Chapter 6#
No. 006 chapter#
The master ultimately never figured out what an “Ei Chi” was, only understanding that Duan Wei did indeed have friends outside.
At times like this, the fewer irrelevant people around, the better.
Still, this kid was sent to the academy by the young master’s order, and the young master was currently at the back mountain. After some hesitation, they went to consult the elder, and upon receiving approval, instructed him to call the people in for a chat.
Duan Wei headed outside.
This salvation mission involved three parties working in tandem: the Celestial Pole Dimensional Balance and Security Coordination Bureau, the Polar Supernatural Order and Coordination Regulatory Bureau, and Duan Wei’s own Universal Multiverse Operation and Maintenance Administration.
People often crudely referred to Duan Wei’s department as the Quick-Transmigration Bureau. Likewise, the other two departments also had more colloquial names—the Heavenly Realm and the Nether Realm.
The three departments recruited seven people total: one from the Administration, and three each from the Heavenly and Nether Realms.
They entered in a “two-two-three” formation, with team members not staying too far apart.
Duan Wei’s group was the most special.
First, it was a three-person team. Second, two of the three required soul transmigration.
The one who didn’t need to transmigrate had to make do and pick one of the two teammates to land near. It seemed that person had chosen him.
He speculated that after landing, the teammate hadn’t been able to find him, and seeing the large crowd at the academy, had hung up a cloth banner somewhere high.
In all his work so far, he’d only ever dealt with people from the Nether Realm. This time, he’d finally get to meet someone from the Heavenly Realm.
Curious, he walked out the main gate.
Everyone outside turned to look at him.
Most disciples from sects friendly with the Qimu Sect had already gone inside the academy. Those outside were mostly loose cultivators or heretical cultivators gathered for the spectacle.
They didn’t find any sect insignia on the young man and asked, “Someone from the academy?”
Duan Wei said, “Yes, but my master said I shouldn’t chat idly.”
Knowing that the Qimu Sect’s elder was inside, the crowd didn’t dare trouble a student. “Just one question—what kind of ancient realm is it?”
Duan Wei shook his head to indicate he didn’t know. “I wanted to sneak a look, but my master wouldn’t let me.”
Seeing that he was only at the Qi Refining stage and probably hadn’t participated in the assessment, they immediately lost all interest in him.
Duan Wei made it to the tree without trouble. Two people were sitting there eating steamed buns. One of them had delicate features and a cold expression—he was one of Duan Wei’s teammates, Fu Xingyu from the Heavenly Realm.
Fu Xingyu saw the young man walking straight toward him as soon as he came out, quickly finished his bun, and calmly looked back.
He’d hit the jackpot this time. Of the seven people, the two who needed soul transmigration had both been assigned to him.
Teammates couldn’t know what kind of person they’d transmigrate into—no data could be provided. This meant the others had all seen his photo, while he was completely in the dark, left to wait for them to approach him first.
Duan Wei smiled in greeting. “Sorry to keep Brother Fu waiting.”
Fu Xingyu’s expression relaxed as he stood up. Seeing Duan Wei look at the person beside him, he explained, “We’re together.”
Duan Wei understood. So he’d guessed wrong—these two had run into each other first. Quite a coincidence that they’d both landed so close by.
People died every moment in this world, giving plenty of transmigration targets, but for a mission, they had to pick suitable ones as best they could.
Meeting that condition while also having died not far apart was a matter of luck.
His other teammate was Fei Mo from the Nether Realm. The body he’d transmigrated into looked young, with a bookish face. Meeting Duan Wei’s gaze, he smiled at him.
Duan Wei smiled back. “My master doesn’t want me staying outside too long. Let’s talk inside.”
He added, “Also, the sect’s elder is stationed in there—better than out here.”
Fu Xingyu and Fei Mo both understood what he meant.
A powerful figure’s divine sense could sweep over at any moment; they’d better not discuss anything about “saving the world.”
The two followed him into the academy. Seeing a group of students approaching, Fu Xingyu quickly shoved the bun Fei Mo had just given him into Duan Wei’s hands, clasped his own behind his back, and stood with an imposing, steady air.
Duan Wei and Fei Mo both froze for a moment, glancing at him.
Only after completing the smooth chain of moves did Fu Xingyu realize what he’d done. His expression stiffened for a split second before returning to calm, and he gazed aloofly at the approaching students.
Duan Wei and Fei Mo recalled his file: a cultivator from a modern cultivation world who’d entered the Dao through alchemy, and had taken on a mission immediately after ascending.
He’d probably been an ancestral elder in his original world for far too long, used to maintaining an air of dignity before juniors—it had become a conditioned reflex.
