This person was very tall and sturdy, and his hand very large, like the size of a washbowl. It made the bowl in his hand seem particularly small, resulting in a somewhat amusing sight. His right hand was somewhat clumsy and awkward, trembling as it traveled along the rim of the bowl as if somewhat crippled, making the sight also rather sad and pathetic.
Luoluo circled around the fried clam stand and stood behind this person. For some reason, her small face was brimming with anger. Chen Changsheng followed her and upon seeing the person's profile, realized that it was very childish and this person was very young, thus finally allowing him to confirm this person's identity.
The person squatting in this corner of the wall while washing dishes was the demi-human youth crippled by Tianhai Ya'er during the Ivy Festival, Xuanyuan Po.
Xuanyuan Po saw that a few more shadows had appeared on the wall and turned his head. He saw that it was a young man and woman. He perked his thick brows in puzzlement and realized that he did not recognize the pair, so he lowered his head back down and continued washing dishes—a simple task like washing dishes was now a very challenging matter to him, so he had no time to care about other people.
"Leaving the Red River, disregarding distance to come to the human world, experiencing all sorts of pain and suffering, and yet ending up in an alley of the capital washing dishes—was this your goal in life?"
The hand of Xuanyuan Po's holding the bowl slightly stiffened and he once more turned his head. As he stared at this girl who seemed to be sculpted from jade, great waves raged in his mind. He thought, who are you, and why do you know that I'm from the Red River, that I'm not part of the human world?
Seeing his blank and foolish appearance, Luoluo inexplicably felt somewhat angry. Her voice low and cold, she berated, "If the people of your tribe were to see your appearance now, would they not regret collecting so much travel money for you?"
Xuanyuan Po looked very sturdy and strong, but his true age was only thirteen. His face was young and tender as was the person himself.
Now that he was hearing Luoluo's unrestrained criticism, his cheeks turned red and he angrily replied, "Who are you? You don't need to concern yourself over my matters."
Luoluo fell silent for a moment then said, "I am called Luoluo. I am a student of the Orthodox Academy."
Xuanyuan Po froze once more, his shock even greater. His right hand could no longer hold the oily and greasy bowl.
With a splash, the bowl in his hands dropped into the filthy water. Although it did not break, the splashing suds still incurred the curses of the fried clam stall's owner. "You useless thing! Was all the time you spent growing up wasted? Do you not even know how to wash dishes?"
The night market was incredibly busy, the pedestrians a dense crowd. The fried clam stall was doing very good business, and the owner was working to the breaking point, waving his spatula and flipping over the food on the metal plate. He simply had no time to worry about other things. Even when cursing, he didn't even turn to glance at Xuanyuan Po.
Xuanyuan Po had no reaction. It seemed that in these past few days of working with the fried clam stall owner, he had already grown accustomed to being cursed at. He only stared in shock at Luoluo, his young and immature eyes beginning to glow with fervor, brimming with worship and adoration.
After being heavily injured by Tianhai Ya'er at the Ivy Festival, he had been carried back by his schoolmates to Star Seizer Academy for treatment. He did not see what happened afterwards, but on the next day, he heard from his schoolmates that Tianhai Ya'er had been crippled. The person that had crippled Tianhai Ya'er…was a girl.
He heard that the girl was called Luoluo and that she was a student of the Orthodox Academy.
This girl had apparently just said the same.
Xuanyuan Po had since wanted to meet this girl. It wasn't merely because he wanted to thank her for helping him get revenge, but because demi-humans respected the strong. He had deeply wished to see what this girl looked like and display his reverence towards her.
"It turns out that it was you…"
Xuanyuan Po wiped his thick hands on his old clothes, seeming rather nervous, then said, "Then whatever you say is okay, is as it should be."
Luoluo had originally wanted to re-stimulate this person's fighting spirit and had not expected this sort of response. She couldn't help but feel rather helpless.
On the other hand, Chen Changsheng was thinking of another question. Somewhat confused, he asked, "You…left Star Seizer Academy?"
He thought to himself, even if this demi-human youth was crippled by Tianhai Ya'er, making it very difficult for him to continue cultivating, much less regain his former strength, he was still acting as a student of Star Seizer Academy when he took part in the match. Could it be that Star Seizer Academy expelled him because he was crippled? This is really too inexcusable.
Xuanyuan Po did not know who this human youth was, but seeing his expression, he knew that there was a misunderstanding. Somewhat frantic, he repeatedly waved his hands and explained, "The academy didn't expel me, but…after receiving such severe injuries, I can no longer cultivate. I didn't want to freeload in the academy, so I left."
Seeing that Chen Changsheng and Luoluo were somewhat unwilling to believe this, he hurriedly added, "It's true, the principal and teachers all came to persuade me, but I've always been a rather stubborn person and wasn't willing to listen, so I snuck off. You shouldn't mistakenly blame them."
