Volume Two: Windwalker

The Walker in the Wind

Is this the essence of cultivation in this world? 

Lin Xi suddenly found himself reminiscing about the succulent roasted meat from those arduous days. The moment he opened his eyes and beheld the landscape around the thatched cottage bathed in the slanting rays of the setting sun, an unprecedented wave of hunger surged into his mind.

The meditation that spanned from dawn to dusk seemed to have not only depleted every morsel of food in his stomach but also left him with a sensation as if his stomach had expanded, intensifying the emptiness and anxiety within him.

At this moment, he could clearly perceive a cerulean orb in his mind, while the previously swirling golden light had transformed into a current of energy flowing within his dantian.

Except for a few new students lost in deep slumber, there was a palpable sense of shock on the faces of everyone else present.

Tang Ke, who sat on the cool bamboo mat in the slightly chilly thatched cottage, hunched his back habitually, his expression reflecting an even greater astonishment.

The prestige and glory of the academy resonated in every corner of the empire touched by sunlight. He was acutely aware of the sanctity and distinction of the Qingluan Academy in the hearts of countless cultivators and had heard tales of the exorbitant prices of the elixirs distributed by the academy. Yet, in the subconscious of both himself and the practitioners he encountered, elixirs were ultimately external substances. However, at this moment, the current of energy within his dantian, once no larger than a thumb, had now doubled in size!

"Try to draw this longbow."

At that moment, the one-eyed black-robed instructor stood up, lifted the black longbow from the table before him, and walked directly to Lin Xi.

Caught in a battle against the unsettling pangs of hunger, Lin Xi widened his eyes in bewilderment as he accepted the longbow, uncertain why the one-eyed instructor had singled him out from the crowd.

The black longbow, crafted from wood, bore a natural grain as intricate as tightly woven iron threads. Its body was adorned with swirling auspicious patterns, and the heads of two creatures resembling dragons gripped the equally dark and unyielding bowstring.

A bitter smile suddenly appeared at the corner of Lin Xi's mouth. The longbow was not heavy; he could lift it with one hand. However, when he placed his right hand on the bowstring and exerted all his strength, he could barely draw it back a distance of less than two fingers.

In that moment of stasis, the current of energy within his dantian surged up his right arm and into his fingers, causing the bowstring to tremble slightly and emit a faint yellow glow.

"Ah!"

Lin Xi gasped softly.

The current of energy he had drawn forth from his dantian was now nearly exhausted. Only then did he notice that the bowstring, seemingly made from the sinew of some beast, bore delicate carvings that were almost imperceptible.

"Do not worry; the energy you perceive will recover during meditation, and your soul power will not diminish. It is akin to our bodies being present, but our energy being spent." Noting Lin Xi's expression, the one-eyed black-robed instructor, who usually wore a cold and critical demeanor, spoke these words with a hint of warmth. He then reclaimed the black bow from Lin Xi and handed it to Li Kaiyun beside him. "Now, you try to draw this longbow."

Li Kaiyun, taken by surprise, nervously attempted to draw the bow.

Following him was Tang Ke, who, under the instructor's guidance, passed the black bow among the new students.

After about fifteen or sixteen attempts, aside from one student who had fallen into a deep slumber, everyone else managed to draw the bowstring back at least several fingers further than Lin Xi, especially in the hands of Tang Ke, who pulled the mysterious black bow back halfway.

At the limit of their efforts, the yellow glow emanating from the bowstring when others drew it was noticeably brighter than when Lin Xi had attempted.

A few strands of disheveled gray hair fell across the left cheek of the one-eyed black-robed instructor, yet he remained oblivious to it. His gaze did not linger on Lin Xi; however, as the black bow was passed around, he sighed softly to himself, "To enter the Chosen, indeed, one must be somewhat extraordinary... Having never practiced before, yet being the fastest to engage in meditation among this group, it is a pity that such talent is wasted on someone with such mediocre potential..."

The black bow continued its journey until it reached Bian Linghan, who sat beside Hua Jiyue.

This girl from the Qiantang Province was the frailest among the new students of the Zhi Ge faction. During the journey from Lingxia Lake to this place, she was the first to falter, only managing to draw the bowstring a distance similar to Lin Xi's.

At that moment, the one-eyed black-robed instructor, who had been watching the bow's passage with a steady gaze, suddenly emitted a startling light from his sole eye.

Only he could discern that when Bian Linghan drew the bowstring, the duration of the glowing yellow light was slightly longer than that of the others.

Yet he remained silent, waiting until the black bow had passed through all the new students and returned to his hand. Aside from Bian Linghan, no one else exhibited any anomalies in the duration of the yellow glow.