Out of consideration for their newly formed team, Duan Wei didn’t expose him. He simply acted as if Fu Xingyu had genuinely been handing him a bun, and took a bite.
Fu Xingyu, still hungry: “…”
Duan Wei was pleasantly surprised. “This is pretty good. Where’d you buy it?”
Fei Mo’s gaze swept briefly across Fu Xingyu’s face, a smile tugging at his lips. “At the street corner on this academy’s block. They say it’s demon beast meat.”
Duan Wei praised, “Not bad.”
The students had just reached them and said, “Old Li’s bun shop, right? It really is good—only problem is the price.”
A Yuan studied the two newcomers and, finding they weren’t fellow townsfolk, asked, “Your friends?”
Duan Wei nodded, using the bun to sidestep the introduction. He gave them a look to introduce themselves.
Fu Xingyu and Fei Mo gave their names and nothing more, worried that saying too much would lead to mistakes.
The students returned a perfunctory salute, then said to Duan Wei, “The elder wants to see you.”
Duan Wei looked back questioningly.
A Yuan said vaguely, “It’s just… the elder called Senior Brother in for questions earlier, and now he wants to see you.”
Duan Wei guessed it was about the ancient realm matter and looked at his two teammates. “I’ll go over.”
Fei Mo exchanged a glance with him. “Go ahead. We’ll wait for you here.”
Duan Wei hummed in acknowledgment.
That one with the elder-act baggage—besides being an extremely gifted alchemist, he was unknown for now. But this one here was an award-winning actor in his past life.
He’d navigated the entertainment industry while alive, then spent centuries after death in the Nether Realm’s mixed bag of characters, and even managed to fight his way out to earn a slot. His ability to adapt on the fly shouldn’t be lacking.
He left with peace of mind.
Halfway there, a thunderous roar suddenly sounded, and the entire ground shook.
In an instant, every high-level cultivator inside and outside the academy shot into the air, all eyes fixed on the back mountain.
It had completely exploded. The aura of the ancient realm, the residual waves of the formation, and the oppressive pressure of cultivators surged outward mixed with dust and smoke. Before reaching the front courtyard, they were intercepted and suppressed by the stationed elder and Lang Xu’s group.
Soon a procession walked over from that direction. The heretical cultivators outside spotted Lang Xu and Zuoqiu Rong at the lead and immediately scattered. Even those inside the courtyard who had relied on sect connections to come offer help didn’t dare make a sound, parting to make way.
In the dead silence, the Qimu Sect’s head disciple, Wei Xisan, enlightened everyone: “It’s a trial ancient realm. It’s already sealed.”
He looked at the students. “A few more days of handling are needed. The academy will suspend classes during that time. You’ll stay at the sect for now.”
The students’ eyes lit up, and they chorused their agreement.
Wei Xisan gestured for them to pack their things and instructed his fellow disciples to bring the spirit boat over.
The Qimu Sect had been thorough, sending a spirit boat along, parked outside the city for emergencies.
Upon receiving the transmission, the disciples stationed there piloted the boat into the city and hovered above the academy.
Lang Xu and Zuoqiu Rong boarded first with their people, vanishing from sight. The cultivators in the courtyard, watching the Qimu Sect members methodically clean up the mess, felt they were in the way and tactfully took their leave.
With the situation changed and everyone needing to board the ship back to the sect, Duan Wei no longer had to go see the elder.
He hadn’t planned to stay at the academy anyway. But the matter of the ancient realm needed wrapping up, and since Lang Xu was in the group, he could use that token to have a chat with him.
He was about to explain the situation to his teammates when Wei Xisan intercepted him. “Why aren’t you packing?”
The original owner had planned to seek out the young master and had brought his luggage along from the start. Duan Wei said, “I don’t have anything to pack, Master. I have two friends who came to find me—we haven’t seen each other in a long while. Could they come to the sect with me?”
Wei Xisan asked, “What are their names, and where are your friends?”
Duan Wei pointed. “My name is Duan Wei, and my friends are over there.”
Fei Mo and Fu Xingyu’s eyelids twitched.
As teammates, they’d both read this kid’s file and knew his real name.
Wearing someone else’s body, and reporting your actual name right in front of his master and classmates—was that really okay?
The academy master was nearby. Worried the head disciple might be displeased upon learning the truth, he lightly chided, “Stop joking around with no sense of propriety. Give your real name.”
Duan Wei exclaimed, “Oh my, we mustn’t speak that other name! Duan Wei is my real name!”
Several students who’d shoved their clothes into storage pouches and come back chimed in, “Right, he really is called Duan Wei!”
