AVL Chapter 25.2

Xi Jianlan shivered, watching the three people seemingly playing charades, talking back and forth as if about to fight. Confused for a while, his state like being drunk, he burst into laughter.

 

The scene seemed to overlap with the opening day of Tianyan Academy. Xi Jianlan happily and nostalgically curved his eyes, randomly patting the cold ground with his hands, unable to stop laughing.

 

“Young Master?”

 

“Young Master!”

 

In the complete silence, clear voices suddenly reached his ears.

 

The ground beneath him was swaying, and a blue-robed Taoist boy looked at him worriedly: “Young Master, this seems improper. Would you reconsider?”

 

Tianyan year 80, deep autumn when osmanthus bloomed.

 

Thirteen-year-old Xi Jue entered Tianyan Academy to study.

 

At that time, Xi Jue lived in luxury and was so spoiled he practically walked sideways like a crab. Knowing Tianyan Academy emphasized hard cultivation and mental training, he still grandly used dozens of spirit beasts to pull an exquisite traveling mustard seed for enrollment.

 

That spectacle looked less like going to school and more like coming to cause trouble.

 

The little Taoist boy had been trying to dissuade him all along: “Young Master, Tianyan Academy is famously strict. With such a grand display… we probably won’t be allowed in.”

 

Xi Jue leaned by the window looking out, spinning a small fan on his fingertip, saying lazily: “Don’t call me Young Master, call me Young Immortal Lord.”

 

The little Taoist boy looked troubled: “Little Young Master, you’re worrying me to death. What if we’re turned away?”

 

Xi Jue glared at him: “Who dares stop me? I am…”

 

At this moment, an angry roar came from outside.

 

“Who dares stop me?! I’m from the Feng family of Fengzhou!”

 

Xi Jue: “…”

 

Xi Jue lifted the bamboo curtain to peek outside.

 

At the imposing main gate of Tianyan Academy, a young boy in black and white robes with ghost character patterns stood with eyes wide in anger, a group of fierce ghosts behind him whimpering as if greatly wronged.

 

The ones blocking them were Tianyan Academy’s gate-guarding cultivators: “Naturally we know Young Master Feng, but the director has ordered that those entering the academy cannot bring luggage, attendants, or traveling mustard seeds.”

 

The Feng family’s eldest young master had a naturally bad temper and said angrily: “Are these attendants? Fierce ghosts don’t count as attendants—even if you called them attendants, they wouldn’t respond.”

 

The cultivator had seen many such self-important young masters and remained unmoved: “Forgive us, but we cannot let you pass.”

 

Feng Yu sneered: “What if I insist on entering? You dare to stop me?”

 

“This…”

 

Thinking he didn’t dare, Feng Yu arrogantly led the group of fierce ghosts toward Tianyan Academy’s main gate.

 

But just as he was about to step inside, a “sizzling” sound suddenly reached his ears.

 

The next moment, heavenly thunder crashed down.

 

Feng Yu maintained his stepping motion as he and the group of fierce ghosts were struck, charred on the outside and tender on the inside.

 

Xi Jue covered his ears in fright.

 

In the clear autumn sky, where did the thunder come from?

 

Feng Yu stared blankly, spitting out a mouthful of black smoke. His hair was frizzled from the strike, and his anger immediately soared as he roared: “Who dares to strike this young master?! Come out!”

 

The Tianyan Academy cultivator hurriedly said: “Young Master, attendants really cannot be brought inside.”

 

Feng Yu: “Who was it?!”

 

Gentle footsteps approached from the side.

 

A young boy wearing only plain black clothes with no decorations approached expressionlessly, his vacant eyes staring at Feng Yu. Tianyan pearls wrapped around his wrist, still carrying the “sizzling” sound of thunder.

 

Feng Yu was stunned: “Sheng Jiao?!”

 

The news that the Spiritual level Xiangwen “Worthy of Heavenly Dao” had fallen to the declining Sheng family had already spread throughout the Thirteen States. Feng Yu naturally recognized him.

 

Originally hot-tempered and about to rage helplessly, when his gaze fell on Sheng Jiao’s abyss-like terrifying eyes, he shuddered.

 

The Feng family’s fierce ghosts were usually carefully selected for their ferocity, but now those hideous ghosts, upon seeing Sheng Jiao, were like chicks held by their wings, desperately hiding behind Feng Yu.

 

Feng Yu had wanted to command ghosts to fight Sheng Jiao, but seeing this, he felt extremely embarrassed. His face flushed red as he waved the fierce ghosts back to the Feng family and angrily entered Tianyan Academy with his charred hair.

