A Pure Heart

For Lin Xi, the academy was remarkably tranquil, and he found himself engrossed in his endeavors. Ever since Xu Shengmo abruptly informed him of his latent potential as a rising star, he had been ensnared in a relentless cycle of exhaustion and recovery.

In the early morning, amidst the rugged stone valley, he underwent specialized training for rising stars. 

Turning to Lin Xi, Xu Shengmo remarked coldly and with a hint of sarcasm, "Are you feeling quite pleased with yourself?"

Lin Xi paused momentarily, "I'm not sure what you mean by 'pleased,' Teacher Xu."

Xu Shengmo furrowed his brow, a look of disdain crossing his face. "Aside from achieving five five-star records yesterday, is there anything else you have to be proud of?"

Lin Xi offered a slight smile. "Indeed, there are a few things I take pride in."

"I advise you to temper that pride. Not only are you not the sole one to have achieved five five-star records, do you truly believe that signifies your strength?" Xu Shengmo scoffed, casting a dismissive glance at Lin Xi. "You've merely been fortunate enough to avoid formidable opponents. In a real battlefield scenario, there would be no fewer than twenty individuals in this trial valley capable of eliminating you. Do not think that gaining a reward credit and advancing to the rank of a novice Soul Master grants you any merit in my eyes. For an ordinary Soul Master, a slight increase or decrease in strength is inconsequential. Do not harbor illusions of changing my perception of you; someone with your aptitude and temperament could never aspire to become a rising star."

Without waiting for Lin Xi to respond, Xu Shengmo gestured toward the location where a piece of armor and a pair of leg bindings had been placed. "Now that you've achieved the pitiful rank of a novice Soul Master, starting tomorrow, you shall don that equipment." With that, he turned away, seemingly disinterested in Lin Xi's presence.

"Teacher Xu, what if I were to achieve another five-star record?" Lin Xi inquired, unperturbed, a smile playing on his lips as he addressed Xu Shengmo's retreating figure.

Xu Shengmo let out a heavy scoff, thinking to himself that with Lin Xi's meager combat prowess, it was absurd to imagine he could secure consecutive five-star records. Even if he did manage to do so, who could predict what changes the woman would bring after the bloodshed in the Eastern Tomb?

His heart brimmed with contempt, yet due to the implications of his own secret deductions and his disdain for Lin Xi, he was unwilling to exchange even a single word, departing without hesitation.

Lin Xi noticed a new item discarded on a rock by Xu Shengmo. 

It was a pair of bracelets, crafted from dark iron, somewhat oversized and excessively heavy... Once donned, Lin Xi found even lifting his hand to wipe away sweat a considerable effort, and walking became significantly more challenging.

...

In the evening, the forest behind the bamboo pavilion of the Seven-Color Herb Valley was filled with the incessant thrumming of bowstrings.

While effortlessly sprinting and shooting arrows, Tong Wei coldly remarked to Lin Xi and Bian Linghan, who struggled to keep pace, "Lin Xi, your movements today are exceptionally sluggish."

"Huff," Lin Xi blew away a bead of sweat that trickled to the corner of his mouth, accelerating his pace as he released several arrows with all his might. After slightly flexing his fingers, he was astonished to feel a unique tremor resonating through his arms, as if the airflow generated in his dantian had split into numerous fine strands, permeating his limbs.

Though this peculiar sensation, seemingly born from his bloodline, did little to alleviate the soreness in his arms and fingers, it was nonetheless fascinating, imparting a heightened sensitivity to his skin.

"Could it be the postures he taught me?" 

Lost in thought, Lin Xi involuntarily recalled the yoga-like positions taught by the elderly instructor clad in a worn teaching robe during his time in the trial valley.

"Is it possible that my expectations of him were too high, leading to greater disappointment?" Tong Wei observed Lin Xi, who was clearly fatigued, and fell silent for a moment.

Not belonging to the top four students, he was unaware of the intricate schemes devised by Vice Dean Xia and Xiao Mingxuan. He also did not know that, apart from himself, Xu Shengmo, and An Keyi, Lin Xi had also received guidance from the academy's guardian, Luo Houyuan. Over the past few days, Lin Xi's archery had surpassed even Bian Linghan's precision, and Tong Wei attributed this to Lin Xi's diligent training upon returning home. Thus, when Lin Xi fell short of his expectations, he felt a sense of helplessness rather than anger... For even if Lin Xi shot with remarkable accuracy, his arrows would never possess the innate power of those loosed by Bian Linghan, leading Tong Wei to impose even stricter standards on him. He demanded not only greater precision but also swifter execution. While Bian Linghan could fell an opponent with a single arrow, Tong Wei feared he would require multiple shots to breach an adversary's defenses, necessitating extreme speed and accuracy in rapid succession against formidable foes.

Though Lin Xi's performance left much to be desired, his evident effort only fueled Tong Wei's determination to be more demanding.

"Come, again!" He granted Lin Xi little respite, barking, "If your fingers cannot draw the bow, then learn my running techniques and bow-holding stance... Quickly, keep up with me!"

...

Xu Shengmo and Tong Wei held entirely different philosophies regarding teaching and personal conduct. Xu Shengmo was harsh on Lin Xi due to his complete lack of faith and even disdain, while Tong Wei's stringent expectations stemmed from his belief in Lin Xi's potential.

Despite recognizing the benefits of their rigorous training, Lin Xi bore no resentment and even found joy in these demanding tasks. However, enduring the trials of two exceedingly exacting instructors in a single day felt almost like a form of mistreatment.

Thus, as he donned his "Silver Fox" black armor and entered the trial valley, standing amidst a serene yet perilous forest, Lin Xi couldn't help but feel a twinge of discomfort.