The master: “?”
Fei Mo and Fu Xingyu: “?”
Wei Xisan didn’t care about this.
All he knew was that the young man’s cultivation and name matched up, and he was exactly the person Lang Xu had instructed must be brought aboard. The two friends were both at Qi Refining stage, so bringing them along was no trouble.
He thus cut off their bickering and efficiently sent the whole pack of brats onto the spirit boat.
The sect had sent the boat specifically for these students, choosing the most standard model—but it was still plenty spacious.
It had two levels, each a courtyard.
The group was in the first-floor courtyard, surrounded by simple scenery, with a covered walkway ahead leading to the various rooms.
Some students had ridden spirit boats before, but always the type with cramped cabins packed tightly together. This was their first time on the sect’s own boat, and they felt their horizons expand.
Fei Mo and Fu Xingyu walked along with the group, giving Duan Wei meaningful looks. You’re something else, kid. No wonder you’re the honored retired employee of the Quick-Transmigration Bureau—you got people accepting your real name right after transmigrating.
Duan Wei had made the call for them without asking first, and said in a low voice, “Come with me to the sect first. There’s something important. I’ll explain afterward.”
Fei Mo and Fu Xingyu hummed in agreement, neither objecting.
Hanging that cloth had been a gamble on pure luck; they hadn’t held much hope. Who knew they’d actually find him?
Having the full team assembled by the second day was already going smoothly. They both knew the mission would take a long time, so it didn’t matter where they went first.
Duan Wei rarely did missions in cultivation worlds and was taking things as they came. After a few steps, he sensed something and looked up to find Lang Xu standing at the railing on the second floor, watching him.
Their eyes met in midair. Lang Xu smiled, tilted his head toward the interior in a gesture, then turned and left.
Soon a Qimu Sect disciple appeared before Duan Wei, saying a senior brother wanted to see him.
Fei Mo and Fu Xingyu looked over.
One had survived alone in the Nether Realm up to now; the other had cultivated all the way to ascension. Both were sharp.
They’d noticed the man around the same time as Duan Wei, if not a moment sooner, and recognized him as one of those who’d handled the ancient realm.
Fei Mo guessed his status was probably unusual and asked, “Who’s that?”
Duan Wei looked at them. “Lang Xu.”
Fei Mo and Fu Xingyu stopped in their tracks, repeating to confirm, “Lang Xu?”
The surrounding students turned at the sound of their voices.
Duan Wei nodded seriously. Now his teammates finally understood why he was going to the sect.
He said, “He was the one who charged into the ancient realm and saved us last night.”
Learning they’d run into a key figure right at the start, Fei Mo and Fu Xingyu perked up.
The former said, “You’re my brother. Him saving you is like saving me. I have to go thank him in person.”
The latter echoed solemnly, “I’ll go too.”
The Qimu Sect disciple beside them said, “The senior brother said he’ll only see him alone.”
Fei Mo and Fu Xingyu fell silent for a moment, then surrounded Duan Wei.
Fei Mo said, “For such a great kindness, you’d better thank him properly.”
Fu Xingyu instructed, “Be sincere.”
Carrying the hopes of the entire village, Duan Wei replied, “Don’t worry, I will!”
The surrounding students: “?”
Their gazes all shifted to the two friends’ faces—delicate, bookish, both good-looking.
These two had been all stiff and tight-lipped a moment ago, but the instant they heard it was Lang Xu, their attitudes flipped. And then with Duan Wei acting like that… no wonder the three of them could get along—so they shared the same hobby after all!
Seeing Duan Wei about to march off with high fighting spirit, they felt the world go dark.
Thoughts surged all at once: “This is a lifesaving benefactor; we can’t let him go have a fit” / “Lang Xu is close with the young master; he’s probably with him right now” / “Ah, the academy’s reputation is doomed.”
The students stumbled a few steps and pressed down on Duan Wei’s shoulder with trembling hands. “Hold on a moment!”
The Qimu Sect disciple didn’t know what was happening and said, “Talk later if there’s business—the senior brother is waiting.”
The students were used to obeying their teachers and instinctively let go.
Duan Wei could guess what they were thinking, decided he’d explain later, and quickly went up to the second floor.
The students watched him leave in despair, then turned in unison to the remaining two.
The young master had never suffered much hardship and didn’t know the wickedness of human hearts. What fault could he have?
This was probably someone else’s bad influence!
They walked over to the veranda, sat down, and waved at the two with friendly smiles. “Come here, brothers. Come sit and chat.”
Fei Mo and Fu Xingyu, sensing an inexplicable grudge: “?”