Translated by Jouissance of Exiled Rebels Scanlations
DaoXin Academy's situation was a little strange.
You XiaoMo had originally hoped that the Grand Elder could send people to take back the spirit gems, but then he realized that the elites of the school couldn't be sent out.
Hei Tian couldn't deal with Qiu Ran's group alone and the other elders couldn't leave. They had to defend DaoXin Academy and prevent the Demon Beast Tide from the deep mountains from invading. This was also the true reason behind why the Academy only had Duan QiTian and Hei Tian to oversee the Boundless Sea event.
So, considering the current situation, DaoXin Academy probably couldn't take back those spirit gems.
"Now what? Are we just going to 'gift' the spirit gems to Qiu Ran?" You XiaoMo hurriedly ran in front of Ling Xiao. It felt terrible to have to 'gift' their spirit gems to someone they hated, and thirty percent was way too much. One piece was more like it.
"Then what do you want to do?" Ling Xiao asked lazily.
You XiaoMo paused before remembering the family meeting he really loved recently and his excitement calmed a little. "Why do you think Qiu Ran's first move would be to steal those spirit gems?"
Hearing this, Ling Xiao's devil-may-care attitude immediately changed, asking in amusement, "What you actually wanted to ask was how can we get those spirit gems back, right?"
You XiaoMo retorted seriously. "What are you talking about? I can think, too."
Ling Xiao looked at him in doubt. "Is that so? But doesn't thinking require a brain?"
You XiaoMo: "Are you implying I don't have a brain?"
Ling Xiao unexpectedly shook his head, saying with a smile, "No. The fact that you can think of implications means that you have something in there."
Fuck, that double meaning!
No matter how you interpreted it, it was still saying he didn't have any brains.
You XiaoMo once again was given a demonstration of Ling Xiao's IQ and mean personality.
You XiaoMo selectively ignored his words. If Ling Xiao refused to answer, then he'd think for himself. He didn't believe he wouldn't be able to figure it out. When there's a will, there's a way.
"Hey, do you think Qiu Ran stole those spirit gems because of the two powerhouses he had brought with him? His appearance couldn't have been a coincidence and Qiu Ran had taken so much damage. The grand elder said he'd need several years to recover, yet his status is already much improved. Is there any connection between that?"
Ling Xiao poured a cup of water, handing it to him. "Drink some first, take it slow."
"Oh, thanks!" You XiaoMo drank the cup of water in one go and returned the cup to Ling Xiao, continuing to speak. "And last time, at the Boundless Sea, Netherworld Siren said that they had told their higher-ups about us. It's already been almost four months, so how come the Vermillion Blood Family still hasn't sent anyone? Or have the people they sent already arrived?"
There were too many questions, You XiaoMo felt…
"Is your brain in knots yet?" Ling Xiao asked, smiling.
You XiaoMo, "… It is."
Ling Xiao supported his chin in one palm. "I only just realized that being simple-minded isn't always a god thing."
You XiaoMo could feel black lines on his face. It was clear that Ling Xiao was talking about him.
Ling Xiao then continued. "Actually, you don't need to think in such circles, just assume that the two powerhouses Qiu Ran called over are the people Netherworld Siren was talking about, no?"
"True. Their presence was too strange and I hear no one's seen their true face. If they were powerhouses from the LongXiang continent, then someone must know something about them, but there's been no word whatsoever." The more You XiaoMo thought, the more possible it seemed.
Ling Xiao said, "So, it's very likely that Qiu Ran provided them with intel and they helped Qiu Ran face DaoXin Academy, taking the chance to try and force us out, but…"
"But what?"
"But there's good chance that they aren't the people Netherworld Siren was talking about."
"Why?"
Ling Xiao gave him a meaningful look, as if he was getting anxious about You XiaoMo's intelligence.
Ling Xiao sighed. "You've forgotten, Netherworld Siren knows our names. If they had told their higher-ups about us, then those people must know what sort of role we have in the DaoXin Academy. If that's true, then they wouldn't need Qiu Ran to give them intel, so they might have something to do with the people who were chased off at the TianXin sect. However, this is all a guess; I can't be certain yet."
You XiaoMo was enlightened. Ok, he got it now.
