Chapter 633: The Eastern Branch Academy

Chapter 633 Eastern Branch Academy

Within the imperial heartland, in Shandong Province.

A colossal roc burst through layered clouds, descending toward Qinglong Mountain, southwest of Jinan Prefecture.

Hidden amid snow-covered wilderness lay a settlement no larger than a market town.

Li Jun had come to the Eastern Branch of the Mo Xu to repair Lord Ma, so to show respect, he ordered Mo Qijing to land outside the town, and led the group into the city on foot.

Just as they were about to enter the city, Zou Sijiu’s footsteps suddenly faltered. He turned to look at a pavilion-like structure bearing the words “Dream Catching,” and a cold sneer curled across his lips.

Zou Sijiu remembered clearly: the last time he had come to the Eastern Branch to seek reinforcements, he was locked inside that very pavilion, told that Mo Xu was a restricted area and they feared an outsider like him might steal something.

Damn it all—did Uncle Zou look like some petty thief?

“Ah, Young Zhao,”

Zou Sijiu quickened his pace, grabbed Zhao Qingxia, who was leading the way, slung an arm over his shoulder, and pointed at the Dream-Catching Pavilion with a broad grin.

“This isn’t my first time at the Eastern Branch. Old Li and the others are new here and don’t know the rules, but I do. This pavilion is mine now. Does the Eastern Branch have any other pavilions—like Subduing Martial or Imprisoning the Way? Arrange those for them too.”

Zhao Qingxia looked embarrassed. “Brother Zou, do we really need to hold a grudge like this?”

Zou Sijiu said seriously, “How is this holding a grudge? We’re here to ask for a favor. What if we offend someone by breaking the rules? When you’re under someone else’s roof, you have to bow your head when necessary.”

“Master specifically told me beforehand that the Eastern Branch was wrong about what happened before, and he hopes you won’t mind, Brother Zou. This time the academy has prepared gifts specially to apologize to you.”

Zou Sijiu had only been running his mouth anyway. With Zhao Qingxia and Mo Qijing around, even if he held a grudge, he couldn’t do anything to the Eastern Branch.

Now that he heard they were being so courteous, his dissatisfaction naturally dissipated.

“Just joking. We’re all brothers, no outsiders here. Why be so polite? And I don’t blame them—the Yin-Yang Xu’s reputation in the empire has never been good. It’s only natural they were wary.”

Zou Sijiu waved his hand grandly, his tone magnanimous.

After these past few days together, Zhao Qingxia had come to understand the temperament of this Yin-Yang Xu Dream Master. Knowing he was only teasing, he smiled and continued leading the way.

Entering the Eastern Branch went smoothly. No one blind enough to cause trouble appeared, and they passed unimpeded.

Once inside the city, Zou Sijiu, revisiting old ground, immediately puffed out his chest, looking around like a poor boy who had made it big and returned to the relatives who once looked down on him.

As his gaze swept about, Zou Sijiu suddenly frowned. His scanning eyes landed on the very back of the group.

Shen Li was trailing behind everyone, his face betraying nothing, yet the desolation in his eyes could not be hidden.

Ever since leaving the fiefdom, Shen Li had worn that same forlorn look, much like Chen Qisheng after learning of his master’s death.

Zou Sijiu understood the reason well.

A former favored son of heaven, a prodigy of the martial sequence, cast down from the heights overnight—such a fall was not something ordinary people could bear.

On top of that, he carried the heavy burden of avenging Tianque, enough to crush him.

To be honest, that Shen Li still had the spirit to walk the martial sequence anew, starting again from Sequence Nine instead of giving up—Zou Sijiu found that truly admirable.

But Shen Li’s dejected demeanor, and the faint rift between him and the others, left a bitter taste in Zou Sijiu’s mouth.

“Li Jun and Chen Qisheng, those two grandsons, are peas in a pod—just a pair of walking muscle sticks, no use at all. For this kind of comfort and care, it has to be Uncle Zou.”

“Tch, without me in this team, it might really fall apart one day.”

Sighing inwardly, Zou Sijiu deliberately slowed his pace until he was beside Li Jun.

Stretching lazily, he said loudly, “I’ve had my fill of wind up in the sky—what a misery.”

