Chapter 76: Dead or Alive

Tears slipped from Du Lingyue’s eyes as she raised her head, sobbing, “Xiaofen… Xiaofen promised me nothing like this would happen. Why… why…”

At that moment, her eyes were brimming with tears, her thick lashes trembling anxiously, making her look all the more pitiable, like a pear blossom in the rain.

Li Yunfei sighed and said, “You really made a bad choice in friends. You went to help her as a bridesmaid, but when you were being mistreated, she just stood by and watched.”

“With friends and family like that groom’s, and with him turning a blind eye to their behavior, he’s probably not much better. You should stay away from people like that.”

He then deliberately added in an indignant tone, “I’m not trying to stir things up! Last night I was standing right there and saw everything clearly.”

“When one of the bridesmaids asked what was wrong with you, and the bride said ‘she’s awakened,’ you should’ve seen the jealousy in her eyes—it was almost burning.”

“That bride is obviously manipulative. I don’t know how you ever chose friends like her.”

Truth be told, Li Yunfei’s words had quite an effect.

Unconsciously, Du Lingyue began to recall the little moments she’d shared with her so-called best friend, and gradually some things became clear.

As she followed Li Yunfei’s line of thought, the anxiety in her heart began to fade.

Seeing this, Li Yunfei gently patted her shoulder and said softly, “Don’t dwell on it. I’m sure Zixiao won’t hold you responsible.”

“There’s no need to feel so guilty. In Zixiao, there are plenty of awakened ones who, in the chaos of their awakening, caused harm to those around them. It’s considered an accident.”

“Some even hurt others for no reason at all. If everyone was as guilt-ridden as you, the Zixiao Yellow Squad would have disbanded long ago.”

“What’s more, those people only died by accident because they tried to violate you. If I were the leader of Zixiao, I wouldn’t even compensate them.”

“Compensate?”

Du Lingyue looked at him through her tears, confused.

Li Yunfei replied, “Yes, for any casualties or property damage caused during someone’s awakening, Zixiao usually pays compensation.”

“The ones from Fangjiaping didn’t die unjustly, but out of humanitarian concern, Zixiao will probably still give some compensation.”

“So there’s really no need for you to feel troubled. Once you join Zixiao, just serve the country well.”

Du Lingyue was taken aback and asked timidly, “Serve the country… Do you think I can?”

Li Yunfei encouraged her, “Why not? Once you join, there will be professionals to teach you how to control, develop, and strengthen your abilities.”

“Who knows, maybe one day you’ll become like Princess Elsa, able to create a palace of ice and snow with a thought!”

At last, Du Lingyue broke into a smile through her tears. Seeing this, Li Yunfei relaxed as well and handed her a packet of tissues.

“Thank you.”

Du Lingyue took a tissue and wiped away her tears. With Li Yunfei’s guidance, her anxious heart had finally settled.

She asked him, “Are you with Zixiao?”

Li Yunfei shook his head. “No, I have my own cultivation heritage. The Zixiao academy isn’t really for me, though I might join in the future.”

Just then, Du Lingyue’s stomach rumbled again, and a faint blush colored her cheeks.

Li Yunfei laughed heartily, “Let’s have breakfast! It won’t taste good cold.”

Now that her worries had been dispelled, Du Lingyue finally had an appetite, and she began to eat heartily.

She really must have been starving—she finished off ten soup dumplings and a bowl of lean pork congee.

Once they were done, Li Yunfei muttered a spell over the dishes, making them as spotless as new, then with a wave of his hand, stored everything away in his system pack.

Curious, Du Lingyue asked, “Dafei, what kind of spell is that? Is it like a bag of holding?”

Li Yunfei smiled, “Pretty much. That’s the benefit of being a cultivator—lots of little spells that come in handy in daily life.”

Du Lingyue sighed, “When I had my physical exam before, they said I had no aptitude. I thought I’d just be an ordinary person, get married, have children, live an average life… Who could’ve guessed…”

Li Yunfei chuckled, “That’s why fate is so mysterious. No one knows what tomorrow will bring.”

Du Lingyue nodded slowly, then suddenly brightened and asked, “Dafei, which is stronger, a cultivator or an awakened one?”

Li Yunfei thought for a moment. “I can’t say for sure. You really can’t compare them like that. There’s no such thing as a weak or strong ability—only weak or strong people.”

“Cultivation requires starting from scratch, growing stronger little by little. Awakened ones, on the other hand, might have a single ability, but from the start, they’re stronger than most.”

“And because they specialize in one field, they can get really creative with their powers. Cultivators, though, tend to have a wider range of techniques. It’s a trade-off.”

Du Lingyue pressed, “Can an awakened one cultivate?”

Li Yunfei replied, “Supposedly not. Take you, for example—you’ve awakened your powers, but before that, you didn’t have the aptitude for cultivation, right?”

“So it seems that awakening has nothing to do with cultivation aptitude, but why awakened ones can’t cultivate—I’m not really sure.”

“However, I have a friend in Zixiao who might know. I’ll ask her when I get a chance.”

“I see!”

The two chatted idly for a while. When the sun was high, Li Yunfei looked at the sky and said, “It’s getting late. Let’s head down the mountain.”

“Alright.”

They stood up. The little fox leapt onto Li Yunfei’s shoulder, and he packed up the table, stools, and tent with a wave.

Then he glanced at Du Lingyue, who was still in her formal dress and high heels, and scratched his head. “The mountain’s steep and thickly forested. It’ll be hard for you to walk in those. Choose: horizontal or vertical?”

Du Lingyue, completely baffled, asked, “Horizontal or vertical?”

Li Yunfei spoke vaguely, “Horizontal is more comfortable for you, though I’ll need to use a bit more strength. Vertical saves me effort, but it might be uncomfortable for you.”

Du Lingyue still didn’t quite understand, but hazarded, “Then… I’ll choose horizontal?”

Li Yunfei nodded. He stepped forward, bent down, and scooped Du Lingyue up in his arms, holding her across his chest.

“Ah… Wh-what are you doing?” Du Lingyue’s heart pounded like a startled deer, and she asked nervously.

It wasn’t that she feared Li Yunfei would do anything improper, but the pose felt a little too intimate.

Li Yunfei answered matter-of-factly, “Getting us on our way. How else are you going to travel? Those heels will get stuck in the mud with every step.”

With that, he carried Du Lingyue, the little fox perched on his shoulder, and leapt over a dense cluster of thorns.

Landing lightly, Li Yunfei’s legs moved in swift rhythm as he dashed forward, occasionally leaping high to clear obstacles.

Du Lingyue was nervous at first, but soon realized that no matter how fast Li Yunfei ran or leaped, she remained steady in his arms, hardly feeling any jolts.

Even the little fox sat securely on his shoulder, and only then did she relax.