Heartbreak of the Academy Disciples

Zhuhu Wangchao, Chongtian City, Chengtian Academy.

On the path of cultivation, the Great Dao had tens of thousands of branches.

Every cultivator had a place they yearned for in their hearts.

Cultivators who practiced the Five Elements techniques would wish to enter the Myriad Transformations Sect to seek a master and pursue the Dao.

Cultivators who tempered their physical bodies longed to enter the Wangchao Martial Academy to deepen their studies.

As for cultivators who practiced the arts of wind and thunder, the place they most wished to go was naturally Daoyuan Mountain.

Speaking of which, if one were to ask about the sacred ground for Confucian cultivation within the Zhuhu territory, it would undoubtedly be Chengtian Academy.

Those who could enter this place to cultivate were generally divided into three categories.

The first category was the most common and the most numerous: students who entered through examination selection.

Every year, Chengtian Academy recruited students much like the imperial examinations, and after the tests, they would release the Golden Roll.

If one's name graced the Golden Roll, they could enter the academy to cultivate their character and practice the Dao.

The second category consisted of students who entered directly through recommendation.

For example, a great family like the Feng Family held recommendation quotas, allowing them to send their younger generation into the academy for further studies.

Such students were few in number, making up less than a tenth of the total.

The third category was even rarer: students who entered through special approval.

These were students directly placed into the academy by the Wangchao, and they generally held highly unique identities.

However, when it came to teaching and lecturing on the Dao, the academy treated all these students equally, absolutely never showing favoritism based on family background or origin.

Their ability to remain so strictly impartial was largely due to their Academy Head, an expert at Spirit Communion Perfection.

The Head of Chengtian Academy only had to look at one person's face in the entire Zhuhu Wangchao, and that was the State Preceptor.

It was precisely because of this fair and just conduct that Chengtian Academy enjoyed exceptional prestige throughout the Wangchao, earning the deep respect of all factions.

Today happened to be the day the rankings were released, and many academy disciples had gathered in the square before the Heaven-Ascending Pavilion.

The academy's rankings evaluated all disciples across the four arts of the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, culminating in an academy-wide Golden Roll.

Those who could ascend the Golden Roll were the true elites within the academy.

"I worked incredibly hard last year. My ranking should improve this time, right?"

"Sigh... I don't need anything amazing. As long as I can get a 'Good' rating, I'll be satisfied."

"Ugh, stop talking about these depressing things. Who do you all think will fight their way onto the Golden Roll this year?"

"That goes without saying. Senior Sister Li will definitely make the top ten of the chess rankings! And she'll certainly secure a place on the Golden Roll!"

"That's right. Ever since Senior Sister Li entered the academy four years ago, her cultivation realm has advanced like a hot knife through butter. Now she has already reached the eighth level of Qi Gathering."

"Most chess cultivators excel at strategy and layout, but Senior Sister Li is one of the very few known for her overwhelming lethal power. It's said that within the academy, there is practically no one in the late stages who can match her!"

"I've heard about that too. When Senior Sister Li plays chess with her fellow disciples, she loves to engage in fierce slaughter, excelling in the art of 'dragon-slaying.' She follows the path of using absolute power to break all techniques. The sheer force she wields on the chessboard leaves many teachers sweating in shame, admitting their inferiority."

Hearing this, the surrounding disciples chimed in one after another, all nodding in agreement.

The academy disciples excitedly discussed the upcoming rankings, guessing which formidable Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters would make the list.

Aside from the rankings, there was one other matter mentioned most frequently.

The news that Li Yuande was about to perform the Qi-Fall Condensed Origin method in the imperial capital had already spread a month ago.

It had now become the most enthusiastically discussed topic among all factions in Chongtian City, and Chengtian Academy was no exception.

"That day is getting closer and closer. It truly fills one with anticipation!"

"Qi-Fall Condensed Origin. The Wangchao hasn't seen anyone perform this wondrous technique in decades."

"Of course! It's a life-threatening endeavor. Who would willingly throw their life away if they managed to cultivate to the twelfth level of Perfection and still had hope of reaching Condensed Origin?"

"I remember this person is named... Li Yuande, right? He came from over in Wangyue."

In the square, many young disciples gathered in small groups, their mouths full of discussion regarding Li Yuande's upcoming performance of the Qi-Fall Condensed Origin.

Just as the discussions reached a fever pitch, a graceful figure in green suddenly stepped into the square.

With her arrival, the gazes of these young disciples all gathered toward her, and they tacitly ceased their talk of the performance.

The male disciples looked at this woman with eyes full of deep admiration, a few among them burning with particularly fervent gazes.

As Confucian cultivators, such behavior was somewhat unbecoming of their station.

But it couldn't be helped. Who asked this woman to be named Li Qingwan?

Let alone the disciples, even some of the academy's teachers found their minds swaying a bit upon seeing her.

"Junior Sister Qingwan, you're here."

A handsome academy disciple stepped forward and bowed courteously. "I have some friends in the front. Since Junior Sister is here, would you like to head over together?"

