Even after a full night's sleep, Yan Junyu felt utterly exhausted. He had resigned from his position as the chief referee of the Martial Arts Tournament and, using his privilege, had reserved the private room originally booked by Qi Ze. When he opened the door, Qi Ze was standing before the floor-to-ceiling window, surveying the scene below. His slender silhouette was enveloped in a half-lit, half-shadowed glow, appearing so desolate.
In that instant, the boy from his dreams seemed to overlap with him, causing Yan Junyu to suddenly halt.
"It's you?" Qi Ze turned around at the sound, a delighted smile on his face, but the joy didn't reach his eyes.
Their gazes met, and Yan Junyu was roused from his reverie. For some inexplicable reason, the memories that he thought he had long forgotten now flooded back to him, crystal clear. He recalled how the boy had held onto him, expressing his affection, and how he had pleaded for a chance. The boy's fervent expression, his bright eyes, his eager smileânow all hidden behind a façade of seemingly cheerful but actually bland politeness.
Two months was enough time for him to move on from his infatuation.
He was more rational than he had imagined.
Yan Junyu should have felt relieved, but instead, his heart felt hollow. With a dry mouth, he said, "It's me," and then fell silent.
"Aren't you the chief referee?" Qi Ze sat down on the single sofa by the window, trying to avoid awkwardness by fiddling with his smart-brain. He was a straightforward appearance fanatic; back when he was wreaking havoc in his sect, he had gathered many beautiful young pets around him, and few could match up to Yan Junyu's looks.
The other party was dressed in pure white military attire, with a black belt around his waist, white gloves, and snug military boots. He stood there like a testosterone-emitting machine. His face was incredibly handsome, and with his unparalleled noble aura, it was no wonder he was rated as the top of the Empire's ten most eligible bachelors.
Although he had decided to let go, he couldn't resist stealing a few more glances when faced with such beauty. Qi Ze pursed his lips, struggling to suppress the urge to turn and look.
Yan Junyu took a seat opposite the boy, and because of his long legs, his military boots nearly touched the boy's toes. This level of proximity was too intimate for a highly vigilant military man, but it suddenly made him feel at ease.
Qi Ze subtly pulled back his legs, tapping away at his smart-brain, pretending to be busy.
"I've just woken up and my condition hasn't fully recovered; I don't have the energy to be the chief referee. What are you looking at?" Yan Junyu attempted to strike up a conversation.
"There seems to be a problem with my personal webpage; I can't choose my own avatar, I can only use the default image." Qi Ze was helpless with the programming code.
Yan Junyu leaned forward, glanced at his smart-brain, and spoke in a soft voice, "You're a basic user and don't have that permission. You have to upgrade to change the photo."
Indeed, the personal webpage needed an upgrade to have more privileges, but changing the avatar was a basic right for every user. However, Qi Ze seemed unaware of this, and he realized, "That's why my new avatar was quickly blocked. Turns out I need an upgrade." He nodded as if it made sense, then accepted several upgrade tasks.
A flash of amusement flickered in Yan Junyu's eyes, quickly concealed. He shifted his chair closer while leaning forward to check the smart-brain, drawing even nearer to Qi Ze, and the two went from sitting across from each other to sitting toe-to-toe. Amidst the raucous combat arena outside the balcony, his heart was unusually calm, as if he had long been accustomed to quietly keeping the boy company, watching him play games, watching him daydream, watching him fiddle with his smart-brain.
Qi Ze felt as if thorns were pricking his back. Due to the height difference, Yan Junyu could easily see his smart-brain screen without turning his head, so he had to stop for privacy.
"How's your health?" He made conversation.
"I've recovered, thank you for the flowers." Yan Junyu's gaze was focused.
"No need to thank me." Qi Ze was at a loss for words. He didn't know Yan Junyu at all and didn't understand how to interact with him. His affection for him was entirely based on a life-saving grace and a handsome face, superficial to the core.
"I heard you were also seriously injured? How are you now?" Yan Junyu had long wanted to ask, but had never had the chance. After learning about the situation, he immediately put pressure on the Supreme Court of Neptune, hoping they would make a fair judgment soon.
