Dance Of The Phoenix
37. I Like Men

Blarrr

The tornado shattered into pieces after experiencing the energy chaos caused by the diversion of the attacks of both sides. Gu Yuena intended to take over the tornado using her fire, but her opponent's control was no less powerful resulting in failure and exploding.

Both sides were driven by explosions. However the man was not fully suppressed and pulled his bow back with a higher pressure. Thanks to the qi armor, it could withstand the effects of explosions and counterattack.

Gu Yuena received the opponent's arrow attack with her magic and retreated because the effect of the explosion just now made her body stiff. The pressure of the man's arrow was so intense that Gu Yuena was cornered on the edge of the arena, barely exiting the arena. It seemed like his opponent this time was forcing him out of the arena.

The man disappeared suddenly from the arena, then reappeared with another arrow attack that Gu Yuena could not avoid. Inevitably Gu Yuena had to use her other hand to withstand the attack that came so quickly.

The strength of a tier 5 peak completely drained his strength.

Gu Yuena did not want to linger in this position. He pulled out both hands, letting the two arrows strike smoothly. Gu Yuena quickly moved places, but her speed was still inferior to the speed of attack until when the two forces collided, the pressure created caused Gu Yuena to crash far into the middle of the arena.

The man looked at Gu Yuena with satisfaction. His opponent this time was indeed worthy of his protection and deserved to be his opponent. He had to use all his strength to get the man cornered.

While Gu Yuena's friends started to get anxious, the worried person actually felt very happy. Although he was injured and seemed difficult to get back up, there was a smile engraved on his lips.

"Not disappointed." Eventually he got an opponent worthy of his trial.

Gu Yuena circulated the qi throughout her body to endure the pain, making her body go numb. He stood up straight, then looked at the archer man who was looking at him calmly.

"You've been hurt, do you still want to continue?" The man said in surprise. It should be that the injuries caused by his strength were quite severe, but why did the new disciple actually look fine without the qi armor?

"Senior, the match is not over yet." At the same time, a fiery whip came out from his hand.

Ah, that's no ordinary whip. When Gu Yuena kicked him, the whip stiffened. A fragment of qi gathered from the end of the whip, condensing the fire and turning it into a sword.

"I miss the sword time" he murmured, then saw the archer man. "Have you ever heard of a long-range sword? I'll show it."

Basically, swords are used for close combat. But this time, Gu Yuena used a sword for long-distance combat. The level of control and focus should be higher so that the weaknesses can be clearly seen. He can give a fatal attack, but if the opponent takes a chance in the weakness, he will lose in one attack.

However, that was what Gu Yuena wanted.

"In that case, I hope you can show it." Although the archer man was astonished as to why the mage could use the sword in such a manner, it was better to look at it directly.

The battle continues. The archer man released arrows many times from various sides until the arena was filled with arrows.

Gu Yuena on the other hand parried it with a sword no less quickly. After being confident of being able to perform long-range arrow attacks, he focused his qi into the sword in his hand, then made several duplicates of the sword that shot rapidly towards the target.

Gu Yuena controlled those darting swords not only based on a straight line. He locked onto the target with his mental strength, then released a sword to chase the target without his control.

Since Gu Yuena focused her strength on the flying sword, the archer man was intending to take the opportunity to strike directly into Gu Yuena's body. He pulled the arrow up, then pointed it right at Gu Yuena. The two attacks occurred at the same time as a rain of arrows occurred above Gu Yuena and the flying sword attack locked onto the archer man.

Gu Yuena who had completed the attack in time instantly dodged the incoming arrows in droves and tried to get out of the area. The area attack according to him is very troublesome, because it is difficult to avoid. The movement is slowed due to the attack of various directions.

But he's not unhappy. He was happy that the match would end after his sword hit the target. He destroyed all the arrows with a blaze that widened as big as the area of the arrow attack. Then it shot towards the archer man who was trying desperately to avoid the lockdown.

When he got near the archer man, Gu Yuena danced it vigorously and gave a kick until it came out of the arena. The swords automatically followed the direction of the target's motion that was locked, so all the swords shot out of the arena and struck the archer man who was slumped under the stands.

