Chapter 23: Didn’t Expect It Could Walk and Talk
Chapter 23. Didn’t Expect It Could Walk and Talk
The Imperial Spirit Song Competition?
As Xia Feng was about to bend down and pick it up in confusion, a pair of exquisite, sexy, dark high heels stepped onto the center of the flyer. Xia Feng looked up along the black dress, only to see the World-Ending Witch staring down at him with a blank expression.
Xia Feng straightened up, a mysterious smile playing on his lips. “Miss Mu, are you heading to the national competition? Impressive, impressive!”
Mu Qingtong: (_)
The Imperial Spirit Song Competition was a nationwide event known throughout all fifty-one administrative districts of the Human Empire. It was a massive, star-making variety show that had been popular for nearly a hundred years.
However, the entry requirements for such a competition were incredibly strict for ordinary people. One needed to become an Apprentice Spirit Master and know how to imbue a spirit song with spirit pressure, thereby allowing the listener’s emotions to fluctuate with the melody.
It was precisely this powerful emotional resonance, unattainable by ordinary people, and the ability of spirit songs to be transmitted through any medium that made the Spirit Song Competition so popular.
Every national champion became a top superstar known to everyone, from eighty-year-old mothers to three-year-old children.
But what Xia Feng couldn’t understand was why a transcendent genius like Mu Qingtong would be interested in the Spirit Song Competition.
And her singing was so… terrible.
“Do you need anything else?” Mu Qingtong frowned.
“No, no, that’s all.”
Xia Feng waved his hand and quickly slipped out of the classroom, not forgetting to shake his fist in encouragement behind him, “Good luck! I wish you victory in the competition~”
Mu Qingtong: —_—
Feeling a prickling sense of danger like being poked by needles, Xia Feng quickened his pace. He only stopped after turning the corner.
He looked back at the Spirit Song Club, the corner of his lips curling. He hadn’t expected that after running into Mu Qingtong, he’d achieved such a profitable, no-cost transaction. He hadn’t given anything up, yet he’d obtained the Bronze Mask and two grams of Boundless Stone, and even made Mu Qingtong remember the Six-Tails Spirit Robe.
Well, besides that, he also learned one of this World-Ending Witch’s weaknesses – her singing was incredibly awful!
Heh~ A little World-Ending Witch, easy as pie~
Xia Feng put on a villainous, sinister smile, feeling delighted.
At the entrance, Mu Qingtong quietly watched the disappearing figure. Her slightly annoyed emotions gradually subsided, and her gaze became distant.
Fei emerged from behind her, standing beside her. After a moment of silence, she said, “Master, have you noticed? This is the first time in many years that you’ve been angry, even embarrassed. It seems you care a lot about his opinion of you.”
“Oh? Is that so?”
Mu Qingtong turned her head to look at the sunset painting half the sky outside the window and let out a light laugh. “Fei, you know, I’ve been searching for my mirror for many years. I thought finding it would be a surprise, but I didn’t expect it could walk and talk.”
“Tell me, how can I not care?”
The maid tilted her head to look at her master. A hint of confusion flashed across her expressionless face. “Master, I still don’t understand.”
Mu Qingtong lowered her head to think, then explained thoughtfully, “It’s like you suddenly discover a very cute doll, and you like it very much. But that’s just it. This doll can actually walk, dance, talk, and even communicate with you, so you like it even more.”
Mu Qingtong’s light-gold eyes brightened further. “So you want to take apart its decorations, fabric, and yarn to see…”
She said, the corner of her lips curving. “See what kind of cotton is inside? What color is it? Does it also contain a human-like red heart?”
“…”
Fei still didn’t quite understand, but she was deeply shocked!
“So, is that why Master is finally not delaying any longer and is preparing to participate in the Spirit Song Competition?” she asked, tilting her head.
Mu Qingtong nodded. “Although I’m reluctant, this is the necessary path to becoming a true powerhouse.”
*
[Mushroom Hates Potatoes: Are we there yet? Are we there yet?]
As soon as Xia Feng walked out of the teaching building, Mushroom sent him a message, urging him.
[Mu Nanfeng: Almost]
‘Mushroom Hates Potatoes’ was Mushroom’s game ID, and ‘Mu Nanfeng’ was his. He had arranged to have dinner and play games with Mushroom. As a laid-back student with average talent and no great ambitions, it was reasonable to relax after finishing his business, right?
