The moment Li Muyang opened his eyes, he could still feel the uncontrollable hatred in his heart.
He knew it was just fantasy, an illusion, a nightmare; however, the dream was too real and unforgettable.
He could not forget the horrifying scene of those black-clad bandits lifting their sabres overhead and hacking everybody in sight to death, he could not forget the serious and honest expression on Gan Yangâs face when he said to him âI saved you from Mangrove Woods so you owe big brother a favour, I want you to live wellâ. He even more could not forget Gan Liangâs death and the anguished wailing of the ill woman the moment she heard her son has gone to Jiangnan.
So what if he gave her all the gold coins? Could it buyout the despair of losing her beloved son? Would it regain her hope in life and her confidence tomorrow?
Sorrow penetrating deep into bone, pain entering into the heart. That was all there was.
This is not a story; it is what Li Muyang experienced.
âStudentâââ Right in front of his eyes was a round, podgy face.
Li Muyang jolted awake, only to find himself lying on top of a huge platform. The platform, being enveloped by a sea of mist and with low hanging clouds rolling in rapidly, changing in both shape and colour, looked like the immortal pond in the heavens.
Li Muyangâs eyes swept around, asking aloud: âWhere is this? And who are you? What do you want to test me in this time?â
âStudentâââ A fat man in a gray suit repeatedly waved and said: âStudent, donât get me wrong. Iâm not an examiner, I wonât be testing you anythingââCongratulations, you have successfully passed the four trials and scale Broken Mountain to become a student of Starry Sky Academy.â
Successfully passed? Scaled the mountain?
Li Muyang pondered seriously for a moment, his profound knowledge of wine culture impressed the elderly wine expert so he successfully passes the wine trial. He gave his life to save Cui Xiaoxin but he was still dragged down the cliff, was that a success or failure?
After that, he was saved by escort guards and encountered desert bandits, all the escort guards were wiped outâ-was that the temper or avarice test?
What were the assessment criteria? What were the criterias for him to pass? Is there a model answer?
Does that mean that at Starry Sky Academy, when they say you have passed then you have passed, and when they say you have failed then they will immediately send you home â-isnât that a bit too informal?
Where is the moral credibility? Where is the fairness?
Of course, even though there are one million questions in Li Muyangâs mind, he would never ask aloud.
Since he has been told that he has passed then why would he not let go? What if they think youâre immature and send him to some other assessments such as wind, rain, thunder and lightning or gold, wood, water, fire and earth?
He has not yet experienced the coolness of Starry Sky Academy but he has already deeply learnt from experience the idiotness of Starry Sky Academy.
How could they cause inflict such sufferings to their own students?
âThank you.â Li Muyang said. âWhere is this place?â
âThis is the Stage of Appointing Commander.â The fat man said with a smile.
âThe Stage of Appointing Commander? What army?â
The chubby manâs lips pursed into a smile, saying: âChoosing strong people as commander, gathering people to slay dragons, this is not something an ordinary military could be compared to.â
âGather to slay dragons?â Li Muyangâs heart suddenly felt a coldness in his heart, he smiled and asked: âWhy do we need to slay dragons?â
âI do not know.â The fat man smiled kindly. âToo long ago, who knows? However, there must be reason. Otherwise, the strong people wouldnât do something like thisââEveryone is very busy, isnât that right?â
âYes, yes yes.â Li Muyang nodded repeatedly in agreement, saying: âotherwise, who would have that much time to slay dragons? I havenât asked for big brotherâs name?â
âDonât call me big brotherâ-youâre a new student of Starry Sky Academy, in the future you would become one of the most dazzling figures in the entire Starry Sky. Iâm just an odd-job worker, donât call me big brotherââyou can call me He An.â
âBrother He Anâ-â Li Muyang did not care whether he was an important person or simply an odd-job worker; fatty Gongshu Yuan said to him when he left: grab onto any thick thighs. He just now noticed He Anâs thighs, they are also very thickâ-Maybe he is a strong person? Maybe he was sent here by Starry Sky Academy to test him?
Li Muyang has lost faith in Starry Sky Academy, who knows if there would be another test after passing the four trials, who knows whether this is fantasy or realityââafter he scanned around the surroundings, it felt more like fantasy than fantasy.
âNo, noâââ He An hurriedly waved his hand. âStudent, I donât deserve this.â
âBrother He An donât be polite, Iâm also from a poor family, my family opens a pastry shopââIâm unfamiliar with this place and the people, and the other classmates also donât seem to like me. So, I will need big brother to look after me.â Li Muyang said with utmost sincerity.
