Chapter 18: Chapter 18

Li Shihe and the Luo Yushi

In the apartment's office, Wei frowned as she flipped through the documents in her hand.

"She suddenly vanished before your eyes?"

"Yes, without a trace—one moment she was there, the next, she was gone,"

"I don't know what could have caused this either," he continued. "I could only come report it for now, but it shouldn't be something like a spatial distortion. You know, if one of those occurred, the entire apartment would have been sucked in."

"I understand the situation. I'll have the other instructors look for Shuang Yun nearby. But keep this quiet for now—let the Sky Ladder Tournament continue as usual and don't disrupt the order,"

Liushu shrugged helplessly.

Liushu still couldn't figure out what had happened. At the time, he had been no more than five meters from Shuang Yun, and she had disappeared right before his eyes.

There had been no magical fluctuations around them, and there was no reason for Shuang Yun to leave him without a word—nor any need for her to do so.

"I've lived for so long, I thought there were few things left that could surprise me,"

Liushu muttered to himself as he left the office and lit a cigarette.

It was already late at night; the apartment was silent, and only Liushu was left smoking in the corridor.

The following morning, the Sky Ladder Tournament proceeded as scheduled.

"Where's Shuang Yun?"

Mo Ying and Xiya sat beside Liushu, watching the matches.

Since neither of them was competing today, they were fairly free.

"No idea, maybe she went to another training hall to watch a match. After all, she doesn't have a match today,"

Liushu answered casually.

Mo Ying didn't inquire further.

Mo Ying and Xiya quietly observed the duels among the students—it was likely that any of them could become potential opponents.

Know yourself and your enemy, and you will never be defeated.

Meanwhile, Liushu was dozing off with his eyes half-closed.

By noon, the morning sessions had ended.

Liushu, who had been listless, instantly perked up.

Mo Ying and Xiya both got up as well, while the students filed out in perfect order.

Near the exit, Mo Ying noticed someone.

It was a young girl, surrounded by a cluster of guards, with a handsome man accompanying her.

The students around them all made way.

They had come out from another training hall, and their dignified bearing was unmistakable—even among nobles, they seemed extraordinary. Were they perhaps from some great noble family?

"She's far more formidable than ordinary nobles,"

Liushu seemed to understand what Mo Ying was thinking.

"Who is she?" the ever-curious Mo Ying asked.

"That's Luo Yushi, the First Princess of Lixia—potentially the next Empress of Lixia."

There were two great human nations in this world: Anzelona and Lixia. The rest were merely small states.

Lixia was in the east, Anzelona in the west.

Mo Ying and the others were in Anzelona; this Luo Yushi was from Lixia.

And not just anyone—she was Lixia's First Princess.

"She studies at Lixia's Skybranch Academy, probably here to observe Dreamscape Academy's Sky Ladder Tournament. She's a VIP and heavily guarded. If anything happened to this princess in Anzelona, it'd cause a huge diplomatic incident,"

Liushu said, lighting another cigarette.

Anzelona's Dreamscape Academy was ranked number one in the world, and Lixia's Skybranch Academy was second—though barely behind Dreamscape.

"The man beside her is her personal instructor—a real pain in the neck,"

The man, who had been next to Luo Yushi, instantly appeared at Liushu's side and smacked him on the head.

It happened in an instant.

Mo Ying hadn't even seen the man move—he just appeared, silent as a breeze.

"If people hear that, it'll get awkward,"

Liushu said with a grin, looking at the man.

It was obvious—they knew each other.

"Let me introduce you. This is my friend, Li Shihe. As I just said, he's trouble,"

"Let me introduce myself!"

Li Shihe pressed down on Liushu's head.

"My name is Li Shihe, and I'm his dearest father."

"You'll die by my hand today!"

Liushu counterattacked.

The two immediately started roughhousing.

At close range, Mo Ying took a closer look at Li Shihe.

