Book 3: Chapter 24: To Each Their Own

Ye Shaofeng stood rigidly in this hall. There was blood in his throat, his heart filled with indescribable bitterness.

This black-robed lecturer didn’t have any intention of truly killing him, that was why when the two fingertips pressed against his throat, they quickly retracted, leaving a bit of injury on his throat.

Cultivators at the high Soul Master level were already extremely stunning in the outside world. However, even he knew that in this Green Luan Academy, this level wasn’t much.

Even so, it was precisely because this black-robed lecturer only had Soul Master level cultivation, the same as himself, that it made him feel even worse inside.

The other party said that he was only a Statecraft Department lecturer, his strength among all of Green Luan Academy’s lecturers considered bottom rung, these words now seemed to be true.

However, as a heroic figure among Imperial City’s new wave, he normally rarely encountered his match among cultivators of the same level, yet he couldn’t defeat a Statecraft Department lecturer whose strength wasn’t astonishing at all in Green Luan Academy?

Moreover, he was immediately dispatched of by the other party, lost in such a distressing manner, defeated so directly.

Originally, when the other side specially said those words, it wasn’t because he was scared of facing him, but rather to remind him that losing to a lecturer who was bottom rung in fighting strength within Green Luan Academy, would make him lose even more face.

The other party’s shoulder clearly suffered quite the considerable damage as well, but if this was a true battle on the battlefield, the result would be that the other side could still fight, while he himself would already be dead.

While looking at that black-robed lecturer who still returned to his post by the door, Ye Shaofeng finally understood why the other side was so arrogant, why Green Luan Academy was so prideful… it was because even cultivators of the same level, the ones from Green Luan Academy and those of the outside world were completely different.

The academy’s pride was still established on powerful strength and confidence.

That was why overwhelming Green Luan Academy’s strength was the only way, or else it was impossible to get rid of Green Luan Academy’s inherent pride.

After standing rigidly for a moment, Ye Shaofeng, who now understood much of the reasoning, forcefully swallowed the bloodiness and bitterness in his throat. He gave the black-robed lecturer who stood quietly by the door a bow, and then said, “I was able to learn many things from mister today. If there is a chance in the future, I still wish to seek further guidance from mister. However, all of the territory belongs to the emperor. No matter how powerful you are, you are still the emperor’s subjects. If all powerful individuals were inordinately proud of their own abilities… my Yunqin, would it still be the current Yunqin?” 

The black-robed lecturer didn’t look at Ye Shaofeng, also feeling it was beneath him to speak. Only, inwardly, he was thinking, ‘’This is just your way of thinking, what does it have to do with me?’’

“You are still too young in the end… all of the territory belongs to the emperor, this line is indeed correct, however, half of the mountains and rivers of this Yunqin, who was it that seized them?” The black-robed lecturer didn’t say anything, but a smile of mockery instead appeared on the corners of Yan Shaoqing and Feng Qianhan’s mouth. They were inwardly thinking that the emperor indeed wanted control over Green Luan Academy, but if Green Luan Academy really didn’t care about the rest of the world, who would be able to stop them… Moreover, if Principal Zhang was in Green Luan Academy, not even the current emperor would dare have these types of thoughts, to have Green Luan Academy hand over those recipes and cultivation methods.

That was why all of this, in the end, still depended on the wishes of Green Luan Academy itself.

That was why they could only wait.

In reality, even Yan Shaoqing, who had the reputation of a genius in Imperial City when he was just twenty years old, inwardly always felt that trying to interfere with Green Luan Academy was an extremely nonsensical and preposterous thing. However, the further he climbed, the more things he came into contact with, making him understand more and more why the emperor on the dragon throne, why those figures behind the layers of curtains who, regardless of whether it was their strategic or plotting skills were far above his own, would always try to do this nonsensical thing. It was because Green Luan Academy was too powerful, and too arrogant. Who can say for sure that even though the academy’s current people wouldn’t interfere with imperial power, there won’t be any changes in the future?

In this world, all things changed like a flowing stream, while the human heart was even more so one of the hardest things to guess at in this world.

