Chapter 74: Pengzhou (1)

“Young Lord.”
“Young Lord?”
“Young Lord, where are you?”
…
“Seeking divination. I beg the Young Lord to bless me with excellent grades tomorrow.”
“Seeking divination. Young Lord, I beg for the answers to the fourth volume of the Mechanics Pavilion at Azure Cloud Academy.”
…
“Seeking divination. Young Lord, will she like me?”
“Young Lord, I pray for snow. This disciple is willing to offer three hundred spirit pearls in exchange for snowfall. If not snow, rain is fine too! It’s too hot, so hot I can’t even live!”
“Young Lord…”
…

Fu Fengyan silently watched the prayers filling the sky and blanketing the earth before him. Amidst the hazy white mist, the cacophonous noise roared in his ears like a tidal wave, making him feel as though he were standing in a bustling vegetable market. Most likely knowing he wasn’t there, it was just a bunch of juniors desperately begging the heavens and talking about completely unrelated nonsense. It was a bit noisy.

His consciousness floated in mid-air. Just like before, he only watched quietly without responding, until someone asked him, “Fengyan, when will you return home?”

The surrounding voices began to recede. Within the hazy white mist, someone gazed at him from across the void. Overlapping bead curtains acted like a curtain of rain, obscuring vision and facial features, leaving only a rich, dark purple hue seated in a high position. Across a thousand mountains and ten thousand rivers, it firmly locked onto his location. “Three years should be enough.”

Fu Fengyan didn’t give the other party any response. He merely silently detached himself from this realm. The moment he left, he casually sealed Fu Baiyu’s “Divination Channel,” preventing him from casually divining answers in the examination hall.

When he opened his eyes, the sunlight was scorching. He subconsciously narrowed his eyes and happened to see his name plate hung up on the arena, indicating it was his turn. So, he picked up his sword and went up to fight.

Azure Cloud Academy held a final examination every year. The Sword Pavilion’s test this year was very simple: defend the ring on the training ground arena. No spiritual energy or other auxiliary items were allowed. As long as one could successfully defend their position three times without falling off, it would be considered a pass.

He walked over and stood on the stage expressionlessly. Basically, no one dared to come up.

What a joke! Who didn’t know that under Qin Tan, apart from Zhang Duixue and He Tingtong, the fiercest person was this Fu Fengyan? When he got fierce, he even dared to beat up the teachers. Going up to challenge him on this arena meant certain defeat. Furthermore, unlike He Tingtong and the others, he didn’t know how to pull his punches. No one wanted to go up just to get beaten for nothing, so for a moment, no one actually stepped up to challenge him.

On the adjacent arenas, several waves of people had already gone up and down. Meanwhile, Fu Fengyan stood all alone on his stage, holding his sword, forcefully baking under the blazing sun for over a shichen (two hours).

The senior brother recording the roster on the side got a headache just looking at his stubborn appearance. “Is anyone coming to this ring? If no one volunteers, I’m going to start calling names at random!”

In the end, three unlucky souls were called. One conceded the moment he stepped on stage; another threw himself off the stage at the very first encounter; and the last one asked Fu Fengyan if he could fight him with one hand tied behind his back.

Fu Fengyan agreed and poked the guy off the stage with a single finger. The senior brother recording names next to them announced “Pass,” and quickly told him to get down and make room for the others.

He collected his jade token. With his leg half-raised to leave, he suddenly remembered He Tingtong’s daily behavioral patterns. Imitating him, he revealed a smile to the senior brother recording names and said, “Thank you.”

The senior brother’s mouth twitched. He didn’t respond, only using his brush to point behind himself. “He Tingtong is over there. He must have come out already.”

Fu Fengyan immediately set off.

He Tingtong had just stepped down from the arena. The weather was too hot; standing in the plaza felt like entering an oven. His face was flushed red from the sun, but unlike the others who were dripping with sweat, he only slightly loosened his collar, revealing a patch of fair skin. The wind blew into his collar, pressing his loose, light summer clothes against his body, outlining a very thin and well-proportioned curve.