 

This time, Sheng Jiao didn’t stop him.

 

Xi Jue watched a good show, fanning himself and saying arrogantly: “Let’s go.”

 

The little Taoist boy nearly knelt before him: “Little Young Master, Young Immortal Lord! With such a precedent, you still insist on forcing entry—aren’t you afraid of being struck?”

 

Xi Jue crossed his legs, his gorgeous face full of arrogant pride: “I’d like to see who dares strike me?”

 

He wasn’t like that coward from the Feng family.

 

Despite his words, when the Xi family’s traveling mustard seed reached the gate, it was still stopped by the cultivator.

 

Xi Jue lifted the curtain, looking down at those blocking him: “Why don’t you take a careful look at whose family I’m from before stopping me?”

 

Xi Jue’s reputation as a wastrel was famous throughout the Thirteen States. Upon seeing him, the cultivator’s face turned green, but his tone changed.

 

“Bringing them… is not impossible.”

 

Since Xi Jue awakened his Xiangwen, the attitudes of other arrogant families toward the Xi family had inexplicably become flattering and fawning. If this continued, the Xi family would probably control the three Central State territories within a few years and claim the coveted position of Supreme Ruler.

 

Though this young master was not old, when Central State family elders and heads met him, they were all respectful and dared not slight him in the least.

 

—No one dared offend this pampered young master who knew nothing of worldly hardships.

 

It seemed the Tianyan Academy cultivators had also received instructions from the director not to treat him too harshly.

 

The other youths who were also stopped, though knowing it was unfair and knowing he was from the Xi family, dared not say half a word.

 

Xi Jue was extremely satisfied and smugly snorted at the little Taoist boy.

 

The cultivator added: “…But attendants cannot enter. Please understand, Young Master.”

 

Xi Jue needed people to serve him wherever he went. Even without luggage, he had to bring attendants. How could he agree? He immediately closed his fan and pointed it at the cultivator, his face bright and arrogant: “This young master insists on bringing them.”

 

Cultivator: “This…”

 

Xi Jue didn’t want to waste words. He extended a finger to release a bit of spiritual power, lightly tapping the unicorn pulling the sedan.

 

The spirit beast immediately neighed and galloped toward Tianyan Academy’s gate.

 

The sedan brazenly displayed the “Xi” family lantern. The surrounding cultivators looked at each other, none daring to stop it.

 

But before the unicorn could step into Tianyan Academy’s gate, thunder suddenly rumbled from the sky, striking the spirit beast directly.

 

The spirit beast neighed once before its massive form crashed down with a thud, bringing the magnificent traveling mustard seed down with it.

 

Xi Jue reacted quickly, instantly grabbing the little Taoist boy and emerging from the mustard seed.

 

Looking at the overturned mustard seed, Xi Jue’s beautiful, lively eyes widened in disbelief that someone dared attack him.

 

He didn’t get angry first, but instead straightened his brocade robe that had nearly gotten dusty, then vainly took out a mirror to check his reflection. Seeing his hair wasn’t messed up, only then did he explode to find the culprit.

 

“Outrageous!”

 

Sheng Jiao’s Tianyan pearls moved slightly, thunder patterns still not dissipated.

 

The cultivator was frightened pale and hurriedly pulled Sheng Jiao back, shaking his head with difficulty.

 

People from the Xi family—even Tianyan Academy’s director had to show them courtesy. It was best not to provoke them.

 

Xi Jue’s robes fluttered as he strode forward.

 

“Outrageous! Do you know who I am? Which family are you from?!”

 

Sheng Jiao remained expressionless, silent as if mute.

 

Only the “hissing” sound came from the Tianyan pearls, like thunder.

 

Xi Jue was startled and quickly jumped back half a step, afraid of being struck by lightning.

 

The cultivator stood in front of Sheng Jiao, apologizing: “Young Master Xi, this is… the Sheng family’s eldest young master, also a student of Zhuxing Zhai this year. The director specifically asked him to assist us in inspection. He’s just following orders. If you’re angry, I’ll apologize on his behalf.”

 

“Sheng family?” Xi Jue opened his fan to cool himself, looking Sheng Jiao up and down. “Which Sheng family? I don’t know them.”

 

The cultivator probably had never seen someone speak of their ignorance so righteously and was speechless.

 

“It’s… the Sheng family from Central State’s three territories…”

 

Xi Jue said unhappily: “This young master knows that Central State’s three territories have the Xi family, Rang family, Qu family, and Feng family. I don’t know of any great family surnamed Sheng. Are you lying to me?”

 

“I wouldn’t dare.”