Qi Ze touched the ritual robe he was wearing close to his body, sheepishly saying, "I've already recovered, with no lingering effects." Then came another awkward silence.
Yan Junyu nodded, also falling silent. He had never tried making small talk before, and many of the things he had planned to say before arriving, he couldn't bring himself to utter. Especially when he discovered that Qi Ze's infatuation with him had passed, and now he only wanted to keep a distant relationship, a wave of indescribable frustration welled up in his heart. But his intuition told him that Qi Ze was somehow related to his missing two months of memory.
Suppressing his eagerness, he picked up the remote control, turned on the holographic screen hanging in mid-air, and the clamor of the combat arena instantly filled the entire room, diluting the stagnant atmosphere.
Qi Ze secretly let out a breath of relief, then opened his smart-brain and played many combat videos. The booming sound of gunfire continuously echoed in his ears, making it hard for Yan Junyu to ignore, especially as his gaze was drawn to Qi Ze whenever he came close.
"What are you watching?" he asked in a low voice.
Qi Ze responded without lifting his head, "Watching the competitors' past combat records."
Yan Junyu understood, "You want to bet?"
"Yeah, I'm short on cash lately." Qi Ze admitted straightforwardly. Money never stayed in his hands; however much he earned, he could spend it just as quickly. Originally, Ouyang Ye's odds were high, and he had placed all his funds on him. But the betting company quickly adjusted the odds, greatly reducing his potential gains. If he didn't find a way to make some quick money, he wouldn't even be able to afford nutrient solutions.
"You're a big spender." Yan Junyu chuckled softly, then realized his tone was too familiar, as if he knew Qi Ze well.
Qi Ze glanced at him in surprise, then lowered his head to continue watching the videos, with no intention of engaging in conversation.
Yan Junyu was annoyed in his heart. To mask the awkwardness, he poured a glass of red wine and took a sip. He had originally been staring at the holographic screen in front, but unconsciously his gaze shifted over, unmovingly fixated on Qi Ze. He saw him purse his lips, which meant disdain; he saw him raise his eyebrows, which meant attention or interest; he saw him inadvertently tap his forehead with his fist, which was in turmoil over the lack of money. He understood what every subtle expression on Qi Ze's face meant, what emotions were being conveyed, and could almost interpret them without thinking. This was clearly not the state of being in front of a stranger, but rather more like a close friend he had known for a long time.
The desire to converse with the boy overwhelmed everything else. He forgot the previous embarrassment and struggled to find topics that the other might find interesting.
"Have you placed your bets yet? There's still twenty minutes until the match starts, and the betting company will soon close its website." He slowly poured a glass of red wine and offered it to the boy.
"I'm still thinking about it." Qi Ze was full of hesitation. He could accurately evaluate the quality of weapons, but predicting the outcome of an ability user's match was akin to being blind. As a combat-weak alchemist, he had always relied on various treasures to crush his enemies, barely qualifying as a martial artist. Yesterday, he had bet on ten matches. Apart from the one with Ouyang Ye, he lost the other nine, nearly wiping out his capital.
"Who did you bet on?" Suddenly remembering the identity of the person in front of him, Qi Ze lifted his head, his eyes glittering.
Finally attracting the boy's attention, Yan Junyu was filled with delight, seemingly nonchalantly saying, "I've been blacklisted by the betting company and can't place bets."
"Why?" Qi Ze licked his lips, looking at the other as if he were a god of wealth. To be banned by a betting company, one had to be either too good or a cheat. Betting on matches wasn't cheating, so it had to be his sharp eyesight leading to too many wins.
Seeing what looked like the symbol of star coins in the boy's unusually bright eyes, Yan Junyu nearly chuckled. Then, he suddenly realized that such an expression was far too familiar, as if he had seen it many times before. Suppressing his sudden stirring, he calmly said, "Because I once placed bets on seventy-six consecutive matches and won every single one, practically sweeping up all the prize money and arousing the betting company's strong dissatisfaction. After that, I was blacklisted and forbidden from participating in any form of gambling."