If Yunqin Empire’s court councilors were asked about this, the overwhelming majority would say that Green Luan Academy definitely wouldn’t do anything unfavorable for Yunqin Empire. However, perhaps not a single one could guarantee that Green Luan Academy would remain like this forever, and perhaps no one would dare guarantee that Green Luan Academy would always be loyal to the emperor.

They had to rely on them, but also had to be on guard, this was something extremely contradictory to begin with.

…

Twilight descended upon Geren Luan Academy. After the long dark night passed, the glimmers of dawn once again surrounded this holy land of the empire, shining upon that lofty and unadorned, celestial palace like hall.

On Green Luan Academy’s peaks, it was already early summer. However, in most of the other areas in Heaven Ascension Mountain Range, the weather was still extremely cold, the plant life a dried yellow.

Lin Xi and all of the other Self Defense Department new students had already set off before the first glimmer of dawn descended upon Green Luan Academy, advancing into a mountain range to the northwest of Green Luan Academy. Just like before, they only had a day’s worth of fresh water, the black cloak that could block wind chill, as well as a ‘Stench Egg’ they could only use when facing extreme danger.

The ‘Stench Egg’ was a sphere the academy created from several types of unique medicinal herbs. Just by crushing the outer shell, there would be surging yellow smoke, used as a communication tool. Because the size was similar to that of a chicken egg, the strong smell also extremely foul, the academy students normally called it the Stench Egg.

At this time, the Wilderness Survival course continued as arranged. This would continue for seven days of time, the first two days were used to rush to the survival region ‘Half Snow Gray Plains’, and then afterwards, Lin Xi and the others had to spend three days in this completely unfamiliar environment, and then use two days of time to hurry back.

Because they were free to move on their own, and ever since this morning, all food had to be found on one’s own, moreover, the course’s rules were that any food they discovered could only be used by themselves, a large group moving together wasn’t a sensible choice. As such, the Self Defense Department new students were scattered apart, entering the wilderness like a web. Even Lin Xi, Tang Ke, Hua Jiyue, and the others had a few hundred steps of distance between them, advancing while searching for things they could eat.

However, when they had just made their way around the academy’s farthest northwestern peak, officially entered the expanse of yellow, dry grass wasteland outside Green Luan Academy, Lin Xi and all of these dispersed Self Defense Department new students were immediately stunned.

There were large groups of similarly fragmented new students who had just put on their black cloaks ahead of them, appearing one after another in their line of sights, emerging in this waste high dry yellow grass wasteland.

“Natural Arts Department?”

“There are people from Statecraft too, even those from Internal Study.”

“What is going on? Why did they all come out too?”

…

Lin Xi stopped in the wasteland, a bit stunned. Then, among these people who were getting closer and closer, he saw quite a few people he was familiar with. The chubby Meng Bai, the extremely earnest Zhang Ping, even some students from the Medicine Department. When he looked in the direction of Medicine Department’s people, Lin Xi quickly recognized Gao Yanan and Jiang Yu’er.

“Why did you all hurry over here so early in the morning? Where are you all headed?” Lin Xi quickly greeted Meng Bai who hurried over, asking with a bit of a puzzled but happy expression.

“What, you all didn’t know?” Meng Bai’s face was completely sullen, a bit out of breath as he looked at Lin Xi, replying, “This time, it isn’t only your Self Defense Department, all of the departments have to carry out this long and difficult Wilderness Survival training.”

Lin Xi patted Meng Bai’s shoulder, saying, “Then are you all also hurrying towards Half Snow Gray Plains with us?”

Meng Bai wasn’t as excited as he usually was when he ran into Lin Xi at all, bitterly nodding, “Yeah. I feel like this isn’t really fair! Lin Xi, this is a compulsory course of your Self Defense Department, and you guys already experienced this a few times before. This time, we have to look for things to eat in the same place as you guys, so how can we possibly beat you guys? Also, you can’t even give me anything you find. When the time comes, won’t your Self Defense Department have all eaten your fill, while the other departments all have to starve themselves?”

“You want to eat your fill? You are thinking way too carefreely.”

