Chapter Twenty-Seven: Whereabouts

Murong Qiuxue’s violet robe fluttered as she approached, her figure slender and graceful. Even with a somber expression clouding her face, she exuded a cold, enchanting beauty that was enough to leave anyone spellbound. She walked forward with delicate, measured steps, her gaze sharp as if each look were a silent blade. Fury raged within her; she had not expected that a moment’s carelessness would allow Liu Yantao to take advantage of the situation.

Now that Liu Yantao had escaped, Murong Qiuxue could only focus all her anger on Chu Feng. Seeing her approach, even Chu Feng, who was usually calm and composed, could not help but feel his heart race anxiously.

“This is a misunderstanding, truly a misunderstanding. I haven’t seen anything.” Chu Feng forced an awkward smile. At that moment, his body was utterly spent—he had no strength to flee. Even if he were at his best, before a prodigy of the Celestial Battalion, he would not dare run; that would only make his fate worse.

Unmoved, Murong Qiuxue’s expression remained icy as she advanced on Chu Feng. He groaned inwardly at his misfortune. Pointing to the insignia on his chest, he tried again, “I’m just a newcomer. I can’t withstand the torment from prodigies like you.”

Yet Murong Qiuxue’s face did not change, nor did her steps pause. Her voice was cold as frost: “You really think putting on a newcomer’s robe makes you a true newcomer? Shameless!”

As a member of the Celestial Battalion, Murong Qiuxue rarely interacted with men. Though she did not know the stranger before her, she knew full well that outsiders had no right to enter the Celestial Battalion. To her, Chu Feng’s protests were nothing but lies.

Chu Feng was utterly speechless—he was telling the truth, yet she refused to believe him. Inwardly, he cursed Liu Yantao over and over. Clearly, this situation was closely tied to that scoundrel’s actions.

“This really is a misunderstanding. I swear, I didn’t deceive you. All right, I admit—I did glance once, just a single glance. You don’t have to be so unforgiving, do you?” Chu Feng said.

Murong Qiuxue trembled at his words, her expression growing even colder. Coming to stand before him, she looked down at him with icy eyes and asked, “Tell me, how do you want to die?”

Chu Feng sighed inwardly, knowing there was no escaping his fate. Forcing himself to his feet, he recalled Liu Yantao’s bruised and battered face and said, “Could you avoid hitting my face?”

“You put on quite an act. You’re even more disgusting than Liu Yantao,” Murong Qiuxue retorted. Without another word, she struck Chu Feng’s chest with her palm.

The blow caved in his chest, sending him flying back with tremendous force. Blood spurted from his mouth, tracing a crimson arc through the air.

As a top-tier Terran Spirit Warrior of the Celestial Battalion, Murong Qiuxue’s strength was formidable. Even a casual strike from her was more than Chu Feng could bear.

He was hurled a full thirty feet before crashing to the ground, losing consciousness instantly.

After this single blow, Murong Qiuxue paused in surprise, then said coldly, “He really does put on a convincing act.”

Liu Yantao’s reputation in the Celestial Battalion was notorious, his behavior tarnishing the image of all men. Seeing Chu Feng in his company, Murong Qiuxue trusted nothing he said.

Yet as time passed and Chu Feng remained motionless, blood still trickling from his lips, Murong Qiuxue’s brow furrowed in uncertainty. “Could he really be a newcomer?” she murmured.

Though still skeptical, she could not resist stepping forward to investigate.

Chu Feng lay on the ground, battered and miserable, his chest rising and falling faintly—still alive.

Beside him on the ground were two tokens: one, the iron badge of a newcomer; the other, the crimson Spirit Warrior Order. The impact had knocked both from his coat.

When Murong Qiuxue saw the tokens, she was stunned, particularly by the blood-red Spirit Warrior Order.

She could hardly believe her eyes. The Spirit Warrior Order was the object of every Celestial Battalion prodigy’s desire, yet through the years, not a single one had managed to obtain it.

She had only ever seen it in ancient records, never expecting to encounter the true Spirit Warrior Order today.

Recovering from her shock, Murong Qiuxue quickly checked on Chu Feng, finding his breath dangerously faint. Alarmed, she wondered, “He really is a newcomer? But how did he come by the Spirit Warrior Order?”

There was no time to ponder further. Immediately, she activated her spirit power, lifted Chu Feng, and flew toward her own villa.

In a hazy daze, Chu Feng felt as if his life were slipping away. Pain wracked his body, as if he were falling apart. He wanted to struggle, to cry out, but could not even open his eyes.

Later, he felt a warm current flowing through him, brimming with vitality and washing away his pain wherever it passed.

His body grew light and comfortable, and a subtle fragrance met his nose.

Slowly, Chu Feng opened his eyes and sat up, realizing he was lying on a soft bed.

His upper body was bare and his chest uninjured. Looking around, he was momentarily stunned. The room was filled with vibrant colors and exquisite decorations, and the air was touched with a gentle, feminine scent—this was unmistakably a young woman’s chambers.

“You’re awake?” came a soft voice. A beautiful young woman of delicate bearing entered—it was Murong Qiuxue.

Chu Feng stared in surprise, blurting out, “It’s you.”

