True Solution of the Sword Dao
Chapter 301 - 285 Millennium Sword Dao 1

Chapter 301: Chapter 285 Millennium Sword Dao 1

"Nannan?"

Whoosh!

It seemed that he had encountered something, and Jiang Nan hurriedly turned around and ran.

The sound of his footsteps quickly faded away, and a faint "click" of a door closing was finally heard.

Lin Fei sat up in bed, watching intently; how could he not know that Jiang Nan had been out drinking?

"It seems that agreeing to her attending that poor school was a mistake right from the start," Lin Fei thought. People are only influenced positively in a good environment.

Lin Fei slowly sank into contemplation, beginning to ponder the combat scenarios within the Sword Canon.

*************

Next day, early morning, 5:00 AM

The sky was dimly lit, interwoven with shades of gray and black, illuminating a faint light.

Lin You rarely got up this early; Feil lay on her shoulder as the sleepy duo stepped out of the bedroom.

"Hurry up, we still have to do a full set of physical and endurance tests," Feil urged.

"Got it, got it~~~," Lin You yawned. Suddenly, the door of another bedroom also opened.

Lin Fei slowly came out from inside, looking extremely alert, not at all like someone just awakened but rather as if he had just come back and closed the door.

Lin You’s face turned slightly awkward. Honestly, after being controlled by Feil to act in that manner last time, she was somewhat unsure how to talk to Lin Fei, or even what expression and attitude to use when facing him.

"Good morning," Lin Fei said calmly.

"Morning."

Lin You foolishly raised her hand in greeting, then watched wide-eyed as Lin Fei walked into the bathroom to wash up.

"Little You, don’t you think your brother is getting prettier by the day? Although his face has become more beautiful, his demeanor doesn’t seem feminized at all," Feil said, puzzled.

"Somewhat," Lin You nodded. "I felt that too just now when I saw his beautiful face, but I can’t associate it with femininity. It feels... how should I say it? Very harmonious, very natural."

"Forget it, let’s go train! Merrill and the others are waiting for you, and this time we’re all going out to find other Energy Scepter Contractors."

"Okay."

Lin Fei stood by the washbasin, gazing at his reflection in the mirror. His face seemed beautiful, yet traces of Jiu’er and Lin You could still be seen, and only upon closer scrutiny could one spot signs of his original appearance.

"I’ve changed so much without realizing," Lin Fei whispered, touching his face softly.

The person in the mirror had no hint of femininity, but rather an extremely sharp aura. Those narrow eyes reflected a cold, cruel luster, faintly conveying a high disdain.

Lin Fei knew it was because he had killed too many. He was like a lion living among sheep, around whom were creatures low in the food chain, creatures he could destroy with a mere swipe of his paw. This ability to arbitrarily control the fate of others was probably what made him so cold.

"Feifei brother..."

A soft voice came from behind Lin Fei.

The icy coldness in Lin Fei’s eyes slightly dissolved, and he turned around.

Jiang Nan stood before him, timid as a mouse. The once sweet and adorable ordinary girl now sported a different style, her shoulder-length black hair somewhat messy, a white T-shirt paired with ripped jeans. Standing at the door, traces of perfume seemed to linger in the air, likely intended to mask the smell of alcohol. If not for Lin Fei’s highly sharpened senses, he might not have noticed.

Lin Fei silently watched Jiang Nan.

Both stood by the doorway. After a long pause, Lin Fei finally spoke slowly.

"You must have something to say to me, come with me later."

Jiang Nan lowered her head, unable to meet Lin Fei’s eyes, and just slightly nodded.

Lin Fei walked past her.

He had indeed considered whether to include Jiang Nan in his system. Perhaps his lack of attention to her was what led her to show signs of following her past life’s path.

But joining his circle meant facing an unknown number of dangers in the future. Jiang Nan, as a common person with no foundation or awareness of the Inner World, would just become cannon fodder even if she were to receive a seed of True Force.

She and Lin You were different. Had it not been for the many who helped her, Lin You too would have only been mere cannon fodder, likely to be disposed of casually anywhere.

In the Inner World, the life of an ant is like a candle flame that can be extinguished by the slightest wind.

And he couldn’t always be there to protect her.

After all, even he who possessed the Sword Canon had walked the edge of life and death several times, hadn’t he?

Perhaps he should observe for a while longer.

Lin Fei thought over it, his mind racing through various considerations.

Once his parents and Lin You had finished washing up and left,

only Lin Fei and Jiang Nan remained in the house.

The two sat facing each other on the living room sofa.

Lin Fei placed down the freshly brewed hot tea he held. A cup for each sat on the coffee table in front of them.

Then, he slowly sat down, flicking his finger lightly.

Several strands of transparent Power of the Divine Artifact fluctuated, slowly flying out.

All the surveillance cameras around the living room were easily disguised by him. If someone were monitoring them at that time, all they would see was the two sitting briefly before standing up without saying a word and leaving.

Fortunately, these cameras were only installed in the living room, and not in other rooms; moreover, these monitoring devices stopped operating at night, or else Lin Fei would have taken direct action to remove these things when she came back yesterday.

With the surveillance covered, Lin Fei then turned her attention to Jiang Nan sitting opposite her.

