radicalducati Chapter 15 The Exit of Lao Bei
Chapter 15 The Exit of Lao Bei
As night deepened, the hustle and bustle of the East Market gradually subsided.
After Ning Tian and Wu Feng left together, only the Tang Clan members remained in front of the barbecue stall.
The embers of the charcoal fire still burned, casting a dim, flickering light on several young faces.
"After working so hard for so long, it finally looks a bit like home." Lin Feng looked at the neatly tidied shop and sighed softly.
"Home?" Beibei suddenly chuckled, her laughter tinged with alcohol, and even more so with dejection and sarcasm.
"Haha, the Tang Clan is rotten to the core. Hidden weapons, martial arts techniques... they're all outdated stuff. This is the era of soul tools, who cares about those anymore?"
"Beibei, you've had too much to drink." Tang Ya's hand, which was wiping the table, suddenly stopped. She didn't look up, but her voice turned cold.
"I'm not drunk!" Beibei suddenly looked up, her eyes a little red.
"Am I not telling the truth? Look at the situation now, who still uses Tang Clan hidden weapons? Who still recognizes the Tang Clan? Even the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School has seen through it, can't you?"
"That's enough." Tang Ya put down the rag, turned around and looked directly at him.
"That's not enough. Can you feed yourselves with a bunch of tattered books and useless sect rules? Soul tools are the future. The Tang Sect... the Tang Sect has no future!"
"Whether the Tang Clan has a future is not up to you alone." Tang Ya's voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear. "You can leave now. I have some things to say to Xiao Feng alone."
With blurry, drunken eyes, Beibei grabbed Lin Feng's sleeve: "Lin Feng... it's you again! You... you better not get any funny ideas about Xiaoya, she... she's mine!"
"Beibei, what nonsense are you talking about!" Tang Ya interrupted, frowning. "He's drunk. Yuhao helped him back."
"I'm not drunk!" Bei Bei shook off Huo Yuhao's hand that was about to help her up, her voice filled with suppressed emotions. "Xiao Ya, I joined the Tang Sect only because I liked you! It was never for the sake of revitalizing the Tang Sect..."
"I've always only considered you a friend. Yuhao, take him away!" Tang Ya said calmly, a hint of pain in her eyes.
"Friends? Haha, I'm not leaving, I said I'm not leaving—"
Before she could finish speaking, a sharp slap rang out, interrupting Beibei's excited roar.
He was stunned; the burning pain on his face was nothing compared to the shock and coldness welling up inside him.
"Yuhao, thank you for your help." Tang Ya's voice was soft, but it left no room for argument.
"I can walk by myself!" Beibei said with disappointment in her eyes, then turned and left without looking back.
"Senior Brother Bei!" Huo Yuhao chased after him, fearing something might happen to him.
"Xiaoya, isn't what you're doing... too hurtful to him?" Lin Feng asked in a low voice, watching the two figures disappear into the darkness.
"Wounded? Don't you understand my heart?"
Fueled by the alcohol, Tang Ya's cheeks flushed, her eyes glazed, as she slowly moved closer to Lin Feng...
Lin Feng did not back down, letting Tang Ya's slender arms wrap around his neck. He then wrapped his arms around her waist tightly, his heart pounding like a drum.
Tang Ya's emotions, which she had suppressed for many years, finally broke down at this moment.
Driven by revenge, she had kept her feelings locked away for many years, until Raymond Lam's appearance opened a crack in her heart.
Tang Ya tilted her head back, her hot and rapid breath brushing against him. Lin Feng's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and he lowered his head to meet that moist, soft touch.
It is a test, a confirmation, and then an indulgence.
The air mingled, like dry grass igniting a spark, and it ignited uncontrollably...
The night deepened and grew darker.
The last flickering flames in the hearth were gently dispersed by the evening breeze that slipped in through the window.
As the light dimmed, Tang Ya, lost in reverie, slowly opened her eyes and then stepped back.
"I'm sorry, I lost control after drinking." Tang Ya lowered her head, her voice barely audible, her cheeks slightly flushed.
"It's not your fault," Lin Feng said softly, raising his hand to gently lift her chin and tenderly wiping the moisture from her lips with his thumb. "You've suffered so much these past years; you need to rest."
