Little Pink Starfish

Early in the morning, Gu Bai woke up from his sleep.

So warm…

He opened his eyes, and sure enough, right in front of him was a big face.

…Although very handsome.

But no matter how handsome the face was, being this close was still terrifying, okay?!

Gu Bai was speechless.

He had no idea what was wrong with this brat Gu Xiaoshan. Ever since they arrived at this academy, every time they slept, he insisted on pressing his forehead against his. Did he think he was still a child or what?!

Even in his past life, with his own siblings, he never played such childish intimate games. Yet after transmigrating into this book, he ended up being pulled into them by Gu Xiaoshan over and over again.

Looking at this peacefully sleeping handsome face, Gu Bai raised his hand, intending to give him a good smack.

But also because of this peacefully sleeping handsome face, he hesitated for a long time and, in the end, didn’t do it.

He thought to himself with a bit of self-resignation: Ge is not soft-hearted, ge just doesn’t want to stoop to his level!

Lying to himself, Gu Bai moved away carefully, trying not to disturb him as he got out of bed.

No matter how much he acted like he didn’t care, the truth was he had long since regarded this guy—whom he had saved as a child—as his only family in this foreign world.

As someone who used to be just an ordinary homebody, even if he was forced to harden his heart in this world where martial strength was supreme and killing was commonplace, he still needed some sort of emotional support, right?

Besides, Gu Xiaoshan was adorable as a child and, now grown, he was also… reliable.

That made it hard for him to be ruthless.

With these thoughts, Gu Bai quickly went outside to wash up and practice martial arts, completely unaware that the supposedly still-sleeping Qiguan Rui had already opened his eyes the moment he turned his back—where was there even a trace of drowsiness?

Qiguan Rui shifted slightly, bringing his nose to the shared pillows, taking a deep breath.

Good, it was their scents.

Mixed together, as if… indistinguishable from each other.

Qiguan Rui turned over but, in the end, didn’t go back to sleep.

With a swift leap, he threw on a robe and walked outside.

In the courtyard, Gu Bai was practicing a set of martial arts techniques without using any martial energy.

Each move appeared graceful, as if untouched by the worldly dust.

But the moment martial energy was infused, it would instantly turn violent, exuding explosive power.

Qiguan Rui quickly freshened up, then energetically stepped forward, intercepting one of Gu Bai’s moves.

Gu Bai’s expression remained unchanged as he easily swung a punch at Qiguan Rui’s chin.

Blocked.

Gu Bai sighed inwardly.

Ah, what a pity.

Then, with a quick shift in stance, he launched a double-fisted attack.

Although he had held back from hitting the brat while he was sleeping, now that he had a legitimate reason to, he absolutely wouldn’t pass up the opportunity.

…He really wished every punch could land solidly.

That’s for you acting all innocent!

That’s for you being a troublemaker!

That’s for you always acting spoiled!

—Of course, it was all just misdirected frustration.

Qiguan Rui steadily received every punch, his face always carrying a gentle smile.

But under that smile, as Gu Bai kept hitting him, he found himself losing steam.

Damn, what is this feeling of being indulged?!

Soon, Gu Bai stopped, realizing that this guy had improved again.

But since a great teacher produces great students, in his eyes, Gu Xiaoshan’s rapid progress was still within the normal range.

Clearly, it was all thanks to his training!

After their spar, the four maids—who had mastered the art of invisibility—gracefully arrived, each carrying a large tray filled with exquisite dishes. In a flash, they set up a stone table in the middle, arranged all the dishes, and then, like a wisp of smoke, vanished without a trace.

Qiguan Rui was very pleased with their sense of propriety. He walked over and sat beside Gu Bai. “Gege, today’s dishes look pretty good.”

Gu Bai: “Mm.”

Qiguan Rui picked up a piece of food with his chopsticks, smiling slightly. “So, gege should eat more of this. It’s good for your health.”

Gu Bai looked down at the beautifully presented dish in his bowl, then blankly turned to look at Qiguan Rui.

Even if it was carved into a flower, this was still a damn carrot!

Yet, under Qiguan Rui’s increasingly gentle gaze, Gu Bai held his stare for a long while before finally picking it up and swallowing it.

Internally, he was crying—The pressure is too much!

After finishing breakfast, Gu Bai had to go to class.

It was already the third day. The class divisions had been settled in the previous two days, and since Gu Bai had become a high-level wu jun before turning twenty-five, he was naturally placed in the highest-ranking class. The instructors teaching martial techniques and combat experience were at least high-level wu wang, and it was said that every few months, even a wu di expert would give a lecture. The teaching staff was truly formidable.

And Qiguan Rui? He obviously couldn’t attend, so Gu Bai allowed him to go out and contact the death warriors, strengthening their forces in Haoyang City.

After saying goodbye to Qiguan Rui, Gu Bai took a few shortcuts and smoothly arrived at the classroom—also known as the First Martial Arena.

Since he was early, there weren’t many people yet. At a glance, only a handful of students had arrived.

This was the perfect time to choose a good seat, but Gu Bai expressionlessly wanted to take three steps back.

Right ahead of him, two familiar faces were approaching.

