—

Jiang Luo didn't panic. He tilted his head naturally, eyes lifting with a smile: "I'm laughing because when a certain someone died, not a single Chi Clan member shed a tear for him."

The dark-haired beauty's eye corners held a provocative smile, his lips reddened, black hair slid like water down the sides of his face, falling silk-like over a Tang suit of the same black.

The person behind him stood in shadow, head lowered: "Their tears are filthy, but you're different."

Chi You circled one arm around Jiang Luo's waist, trapping him in his embrace. With the other hand, he held Jiang Luo's fingertips and gently directed them toward the coffin. The evil ghost's laughter was low: "That day you knelt before me. Of everyone there, you cried the hardest—and you cried far more beautifully than any of them."

The space around them seemed to have been severed from everyone else. The lighting was all drawn away by the evil ghost behind him. Shadows like Black Mist gradually enveloped the beauty in the Tang suit.

Jiang Luo stumbled two steps, his cloth shoes swallowed by the darkness.

Chi You was bolder than he'd imagined.

This place was full of people from the Xuanxue World, yet he dared appear here so brazenly. Jiang Luo had expected him to possess one of the guests, or manipulate a Puppet to come watch the show—but the one who came was Chi You himself.

He'd come in person, yet the Chi Clan hadn't noticed. It was like a hard slap across the Chi Clan's face—the greatest insult and contempt.

Jiang Luo's peripheral vision flicked toward Feng Li.

Feng Li's group was behind the guests, at a fair distance from here. If Jiang Luo so much as raised his voice, Chi You would be exposed right under Feng Li's nose.

That said, Jiang Luo rather wanted to see Feng Li and Chi You come to blows.

He said leisurely: "Chi You, aren't you afraid of being discovered by Feng Li? He specifically warned me—if he sees you bothering me again, he'll scatter your soul to nothing."

The evil ghost laughed low, "Sounds like we're having an affair."

"Then let him come scatter my soul," the evil ghost's laughter was careless, "I'd like to see whether the Celestial Master has the skill for it."

An affair?

The word sent a jolt through Jiang Luo—his scalp went numb.

He quickly changed the subject, sneering: "How pitiful. I'm the one who cried hardest at your funeral, but every tear I shed for you was fake."

"Then I'd like even more to see what you look like when you're not pretending," Chi You's tone was thick and languid. He held Jiang Luo's hand and pointed it toward the mourning Chi Clan members: "But even your fake crying was far more moving than theirs."

Jiang Luo looked at the Chi Clan people.

The exaggerated wailing revealed traces of performance. He thought: Indeed.

He too felt his own crying had been the most moving.

The evil ghost's back curved slightly, holding the dark-haired youth, his eyes on the clan members, his voice cold: "If you look at them carefully, you'll find a surprise."

"Look at this man first." Jiang Luo's hand was held and pointed toward the middle-aged man in the center. The evil ghost coaxed: "Look at him with your heart."

Jiang Luo frowned at the man.

The middle-aged man was presumably the deceased's father—unshaven, pounding his chest, the picture of grief.

Gradually, Jiang Luo saw a layer of black qi slowly wrap around the man's body. This black qi was utterly different from the evil ghost's Black Mist—the evil ghost's mist was pitch-black and thick, carrying a terrifying unknown presence. The black qi on the middle-aged man was like rotting mud and spoiled flesh, so nauseating it nearly made him retch.

"This is malice," Chi You guided, "the Evil God's heart lets you see these malices. Look at him more carefully... see how disgusting he is."

Jiang Luo's gaze didn't waver, staring deeper into the black qi.

From within the malice came the man's thoughts: "My son is dead. He and his mother only had this one child. It's over—the next Chi Clan ruler definitely won't be from our branch. No, I have to try harder with his mother tonight to make another child."

"Why did it have to be him who died, not someone else? What a hassle. His mother is dried up now, I don't feel anything for her. Maybe I should just bring back the illegitimate son I'm keeping outside—saves the trouble of raising one from scratch."

