Volume One, Chapter 19: He Must Not Enter!

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Evening fell as the sun dipped below the western horizon. Xiao Ziyue, accompanied by Mu Yi, had finally toured the entirety of the Hidden Spirit Academy.

“How do you feel now?” she suddenly turned around and smiled gently at Mu Yi.

“I really don’t know if Director Shen sent you here to protect me or to draw enmity on my behalf. Didn’t you notice all those male students along the way? Each one looked like they wanted to devour me,” Mu Yi replied with a slight smile.

“Being your guide, you’re the first to have traversed the entire academy, so enduring the jealous gazes of everyone is worth it,” Xiao Ziyue responded with a smile of her own. “Actually, when my master first assigned me to protect you, I refused. But after spending the afternoon with you, I realized you truly are extraordinary.”

“Of course I am. Otherwise, do you think your master would look at me differently?” Mu Yi said. “Alright, let’s get down to business. I’m sure your master didn’t just send you here to familiarize me with the academy, right?”

“As you guessed. Follow me; the next place we’re going to is a secret.” With a wave of her delicate hand, a gentle breeze enveloped Mu Yi and lifted him into the depths of the clouds.

“This place is…” Mu Yi said, his eyes clearing to reveal that they stood upon the clouds. Ahead, shrouded in mist, loomed a massive gate barely visible.

Four large characters were inscribed on it: Hidden Spirit Secret Realm.

“This is the academy’s most secret training ground. Only students who have made great contributions can enter, and even then, only once, for a week-long cultivation,” Xiao Ziyue said, her beautiful eyes fixed on Mu Yi. “You originally had no chance of entering, but my master specially approved your access to train here for one week. This is an extremely rare opportunity. Even the thirty-two Holy Sons cannot enter without merit.”

“Oh? Such an important place, and Director Shen actually let me in?” Mu Yi was quite surprised. Even the Holy Sons usually could not enter this place.

“My master values you highly,” Xiao Ziyue sighed softly, a trace of worry in her eyes. “Mu Yi, you must have seen it yourself. Although my master is the director, her experience is still limited. Many powerful figures within the academy do not respect her, and some even seek to remove her from her position.”

“On the surface, the Hidden Spirit Academy appears peaceful, but beneath, fierce internal struggles rage. My master trusts very few.”

“As for you, though you just joined the academy, you were personally recommended by Ren Yanyu. So my master considers you a trusted confidant. We’re in the same boat; your honor is our honor, your loss is our loss. Do you understand?”

“Of course. Please convey to the director that I, Mu Yi, will repay her kindness a thousandfold!” Mu Yi’s eyes sparkled with determination.

“In three months, the quadrennial Dragon Gate Battlefield will open. The four great academies of the Great Qian Dynasty, along with major families and other factions, will send disciples below the Yuan Realm to participate.”

“In the last competition, our Hidden Spirit Academy ranked last among the four, and due to longstanding enmity with Great Qian Academy, many of our disciples were slaughtered, suffering great loss and humiliation. This time, my master hopes you will lead the Hidden Spirit Academy to glory, to claim first place!”

“If you succeed, it will be the greatest reward for my master,” Xiao Ziyue said, gazing intently at Mu Yi. “Can you do it?”

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“Easily. One hundred percent,” was Mu Yi’s resolute answer.

“I haven’t forgotten that rainy night a month ago when I was wrongfully accused and humiliated by so many disciples.”

“In three months at the Dragon Gate Battlefield, old grievances and new will be settled at once!”

“The Great Qian Academy now regards me as a disgrace in their history. Fine. Let me show how this so-called disgrace will turn their blood to rivers!”

Mu Yi was a man who avenged every grudge.

“Good. Let’s go in.”

Xiao Ziyue led Mu Yi through the gate.

The moment they entered, an otherworldly, magnificent realm unfolded before Mu Yi’s eyes, like a fairyland.

Four gates stood to the east, south, west, and north, each radiating strange energies that stirred the powers within Mu Yi’s body.

