Chapter 24 Fragile Friendship
Her gaze swept across it quickly.
This was a report on Qian Renxue’s recent movements and contacts within the academy.
The report was not long; Qian Renxue’s life at the academy was inherently simple. Aside from necessary classes and cultivating alone, her social circle was not wide.
Soon, a name leaped into Bibi Dong’s eyes—Jiang Bai.
The report showed that in the academy, Qian Renxue only kept close company with this Elementary division student named Jiang Bai.
The two seemed quite familiar; they were often seen walking and talking together.
"Jiang Bai..."
Bibi Dong’s red lips parted slightly, silently reading the name. Her purple eyes narrowed slightly, and a cold, frigid glint flashed past.
"It seems this is the ignorant brat who influenced that little slut’s thinking?"
She sneered in her heart.
Qian Renxue’s sudden change in personality, daring to firmly refuse her—if there was no one behind it inciting her or providing some kind of "confidence," it would be impossible.
This student named Jiang Bai was the prime suspect.
She patiently continued flipping through Jiang Bai’s detailed information.
Jiang Bai... Spirit: Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, Innate Soul Power level nine...
When seeing the five characters "Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda," Bibi Dong’s brows furrowed imperceptibly.
Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda? How could it appear in Spirit Hall’s academy? And why is it entangled with Qian Renxue?
"Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda..."
Bibi Dong’s fingertips tapped the smooth tabletop unconsciously, making crisp "tap, tap" sounds.
In those purple eyes, thoughts flowed rapidly; various calculations and weighing of options surged like an undercurrent.
The value of a Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Spirit Master was unquestionable.
A Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Spirit Master who was drifting outside and was being raised by Spirit Hall might play an unexpected role in the future when dealing with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect...
This Jiang Bai had good talent and a clean background; currently, it seems he also has some involvement with the Enshrinement Hall... He is an interesting pawn.
As for him influencing Qian Renxue and ruining her plans...
A cold and cruel smile slowly curled the corners of Bibi Dong’s mouth.
"Fine..."
She whispered to herself, as if speaking to the air, or perhaps convincing herself.
I will let you, this pawn... live for a few more days.
Moving against him now would cause too much of a stir, easily alerting the enemy, and might also attract interference from that old thing, Qian Daoliu.
It is better to let him be for now, or even... observe him in secret to see what else is so special about this brat that makes Qian Renxue look at him differently.
"Hmph..."
A cold snort escaped from her nostrils.
She tossed the read file back onto the table, leaned back slightly into the comfortable high-backed chair, and closed her eyes.
Long eyelashes cast faint shadows under her eyelids.
...
Jiang Bai was still completely unaware of all this.
At this moment, he was facing trouble that was close at hand.
Inside the dormitory.
The atmosphere was unprecedentedly tense, almost reaching the point of drawing swords and bending bows.
The three roommates, who usually weren’t exactly intimate but maintained a superficial harmony, were now standing on opposite ends of the dormitory.
Yan was full of anger. He pointed at Jiang Bai, his voice sounding somewhat sharp due to his rage.
"Jiang Bai! I will say this one last time, your attitude toward Nana today was too much! You must go apologize to her! Otherwise... otherwise don’t blame me for disregarding our roommate relationship!"
Jiang Bai crossed his arms over his chest, his face expressionless, his eyes so calm they were almost indifferent.
He looked at the agitated Yan, then glanced at Xie Yue, who hadn’t spoken but had a gaze equally filled with disapproval and distance, and calmly spat out three words.
"Why should I?"
Xie Yue spoke from the side.
"Jiang Bai, although Yan’s words were a bit aggressive, the logic is sound. That Your Highness has a special status; it is not a wise move for you to get too close to her."
"For your own good, and to avoid unnecessary trouble, I suggest you... stay away from her in the future. As for Nana, apologize and ease the relationship; it won’t hurt you."
Listening to their words, Jiang Bai only felt a sense of absurdity and ridicule in his heart.
He sneered and said.
"Unreasonable."
"Jiang Bai!" Yan was completely infuriated by these four words!
He roared, lunged forward with a stride, grabbed the collar of Jiang Bai’s academy uniform, and slammed him hard against the wall!
"You really think I don’t dare to beat you, huh?! Don’t think just because you are a Support Spirit Master, I won’t lay a hand on you! I’m telling you, today you either go apologize, or..."
Rage burned in his eyes, but a sliver of reason remained in his heart; he knew that using Soul Power attacks on a Support Spirit Master inside the academy had serious consequences.