Fu Fengyan blinked, feeling his heart pounding wildly in his chest. His heart racing was a matter of course.

“Ah-Fu!” He Tingtong looked over at him and stretched out an arm to wave. “It’s too sunny here, let’s go over there!”

His body moved faster than his thoughts. By the time he regained his senses, he was already standing in the green shade beside the training ground. Behind them was a babbling water channel. The temperature here was much lower, but He Tingtong was still hot. He took off half of his outer robe, revealing the semi-transparent inner garment.

The youth pinched a small Wind Talisman. Instantly, a breeze carrying cool water vapor swirled around them. The temperature on Fu Fengyan’s body finally dropped a little to a comfortable level. He relaxed slightly and felt a desire to place his hand on He Tingtong, but then he figured the weather was too hot and it might burn him. He could only lean loosely against a rock and ask, “How much longer do they have to test?”

“Ah-Xue gets bored easily, so he’ll probably practice for a while longer.” He Tingtong looked up at the sky. “Little Yue entered the examination hall in the morning, so he should be just about done by now.”

Sure enough, almost as soon as the words left his mouth, a raspy voice rang out, followed by the figure of Yue Qianxun sprinting wildly toward them. The youth waved his arms and pounced over with fervent excitement. “I passed! Hahaha! Brother He, Brother Fu, I passed!!”

Holding high a Langhuan Pavilion jade token emitting a cyan glow, Yue Qianxun lunged at them in a few strides. The large boy nearly sent He Tingtong, who was standing in the front, flying.

“First place in the Langhuan Pavilion!” Yue Qianxun puffed out his chest, held up the token, and waved it back and forth right in front of their eyes. He said proudly, “I sped through the Heaven-Deriving Grand Array in half a shichen. Master Mu praised me, saying I’m a rare genius seen only once in a century!”

He Tingtong applauded very supportively. “Amazing, amazing, amazing!”

During these three years at Azure Cloud Academy, Yue Qianxun spent his mornings at the Sword Pavilion exercising and learning the sword with He Tingtong. From the afternoon into the evening, he stayed in Mr. Mu’s courtyard to study arrays. He only slept for three shichen (six hours) a day and didn’t dare slack off for even a single day. Under such diligent study and bitter practice, he advanced three realms consecutively, entering the ranks of Fifth Realm Array Masters and faintly touching the threshold of the Sixth Realm. Some elders had secretly tried to poach him, attempting to lure him to the Yuanchen Palace, but Yue Qianxun remained dead set on staying in the Sword Pavilion.

Currently, he was the best fighter in the Langhuan Pavilion and the best array master in the Sword Pavilion.

“Arriving early is not as good as arriving at the right time. Since you’re here, go pass the Sword Pavilion’s test today too, and tomorrow we can all go draw lots together.” He Tingtong pointed to the arena up ahead and smiled at Yue Qianxun, who suddenly looked as if his parents had died. “Good luck. Remember to get an ‘Excellent’ grade, otherwise watch out—Mr. Qin might whip you when he gets back.”

Yue Qianxun: “…”

Two months ago, Qin Tan received a letter from the Upper Profound Realm. That very night, he bid farewell to the Headmaster and hurriedly left the academy. The matter must have been extremely urgent. Qin Tan departed in such a rush that he only left behind a few words before leaving, the gist of which was to tell them not to travel north for the time being unless absolutely necessary.

He Tingtong almost thought that the seal in the Hanshan Realm was about to break again.

However, for the past two months, the border had been completely peaceful. Whether it was the official bulletins issued by the Immortal Alliance or the grapevine gossip from Jingyu Tower, everything was normal.

Su Tan occasionally sent letters saying he was bored, telling them to study hard and pay attention to safety, and promising to bring local specialties back for them.

