Spirit Vulture suddenly asked, “When will you be heading to Qinglu Academy to carry out your duties?”
Lin Xun casually replied, “We agreed that I’ll go in ten days.”
Lin Xun was not just going to serve as an instructor and teach at Qinglu Academy. He also had responsibilities to fulfill at the Rune Master Association HQ and Divine Workshop and would soon be far busier than before.
“Mind Cleansing Peak is steadily becoming more prosperous, so you can leave everything here to us. Concentrate on fulfilling your duties as soon as possible.”
Spirit Vulture said, “However, you need to be vigilant. After leaving Mind Cleansing Peak, Third Old Zhu and Lin Zhong will no longer be by your side. It might become quite troublesome if you encounter any problems.”
Lin Xun grinned. “Naturally.”
In his view, no matter how dangerous a place like Qinglu Academy was, there should be no threat to his life.
Of course, provocations and trouble were unavoidable.
Lin Xun had already mentally prepared himself to face such scenarios.
However, reality was always cruel. On that same night, Shi Yu suddenly visited bearing bad news for Lin Xun.“You must be careful. I’ve received news that the West Creek, Cloud Weight, and Flying Peak Lin Clans have resorted to extreme measures and have sought help from some powerful factions!”
There was a sliver of graveness on Shi Yu’s face as he said, “If my guess is correct, these powerful factions are the culprits who divided up your Lin Clan assets all those years ago!”
Lin Xun’s heart shivered. “Who?”
Shi Yu answered, “The Zuo Clan and the Qin Clan.”
Lin Xun’s eyes narrowed. These were two of the seven high clans!
“I also never imagined that these two titans would suddenly be implicated.”
Shi Yu frowned. “If we had known about this, we would not have alerted them so early and caused the situation to become so complicated.”
“They would have come out sooner or later anyways.”
Lin Xun took a deep breath, his black eyes filled with iciness. “I am already very happy to even find out who stole the Lin Clan’s assets. At the very least, I would have never imagined that even high clans like the Zuo Clan and the Qin Clan would commit such despicable acts.”
“Heh, which faction in the Forbidden City isn’t ruthless and greedy?”
Shi Yu let out a carefree laugh. He had grown up in Stone Cauldron Alms and understood the true face of these powerhouse factions.
Lin Xun asked, “In other words, they’ve already begun to help the three branch clans counterattack?”
“No. From the intel I’ve gathered, they will not openly attack Mind Cleansing Peak.”
Shi Yu shook his head. “After all, you’re currently one of the most famous people in the Forbidden City whose influence is growing day by day. Who would dare to openly oppose you?”
Soon after, he frowned and sighed. “However, they will definitely try something sneaky behind the scenes. The hidden arrow is always the more difficult to avoid. This will put you in a more dangerous situation.”
Lin Xun pondered and said, “I’m about to head to Qinglu Academy and Mind Cleansing Peak has Third Old Zhu, Lin Zhong, and the others. As long as we’re careful, we should be able to guard against a fatal blow.”
Shi Yu shook his head again. “From my intel, if the Zuo Clan and Qin Clan decide to take action, they will do so in Qinglu Academy!”
“What?”
Lin Xun was surprised.
“Hehe, no need to overreact. Qinglu Academy is a place where all kinds of people can be found. The many formidable characters that hold positions there mostly come from the Forbidden City’s top factions. The Zuo and Qin Clans are naturally no exception to this.”
Shi Yu softly chuckled. “However, it is as you said. As long as you’re careful and don’t give them any opportunities, no one will dare to intentionally harm you in Qinglu Academy. After all, it is the number one academy in the empire! Even the imperial family shows the academy a certain level of respect. Those noble factions will not dare to act as they please there.”
At this point, Shi Yu’s tone turned serious, “The more outstanding you are, the more attention you will receive, and the safer you will be. You must stand out, and you cannot hold back when it’s time to flex your muscles.”
Lin Xun was speechless for a moment before he replied, “Was the commotion I caused in the Rune Master Association HQ a few days ago not big enough?”
Shi Yu was taken aback before he said in a slightly annoyed voice, “I nearly forgot that you’ve been causing a ruckus ever since you entered the Forbidden City.”
After chatting some more, Lin Xun found out that Shi Yu, Ning Meng, Gong Ming, Ye Xiaoqi, and the others had already started their semester and were currently cultivating in Qinglu Academy.
Regretfully, the new batch of students would be taken to a dangerous zone called the Ghost Killing Land in three days where they would engage in training and a test for the next three months.
In other words, Lin Xun would not be able to meet his friends in the academy for the next three months.
……
Qinglu Academy was located in the empire’s western outskirts and had been built deep in the mountains. It encompassed an area of several thousand hectares and was basically a small city.
