Chapter 28

----------------------------------

Glancing at the scrolls, Xu Zhenyan tried distinguishing them from each other.

'I guess I'll have to cheat.'

Unable to make out anything from sight alone, he resorted to spirit-sense. He was looking for Gao Yanan's scroll, the one reading 'Medicine Hall'.

'…there!'

Excitement welling in his chest, he noticed a peculiar, icy ki. It was faint, almost non-existent and evaporating quickly.

Fighting to keep a smile of his face, he pointed at the scroll.

The black-robed lecturer sent him an even look.

"Are you certain?"

The question made Xu Zhenyan's eyebrow twitch. Nobody else had their decision questioned.

For some reason, he felt like this fellow didn't want him in Medicine Hall.

"I'm certain."

The black-robed lecturer narrowed his eyes minutely before unfurling the scroll.

"Medicine Hall."

His tone was deadpan, but Xu Zhenyan imagined a bit of dissatisfaction hidden within.

It wasn't only him—an innocent-looking youth was similarly unhappy about this turn of events.

The first time Lin Xi laid eyes on Gao Yanan, he was struck dumb. Even in his previous life, he'd never experienced love at first sight. Yet, even after disappearing inside the crowd, the image of the lovely young lady didn't leave his mind.

'We aren't in the same department? But I can choose to study Medicine Hall's contents…'

Despite Xu Zhenyan's appearance, status and talent, Lin Xi was never jealous of the 'young master'. After all, he himself had his own specialness. Though nobody was aware of it yet, that would change with time.

However, Xu Zhenyan being in the same department as Gao Yanan was something he couldn't so easily dismiss. Despite his usual carefree attitude, a seed of unhappiness sprouted in his chest.

"These brothers and sisters wish to train in the border army. According to our academy's tradition, before they leave, they should meet you all."

Vice Principal Xia suddenly spoke, the changing topic signaling the Heaven's choice ceremony's end.

The students' gazes immediately locked on to the senior brothers and sisters standing behind the academy elders. Their tall, uniformed figures, the picture of discipline and loyalty, stoked fires within the first years' hearts.

Even countryside bumpkins like Lin Xi recognized the matter's seriousness. No doubt, many of these talented young graduates would depart from here, never to return.

"He wanders the world under the heavens with a qilin and divine duck, visiting desolate places none others have ever been to, taken the heads of demons, taken the heads of generals of massive armies, his glory at Starfall Lake something none other can match…"

The Song of Valor from two nights ago started spontaneously among the students, lecturers and elders. It was a way of bidding farewell to these brave souls who'd put their lives on the line for the Yunqin empire, as well as their friends and family back home.

Xu Zhenyan watched all of this, feeling a sense of sardonicism. Being knowledgeable about what really went on in the Yunqin empire, he didn't think it was a place worth sacrificing your life for.

However, he wasn't close to any of these people. If they went off somewhere remote and died for nothing, well… that was their problem, not his.

As the song continued toward its end, the now-soldiers formed a straight line, marching silently down the road. They carried their meagre possessions on their backs, having accrued little during their years at Green Luan Academy.

The singing soon ended, but the students and staff continued to watch quietly until the graduates disappeared into the distance, the hilly terrain of the Four Seasons Plains obscuring their small figures.

"It's time to return to Green Luan Academy."

About forty-five minutes later, Vice-Principal Xia spoke again, dispelling the grave atmosphere. Stroking his beard with a faraway look in his eyes, he turned and started for the North.

The lecturers, elders and assistants followed after him.

Many students, realizing their time to say goodbyes was rapidly shrinking, hurried toward the few carriages remaining outside the camping grounds.

Xu Zhenyan cast a glance in that direction, but didn't go over. His relationship with Lee Shin wasn't close, so there was no point. Instead, he found the middle-aged female elder from Medicine Hall, falling in line behind her. Other students did the same, mostly girls.

Acting nonchalant, the youth listened in on the gossip happening nearby. There was a lot of talk about him. As a devilishly handsome individual, even if he had to say so himself, and being the number-one Heaven's choice, he didn't find it all that surprising.

However, even though their talk was mildly interesting, he quickly shoved such matters to the back of his mind. Rather, he surreptitiously scanned the group of sixty-to-eighty students.

'…there she is.'

Gao Yanan wasn't hard to find. Her white hair, like pure, fresh snow was particularly eye-catching among the crowd of brown and black-haired individuals.