Truly straightforward and cute—Chen Changsheng and Luoluo both thought this. Whether it was the reason for his insistence on leaving Star Seizer Academy or the frantic concern he displayed when he worried that bystanders might misunderstand the attitude of Star Seizer Academy, they were all proof that this demi-human youth possessed a very clean heart.
Luoluo's expression softened slightly as she asked, "So that's what it was. Then what are you prepared to do in the future?"
Xuanyuan Po gave an honest smile and replied, "I'm prepared to save some money. Once I've got enough for travel expenses, I'll return home. Since I can't cultivate, I might as well return home and help out with work…right, don't blame the boss. Although he likes to curse at others, he's really a good person. In these past few days, I've broken so many plates and bowls, but he's never let me pay for them."
The owner, who was just wiping his sweat as he flipped food on the metal plate, did not turn upon hearing these words, only smiled and cursed a few words.
Seeing the demi-human youth's simple and honest smile and realizing that there was no hint of resentment to be found on his young and immature face, Luoluo was overcome by an inexplicable sadness. She asked, "You're willing to just go home like this?"
After a pause, Xuanyuan Po replied, "Just like my lady said before, in order for me to come to the capital, the people of the tribe collected a lot of money. It was very difficult, and I'm certainly unwilling to just go back like this…but the teachers in the academy have already said that the constitution of demi-humans is different from humans. A crippled right arm is very difficult to treat, so what reason is there for me to stay?"
He sighed, "The teachers were actually willing to let me stay in Star Seizer Academy and do some manual labor, but if I were to see my former schoolmates advancing forward step by step, I might feel even more unwilling."
Luoluo said, "If you remain in the capital, you'll eventually find a way. What need is there to so quickly leave Star Seizer Academy?"
Xuanyuan Po replied, "The elders of the tribe have taught since we were children to never receive the slightest sympathy, especially from humans."
Luoluo quietly looked into his eyes, finding him more and more admirable. She said, "Follow me."
It was just two simple words, not an order yet imbued with a feeling that they could not be rejected, so awe-inspiring as to be inviolable.
Xuanyuan Po felt somewhat odd. He blankly stared but couldn't find any means of refusing. After speaking with the owner, he followed her onto the street.
Only when they were just about to exit the long street and on the verge of seeing the well of Hundred Flowers Lane did Luoluo finally remember something and turn rather embarrassedly to Chen Changsheng.
Chen Changsheng chuckled but said nothing.
Luoluo had never opposed anything he wanted to do, so he naturally would not have any opposition towards things that Luoluo wanted to do. As for what this demi-human youth called Xuanyuan Po would bring, he was also not much concerned. He knew that Luoluo's clansmen were always watching from a distance, protecting her.
...
...
The Orthodox Academy at night was as peaceful as usual. Because of the second night of the Ivy Festival, the prying gazes within Hundred Flowers Lane were greatly reduced. This made Chen Changsheng feel even more relaxed. However, he had not imagined that Xuanyuan Po, who was coming to the Orthodox Academy for the first time, would be even more relaxed than he was.
The demi-human held his waist that was even thicker than a tree and looked all around, occasionally even stroking an old sculpture. His eyes were brimming with curiosity without the least anxiety.
Taking out the key and opening the door to the library, Chen Changsheng did not go in but turned to Luoluo who seemed to be hesitating to speak and asked, "What do you want to say?"
Luoluo somewhat bashfully pulled upon his sleeve and said, "Teacher, can you help him? Teacher knows…he's a member of my race."
Chen Changsheng asked, "I don't have any problem helping him, I'm just curious to know—this is an injury that not even the teachers of Star Seizer Academy thought could be cured, so why are you so certain that I can cure it?"
"Teacher isn't those ordinary people."
Luoluo widened her eyes and said, "On the first day that I took you as my teacher, Teacher only needed to take my pulse to know my problem and then immediately know of a method to resolve it. Compared to this, how can curing that guy's injuries be a challenge?"
The girl spoke very matter-of-factly, like there was nothing in the world that he could not do. Confronting her gaze of absolute confidence, Chen Changsheng felt that the pressure was truly very great. Scratching his head, he said, "Let me look at it and then talk, but I don't dare guarantee anything."
Luoluo happily affirmed and rushed over to the lake shore. How could she possibly believe in those last few words about not guaranteeing anything?
Chen Changsheng looked at her back and couldn't help but shake his head.
Luoluo ran over to the lake and said a few words to Xuanyuan Po, who was comparing his left arm against the great banyan tree. Stunned, Xuanyuan Po repeatedly shook his head as if not daring to believe what he had just heard. Soon after, Luoluo said a few things more and Xuanyuan Po was even more stupefied, and if Luoluo had not stopped, he might have bowed towards her.