The archer man had used too much strength to resist, now he could no longer move his body and gave up on the sword that stabbed him like an arrow.

But instead of being torn to shreds, he actually saw the swords sticking a few inches from some parts of his body as if it missed. The sword as hot as fire was deeply felt on his skin. If it was hit just once, he was sure that he would die right then and there.

Terrible power ....

"I'm giving up!" The archer finally gave up. How not? He could not even move a single inch because of that hot sword! Once it moves, it will die right then and there.

Gu Yuena gave a full smile, along with a cheering of spirit aimed for her in appreciation. The referee went over the arena, then brought one of Gu Yuena's hands up and announced victory.

"Huoyuan Division, Gu Yue, rank 5 outer pages declared win! Congratulations, have entered the rank 3 outer page!"

Claps and cheers were heard all over the stands. Gu Yuena smiled in relief, then sighed. He's very tired.

Before descending from the arena, Gu Yuena drew all her strength including the sword that stuck around the body of the archer man. The man immediately left after congratulating her without harboring any disapproval. In his opinion, Gu Yue was a worthy opponent.

"Xiao Yue's! Congratulations!" Shen Jialin jumped towards Gu Yuena and hugged her happily while jumping up and down.

Gu Yuena smiled wryly, looking at Mu Xinhuan who was surprised by Shen Jialin's overzealous reaction.

After realizing his behavior, Shen Jialin immediately distanced herself timidly. Mu Xinhuan cleared her throat, then embraced Gu Yuena familiarly.

"Congratulations, have reached the top 3. At first we were very worried when we saw you get hurt, but it turns out you were stronger than expected. Oh yeah, does the wound still hurt? Do I need to go to the clinic?"

"no need. I have enough pills and medicine I bought yesterday." Gu Yuena responded lightly.

"Xiao Yue, you still have to go to the clinic. Aren't you going to challenge again?" Shen Jialin spoke anxiously.

Gu Yuena scratched her nape. "No. .. I won't challenge you anymore."

"What!"

"Too conspicuous is not good." Gu Yuena did not want her identity to be revealed any faster. It's not ready yet.

"Ah, I know. You'll want to stand out in the exam later. It's okay, no matter what happens I'll support you." Mu Xinhuan chuckled, while Shen Jialin nodded enthusiastically. Moreover, they also get money from betting, of course they are very happy.

Amidst that familiar conversation, Lin Susu came alone with the sweet smile she used to show. When he came, the gazes of the men instantly turned to him with various admiration.

Lin Susu was seen enjoying her so popular reputation as the Goddess Lin. Besides being beautiful and talented, she is also friendly and very sweet, who would not be crazy?

Approaching Gu Yuena and friends, he greeted with his typical and cute style like a child.

"Xiao Yue, congratulations on your victory! I was worried, but thank goodness you're okay." Lin Susu displayed a plain anxious face with her sparkling round eyes.

Shen Jialin looked at Lin Susu with dislike. But seeing that Gu Yuena looked ordinary and accepted the congratulations, he could not say much.

"Yesterday's offer is still valid, or did Xiao Yue have another request? Susu desperately wanted to get close to Xiao Yue, was Xiao Yue unwilling to accept Milk?"

"What?" Gu Yuena was confused. Since when did Lin Susu want to get close to him? Didn't just want to ask for his pointers as a fellow disciple?

If he was a real man, perhaps Gu Yuena would accept it because it was most likely that Lin Susu was quite useful. But the problem ... they are both women!

Being close ... doesn't that mean Lin Susu wants to be her lover? Although Lin Susu was close to everyone, but nothing was really revealed. In this world, men and women who are very close as friends are very unlikely.

Is this what it's like to be shot by the same sex?

"Gu Yue is very lucky."

"really. Lin Susu had a deep connection with Yuansu Palace. If it could be 'close' to him, then his life in the academy would be easy. With Gu Yue's talent, it wasn't a problem for her to enter Yuansu Palace for less than 5 years."

"Ah, I'm so envious."

"Goddess Lin, why don't you just pick me!"

Gu Yuena felt dizzy. It's not really a problem for him to pretend. But the problem is his time and identity. Here is spy Gu Yuan. If Gu Yuan knew he was dating women, he could be forcibly brought back to the empire! This 2-year time will be wasted!