He raised his wrist to show his smart-brain, continuing, "See, I can't even open the betting company's betting website."
Qi Ze hurriedly leaned over and indeed saw that the betting company's webpage had turned gray, with a red circle in the middle, the words "FORBIDDEN" written on it. This treatment was simply too awesome. How much money had he won to be treated like this? His eyes rolled, and he cautiously probed, "Why don't you use my smart-brain to bet? We'll split the winnings fifty-fifty?"
Yan Junyu was almost about to agree, but upon seeing the boy's eager gaze, he forced himself to hold back. When the boy responded to his words or showed a bit of enthusiasm, he found himself unexpectedly elated, as if he had been ignored for a very long time, but finally received attention one day.
If he agreed too readily, would he be discarded after being used? Thinking this, he shook his head, "I don't like gambling."
"Betting on more than seventy matches, you tell me you don't like gambling?" Qi Ze didn't believe it for a second.
"It was just because I was too bored at the time." Yan Junyu gave a faint smile.
Qi Ze had regained some of his cultivation, and his flamboyant nature was slowly revealing itself. Moreover, since he had no intention of pursuing the other, he didn't need to maintain a good image and continued to persuade, "When do you ever get bored? Anyways, the competition still has a few days, so when you get bored, just let me know, how about I bet on your behalf? If we win, we split the money sixty-forty, sixty for you and forty for me. How's that sound?"
"I'm very busy." Yan Junyu lowered his head to take a sip of wine while suppressing the urge to laugh.
Qi Ze had just spent a huge sum, with many items still in his shopping cart. Now that he had opened his spiritual eye and gained divine sense, his chances of finding bargains had skyrocketed to a hundred percent, and naturally, there were more things he wanted to buy. Saying he was "crazy short on cash" wasn't an exaggeration. He gritted his teeth and considered for a moment, persuading, "Betting doesn't take time. If you help me predict a few results, I'll give you seventy percent of the winnings. Money doesn't bite, why not earn it? Have you heard the sayingâ'If heaven offers and you refuse, you'll suffer; if the time comes and you don't act, you'll suffer the consequences'?"
As he said this, he used the Neptune accent, but Yan Junyu countered in the capital dialect, "I haven't heard it, what does it mean?" It was another incomprehensible ancient text. Most people, let alone quoting it, wouldn't even understand a single word.
Qi Ze was immediately led astray and answered in the accent that was deeply imprinted in his bones, "It means: If the heavens offer you something good and you don't take it, you'll be punished instead. If the time comes and you don't act, you'll suffer in the end. With your keen eyesight and strong analytical skills, isn't it only natural to use them to make money? You've quit gambling, but you just happened to meet me, and I made that proposal. This is the windfall the heavens have given you. Not taking it means missing an opportunity and will only cause you to suffer losses. Do you understand following the will of heaven?"
"I don't understand." Yan Junyu appeared calm on the surface, but inside, he was in turmoil. Following the will of heaven, this must be the doctrine of the Daoists, right? The correct and solemn ancient rhyme from his dream rang clearly in his ears. If the sobbing boy wasn't Qi Ze, then who could it be?
Qi Ze had wasted a lot of words but failed to move Young Master Yan, so he couldn't help but secretly roll his eyes. Well, the other party had money, power, looks, and was very capable, so he naturally wasn't interested in such trivial matters. He wouldn't insist, then closed the betting station's webpage to avoid losing money.
The "stubborn" Yan Junyu suddenly grabbed his wrist, gently pulling him closer, reopening the website. He chose several competitors with higher odds and placed most of his funds on them. Qi Ze reflexively struggled, realizing what he was doing, and immediately calmed down. His body, which had been trying to lean back as far as possible, naturally nestled into his embrace.
"How come you only placed bets on six groups? That's too few!" He shook his head and threw his remaining funds into it.