The buildings in Qinglu Academy had old but interesting designs and were filled with an ancient aura.
The academy stood deep in the mountains, far away from the noisiness of society like a hidden utopia. It was the sacred cultivation land in the hearts of the empire’s cultivators.
In truth, Qinglu Academy did have a special status in the empire. Not only because it was a humongous faction with strong foundations and abundant resources, but also because it had provided the empire with batch after batch of talented individuals for the past several thousand years.
These talented graduates might join the imperial army, stay in the empire’s heart, or travel to the far reaches of the empire. Regardless, they would each make huge contributions in one way or another to the empire.
It was not an exaggeration to say that Qinglu Academy was an ocean of talent and a holy land where geniuses were as common as the clouds in the sky. Any random person from the academy could be called an elite of his or her generation.
These heaven prides would grow into future lords, hegemons, and key figures of their respective factions.
They might have come from different factions but all of them shared the same identity―a student of Qinglu Academy!
This was the basis of Qinglu Academy’s untouchable status.
In fact, the majestic azure deer on the empire’s coins represented Qinglu Academy!
[1]
It was a huge honor that proved the academy’s extraordinary status in the Ziyao Empire.
Early one morning, when the sky was beginning to brighten.
A carriage brought Lin Xun to the empire’s western outskirts and slowly proceeded into the mountains where Qinglu Academy was located.
When Lin Xun got off, he found himself before a large old limestone door that was thirty feet tall and a hundred feet wide.
How ordinary.
This was Lin Xun’s first impression. He had not expected the number one academy to have such a simple entrance.
There was even moss growing at the top of the door.
Soon after, Lin Xun noticed a line of ancient words that were partially hidden under the moss―
Life and death.
An icy glance.
A cultivator advances!
Lin Xun’s heart shivered. The words were simple, but they implied the proud will of a cultivator who fearlessly seeks the dao.
“They were left by the academy’s first principal.”
A mellow voice sounded. Shen Tuo was already waiting at the side of the entrance with a smile.
He said, “Come, I’ll bring you to the rune department.”
Lin Xun instructed Third Old Zhu and Lin Zhong to leave before following Shen Tuo into Qinglu Academy.
It was early morning, and the academy was covered in a light mist. Silhouettes of majestic buildings rose one after another from the mist, creating a dream-like sight.
The buildings were numerous and seemed endless at a glance.
Along the way, Shen Tuo patiently introduced some basic information about Qinglu Academy.
The school was divided into five main departments: the Hidden Dragon Department, the Dao Martial Department, the True Martial Department, the Rune Department, and the Godly Stratagems Department.
New students would first be assigned to the Hidden Dragon Department where they would polish their martial arts and cultivation.
Those who performed well could enter the Dao Martial Department through the yearly exam.
……
The Dao Martial Department was also known as the ‘elite department’ because everyone inside was an elite who had been carefully selected by the academy.
Such elites were nothing like the common rabble on the street. They were true elites who had been selected from amongst the empire’s many talented geniuses!
For example, Hua Wuyou, whom Lin Xun had dueled, was one of these Dao Martial Department students.
……
The True Martial Department was a tier higher than the Dao Martial Department and was for students with Heaven Ascension cultivation. It was Qinglu Academy’s core and only a handful of truly great heaven prides could enter.
……
As its name implied, the Rune Department was a place to study and research runes.
The Godly Stratagems Department was where students were taught military formations and strategies.
Normally speaking, students interested in runes could go to the Rune Department to take rune lessons.
It was the same for the Godly Stratagems Department.
Despite all this, the Hidden Dragon Department was where most of the students cultivated and refined their martial arts.
As for the Dao Martial Department and the True Martial Department, they were places ordinary students would never qualify to enter even until they graduated.
The requirements were just far too stringent.
……
Besides these five main departments, Qinglu Academy also had places like the martial manual library and pill storehouse that provided resources for the students.
Shen Tuo’s introduction was simple and easy to digest, allowing Lin Xun to gain a rough idea of the Qinglu Academy. As for the specifics, he would need to discover and experience them for himself.
“Oh? What’s that?”
Lin Xun suddenly noticed a majestic golden stone tablet emerge from the mist far away. It stood several hundred feet tall and was a rather attention-grabbing sight.
Shen Tuo stopped and explained, “That’s the Spirit Sea Golden Rankings. Spirit Sea students can only leave their names on it when their combat power is among the top hundred in the academy.”
Spirit Sea Golden Rankings!
Lin Xun was immediately interested. Didn’t this mean that the hundred names on the stone tablet represented the hundred strongest individuals among Qinglu Academy’s Spirit Sea students?
1. Qinglu also translates to azure deer but the true origin of the academy’s name is subsequently revealed in a later chapter ☜