Chapter 62

Chapter 62: Cut In One

Mingyue's method was precise and effective.

The Land God Spell greatly mitigated the destructive power of the Fierce Sun Talisman, and the remaining embers were suppressed and extinguished by the third-year students using other types of Yin Qi talismans.

Jun Weiran was surrounded by a group of third-year seniors, being patted on the shoulder and praised.

Mingyue stood alone outside the crowd, carefully observing that the speed at which the walking corpses crawled out of the rift had indeed slowed down. Only then did she relax, letting out a breath.

Although she had already given up on the possibility of going any further with Jun Weiran, watching the boy glowing with pride as he received compliments from the crowd made Mingyue feel a bitter pang in her heart. She kicked a stone on the ground, muttering to herself, "No one even remembers the person who came up with the idea, tsk."

That's how he is.

He's always been this way.

Mediocrity never satisfies his heart. Reputation and honor are Jun Weiran's pursuits.

When they were little, her brother taught them how to draw talismans and fight, and Jun Weiran always wanted to be first. Later, when they went to school, it was the same, and in university, it became even more intense.

Ambition is a good thing, Mingyue knew that.

And since Jun Weiran was the one she secretly admired, she naturally wouldn't just accept his virtues and ignore or despise his flaws.

Simply coveting his appearance and talent wasn't a healthy feeling.

However, the death of Jun Yuanshan had severely altered Jun Weiran's personality.

It made the sharpness in his character even more pronounced.

The sky was hazy with gray mist. The sun, around three or four in the afternoon, finally peeked out from behind the clouds. Mingyue squatted on the ground, pulling at the grass and staring at the sun, waiting for the third-year students to finish handling the aftermath at the rift.

Father, oh father.

You had noble intentions, burning yourself for the balance of the Yin and Yang realms. I am proud of you. Even though your decision caused a major reversal in my brother's life, with fortune and misfortune intertwined, I won't comment on it, because I wasn't part of that history.

But, what exactly happened between you and Uncle Jun?

Back when there was turmoil in the Underworld, you borrowed the wish talisman from Grandpa's side to "make a wish" in the Underworld—how did you end up using your own life and your brother's life in that wish?Is there such a tragic and hopeless wish in this world?

And, why does Jun Weiran always feel that you took Jun Yuanshan's reputation, stole his credit, and even caused his father's death?

These questions Mingyue had already been contemplating for years.

Since the time when Jun Yuanshan's will caused the Jun family’s only son to break ties with the Ming family, Ming Er had harbored doubts in her heart.

If Father truly took the honor that should have belonged to Jun Yuanshan and even caused the death of his father, then Jun Weiran's hatred would indeed be justified.

However, the Underworld's emissaries had no reason to deceive Mingyue.

The Black and White Impermanence always had the Ming family's father and brothers in mind.

Moreover, if the balance between the Yin and Yang realms—"Pianan"—was a matter of sacrifice and vision, then the one who bore the cost must have been the one who sought balance, because the cycle of karma is the heavenly justice. It would not allow the false lies of the mortal world to misattribute the credit or misdirect the disaster. The one who gave up his life was Father, not Jun Yuanshan.

As for whether Father’s fame was too great for his own good, Mingyue had once risked everything to ask Ming Ye about it. After all, he was one of the involved parties. In response, Ming Ye had flown into a rage, beating the young, tearful Mingyue mercilessly. He nearly broke the ironwood broom, but it was only thanks to Zhou Lu’s protection that she had survived, with Ming Er kneeling and sobbing for several days at the ancestral hall before things settled.

“The rumors from outside should not reach your ears, Mingyue.”

“Your understanding of Ming Dinghai’s achievements in the Underworld is nothing compared to what it truly is.”

“You only need to understand that my survival is the ironclad proof of his fame, understand?”

Ming Ye had stayed with her through the night while she knelt in the ancestral hall, and this was what he had said.

Vague, yet firm.

Mingyue was good at picking out the key points.

First, Ming Ye scoffed at and completely disregarded Jun Yuanshan’s hatred. On a deeper level, Ming Ye looked down on Jun Yuanshan.

Second, Ming Ye’s survival likely contained both immense luck and misfortune, for which Father had paid with his blood.

Since then, Mingyue had never asked Ming Ye about such matters.

It was a scar in the hearts of her family.

