Chapter 98: A Contest of Strength

“There’s a connection, a good relationship,” Dan Ziyao said, her eyes disappearing into a smile upon hearing that Ye Zifei and Ou Xinlai knew each other. Judging by Ye Zifei’s expression, Dan Ziyao knew he held a certain fondness for Ou Xinlai; otherwise, he wouldn’t have treated her with such familiar courtesy.

Madam Shan and Shan Yuanxi had not yet figured out who Ou Xinlai was, which was understandable, since they were unaware of the history between Ye Zifei and Ou Xinlai.

Even now, Dan Ziyao hadn’t guessed that Ni Cai was actually Ou Xinlai—she must have been out of her mind. In all the time she’d known Ye Zifei, he had never spoken so kindly to any woman, except for Ou Xinlai.

Now, along came Ni Cai—with such a ridiculous name—and Dan Ziyao had never once suspected a thing.

Watching Dan Ziyao continue to play matchmaker on her behalf, Ou Xinlai was utterly amused. How could the world have created someone as clueless as Dan Ziyao?

“How long has it been since you last went to Chiyun Academy?” Ye Zifei sighed; he couldn’t quite understand what made Dan Ziyao tick.

“Chiyun Academy?” Ou Xinlai raised an eyebrow, then looked at Dan Ziyao with interest. “So you’re a student too?” She was even more surprised now.

Since she’d moved into the Shan household, it had been at least a month, yet she’d never seen Dan Ziyao attend school. She was always chasing after her every day.

“Have you been skipping school all along?” Ou Xinlai teased, looking at Dan Ziyao with amusement.

Dan Ziyao’s fair face instantly flushed like a ripe apple. “Brother Zifei!” she protested, “How can you embarrass me like that? I’m not well, so I can’t go to the academy often. That doesn’t count as skipping!”

In the past, Dan Ziyao and Shan Qing’er had done the same, and Dan Ziyao had never thought it wrong. But now, in Ou Xinlai’s presence, she felt awkward, as if she’d done something shameful.

“Not feeling well?” Ou Xinlai raised an eyebrow skeptically. That excuse might have worked before, but surely not anymore. She seemed to have completely cured Dan Ziyao’s illness. If she still refused to attend school on that basis, something was wrong.

Dan Ziyao lowered her head, fingers twisting nervously.

“Before, both Qingqing and I were unwell,” she said quietly. “I actually wanted to go to school, to be with everyone. But Qingqing said those people were bad—pretending to be nice but actually looking down on us and not wanting to be friends. So I stopped wanting to make friends with them. Qingqing often said she felt unwell and didn’t want to go to the academy, saying she was lonely at home. I thought, since I knew no one at the academy anyway, I might as well stay home and keep Qingqing company.”

Hearing this, Shan Yuanxi and Madam Shan felt their hearts ache the most.

Dan Ziyao had only ever been close to Shan Qing’er, and they really thought their daughter was just temperamental and disliked socializing. After all, whenever they asked, Shan Qing’er would say Dan Ziyao was unhappy around strangers.

When they asked Dan Ziyao, she simply said she wasn’t comfortable.

Over time, Shan Yuanxi and Madam Shan assumed Dan Ziyao’s closeness to Shan Qing’er was because Qing’er truly cared for her, and that Dan Ziyao disliked strangers.

But in truth, Shan Qing’er’s so-called “good intentions” were many. It wasn’t that Dan Ziyao was unwilling to interact with others; she was taught to play only with Qing’er and rely solely on her.

Because of Shan Qing’er’s scheming, Shan Yuanxi and Madam Shan had truly treated her as their own daughter. After all, only Qing’er was there to keep Dan Ziyao company, so she wasn’t friendless.

They felt they had failed as parents; though they loved their daughter deeply, they had been deceived by a child for nearly ten years.

If it weren’t for Ni Cai’s arrival, Dan Ziyao might still have only had Shan Qing’er as a friend, being exploited and manipulated.

Thinking of Dan Ziyao’s health, Shan Yuanxi and Madam Shan were filled with dread.

If things kept going this way, in their eyes, Shan Qing’er would remain the unparalleled “good daughter.”

If one day Dan Ziyao’s old illness relapsed and she passed away, would they truly accept Shan Qing’er as their own, showering her with love in place of Dan Ziyao?

They knew the answer was yes.

Since Shan Qing’er moved into the Shan household, they had only seen her best side. Without Dan Ziyao, Madam Shan couldn’t have another child. Besides, they already had a “daughter” who had called them “mom and dad” for ten years. Naturally, Shan Qing’er was cherished.