“Have to say, that kid Wang Qi is clever. Knowing he’s got protection in the fiefdom now, he chose to stay there and play out his life—living more wisely than any of us.”

Zou Sijiu turned to Li Jun and jabbed, “I say, Old Li, your heart is really made of stone. My niece’s eyes are swollen from crying, yet you still leave her by Sister Yuan’s side. Cold-blooded, that’s what you are.”

Li Jun gave Zou Sijiu a strange look, wondering what this charlatan was up to, bringing up this topic out of the blue.

But seeing the way the man’s eyebrows wiggled, Li Jun grew thoughtful and played along. “Xiaohua is too dangerous with us.”

“What danger? With our lineup now, we’re the dangerous ones. We’ve got a Martial Three, an Ink Three, a Dao Three, a Yin-Yang Three—”

Zou Sijiu raised his hand and pointed in turn at Li Jun, Chen Qisheng, and himself. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he moved his finger toward Shen Li, who was deliberately lagging behind everyone.

“Oh, right, and one little nobody.”

*Clang!*

A sharp sword cry pierced the air, and a chill of cold killing intent enveloped Zou Sijiu.

“Charlatan, what the hell are you playing at?!”

Chen Qisheng frowned, glaring at Zou Sijiu with displeasure.

*You brainless brute, why are you blowing up at me?*

Zou Sijiu wished he could scoop out Chen Qisheng’s furious eyeballs and glue them onto Shen Li so the man would understand his good intentions.

“Is there something wrong with what I said?”

Zou Sijiu maintained his infuriatingly arrogant expression. “Want me to count again in reverse? Little nobody, Yin-Yang Three—”

“Looks like becoming a Dream Master has gone to your head. Let me sober you up!”

Chen Qisheng rolled up his sleeves and was about to step forward when Shen Li’s voice cut in.

“He’s right.”

Everyone turned to look. Shen Li stood rooted to the spot, a bitter smile on his face. “I really don’t deserve to keep traveling with all of you anymore.”

Shen Li’s desolate words made the atmosphere even heavier. Not only was Chen Qisheng grinding his teeth, ready to throw a punch, but even Li Jun was staring coldly at Zou Sijiu, the meaning clear.

*If this blows up, I’m done for today.*

Zou Sijiu swallowed hard and pressed on stubbornly. “See? He admits it himself. Why are you sticking up for him?”

He turned to Shen Li. “Of course, I’m not saying you don’t deserve to stay with us. We’re not the kind to forget old debts. But Shen Li, your sequence is even lower than Li Hua’s now. If we run into trouble later, no one can guarantee your safety…”

“A burden?”

Shen Li laughed mirthlessly. “You don’t need to say more. I understand. I’m the one who didn’t know my place.”

Shen Li didn’t bother to wonder why Zou Sijiu had suddenly changed. Warmth and coldness among people were always fickle.

When you’re equals, you’re brothers; when disaster strikes, you become a servant.

In Tianjin, Shen Li had seen too much of that—it no longer moved him.

“Brother Jun, since there’s probably no need of me here for now, I’ll take my leave.”

As he spoke, Shen Li stepped back, as if crossing an invisible line, standing apart from the others in a different world.

At that moment, he actually seemed relieved, as though a weight had been lifted. He clasped his hands in salute, then turned to leave.

“Wait, Shen Li. That’s not the way to talk—it makes it sound like I’m driving you away. We used to call each other brothers. If you want to leave, you don’t have to sow discord like this, do you?”

Shen Li paused without turning back. “That wasn’t my intention.”

“I think it was exactly your intention.”

Zou Sijiu pressed on relentlessly. “Tell you what, Shen Li, you don’t have to leave. I’m a Sequence Three Dream Master now, so I can protect you easily enough. But there’s one condition: from now on, you call me ‘Master.’”

“What did you say?”

Shen Li, still facing away, clenched his fists, his words coming out one by one.

“Hey, call me master from now on, and I’ll have your back.”

Zou Sijiu sneered, “And it’s not just me—Li Jun and Chen Qisheng are the same.”

“Zou Sijiu, are you trying to ride me? Make me your underling?”

Shen Li turned to look back, his eyes blazing with anger.

“Did I not make myself clear enough? Or is it that you just don’t get it?”

