Central City.
Looking up, one could see the sky filled with auspicious clouds, golden rays shining in all directions, and countless pavilions and towers, accompanied by the sound of celestial music. Men and women dressed in splendid garments were often seen, some riding on cranes, others on various glowing chariots and auspicious clouds, flying among the palaces.
It looked resplendent and majestic, filled with an air of immortality.
"Is this the Heavenly Court?"
A silver-haired girl with a backpack on her back looked up at the densely packed celestial mansions above, her eyes filled with indifference.
An elderly man stood beside her, stroked his beard, and laughed, "Meng Ruocun, what do you feel upon seeing the Heavenly Court for the first time?"
The silver-haired girl was none other than the top student of the special training class at Dao School, Meng Ruocun, who possessed third realm cultivation.
She had been selected to come to the Heavenly Court for intensive training and was to return to Dao School to participate in the quad-school competition after six months.
The man standing next to her was the principal of Dao School, Yun Chonghe.
Hearing Yun Chonghe’s question, Meng Ruocun gazed at the palaces in the sky and said indifferently, "What a waste."
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"Hahahahaha," Yun Chonghe laughed, a trace of sadness in his laughter. "Indeed, what a waste." His tone then shifted as he continued, "Speaking of which, you’d never guess who the current top student of the special training class is after you left."
Meng Ruocun replied, "As far as I know, after I left, the Heavenly Court sent Zi Yang Sword Immortal’s youngest son, Zheng Wentian, there.
Logically speaking, Zheng Wentian, being of the celestial god lineage and having cultivated in the Heavenly Court from a young age with access to special resources and divine charts, and also being a third realm cultivator, no student at Dao School should be able to defeat him.
But since you’re asking this way, it must mean something unexpected has happened. Could it be that Jiang Weishan broke through to the third realm? And then defeated him?"
As she spoke, she shook her head, lightly tapping her finger, her eyes seemingly filled with countless calculations and wisdom, "Although Jiang Weishan is exceptionally talented, he has always primarily focused on body refinement. If he were to break through to the third realm, he would surely have chosen the Dragon Subduing Chart.
Before I left, he was still in the second realm; in this short time, he could at most have mastered the first star point of the Dragon Subduing Chart. It’s still not enough; it’s impossible that he could have defeated Zheng Wentian, who has already mastered five star points of the Nine Yang Chart."
Meng Ruocun slightly furrowed her brow, "Could it be Lu Wanzhen? Or Xu Qizhang?"
Yun Chonghe chuckled, "Now, this one you wouldn’t have guessed, right? It’s that genius of the new class, Zhou Bai."
"Zhou Bai?" Meng Ruocun, who had always been indifferent and confident, finally showed a hint of surprise in her eyes, "It’s actually him?"
Yun Chonghe described Zhou Bai’s performance in battle, concluding with, "This child must have an extraordinary divine bloodline in him. What do you think? Feeling any pressure? Worried he might catch up to you?"
Meng Ruocun chuckled softly, "Indeed impressive, but Zheng Wentian is, after all, only a pampered scion relying on his celestial god background. I’m afraid the real geniuses of Central City could all defeat him.
During my time here training in Central City, I will surely become a fourth realm cultivator when I return to Dao School in half a year. How could Zhou Bai possibly catch up to me?
He would at least have to walk the path I have taken to even stand on the same starting line as me."
Seeing Meng Ruocun’s full confidence, Yun Chonghe nodded and smiled, "You and Zhou Bai are both pillars of our Dao School. Although Zhou Bai has not yet reached his potential, I have already arranged for Ying Hui to take him under his wing. When you are back, you will be his senior sister, and you should take good care of him."
"Rest assured, I will certainly take care of the geniuses from our Dao School," Meng Ruocun assured, "In half a year, I will lead Dao School to be the top of the quad-schools."
...