Li Qingwan, dressed in a green robe, lifted her eyes to glance at him, then said indifferently, "Thank you, Senior Brother, but there is no need. I have already made plans with someone; I will just watch from here."

"Alright. In that case, never mind."

The man smiled and nodded, not saying anything more before turning to leave.

The watching disciples were long accustomed to this kind of reaction from her.

As one of the Four Great Beauties of the academy, Li Qingwan's temperament was famously cold.

Even Senior Brother Shen Yue, a Qi Gathering Perfection cultivator hailed as the First Talent of Chengtian, had been flatly rejected when he invited her for a spring outing.

"Who did Senior Sister Qingwan make plans with?"

"Heh, you just entered the academy, so you don't know. Just watch quietly. You're in for a treat today, kid~"

"A treat?"

Just as this person's heart filled with doubt, he turned his head and saw a figure as light as a butterfly flutter into the square.

"Sister Qingwan!"

A voice as sweet and melodious as a silver bell rang in their ears. Under the stunned and amazed gazes of the crowd, Feng Linghua lightly leaped and landed beside Li Qingwan.

"Little Linghua, you are late."

As Li Qingwan spoke, her vermilion lips curled slightly, revealing a faint smile.

This simple smile left countless academy disciples standing there, utterly captivated.

A single thought arose in their hearts at this moment.

Just what kind of dragon or phoenix among mortals could ever catch Senior Sister Li's eye!

"Hehe, please don't blame me, Senior Sister. I was just so absorbed in my painting that I forgot the time."

As she spoke, she drew a scroll from her sleeve and handed it to Li Qingwan.

The latter took it, unrolled it for a look, and her willow-like brows lifted as her smile deepened.

"Beautifully painted."

"How about it? This time, it looks at least eighty percent like you, right?"

"Forty percent."

"Ah? Only forty percent!"

Feng Linghua pouted, shaking Li Qingwan's arm and acting spoiled. "My good sister, just give me an eighty! With an eighty, my master will give me a brand-new set of painting tools!"

"You."

Li Qingwan reached out and tapped her forehead. "Always thinking about these shortcuts. There are no shortcuts on the path of cultivation. If you don't put in the hard work and rely solely on luck, even if you succeed by chance, it won't last long. You must know..."

"Ahhh! Alright, alright! I know, I know! Stop lecturing me! My master has already told me this a hundred times!"

Feng Linghua put on a wronged expression, secretly grumbling in her heart: If Young Master Lin were still here, I could paint a hundred percent likeness, let alone eighty!

Taking one look at her expression, Li Qingwan saw right through the little girl's thoughts.

She gently took Feng Linghua's arm, leaned close to her ear, and whispered, "Thinking about your sweetheart again?"

"Ah!"

With her thoughts exposed, Feng Linghua's cheeks instantly flushed crimson, and she turned her head away in immense shyness.

This sight made the hearts of the nearby disciples tremble uncontrollably.

Junior Sister Feng was also incredibly cute!

"Senior Brother, you were right. Being able to gaze upon two beauties is indeed a blessing I earned in my past life."

"Seconded."

"Me too!"

Looking at Li Qingwan, who was covering her mouth with a light chuckle, Feng Linghua stepped forward in defiance. "Hmph! So what if my heart already belongs to someone! What of it! Just be jealous!"

What?!

These words instantly drew countless gazes.

Did they hear that right? Junior Sister Feng said her heart already belonged to someone!

In that instant, countless academy disciples quietly felt their hearts shatter, shedding silent tears...

Other classmates sympathetically patted their shoulders, offering consoling words like "There is plenty of grass in the world."

At the same time, these people secretly rejoiced in their hearts.

Luckily, the one they admired was Senior Sister Li. They wouldn't suffer such torment.

But who could have guessed that Li Qingwan's next words would strike them like a bolt of heavenly lightning.

"Why would I be jealous? Who told you I didn't have one?"

As she spoke, Li Qingwan lowered her brows, her face blossoming into radiance. The frosty chill in her eyes melted into gentle ripples. She clasped her jade-like fingers together over her chest, the smile on her face overflowing with sheer happiness.

"He and I... have already met."

Silence...

The densely packed crowd in the square fell entirely dead silent at her words.

This time, it wasn't just the ordinary disciples. Even the few Senior Brothers from the four courtyards standing at the very front of the crowd revealed extremely complicated expressions.

Feng Linghua was equally stunned, standing frozen in place.

She never expected that her casual, defiant remark would provoke Li Qingwan to drop such a devastating bombshell!

"Then... Sister Qingwan, what kind of person is he?"

At this moment, Feng Linghua seemed to become the voice of all the disciples present, asking the question they cared about most.

Hearing this, Li Qingwan actually revealed a hint of bashfulness.

Seeing this expression, the faces of those few Senior Brothers twitched. Their hearts felt as though they were being slashed by knives and roasted over a fire-an unspeakable agony!

So, Li Qingwan was capable of making such an expression too!

A few breaths later, the crowd heard Li Qingwan speak softly.

"He is... a very good-looking person."

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