 

Xi Jue looked Sheng Jiao up and down at his old robes and simple hair crown, saying disdainfully: “Hmph, must be some poor, shabby family then?”

 

The cultivator smiled apologetically while inwardly despising him.

 

Though the Sheng family had been unknown before, since producing Sheng Jiao with his Spiritual level Xiangwen, joining the Central State families was just a matter of time—this pampered young master who didn’t know his place would probably suffer in the future.

 

Even being looked down upon, Sheng Jiao remained completely indifferent, as if he wasn’t the one being mocked. His eyes were like stagnant water, without any ripples.

 

Xi Jue probably sensed something and glared at him: “You look down on me?”

 

Sheng Jiao didn’t speak, not even looking at him.

 

Xi Jue somehow had the ability to read emotions and information from Sheng Jiao’s wooden face, getting angry enough to argue with him in the street.

 

“What airs you put on! Everyone else let me pass, but you actually struck my spirit beast? Do you know how much a unicorn is worth?!”

 

Sheng Jiao acted as if he didn’t exist.

 

Xi Jue’s eyebrows stood up. Seeing he was being ignored, he angrily pushed him aside.

 

“Fallen ghost, don’t block your father’s path.”

 

With that, he called for the attendants to carry his luggage into Tianyan Academy.

 

But before the attendants could enter Tianyan Academy’s gate, familiar heavenly thunder rumbled down again, nearly striking those young boys into charcoal.

 

Xi Jue could no longer hold back, running back angrily: “Sheng…”

 

What was his name again?

 

Not wanting to lose momentum, he only paused briefly before continuing to scold: “Surnamed Sheng fallen ghost, get out of my way, or I’ll really be impolite to you.”

 

Sheng Jiao stood there like a lifeless roadblock, expressionless. Whenever Xi Jue’s people tried to bring luggage into Tianyan Academy, he would summon thunder to strike.

 

The Tianyan Academy cultivators desperately tried to stop him, not wanting him to offend the Xi family, but Sheng Jiao ignored them completely, showing no fear of the Xi family’s power.

 

Xi Jue was nearly driven mad.

 

The young boy had been smooth sailing for so many years—this was the first time he encountered someone who wouldn’t coddle him and insisted on opposing him. He immediately summoned a black vine whip: “Move aside if you don’t want to die!”

 

Sheng Jiao remained silent.

 

Xi Jue lashed out harshly, the long whip breaking through air with a crisp “crack.”

 

He said coldly: “Are you mute?”

 

Sheng Jiao still didn’t speak.

 

Xi Jue was furious and immediately whipped viciously.

 

The attendant was frightened and hurried to stop him: “Young Master! You mustn’t!”

 

Sheng Jiao stood there like wood, motionless, not even glancing at the whip attacking him.

 

Seeing he wouldn’t fight back, Xi Jue felt somewhat apprehensive. Just as the whip was about to hit that face, he shuddered and hastily flicked his wrist to forcibly retract the vine whip.

 

The whip handle jerked back, making Xi Jianlan’s slender wrist numb. The pampered young master frowned and hissed in pain.

 

But just as the long whip stopped in mid-air, not yet fully retracted, Sheng Jiao’s Tianyan pearls crackled loudly, suddenly releasing powerful spiritual energy that shattered the black vine whip to pieces.

 

Xi Jue was startled.

 

The spiritual energy didn’t diminish at all, directly transforming into a gust of wind that swept the unprepared Xi Jue away.

 

“Splash.”

 

The Xi family’s noble young master staggered back several steps. His thin form was caught off guard and toppled over, falling directly into the lotus pond.

 

Silence fell all around.

 

All the cultivators and young masters entering Tianyan Academy stared in shock.

 

Even Feng Yu, who was hiding at Tianyan Academy’s gate cracking pine nuts while watching the show, was so surprised that pine nuts scattered everywhere, his jaw nearly dropping.

 

This Sheng family member…

 

Was perhaps too audacious.

 

Throwing someone’s noble young master into the river—the Xi family definitely wouldn’t let this go.

 

Even if Sheng Jiao had Spiritual level Xiangwen, he would probably suffer for this.

 

Finally, an attendant screamed: “My young master can’t swim! Help—”

 

“Quick, save him!”

 

Sheng Jiao’s face was like stone as he indifferently glanced at the bubbling water surface.

 

Probably finding it boring, he turned his gaze back to Tianyan Academy’s gate, apparently watching for anyone else bringing contraband, ready to strike each one he saw.

 

Crack crack crack.

 

From beginning to end, he didn’t say a word.

 

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