[You have initially understood the Spirit Particle Structure of the C-class Spirit Robe ‘Three-Tails’ — 8%]
Senior Mu, please increase the intensity, don’t stop! I can handle it!
Xia Feng arrived at the cafeteria in a cheerful mood. It was just after school in the afternoon, and the academy cafeteria was quite crowded. He searched for a full three minutes in the crowd before spotting Mushroom’s location by a distinctive tuft of hair sticking up.
“Mushroom, you really need to grow taller. Otherwise, you won’t find a boyfriend in the future,” Xia Feng commented as he sat down.
Mushroom had a large chicken drumstick stuffed in her left cheek. Her slightly open, tender lips were glistening with oil. She tilted her head back and slurped, finishing the drumstick in an instant. Her cheeks puffed up like a hamster’s as she chewed, and her bright, watery eyes glared at Xia Feng, as if wanting to speak but unable to.
Gulp—
She covered her mouth. Xia Feng pushed the soup towards her. “Eat slowly, no one’s going to snatch it from you.”
Mushroom took a big gulp of soup. Once she finally regained her senses, she slapped the table and said earnestly, “Dad, I need your help!”
Xia Feng: “???”
Good heavens, you must have something extremely important to ask for, to the point of abandoning all pretense.
“What kind of help? Tell me first.”
Mushroom said seriously, “I want an autographed photo of Mu Shen.”
Are you trying to be a fan? Xia Feng frowned and shook his head. “I’m afraid that’s not possible. I’ve only met Mu Qingtong a few times, we’re not very close. She probably won’t bother with me.”
Mushroom pursed her lips, as if having made a momentous decision. She clasped her hands together, raised her bright, watery eyes, and bit her lip. “Dad, please~~”
“!!!” Xia Feng almost had a heart attack and quickly raised his hand. “Stop, stop, stop. Just shut up… I’ll try. If I meet her next time, I’ll try, okay?”
Mushroom’s tuft of hair stood up, and she beamed with joy.
Just then, a commotion erupted outside the cafeteria. Many students around them looked up in unison. The crowd parted, creating a path, and seven or eight young men escorted a tall, slender, long-haired man into the cafeteria. They were dressed in matching elegant white clerical robes, with mysterious Black Moon symbols adorning the cuffs and edges.
“Quick, look! Isn’t that Senior Yan?!” a girl whispered, pulling her friend’s arm.
“It really is. I heard Senior Yan was recognized by a bishop of the Black Moon Holy See while he was still in his second year and was directly and exceptionally hired into the Holy See. It’s said that in just half a year, he fought his way through the Knights Legion with an invincible aura and was promoted to Silver Armor Knight!”
“That’s not all. You might not know this, but he’s also Tea Nai Xue’s Guardian Knight. Every Guardian Knight is selected from geniuses from all the major campuses.”
Soft whispers and discussions filled the crowd, filled with envy and admiration. The Imperial Weiyang Academy had branches in every administrative district; the academy in District 51 was officially named the Imperial Weiyang Academy’s Fifty-First Campus.
“I remember when Senior Yan was still in school, he broke our campus’s record for the fastest promotion to Apprentice Spirit Master. That record is still his, isn’t it?”
Listening to the surrounding chatter, Xia Feng looked at the young man in the distance, his eyes narrowing. Yan Xujia, what is this guy doing here at the academy?
“Let me tell you a secret. This Yan guy is the son of Marquis Dongbo—the son of a Marquis. He’s a proper high noble,” Mushroom whispered into Xia Feng’s ear. “Don’t mess with him. His father, Marquis Dongbo, isn’t a good person.”
Thump-thump-thump—
In the somewhat quiet cafeteria, the group of ostentatious young men continued their steps, all eyes following them.
Seeing this, Xia Feng paused his spoon, glanced at Mushroom, and chuckled. “I didn’t provoke him, but sometimes bad things just find their way to you.”
Mushroom’s previously carefree demeanor immediately subsided, and her expression became visibly nervous. Being a social recluse, she didn’t dare say more than a word or two in front of outsiders.
Thump-thump-thump—
Finally, several tall figures stopped before their table, completely blocking the sunset glow filtering through the side window.