The sun was as intense as in previous years. They had one year left before graduating from Azure Cloud Academy. Two more batches of newcomers had arrived at the academy. The proportion of disciples from aristocratic families had been decreasing year by year. If in the past, eighty percent came from the Five Sects and Seven Surnames, by this year, it wasn’t even ten percent.

And now, Headmaster Xu suddenly had another stroke of inspiration. During the morning lecture, he read from a script for half a shichen, the gist being that since the academy had always emphasized practicality, a new “Practical Experience” course would be added in the future. It would last for half a year, with varying assignments. Wherever they drew lots for, they would have to go there and work.

In other words, their cohort was going to be sent off to do free labor for half a year during their final stretch.

Upon returning, they would be assessed and scored based on their performance. Those who performed excellently could receive recommendation letters from the academy’s teachers. Those willing to join the Immortal Alliance could enter the Immortal Alliance; those who wanted to join an immortal sect could enter a sect; and those meant to inherit their family businesses could go back and inherit them. Absolutely perfect.

“Where do you guess we’ll be drawn to go?” He Tingtong suddenly asked.

Fu Fengyan: “Wherever you go, I will go with you.”

In the distance, Zhang Duixue consecutively defeated ten people, sheathed his sword, leaped down from the arena, and walked toward them. Beside him was the figure of Yue Qianxun dodging wretchedly. He lacked stamina, but fortunately, he ran fast. He Tingtong figured that surviving three rounds wouldn’t be a problem for him.

“Tomorrow is the lot-drawing for our assignments. Let me do a quick calculation.” He Tingtong plucked a few blades of grass and tossed them onto the ground. A moment later, he raised an eyebrow. “Oh, terrible omen.”

The next day.

A land in the northwest filled with swirling sand and wind, a good hundred and eight thousand li away from Yunzhou. Although not as bitterly cold as Jubei Province, this place was agonizingly hot. Half of it was skies filled with yellow sand, and it was mostly populated by foreign tribes. It was a complex mix of people, and not under the control of the Immortal Alliance. Let alone students doing their practical experience, even immortal officials within the Immortal Alliance would try every possible means to run back if assigned there.

Zhang Duixue’s expression changed drastically. “Impossible! How could they arrange for a student like you to go there? They must have put in the wrong slip! I’m going to ask the Headmaster!”

“The Headmaster already left the academy yesterday. You won’t be able to find him.” He Tingtong grabbed Zhang Duixue’s arm and smiled. “This is fate. Since I drew it, I’ll go do it. It’s not like it’s a dragon’s pool or tiger’s den. Relax.”

After speaking, he looked at Fu Fengyan. “Ah-Fu, where were you assigned?”

Fu Fengyan quietly looked at the words “Upper Profound Realm” on his bamboo slip. He rubbed his fingers over it for a moment, then, without changing his expression, flipped it over, revealing the words “Pengzhou.” He smiled. “You and I share a destiny.”

Zhang Duixue: “…”

Yue Qianxun: “…”

Looking suspiciously at the two of them, Yue Qianxun suddenly understood. Winking and making faces, he shot a look at Zhang Duixue and transmitted his voice: “I get it. It’s intentional. A two-person world!”

Zhang Duixue: “…”

He didn’t understand what could possibly be romantic about running off to the northwest to eat sand. But if his good friend had such peculiar tastes, he could only respect it and offer his blessings.

Summer of the twelfth year of Qide, the twenty-first day of the seventh month. Oppressive heat. Perhaps because it was far too hot, a certain teacher summoned a rainstorm last night. When they woke up the next day, the temperature had plummeted.

Pengzhou was very far away, so He Tingtong and Fu Fengyan needed to set out in advance. The two changed into light casual clothes and packed their bundles. On their backs was a spiritual sword sent over by Zhang Duixue, and stuffed in their robes were several booklets of talismans from Yue Qianxun. Although the four of them weren’t dirt poor, they indeed didn’t have much spare cash. He Tingtong politely declined the spirit pearls the other two tried to stuff into their hands and didn’t allow them to see them off at the spirit boat station.