Chi You guided him toward the woman beside them. "Look at this one."

The woman was the deceased's mother, weeping to the point of collapse. But her right hand unconsciously shielded her lower belly, occasionally casting a guilty glance toward the middle-aged man.

The malice on her was equally sickening.

"I have to talk to his uncle tonight about what to do with this one in my belly... I have to find a way to give birth to it. They're all Chi Clan people anyway—as long as I don't let him know it's not his son, it'll be fine, right?"

Jiang Luo laughed softly.

Chi You laughed too. He released Jiang Luo's hand: "These low-level malices are simple and boring—easy to see through."

"But you're different." Chi You buried his face in Jiang Luo's hair, breathing in the dark-haired youth's scent: "I can't read you. You're far more fascinating than they are."

Jiang Luo scoffed: "You showed me their malice just to tell me this?"

"Of course not," Chi You said. "I just saw you hiding in a corner and couldn't resist coming out to share a surprise with you. Did this surprise move you? If it made you want to destroy the Chi Clan with me, even better."

"What kind of surprise is this?" Jiang Luo replied coldly. "Sorry, even if the Chi Clan is rotten to the core, it has nothing to do with me."

Chi You laughed oddly: "No. As my lover, you do have some connection."

Jiang Luo's brow jumped, a trace of suspicion crossing his face.

Chi You watched his expression, chuckled low, and whispered in Jiang Luo's ear: "I'm waiting for the day you join me and we destroy the Chi Clan together."

Jiang Luo said without hesitation: "Impossible."

"Chi You, I don't want to play this boring game with you." The dark-haired youth impatiently pulled his hair from the evil ghost's hand, warning: "And you're too close. Don't touch my hair."

The evil ghost watched regretfully as the black hair slipped from his grasp: "Then let's make a wager."

"I'll see you again soon," Chi You said. "When we meet, if you can guess who I am, and if you still haven't developed the desire to destroy the Chi Clan—then I'll have lost. I'll tell you a... tremendous secret."

He tightened the arm around the dark-haired youth, nearly pulling him into his own body. The evil ghost's interest deepened, his voice dropping: "If you lose, then unfortunately—"

"—you'll have to tell me who you really are."

Jiang Luo's pupils contracted. He raised his hand and struck backward with his elbow, quickly breaking free of Chi You's embrace.

When he turned back to look, the evil ghost wore an elegant smile, then suddenly sank into the Black Mist—and vanished the next instant.

Jiang Luo's eyes darkened.

After a long moment, he laughed coldly again.

Good. Chi You had discovered his greatest secret.

This thoroughly ignited Jiang Luo's desire to win.

He would dig out Chi You's greatest secret and slam it in his face.

This wager—he would win.

*

In the courtyard, Chi Tian—the only moderately talented disciple in the Chi Clan Side Branch—was being flattered by the crowd.

Chi Tian was fat-faced and oily-skinned. His cousin's funeral was being held up front, but behind it he was grinning ear to ear. His fair-weather friends were laughing along, and someone flattered him: "When we saw Chi Xing pass the Third Trial, look at how arrogant he was—like he was the only capable person in the world. People used to say he'd be the Chi Clan's next ruler. But what happened? He died in the Third Trial anyway."

The fat on Chi Tian's face jiggled: "What a shame. How did Chi Xing die?"

He laughed, his eyes triumphant and venomous: "Before, when I hadn't entered the Third Trial, he was so arrogant he nearly trampled me underfoot. And now?"

Now Chi Xing lay in a coffin, and he was swaggering around watching the joke.

Fate. It was all fate.

The Chi Clan had no other capable people. Now, besides him—Chi Tian—who else was there?

Congratulations came one after another, and Chi Tian felt thoroughly pleased. Amid these flattering words, one person asked curiously: "I heard the first-place winner of this Competition, that disciple of Celestial Master Feng, also came to the Chi Clan to pay respects?"