"Bian Linghan," he called out, accurately pronouncing her name as he passed through the silver strands of the rope. "I instructed all of you to draw this black bow with all your might. Why did you not do so?"

Bian Linghan's face turned pale, and she opened her mouth but could not utter a word. After a brief pause in the thatched cottage, the trembling girl clutched the hem of her garment and lowered her head, bracing for punishment.

"Do you wish to be outshone by him and become the subject of ridicule? It seems that as a born Windwalker, you have a long journey ahead of you..." However, as she lowered her head, her peripheral vision inadvertently flickered toward Lin Xi, prompting the keen-eyed instructor to immediately grasp her thoughts.

"In just a few days, someone has already taken notice of you, Chosen... I never expected you to be so well-liked." The one-eyed black-robed instructor refrained from uttering any harsh words, instead looking at the timid girl clutching her garment. "You stay behind; the others may return to the New Student Hall to check the course selections."

"Why are you still here?"

The one-eyed black-robed instructor was somewhat taken aback as Lin Xi had yet to exit the thatched cottage while the other Zhi Ge students had already left, preparing to make their way back up the hill to the New Student Hall.

Lin Xi bowed respectfully to the instructor. "Teacher, Bian Linghan may not have heard clearly; please do not be too harsh in your judgment."

The one-eyed black-robed instructor looked at Lin Xi in silence, his expression as cold as ice. "What, do you think I need your guidance on how to conduct myself?"

Lin Xi quickly shook his head. "I would not dare, but Bian Linghan surely did not intend to err, and she will not repeat it again."

"Ridiculous!" the instructor retorted angrily. "Do you think I am unaware of why she did not exert herself?"

Lin Xi was momentarily taken aback. He had relied on his unique ability, which he could use once a day, to remain here and speak such words. However, the instructor's furious remark left him utterly confounded.

Bian Linghan had not uttered a single word; how could he possibly know why she did not give her all?

Observing Lin Xi standing there, the one-eyed black-robed instructor grew increasingly displeased. "This is all your doing... If you continue to linger here and cause trouble, I will have to deduct credits from both of you."

"What do you mean by that?" Lin Xi was even more perplexed, but the instructor's final words seemed to reveal a deeper meaning. "Teacher, are you not going to punish her?"

"Who said that keeping her here means I intend to punish her?" The one-eyed black-robed instructor furrowed his brow, realizing that he could not remain angry in the presence of Lin Xi's innocent gaze.

Lin Xi chuckled and once again bowed to the instructor. "If that is the case, then I have underestimated your noble intentions by assuming you would act like a petty person."

"To be chosen by the academy, if they were petty, it would be a grave insult to the vice president and the rest." The one-eyed black-robed instructor waved his hand irritably, signaling the other new students lingering outside to leave quickly. He then gestured to the bamboo mat beside Bian Linghan. "Since you dared to speak up for her in my presence, I will make an exception today. You may sit down as well."

Lin Xi, feeling bewildered, took a seat on the bamboo mat beside the blushing Bian Linghan.

"You are a born Windwalker," the one-eyed black-robed instructor stated directly, locking his gaze on Bian Linghan, articulating each word with precision.

Bian Linghan and Lin Xi exchanged astonished glances, both at a loss for understanding.

Thus, Lin Xi, emboldened, asked, "What does it mean to be a Windwalker? Please enlighten us, Teacher."

"An arrow soars on the wind, its form elusive and hard to grasp. Those who are innately attuned to the Wind Feather glyph are best suited to unleash the power of the bow and are the most gifted archers. They are known as the Walkers in the Wind, the Windwalkers." The one-eyed black-robed instructor gently caressed the black bow. "On the battlefield, Windwalkers have always been the most formidable and unpredictable assassins."

"The Wind Feather glyph, I suspect you are unfamiliar with it." Casting a disdainful glance at Lin Xi, who listened intently, the instructor added, "It is the finest glyph inscribed upon the bow and arrows, enhancing the strength, speed, and piercing power of the arrows. Those endowed with the Windwalker talent can naturally linger within this glyph for a moment longer, and that fleeting moment can amplify the arrows' might far beyond that of others with similar cultivation and archery skills."

"You kept Bian Linghan behind because she is the only one among our Zhi Ge new students with such a talent? You had us pass the black bow to test for potential exceptional archers?" Lin Xi suddenly understood.

"Not just that." The one-eyed black-robed instructor regarded Lin Xi with sympathy. "It also serves to gauge your acceptance of spiritual herbs."