Translator: Amber.es | Editor: Bubbles | Proofreader: musk

It wasn’t till Feng Qi stepped onto the white jade stage that Ji Chaoyun awakened from his daze.

That face was precisely as per his reminiscence, however aside from that, it was under no circumstances acquainted.

That individual would by no means take a look at him in such a means.

Ji Chaoyun’s turbulent temper slowly calmed down. He watched the opposite celebration stand in entrance of him, shaking his proper wrist barely. The scarlet gold bracelet tied round his wrist fell down, turning into a protracted whip.

The golden religious mild of the lengthy whip shortly pale, revealing a slender whip thong entwined with gold threads.

“I, I’m not…”

Ji Chaoyun’s eyes moved barely, about to elucidate one thing, when the golden gong sounded and the third match started.

Earlier than he might react, he felt a powerful wind approaching him.

Years of martial arts follow made Ji Chaoyun instinctively elevate his sword to dam. The whip slid towards the lengthy blade, sparks bursting from the conflict of weapons. Ji Chaoyun staggered two steps again. In his coronary heart, he immediately felt an uncommon aura surging.

The energy of this individual was fully totally different from the earlier two.

Ji Chaoyun closed his eyes and tried to calm himself down.

He couldn’t go on like this.

If this went on, he would really be pushed away.

He wanted to enter Hongmeng Academy.

Ji Chaoyun took a deep breath. Flicking his eyes up, the momentum of his entire physique modified. The sword that was beforehand brushed apart modified route and stabbed in the direction of Feng Qi with none hesitation.

Ji Chaoyun had fought for 2 consecutive matches, one in all which was towards the tenth-ranked grasp of the academy. His bodily exertion might be imagined.

The individuals within the viewers, nevertheless, all of a sudden realised that this individual had not used his full energy in any respect within the prior matches!

There was a pointy sound from the sword’s blade chopping via the void, and Ji Chaoyun’s actions had been quicker than earlier than. Rapidly, it approached Feng Qi’s facet. The hearts of the spectators had been tense, however Feng Qi simply took a half step to the facet with out a hurry, and gathered the lengthy whip to guard his facet, subtly dissolving the opponent’s menacing sword intent.

Then, Feng Qi modified his earlier tactic, solely defending however not attacking, pressured by Ji Chaoyun to retreat step-by-step.

Within the viewers, somebody all of a sudden set free a loud chortle. “Second Highness Feng, you’re clearly making issues simple for him.”

The joking phrases had been exclaimed by the identical disciple who’d come down from Dengyun Tower with Feng Qi.

This group of individuals had adopted Feng Qi all through the years and in contrast to others who had been afraid of him, they even began teasing, “Your Highness has realized to pity and cherish jade.1 Though this isn’t a giant competitors, it wouldn’t look good for those who lose. Don’t be impulsive.”

“First defeating Jiang Cheng, then Feng Qi. Would possibly as effectively change the proprietor of Dengyun Tower to this little newcomer.”

“Everybody, shut up!”

Ji Chaoyun had been pressured to exert all his energy. Even when going through such swift sword assaults, Feng Qi might cut up his consideration to curse and chortle with the viewers. Simply as he turned his head again, Ji Chaoyun’s lengthy sword had reached his facet, about to pierce Feng Qi’s neck.

Ji Chaoyun’s eyes flashed, and the sword’s edge all of a sudden stopped!

In such a highly-focused duel, any flaws and hesitations would develop into deadly. The subsequent second, Feng Qi waved the lengthy whip in his hand, tightly wrapping round Ji Chaoyun’s sword.

“Should you didn’t hesitate, it could have been your solely probability to win,” Feng Qi spoke, with a hint of remorse in his eyes. “Based mostly on the truth that you haven’t enrolled but, I gave you 9 strikes. It’s a pity… I nonetheless have one thing to do. Apologies.”

As Feng Qi’s voice fell, his whip all of a sudden tightened across the sword. Earlier than Ji Chaoyun might react, he all of a sudden felt a pointy tingling ache coming from the again of his hand.

