Book 5: Chapter 12: Just Whose Place is This

Jiang Xiaoyi held an ordinary looking memo.

“Let’s meet on the hillside in front of Medicine Department’s Freshman Dormitory at sundown, say our goodbyes there. Lin Xi.”

There was only a simple line of words written on this memo, but when Jiang Xiaoyi saw these words, he instead smiled extremely happily.

It was because Lin Xi was the target he looked up to, his friend, and Lin Xi also treated him as a friend, not forgetting him, this was already enough.

Perhaps he can also leave him with a pleasant surprise?

Dang! Dang! Dang!

Right at this time, waves of ironware forging sounds entered his ears.

Just like the evaluations of the other departments, all of Natural Arts Department evaluations already ended yesterday. Today, he only returned here to meet some friends from other departments before they separated, just happening to pass by their Natural Arts Department’s teaching hall right now.

There was no mistake, this noise came from the forging room where yesterday’s evaluations were held. Could it be that someone, because of a bit of negligence, failed to pass, so they were venting out their resentment here today?

Out of curiosity, and because Natural Arts’ flame forging was still a bit dangerous for the students, Jiang Xiaoyi walked towards the forging room without much hesitation.

In the forging room, flames surged within a furnace.

A Natural Arts Department student dressed meticulously in white clothes according to the rules was drenched in sweat, brandishing a sledgehammer while rhythmically forging a piece of completely red metal.

With each strike, the entirely red metal’s surface would produce a layer of brilliance, extremely dazzling.

“Zhang Ping?”

When Jiang Xiaoyi saw this person’s face, he was immediately stunned.

Even though he wasn’t all that familiar with Zhang Ping normally, because they were students of the same department, he knew well that this young man from Xiaoxiang Province’s Water Dragon City, despite not having much background before entering Natural Arts Department, had an almost fanatical interest in all of Natural Arts Department’s courses. Normally, what he loved to do the most was research some books and consult the lecturers about different things.

That was why Zhang Ping’s performance in Natural Arts Department was always exceptional and outstanding.

Jiang Xiaoyi also remembered clearly that Zhang Ping’s results during the Weapons Forging course left the lecturer extremely satisfied, easily passing, so it definitely wasn’t someone venting their resentment from not passing.

“Jiang Xiaoyi?”

When he saw the forging room door open Zhang Ping turned around, also seeing that the one who walked in was Jiang Xiaoyi.

Jiang Xiaoyi asked with curiosity, “Zhang Ping, what are you doing here?”

“We’ll tentatively leave the academy tomorrow, so I’m preparing a pair of arm guards for a friend.” Zhang Ping’s forging already seemed extremely skillful, replying to Jiang Xiaoyi’s question, but the hammer in his hands never stopped, still continuously striking down in a rhythmic manner.

Jiang Xiaoyi stared blankly for a moment. “Forging a pair of protective gear for a friend, this really is a good idea. What a pity I never thought of it.”

Zhang Ping revealed a calm smile, not saying much either, only continuously striking down.

“What materials are you using?” Because he didn’t have much he had to do right now, Jiang Xiaoyi asked another question out of curiosity.

Zhang Ping said, “Sky Tungsten Steel.”

“Sky Tungsten Steel?” Jiang Xiaoyi was shocked, looking at Zhang Ping whose entire face was covered in sweat. “This is material that can only be obtained by exchanging a point!”

Zhang Ping released a calm laugh, “If it was the most basic material, any random border army long blade could cut through it, so it would be completely useless for my friend.”

“It seems like you really are quite good to this friend of yours.” Jiang Xiaoyi immediately had a much more favorable impression of Zhang Ping who he normally didn’t chat much with. Suddenly, he saw a white memo on the table to the side, and then he looked at the identical white paper in his own hands. After staring blankly for a moment,he said, “Zhang Ping, that friend you are talking about, don’t tell me it’s Lin Xi?”

Zhang Ping was also shocked, “How did you know?”

Jiang Xiaoji immediately couldn’t help but laugh out loud, raising the memo in his own hands. “Who would have thought that you are friends with Lin Xi as well. He invited you to meet today before we all left too?”

Zhang Ping looked at Jiang Xiaoyi, not too convinced, “I met him during the entrance examination… you are actually good friends with him as well?”

“This really is a curious coincidence. He doesn’t seem to have that many friends in the academy, who would have thought that there were two in our department, and we didn’t even know about each other before.”

Jiang Xiaoyi laughed, shaking the memo in his hands, saying, “I was told to meet him in front of Medicine Department’s Freshman Dormitory at sundown. You?”

Zhang Ping also couldn’t help but reveal a bitter smile. “The same.”

Jiang Xiaoyi laughed and said, “It seems like even if I didn’t happen to have passed by today, we would have still become friends tonight. This fella probably really wants everyone to get to know each other before leaving.”

After a slight pause, Jiang Xiaoyi seemed to have suddenly remembered something. He looked at the fiery red metal Zhang Ping was forging, saying, “With your current pace, you might not make it in time for sundown alone, right? How about we go at it together, I’ll lend you a hand?”

After a bit of hesitation, Zhang Ping nodded. “Okay.”

Jiang Xiaoji put on a set of white-colored protective clothing, also raising a large hammer.

Dang!

Dang!

Dang!

They each had a hammer, continuously striking at an even higher frequency, blasts of air continuously exploding between the fiery red metal.