Black hair, golden eyes, black gloves on his hands, draped in a loose black trench coat—his looks could only be described in one word.

This boy named Li Shihe was extraordinarily good-looking.

Mo Ying didn't consider herself lovestruck, but she had to admit—Li Shihe was truly handsome.

A cool voice snapped Mo Ying out of her thoughts.

It was only then that Mo Ying realized they had become the center of attention—even the First Princess had come over.

Li Shihe and Liushu broke off their scuffle at the same time.

Luo Yushi's words showed evident respect for her instructor.

For someone who might well become Empress to speak so respectfully, this teacher had to be remarkable.

It seemed that he and Liushu had known each other for a long time.

They clearly had a good relationship.

Luo Yushi politely extended her hand to Liushu.

Liushu shook her hand. Tʜe sourcᴇ of thɪs content ɪs novel[f]ire.net

"You're quite the ambitious highness,"

Liushu said with half-closed eyes and a faint smile.

"... You overestimate me,"

Luo Yushi replied, letting go of his hand.

They hadn't even chatted for five minutes before Liushu called her ambitious.

What was his basis for saying so?

"Alright, alright, I won't keep you any longer. The princess's time is valuable; it'd be a waste on us,"

Liushu took a few steps back.

"Want to go to the tavern tonight?"

Liushu asked Li Shihe.

"I'm so broke I nearly have to fight rabbits for grass outside their holes—how could you expect me to pay?"

"What have you even been working on all these years... Fine, I'll pay tonight,"

"I could never compare with your job as a private instructor—those paychecks are in the thousands. At Dreamscape, I barely scrape the minimum, can't even afford Hunter's cigarettes."

"We'll talk tonight,"

Li Shihe replied, dropping the topic.

"We won't keep you—you all go ahead,"

Liushu said, leading Mo Ying and Xiya away.

Mo Ying lingered for a moment before Liushu tugged her along.

Li Shihe led Luo Yushi away as well.

"Liushu, Liushu! Who is he, really?"

Mo Ying asked energetically once they were out of earshot.

"You weren't this enthusiastic earlier. Like I said, that's Li Shihe, my old frenemy, and the private instructor of Lixia's First Princess, Luo Yushi."

Mo Ying admitted honestly.

"Are you lovestruck or what?"

"How can you say that—he really is handsome!"

It was no exaggeration; Li Shihe was the most handsome guy Mo Ying had ever seen.

"Xiya, what do you think?"

Mo Ying turned to Xiya.

"Yes, very handsome."

Even the always-cold Xiya acknowledged Li Shihe's looks.

It was no exaggeration—if Li Shihe ever taught at Dreamscape, he'd become the dream lover of countless girls.

"Teacher, why did you call the princess ambitious?"

Xiya asked a question she was curious about.

"I believe I have a good eye for people. Luo Yushi is definitely an ambitious princess. Why? It's just my feeling,"

Liushu replied with a chuckle, dodging the question with an easygoing answer.

"You talk like you've been alive for centuries. By the way, Liushu, just how old are you?"

Mo Ying tugged Liushu's sleeve.

At this, Liushu paused.

"That's hard to say. The average human lifespan is three hundred years. You look about a hundred, but since strong people live longer, it's possible you're a thousand-year-old monster. Plus, modern technology can extend life and even change your appearance. Any cute girl on the street could be a thousand-year-old monster—there's no way to guess age by looks,"

Now, technology allowed for life extension and complete changes in appearance. With greater strength came longer life. You really couldn't judge age by appearance anymore.

As Mo Ying had said, any lively, adorable girl on the street might turn out to be a monster thousands of years old.

"Actually, I'm a super old monster who has lived for tens of thousands of years,"

Liushu replied with a smile.

"I knew it. Never mind, forget it! Let's eat!"

Mo Ying shook her head, a bit disappointed but quickly recovered her cheer.

Liushu adroitly avoided the question of his age.

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