Jiang Nan looked restless, her head bowed, her long hair covering most of her face. Her gaze was fixed directly on the teacup in front of her.

"Nannan, I heard about your situation from Dad, Mom, and Lin You. But, I believe there was a reason," Lin Fei said gently, "We have been the closest since childhood, and you are not someone who would willingly become the person you are now. I guess it must be related to the environment, right? Your friends and sisters are the real reason behind this gradual change, aren’t they?"

Lin Fei directly pointed out the key.

Jiang Nan began to slowly bite her lip.

"But no matter what you turn into, you are ultimately my cousin. Of course, you also understand that my relationship with Lin You is not as close as with you, so it’s almost like you’re my real sister," Lin Fei said indifferently. "By saying this, I mean no prejudice against that kind of student or circle. It’s just that, for a beautiful girl like you, that circle is far too dangerous. Do you understand what I mean?"

Jiang Nan was silent for a while before lightly nodding her head.

"You drank alcohol yesterday, didn’t you?" Lin Fei suddenly asked.

Jiang Nan’s head lowered even more.

It took her a long while to squeeze out a word.

"Yes...."

"Don’t drink anymore." Lin Fei stated calmly, "I don’t like seeing you like this."

Jiang Nan looked up in astonishment, staring blankly at Lin Fei, yet remained silent.

"Nannan, I understand what you mean, I’ve known since we were young," Lin Fei said quietly, "In fact, it’s not that different for me."

Lin Fei knew that she and Jiang Nan were initially close due to similar family situations which evolved into mutual dependency and later, Nannan developed an abnormal affection for him, and he, too, had not been without such feelings.

But some things, once they cross a boundary, would completely change. Perhaps Lin Fei could disregard ethics and morals, but the fundamental reason lay in the huge gap between the Inner World and the external world. If Jiang Nan were to step into Lin Fei’s world without corresponding determination, it would only result in Lin Fei gaining a vulnerability while Jiang Nan could face perilous dangers at any moment.

Jiang Nan widened her eyes, just looking at Lin Fei.

Lin Fei calmly met her gaze, his eyes softening a few degrees. He always liked his cousin who depended on him. Perhaps it fulfilled some protective instinct, or perhaps it was a semblance of paternalism.

He suddenly recalled his first encounter with Sun Chengbin, a defector from Shueisha in the forest; at that time, he only faced a low-level lackey, and even with his training in Basic Sword Technique, he almost faced grave danger. If his feelings of fear and flight had overwhelmed him then, he would have been left with no choice but death.

This was the result even with his extensive experience in physical combat from his past life.

And Jiang Nan? If she were to enter his life, what would she have to sacrifice? With no foundation in combat or experience in fighting, the sacrifices required to step into his world would definitely be much greater than those he had made.

"Feifei," Jiang Nan finally spoke.

"Sometimes, I feel you’re getting farther and farther away from me. I don’t know if it’s just my illusion."

"So, do you want to be closer to me?" Lin Fei smiled.

Jiang Nan was silent for a while, her cheeks flushing slightly. Finally, she gently nodded.

"Then let’s see how significant your decision is," Lin Fei stood up. "Let’s go."

*************

City No. 7 Middle School

Outside the rusty school iron gate.

Lin Fei and Jiang Nan stood side by side in front of the gate, Lin Fei frowning as he looked at the scene inside the school.

The school’s flag-raising square, originally gray and white, was now patched with broken cement spots east to west, making it look like an ugly patchwork. Occasionally, some students dressed like gangsters could be seen loafing around with cigarettes in their mouths, and distant profanities could be intermittently heard. The old gatekeeper squinted his eyes, dozing off at the entrance.

The teaching building across the playground looked dilapidated, some classrooms were without glass in their windows which were left half-open, and various students with dyed hair, both male and female, occasionally poked their heads out.

The whole scene was a textbook example of a substandard school.

"Which floor is your classroom on?" Lin Fei asked calmly.

Jiang Nan answered in a low voice, "Second floor on the left..."

The two walked into the school, the old gatekeeper merely opened his eyes to glance at them, then continued napping.

Lin Fei looked around at the environment, noticing cigarette butts everywhere in the corners. Some trash cans had been full for a long time, indicating a very long cleaning cycle.

Following Jiang Nan’s lead, they went directly to the second floor and came to a classroom without a sign. Where the sign should have been, there was only an empty frame, clearly removed by someone at some point.

The two reached the classroom door.

Lin Fei’s expression suddenly changed.

Jiang Nan was about to open the door, but he pulled her back.

"No need, let’s go, to the principal’s office," he said grimly. His keen senses could clearly hear faint moaning sounds coming from inside the classroom.

"To study in such an environment and to have a bright future is nothing short of a miracle," Lin Fei said as he turned and walked away pulling Jiang Nan with him. "We’ll process your withdrawal immediately."

Jiang Nan opened her mouth but ended up not speaking, letting Lin Fei lead her away.

"Rather than this, it’s better to let you into my circle," Lin Fei stated darkly. "After we finish the paperwork, I’ll take you somewhere."

Jiang Nan nodded, her emotions complex as she glanced back at the classroom, then at Lin Fei in front of her, finally showing a faint smile. (To be continued. If you like this novel, you are welcome to recommend and vote on qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation.)