No matter how important Jun Weiran was or how much he shook her heart, he was not enough to make Ming Er do something that would cause her family pain.

Love it or leave it.Jun Yuanshan was killed by his own small-mindedness.

At that moment, Mingyue firmly decided in her heart.

However, the younger generation often resemble their father, and in recent years, during the New Year's visits to the old family home, the elder friends and relatives often praised Mingyue, saying that she resembled Ming Dinghai when he was young. Yet, no one ever said that Ming Ye looked like Ming Dinghai.

Mingyue occasionally wonders if the proud and arrogant Jun Weiran today resembles Jun Yuanshan from back then.

When Yan Jun came to pass on a message from Chen Xiu, he saw the group of third-year students surrounding Jun Weiran while Mingyue sat all alone on the lawn, fiddling with the soil.

“What’s wrong?” The class leader came over and squatted down to accompany her.

Mingyue gave a resigned sigh and glanced at him, “Class leader, you’re here.”

“It’s nothing, just figured out an important matter.”

Yan Jun, understanding how to offer her an out, quietly asked, “What important matter?”

Just then, her phone rang. Mingyue glanced at the message, and her expression worsened, but she still politely answered Yan Jun first:

“I’ve figured it out. The crooked tree won’t strangle me.”

“I have to slowly untangle the noose myself.”

The message notification chimed again. Mingyue opened it, her face resembling someone who had just drunk something unpleasant. She muttered in a low voice:

“This damn kid is so annoying…”

Yan Jun: "…"

Yan Jun had yet to process the massive amount of information in Mingyue’s response. His gaze fell on her phone, and he quickly read the message:

【Well, well, it's a rare visitor. You actually sent me a text.】

【Haha, and you're asking for a hero to save the day?】

【How was the dagger last time, Ming Er? I’m already on my way. Don’t let those walking corpses kill you, or how will you ever see how much I’ve improved these past few years?】

【I’m galloping here, please wait, little Ming Zha Zha.】

【Coming! I’ll be there in three minutes, open the door to welcome your older brother!】

Yan Jun: "…"Yan Jun furrowed his brows.

He was meticulous and had already checked Mingyue’s social circle. Based on Mingyue’s personality, she shouldn’t have deep connections with someone who sends messages like that.

Yan Jun: “Is there anything you need help with?”

Mingyue felt that the class leader was reliable, and since Spirit-Sealing Academy and Di University would inevitably clash sooner or later, there was no harm in him knowing: “It’s fine.”

She held up her phone and showed it to the class leader: “I have a cousin studying in the equipment department at Di University, his name is Li Hesun, and his personality is a bit… cheerful.” Mingyue said casually.

Yan Jun: “I don’t think someone with such a speech habit can be considered cheerful.”

Mingyue pulled the class leader up and walked toward Chen Xiu: “Don’t mind him. Some people think being rude is fun.”

“I need to talk to Senior Chen Xiu, I didn’t expect the ground fissure could be suppressed, so I went to Di University to ask for help—”

“Now I still need to mention it, or when it comes to negotiations later, we, as the lower-year students, won’t be able to represent Spirit-Sealing Academy.”

The distant sound of a cylinder releasing air could be heard, a rumbling noise that made it sound like the vehicle had a lot of horsepower. Mingyue was talking with Chen Xiu, and when she heard this, she pointed.

“It’s here.”

“My flamboyant peacock of a cousin.”

Chen Xiu laughed at this description, then coughed a few times and assumed a formal stance.

Sure enough, as soon as they spoke of him, he arrived. A shadow emerged from the mist, which soon turned into a series of colorful streaks.

Chen Xiu leaned on the canopy and said theatrically: “Mingyue, your cousin’s family is quite well off.”

“Seven or eight Hummer H2s, is he running a car club?”

Mingyue: “…”

Mingyue rolled her eyes and leaned forward: “Senior, his family doesn’t run a car club.”

“They run a shop, Tianxuan Pavilion.”

Chen Xiu: “…”

Chen Xiu: “!!!”Yan Jun: “!!!”

The crowd: “!!!”

Tianxuan Pavilion was not just wealthy.

It was also the king of Yin-Yang tools, a well-known brand in the industry.

After all, not all practitioners were like those from Spirit-Sealing Academy, who excelled in both talismans and martial arts. Many others entered the field through unconventional means, relying on their strength in combat and strong Yang energy to force their way in.

Everyone gasped in disbelief.