Chi Tian disliked people more capable than himself. The moment someone more capable was mentioned, his heart felt soaked in sour water—jealousy without limit. His smile faded slightly: "The Celestial Master is giving our family face. Of course his disciple had to come along."

"Oh," the speaker said, suddenly enlightened. "Speaking of which, about the first-place winner Jiang Luo, I've heard quite a bit of gossip. The first is his relationship with Chi You. I heard when Chi You went to Baihua University as a teaching assistant, he had a long secret crush on Jiang Luo—they were lovers. After Chi You died, Jiang Luo wanted to follow him in death, but was stopped in the end. Stimulated by Chi You's death, Jiang Luo decided to work hard—he said he would find the true killer and avenge Chi You."

"Is there really something suspicious about Chi You's death? But even if there is, with Jiang Luo's strength, he'll be able to avenge him sooner or later... Hey, Chi Tian, why has your face gone white?"

……

After Chi Tian hurried off, the others dispersed. One of them leisurely exited the Chi Clan through the back door and walked to a corner.

"Master, the information you wanted me to spread has all been spread. The Chi Clan should be discussing countermeasures tonight, figuring out how to deal with Jiang Luo." This person raised his head—none other than the corpse-driver Liao Si. He sighed: "I really didn't expect you and Jiang Luo had this kind of history. If I'd known..." If he'd known, he wouldn't have set his sights on Jiang Luo's body and offended him over the Yuantian Pearl.

After all, this was his master's lover.

Now he'd lost both his wife and his soldiers. This kind of message-spreading could have been done with a Puppet. But the master had him do it personally. Whatever way Liao Si thought about it, it was because he'd offended Jiang Luo—so the master was punishing him.

With Liao Si's broken body, flying from Xiangxi Region to here had nearly taken half his life.

But the master was truly ruthless.

Just to force Jiang Luo to stand with him, he'd pushed Jiang Luo into the limelight. The people who'd killed the master weren't just the Chi Clan... Once news spread that Jiang Luo wanted to avenge the master, those who'd killed him would all be unable to sit still.

Even if Jiang Luo's strength wasn't yet enough to threaten them, they'd strike first just to be safe.

Liao Si was clicking his tongue in wonder when he suddenly realized. He clenched his fist and clapped: "Master, are you trying to play the hero saving the beauty?"

"Hero saving the beauty?" From the shadows, a pair of leather shoes appeared silently. Chi You's voice sounded from nowhere: "No, Liao Si. You underestimate him."

"He doesn't need anyone to save him. However..."

Jiang Luo was one of the very few people Chi You ever looked at straight on.

He was growing rapidly, unafraid of Chi You, and had even made Chi You suffer several times. The experience was novel and unfamiliar—so much so that every meeting with Jiang Luo instantly ignited Chi You's excitement.

And a Jiang Luo like this was clearly not a dodder vine that fell into trouble and waited to be rescued.

But Liao Si's words stirred a desire in Chi You. Push Jiang Luo to the extreme, make him face life and death, awaken his malice, make him fall into hell just like Chi You.

Then Chi You would appear and leisurely rescue him.

At that moment, Chi You could both admire the dark-haired youth's wretched state and see what expression Jiang Luo would wear when rescued.

It would surely be a blend of fury and humiliation—not wanting to beg an evil ghost for help, yet having no choice but to. On that face, there would surely appear an expression Chi You would love.

The evil ghost said low: "This suggestion doesn't seem bad."

Chi You thought about that scene. He narrowed his eyes: "Liao Si, go to the Qi Family again."

*

On the way back from the funeral, Jiang Luo's eyelid twitched several times.

Just thinking about Chi You's face at the funeral made his teeth itch, but Chi You's careless attitude toward Feng Li gave him pause.

These past few months of contact had been enough for Jiang Luo to see how strong Feng Li was.