Yan Junyu patiently explained, "Betting on these six groups is enough. The odds are high, and the earnings are high. If you place bets on all the groups, you'll be blacklisted in a few hours. Earning money should be a steady stream, not killing the goose that lays the golden eggs."
"You're right. Then, for tomorrow, the day after, and the day after that, we'll continue betting on the matches, okay?" Qi Ze took the opportunity to climb up.
Yan Junyu retreated to advance, "I might not have time for the next few days."
"Then add me as a friend. When you have time, just let me know, and I'll be at your beck and call." Qi Ze grinned, revealing a pleasing smile.
Yan Junyu was filled with delight, but his expression remained calm, nonchalantly "hmm"-ing and quickly adding him as a friend. Remembering the betting slip he had seen on Qi Ze's smart-brain, he continued, "You don't dare to bet on others, but you bet quite a bit on Ouyang Ye. It seems you have a lot of confidence in him."
"He will win." Qi Ze nodded confidently.
Yan Junyu suddenly lost interest in the conversation. He picked up the remote control, turned up the volume a bit, and on the screen appeared Ouyang Duanhua's cold but handsome face. He was preparing for the next match, and his opponent was a peak-level fifth-grade wood ability user, not weak.
The audience clearly favored Ouyang Duanhua, spontaneously standing up to call his name and displaying "WILL WIN" light bands.
Qi Ze pursed his lips, showing disdain.
Yan Junyu commented, "Ouyang Duanhua is a dual-ability user of ice and wind. He excels in quick attacks and has a fighting style similar to Ouyang Ye's. But the difference is that his defensive power is very strong. The ice ability, after constant compression and refining, can form a light armor on the surface of his body, as hard as an alloy. In comparison, Ouyang Ye is not at an advantage in terms of strength or speed, limited by the level gap, and his endurance in battle is slightly lacking. Even worse, his weak defense is his weakness, but he doesn't know how to avoid it, instead opting for a frontal attack..."
Qi Ze, who was protective of his child, couldn't bear to listen any longer and interrupted, "So you think Ouyang Ye will definitely lose?"
Yan Junyu shook his head, "No, on the contrary, I think he will win."
"Why?"
"Because our future is already destined, and he is an unknown variable." Yan Junyu pondered, "The unknown is the hardest to control and the hardest to predict. When the two of them face off, I won't be surprised by any reversals."
Qi Ze was finally satisfied and reaffirmed, "Ouyang Ye will win."
Yan Junyu's lips curled up, but there was no hint of a smile in his eyes.
As they conversed, the match officially began. Ouyang Duanhua indeed excelled in quick attacks, instantly freezing the entire venue, making his opponent's movements sluggish, then summoning a sky full of ice spikes, continuously piercing them. He was extremely ruthless, targeting vital points, and in a short while, the wood ability user's neck, thighs, and armpits were pierced, his body drenched in blood. The contrast of red blood and the frosty white arena plunged the audience into a frenzy. The deafening cheers could not drown out the muffled sound of ice spikes piercing flesh, and many ice spikes even flew towards the stands, blocked by a layer of energy shield.
The host clearly appreciated Ouyang Duanhua's fighting style and provided a commentary at a lightning speed. Exaggerated rhetorical techniques spewed out like machine gun fire, elevating Ouyang Duanhua to the status of Neptune's number one prodigy. And Ouyang Duanhua didn't disappoint the audience, knocking out his opponent in just ten minutes and leaving the arena with an indifferent expression.
Several medical personnel immediately rushed over and carried away the wood ability user lying in a pool of blood for treatment. The host originally wanted to interview him a few times but didn't catch him, so he had the cameraman shoot Ouyang Ye, who was standing by watching.
Ouyang Ye had his arms crossed, wedging his sword under his armpit, lazily leaning against the wall. He seemed to be very disdainful of Ouyang Duanhua's performance, rolling his eyes before lifting his hand to dig his nostril.
The host was somewhat speechless and laughed, asking the in-arena instructor Yan Bo, "Mr. Yan, if Ouyang Duanhua were to face Ouyang Ye, who do you think would win?"
