Chapter 13: The World’s Morals Are in Decline… Got Caught Zoning Out

After a short while, Gu Changhuai faintly heard a barely audible sigh of helpless resignation in the air, as if in compromise.

He almost thought he’d misheard it. His heart skipped a beat as he tentatively glanced at Rong Ye’s reaction, only to see the other’s expression calm and unchanged, seemingly unaware of anything unusual. Rong Ye even looked back with a faint trace of puzzlement.

“…” Gu Changhuai feigned composure and shifted his gaze away.

He confirmed that Rong Ye probably hadn’t noticed—otherwise, how could there be no reaction at all?

Soon after, Gu Changhuai felt his waist tighten. He looked down to see an arm wrapping around his lower back from behind, pressing down on the other side and firmly locking his entire body in an embrace.

Their already close distance drew even nearer, so close that Gu Changhuai felt uneasy. He sensed himself enveloped by a breath as cool and clear as melting snow— a foreign aura carrying an overbearing dominance that seemed intent on completely invading him.

Gu Changhuai’s pupils contracted. Instinctively uncomfortable, he wanted to push away.

The next moment, Rong Ye’s low, husky voice sounded by his ear. “Hold on tight. We’re getting out.”

At those words, Gu Changhuai gave up the thought. He obediently wrapped his arms around Rong Ye’s neck.

In an instant, another wave of weightlessness hit. The world spun before his eyes as they leaped upward, while the pull of the Ten Thousand Jin curse dragged downward at the same time.

Rising against the wind on one side, falling on the other—the two extremes tugged at Gu Changhuai’s body, making it unsteady. Without time to think, he immediately hugged Rong Ye back.

In just a few breaths, with another blink, they had escaped the pit and landed a zhang away from the trap.

Gu Changhuai stood stunned for a moment. Coming back to himself, he abruptly released Rong Ye and stepped back two paces. Smiling as if nothing had happened, he said, “Thank you, Immortal Lord, for the rescue.”

His embrace suddenly empty, Rong Ye paused and lowered his gaze indifferently, withdrawing his hand.

Gu Changhuai felt Rong Ye’s calm, unruffled gaze sweep over him. Afraid that Rong Ye might notice something off, he quickly changed the subject. “It’s almost the hour of wei. Immortal Lord, we’re going to be late.”

Rong Ye nodded. “Let’s go.”

Seeing Rong Ye’s unchanged expression, Gu Changhuai secretly breathed a sigh of relief. However, after just two steps, Rong Ye’s figure suddenly halted.

Gu Changhuai: “?”

He saw Rong Ye’s brows furrow slightly. Rong Ye reached out to the spot on his neck where it had been scraped earlier, and when he withdrew his finger, the tip was stained with a smear of blood.

This mark stood out starkly before their eyes.

The air instantly filled with a deathly silence.

Gu Changhuai coughed twice, his expression unchanged. “Perhaps the trap was too narrow just now, and it got rubbed somewhere. I’ll apply medicine for you later, Immortal Lord.”

This explanation was perfectly reasonable. He couldn’t help but admire his own quick wit.

Rong Ye showed no suspicion. He gave a low “Mm” and said, “Good.”

…Huh?

Gu Changhuai rubbed his ears and hesitated in place for a moment… Had he misheard? Rong Ye had said “good”? He’d said “good”?

Did he believe the mark was from rubbing, or was he agreeing to the medicine?

Before he could verify, Rong Ye had already continued toward the Stone Long Platform. Gu Changhuai patted his head and hurried to catch up, temporarily setting aside his confusion.

Whatever. At least he wasn’t suspicious of him.

*

The Stone Long Platform was surrounded on three sides by cliffs. From the top of the cliffs, one could clearly see the crane-haired elder seated at the highest position on the Stone Long Platform.

The elder was speaking eloquently, his slow and drawn-out voice echoing through the empty valley. Descending along the steps were cultivators seated in orderly rows, each with a long desk before them for note-taking.

Further back, people continued to arrive one after another, but all were extremely quiet, making no noise as they listened attentively. At a rough first glance, there were three or four hundred people in view—not even all of them, as more were still coming to find empty seats.

Rong Ye had just emerged from the mountain path when the crane-haired elder at the top of the Stone Long Platform stopped lecturing. He said, “Since Qing Lian has arrived, he’ll answer everyone’s questions from here on.”

Rong Ye nodded. “I was delayed by something and arrived late.”

The crane-haired elder smiled kindly. “No matter. You’re here now, that’s what counts.”

In the midst of their conversation, they immediately drew everyone’s attention. Hundreds of people turning back at once made for an impressive sight.

The figure blocking Gu Changhuai from the front suddenly vanished. Gu Changhuai hadn’t had time to dodge—he was right behind Rong Ye. With Rong Ye gone, he was directly exposed to the crowd.

As the one who had appeared alongside Rong Ye, he instantly drew all eyes, most of the gazes shifting onto him.

Some scrutinizing, some appraising, others with undisguised hostility—each harboring their own thoughts.

…His good mood came to an abrupt end the moment he showed up at the Stone Long Platform.

Gu Changhuai silently raised his eyes to Rong Ye, who had taken the crane-haired elder’s position. Looking at Rong Ye’s impassive face, he cursed inwardly several times.

“…” Gu Changhuai pondered for a moment and decided to face it optimistically. Without changing expression, he waved and greeted, “Hey, good afternoon, everyone.”

No one spoke. Silence reigned.

Gu Changhuai didn’t feel embarrassed. He tucked his hands into his sleeves with a smile, planning to sneak away once Rong Ye ascended the platform.

What a joke—he was from the Demon Clan. Why would the Demon Clan listen to lectures from the Cultivation World? It was like chanting scriptures; one listen and his head ached—like the scriptures and the Demon Venerable both deserved to die.