Although the lengthy whip in Feng Qi’s hand regarded malleable, it was in reality fabricated from some type of extraordinarily scorching iron, and was extraordinarily robust. After Ji Chaoyun bore this blow, a layer of chilly sweat broke out on his again. The sword fell from his grasp.

He subconsciously leaned ahead, however with the wind swept out by the opponent, he stumbled a couple of steps again.

Behind him was the sting of the ring!

Ji Chaoyun’s physique misplaced its stability and fell shortly, about to fully drop off the excessive platform. A hand all of a sudden stretched out and firmly grasped his arm.

The palm of the opposite was heat and dry. On this quick distance, Ji Chaoyun might see within the different’s eyes a faint smile that had by no means modified.

This face was excellent and good-looking. When he smiled, it added a contact of seductiveness. However this smile didn’t make individuals really feel as if it had been simple for them to get shut in any respect. Quite the opposite, the unfamiliarity and coldness in his eyes had been so dazzling that individuals might hardly breathe.

Feng Qi regarded down at him. He mentioned softly, “You misplaced.”

On the similar time, Ji Chaoyun’s sword fell to the bottom, reverberating with a crisp sound on the silent white jade platform.

His physique left the ring, and his weapon fell on the bottom; they had been guidelines he’d set himself. There was little question that he misplaced.

“Your martial arts are good, however sadly, you met me.” Feng Qi raised his hand, and the sword that fell was lifted by blue smoke and returned to his hand. He held the hilt and handed it to Ji Chaoyun. “Come again in 100 years.”

Ji Chaoyun took the sword. The individual in entrance of him left simply, turning and strolling down the stage.

He hurriedly caught up. “You… Are you from the Feng clan?”

Feng Qi paused, then turned. “Sure. What’s the matter?”

“Then you definitely…” Ji Chaoyun checked out this overly acquainted face, his voice trembled barely. “Don’t you recognise me?”

Feng Qi checked out him for a second. He requested, “Ought to I do know you?”

“I—”

As the 2 talked, a crowd had gathered. Feng Qi glanced round and chuckled. “It doesn’t matter, you aren’t the primary one that needs to strike up a dialog with me. However you continue to… select a not so old school means.”

“…Who doesn’t know that the dragon and the phoenix clans have been combating with one another for a very long time. The youngsters of the phoenix clan are forbidden to privately befriend anybody from the dragon clan. Little demon dragon, don’t harm me ah.”

Ji Chaoyun’s voice was caught in his throat. “Feng…”

However Feng Qi ignored him and turned to stroll down the steps.

“Chaoyun, Chaoyun? Are you okay?!” Ye Chenxing squeezed previous the group and got here to Ji Chaoyun’s facet with fear in his eyes. “Why’s your face so pale? Are you harm? I’ll ship you again to relaxation.”

“No want.” Ji Chaoyun pushed Ye Chenxing’s hand away, his eyes mounted on the gap. “You proceed… I, I shall take my go away.”

“However—”

Ye Chenxing needed to say extra, when from the excessive jade stage, the appointed disciple referred to as out his identify.

He was the following freshman to take part within the evaluation.

“Tsk.” Ye Chenxing turned to Ji Chaoyun and shouted loudly, “Chaoyun, please return to Changqing Backyard to attend for me. I’ll come to you after I end my evaluation!”

Ji Chaoyun didn’t reply. He left the ring with out trying again.

The take a look at enviornment was situated on the open sq. within the entrance mountain of Hongmeng Academy. On the finish of the sq. was the tens of hundreds steps in entrance of the mountain gate. Ji Chaoyun brushed previous the group, however the mild golden determine simply now was nowhere to be discovered.

The golden gong sounded once more within the distance, and the white jade stage opened a brand new spherical of evaluation amidst the voices. Behind the elevated platform, a towering palace carved with white jade stood on prime of the mountain, surrounded by a number of peaks, quietly hanging beside the principle summit.

Gazing on the sight in entrance, the complete Hongmeng Mountain was shrouded in clouds and mist, as if standing amidst the clouds.

Ji Chaoyun reached into his sleeves and took out the purse.

The golden phoenix feather inside was nonetheless exuding a slight heat, however aside from that, nothing had modified.

