geniuses applied to Western Region Academy. Simply gaining admission was already an impressive feat, yet these two were talking about fighting for first place.

It was little more than a pipe dream.

Still, Zhuge Weiran did not discourage them aloud.

Noticing his seventh brother’s reaction, Zhuge Youlin laughed. He slung an arm around Zhuge Weiran’s shoulders and said with a smile, “Seventh Brother, you don’t need to worry so much. I know what I’m doing. If I can compete for it, I will. If I can’t, I’ll let it go.”

“All right.” Zhuge Weiran nodded with a wry smile.

Shen Yan said nothing, but she felt the same. She wanted first place not merely for herself, but because she wished to take on one of Western Region Academy’s secret missions as soon as possible.

She had no idea what condition Shen Huai was in now.

She could only hope he was safe.

Fifteen minutes later, the three of them boarded the platform again.

This time, Shen Yan took out a quilt beforehand and spread it beneath herself. At least her backside would not suffer quite so much.

The white-haired old woman glanced back at her but said nothing.

Then the old tortoise began racing once more.

…

Two days later, Shen Yan was still sitting on the platform when a familiar, pleasant voice suddenly sounded in her sea of consciousness.

“Shen Yan, what are you… doing right now?”

Feng Xingyao!

She appeared calm, but the image of his transformation into a fox demon involuntarily surfaced in her mind. After a moment’s silence, she answered through their mental link, “I’m on my way to Western Region City.”

Inside the ability space, the man sat up. His long, pale fingers rubbed his temples as if he were still somewhat dazed.

His eyes slowly opened, sinister and unruly.

He saw the two human youths seated in front of and behind her. A trace of coldness surfaced in his eyes, displeasure gathering between his brows, only to disappear again without a trace.

His red lips parted. “You saw everything?”

“Yes.”

“And what do you think?”

The question caught Shen Yan off guard.

What did she think? Beyond being stunned by his beauty, she had also been shocked—and angry, because he had bitten through her neck.

“Nothing in particular,” she replied evenly.

“Aren’t you afraid of me?” His tone carried a hint of probing.

“If I were afraid of you, I wouldn’t have made a deal with you and let you hide inside my space in the first place.” Shen Yan continued, “But do you remember that before you lost consciousness, you agreed to grant me three requests?”

Feng Xingyao considered this. The memory of his fangs sinking into her neck as he drank her blood rose in his mind. She had even embraced him of her own accord, all to distract him long enough for Ninefold to smash the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda down on his head.

He remembered what she had said.

Feng Xingyao answered flatly, “I don’t.”

Shen Yan frowned. “You clearly do.”

Laughter colored his voice. “Why don’t you reenact what happened? Perhaps that will help me remember.”

Shen Yan fell silent.

She made every effort to keep her temper as she replied, “Feng Xingyao, the fact remains that you drank my blood. If you were anyone else, I would have killed you. I didn’t. All I’m asking is that you grant me those three requests.”

She truly had possessed countless opportunities to kill him while he slept, yet she had refrained.

Seeing how stubbornly she insisted, Feng Xingyao relented. “Very well.”

This, too, could be considered a transaction.

Inside the ability space, Feng Xingyao propped his cheek on one hand, looking indolent beyond measure. “What do you want? As long as it is within my power, I will do my best.”

“I don’t need you to do anything yet.”

Feng Xingyao hummed softly in acknowledgment.

Silence settled between them once more.

At that moment, Feng Xingyao raised a hand and pulled the Ninefold Demon-Suppressing Pagoda into his palm.

The pagoda began trembling violently.

An icy menace surfaced in Feng Xingyao’s eyes. His large hand tightened slightly around it as he smiled without warmth.

“You worthless little thing. You dared strike this lord? Hmm?”

Ninefold instantly assumed human form and pleaded tearfully, “I was wrong! I was wrong! I won’t ever do it again! Waaaah…”

Feng Xingyao smiled faintly. “Did you expose my identity?”

“Of course not!”

Ninefold hurried to proclaim their loyalty.

“Did she force you to tell her?”

Ninefold froze for a moment, then shook their head. With solemn sincerity on their little face, they said, “No. Master only asked me about it. She didn’t force me.”

Feng Xingyao’s expression turned inscrutable.

She had not pressured Ninefold for answers. That proved she did not want to become entangled in his affairs. She wanted to protect herself by keeping her distance.

Feng Xingyao slowly closed his eyes.

Seeing this, Ninefold hastily slipped away.

Once they had escaped behind a shelf, they poked out their little head and peeked at Feng Xingyao. They could sense that the man’s mood was not particularly good.

How strange. Feng Xingyao had not punished them, even though Ninefold had smashed him viciously over the head! That was a monumental act of disrespect!

Ninefold stroked their chin, looking thoughtful.

After all these years, Feng Xingyao’s temper really had improved!

Ninefold broke into a delighted grin and muttered, “Progress. This is progress.”

“Make another sound, and I’ll kill you.”

Feng Xingyao’s frigid voice drifted over.

Ninefold instantly shrank into themselves like a frightened quail.

They had been wrong. Feng Xingyao was as cold-blooded and merciless as ever!

…

For the next several days, Shen Yan remained in the tunnel. They occasionally encountered parties from different places, all being pulled along by tortoises, but Old Tortoise was by far the fastest. It left every other mount in the dust.

“We should reach Western Region City in about another day,” the white-haired old woman said.

Zhuge Youlin grinned. “Great-Aunt, you and Old Tortoise really are fast!”

“Save your flattery.” The old woman looked at the three of them, then offered a warning. “Entering Western Region Academy is not difficult, but earning a place in the rankings is. All of you come from small kingdoms. Your horizons are narrow, and the only geniuses you’ve ever seen are from the handful of nations around you. Western Region City is different. Geniuses gather there from across the entire Pingze Western Region—and there are ranks even among geniuses.”

Her words silenced all three of them.

Zhuge Weiran said, “My goal is simply to enter Western Region Academy first.”

Zhuge Youlin said nothing, but the white-haired old woman turned her murky, inscrutable gaze on him.

He immediately flashed her a toothy grin.

“Great-Aunt, are you staring at me because I’m so handsome?”

She snorted. “Don’t flatter yourself.”

Then she looked at Shen Yan. After spending several days together, the old woman had come to regard Shen Yan as rational and intelligent. Yet the girl was exceedingly difficult to read, as though she were hiding countless secrets.

“Shen Yan, do your best on the test.”

Shen Yan was surprised. Then she nodded and smiled.

“I will, Senior.”