"This environment had changed from when last I came here." I stood amazed at the changes. The place had become more ancient, and it exuded the energy of terror. 'Could this mean that my chaotic energy has increased lately?' I questioned my confident mind.
"Let your ghost come out. Did you dare trick me? Why did those recipes (pill formulae) you gave me not work?" I question the empty place.
"Can you shut up! I can hear you clearly; why shout?" Gods-mind thundered with his voice out of nowhere.
"What have you been up to these days? All this while you have been avoiding responsibilities. Why are you sounding noble now?" I questioned him again! Who the hell did he think he was messing with, and he gave me the wrong pill formulas to waste my precious lazy time.
"How did you know I even gave you wrong formulas? Are you sure it is not your incompetence?"
"Incompetent? What nonsense! You don't spout rubbish. I clearly understood every area of pill-making that I read. So do you intend to make me suffer? Why are you afraid to let me progress? Could it be that a legendary being like yourself is afraid of being bound by me?"
"Nonsense! Just you? Who do you think you are? Without me, you have nothing. If so, why didn't you give yourself the right formulae." gods-mind asked explosively.
I picked my ears lazily; now wasn't he exposing himself? Ungrateful ghost. I sat on the ground before the golden stele, unconcerned. I was lazily listening to that ingrate.
"So your ghost did it. What did you plan to achieve by withholding my future of sitting in the cloud? Since you don't like this mutual benefit. I'm going to self-destruct."
"You that love your life to the moon and back. How are you going to self-destruct?" gods-mind asked lazily; he wasn't bothered whether I could muster up the courage to do such a careless thing because he knew it was impossible for someone that wanted to live a long life to cut their precious life short.
"Who said I was going to kill myself? Since you like to play sly tricks, then don't blame me. Tomorrow, I will apologize to the whole school and my junior high school. I will worship Buddha and help the community. I, Guang Fang, will starve you of chaotic energies. Let me see how you power up to your prime. It will not only be a dream, but I shall make it a sad impossible dream."
"Hey, milking brat, what do you think you're doing? You dare threaten me?"
"What are you? You've been freeloading, aren't you ashamed?"
Humph! Gods-mind snorted angrily. I choked him to anger, but what could he do about it? At this moment, a golden light pierced my forehead.
"I have sent you the pill-making techniques and formulas of the earth pills. It is the least grade of the four grades of pills. However, everything from the beginning of pill creation to an unknown era is all there. Also, there are hands-on simulations. It would seem you practiced these techniques for million years. Sighs, don't disturb me again. I have to sleep. All the energy I have stored, you have already seized them. Now you better remember my contribution because you will pay." gods-mind ended his speech with a loud snort of dissatisfaction.
That night, I began to assimilate many pieces of information. It looked like my brain couldn't keep up—it was about to explode because of the massive data. I closed my eyes and remained silent till morning came upon me. I began to learn of different origins and patterns of pill making. In fact, over the years, various people employed different methods of pill making, and each of them is brilliant indeed. For most of them, their good point could compensate for the deficiencies of the others. And most of them were almost perfect formulas. They were indeed peerless. I continuously assimilated them.
At the same time, Xiu Ying went to Jian He's office before homeroom. The office was simply the same as the man that owned it: all gloomy. Jian He was busy revising his lesson note. He kept frowning like someone had formulated those lesson notes for him. He made the atmosphere lifeless, just like a desert without a plant.
"Good morning, sir." Xiu Ying entered with a formal greeting.
What's the matter, class representative."
"Sir, it is like this: one of our class members fell sick, and his sickness appeared special because he doesn't need the clinic. He said clinics make him sicker. Moreover, he's allergic to drugs and needles."
"And who could this friend of yours be to have you personally testify. Do you know what happens if I discovered you lied?"
"I understand, sir. This person is Guang Fang. Maybe because of his yesterday's punishment, he fell sick." Xiu Ying pledged more.
"Guang Fang? Oh, I remembered that crackpot. But that punishment isn't enough to make him sick. Didn't Miss Li partake in the same punishment? Why isn't she sick?"
'You ask your ghost—how would I even know this thing. Did you really think that girl worked with Guang Fang? Use your brain a little.' Xiu Ying complained in her mind.
"I don't know if she's sick. Maybe she never labored with Guang Fang."
"Did that miscreant tell you that? How elusive!"