This thought sent chills down their spines.

If they had a daughter like Shan Qing’er, the Shan family might not have a peaceful future.

“Your sister Qingqing is no longer here, so you don’t need to stay home anymore. Whether those people like you or not, you might not like them either. Going outside is just for the crowd, to add some excitement. Friends aren’t so easily made. If friends were so easy to come by, would they really be friends?” Ou Xinlai said, shaking her head. Dan Ziyao was overthinking everything.

“Indeed, the world is complicated, full of deceit and trickery. But if you don’t experience it, you’ll never understand or improve. With these experiences, your life becomes rich and complete. Life has both good and bad—that’s what makes it whole. Otherwise, you’d be like before, with only Shan Qing’er in your life.”

Ou Xinlai shook her head. Dan Ziyao had always lived in an ivory tower, purer than blank paper.

Seeing the Shan family silent, Ou Xinlai was speechless and tugged Dan Ziyao’s hand, “I’ve never seen your so-called Chiyun Academy. Take me there and show me.”

Dan Ziyao had been simple before because of the obstacle that was Shan Qing’er. Now that Qing’er was gone, if Dan Ziyao continued like this, there was something seriously wrong with her.

Ou Xinlai pulled Dan Ziyao away, and Ye Zifei resignedly led the way. Though Ou Xinlai had been in Fancheng for a while, she clearly didn’t know much about the city.

Arriving at the renowned Chiyun Academy of the Suzaku Kingdom, Ou Xinlai raised an eyebrow. It wasn’t particularly impressive, resembling Fengyun Academy of the Xuanwu Kingdom, except many buildings were painted bright red, emphasizing the “Chiyun” name.

Just as Ou Xinlai arrived, the academy buzzed with excitement as all the students rushed toward one spot, apparently eager to witness some spectacle.

Dan Ziyao, who had been listless, immediately lit up at the scene. Without Ou Xinlai saying a word, she knew it was time to watch the commotion. She even pulled Ou Xinlai along to join the fun.

In the academy was a vast open space—an outdoor arena with covered eaves around the spectator seats, a unique design. The stands were packed, even the aisles filled with standing people.

Everyone was whispering excitedly, eyes glued to the arena below.

Unfortunately, there were no cameras or televisions in this world. From so far away, no matter how wide you opened your eyes, you could barely make out anything.

That was Ou Xinlai’s initial thought.

In truth, a special crystal once stood at the center, capable of magnifying the scene dozens of times so the audience could see clearly from the stands.

But that crystal had been struck by lightning recently, and the academy’s officials were repairing it, explaining the poor visibility.

Everyone was like blindfolded spectators, staring hard but seeing nothing.

Ou Xinlai shook her head, took out a small telescope from her pocket—a device she had forced Ou Jin Jue to make out of boredom back at the Ou family.

That boy was always idle, and Ou Xinlai was known for acting on whims. Usually, whatever she wanted, she just instructed Jin Jue, and he carried it out.

This little telescope was one such creation.

Once she pulled it out, Ou Xinlai could see everything clearly at the arena’s center. Now she understood what was happening in the Suzaku Kingdom.

It was a medical duel.

In the medical and saintly healer circles, the most prestigious figures were Black Crow and White Phoenix. Both resided in the Suzaku Kingdom, indicating its lead in this field compared to the other three kingdoms.

Seeing the emblem of the White (Forbidden) Tiger, Ou Xinlai guessed the challenger was from the White (Forbidden) Tiger Kingdom.

Between Suzaku and White (Forbidden) Tiger, there were some unsavory characters. Clearly, those looking ill and pale were the patients in this competition.

Each kingdom had sent healers to treat these patients. Whoever cured them won.

Since the White (Forbidden) Tiger Kingdom sent the challenger, the patients were likely their own. To ensure Suzaku’s defeat was undeniable, White (Forbidden) Tiger had prepared two patients for each illness, with each kingdom’s doctors treating one each.

“What’s that thing you have, Cai Cai?” Dan Ziyao asked after staring for a while, seeing only a sea of black heads and nothing else, quickly losing interest. She noticed the strange little device in Ou Xinlai’s hand, through which she seemed to view the arena clearly.

“If you want to know, ask someone next to you. Otherwise, it’s just a waste of time,” Ou Xinlai said with a roll of her eyes, telling Dan Ziyao to do the groundwork.

After a moment’s hesitation, Dan Ziyao tugged the woman in front of her by the sleeve. “Can you tell me what’s going on?”

The woman, initially annoyed at not seeing the action, softened upon seeing the adorable little girl and explained the situation to Dan Ziyao before returning to the excitement.