Slowing his speed, he fell back until the two of them were nearly side-by-side. Given the year had only started and Gao Yanan being a bit of an outsider, she hadn't made any friends yet.

'The perks of making a move early, I suppose. Heh, I hope our cute protagonist watches closely as I steal his girl. Though, that's probably going to be impossible since the Self Defense Department went on ahead.'

Inwardly lamenting that fact, Xu Zhenyan thought of how to break the ice. Something immediately came to mind, although it was a bit risky.

'…well, I don't know if it'll make a good impression, but it'll make an impression for certain.'

Feeling the corner of his mouth quirk upwards, he drew closer until the two of them were almost shoulder-to-shoulder. It was close enough for him to smell her perfume—a cool, refreshing scent, almost like mint.

Naturally, Gao Yanan noticed his arrival. She sent him a look somewhere between curiosity and annoyance, probably meant to ask what he wanted.

"To think I'd actually be able to meet the famous Grand Secretary Zhou's daughter. Green Luan Academy is surely a place full of crouching tigers and hidden dragons."

He whispered the words as quietly as he could, ensuring nobody but she could hear.

Hearing what he said, Gao Yanan's expression stiffened. The fact the was Grand Secretary Zhou's daughter, the man who was essentially the emperor's right-hand man, was supposed to be a secret.

"You…!"

Clenching her jaw, she glared at Xu Zhenyan from underneath thin, manicured eyebrows.

Her face, possessing a certain sharp beauty from anger, roused a sense of sadism within Xu Zhenyan.

"Don't get to mad at me, miss. Finding out was simply an accident. Though, despite your father's efforts, I'm sure a lot of those old foxes in the capital already know."

Raising his chin, he put on an expression of natural confidence, appearing like nothing was out of the ordinary.

He knew most of Gao Yanan's anger wasn't related to being found out. Rather, she had a strong dislike of her father and probably preferred not to be associated with him.

Not wanting people to think something was off, the beauty quickly calmed herself.

"I'm not sure what you want from me, but I don't know anything about that man'sbusiness."

Displaying such enmity toward her father probably wasn't a good idea—if Xu Zhenyan was someone with impure motives, he'd certainly make use of the information.

Well, he did have impure motives, just in a different sense.

"Don't get the wrong idea, miss Gao. To me, you're a lot more interesting than your father."

After giving her a reassuring smile, Xu Zhenyan turned his gaze to the Heaven's Ascension Mountain Range, rising into the sky. They'd have to scale its sides to reach Green Luan Academy—an initiation of sorts.

Gao Yanan didn't know what to make of that statement. Having grown up sheltered, living alone with her mother and their servants, she didn't have much contact with members of the opposite sex.

Though she didn't know it, Zou Ruohai was responsible. After all, being absent because of work, there was a significant risk of men taking chances with his wife and daughter.

"…"

Observing basic politeness, she couldn't chase Xu Zhenyan off. Reflecting on her emotions, Gao Yanan realized she didn't want to either. Rather, perhaps inevitably, she was curious about the so-called 'number-one Heaven's choice'.

"It's going to be a long trip, that much is certain. Fortunately, I thought ahead, grabbing some provisions for the road."

Grinning conspiratorially, he stuck a hand into his dark robes, withdrawing a piece of dried meat. Given this situation, he took a page out of that fatty's playbook. For the next few days, food would be scarce—what little they'd get would have to be hunted, gathered and foraged for.

Gao Yanan looked strangely at the morsel before apparently coming to a realization.

"This journey… is some kind of test?"

The question was rhetorical, the girl's tone sounding somewhat upset at herself for not guessing the truth earlier.

Xu Zhenyan nodded before giving her a brief run-down of the situation.

"Young master Xu's foresight is commendable. However, I can't help wondering how you came by such information. We require senior students to keep our evaluations secret—you couldn't have heard it from them."

Suddenly, the middle-aged female elder's voice sounded from the group's front.

Raising his head, Xu Zhenyan saw her, as well as the other students, looking curiously at the two of them.

"Oh, it seems you found me out, elder. What can I say, other than lamenting the inherit untrustworthiness of mankind."

Of course, he didn't actually hear it from a senior, but it was as good an excuse as any.

For a moment, it seemed like the elder would punish him, but then she huffed.

"I'll award you half-a-point for your preparations, but in the future, please respect the academy's rules."

Giving him one more look, she returned her gaze to the front, resuming her conversation with a male colleague.

----------------------------------

Advance chapter available for $1.

pa tre on.com/user?u=59309466