It was actually not him.

Ji Chaoyun had lived two lives.

In his earlier life, he’d stayed within the mortal realm and waited for his return, in line with their settlement. However even after 300 years had handed, as a substitute of ready for the individual he so yearned for, he ended up ready for a murderous catastrophe. The plumes of a phoenix had been the rarest treasure on the earth. It was additionally the supply of his life.

Luckily, because of destiny, he was reborn and returned to 100 years previous to his dying.

On this life, he practiced assiduously, spent 100 years splitting from his demonic physique, ascended into an immortal, and eventually got here to Hongmeng Academy.

A pity all of it nonetheless fell quick.

Ji Chaoyun slowly tightened his fingers till he felt the tingling ache from his proper hand. He regarded down, and on the again of his palm, a bloody path went from the again of his hand to his wrist bone. The damage was already purple and swollen.

The sharp tingling ache continued to unfold into his coronary heart. Trying on the purple and swollen wound, Ji Chaoyun gritted his enamel and his eyes step by step turned purple.

He didn’t see it, however a determine stood beneath the traditional pine tree not far behind him, staring quietly in his route.

Feng Qi stared on the skinny determine, and was about to step ahead, when a voice got here from behind, “Your Highness, the Honorable Immortal’s dialogue is over, and needs so that you can see them. What are you… what are you taking a look at?”

Feng Qi retracted his gaze. “Nothing,” he brushed it off.

The individual subsequent to him adopted his gaze. Shocked, he requested, “Isn’t that the surnamed Ji—”

Feng Qi rotated and left. The person realised one thing and smiled as he caught up with him. “That child is basically handsome. Should you additionally like him, then why are you so ruthless? Simply let him come to enroll.”

“Cease it. Do you actually suppose this Highness is such as you, whom to women and men alike will not be untouchable?” Feng Qi jokingly cursed as he walked ahead, by no means turning his head.

“…What’s extra, it’s nonetheless a dragon demon.”

.

Solely when the solar fell did Ji Chaoyun return to Changqing Backyard.

The assessments had been fully over. Inside Changqing Backyard, some had been glad, whereas others anxious. The wandering immortals who’d handed the evaluation had been assigned an entry token to enter Hongmeng Academy’s enchantment to report back to the academy. Those that failed the evaluation must pack their issues and head down the mountain.

Ji Chaoyun lowered his head and handed the noisy crowd, coming into the room he’d stayed in when he was stopped from behind.

“Chaoyun!” Ye Chenxing hurriedly ran in the direction of him. Ji Chaoyun turned and noticed an additional move round his waist.

He had handed the evaluation.

Ji Chaoyun’s lips curled. He sincerely mentioned, “Congratulations.”

“Congratulations to you, too.” Ye Chenxing held his shoulders affectionately and pushed him into the room. “The place have you ever been, I’ve been in search of you for a very long time. Yao Guang-jun, who simply got here to distribute the passes, was in search of you. Because you hadn’t returned, he gave it to me. Right here, it’s yours.”

He took out a move token from his sleeve and handed it to Ji Chaoyun.

Ji Chaoyun was startled. He reached out to take it.

Hongmeng Academy’s move token was clear, stuffed with religious energy. Ji Chaoyun turned it round and noticed that his identify was certainly engraved on its again.

How might… Was it not a rule that solely these with three consecutive victories might be enrolled?

“You fought so effectively as we speak. It will be unfair if you weren’t allowed to enter the varsity. Yao Guang-jun mentioned that since you carried out effectively within the ring, the academy made an exception to permit you admittance.” Seeing what he was pondering, Ye Chenxing defined, “I’ve inquired, the disciples of Hongmeng Academy are divided into 4 ranges: Heaven, Earth, Black, and Yellow. The disciples initially in control of assessing the brand new individuals needed to be from the ‘Yellow’ degree. However as we speak, these three individuals that you simply fought with had been all on the ‘Heaven’ degree. In any other case, how might they’ve bullied you a lot?”

When he mentioned this, his voice was barely lowered, “Furthermore, if it weren’t for the Flower Peacock, you wouldn’t have misplaced the final spherical.”