After exiting the academy’s main gate, the four parted ways. Traveling light, He Tingtong and Fu Fengyan waved their hands, rode their swords into the air, and soon became two small dots in the sky.

While flying mid-air, they could still hear Zhang Duixue and Yue Qianxun’s shouts from below: “Remember to send spirit letters often! Send a message if you need anything!”

He Tingtong replied with an “I will.”

Standing on the sword as the morning wind brushed his face, Fu Fengyan spoke flatly, “Someone tampered with your lot.”

“I know.” He Tingtong looked completely unbothered. “If they couldn’t tamper with it this time, they would have the next. Going to Pengzhou is better than going to the Yuanchen Palace.”

It was easy to guess. It was nothing more than those few teachers from the Langhuan Pavilion tampering with it. Qin Tan was away, the Headmaster had traveled far, and He Tingtong had severely offended Xie Xuanxiao. They made a move to toss him into a godforsaken place where birds wouldn’t even poop—out of sight, out of mind.

Besides, taking the spirit boat for this trip was fully paid for by the academy. They didn’t have to spend their own money, so they might as well treat it as going to see the desert scenery.

They collected their jade tablets and opened the cabin door. Immediately, a rush of stale, stuffy stench billowed out of the air. Mixed with body odor and the smell of food, it hit them so hard their vision almost went black.

Fu Fengyan looked as if he had been struck over the head with a club, standing frozen at the doorway. The middle-class cabins were two to a room, priced at eight hundred spirit pearls. Packed densely together like pigeonholes, a single floor housed over four hundred people. They had to provide their own food, were forbidden from going to the immortal cabins on the top floor, and could only lie in these tiny three-foot-square rooms.

They had arrived early, but quite a few people were already inside. Most were rogue cultivators with low cultivation levels, as well as ordinary commoners—a complex mix of people. Everywhere there were voices talking and messy, boisterous laughter. A man was telling dirty jokes, got slapped twice, and the two sides started cursing at each other, their words foul. The use of spiritual energy was forbidden inside the spirit boat, so for a time, spit flew everywhere, fists and kicks were thrown, and shoes and flatbreads soared through the air together.

Amidst the crackling and smashing sounds, his wrist was grasped by cool fingers. Fu Fengyan snapped out of his daze and saw He Tingtong weaving through the crowd. Skillfully matching their tags and finding their room, he pulled Fu Fengyan through the chaotic, crowded mass of people. Finally stopping in a corner, he pulled open a door to reveal two hard wooden beds, a small table, and a square jug sitting on top of it.

He Tingtong deftly opened the window for ventilation, fetched water to wipe down the beds, and finally closed the door. He cast a silencing spell, and the surroundings instantly went quiet.

The air up high was always much colder. Once the spirit boat moved, the wind poured in through the window, and Fu Fengyan’s dizzy, muddled head cleared up significantly.

After feeling slightly better, Fu Fengyan sat cross-legged opposite He Tingtong. Propping up his head, he asked, “Is this how you came to Azure Cloud Academy before?”

“Before, I took the lower-class cabin.” He Tingtong pointed downward. “There were no partitions and no windows. I was cooped up inside for two months, and could only endure it by meditating.”

“But there were advantages too.” He Tingtong grinned, bearing his teeth. “It only cost fifty spirit pearls to take it from Jubei Province to Azure Cloud Academy. Very cost-effective.”

Fu Fengyan’s mind suddenly uncontrollably recalled some images. In a certain past life, a tiny He Tingtong sat amidst a crowded throng, swaying in a dim and stuffy cabin.

His heart spasmed with pain for no reason. It was very faint, but extremely uncomfortable. He couldn’t yet distinguish what this meant.