Chapter 27: A New Man
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
With her many years of experience, she had seen that even if a crow changed into a phoenix, it was still fundamentally a crow on the inside. She had seen too many poor and ignorant people become rich overnight, try to dress themselves up, but still appear to be a fish out of water.
But this young noble sir was naturally self-possessed, as if he had the calm and self confidence of a natural superior. As a result, once he was dressed, everything turned on its head. When Su Yu stood in front of the mirror, he was stunned momentarily.
"Is this me?" Su Yu was astonished.
Reflected in the mirror was a tall figure in the luxurious purple garment of a noble youth. A cap of white jade and pearl adorned his head over his ink black long hair, neat and well-groomed, swinging gracefully at his back. His face was fair like white jade, fine and exquisitely carved, translucent and sparkling as if washed with clear water.
A pair of eyes, deep as the galaxy, full of wisdom and calm, sharp nose and cheeks, rosy lips and white teeth, all accentuated each other. As far as the eye could see, it was undoubtedly the jade-carved face of a noble son, radiant with health and vigor, handsome as Adonis. Coupled with the luxurious garment which defined his tall build, a projected air of nobility and handsome looks complemented each other well. Su Yu even found the transformation somewhat hard to believe.
The foundation of this physical body is very good, it was originally a strong and refined body, but after being trapped in poverty for so long, it's like a pearl obscured by dirt. Now that the dirt is washed away, it is luminous and bright. Su Yu analyzed inwardly.
Now, it was unlikely that people could recognize him as the one whose girlfriend was snatched by another, the poor and useless coward, the penniless and lonely Su Yu.
When walking, with the dustproof garment lightly fluttering in the breeze, not even a speck dust settled on his whole body. His ink black hair lightly swayed, accentuating his tall back view. His face was luminous under the sunlight, and indescribably beautiful in the light and shadow. When he was walking on the street, there was a moment of silence in the surroundings.
"What a handsome young noble son, which aristocratic family does he descend from?"
"Though young in age, such extraordinary bearing."
Su Yu lightly chuckled to himself. That smile paired with a handsome face was like a heavenly pearl, bright and brilliant, as if caressed by the spring breeze.
As young ladies passed by, they shyly bowed their heads while they stole discreet glances at him, their faces slightly flushed. The bolder ones gazed with charming eyes and flirted with provocative glances. Su Yu smiled as he passed, but only left a fluttering purple shadow as he walked away.
Back at the martial arts training institute, walking within the institute grounds, passers-by repeatedly raised their eyebrows. The male students' faces showed envy and admiration; one look at Su Yu told them that he was from a powerful and wealthy family. The female students were casting flirtatious glances from all directions.
"Isn't it strange that our institute has such a handsome man, besides Qin Feng and Fang Qingzhou?"
"It seems he's of a noble status too. Strange, he is our classmate, but why have we never seen him before?"
Su Yu's face wore a light smile all the way through the silver students' dormitory, into his own courtyard. The golden assessment was going to held in two days. As a silver student, he would have the opportunity to initiate a challenge to the gold students.
Su Yu only had one goal, which was to defeat Qin Feng! To defeat him on the spot in front of Jiang Xueqing, in front of the world! To tell Jiang Xueqing that her choice to abandon Su Yu was wrong! To tell Qin Feng that his choice to make Su Yu an enemy was also wrong!
While passing by the female dormitory, there was a slight commotion on the second floor. Then, a faint cry, a young lady unexpectedly fell from the window, and happened to fall towards Su Yu, head first to the ground. Even if there was strength in her body, she would be seriously injured. Su Yu could not just stand by and watch, and not save her.
Using Cloud Shadow, Su Yu rotated on his toes, graceful like the wind, and leveraged the force to launch into the air. At the right timing, his left hand held her neck, his right hand grabbed hold of her waist, and he carried her in his arms while in the air. Then, they slowly fell gently.
The young lady was pale from the fright, her eyes tightly shut. She really thought she was going to be dead Feeling his strong and warm chest, the young lady slowly opened her eyes. A young noble's face, a head adorned with a cap of white jade and pearl, a pair of eyes deep as the galaxy, so calm, so wise, attracted her so much that she continued to stare. She'd never found that a man could be so good-looking, and the look in his eyes was so appealing.
For the first time in her life, her heart started racing for no reason.. When a young lady liked someone, it did not need to be everlasting, it did not need sweet talk; sometimes a look, action, word, or figure, might spark the first awakening of love in her heart.
The young lady felt, maybe, she'd met such a man. When she was in a dangerous moment, he appeared. Though no word were spoken, she was still moved. Without an expression on his face, Su Yu put her down and looked up at the second floor window.
A figure extended out of the window. Qin Feng!
He looked at himself gloomily. Su Yu had just held a woman in his arms that he'd never even touched before. Jiang Xueqing! And Jiang Xueqing, gazing at Su Yu with a dazed look in her eyes, also made Qin Feng feel wrath in his heart! He was compliant to Jiang Xueqing, but Jiang Xueqing was moved by the other man!
Not long after, Qin Feng dragged a young lady down with his hands. It was Xuan Lefei, her eyes swollen from crying. She was scared and aggrieved, held by the neck and dragged downstairs by Qin Feng, sobbing and wailing as she went.
"Thank you, Brother, for your kindness in lending a hand." Qin Feng felt that the noble son looked a little familiar but he could not recall if such a person existed among his aristocratic circle of friends.
A deep feeling of threat filled his heart. The other person's face was more handsome, with unparalleled easy confidence and calm, an air of luxury, not weaker than Qin Feng. The most crucial point was that Jiang Xueqing had first awakenings of love! With a hint of hostility, Qin Feng dragged Xuan Lefei away.