"Can I stay here tonight?" Tang Ya grasped the hand that was still resting on her cheek. "I'm a little cold."
"Okay, I'll go with you." Lin Feng bent down and picked her up steadily.
Tang Ya gasped softly and instinctively wrapped her arms around Lin Feng's neck, letting him carry her toward the simple little bedroom behind the counter.
The bed was small, and the two of them lay almost shoulder to shoulder.
At this moment, this small space has a comforting, homey warmth.
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The next morning.
The Tangmen shop is not open yet.
"Beibei came this morning; he announced his withdrawal from the Tang Sect."
Tang Ya wiped the cup in her hands, her voice so calm that it was impossible to detect a ripple of emotion.
Lin Feng, who had just woken up from a late sleep, remained silent for a moment, then sighed softly, "Perhaps... this is for his own good."
He understood that Bei Bei's growing disdain for the Tang Clan's heritage was, in Tang Ya's eyes, the most complete denial of all her efforts.
This division has long been deeply ingrained.
Lin Feng was also aware that a battle between him and Bei Bei was inevitable sooner or later.
Anyway, Tang Ya's heart already belongs to him.
When it comes to fighting, Lin Feng has never been afraid.
"Xiaoya, Yuhao's talent as a Soul Master is ultimately limited. Why don't you let me take charge of advancing the project on the fusion of hidden weapons and Soul Guidance Devices?"
"I disagree. This will distract you too much and delay your martial spirit cultivation."
Tang Ya paused slightly as she wiped the counter, looked up at Lin Feng, and spoke softly but firmly.
"How about this: once the academy is truly determined to fully develop the Soul Guidance Department, the Tang Sect can then join. Until then, our most important task is to solidify the foundation of Soul Masters."
"That's fine then. Right now, the academy's focus is still on traditional martial spirit cultivation, and the soul guidance department has indeed not received enough attention."
Upon hearing Lin Feng's compromise, Tang Ya's tense expression eased slightly, and she let out a soft sigh.
Lin Feng added, "Also, Yuhao's spirit-attribute martial soul is very suitable for the soul guidance system, so I can recommend him to become Fan Yu's disciple. After all, he's unlikely to go far in martial soul cultivation."
Tang Yaxin said happily, "Great, that's a great suggestion. You're really my brain trust."
Several days later, at the end of the school day.
Lin Feng and Tang Ya heard Bei Bei's name again in the college cafeteria.
"Have you heard? Senior Brother Bei has advanced to the Soul Master level."
"A fourteen-year-old Soul Master can practically do whatever he wants in the outer courtyard."
"What? He was already walking sideways before, now he's walking vertically..."
Tang Ya remained calm.
Raymond Lam, however, was filled with emotion.
If it weren't for Beibei's insistence on staying in fourth grade back then, just to accompany Tang Ya who hadn't yet made a breakthrough.
With Beibei's talent, she would probably already be a prominent figure in the inner courtyard.
Beibei and Xu Sanshi were known as the "Twin Stars of the Foreign Languages Department". They broke the record of level 30 at the age of thirteen, which is still a topic of conversation among many people.
"Xiaoya, I also need to speed up my cultivation. We really don't have much time left."
"Xiao Feng, don't push yourself too hard." Tang Ya tugged at Lin Feng's sleeve, her eyes filled with worry. "If your cultivation improves too quickly, it might shake your foundation. The Blue Silver Emperor's bloodline... is far less important than your safety."
"Don't worry, I'm tough, I know what I'm doing," Lin Feng said casually.
Tang Ya looked at him, a hint of heartache flashing in her eyes, and said softly but solemnly, "You said the same thing last time. Promise me again, okay? No matter what, you must never risk your life."
"Okay, I promise you." Lin Feng nodded with a smile, then looked seriously into her eyes. "Then Xiaoya must also promise me that she will do everything within her means."
"This is the second time you've reminded me. I always remember." Tang Ya nodded and held Lin Feng's small hand tightly.
"After dinner, I'll go talk to Senior Brother Huo about joining the Soul Guidance Department."
"Okay, I bought some supplements, could you take some to him too..."