“…Flower Peacock?”

“All of them name him that,” Ye Chenxing mentioned. “That individual is Feng Qi. I heard he’s the second prince of the Feng clan. He has been on the prime of the rankings for the previous fifty years. To not point out, even when all of us mixed our forces collectively, we nonetheless wouldn’t essentially have the ability to beat him.”

“So his identify is Feng Qi…”

“He’s nonetheless a phoenix however the place does he seem like those from the legend? He swaggers via the market all day. Saying that he’s a peacock will not be mistaken in any respect,” Ye Chenxing mentioned. “Alright, it’s getting late. Pack up your issues and go up the mountain with me. We’re ready for you.”

When Ji Chaoyun arrived, they didn’t carry a lot with them. The 2 of them merely packed up, climbed up the ten,000-level stone steps, and got here to the sq. the place that they had beforehand participated within the evaluation.

The 2 of them had arrived late; the admission reporting time was virtually over. The noisy crowd within the sq. had dispersed, and in entrance of the white jade stage, solely two appointed disciples, one tall and one quick, had been nonetheless ready for the reportees.

Ji Chaoyun stepped ahead, however his eyelids twitched.

These two individuals had entered and exited with Jiang Cheng earlier. They had been principally Jiang Cheng’s males.

Nevertheless, the 2 disciples didn’t present something uncommon. They nodded at them and began to elucidate a couple of issues to notice after enrolment, as per normal. Then, the tall disciple took the bamboo sticks cylinder2 from the facet and handed it to the 2 of them.

Within the cylinder had been solely two bamboo sticks.

The disciple named Xu Zixing defined with out hesitation, “The foundations of Hongmeng Academy require a draw of ballots to allocate the disciples to their courtyards. Because you two got here late, the others have been taken away. Solely these two are left.”

Ji Chaoyun and Ye Chenxing checked out one another, and noticed comparable hesitation in one another’s eyes. Ji Chaoyun shook his head imperceptibly, and took the lead in choosing a bamboo stick, holding it in his hand.

“Pojun Peak, No. 12 Courtyard. Chaoyun, what’s your quantity?” Ye Chenxing took the final stick, and instantly turned his head to ask Ji Chaoyun after studying it.

Ji Chaoyun unfolded the bamboo stick in his hand, nevertheless it was a clean piece; nothing was written on it.

Ye Chenxing frowned, and was about to say one thing, however was stopped by Ji Chaoyun. He raised his eyes to the 2 disciples and requested calmly, “What is that this?”

“You bought a clean stick?” Xu Zixing was not shocked. He defined with a smile, “There are a complete of 27 new college students this yr, and each two can be assigned to a courtyard. There’ll be one who’ll be alone, and has to stick with the opposite single disciple of the earlier enrolment yr.”

He raised his hand and waved. The bamboo sticks within the palms of the 2 become a gleam and sank into the jade tokens on their waists. “…The 2 of now you can enter the teleportation circle subsequent to us. It can take you to your respective residences.”

“You—”

“Ye Chenxing.” Ji Chaoyun lowered his eyes. “Overlook it.”

“How can I overlook it?” Ye Chenxing refused to surrender. “There’s nothing written in your stick. Solely ghosts will know the place they’ll assign you. The place’s Yao Guang-jun? I wish to see him!”

“Xianzun is busy with essential issues. How can he have time to fulfill a freshman?” Xu Zixing mentioned. “Since you’ve got entered the large gate of my Hongmeng Academy, you need to act in line with our guidelines. Should you don’t wish to go, go away the move token and go away Hongmeng Academy.”

“You guys—”

Ji Chaoyun interrupted him. “It’s okay, I’ll go.”

“Chaoyun!”

“It’s a blessing to have the ability to go to highschool. It doesn’t matter the place I stay,” Ji Chaoyun advised Ye Chenxing. “You and I’ve simply entered faculty, don’t trigger bother. I shall see you tomorrow.”

After saying so, he raised his eyes, giving a profound stare on the two disciples. He stepped into the teleportation formation, Ye Chenxing snorting coldly as he adopted into the array.