Chen Xiu dropped his formal tone and teased, “A rich man, Mingyue.”

“Which family is wealthier, yours or your cousin’s?”

Mingyue: “…”

Of course, it's my family.

Mingyue sighed inwardly, holding back her frustration, and explained: “It’s not his family, it’s my maternal grandfather’s side—” Before she could finish, the screeching sound of tires came from the distance, and the Hummer convoy stopped. Seven or eight vehicles, in every color of the rainbow—red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet—pulled up, with the paint jobs all messy and unrecognizable. One of them, painted in electric blue, opened up, and a head popped out.

“Ming Er!”

“Are you dead yet?!”

Mingyue: “……= =”

Onlookers: “……”

“Hahahahahahaha!”

“Thanks to you.”

Mingyue said unamused: “You’re late, the walking corpses have already been stopped.”

Li Hesun emerged from the mist, his hair dyed bright red, his facial features sharp, and his brow high, sporting a somewhat rebellious expression.

DNA really is “mystical.”

Mingye’s appearance had a hint of wildness to it, which, unlike Mingyue, was not inherited by her, but was clearly visible in Li Hesun’s face.

Sure enough, relationships can be broken, but bloodlines cannot be severed.

“Ming Zha, long time no see.” Li Hesun said while chewing gum, coming up and punching Mingyue on the shoulder.

It hurt a lot.

Mingyue gasped, covering her shoulder and taking a step back, already feeling like her shoulder would bruise by evening.

Chen Xiu stepped forward, handling the formalities: “Thank you for the help from Imperial University.”

“I’m Chen Xiu, the president of Spirit-Sealing Academy. May I ask, who are you?”

Li Hesun didn’t immediately answer. Instead, he shouted to the crowd of people inspecting the scene in the mist:

“Senior! President Chen Xiu from Spirit-Sealing Academy is looking for you!”

After saying that, he turned back, rudely saying:

“I’m Li Hesun, from Imperial University’s Spirit Institute, Tools Department, Class of ‘17.”

“Nice to meet you, senior.”

After speaking, he didn’t offer a handshake, instead standing to the side while chewing gum.

Chen Xiu: “……”

Chen Xiu felt inexplicably slighted or insulted.

Before he could regain his composure, the president of Imperial University, Su Hui, arrived, completely stealing his attention.

Chen Xiu: “……”

When the two presidents met, even though one was a man and the other a woman, it was like lightning striking the ground.

Mingyue and Li Hesun had personal grievances, but the other students didn’t. While the two presidents engaged in a sharp exchange of words, many students from Xiang University and Jin University gathered around Li Hesun’s convoy, admiring the cars. After all, they were good cars, and they were pleasing to the eye—everyone liked them.

Li Hesun was shallow and ostentatious. Not that his heart was evil, but he loved hearing compliments. Surrounded by his classmates’ envious gazes and words, he proudly lifted his head to speak.

“Tch.”

Mingyue pulled Bai Linlang, who had come to find her, to the side, heading toward the area where the Ghost Slayer was inspecting the scene.

“Like a peacock spreading its feathers, so full of himself.”

Bai Linlang suppressed a laugh: “A peacock spreading its feathers is beautiful.”

Mingyue rolled her eyes: “It is indeed beautiful, but when the tail feathers are up, it just reveals a bare butt and eyes.”

“That’s exactly him.”

Bai Linlang: “……”

Bai Linlang: “Hahahahahaha!”

The head of the room laughed until his stomach hurt.

By the rift, a few Ghost Slayers from the host organization, Yuzhou, who had come with the convoy, were surveying the scene while chatting in their local dialect:

“What’s this? So many walking corpses…”

“These students this year are a bit unlucky.”

“Eh, they’ll manage, worst comes to worst, they’ll just fake a corpse.”

“…Are you out of your mind? Is Fengdu turning into a place where you can just roast fake corpses?”

Several internal personnel were having a heated discussion about the information coming from Fengdu.

Mingyue and Bai Linlang, who were eavesdropping behind a stone, exchanged looks:

Mingyue turned around: “Room Leader, can you understand what they’re saying?”

Bai Linlang awkwardly smiled: “……”

“Nope, didn’t understand.”

Mingyue nodded: “That’s good.”

“I didn’t understand either.”

Bai Linlang: “……”

Bai Linlang, speechless: “Then why did you say something?”