Lin Xi laughed inside, but when he thought about how this would discourage Meng Bai further, he smiled, and then looked at Meng Bai, saying in consolation, “Don’t worry, I’ll teach you some things along the way. Also, from our past experiences, compared to Heaven Ascension Mountain Range’s wasteland, we are just like ants, the key lies in being able to find things to eat ourselves, having a department or two with us isn’t too big of a deal. The wasteland really is big… most of us students, during the survival coursework, didn’t even run into each other. Only when we were heading back, would we see each other again.”

“Zhang Ping.”

Right at this time, Zhang Ping also hurried over. Lin Xi greeted him with a smile.

Ever since his reputation as ninety jin heaven’s choice spread, most of the new students were scared of being involved with him at all. At this time, Zhang Ping rushed over and greeted him without any hesitation, this naturally represented true friendship.

It was because Zhang Ping didn’t just happen to choose the same elective course Toxicology as Meng Bai did, so they already hadn’t met each other for a long time. Compared to when he first entered the academy, Zhang Ping’s skin seemed to have become a bit more tanned, but the aura he gave off instead appeared more steady and vigorous.

“Lin Xi, I’ve heard about your affair with Liu Ziyu as well. Do you really have confidence in surpassing him within a month?” After exchanging greetings, Zhang Ping looked at Lin Xi with a bit of worry, directly asking.

After waving towards Gao Yanan and Jiang Yu’er who were currently walking over as well, Lin Xi looked at Zhang Ping, chuckled, and then asked softly, “How is your current cultivation looking?”

Zhang Ping stared blankly for a moment, and then looked at Lin Xi in confusion, saying, “Roughly a hundred and fifty jin, still quite far from mid stage Soul Knight level.”

Lin Xi laughed, and then reached out his hand. “Use all of your strength to clench my hand.”

Zhang Ping forcefully clenched his hand, and then immediately afterwards, a strange expression appeared on his face. Soon afterwards, he clearly used more strength, his face becoming slightly red, but Lin Xi continued to smile the entire time. Meanwhile, a completely amazed expression began to unfold across Zhang Ping’s face.

“You purposely held back during the strength test? Why did you do that?” After a few breaths of time passed, Zhang Ping took a deep breath, letting go of Lin Xi’s hand. He looked at his own palm that had become slightly red, asking with a frown.

Lin Xi retracted his completely unaffected hand, looking at Zhang Ping and said, “If I told you that it was because the teacher who teaches us Martial Skill class doesn’t like me, taking advantage of when I didn’t have any strength left from training to test our strength, would you believe me?”

Zhang Ping’s brows furrowed. Before he could say anything, Meng Bai immediately reacted, looking at Lin Xi with astonishment. “Lin Xi, turns out you didn’t really only have ninety jin of strength… then does that mean that you really can surpass Liu Ziyu?”

When he heard Meng Bai say this, Zhang Ping couldn’t help but become a bit stunned. “Meng Bai, you and Lin Xi see each other quite often, but you never asked about these things, only knowing now, are you not worried at all? What do you think is worth being concerned over the most then?”

Meng Bai’s face became gloomy as he stared into the endless wasteland, mumbling, “Why does this stuff matter… what you have to be most concerned about is naturally if you can eat every day, if you can sleep well.”

Lin Xi couldn’t help but release a pfft sound, laughing out loud.

Indeed, if everyone in this world thought a bit simpler, then what was worth being concerned over the most, wasn’t it just being able to eat your fill each day, if you could sleep well?

“Meng Bai, so you were thinking like this. However, I guarantee you that this fella definitely doesn’t think that way.” Li Kaiyun who had just walked over, just happened to hear Meng Bai say these words, gesturing to the side.

Following his gaze, Lin Xi saw a pale-faced youngster currently walking alone in the wasteland, his hair golden like midday sunshine, brilliant and dazzling.

Lin Xi immediately recognized this person. He was Spiritual Sacrifice Department’s Yuhua Family’s fella.

…

“Good wine and fine food will only dull the will and soul, courage and loyalty, scars and tempering, are the most dazzling glory.”

The thin and weak, pale faced Yuhua Tianji separated himself from the academy students who were complaining about how they were definitely going to suffer in the days to come, repeating these words inside. He pulled out a few grassroots that could be used from a shallow water mud pit, then placed them into his mouth, slowly chewing on them. The bitterness and unpleasant taste for others, to him, was instead sweet like syrup.

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