The sounds of hammering continued without ending.

…

At sunset, waves of laughter rang out within this forging room.

The laughing Zhang Ping and Jiang Xiaoyi removed the protective clothing while drenched in sweat. In the stone sink before them, a pair of dark black arm guards still carried a bit of warmth.

Because of the forging quenching and the metal’s unique patterns, wood rings like deep vein lines took form on the glossy surface.

…

“It’s about time.”

At the same time, in Self Defense Department’s Freshman Dormitory, the seated Lin Xi gave the outside sky a look, and then stood up. After carefully reading the small black cowhide scroll again, he lit a candle flame, burning this entire small black cowhide scroll to ashes, and only then did he sling a bag over his back, walking out of the door. He slid down a silverthread zipline, and then walked towards a hillside.

At the end of the mountain slope was a cliff, on the tall cliff was Medicine Department’s Freshman Dormitory.

The sky gradually darkened.

Lin Xi removed the candles from the inside of his bag one after another, and then arranged them on the hillside, forming a giant heart shape.

Around these candles and above them, there was also a lot of dry firewood.

Like this, this heart shaped bonfire would burn for a long time, burn even greater. Then, when it completely went out, becoming fiery red charcoal, when looked down at it from above, it should be extremely spectacular.

In his past world, this was already something extremely corny and senseless, if he did this below those female students’ dormitories, he might get a lot of foot washing water poured on him, and he might even attract a lot of hissing noises of disgust.

However, he had never done anything like this before.

Even though it was senseless, even if he wanted to do it in his past world, he wouldn’t have the chance anymore.

Meanwhile, in this world, this type of well-worn and senseless method might still be enough to draw out those fellas from Capital City and other great provincial cities, leaving those who normally mocked him as a country bumpkin stunned, right?

That was why Lin Xi did it extremely happily.

Regardless, happiness was a good thing.

“Lin Xi, what are you doing?”

Qin Xiyue and Jiang Yu’er hurried over at the same time. These two Medicine Department girls also saw Lin Xi’s memo, and there was a silverthread zipline that was directly linked up to this hillside, so they quickly arrived at Lin Xi’s side.

“When the time comes, when this is lit, it’ll become a bonfire.”

“I called over all of the friends I made at Green Luan Academy. We’re about to leave soon, so I want to get together with all of you before leaving. After all, I don’t have that many friends at Green Luan Academy either, so maybe all of you can become friends as well.”

Lin Xi explained to Qin Xiyue and Jiang Yu’er. Suddenly, he saw Jiang Xiaoyi, Zhang Ping, and Meng Bai appear on the distant mountain path.

On another mountain path, Hua Jiyue, Li Kaiyun, Bian Linghan, and Tang Ke’s figures appeared. What left him a bit stunned was that not far from Hua Jiyue and the others, was a strutting Mu Shanzi.

“Lin Xi, what in the world are you doing?”

Hua Jiyue might have been a bit annoyed because of Mu Shanzi following behind her, but when she saw Lin Xi arrange candles and dry firewood, she asked without that great of a temper.

“Just a get together… you’ll understand soon.”

Lin Xi explained a bit, and then greeted Jiang Xiaoyi, Zhang Ping, and Meng Bai. He looked at the sky, and then casually asked, “Why isn’t Xiang Lin here yet?”

“That bumpkin won’t come.” Before the others said anything, Mu Shanzi who was standing on the side instead brazenly said this. When he saw Lin Xi look at him with his brows furrowed, he then laughed in a brazen manner, pointing at Li Kaiyun next to Lin Xi. “This isn’t something I said, I heard them say this.”

Lin Xi turned around to look at Li Kaiyun, asking, “What happened?”

After some hesitation, he said quietly with a bit of frustration, “He had me bring you a message… It’s probably because there are many people in Statecraft Department who don’t like you, he is scared of provoking trouble, so he won’t meet you out in the open.”

“I’m Xiang Lin, from Prosper Province’s Jinzhou City.”

Lin Xi stared blankly for a moment. The words Xiang Lin spoke still rang by his ears, the jerky he brought from home still fresh in his memory, but he now avoided him… not coming?

“Forget it, this type of friend, having one isn’t as good as not having one, what is the point.” While Lin Xi was silent, Mu Shanzi instead arrogantly looked at him, saying with a snort.

Lin Xi took a deep breath, and then slowly released it. He looked at Mu Shanzi, asking, “Then what are you here for?”

“I saw that all of you were hurrying over. Seeing that it’s related to you, I just came to join in on the liveliness. What, I’m not even allowed to do that?” Mu Shanzi gave Lin Xi, Hua Jiyue and the others a look. “Either way, we are still in the academy, you guys can’t beat me up even if there are more of you.”

Lin Xi’s brows were furrowed, looking at him for a long time, but he then couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “Standing so close with us here, aren’t you scared of being misunderstood, ending up provoking trouble onto yourself?”

“Provoking trouble?” Mu Shanzi sneered. “When have I, Mu Shanzi, ever been scared of another?”

Lin Xi laughed. He looked at Mu Shanzi and said, “Sure, then do you dare light this together with me?”

Mu Shanzi didn’t even look at Lin Xi, saying with a snort, “Do you take me as a fool? I’m only here to look around, you even want me to help you do work?”

Lin Xi felt more and more like this fella was interesting. He didn’t waste any time, starting to light the candles one by one.

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