Zou Sijiu stepped forward, and the two locked eyes.

“Shen Li, I suggest you take a good look at the current situation. If you still want to avenge Tianque, you need to learn to read the room.”

“And what if I insist on not seeing clearly, on not learning?”

Shen Li turned around, meeting Zou Sijiu’s gaze without a trace of fear.

“Stop putting on this unyielding act. The you now isn’t the Shen Li of before. What can you do? Shed your blood and splash it all over me?”

Zou Sijiu tilted his head contemptuously. “Ridiculous.”

Bang!

A fist suddenly flew out, slamming hard into Zou Sijiu’s face and knocking him to the ground.

Shen Li grabbed Zou Sijiu by the collar and punched him again and again.

The dull thuds went on for who knows how long, until the face pinned beneath was beaten beyond recognition. Only then did Shen Li slowly unclench his fist.

“If you want to kill me, come and take my life. But let me tell you this: even if I’m a cripple, no one gets to ride me!”

Shen Li’s eyes were bloodshot. He shoved Zou Sijiu’s collar hard against the ground, straightened his back, and turned to leave.

“That’s more like it. This is the familiar look—staring death in the face and fighting back. This is the Shen Li I know. That wailing and moaning earlier, I almost thought some Yellow Millet Ghost had possessed my brother.”

Shen Li spun around and saw Zou Sijiu staggering to his feet, his face battered and covered in blood.

“Had enough? If you haven’t gotten all the anger out, I’ve got a spot here that hasn’t bled yet.”

Zou Sijiu pointed to the un-cracked left corner of his mouth. “If you’re done, then stand there and listen to what I have to say.”

Shen Li stood motionless, his gaze complex as he looked at Zou Sijiu.

“I don’t know if Li Jun and Chen Qisheng noticed, but I did. Ever since we left the settlement, you’ve been keeping your distance, talking all stilted, without any of your old straightforwardness. What, you really think you’ve fallen so low you’re not fit to hang with us anymore?”

Zou Sijiu scrambled to his feet. “To be honest, I’m not good at pep talks. I don’t understand this feeling of falling from grace, looking at everyone and seeing nothing but fickle hearts and a cold world. And I sure as hell don’t like using such pathetic reverse psychology, putting on that disgusting act I even hated myself for.”

“But I can’t stand that half-dead look on your face. If you think these brothers reaching Sequence Three puts us out of your league, fine—I’ll let you beat me up.”

“See that now? Sequence or no sequence, we’re still human. It still hurts when we get hit.”

Zou Sijiu’s voice suddenly rose, and he grabbed Shen Li’s collar in return.

“Shen Li, when we first met, you were a proud member of the Three Heroes of Tianque, a once-in-a-generation genius in the martial sequence. I was wondering if you’d be some high-maintenance rich kid, but you never once looked down on me—a charlatan latching onto Old Li and helping him play the bully. I remember that clearly.”

“But now you’ve hit a rough patch, and suddenly you’re acting like a waste, like you’re beneath everyone else?”

Shen Li, his secret laid bare, stared blankly. “I—”

Bang!

“You what? Don’t be so melodramatic, like some chick. Stay here on the ground and think it over.”

Zou Sijiu kicked Shen Li over, holding one hand over his own swollen eye and pointing the other at Chen Qisheng.

“And you—yes, you. Get the hell over here, to your Grandpa Zou.”

Zou Sijiu shouted angrily, “Chen Qisheng, were you pretending not to see all my hints? Or do you genuinely believe I’m just a gold-digging bully who kicks people when they’re down? And were you about to stab me with that flying sword just now?”

“Grandpa Zou, take it easy. There are outsiders.”

Chen Qisheng quietly stepped back.

“Bullshit. My face is already beaten to a pulp—who cares about face? Get over here and let me kick you so I feel better.”

Zou Sijiu was still cursing and about to lunge when his squinting eyes caught sight of an old, smiling face.

Though the man’s clothes were unremarkable, from Zhao Qingxia’s respectful expression it was clear his identity was anything but simple.

With no choice, Zou Sijiu backed off, laughing awkwardly and shifting the topic clumsily: “This Eastern Branch looks so unimpressive—nothing like the grandeur of the Central Branch.”