“Ziche City Lord arrived quite early.” → That was Chen Yuanhao.

“The City Lord has grand aspirations—truly admirable.” → Still Chen Yuanhao.

Qiu Tu cupped his hands. “Ziche City Lord.”

Gu Bai took a deep breath internally. “The same to you all.”

Damn it, why are these guys so friendly?! Can’t they just leave me alone?!

Perhaps because he had spent over a decade perfecting the art of keeping a low profile, Chen Yuanhao and Qiu Tu simply thought he was naturally aloof and arrogant. They didn’t notice his urge to flee and, due to their prior visit, made sure to greet him each time they met.

…At the very least, even if they couldn’t become friends, they had to become acquaintances, right?

Gu Bai felt immense pressure.

But he couldn’t afford to offend them either. As a result, due to a series of accidental encounters, many students started to believe that these three actually had some kind of connection.

Truly, it made him want to cry.

Just as he was agonizing over how to create some distance, class time arrived.

Barring any surprises, the wu wang instructor would arrive in about half a quarter of an hour. Before then, he had to secure a seat.

Reacting immediately, Gu Bai nodded at the two before shifting like a wisp of white smoke, landing on a meditation cushion near the front.

And the very next moment—swish, swish, swish—several figures quickly sat down in the three surrounding seats.

…That speed was terrifying!

Then someone sat down behind him, making his back tighten.

This unsettling feeling…

Chen Yuanhao and Qiu Tu hadn’t planned to sit with Gu Bai. Whether in work or making friends, they never acted impulsively without certainty.

At this moment, they also noticed the new students around Gu Bai—clearly, they were up to no good.

Chen Yuanhao tapped his folding fan against his palm. “Qiu Tu, what do you think?”

Qiu Tu replied, “Can’t tell.”

Chen Yuanhao was speechless.

After finding their own seats, Chen Yuanhao finally said, “In these few days, Ziche Shubai has only offended one woman.”

Qiu Tu added, “And that woman has a petty lackey behind her.”

Chen Yuanhao sighed. “I wonder how Ziche Shubai will handle this grudge. No matter how talented he is, he’s just a new student…”

Qiu Tu opened his mouth. “I think…”

Chen Yuanhao turned his head. “What?”

Qiu Tu said, “I think… the teacher has arrived.”

Chen Yuanhao was speechless again.

Qiguan Rui walked alone along the main road of Qingtian Academy, his smile as gentle as ever.

Ever since Wang Yingluo nearly lashed him with a whip last time, Gu Bai had specially prepared more refined clothing for him, even going as far as to insist he wear them.

This kind of insistence, unexpectedly, did not make him feel displeased.

And Qiguan Rui’s face was indeed exceptionally good-looking.

Although it was not as flawlessly perfect as Ziche Shubai’s physical form, it was still extraordinarily handsome.

Such handsomeness made people instinctively feel favorable toward him at first glance, yet it did not carry even a trace of feminine softness. Instead, it exuded a different kind of masculine charm.

—As the protagonist of a book, the author naturally granted him the kind of allure that could captivate most women. Of course, his looks had to be convincing enough to justify his status as a heartthrob, and as for his potential to become an unparalleled stallion… that was another matter entirely.

Thus, inevitably, as he walked along, he drew countless gazes.

Especially from beautiful women.

Perhaps it was fate—by the artificial rock formations beside a pond, a young girl in a light yellow dress turned her head at that very moment, catching sight of the young man’s graceful profile as he walked.

She paused slightly in surprise, but before she could get a clearer look, the young man’s figure had already disappeared beyond the academy gates.

Qiguan Rui noticed nothing.

His destination was a restaurant on Taihe Street in the city.

A restaurant specializing in the unique dishes of Tiandu City.

—The death warriors of Tiandu City were skilled in both martial and domestic arts, capable of wielding weapons in battle, sewing fine stitches, lifting massive stones, and managing kitchens.

Although they weren’t yet ready to open establishments like brothels, gambling houses, tea pavilions, or taverns, a small restaurant was certainly feasible.

Progress should be made step by step.

Qiguan Rui made a quick round inside the restaurant, making sure his presence was noted before stepping out and declaring his trip as “surveying public sentiment.”

The death warriors continued their tasks diligently—servers served, chefs cooked, barkers advertised, and accountants managed the books.

Meanwhile, Qiguan Rui, moving at lightning speed, darted into the bustling streets, taking several turns before heading straight out of the city.

After waiting for several days, he finally had the opportunity to satisfy his growling stomach.

---

Outside Haoyang City.

A wide official road stretched ahead, flanked by wild hills and green grass.

Deep within the grass on either side, a long snake, about as thick as a child’s arm, slithered forward.

This snake had a peculiar appearance. Its body was as black as ink, resembling a piece of dark jade, yet on the very center of its head, there was a streak of gold.

That streak of gold shimmered faintly with a tinge of crimson.

The snake moved with remarkable speed, almost like a bolt of black lightning, darting forward.

At such a pace, even if someone caught a glimpse of it, they would see nothing more than a fleeting shadow, a mere blur before their eyes.

After swiftly traveling several hundred li, the snake finally came to a halt as a convoy appeared in the distance.