He'd previously wondered whether the Feng Li in the original novel was being controlled by Chi You. But on second thought, it was possible—just not very likely.

Feng Li was, after all, the ceiling of the Xuanxue World's strength—few among the living could match him. Moreover, Feng Li represented Tianshi Manor, and behind him stood the Elder Celestial Master. For Chi You to control Feng Li would only be harder.

The deeper he got entangled with Chi You, the more Jiang Luo couldn't believe how the Chi You in the original novel had ended up as the uke.

For love, he bottomed?

……

Jiang Luo's brow twitched. He didn't dare think further.

The sense of incongruity was too strong—frightening.

Jiang Luo returned to the School from the funeral. Later that evening, Zhuo Zhongqiu also came back, smelling of alcohol, bringing bad news: "Qi Ye has been detained by the Qi Family."

Jiang Luo: "What do you mean?"

Zhuo Zhongqiu irritably tossed her cap at the coat rack. The cap spun twice and landed precisely on the hook: "The Qi Family apparently needs Qi Ye for something—he can't come to the School for a week. I told them Qi Ye had taken on a School task, and they told me to inform the School that Qi Ye can't join."

Lu You said angrily: "How can they do this? Can a task be taken on or dropped whenever they feel like it?"

"So I refused and told them to talk to the School themselves," Zhuo Zhongqiu frowned. "I expect they'll end up swapping someone in."

"Who can they swap in?"

Ye Xun glanced left and right, then quietly raised his hand: "I'll go."

Lu You grabbed him in an excited hug: "Ye Xun, you're really our good brother!"

"I heard this kind of show has lots of gossip," Ye Xun said slowly. "I want to listen."

Jiang Luo didn't care who went on the mission with him, but Ye Xun was definitely better than Qi Ye—after all, his first mission in this world had been completed with Ye Xun. "Can Ye Xun bring his doll onto the show?"

Zhuo Zhongqiu: "I'll call the Program Team's Overall Director."

Five minutes later, Zhuo Zhongqiu returned from the call, her expression slightly brighter: "The Overall Director says it's fine. He's already given instructions for the camera crew to try to avoid filming you three."

Ye Xun breathed a sigh of relief. He looked down at Little Pink: "Little Pink, we're going on a show together."

"From your tone, you sound rather expectant?" Jiang Luo raised a brow, grinning wickedly: "Ye Xun, didn't you want to go from the start?"

Ye Xun held up two fingers, leaving a one-centimeter gap: "Just a little."

Jiang Luo found him adorable.

Early the next morning, the three old partners boarded the School's bus and headed to the filming location of Next Stop, Idol.

It was their first time on a mission like this, and both Lu You and Ye Xun were a bit uncomfortable. But Jiang Luo was completely at ease. After getting off, he walked ahead and entered the Trainee Dormitory.

Ye Xun and the other followed closely with their luggage.

The Overall Director couldn't contact them openly, so he sent a trusted Assistant to lead them into the building. The moment the Assistant saw the three of them, his eyes lit up. He froze for a good while before remembering these three were all masters—not real trainees here for the idol competition.

He regretted it inwardly, but didn't dare delay. He hurried over to take Jiang Luo's luggage: "Master, let me carry that for you."

"No need," Jiang Luo dodged, smiling at the Assistant: "Just treat us as ordinary 'trainees.'"

When he smiled, the Assistant could barely look away. Lu You said generously from behind: "Right, don't expose our identities."

The three of them—one dazzlingly radiant, beautiful and bold; one a slender beautiful youth; and one an athletic sporty handsome guy. Three different styles, each one extremely eye-catching.

If they really participated in the idol competition, they'd definitely make it to the end. The Assistant sighed, and just thinking about having to cut these three traffic-magnet faces from the screen made his heart ache unbearably.

He glanced at them furtively: "Have you three decided on aliases?"

"Already decided," Jiang Luo said casually. "We'll give you the names shortly."