Listening to Xu Shengmo's remarks that morning, he had contemplated how displeased Xu Shengmo would become if he were to achieve yet another five-star record. However, standing in the forest now, he realized that after enduring the grueling training throughout the day, his soul power was nearly depleted. Even if he could confront one or two opponents, he doubted he would have enough strength to engage in practice within the stone hall of the Direct Strike Spear Array.

"Where could Teacher Luo be? When I leave, I'll mention my desire to meet him to the instructor on duty; I wonder if it will bear any fruit..."

As Lin Xi treaded upon the thick carpet of fallen leaves, he continued to ponder the peculiar tremors in his arms. Just then, his brow furrowed as he abruptly turned around.

A student clad in black armor, wielding dual swords, stood less than twenty paces behind him like a specter.

"It's you?"

Upon recognizing the black rose insignia on the student's chest, Lin Xi felt a wave of relief wash over him, thinking to himself that he no longer had to worry excessively. "What a coincidence... here's a favor for you." Nodding at the dual-sword-wielding student, he promptly removed a golden five-pointed star badge from his person and tossed it over.

Seeing the student remain motionless, failing to catch the badge, Lin Xi couldn't help but look at the familiar figure adorned with the black rose insignia, asking, "What are you doing?"

"It's not entirely coincidental," Jiang Xiaoyi replied, swallowing hard and taking a deep breath. Looking at Lin Xi, he forced a smile. "I've been wandering the trial valley, searching for your whereabouts. Today, I've covered most of the valley, so encountering you isn't so strange."

Lin Xi regarded Jiang Xiaoyi with confusion. "What do you want with me? And why did you go to such lengths to help me last time... your claim of not knowing seems insufficient as a reason."

"That was the truth; at the time, I genuinely didn't understand why I helped you. However, upon reflection, I've come to realize something," Jiang Xiaoyi chuckled softly, looking at Lin Xi, yet still refraining from revealing the reason. Instead, he posed a thought-provoking question, "Do you know how many rising stars have emerged in the academy over the past twenty years?"

Lin Xi's brow twitched, a sense of alertness washing over him as he shook his head. "I don't know; what do you mean by that?"

"The academy's records indicate a total of fifteen rising stars, all of whom were military gods of the empire. The most renowned is General Situ from the Bilu Border Army, whose most glorious moment came when he led three hundred cavalry to a successful raid, decimating two thousand enemy troops, and slaying twenty-seven formidable opponents in that battle. The least known is Zhou Fulong, who perished at Qianxia Mountain, yet he managed to kill three commanding officers in that encounter!" Jiang Xiaoyi's chest swelled with fervor as he gazed at Lin Xi, speaking softly yet earnestly, "I suspect that you might become a rising star in the future."

Lin Xi was momentarily speechless; had he not encountered Jiang Xiaoyi several times in the valley, he would have surely thought this was a ploy orchestrated by Xu Shengmo to probe his capabilities and potentially deduct his credits.

"Your combat prowess has escalated too rapidly, and you strike me as remarkably unique," Jiang Xiaoyi observed Lin Xi's silence, then continued earnestly, "However, I understand that even if I were to speak the truth, you would likely deny it. I've come to realize that rising stars are destined to be heroes. Among the fifteen recorded, only three have not perished for their country... At that moment, I must have thought that such future heroes are indeed worthy of my admiration and respect... The seniors I idolized, like Zhou Fulong, I will never have the chance to meet."

Lin Xi's wariness dissipated like mist. He gazed quietly at Jiang Xiaoyi, and though the silver mask obscured his view of Jiang Xiaoyi's eyes, he sensed that this student, marked by the black rose, possessed a gaze as pure, upright, and untainted as that of his friend Li Kaiyun.

"I sought you out merely to ascertain how much your strength has grown, to see if my judgment holds true." Jiang Xiaoyi looked at the composed and silent Lin Xi, then picked up the golden five-pointed star badge that had fallen before him, puzzled. "Yet, based on your previous performance, even if you wished to repay me, you could only assist me in facing one opponent. Why would you simply toss a badge to me?"

Lin Xi hesitated for a moment before responding honestly, "Because I have very little soul power left. Upon seeing you, I thought it best not to waste my remaining energy and instead focus on training within the yellow walls."

"Do you often train inside?" Jiang Xiaoyi asked, astonished.

Lin Xi replied, somewhat puzzled, "I've been going nearly every day; why do you ask?"

Jiang Xiaoyi explained, "Many of our classmates have discussed this. While the arrangements within the yellow walls are indeed beneficial, every time we enter and exert ourselves, it takes several days to recover, rendering us unable to engage in the trial valley. Conversely, if we avoid exertion and injury, it yields no results. Hence, we've concluded that, given our current abilities, the gains from entering every few days might not be as effective as battling daily in the trial valley, even if it means finding multiple opponents to face. Therefore, after entering once or twice, we've decided to refrain until we can enhance our strength further."

Lin Xi pondered for a moment, recalling his dismal first experience, and found Jiang Xiaoyi's reasoning quite sound. Observing Jiang Xiaoyi's eager anticipation for his response, Lin Xi hesitated again before saying, "I'm a bit different."

Jiang Xiaoyi paused, suddenly comprehending, and a smile of delight spread across his face. He tacitly chose not to press further, his eyes glimmering with anticipation as he asked, "May I accompany you to see? At the very least, I'd like to witness how you train and see if I can learn something... Also, on our way to the yellow walls, if anyone emerges, I can help shield you, saving your soul power."

Lin Xi smiled and replied, "That sounds good."