Embarrassed to find himself half-naked before the pride of the Celestial Battalion, he hurriedly pulled the blanket over himself.

Murong Qiuxue smiled, her sweet expression enough to melt glaciers. Approaching the bed, she said, “Fortunately, your constitution is strong. Otherwise, I might not have been able to save you.”

Though Murong Qiuxue’s beauty was striking when she was angry, her gentle smile now was even more disarming, leaving Chu Feng utterly entranced and his resentment vanishing entirely.

He understood well that someone as formidable as Murong Qiuxue could nearly kill him with a casual blow. He assumed she must have used some rare elixir to heal him so swiftly.

“Is this your home?” Chu Feng asked.

“Of course,” Murong Qiuxue replied.

“Thank you, truly,” Chu Feng said.

She smiled, “You’re quite interesting. After all, I was the one who injured you—what’s there to thank me for? But I never expected a newcomer like you to be mixed up with that wretched Liu Yantao.”

At the mention of Liu Yantao, her face darkened, and she clearly wished she could tear him to pieces.

Chu Feng chose not to press the sensitive topic, since, even if it was a misunderstanding, he had indeed seen things he shouldn’t have. He simply explained, “I was looking for someone, but accidentally entered a barrier set by Liu Yantao.”

“Oh.” Murong Qiuxue let the matter drop, evidently unwilling to revisit that unpleasant subject.

After a moment’s silence, she asked, “Your name is Chu Feng?”

Chu Feng nodded, unsurprised, guessing she had learned it from the sword badge.

“Get yourself together. We’ll talk more later,” Murong Qiuxue said before leaving the room.

“Fortunately, every Celestial Battalion student has their own villa, or who knows what rumors would be flying by now,” Chu Feng thought with a sigh. After dressing, he glanced around and, with a peculiar feeling, left Murong Qiuxue’s bedroom.

In the living room, Murong Qiuxue handed the two tokens back to Chu Feng.

“You’re quite something for a newcomer. No wonder you could enter the Celestial Battalion,” she said, her gaze lingering on him with curiosity at his mysterious air.

Chu Feng put away the Spirit Warrior Order and the newcomer’s badge, replying with a wry smile, “It’s nothing special to need the Spirit Warrior Order just to get in, especially since I didn’t earn it by my own skill. If I hadn’t been in such a rush to find someone, I’d have preferred to enter the Celestial Battalion on my own merit.”

“You’re quite ambitious,” Murong Qiuxue laughed. She did not press for the origin of the Spirit Warrior Order, and instead asked, “So, who are you looking for?”

Chu Feng’s heart stirred. “I’m here to find Long Yue. Do you know if she’s here?”

A subtle change flickered across Murong Qiuxue’s face. “Why are you looking for Long Yue?”

“Actually, I’m not sure if the Long Yue in the Celestial Battalion is the one I’m seeking. I just wanted to find out,” Chu Feng said.

“Then you’ve come to the right person. In the Celestial Battalion, no one knows Long Yue better than I do,” Murong Qiuxue replied.

“Is she here?” Chu Feng pressed.

Murong Qiuxue shook her head. “No. Some time ago, disaster struck Gulin City. As soon as Long Yue heard, she left the Sacred City for Gulin at once. I hear she has family there. She hasn’t returned yet. Alas, I fear her journey is in vain—so few could have survived that massacre.”

Chu Feng’s heart leapt. That was all he needed to be certain—the Long Yue of the Celestial Battalion was indeed the one he sought.

“She went to Gulin City?” Chu Feng murmured, lost in thought.

“Ah, Gulin City. Long Yue is deeply attached to that place. When she heard of the disaster, she wept bitterly,” Murong Qiuxue said with a shake of her head.

Chu Feng trembled, tears glimmering in his eyes.

Seeing his reaction, Murong Qiuxue guessed that the Celestial Battalion’s Long Yue must be the very person he sought. Curious, she asked, “What is your relationship with Long Yue?”

Emotion surged in Chu Feng’s chest as he answered, “I am her only surviving family in Gulin City.”

“What?” Murong Qiuxue’s eyes widened in shock. “You’re alive?”

Chu Feng calmed himself and shot her a helpless look. “What kind of question is that? Must I be dead? There were two survivors of the Gulin City disaster—your information is a little outdated.”

In truth, though the tragedy at Gulin City had shaken the human world, news that there were two survivors was known only to a select few among the military and government.

Murong Qiuxue smiled. “No, I was just surprised. But you needn’t worry—Long Yue has been gone just over a month. I’m sure she’ll be back soon.”

Chu Feng nodded, his emotions in turmoil. He had never expected that Long Yue of the Celestial Battalion was indeed the Long Yue he sought, and that she had become the foremost expert of the battalion—what an astonishing turn of fate.

“She really is the top prodigy of the Celestial Battalion? Is she that strong?” he asked.

Murong Qiuxue nodded. “Of course. She’s the only Celestial Spirit Warrior among all the students. If she continues to grow, she stands a good chance of earning the Spirit Warrior Order. What’s more, she’s one of the two brightest stars of the Celestial Battalion—naturally, your humble sister is the other.”