The three of them quickly looked the place over and didn't spot any issues for now. Ye Xun said: "Where's the Broadcast Hall where the Assistant Director died?"

The Assistant handed him the key to the Broadcast Hall and a layout map: "That Broadcast Hall is sealed off now. Go in when no one's around."

It was lunchtime break, and the trainees were resting. As the Assistant led the three masters upstairs, a trainee came rushing down the Staircase and ran right into them.

The trainee was young—his badge read 'Sui Run.'

Sui Run looked like a teenager, at most seventeen or eighteen. Seeing people on the Staircase, he immediately grabbed the handrail and slowed down. The moment he saw them clearly, his eyes went wide with shock.

"You are..."

"These three are new trainees filling in," the Assistant straightened his expression. "You can get to know each other later. Are you going downstairs to buy something? Go on ahead."

Sui Run nodded woodenly and walked past them like a sleepwalker along the side of the Staircase. After passing the three, he couldn't help glancing back.

Those three extremely good-looking trainees not only had beautiful faces but were also tall. Looking at them, the proportions were gorgeous—nothing but legs below the neck.

Especially that long-haired guy.

Sui Run wasn't seeing a guy with long hair for the first time, but someone this gorgeous and yet so heroic—someone who looked like he'd walked straight out of an anime—that was a first.

"Oh my god, what's the point of competing..."

Once this face was revealed, even as a vase, he'd draw fans just standing still.

*

News of the three new trainees quickly spread throughout the dormitory building.

The curious trainees all came to see the excitement.

One by one, they peeked out from their dorms, whispering.

"Oh my god, they're so good-looking."

"This is a royal flush, right? This has to be a royal flush. It's over, it's over—there are only so many spots, how are we supposed to debut now?"

"I just looked at them up close—it's bare skin, really bare skin!"

Even Lu You felt uncomfortable being stared at: "They're a bit too enthusiastic."

The Assistant smiled: "These kids are still young, usually pretty rowdy. But they're good kids. Don't worry about them—just leave anything you need to me."

"Your dorms are the ones those three trainees used. The other trainees don't know the truth yet—our official story is that they dropped out." The Assistant lowered his voice: "Your dorms aren't together. Is that alright with you three masters? If not, we can clear out a separate dorm for you."

"No need," Jiang Luo said. "We'll only be here a few days."

The Assistant looked regretful but said nothing more: "Alright, then I'll take you to your dorms."

Their dorms weren't together, but they were on the same floor. Ye Xun and Lu You each went into their own dorms. The Assistant led Jiang Luo toward the last room.

"Master," the Assistant said awkwardly, "the person sharing your dorm is also our show's first place—Fu Wei. His temperament... isn't great. If you find it uncomfortable, I can switch you to another room."

Jiang Luo raised a brow slightly.

As the mission target, he'd looked up information on Next Stop, Idol last night. Naturally, he knew who Fu Wei was.

A genuine top 1, with a chasm-like gap in votes from the second-place trainee.

A loner, arrogant, always appearing nonchalant, with plenty of bad habits—caught smoking and drinking more than once. But he was good-looking enough that the worse he was, the more people loved him. Fu Wei's fans and Fu Wei's haters each occupied half of Next Stop, Idol.

In short, very distinctive.

The Assistant opened the dorm door for Jiang Luo. Jiang Luo lifted his eyelids and looked inside, seeing Fu Wei sitting on the top bunk, back against the wall, writing songs on a stack of white paper.

Fu Wei's hair was slightly long, slightly curled black hair falling on either side of his temples. Between his slender fingers was a freshly lit cigarette, sparks flickering. He unhurriedly lowered his head to look at the door.

His tall frame filled the bed, long legs nearly hanging down to the middle of the bottom bunk.

"Newcomer," Fu Wei's voice was hoarse. He stared at Jiang Luo: "Not bad looking."

That metallic, smoke-roughened voice could seize anyone's attention at once.