“Hahaha, old phoenix Qingyan, showing off at our Divine Phoenix Academy, are you?”
Amid the hearty laughter, a figure soared out from Divine Phoenix Academy.
“Brother Wanzhong, long time no see,” Feng Qingyan said with a slight smile, clasping his hands.
“Cut the pleasantries. I don’t care for your compensation, and Divine Phoenix Academy doesn’t need it. Want to take this kid? Simple. Trade one punch with me. Win, you take him. Lose, he stays!” Feng Ming Wanzhong bellowed.
“Goodness, the vice deans of both academies meeting is like thunder clashing with fire. Trouble’s brewing!”
“Exactly. Vice Dean Qingyan of Qingxu Academy and Vice Dean Feng Ming Wanzhong of Divine Phoenix Academy have been rivals since youth. They’ve fought monthly ever since, with exactly equal wins and losses.”
“No wonder they clash on sight. Their strength is neck and neck.”
The crowd buzzed with discussion, and Ling Xiao listened with intrigue.
Today’s events were truly bizarre.
He thought leaving would resolve everything, but the twists kept coming, escalating to a showdown between the vice deans of two academies.
“We can fight, but if you lose, I’ll not only take Ling Xiao, you’ll also make that teacher apologise to him!” Feng Qingyan pointed at the Divine Phoenix Academy teacher.
“No problem. Let’s start.”
Feng Ming Wanzhong, clearly a brash character, didn’t care about the teacher.
If Feng Qingyan demanded the teacher’s life, Wanzhong would likely agree without hesitation.
A mere apology was nothing.
“Make your move.”
Suddenly, the auras of Feng Qingyan and Feng Ming Wanzhong erupted, plunging the Divine Phoenix Academy square into a scorching, icy inferno.
Boom!
But the clash lasted only an instant.
Both retreated.
Feng Qingyan smiled faintly.
Feng Ming Wanzhong looked displeased.
“You, apologise to the kid!” Wanzhong barked, then turned and left.
Clearly, he had lost this bout.
The Divine Phoenix Academy teacher, though utterly reluctant, dared not defy Wanzhong’s order and apologised to Ling Xiao.
Now, he wouldn’t dare kill Ling Xiao, or even curse him.
The crowd sighed in amazement.
“Does Ling Xiao have ties to some big shot on Divine Phoenix Continent?”
“Must be. Why else would a master like Feng Qingyan step in?”
Amid the chatter, Feng Qingyan turned to Ling Xiao with a smile. “You’re Ling Xiao, right? I’m Feng Qingyan.”
“Senior Feng!” Ling Xiao always repaid respect with respect. Since the man helped him, he wouldn’t be cold.
“Here’s the deal: someone entrusted me to bring you into Qingxu Academy. Are you willing?”
Feng Qingyan asked.
“May I ask who this person is?” Ling Xiao inquired, puzzled.
“Can’t say. I promised to keep it secret. But rest assured, Qingxu Academy never forces disciples. If you’re willing, join. It’s very free, unlike the sects on Tianlong Continent. Pay tuition, and you can come and go as you please,” Feng Qingyan replied.
“I’m willing, of course.”
The contrast between people was stark.
If Feng Ming Piaoxue had shown the same attitude as Feng Qingyan, Ling Xiao might have joined Divine Phoenix Academy.
“Good, but I won’t let you in through the back door. You’ll still need to pass the test,” Feng Qingyan said with a smile. “With your talent, getting into Qingxu Academy should be a sure thing. Your friends are already enrolled, so don’t worry.”
Hearing this, Divine Phoenix Academy disciples shook their heads helplessly.
Though they disliked Ling Xiao, they knew his potential and talent.
It was frustrating to see such a talent go to Qingxu Academy.
“Thank you, Senior Feng!”
Ling Xiao glanced at Feng Yanran in the crowd, wondering if she was the one who helped him.
But if so, why?
Though puzzled, joining Qingxu Academy was a good outcome.
The two academies stood equal on Divine Phoenix Continent. Entering either was a victory.
Academies generally didn’t interfere with students’ actions but had rules. Violating them meant punishment.
Ling Xiao didn’t need special treatment, just fair handling, and perhaps Qingxu Academy could provide that.
“I’ll head off first. Report to Qingxu Academy with Yanran later. She’ll guide you on what to do next.”
With that, Feng Qingyan vanished in a streak of crimson flame.
He came and went swiftly, leaving a deep impression on Ling Xiao.
Ling Xiao then followed Feng Yanran to Qingxu Academy.
Compared to the domineering grandeur of Divine Phoenix Academy, Qingxu Academy felt ethereal and mysterious.
Perched atop misty peaks, surrounded by dense forests, it gave the air of a secluded hermitage.
“Let’s reintroduce ourselves. I’m Feng Yanran!” At the academy’s entrance, she bowed formally.
“No need for formalities. I’m Ling Xiao. I’m sure you’ve already looked into me thoroughly,” Ling Xiao said. He wasn’t one to hold grudges, as long as no one sought revenge against him.
“A peerless genius rising like a comet! That alone qualifies you for Divine Phoenix Academy. Shame they didn’t have the fortune to claim you,” Feng Yanran said with a smile.
“Forget about that. Show me around the academy.”
Ling Xiao shook his head. The past was past. Unless Divine Phoenix Academy provoked him, he didn’t want trouble. His focus was on improving his cultivation; everything else was secondary.
“No problem!” Feng Yanran gestured. “Brother Ling, please!”
Qingxu Academy’s main gate was fully open, a vast arch without doors, symbolising its open teaching style.
Stepping through, Ling Xiao’s eyes widened.
The academy was like the celestial palaces he’d read about, breathtakingly magnificent.
Countless buildings floated mid-air, stunningly beautiful.
“No wonder it’s Qingxu Academy. Keeping these structures suspended must involve numerous arrays and formations,” Ling Xiao remarked.
Amateurs saw the spectacle; experts saw the craft.
While others marvelled at the scenery, Ling Xiao noticed the intricate, overlapping arrays and formations, seamlessly interlinked.
Anyone thinking of causing trouble here would need to think twice.
Feng Yanran looked surprised. “I didn’t expect Brother Ling to know array crafting. Impressive!”
“Just a basic understanding, not worth praising.”
As he spoke, Ling Xiao activated his Mountain River Martial Soul to study the arrays. To his astonishment, they formed a massive “Mysterious Heaven Eight Trigrams,” like precise components sustaining the grand formation’s operation.
What a grand undertaking.