However, Rong Ye apparently had no intention of letting him go.

With a flick of his sleeve, a long desk appeared beside the top position. Rong Ye pointed at it, lowering his gaze to Gu Changhuai in indication. “Come sit.”

The prime seat specified by the leader of the righteous path—Gu Changhuai instantly earned another wave of death glares.

“…”

Gu Changhuai’s smile stiffened.

Gu Changhuai fell silent.

Fine, fine. The “top student exclusive” seat he hadn’t gotten before transmigrating, he now sat in after transmigrating—thanks to the male lead’s golden finger.

Especially after ascending to this highest position on the Stone Long Platform, Gu Changhuai realized the view here rivaled standing atop the cliff. He could overlook the entire scene and scan everyone present at a glance… Of course, everyone’s gazes could similarly focus on him.

It felt like needles pricking his back, like sitting on pins and needles.

Really, the Demon Venerable wanting him dead made a bit of sense.

…

Listening attentively was impossible—this lifetime, utterly impossible. Zoning out during class was the only routine.

Bored, Gu Changhuai propped his chin and swept his gaze over the hundreds below, silently counting heads while his thoughts wandered.

The Demon Venerable had said to see blood in three days. He’d gotten the blood, but how he’d gotten it needed some polishing. Otherwise, the Demon Venerable would make trouble again. He needed to think of a good way to report it.

He couldn’t write in the letter that he’d ambushed with a pit trap, failed to trap the Qing Lian Immortal Lord, and fallen in himself instead? That would make him seem even more useless. No truth-telling.

Let him think it over properly.

Make up some nonsense…

As he racked his brains, he suddenly met a pair of burning eyes. Gu Changhuai blinked. The other was a handsome young man in gray robes stained with ink, scholarly and bookish, though his left eye bore a bruise as if punched.

Locking eyes with him, the young scholar seemed even more excited, staring unblinkingly like he’d discovered a new continent.

Gu Changhuai withdrew his gaze, ignoring him.

The young scholar’s eyes shifted to Rong Ye beside him, then back to Gu Changhuai, darting back and forth busily.

“…” Gu Changhuai had a rough guess who he was. His hand in his sleeve touched the Tongtian Instrument, sending in a wisp of divine sense.

Sure enough, he wasn’t the only one zoning out.

Messages poured into the Tongtian Instrument from all directions, endlessly.

The Book Pavilion excitedly transmitted: “I saw it, I saw it! The Immortal Lord personally pointed a seat for his attendant Gu, their eye contact so loving, slurp slurp…”

Pei Tianyi gnashed his teeth in fury: “Zhao Shuzhai, you never learn, do you? I told you Gu Changhuai and the Immortal Lord have nothing going on! Wait till this Heaven Discussion Assembly ends—I’ll make you pay!”

The Book Pavilion mocked: “Save that strength for scrubbing the Enforcement Elder’s back!”

Someone tried to mediate: “The Heaven Discussion Assembly only happens once every five years—a rare chance to hear Qing Lian Immortal Lord lecture, and you’re here fighting?”

Another sighed in agreement: “I’m a poor student; this stuff is too advanced. It’ll take me another five years to digest.”

Gu Changhuai: “…”

That was the vibe, exactly.

Gu Changhuai glanced down at the platform. In a corner, he spotted Pei Tianyi, the youth glaring hatefully at Zhao Shuzhai with his head turned sideways.

Zhao Shuzhai remained unfazed, still looking up boldly at him and Rong Ye.

As long as one’s cultivation and divine sense surpassed others, one could eavesdrop on the transmissions below if inclined. Gu Changhuai listened in briefly—the two had switched to private transmission and were arguing fiercely.

Zhao Shuzhai berated Pei Tianyi: “Do you even know what love is? An outer sect disciple’s attendant brought by the Immortal Lord to the Heaven Discussion Assembly, seated in the closest spot—what else is that but love?”

Pei Tianyi sneered: “I don’t know. You with the black eye do?”

Zhao Shuzhai touched his bruised left eye, pained. “Violence doesn’t solve everything. The Enforcement Elder will see justice done. If you’ve got the guts, debate me with words! Those two are true love!”

Pei Tianyi: “Violence doesn’t solve everything, but it solves you…”

“Pause.” Gu Changhuai interrupted their spat, transmitting so both could hear clearly: “Can you two consider the main subject’s feelings when you’re gossiping?”

“…”

Dead silence.

They went quiet.

Hearing Gu Changhuai’s voice, Pei Tianyi’s expression flashed with panic. Nervously lifting his eyes, he met Gu Changhuai’s gaze. After a pause, his face exploded red. Mortified, he covered it.

By contrast, Zhao Shuzhai’s skin was thicker. “Time will tell all.”

Gu Changhuai, baffled: “Tell what?”

Zhao Shuzhai: “Tell the impure future between you and the Immortal Venerable.”

“…”

Gu Changhuai admitted, at that moment, his fists hardened.

But did Rong Ye know someone was gossiping about him right to his face?

Thinking this, Gu Changhuai glanced sideways at Rong Ye. The other’s face was serene as still water, calmly expounding on the Dao. He probably had no spare attention to eavesdrop on the transmissions below.

“Watch your words.” He warned Zhao Shuzhai. “Or I’ll punch you.”

Zhao Shuzhai shook his head with a sigh. “The world’s morals are in decline.”

Suddenly, the surroundings fell utterly silent. Gu Changhuai felt a tap on his head—not painful. Looking up, he saw Rong Ye had risen at some point. The jade slip in his hand tapped twice more, his deep, cold voice saying, “Focus.”

In an instant, the chattering transmissions in the Tongtian Instrument ceased.

The whispers below vanished too.

Gu Changhuai: “…”

Oh no—caught zoning out.