All right, time to be firm.

"Lin Milk, you are my senior, it would be an exaggeration if we became 'close'. I'm just a distant unknown person."

Lin Milk pouted. "So you rejected me. You make me sad." He looked down with teary eyes.

"I just don't want to hurt you, really. Actually ...." Gu Yuena thought hard so as not to need to explain at length anymore. He better take a risk. "I actually like men."

Lin Susu was extremely shocked, even Shen Jialin and Mu Xinhuan by her side were so shocked that their hearts wanted to jump.

Gu Yue likes men?

Did they not hear wrong?

"Gu Yue, is that just your excuse?" Lin Susu smiled wryly.

"I'm serious." Gu Yuena spoke seriously. She is normal as a woman.

"Gu Yue, you're shameless! How dare you hurt Goddess Lin and humiliate her like that!"

"I've guessed that you're not a good man. Gu Yue, you're too hypocritical!"

"You shouldn't have caught the attention of Goddess Lin. You are not worthy of Goddess Lin!"

"People are shameless! You'll regret hurting her like this!"

Haha, Gu Yuena would rather be scorned like this than be urged to date the same sex. This relieved him more. Even if Gu Yuan heard, the man would only laugh—unless Gu Yuena's part slept in the dorm with the man.

"Gu Yue, I know you're lying to avoid me. Am I so disgusting?" Lin Susu wiped her piercing tears.

"I ...." No lie. Really, Gu Yuena wasn't lying!

"Have it, you've humiliated me like this too." Lin Susu sighed. "Gu Yue, you are a great person, I won't count just because of this."

Gu Yuena just kept quiet. No need to talk, because it is not necessary. Better stay away from this ambitious woman.

Lin Susu continued, "But that doesn't mean I'll let you lie to me like this. Challenged you. If you manage to score higher than me on two exams and beat me in a match, I will let everything go. On the contrary, if I win, you must obey my request."

Didn't this force Gu Yuena to go to the first rank in the exam?

Come to think of it, no problem.

"Okay, I take it. But I have to add to the conditions, if I win on the written exam, then you guys will have to pay me 10,000 gold taels, I will also pay the same amount to you if you lose. Then if I lose the second exam, I will gladly uncover my secret and accept your offer."

In the end, all of those conditions sided with Gu Yuena.

"Good."  Lin Susu agreed just like that. He slightly smiled, before finally leaving the ranked arena. I don't know what he's planning.

Gu Yuena was left with her friends who were still very surprised by Gu Yuena's words. They knew, Gu Yuena never joked about what he said.

"Xiao Yue—"

"I know what you want to ask. I've said it clearly. For the reason, you'll know when the time comes." He left them both alone.

Especially Shen Jialin. The woman had a broken heart realizing that she liked men more than women.

It feels like being indirectly rejected.

...ΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩ...

The footsteps of someone moved in the hallway of the inner courtyard academy building. His black robe fluttered amidst the silence of the passageway, as if there was no other life around him.

His gaze was dim emotionless and full of a cold aura. He walked as if he had no direction, but his steps were aimed at a double door at the end of the hall that looked so alienated.

When opening both doors simultaneously, a black figure stood in the room looking at an object shining in the darkness.

The figure of the same black masked man as the assailant the other day stood quietly against the door. Realizing someone was coming, he turned to look at her.

"I think the assassin has his own way of getting into the room unnoticed." The masked man spoke in a flat tone, yet full of sarcasm.

"Why should I hide when the one here is you?" The man stepped in and closed the door behind him. It was Luo Youzhe, coming to complete the mission.

"At least to avoid fighting is unnecessary. But seeing you coming so blatantly, I thought there would be no more exciting battles." He looked towards the hand of Luo Youzhe who was no longer bandaged. "Your hand seems fine."

"Thank you for the injury."

"No need to be confused. Next time I'll give you a worse wound."

Luo Youzhe rolled his eyeballs. He walked calmly towards the center of light ignoring the masked man, then used his spiritual power to pick up a snow-white crystal shining on the monument.

"I found phoenix blood."

The masked man's words kept Luo Youzhe quiet for a while, then looked at him with a surprised look.