He glared fiercely at Jiang Bai and challenged, "Dare to fight me?! I won’t use my Spirit, just my fists! If you lose, you will obediently go apologize to Nana!"
Jiang Bai, whose collar was grabbed, saw his eyes instantly turn cold.
He didn’t like being coerced like this, and hated this kind of self-righteous "for your own good" and threat of force even more.
He raised his hand and slapped away the hand Yan had on his collar.
"Fine, let’s fight."
Jiang Bai straightened his rumpled collar, his tone still flat but carrying an unquestionable tone of accepting the challenge.
It was perfect; he also wanted to test his current actual combat ability without using his Spirit or Spirit Ability. Yan was undoubtedly a good litmus test.
Yan was stunned; he didn’t expect Jiang Bai to actually dare to accept the challenge, and to slap away his hand so easily.
But immediately, a surge of anger from being slighted and Battle Intent from being provoked welled up.
He smiled contemptuously and loosened his wrists: "Good! You’ve got guts! This is what you said! No Spirit!"
The two stepped back a few paces and took their stances in the not-so-spacious aisle of the dormitory.
Xie Yue’s brows were locked tight, wanting to dissuade them: "Yan! Jiang Bai! Don’t be impulsive! This is the dormitory!"
But the arrow was already on the string; neither could listen anymore.
Yan let out a low shout and launched the attack first!
He pushed off the ground hard with the tip of his left foot, his body rushing toward Jiang Bai like an arrow released from a bow, with extreme speed!
In the blink of an eye, he reached Jiang Bai and kicked hard toward Jiang Bai’s chest!
A sharp light flashed in Jiang Bai’s eyes; his body had already reacted!
He did not choose to take it head-on, but quickly stepped to the right, his body sliding lightly to the side, avoiding this swift kick.
At the same time, his left hand reached out, accurately slapping toward the ankle Yan had missed with, trying to disrupt his balance!
"Huh?!" Yan was shocked in his heart.
Jiang Bai’s reaction speed and evasive movements were completely unlike a Support Spirit Master who meditated all day!
He instantly retracted the right leg he had kicked out, narrowly avoiding the palm Jiang Bai had slapped toward him.
But Yan’s offensive did not stop!
The moment he retracted his leg, he exerted force from his waist and abdomen, and his right leg kicked out again; this time, the target was Jiang Bai’s relatively weaker abdomen!
Jiang Bai seemed to have anticipated this; the moment Yan changed moves, he quickly adjusted his posture.
Facing the second kick toward his abdomen, he bent his left elbow, blocked downward, and forcibly held up Yan’s kick!
"Bang!" A dull impact sound rang out.
Jiang Bai only felt a numbness in his forearm, but his body stood firmly, and he didn’t even step back!
At the same time, his right hand reached out like an iron pincer, and in the moment Yan’s old force was spent and new force hadn’t yet been generated, he grabbed Yan’s ankle tightly!
Yan only felt a huge force coming from his ankle, as if clamped by steel; no matter how he struggled, he couldn’t move at all!
He was suddenly shocked; how could this be possible?! How could Jiang Bai’s strength be so great?!
He was a Battle Spirit Master who had already obtained his first spirit ring! His physical fitness had significantly improved under the nourishment of the spirit ring!
And Jiang Bai, a Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Spirit Master, even if he had also obtained a spirit ring, how could a Support Spirit Master’s Physique growth compare to a Battle Spirit Master?!
Just then, Xie Yue finally couldn’t watch anymore, quickly stepped forward, and tried to separate the two.
"Enough! Stop fighting! Both of you stop! This is the dormitory! If the teachers find out, you’ll be punished!"
Jiang Bai snorted coldly, looked at Yan, who was full of suspicion and still trying to struggle, and let go.
Yan stumbled back a step, rubbed his somewhat numb ankle, and looked at Jiang Bai with eyes full of shock and disbelief; the previous anger was diluted by this shock.
He shook his leg, feeling it was fine, but the questions in his heart grew larger.
Xie Yue stood between the two, his expression also not good.
"Alright, alright," Xie Yue tried to smooth things over, but his tone was already a bit dry.
"After all, everyone is still roommates, seeing each other every day; don’t really damage the harmony..."
However, the atmosphere had completely changed.
Jiang Bai straightened his clothes, didn’t look at them again, walked straight back to his bed, sat cross-legged, and closed his eyes, as if everything that had just happened hadn’t occurred.
Inside the dormitory, a heavy silence spread like substance.
The already fragile friendship between the three had already developed cracks, and it seemed it could never be mended again.