The 2 figures disappeared. The disciple who had by no means spoken had a lingering concern. “Brother Xu, don’t you suppose this trick is a bit too merciless? Should you annoy that one…”

“There may be Brother Jiang right here, what are you afraid of? Who advised this surnamed Ji to struggle Brother Jiang. He deserves it. There’s going to be a great present quickly.”

Xu Zixing mentioned triumphantly, sat again into his authentic place and stretched his waist. “It’s lastly over, we’re—! Ouch! Fuck, what’s biting me?!”

“The place? There’s nothing?”

“Garments, it obtained inside my garments! Ah, it bit me once more!”

“Don’t transfer, don’t transfer. Let me see—”

.

When Ji Chaoyun opened his eyes once more, his environment had been fully totally different from earlier than.

The frost and snow within the mountains in entrance of Hongmeng Academy didn’t soften all yr spherical, however the local weather right here was heat, nourished by the luxurious timber on each side of the highway. Presently, it was sundown, and the horizon was dyed purple by the setting solar, the afterglow shining upon the forest, revealing a little bit of unseen mountain surroundings on earth.

Ji Chaoyun had lived within the mortal realm for a few years. After his ascension, he had by no means returned. When he noticed such a scene, he felt slightly nostalgic.

However… Why did they ship him right here?

From the perspective of these two, even when Ji Chaoyun stepped via the teleportation circle and noticed a easy and dilapidated thatched hut, he wouldn’t be shocked.

It made no sense to be in such a great place.

Ji Chaoyun continued to stroll alongside the mountain highway, till a inexperienced bamboo forest opened up in entrance. The inexperienced bamboo had new sprouts, and the perfume of the bamboo leaves unfold all through the air. A courtyard stood quietly within the depths of the bamboo forest.

Outdoors the courtyard, a wood signal carried a couple of massive characters: “Wenqu Peak, No. 1 courtyard.”

Was this actually a disciple’s courtyard?

Ji Chaoyun opened the hid courtyard’s door and walked in.

Although mentioned to be a disciple’s residence, it regarded extra just like the mansion of a rich man within the mortal realm. Inside, the flowers and grass had been lush and plentiful, a sycamore tree stood within the courtyard, whereas tall shrubs made shade from the solar. Beneath the sycamore tree, a bamboo sofa was positioned by the lotus pond, and a pot of wine was nonetheless being warmed on the small desk beside it.

There was none of Hongmeng Academy’s bitter frost.

The proprietor of the courtyard didn’t appear to be at house. Ji Chaoyun stood nonetheless by the stone bridge, ready quietly.

That pool of golden-tailed koi had by no means seen outsiders. They curiously poked their heads from the water floor.

Ji Chaoyun had at all times been very keen on aquariums. He grabbed the bait by the stone bridge and threw it into the water.

The host right here even used the freshest of small fish, shrimp and pine nuts to feed these fish. Fried with particular spices, it really smelt scrumptious. Ji Chaoyun squatted by the bridge, trying down on the bait in his hand, and swallowed unconsciously.

A puff of koi fish ate higher than him.

In his coronary heart, Ji Chaoyun had a struggle between heaven and man for some time. He hardened his coronary heart and sprinkled all of the bait in his hand into the lotus pond. No less than he didn’t make the embarrassing transfer of dashing to eat with the fish.

He stood up, however heard a faint sound of operating water coming from behind the homes.

Ji Chaoyun adopted the sound of the water, passing by the homes in entrance and behind the courtyard. A secluded path prolonged to the depths of the forest. The deeper the trail went, the mistier it grew to become. Ji Chaoyun solely realised later that this path led to a sizzling spring.

He was about to step again, when up entrance, he heard the sound of water splashing.

“Who?”

The acquainted voice induced Ji Chaoyun’s thoughts to freeze. He subconsciously regarded up. Throughout the overlapping limestone orchid grasses (), the individual within the spring water had his again to him, exhibiting the skinny and highly effective strains of his easy again.

The person turned his head, revealing the facet profile of a really good-looking face.

Ji Chaoyun’s respiratory ceased.

It was Feng Qi.