The reason why Qiu Ran stole thirty percent of the spirit gems was to try and see if he could force them out of hiding, because those people didn't really understand their situation, so this was their only choice.
However…
"Then don't we only have two choices here? One is to expose ourselves and steal the spirit gems, the second is to just 'gift' them the spirit gems." You XiaoMo looked at him plaintively.
Ling Xiao sighed lightly. "Who told you that we only had two choices? Isn't there a third?"
You XiaoMo's eyes lit up, "What is it?"
"It's, of course, temporarily storing those spirit gems there."
"But we can't just sit here and wait, right?"
"Yeah, true…"
After that, another five days passed. Hei Tian had gone to test out the powerhouses Qiu Ran had brought with him and found that their strength was on par with his. One of them was at the same level, and other was only weaker by a star. Under this situation, the only way to proceed was if Duan QiTian helped out.
Then, Hei Tian returned to DaoXin Academy and never left again.
You XiaoMo could guess the Grand Elder's intentions and actually wanted to tell Ling Xiao that while they couldn't get the spirit gems back now, the grand elder probably wouldn't just leave it at that.
But…
Not long later, the situation changed in a way even Ling Xiao hadn't expected.
They heard that one of the powerhouses Qiu Ran had brought left and that person was the one who had gone to Boundless Sea for the spirit gems.
After You XiaoMo heard this, he immediately jumped to his feet. "They actually went there!"
Ling Xiao pressed his hand against his forehead. "Yeah, seems like their IQ is even higher than yours."
You XiaoMo glared at him. You just can't go a day without insulting my intelligence, can you? "You said we were going to store the spirit gems there temporarily, but what do we do now that one of them is leaving?"
"Alright, I know, then let's go and take it back," Ling Xiao said helplessly.
"Then when do we strike?" You XiaoMo asked him in excitement.
"When? Wait a day or two first." Ling Xiao hid his face behind his hand, his eyes seeming to hint at some deeper thought behind the gaps between his fingers.
You XiaoMo didn't understand. If they waited a day or two, that guy might've gone back already. However, he restrained himself, because he knew that Ling Xiao had to have some sort of plan.
"Chirp~chirp~" The little chick, seeing that the two had finished talking, suddenly flew up, letting out two excited cries and spitting out two embers as if burping.
You XiaoMo took this chance immediately, wanted to take him down from atop his head, but… "Ow~" The little chick didn't forget to keep a grip on his hair. He had really made his head into a nest. Why?
Ling Xiao laughed aloud at this.
Two days passed by quietly…
On that day, CatQiu slowly walked in from outside on his short legs.
There was a whirl of wind and CatQiu disappeared…
"So?" You XiaoMo asked impatiently, holding up CatQiu's fluffy body.
"Chirp?" The little chick looked at CatQiu in curiosity.
CatQiu blinked his big, round eyes. He had been sent to do reconnaissance because he could transform into anyone and imitate their presence. This was his strength. After You XiaoMo and Ling Xiao's discussion the other day, Ling Xiao had sent him into the Teng Family, where Qiu Ran and the other two were.
"They're all there," CatQiu replied.
Ling Xiao, who had just sat up on the bed, lay down again. "See, it was a trick, as expected."
You XiaoMo put CatQiu down. "How do you know?"
Ling Xiao said, "It's simple. During this special period of time, they wouldn't dare to operate alone. If one left, they'll only have four people left if you count the Teng family head. If DaoXin Academy, the BaiLi family and the Tong family teamed up, do you think Qiu Ran and the others would have a chance?"
"So you mean that this was a trap to lure us out." You XiaoMo's spirits fell immediately. "But even if they all worked together, they still wouldn't have a chance against you, right?"
"That's true." Ling Xiao crossed his legs. "What I'm worried about isn't them, but those who are hiding in the shadows. Their target is you and they know that we're in DaoXin Academy. What's worse, they even know our names."
"Then what do we do?" You XiaoMo felt that the situation was becoming more and more complicated.
"Try to stay close to me and, in the near future, reduce the amount of times you go into your dimension. They probably can't confirm that it's on you and are probably keeping watch on you even now."
"Ok, anything else?"
"Also, my shoulders ache a little, come and give me a massage."
"…"