Seeing Lin Muqing, Zhou Bai was instantly jolted, somewhat reluctant to approach this woman from the Night Army.
After all, the Night Army, primarily an internal intelligence agency, had a rather poor reputation.
Moreover, after learning that Lin Muqing and Fang Mo were both from the Night Army, Zhou Bai had specifically asked his classmates about the recent activities of the Night Army. That’s how he discovered that there had been a lot of covert tension recently in Donghua City, with the Night Army arresting people left and right. Sometimes they did not discriminate, and even people who had merely mentioned the Heavenly Demon at home with friends and family the night before had been taken away.
It was only within the Dao School where the Night Army had somewhat held back their operations.
"""
Zhou Bai really didn’t want to get involved with this kind of intelligence organization.
Then he saw Lin Muqing approaching, speaking with a gentle face, "Why do you seem a little afraid of me? Do I look scary?"
"Of course not."
"Then let’s go have something to eat," Lin Muqing said, "my treat."
Zhou Bai’s gaze sharpened as he thought to himself, "It looks like Lin Muqing has received instructions from the leadership, trying to use sugar-coated bullets to corrode me, to investigate me in secret, right?"
After thinking it over, the topics of interest to the other party must be Xing Jun, the Tao Te Ching, and the first hexagram.
However, what he could share he had already disclosed, and regarding the aspects he couldn’t talk about, unless they found Xing Jun, there was no way they would know.
"Since they want to use sugar-coated bullets to corrode me..." Zhou Bai thought of Zheng Wentian, whom he hadn’t seen this morning, and his look towards Lin Muqing immediately changed.
"Sure, Teacher Lin, let’s go have a meal together."
In the cafeteria, while packing his meal, Zhou Bai said, "Teacher Lin, could I borrow 200 points to buy some food?"
"Why do you need so much food?"
"How about 100 points then?"
"Didn’t you pack some already?"
"50 points then?"
"Oh, you choose, I’ll pay for you."
"Tsk," Zhou Bai thought somewhat dissatisfied, "Just 50 points."
Lin Muqing looked at Zhou Bai’s disdainful expression and suddenly got a bit angry. What was this supposed to mean? She was lending him points, and this kid Zhou Bai was still looking down on her. She really didn’t want to lend it to him.
But since she had already agreed, she could simply decide not to lend him points next time.
Yet, when she saw Zhou Bai about to leave, she quickly called after him, "What’s the hurry? Am I a demon? Are you going to run away just after exchanging a few words?"
Zhou Bai turned around with embarrassment, only to be caught by the palm of Lin Muqing.
"Hmm?"
Zhou Bai felt surprised when suddenly a tickling sensation came from his palm, Lin Muqing was sliding her fingers across his hand.
But on the surface, Lin Muqing was naturally pulling him back to his seat while holding Zhou Bai’s hand.
And as Zhou Bai felt that tickling sensation in his palm, he initially thought Lin Muqing was up to something. But gradually, Zhou Bai realized that she was writing words on his palm.
"Is the Night Army investigating you?"
Zhou Bai was startled and looked at Lin Muqing, who was looking back at him with a teasing smile, saying as if nothing was wrong, "What’s the matter? You don’t like eating with me?"
Zhou Bai smiled awkwardly and thought to himself, "Is she telling me the Night Army is investigating me? Isn’t she part of the Night Army herself?"
Zhou Bai recalled the last time she had probed his attitude towards the Heavenly Demon, ending with the opportunity to capture him along with Fang Mo.
Lin Muqing’s previous probes towards Zhou Bai, it seemed, were only because of Fang Mo’s orders. Her own attitude towards the Heavenly Demon and humans certainly couldn’t be as she pretended while probing Zhou Bai.
Therefore, Zhou Bai had never been quite sure about Lin Muqing’s true stance, and at this moment he understood her intentions even less.
In his heart, Zhou Bai couldn’t help but think, ’Could it be another tactic to probe me?’
"""