“Hm? Who is this person?” a sharp-eyed black-robed elder scrutinized Mu Yi as he stood before the four gates.

“Elder Dan Feng, this is our Hidden Spirit Academy’s new disciple, Mu Yi. The director has ordered that he be allowed to train in the Heavenly Pool within the Secret Realm for seven days,” Xiao Ziyue explained, producing a token from her hand. “This is the director’s official order. Please verify it.”

“What? A new student directly promoted by the director to an inner disciple and allowed to train in the Heavenly Pool?” Elder Dan Feng was shocked as he examined the token. This was no ordinary token but contained the director Shen Yushu’s thoughts—impossible to forge.

Anyone entering the Hidden Spirit Secret Realm must have a personal decree from Shen Yushu.

“Elder Dan Feng, may Mu Yi enter now?” Xiao Ziyue asked.

“No! Mu Yi is not qualified!” Dan Feng’s eyes narrowed.

“Though the director has ordered it, as the current guardian elder of the Secret Realm, I have a heavy responsibility to protect the academy’s resources.”

Dan Feng sneered coldly. “The Secret Realm is the dragon vein of our academy. Since ancient times, only Holy Sons who have achieved great merit may enter. Mu Yi does not meet the qualifications.”

“The director has ordered it! How dare you resist?”

Xiao Ziyue’s eyebrows shot up in anger.

“I dare not! But the resources of the Secret Realm belong to all of us in the academy. The ancient rules cannot be broken, not even by Director Shen’s orders,” Dan Feng said arrogantly, boldly defying Shen Yushu.

“Hahaha! Well said! This Hidden Spirit Academy belongs to all its elders and disciples, not just Shen Yushu. Nothing here is decided by her alone.”

At that moment, a loud laugh rang out.

Hearing the voice, Mu Yi and Xiao Ziyue immediately recognized the speaker.

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A figure in a black robe with white hair appeared—it was Mo Jinghong, the chief of the Punishment Hall!

“Elder Dan Feng, I support you. No matter what, this treacherous Mu Yi must not be allowed into the Hidden Spirit Secret Realm today. Otherwise, the academy’s thousand-year-old rules will be destroyed,” Mo Jinghong declared.

His appearance was clearly to bolster Dan Feng’s resolve.

“Indeed! Mu Yi was recently a traitor of the Great Qian Academy, yet he now belongs to Hidden Spirit Academy. More importantly, the director bypassed all rules, promoting him directly to inner disciple and allowing him to enter the Secret Realm. This is unacceptable! We refuse to comply!”

Mo Jinghong was not alone.

Two young men stood behind him.

Mu Yi immediately sensed their powerful auras, similar to Xiao Ziyue’s—they were formidable Yuan Realm experts.

Clearly, these two were Holy Sons of Hidden Spirit Academy, on the same level as Xiao Ziyue.

“Gu Fan, Nangong Ying,” Xiao Ziyue frowned upon seeing them.

“Heh, Senior Sister Xiao, apologies. We two are also here to train in the Secret Realm, and we have made great contributions to the academy, unlike this Mu Yi who sneaked in,” Gu Fan and Nangong Ying said, their eyes provocatively fixed on Mu Yi.

These two were part of Mo Jinghong’s faction, as was Dan Feng.

“Elder Dan Feng, here are our tokens from the director allowing us to enter. You may let us pass,” they said, producing their own decrees.

“Of course, you may enter now,” Dan Feng said. Though he disdained Xiao Ziyue’s token, which he saw as targeting Mu Yi, he readily accepted theirs.

“Elder Dan Feng, these two have the director’s orders, so let them pass. Mu Yi also has the director’s token. If you distrust it, will you really go against the director’s command?” Xiao Ziyue’s face darkened.

“I do not dare. I am only following academy rules,” Dan Feng said confidently, backed by Mo Jinghong.

“Rules are dead, people live. Dan Feng, you have guts to openly defy my orders,” a cold female voice suddenly rang out.

Instantly, Dan Feng was struck by tremendous force, forced onto one knee, blood spurting from his mouth.