“All that grandeur has been washed away by wind and rain. Better to keep a low profile.”

The man’s teasing glance made Zou Sijiu a bit embarrassed, so he turned to Shen Li, who had just gotten up, and sneered, “Come here, let me land a few more punches.”

“I am Han Yang, elder of the Eastern Branch of the Ink Sequence. You must be Salary Master Li, I presume?”

After that little interlude, the old man who had been waiting off to the side finally had a chance to speak with Li Jun. He immediately cupped his hands in greeting, his manner genial.

“Teacher, Brother Jun is now the Rogue Martial Sequence Three. He’s not called Salary Master, but Revolution Lord.”

Zhao Qingxia, standing behind him, reminded him softly.

The old man’s smile didn’t waver. “Good, that name is even better. Truly worthy of the originator of a sequence—just the naming of a sequence shows your boldness.”

Li Jun chuckled awkwardly. “Actually, it wasn’t me who came up with the name.”

“Even so, the very fact that you accepted it means you grasp its essence.”

Zhao Qingxia’s eyes widened. This was the first time he had seen his teacher be so understanding.

“You flatter me, Elder Han.”

Li Jun returned the greeting. “We’ve come seeking your help, hoping that your institute might lend us a hand.”

“Qingxia has already told me about the matter. Lord Ma is a legend even in the Ink Sequence. If there’s anything we can do to help him, the Eastern Branch is honored to.”

Han Yang stepped aside and made an inviting gesture. “Guests from afar, please, let’s continue inside the city. This way!”

Roar!

Meanwhile, high above the sky, the Ink Riding Whale, in its giant Kun form, arced through the air and dove straight into a huge heavenly well, like a fish returning to water.

“Teacher, Lord Ma’s injuries are severe. I’ll take him for repairs first.”

In a council chamber styled after the ancients, everyone had just taken their seats when Zhao Qingxia was already eager to leave.

“Not so fast.”

Han Yang motioned for him to wait, then looked at Li Jun. “Qingxia has often spoken of you all, saying he would never have had the chance to join the Eastern Branch without your care. So I’ve prepared a few small gifts to express my gratitude. I hope you won’t refuse them.”

“Really? Gifts?”

Zou Sijiu, who had Shen Li’s head clamped under his arm, looked up with a grin. “There’s no need for such kindness, Elder Han. People like us aren’t really used to this much warmth.”

“Take a look first. If you truly don’t fancy them, then I won’t insist.”

Han Yang raised his hand, and a few lines slowly projected into view.

[Ming Ghost Realm Project: On the Historical Evolution of Old-School Dao Sequences and the Principle of the Birth of Wudang Divinity (Heroic Spirits).]

[Non-Destiny Institute Project: A Compilation of Rules for the Yellow Millet Dream and Further In-depth Development and Application.]

[Heaven’s Will Society Project: An Analysis of the Rogue Martial Sequence (Li Jun)’s Developmental Path and Research on the Selection of Injectors.]

“These are specially selected by the Eastern Branch from our project pool. I wonder if they meet with your approval?”

Shen Li yanked his head out of Zou Sijiu’s armhold, his eyes gleaming with brilliance.

As for Chen Qisheng, he was already standing at the door, ready to leave.

"Two ill-mannered fellows."

Zou Sijiu narrowed his puffy eyes and smiled at Han Yang. "It's hard to refuse such kindness. On behalf of them both, I thank Elder Han."

Han Yang nodded and said softly, "Qingxia, take everyone to their respective research groups."

"Yes, Teacher."

The three followed Zhao Qingxia out in single file, leaving only Han Yang and Li Jun in the vast meeting hall.

"We know very little about the Solitary Martial Order, and the trivial details we've studied wouldn't be of much help to you, Li Gejun, so we didn't prepare anything separately. Forgive me."

Li Jun waved his hand to indicate it was fine and laughed. "Elder, you should just call me Li Jun. After all, you are Zhao Qingxia's elder, and I find this 'Gejun' awkward to hear."

"Let's interact as equals."

The old man's expression tightened, and he quickly said, "Don't call me Elder either. Just call me Master Han. Our group, to put it bluntly, are simply craftsmen, and we all like the sound of that."