Chapter 209: Chapter 166: You Can Stand By My Side Chapter 209: Chapter 166: You Can Stand By My Side Xiang Beifei nodded thoughtfully.
“Have you been keeping this from me all along?” Kong Xiuwen turned to look at Xiang Beifei. n𝚘𝚟pub.𝚌o𝚖
Since the beginning of the school year, just a week ago, he had never believed those rumors, thinking that Xiang Beifei’s admission to Liangzhou University must have been due to Xiang Tianxing having connections. However, the punch Xiang Beifei had thrown just now made Kong Xiuwen realize that most of those rumors were probably true.
“I just felt there was no need to mention these things to you,” Xiang Beifei said, “I’ve been working hard on my cultivation for the past few months in order to get into university.”
“Is that really the case?”
Kong Xiuwen rested his elbows on his knees, his hands supporting his forehead, looking very dejected.
“These past few days, I’ve been using hairs to improve my Intelligence. I’ve also been thinking about those rumors, and your punch just now suddenly made me understand everything.”
The punch Xiang Beifei had thrown seemed to have instantly unlocked all the doubts in Kong Xiuwen’s mind.
“You have a high IQ and scored well on the college entrance exam. When people first said you were powerful, that you had been to the outer desolate lands, I didn’t quite believe them. But after you gave me those Beast Pills, I understood they really were obtained from killing desolate beasts. You can beat people in the late stage of Qi-Controlling, beat the Triangular Thunder Krait… They said you were a Body Cultivation, which is why you possess such formidable strength, but that’s because they don’t understand you. However, I’ve always known your situation since we were kids; you are not a Body Cultivation. All these changes, it seems, started with the Awakening System,” Kong Xiuwen said.
Kong Xiuwen had grown up playing with Xiang Beifei and knew what the old Xiang Beifei was like. It was impossible that Xiang Beifei was a Body Cultivation from a young age since he had been so physically weak when he was younger and had to stand up for himself when bullied.
Therefore, the only explanation was that Xiang Beifei had awakened an even higher system than his, but hadn’t mentioned it to him.
“You’re not an N-level Awakener, are you?” Kong Xiuwen asked.
Xiang Beifei hesitated for a moment before saying, “I don’t know how to explain.”
“I hate how I’ve suddenly become smart,” Kong Xiuwen murmured, rubbing his hair.
He was finding it increasingly difficult to see through Xiang Beifei, who no longer seemed to be the old friend who always needed his protection. He was now completely out of reach, only able to watch his back.
A sense of defeat rose, uninvited, in his heart.
“This way, I feel like I can’t keep up with you. It’s as if—I don’t know how to express it—have we been drifting apart?” Kong Xiuwen asked quietly.
“Not necessarily,” Xiang Beifei sat down and said, “I never intended to leave you behind, which is why I gave you those Beast Pills.”
“But you no longer need my protection,” said Kong Xiuwen morosely, “That makes me feel very frustrated because I’ve always been the one standing in front of you.”
“You don’t always have to stand in front of me,” Xiang Beifei smiled, “You can try standing by my side, fighting shoulder to shoulder with me.”
Kong Xiuwen paused, then turned to look at his friend with whom he had grown up.
“You’re so strong, it will probably be difficult to stand beside you in the future,” Kong Xiuwen shook his head.
“I’ve said I won’t leave you behind. No matter what, I’ll help you. If you need more Beast Pills, I can help you find them. Those are definitely useful to you, I need you to stand by me,” Xiang Beifei said.
With Xiang Beifei’s current strength, he could kill many Qi-Controlling period desolate beasts, and these Beast Pills could be purified and used by Kong Xiuwen to improve his cultivation. Xiang Beifei had calculated that with his help, given Kong Xiuwen’s current progress, it wouldn’t take a year for him to reach the late stage of Qi-Controlling.
“I haven’t used up the Beast Pills you gave me last time,” Kong Xiuwen said.
“When you’ve used them up, just say so. If you want to become stronger and keep up with my pace, you shouldn’t be polite with me,” Xiang Beifei said.
Kong Xiuwen remained silent for a long while before finally saying, “Thank you.”
“I should be the one thanking you,” Xiang Beifei patted Kong Xiuwen’s shoulder, “Thank you for always protecting me.”
Kong Xiuwen’s body shook slightly.
After a while, he said hesitantly, “Now, I can only stand behind you and can’t do much.”
“Then please help me watch out for what’s behind me,” Xiang Beifei earnestly replied, “A person can’t just rush forward without thinking; you always need brothers and family to have your back, right?”
Kong Xiuwen was taken aback, looking at Xiang Beifei, his eyes gradually brightening.
Many things between them seemed to have never changed.
After a while, Kong Xiuwen began to smile, “You’re right.”
The two had grown up together as close friends, trusting each other implicitly, with little quarreling. In battle, they could confidently leave their backs to each other without fear of one stabbing the other.
Kong Xiuwen understood that if he wasn’t strong enough to stand beside Xiang Beifei yet, at least he could still support him from behind and do what he was capable of.
“I joined a club called Leisure Clouds and Wild Cranes. The teacher in charge is of the SR rank. If you want to become stronger, he’s definitely the first choice. Are you interested in joining me?”
“Yes.”
After a pause, Kong Xiuwen said firmly, “I’ll work hard not to hold you back.”
“I know, I’ve always had confidence in you,” Xiang Beifei smiled.
—-
—-
On Saturday, Xiang Beifei informed Li Zimu and the others to go to the student club.
Their Leisure Clouds and Wild Cranes student club usually met near Ye Changfeng’s office. The office looked small from the outside, like a bathroom stall, but inside it was quite large, having been expanded by Ye Changfeng.