"I'm so sorry, the elixir was snatched by Su Yu. It wasn't intentional, let me go." Xuan Lefei wept like a poor little doll.
Qin Feng was chagrined that the matter was not accomplished and demanded for the elixir to be returned, but the 2,500 silver taels worth of elixir had gone missing. Qin Feng had intended to claim back the elixir as a gift for Jiang Xueqing to use for her breakthrough to Level Four. Who would have thought that Xuan Lefei insisted the elixir was taken away!
Qin Feng was enraged. He wanted to teach her a lesson, but she hurriedly tried to evade him and he inadvertently pushed Jiang Xueqing out of the window. The scene that occurred after made Qin Feng even more distressed, causing him to take his anger out on her.
Qin Feng barked, "I won't spare you!" With Qin Feng's ruthless temper, Xuan Lefei would not have a good ending.
Xuan Lefei was terrified; she wept endlessly and looked utterly wretched. She was born poor with no good skills, but carefully circulated among the wealthy to obtain various resources for cultivation. She knew firsthand what it felt like during the periods of sadness. Now that she finally provoked the wrath of Qin Feng, the Junior Duke, she was isolated and helpless without any power or influence.
"What kind of elixir did she owe you?" Su Yu lightly asked as he stood with his hands behind his back.
Qin Feng stopped in his tracks and reluctantly put on a polite face. "A top-grade spirit elixir. Is it possible that Brother wishes to intervene?"
Qin Feng had to be polite in his treatment of an honorable noble son of uncommon background.
"Take it!" Su Yu shot out a black box with a snap of his fingers. Such strong fingers!
Qin Feng was secretly nervous,. In addition to being very handsome and having an aristocratic air, his abilities were very strong too. But, Qin Feng with his Level Four cultivation base, was still able to neutralize this bit of force. Using one hand to catch, he nonchalantly caught the black box, opened to take a look and was shocked to find a top-grade spirit elixir inside.
Qin Feng's expression changed. He uttered, "Brother, you really want to step in for an unfamiliar woman?"
Su Yu walked away with his hands behind his back. Without turning his head back, he merely said, "Release her!"
His powerful yet calm voice had a large amount of dignity, as though he had held a high position for a long time. Qin Feng struggled for a moment and actually let go.
Jiang Xueqing's beautiful eyes reflected the image of the luxurious and elegant purple garment, the extraordinary splendor of it. He was the world's most magnificent man, getting the spirit elixir, with a value of 2,500 silver taels, so freely and easily, treating money like it was nothing. With her heart moved for the first time, there was yet again another ripple.
"Thank you, kind sir, for your help." Jiang Xueqing regained herself and gave a bow of respect as she watched him leave.
"Yep," Su Yu's head did not even turn as he walked away.
Qin Feng's expression was ugly. He coldly glared at Jiang Xueqing, "What, do you regret being with me?"
Jiang Xueqing was startled and quickly checked her longing gaze. She guiltily hung her head down; there was a feeling of regret.
"If only, how wonderful would it be if I could have met him earlier?" Jiang Xueqing silently sighed in her heart.
To be able meet the noble sir whom she liked and could give her wealth and status... If only he'd appeared earlier in her life, taken her away from that good-for-nothing Su Yu's side, how perfect would that be? For the first time, Jiang Xueqing felt the unfairness of fate, and felt discontented with Qin Feng.
Once, Qin Feng was the most ideal companion she could think of. But until today, having met the noble sir, the instant her heart was moved, she realized she only received materialistic satisfaction from Qin Feng. Her heart did not belong to him.
No matter how good Qin Feng was to her, no matter how docile and obedient, it was hard for her to generate any feelings for him. Just as it was with Su Yu, childhood sweethearts, but they were never genuinely moved.
Since things had come to this point, she had no choice but to hide her feelings for him. She could not afford to offend Qin Feng's illustrious family. If he were to abandon her and she were to throw herself into the purple-clad noble's arms, an unfathomable fate would await her.
Xuan Lefei managed to escape this time, and through hazy tears, gratefully bowed to Su Yu from a distance, "Many thanks to you, honorable sir."
Su Yu was already far away, the faint voice drifted with the breeze into his ears.
The corner of his lips slightly raised, and Su Yu softly murmured, "That was to return you..." Her top-grade spirit elixir was originally taken by Su Yu.
Back in the courtyard, Su Yu immediately went into seclusion. The Golden Competition was in two days. Su Yu wanted to stand proudly in front of the training institute with his brand new attitude!
At the Palace of Xianyu Prefecture, in a pink lady's chamber...
The young princess of Xianyu, dressed in a duckling yellow dress, was pouting and holding a pillow as she pounded it, puffing with anger. Her small mouth mumbled non-stop, "Wretched father! Doesn't love me one bit! Doesn't love me! I'm going on a hunger strike! I want to antagonize him."
A jade-white hand lightly swatted her vest as a reminder.
"Oh, you! The Duke did it for your own good, being up in the Twilight Mountains, being touched like that... It was indecent, how could the Duke not be angry? Your confinement is for your own good." The voice was soft and gentle, the beautiful face wore a faint smile; it could not be anyone other than the celestial beauty.
"Even Big Sister Jingyu does not help me! I don't want to live, don't want to live!" The young princess flopped onto the bed, her two white calves dangling and swaying.
The relationship between the palace of Xianyu Prefecture and the martial arts training institute had always been good. The young princess of Xianyu and Xia Jingyu's ages were similar, about 14 to 15 years old, so both of them got along very well and were good friends who grew up together and told each other everything.
The Xianyu young princess's encounter in the Twilight Mountains had left Xia Jingyu blushing with embarrassment after she heard it.