When Xuanyuan Po walked with her to the library, he was still somewhat dazed. It was plain to see that Luoluo's words had delivered too heavy a shock. Chen Changsheng guessed that Luoluo had probably revealed some of her identity to this demi-human. Indicating that the pair should follow him into the library, he lit the oil lamps and seated himself on the floor.
Xuanyuan Po did not even glance at Chen Changsheng. His eyes were fixed upon Luoluo, and he was very nervous, finding it difficult to suppress his agitation.
Luoluo did not even glance at him, saying to Chen Changsheng, "Thank you for the troubles you've taken, Teacher."
In Xuanyuan Po's heart, Luoluo was currently more important than his own family, worthier of respect than the elders of his tribe, yet she actually displayed such respect towards a human, and this human accepted it with such normality. He couldn't but find the matter incredibly absurd, and grew furious, wanting nothing more than to tear this human apart.
Chen Changsheng looked at Xuanyuan Po's eyes that seemed about to spew fire in confusion, indicating that he should extend his right arm.
Xuanyuan Po didn't understand, but huffed and puffed. His tone extremely unkind, he asked, "What do you want to do?"
Chen Changsheng said, "I'm going to examine your injuries."
"You? A human? How much older are you than me?"
Xuanyuan Po felt more and more that Chen Changsheng was not a good person, was assuredly a swindler, or else how could his Princess display such respect to him? He angrily roared, "Don't think that the people from my tribe are all obedient and easy to bully. I've seen quite a few bullies!"
In order to resist their joint enemy that was the demons, the humans and demi-humans formed a natural alliance. In addition, in the last several thousand years, the firmness of this alliance had been proved countless times. The two sides interacted with each other all the time. At the very least, if a demi-human appeared in the capital, it would assuredly not attract any onlookers.
But there were still some barriers between humans and demi-humans difficult to remove, primarily due to differences in temperament and ways of doing things. Humans always felt that demi-humans were too straightforward, too ignorant, and too violent, like the beasts of the field. Meanwhile, demi-humans always felt that humans were far too crafty and also too fickle, so that a human as a friend was truly a terrible idea.
In Xuanyuan Po's view, Chen Changsheng was clearly just an ordinary youth, not even having broken into what the humans called the Purification Realm. And he actually dared to say that he could cure the injuries that had caused even his teachers to despair. If he wasn't a swindler, then what was he?
There was a dull thump.
Luoluo gripped the teaching stick and stared as she yelled at him, "What sort of attitude is this!"
The Orthodox Academy did have a teaching stick.
It was a straight tree branch that Chen Changsheng had personally peeled clean of bark.
This teaching stick was primarily used by Chen Changsheng when he was instructing Luoluo in how to cultivate.
Now it seemed that this teaching stick would truly be used for its traditional purpose.
A teaching stick was used to teach people, to hit them.
The teaching stick was very hard and striking it upon the forehead was very painful.
Xuanyuan Po held his forehead, his eyes a little red because it truly was very painful. Of course, it was primarily because he felt wronged, thinking, Princess would actually strike me because of a human?
"Extend your hand." Chen Changsheng couldn't help but smile.
Xuanyuan Po stubbornly raised his head, not willing to obey.
Luoluo raised the teaching stick in her hand, looking at him and commanding, "Extend your hand."
Xuanyuan Po sorrowfully lowered his head and extended his hand.
Chen Changsheng's smiled faded as his fingers gently fell upon Xuanyuan Po's vein and his eyes closed.
Even without Luoluo's request, he would still have wanted to see if he could cure this demi-human youth's injury because on that Ivy Festival night, when Tianhai Ya'er was arrogantly humiliating the Orthodox Academy and everyone else was silent, only this demi-human youth laughed.
That laughter was a cry, a cry against injustice. This demi-human youth had cried out against the injustice aimed at the Orthodox Academy, so the Orthodox Academy should naturally repay him.
Of course, all this was established on the foundation that he had absolute confidence that he could treat this demi-human youth's injuries.
His master was Daoist Ji. Although he might be obscure in the cultivation world, in the medical world, he was one of the continent's best. The engagement between Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong was precisely because Daoist Ji had cured the Grand Minister that not even the Pope had been able to cure.
Chen Changsheng had become well-versed in the Daoist Canon as a child and learned medicine from his teacher. And crucially, he had always been ill.
Although he could not cure his own illness, this did not mean he could not cure the illnesses of others.
He very much wished to cure Xuanyuan Po's injuries.
Time slowly passed and the multitudinous stars in the night brightened and dimmed with the drifting of the clouds.
The library was silent.
After a long time passed, Chen Changsheng opened his eyes.