"Looking at your reaction, you don't seem to know. That's very good, because I'm the one who's gonna be the winner."

"I hope he dies before he meets you." Luo Youzhe replied indifferently. After getting what he wanted smoothly, he kept it.

"Unfortunately, I've met him. You wouldn't have expected it, but I won't tell you his identity."

"No need."

"Really need it?" The masked man was fishing.

Luo Youzhe looked at the masked man with a cold gaze. "I don't need another woman to help. You yourself, take care of your job as a good dog."

Luo Youzhe stepped away from the masked man. Although his mind momentarily became confused due to the man's words, he did not think too much about it.

"Humans like us are born without real feelings. I hope you understand, Bai Youzhe."

Luo Youzhe halted his steps, seeming distracted, either because the person mentioned his real name or something else. He turned his head slightly, then said, "I hope you understand it too."

"I understand very well." Except for phoenix blood, humans like them would not have feelings like other humans.

Luo Youzhe went to ignore him in a chaotic thought. When he came out of the room, groups of butterflies came and formed the figure of a beautiful woman standing in front of him.

"I feel the witch's breath." Su Churan spoke with a thoughtful firm tone. His gaze directed at the door behind Luo Youzhe, then sneered. "They ...."

"Not to think about." Luo Youzhe walked over without even looking at the woman.

"I just returned from the Assassin Guild, they said that you fought with the owner of the soul stone and got injured. He is an archer, but has a powerful soul force that is activated by a witch. It seems they can't be quiet anymore."

"Why are you here?" Luo Youzhe shifted the topic.

"To meet you." The Churan said seriously. He was somewhat annoyed that stiff Luo Yozuhe did not see him at all like a statue that could not turn his head.

"Don't waste time."

"You think it's a waste of time. Besides meeting you, I also have friends in this academy. I miss him enough, how's it going?"

"When did you have friends?"

Luo Youzhe's indifferent remark made Su Churan very upset. "I told you once that I was saved by a daughter, did you forget?"

"What could that be called a friend?"

"Can't you not use hurtful sentences? It's totally heartless." Su Churan threw away an annoyed face. Maybe he knows this cute guy. He also breathed. "His name is Gu Yuena, we just met at Huo Mountain during the academy's entrance examination. You may not know it because he's disguised as a man."

"Gu Yuena?" Luo Youzhe just stopped his steps and looked at Su Churan. They're buddies? How could he not know?

"From your reactions, you seem to know each other." Su Churan sighed again. "I'm sure the situation isn't good until you're surprised like that."

"We're the dorm."

Su Churan smiled wryly. "It looks worse than I thought." Two people with bad temper in the same place, the world seems to be doomsday.

"How could he save you?" Based on what he knew, Gu Yuena had not been out of the residence for many years since the death of her mother.

The time of the destruction of the Su Clan occurred was a few years after Madam Gu's death. Especially when Gu Yuena was poisoned, it was impossible for her to escape from the pursuit of those people. Even all of Su Churan's family were killed.

"We're hiding in the same place. Gu Yuena had the ability to hide the aura, it seemed like she did not know that. That's why, no one knows what his cultivation level is, including me. Plus, I felt that he was poisoned by a special poison that made him seem to have no strength and weaken the body. It did not harm him, but instead supported him to hide from tracking until now even though the poison had already disappeared. His ability is very rare. If you become an enemy, it will be very dangerous. I suggest you treat him well, he's very vindictive."

"So what's your original purpose for coming?" Luo Youzhe did not want to bother further regarding Gu Yuena.

"I've told you, I miss you~" Su Churan had just wanted to hug Luo Youzhe's arm, but she instantly distanced herself and grabbed the pillar of the building to hug with a pitiful face. "I suffered in the Luo Clan. Your sister is so annoying, she just keeps trying to catch my butterflies to be used as medicine. Brother Luo Yi is not in the clan, no one supports me, huaa~"

Luo Youzhe ignored the pitiful woman and left just like that. He thought there was a problem, it turned out just to play around. Next time, he would give Su Churan a task so as not to continue being idle like that.

"Don't look at me like I'm gonna kill me." Su Churan shuddered in horror. He left shuddering as if what he had just met was a monster threatening him.