Dan Ziyao nodded, a slight smile forming. Talking with others wasn’t so hard after all.

She fully realized Shan Qing’er had deliberately isolated her all these years, forbidding her from socializing, leaving only Qing’er as her friend. That way, she was forced to obey Qing’er.

Dan Ziyao recalled angrily how she had stormed off to find Ou Xinlai, furious and even wanting to kill her over a few words and tears from Qing’er. She felt foolish and deeply regretted it.

She was perhaps the most foolish person in the world to have believed Shan Qing’er so completely.

If not for the person called Ou Xinlai saving her that day, she would have died.

Thinking of Ou Xinlai, Dan Ziyao suddenly looked up at her—Ni Cai, as she knew her. She didn’t understand why, but a feeling stirred in her heart—a faint resemblance between the colorful Ni Cai before her and the Ou Xinlai from that day.

Ye Zifei, of course, had his own skills and quickly grasped the situation. The White (Forbidden) Tiger Kingdom, dissatisfied with Suzaku’s medical prowess, had come to challenge them.

In truth, White (Forbidden) Tiger was anxious. Every four years, the Four Divine Kingdoms held an exchange meeting. Though many events took place, the most notable were the supernatural ability competitions and medical exchanges.

Martial arts came third, and cultural exchanges even further down. Simply put, the Four Divine Kingdoms valued martial strength over culture.

Ou Xinlai looked at the scene below and remarked, “Things don’t look good for Suzaku.”

The patients prepared by White (Forbidden) Tiger all had rare and serious illnesses, none easy to treat. Suzaku’s healers looked grim, though White (Forbidden) Tiger’s challengers weren’t overly arrogant.

Ou Xinlai smiled. Even White (Forbidden) Tiger’s own healers couldn’t cure these patients well. Why would they choose such difficult cases? If anything, they should pick ones advantageous to themselves—that’s basic strategy.

“Isn’t the top medical talent in Suzaku the Black Crow and White Phoenix? Shouldn’t they be called upon to help?” Ou Xinlai asked Ye Zifei, the White Phoenix herself, implying whether he would intervene.

Ye Zifei shook his head. The supernatural world had its rules; naturally, the medical world had its own as well. Every three years, the medical world held an exchange and competition. This year, the Four Divine Kingdoms’ exchange was scheduled, clearly a medical exchange.

So this current contest between the two kingdoms was just a small prelude before the larger event.

“Cai Cai, let me see that, let me see!” Dan Ziyao was fascinated by the little black device in Ou Xinlai’s hand.

Unable to bear the noise, Ou Xinlai handed the small telescope over. She had already adjusted the focus, so as long as Dan Ziyao didn’t move it around, she could see the arena clearly.

“Wow! What a treasure! I can see so far!” Dan Ziyao marveled.

Before, she had only seen a sea of heads. The arena was a blur, with just a few dots representing people.

Who would have thought this tiny black thing could reveal every expression and gesture so clearly? Dan Ziyao was ecstatic.

“Cai Cai, please give me this, please, please…” Dan Ziyao was so taken with the telescope she naturally asked to keep it.

Ou Xinlai pouted, having anticipated this request, which was why she hadn’t handed it over before.

Finally, she nodded and gave the little telescope to Dan Ziyao.

Dan Ziyao exclaimed “Oh!” and eagerly examined the scene below with her new treasure.

But soon, she noticed Ou Xinlai had another similar device, one prettier and seemingly more advanced.

Seeing this, Dan Ziyao was furious.

Although innocent, Dan Ziyao had, under Ou Xinlai’s influence, developed a bit of a cunning streak. Being girls, they naturally liked beautiful things. Ou Xinlai had first given her the ugly one, clearly expecting her to ask for it.

Now that Ou Xinlai had gifted her the ugly one, Dan Ziyao felt awkward asking for the nicer one.

Hearing Dan Ziyao grumble nearby, Ou Xinlai grinned smugly. “You’re still too inexperienced to compete with me.”

Watching the two patients being treated below, both weak and pale, their skin shriveled and dry as if drained of all moisture, Ou Xinlai shook her head. “If they don’t speed up, these two won’t make it.”

Ye Zifei looked at her curiously. “You already know what illness it is?”

He had been diagnosing the patients himself but hadn’t made a definitive judgment.

“Roughly,” Ou Xinlai replied modestly. She considered herself humble and virtuous, unwilling to make a firm diagnosis without a thorough examination.

Hearing her “roughly,” Ye Zifei knew she was practically certain.