Yan Bo's words were almost identical to Yan Junyu's previous evaluation, and he finally declared, "I'm more optimistic about Ouyang Duanhua. Two major realms aren't that easy to overcome."
The camera shifted, giving Ouyang Ye a close-up. He dug his ears, blew a breath, and then snorted derisively, looking quite provoking. But this time, there were very few spectators booing him. Even if he had a foul mouth and a bad temper, no one could deny his extraordinary talent.
The always polite Yan Junyu suddenly spoke, "He's asking for a beating like this."
"Ah? Yeah." Qi Ze had to nod and added, "But I think he's good like this, no need to change." Compared to Ouyang Ye, the young Master Qi of the past was even more flamboyant.
"Do you like this type?" Yan Junyu turned to look at him, his gaze focused.
"Yes. Living like this isn't exhausting."
"Just like this way of life?"
"Yes."
The conversation ended, and Yan Junyu's previously furrowed brows slowly relaxed, and he continued to look at the screen. After Ouyang Duanhua's match, a few more competitors took the stage, two of which were the rounds he had bet on and favored, and the results were without a doubt. Hearing Qi Ze chuckling and mumbling "making money," his mood became pleasant again.
Two more rounds passed, and it was finally Ouyang Ye's turn. Since he had comprehended the power of elements, the other competitors inevitably felt restrained when fighting him, unable to fully unleash their power. Being injured by other ability users could be treated with conventional methods; being injured by him, the residual elemental power in the wounds would cause secondary damage to the competitor's body, making the subsequent treatment very complicated. If not handled carefully, it could result in a half-dead, half-disabled state, extremely dangerous.
He attacked aggressively from the start, not giving his opponent a chance to catch their breath. The fiery dragon that soared into the sky nearly burned a large hole in the energy shield. The audience loved to watch such intense matches, cheers and applause rising and falling in waves. At the same time, his number of fans was steadily climbing, and by the end of the fight, he had become a favorite to win, ranking on par with Ouyang Duanhua.
"His fighting style already has a very strong personal style, but there is a slight lack of strategy, and his steps are quite messy. If he undergoes systematic training, he could see tremendous improvement. I want to see how far he can go. This is my business card, give it to him. If he has any confusion about combat skills, he can come to me anytime." Seeing Qi Ze staring intently at the screen, his eyes filled with concern and approval, Yan Junyu felt a tightness in his chest. He handed over a golden business card, politely saying, "See you next time."
"Wait, let's split the loot before you go." Qi Ze hurriedly reached out to stop him.
"Split the loot?" Yan Junyu raised an eyebrow.
Qi Ze immediately corrected, "Split the money." With that, he opened his backend and transferred seventy percent of the newly credited bonus. Even so, the remaining amount was still considerable, enough for him to buy all the items he had picked out. He hurriedly opened the shopping website, and his fair fingertips tapped away in a frenzy. The "transaction successful" notification sounded incessantly, the seven-digit amount turning into a six-digit one in the blink of an eye, and then into five digits half a minute later, until it was cleared out.
The next thing that came was the warning sound of "Sorry, your balance is insufficient," which echoed several times before Qi Ze's regretful sigh drifted out faintly.
Yan Junyu, who was already at the door, suddenly stopped, turned around, and looked at him with a complicated, indescribable gaze. This scene was clearly seen for the first time, but it strangely gave him a strong sense of familiarity. In a daze, he gently said, "When you go shopping, set aside your living expenses first to avoid going hungry." After saying this, an even stronger sense of familiarity overwhelmed him, as if he had repeatedly advised the boy in this way.
"Got it, see you tomorrow." Qi Ze waved absentmindedly. After close interaction, Yan Junyu was not as aloof as he had imagined, and he was a little nagging.
Yan Junyu helplessly held his forehead, then stepped forward, brushing his smart-brain against the boy's smart-brain, saying solemnly, "See you tomorrow."
With a crisp ding dong, Qi Ze opened the message and found that the other party had transferred twenty star coins to him, exactly enough to buy tonight's and tomorrow morning's nutrient solutions.
Qi Ze: "..."