Chapter 106 – Li Zixuan's Test

In the café, Li Zixuan’s fingers trembled, accidentally knocking over her coffee with a jarring clatter.

Instantly, the other patrons looked up and turned their gazes toward the source of the noise.

“Sorry, Sister Qinghe.”

Realizing her lapse in composure, Li Zixuan quickly lowered her head, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, and reached for a napkin to wipe up the spilled coffee on the table.

A few seconds later.

The commotion settled.

The other customers withdrew their attention and returned to their own affairs.

“Calm down, Zi Xuan.”

Seeing Li Zixuan’s intense reaction, Li Qinghe took her hand to soothe her, expressing some surprise. “Did you really not know?”

“I…”

Upon hearing this, Li Zixuan furrowed her brow in thought, hesitated for a moment, then looked up and asked, “Sister Qinghe, about what you just mentioned… could you explain it in more detail?”

“You mean the part about breaking the array?”

“Yes, please, Sister Qinghe.”

Li Zixuan nodded gently, cradling her coffee as she took a small sip, her thoughts drifting back to the Great Li Mountains a few days prior.

The stone her teacher had left behind was related to the character “Qin.”

If Qin Yang wasn’t an ordinary person but someone skilled in the Formation Dao, living in seclusion among the masses, then perhaps there really was a connection between the two.

It might even be that…

Her teacher’s intention was indeed pointing to Qin Yang, hoping she would seek him out!

With this in mind, Li Zixuan set down her coffee cup and turned to Li Qinghe, speaking softly, “I want to understand as many details as possible.”

“Well…”

At this, Li Qinghe scratched her head, a flicker of irritation crossing her face as she recalled the scene of Qin Yang breaking her array.

Details?

What details were there to give?

That Qin guy just casually made a gesture, and her Illusory Array shattered on the spot!

Where am I supposed to find details for you?

“Let me sort through the details.”

Seeing Li Zixuan’s eagerness, Li Qinghe closed her eyes, reweaving the events of that day’s test, omitting parts of the backstory and mixing truth with fabrication as she recounted it to Li Zixuan.

She glossed over the teasing and some trivial details, skipping past them in bits and pieces.

After all, she was the one at fault.

Though she could try to explain or gloss over it, if Li Zixuan dug deeper, she would still uncover the oddities.

Rather than risk that, it was better to let it pass without further mention.

A short while later.

She finished her brief retelling.

“…That’s pretty much how it went, Zi Xuan.”

Li Qinghe pinched the bridge of her nose, speaking with frustration. “He stepped into my Illusory Array and broke it outright, destroying the entire Array Eye and rendering all the Starstones used to set up the formation useless.”

“Qin Yang is that powerful?”

Li Zixuan frowned, taking another sip of her coffee. “Even you couldn’t trap him, Sister Qinghe?”

“Yeah, that Illusory Array was the strongest formation I could muster at the time.”

Li Qinghe sighed. “But he broke it with ease. Being able to dismantle a second-level array so effortlessly means his level must be at least third-tier or higher.”

“Third-tier or higher…”

Hearing this, Li Zixuan’s thoughts wandered, and she looked at Li Qinghe, naturally understanding the implication.

Li Qinghe’s talent in the Formation Dao had long surpassed her peers; few in their family could escape her arrays.

Yet now, she couldn’t even restrain a mere administrator.

The situation was truly baffling.”So that’s why I wanted to ask you—what exactly is his identity?”

At this, Li Qinghe turned to gaze at the stream of traffic outside the window and said helplessly, “But judging by your reaction, Zi Xuan, it seems you know even less than I do.

Now that Qin Yang has appeared in Jianghai, and we know nothing about him, we’re really at a disadvantage.”

“Sister Qinghe makes a valid point.”

Hearing this, Li Zixuan looked at Li Qinghe and responded softly, then fell silent for a long while, staring out the window as her thoughts drifted back to the library.

“It seems… the stone the teacher gave me is fine.”

If that was the case.

Then she must find time to test him again.

…………….

The next day, at dusk.

The library’s closing bell rang, and patrons gradually emerged from the path at the entrance, carrying backpacks as they stepped into the twilight.

“Ding! Clocked out!”

“Qin Yang, off-duty time: 4:23 PM!”

Qin Yang held Xiaobai while clocking out, then joined the flow of people heading home after work.

At that moment, teams of security guards passed by him, entering the building to conduct inspection patrols.

Qin Yang glanced back at them and couldn’t help feeling a secret delight.

“Leaving early is really nice.”

With the situation regarding Li Qinghe escalating these past few days, the library’s closing time had been moved up significantly to free up space for extensive security screenings. Many employees benefited unexpectedly, getting to leave work early.

“Let’s go grocery shopping first, Master. We’re out of soy sauce and scallions at home.”

Xiaobai leaped out of Qin Yang’s arms, landed on all fours, and shook her head as she transmitted her message: “And get some frozen ribs and beef too.”

“Alright, let’s head to the market first.”

Qin Yang browsed news on his Phone while walking side-by-side with Xiaobai along the pathway, their steps light and carefree.

The pair strolled leisurely down the street, savoring their after-work hours.

Cars streamed endlessly along the road. As they reached a crosswalk and paused for the traffic light, Qin Yang pulled out his Phone to scroll through news, while Xiaobai chased her tail in playful circles.

Yet, the very next moment.

Both of them halted their actions simultaneously, exchanging a knowing glance.

“Master, did you sense it too?”

Xiaobai padded over to Qin Yang’s feet, affectionately rubbing against his trousers as she said, “That person has been following us since we left the library.”

“Yes.”

Qin Yang gave a slight nod, discreetly releasing his mental energy to probe the surroundings, locking onto a figure at a corner about a hundred meters away.

He detected a faint trace of Li Zixuan’s aura.

She had been tailing him ever since they exited the library, secretly following for quite some distance.

“What is this foolish disciple thinking now?”

Recalling their last conversation, Qin Yang frowned, somewhat guessing her intentions.

She probably wasn’t satisfied…

And wanted to test him again.

With this in mind, Qin Yang didn’t hesitate. He picked up Xiaobai and headed toward a secluded alley nearby, planning to set a trap.

……

It didn’t take long.

The pair arrived in the quiet alley.

The last rays of the setting sun faded, tall walls enclosing the dead end. A few stray cats climbed over garbage bins, meowing weakly, while empty plastic bags fluttered in the wind.

Desolate and lonely.

Qin Yang set Xiaobai down and coldly glanced back toward the street corner.

“Have I been discovered?”

At the street corner, the lurking Li Zixuan narrowed her eyes, sensing Qin Yang’s sudden detour, a flicker of surprise crossing her gaze.She became even more convinced of her earlier speculation.

“You really are connected to the teacher…”

Thinking this.

Li Zixuan no longer hesitated, tightening her grip on the sword bag and pressing down above the hilt.

The next moment.

Clang!

A flash of sword light flickered.

The dim alley instantly brightened as if daylight!

(End of Chapter)