It was clear that after he dropped all pretense at the meeting and explicitly declared the Academy's support for Ji Liushuang, the respect Fu Qian commanded had actually grown.
Even so, the others were genuinely shocked when Ji Liushuang insisted on having Fu Qian stay in the room right next to hers.
Upon returning from their walk, she flatly rejected the guest room the head maid had prepared, declaring she wanted Fu Qian close by for personal protection.
Letting a strange man sleep next door was hardly proper behavior for the young lady of the Ji Clan.
But Ji Liushuang remained unyielding, apparently caring nothing for her reputation.
Faced with a level of assertiveness far beyond her usual demeanor, the head maid ultimately conceded—even after invoking Ji Xun's name—and followed the instructions.
Naturally, they had a countermeasure. Fu Qian had barely settled into his room when a knock came at his door.
...
"Hello."
"We have been assigned to attend to your daily needs for the next two days. We will remain stationed right outside; please call on us whenever you need anything."
"All right. Thank you."
Despite their youthful and pretty appearances, the two women were rigid in speech and movement, giving off an icy aura comparable to vengeful spirits in a haunted manor. Fu Qian thanked them with utmost politeness.
They weren't actually here to serve him, of course. Even the injured Ji Liushuang only had a single nurse. They were obviously here to keep an eye on him.
He was fairly certain this wasn't even Ji Xun's idea. The head maid had likely arranged it on her own initiative.
These two maids were just ordinary people. As an Academy instructor, he had countless ways to deal with them. Such an arrangement served no purpose other than to invite his annoyance.
"Ah—"
Having finished her introduction, the maid had been about to step back when her gaze caught the hand Fu Qian rested on the door.
His sleeve hung loose, exposing a section of his forearm.
There was almost no skin on it; the muscles and tendons were completely exposed.
Upon closer inspection, the bright crimson mass wasn't muscle tissue at all—it was dozens upon dozens of tiny, flesh-colored snakes writhing and twisting together.
As her gaze swept over them, several of the little serpents turned, aiming their eyeless heads right at her.
The Ji Clan's training was clearly top-notch, but she still couldn't hold back a scream.
"S-sorry..."
She instantly apologized for her lapse in composure.
"I should be the one apologizing," Fu Qian said. "I'll be in your care going forward."
He reached over with his other hand to soothe the snake heads—successfully draining all the color from the second maid's face—and casually shut the door.
He might be as open-minded as an empty valley and above petty games, but he still needed to issue a mild warning to stop them from pushing their luck and slipping into his room uninvited.
...
"Instructor Andiel, they were only following orders. Please forgive them if they caused offense."
A moment later, a soft voice drifted from the next room. Ji Liushuang had clearly heard the commotion and assumed he was annoyed.
Of course, if she had seen it with her own eyes, she might have had a few more thoughts on the matter.
"Don't worry. The Apocalypse Branch has never stooped to bickering with ordinary people."
Fu Qian chuckled.
It was the truth. From what he had seen and heard recently, the biggest difference between Apocalypse and Linghui was that the former only cared about existences within the transcendent realm, holding absolutely no interest in ordinary people.
"Speaking of which, does the Gospel Team only serve ordinary people?"
‘You work there and you're asking me...’
Ji Liushuang hadn't expected the question. She grumbled to herself, but she had to admire his absolute commitment to the act at all times.
"Yes. Just like Mother, all of the Gospel Team's clients are ordinary people."
"Using transcendent abilities to treat ordinary people—especially on a mental level—has always been a highly sensitive field due to some ambiguous practices. Bringing it out into the open was no less difficult than limb grafting."
"The Ji Clan expended a massive amount of effort, establishing an incredibly strict scope of business and a series of clauses to ensure its operational independence, just to secure such a permit, and even then, it is restricted to certain districts."
"Of course, as the only institution of its kind, its business is quite good."
"Not surprising. Oftentimes, the qualification to treat someone is much harder to obtain than the ability to heal them."
Fu Qian expressed his understanding.
"You sound quite familiar with it?"
"Because Mother is an ordinary person, and we can afford the fees, I've been keeping an eye on it from the very start."
Ji Liushuang smiled faintly.
The Ji Clan certainly didn't need to worry about expenses, but it likely wasn't just because her mother was an ordinary person either.
Fu Qian mused inwardly.
Their conversation during the walk had given him a much clearer picture of the situation this mother and daughter were in.
Sometimes, an overly prominent background wasn't a good thing.
Given the Ji Clan's strict ancestral rules, it was hard to say there wouldn't be people happy to see them meet with an accident.
This was likely why Ji Liushuang had rushed back without hesitation the moment she heard her mother was in trouble, swearing to uncover the truth.
Amid his thoughts, Fu Qian asked no more, and Ji Liushuang did not make another sound either.
She was resting with her eyes closed, drifting in a half-sleep, striving to heal her injuries with maximum efficiency.
...
‘Is this a Demigod Level Ash Descent? They really couldn't wait!’
Such silence did not last long.
As night first fell, Fu Qian sat by the window watching the moon for a while, until at some point he sensed a change in the next room.
Ji Liushuang was still dozing on the Deck Chair. Her posture and expression hadn't changed, and her breathing remained quite steady.
However, Fu Qian knew that was nothing but a different kind of facade.
In reality, Ji Liushuang had already sunk into some deep, dark corruption, without even a trace of struggle.
It was triggered silently, its area of effect controlled quite well.
If he hadn't been right next door, even he wouldn't have easily noticed it.
It had to be one of those two Old Men arriving.
Which raised the question: knowing they were currently trying to reason with and sway Ji Liushuang, was there any subtle way for him to intervene, other than kicking down the wall to announce an assassin?
‘Wait a minute... unlike Ji Yicheng's beginner version, this feels somewhat familiar!’
Realizing something, the next moment a rough-styled ring appeared on Fu Qian's hand and activated.
This was the Ash-Bestowing Ring obtained from Unseen Hill.
Sharing a surname with his old pal Ji Feng was one thing, but combined with this sensation of The Deep, like the manifestation of ultimate gloom, that was a different matter entirely.
As Ash Bestowal activated, endless gloom permeated Fu Qian once again, turning him into an Emissary of The Deep.
Naturally, under the effect of the Witch Mask, this transformation was completely concealed.
The next moment, the image of Ji Liushuang resting next door dissipated like smoke.
And amid a dreary expanse of pale ash, Fu Qian heard a few blurry words.
"...Rebirth Club?"
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!
Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter