Section 6: Arrival at Green Mountain Island, Tiange Academy!
Chu Yun pondered in his heart, recalling some information about Yan Que.
Yan Que was the son of commoners. His family was destitute and life was difficult, thus he matured early, was sensible, and understood reason. After being recommended on a village island, he enrolled in Tiange Academy. At Tiange Academy, he studied diligently, and moreover, he had a fortuitous encounter.
According to legends from his past life, he even found a seed of an upper-grade demonic plant at the peak of Tiange Academy, under the Whispering Willow.
This was the renowned and extremely rare Spiraling Pill Origin Tree.
Yan Que’s own talent was already good, and his character was further tempered by the hardships of his childhood. Combined with his hard work and this opportunity, he truly soared like a rocket, his ascent unstoppable.
While still at the academy, he was chosen by the Lord of Jianghan Kingdom and promoted to county magistrate. His achievements were outstanding, and he became a city lord. Later, he was promoted to prefect, governing a region. Finally, he rose to the central capital and became the Minister of Agriculture.
His conduct was simple and honest, and he diligently performed his duties. During his tenure, he had no blemishes of corruption or bribery. His noble character became a well-known tale.
However, now, he likely had not yet obtained the seed of the Spiraling Pill Origin Tree. Lacking a sliver of opportunity and foundation, he was currently just a penniless student, holed up in Tiange Academy.
“This is precisely the time to recruit him.” Chu Yun sighed inwardly, though he lacked confidence.
Persuading talented individuals was not his forte; he had absolutely no experience.
When it came to leading troops in battle, he could exert brute force, and perhaps a flash of inspiration might even yield a strategy.
When it came to exploring mysteries, he would proudly boast of being the best in the world, with full confidence.
His strong suit lay in adventure. That was the accumulation of twenty-three years of experience and foundation. His insights were honed in various dangerous and secret places, and his strength was forged through surviving life-and-death struggles, at the cost of injuries and ailments. It was solid and undoubtedly qualified him as the best in the world.
What was most important for exploring mysteries?
It wasn’t strength, but self-awareness.
Navigating through various perilous and secret locations, facing all sorts of treacherous traps and powerful demonic beasts, where danger was everywhere. Without such self-awareness, without knowing when to advance and retreat, or when to seize opportunities, and being blinded by desire, even the most superb strength would lead to an early death.
Chu Yun possessed great self-awareness, knowing his weaknesses and his strengths. He knew what he could do at the present and what he could not. He knew what he should do and strive to accomplish.
From then on, he practiced tirelessly.
He spent half the day fishing, luring minor demonic beasts from the sea to train his Sky Fox. He spent the other half of the day with the Drunken Snow Saber. While quietly absorbing the spiritual energy from the demonic soldier to transform his body, he practiced saber techniques, enhancing the synergy between himself and the saber.
His strength was steadily improving.
His experiences from his past life constantly spurred him on, making him wish he could be working hard every single moment, even utilizing his sleeping time.
Unfortunately, he was currently in a growth spurt, and sleep was also very important. With his days fully packed with eating, sleeping, and cultivating, his time was meticulously scheduled. As for the beautiful young man he had rescued from the sea, he had completely forgotten about him.
Seven days later, the treasure ship reached its destination – Green Mountain Island.
Green Mountain Island was a city-level island. Its terrain was unique, with the land in the center rising steeply to form a tall mountain. The mountain was majestic, covered in lush greenery, with white clouds drifting at its summit.
Named Green Mountain Island, it lived up to its name.
And Tiange Academy was situated atop this green mountain.
As the treasure ship docked, the young men cheered and rushed off the ship, their eyes wide with astonishment as they gazed at the mountain before them.
“Heavens! What a tall peak! I’ve never seen one like it before.”
“Tiange Academy should be on the mountain. Life on the mountain, I’m really looking forward to it.”
…
Youngsters are naturally lively and energetic. Immediately, the dock was filled with a cacophony of chatter, like a flock of sparrows landing on a tree.
Chu Yun lagged behind, putting distance between himself and the others, observing from afar. With his mature disposition, he naturally didn’t quite fit in with them. However, the main reason for separating from the main group was for observation.
He wanted to observe the conduct of these aspiring talents and see if any were particularly outstanding.
After observing for a moment, Chu Yun shook his head inwardly. These youths might possess excellent aptitude, but their dispositions were still immature, and their words were filled with arrogance; they needed further tempering and refinement.
It was only when he saw Shi Jiaming that his eyes lit up. The mysterious young man he had saved was now standing with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing at Green Mountain. His incredibly handsome face was veiled in a gentle melancholy, and his clear, bright eyes, like a pair of bright moons, seemed to hold swirling mists. A sense of world-weariness that belied his age emanated from him.
“It seems that despite Shi Jiaming having an impressive background, his life isn’t going well. He’s not a person I recall from my past life. However, the jade slip in his hand is likely a letter, indicating his identity. The white-browed alchemy master’s expression shifted when he saw it. Clearly, the young man has a close connection, direct or indirect, with the academy’s higher-ups.”
“Quiet down, everyone! Follow me to the gatehouse to collect your identity jade pendants.” The white-browed alchemy master’s voice barked out, his pressure enveloping the entire area, instantly silencing the youths. Their gazes toward the white-browed alchemy master were filled with unmistakable awe.
From the dock, the towering gatehouse was visible. Red vermilion pillars, grey eave-style bricks and tiles. Above the lintel hung a large plaque inscribed with “Lower Gatehouse.”
Upon closer inspection, the gatehouse appeared even more soaring and majestic. It stood several zhang tall, dominating the main road. A long queue had already formed in front of the gate, comprising youths from the Archipelago.
Temporary tables and chairs were set up on both sides of the gate. Academy staff sat at the tables, recording names while distributing identity jade pendants.
The youths couldn’t help but scramble again, joining the queue. Chu Yun shook his head and positioned himself at the very end. Enrolling in Tiange Academy was a certainty; there was no need to rush.
Coincidentally, in front of him was Jin Bihan, the Princess of Dunhuang Country. Sensing Chu Yun behind her, she immediately shot him a massive eye-roll.
Even while rolling her eyes, her beauty retained a charming and displeased grace.
Chu Yun shrugged, unconcerned. He didn’t mind that she inexplicably disliked him. In his eyes, she was just a thirteen-year-old youth and not worth bothering about.
Only those who genuinely blocked his path were worthy of his attention.
There was silence between them, not a single word exchanged. The academy staff were highly efficient, and the queue moved quickly.
As they were nearing Shi Jiaming, another treasure ship arrived at the east dock, disembarking another group of youths who, chattering excitedly, joined the queue behind Chu Yun.
“State your name.” The tone of the staff was somewhat impatient.
“Shi Jiaming.”
“Shi Jiaming, let me see. Hmm, found it. Here, your identity jade pendant.” The academy staff’s attitude was indifferent as he pulled a jade pendant from under the table. The workload for the day was too great, leaving no mood for even a smile.
Jin Bihan quietly accepted the pendant and walked through the gatehouse. Chu Yun then stepped forward to the staff.
“State your name.” The staff member looked up from the list without even raising his head.
“Chu Yun.”
“Chu Yun?!” The staff member’s head snapped up abruptly, letting out a cry of surprise.
“Chu Yun? Where is Chu Yun?” The surrounding staff members reacted as if jolted, calling out in unison.
The youths exchanged bewildered glances, unable to understand the staff’s strong reaction. Shi Jiaming turned his head, looking at Chu Yun with confusion.
Chu Yun was also startled. His eyes narrowed, and he asked in a low voice, “What’s wrong? Is there a problem?”