'Elusive? I can't even understand your anger towards him.' Xiu Ying couldn't be bothered with the surly fellow; she only nodded.
"And you believe him? How good of you! Do you believe someone who lives and dies with lies or a truthful angel? Ridiculous! In any case, I will investigate this to see if he was just skiving class."
'Finally!!' Xiu Ying thought.
"Thank you, sir."
In the class, Li Min stood in a daze. She wondered why I (Guang Fang) didn't attend school today. Was it because of the kiss? She thought. However, as she drowned deep in her thoughts, the other student continuously sneaked glances at her; she couldn't hide her shock and sadness. In fact, she probably didn't know that she laid her expression bare. However, when Toa Fen saw her mood, she became alarmed.
Although Toa Fen loved me, she wasn't willing to stoop so low as to flirt with me. It was against her nature. She was the queen, and people should glorify and sort after her. So she never wanted to admit that she loved me or recklessly chase after me. She thought it was only justified to possess me. But this time, chaotic thoughts drummed in her heart. What would she do? She thought. However, at this moment, Xiu Ying came to Li Min.
"Excuse me, Miss Li," she accosted.
"What's the matter." Li Min answered indifferently.
"I went to our teacher's office to excuse Guang Fang for a few days. But it seems the teacher doesn't believe me."
"So, what should I do with the pumpkin?"
Xiu Ying wondered if she was the only one hearing this girl's arrogant words. It might not be obvious, but they know Li Min and Guang Fang had a special relationship. But why was she behaving weirdly? Xiu Ying was most curious about that question. She waved her hands indifferently, picked up a nicely scenting novel, and began to read. Xiu Ying saw there was nothing else to do and left. However, as she left, Li Min followed. People in the class couldn't understand the problem between the two, and they intended not to bother themselves with trivialities.
After half an hour, Jian He came out of the principal's office, frowning. Just now, he argued with the principal to expel Guang Fang for skiving off class. But the principal declined. Of course, the main reason was that Li Min had discussed Guang Fang's situation. So even when Jian He taught in class, he couldn't focus on the subject! Today's situation irritated him so much, just like blaring snake horns in the neighborhood.
After school, Toa Fen and her subordinates decided to head back together. On the way, Toa Fen appeared abstracted. It was abstruse because Lan Mei, who paid stark attention to Toa Fen, felt lost in a misty nebulous.
'Sigh, is sister Fen thinking about that fellow, Guang Fang?' Lan Mei thought. She believed that although Toa Fen didn't say it, there was something.
"Sister Fen, why do you think that guy skived off class?" Lan Mei asked.
Toa Fen, who drowned deep in her thought, sighed. She exhaled and glanced at Lan Mei; then, she faced the moving cloud with a lost expression. After a while, she spoke: "Lan Mei, why are you so concerned about that bully, Guang Fang?"
'Me? I'm actually worrying for you. Although you could hide your expression from Dayu, I am different. I know what it feels like to want to belong to someone. Or rather, in your case, you want to possess him.' Lan Mei thought briefly but laughed cutely. Lan Mei had always been the girl who wholeheartedly served Toa Fen without reserve. So even though she felt grateful to Me (Guang Fang), it wasn't enough to plunge her into a relationship. Of course, I haven't asked her, so there's no guarantee that a hunk like me couldn't persuade her. But she could never mistake the reality. She had always realized her Toa Fen's interest in me, but she wasn't about broaching that topic, and neither did her sister admit it.
"Well, even Xiu Ying worked extra hard to convince our homeroom teacher. Still, the homeroom teacher complained to the principal; he wanted to use this opportunity to strike Guang Fang with a birch rod. However, he failed. Tell me, didn't Miss Min help out? So I wondered what could be so important to that fellow to use his network to skive off class." Lan Mei fobbed her answer to terminate her further suspicion of her. At the same time, she forewarned Toa Fen that there were many people chasing after the same thing.
Even though Toa Fen appeared unsatisfied, she could only put away her growing suspicion of Lan Mei's interest. "Whatever that perfidious cad is planning has nothing to do with me." Tao Fen said acerbically.
However, while all this thing happened, Boazhai Dayu remained quiet. Only the hard terracotta beneath her feet could testify of her clack. In fact, Toa Fen and Lan Mei could hear the staccato. The two didn't know what Boazhai Dayu thought of the topic because she never said a word of contribution.