This time he wasnât lying, compared with other students who traveled on hummingbirds here, he really is âfrom a poor familyâ. Also, those students did acted high and mighty and did not seem to like him at all. A girl with purple hair said to him that she would wait for him at Starry Sky but a dark-haired young man said to him âdonât let me see you in Starry Sky Academyâââfacing this kind of bullying at school, Li Muyang did not know what to do. Being looked after by an acquaintance, his life should be a little better, right?
He An nodded solemnly in agreement: âthe school makes no social distinctions in teaching but for some particular historical reasons, we canât anger some students because of their identity and background. But you do not need to worry too much, you are at Starry Sky Academy, regardless of their background and whether they are a young master or a prince, this is a place where justice can be found. I canât help you with anything major but if thereâs anything I can do then let me knowââWhat is your name?â
âMy last name is Li, Iâm called Muyang. Li Muyang.â Li Muyang said with a smile.
âStudent Muyang, I will now take you to register and select your academic program, then I will take you to your dorm. You can rest there for the time being and wait for the instruction to be called up.â After listening to Li Muyang, He An felt much closer to Li Muyang.
âThank you Big brother He An.â Li Muyang said with a smile.
The Stage of Appointing Commander really is too big, Li Muyang did not know how long he had walked in the clouds until he finally came to stop in front of a simple and unadorned ancient building that was similarly shrouded in ethereal clouds and mist.
âCome this way.â He An beckoned to Li Muyang.
Walking in front, he pushed open a door into the main hall, where two odd-job workers in grey shirt were busy working.
âA new student is here to register.â He An shouted.
âWhatâs the studentâs name?â An elder who looked experience and knowledgeable asked aloud.
âLi Muyang.â Li Muyang once again called out his name.
âLi Muyangâââ The elder flipped through the notes made of filaments of bamboo, and as expected found Li Muyangâs files. He said with a smile: âA good name. Student Muyang you arrived earlyâââ
âEarly?â Li Muyang stood stunned for a moment before he exclaimed in surprise: âthe other students have not arrived yet?â
âExcept you, no other students have arrived.â The elder said with a cheerful smile.
Li Muyang smiled to himself thinking: could it be I am the first person to pass all four assessments? Could it be I am not only the first in West Wind Kingdom but also first in Starry Sky Academyâ-
Then, he became alarmed; itâs the taller trees in the woods that get their tops blown off. He is so remarkable and also performed so well, what if other students envy him?
For example at the bottom of the mountain he came across many wealthy masters and ladies, if they werenât annoyed and irritated because heâs rich and tough, why did they make things difficult for him?
Just as Li Muyang was lost in various fancies and conjectures, the main entrance to the hall was again pushed open.
âA new student is here to registerââthis young lady should be the first to arrive at stargazing building for registration, right?â A thin odd-job worker in grey shirt led a pretty young lady into the hall. The young lady had bright purple hair, beautiful facial features and looked cold and elegant, like a royal princess here to visit.
âOh, someone is earlier than us?â The thin odd-job worker glanced over at Li Muyang, a look of astonishment crossed his face.
âJust a little bit earlierâââ Li Muyang gestured by bringing his thumb and index finger together then hurriedly explained: âin fact it was more or less the same time. Iâm not that much better than her.â
âItâs you?â Lu Qiji glared furiously at Li Muyang. She smoothly passed the three assessments, wine, women, and avarice but the last âtemperâ assessment wasted her a lot of time and energy. Even so, she still thought she would be the first to arrive, and the thought of someone being ahead of her never crossed her mind. Moreover, itâs that Li Muyangâ-Enemies often cross each otherâs path, right?â
âItâs me.â Li Muyang grinned foolishly: âYou said you would wait for me at the peak of the mountain but how could I let a beautiful girl wait for a boy, so I climbed up here firstâ-itâs only right for a boy to wait for a girl.â
Li Shinian said before, never be late at a date with a girl and never let a girl wait for you. Also, must not be disgruntled just because you waited for a girl for more than an hour.
Therefore, Li Muyang often waited for Li Shinian for more than an hourââ-
But Li Muyang came to understand what she meant, he has to arrive in advance at a date. This time it was no different.
He thought by saying this she would be happier and would hate him a little less.
After all, he really didnât want to form enemies now.
Lu Qijiâs eyes were filled with murderous rage as she snapped: âYouâre insulting me?â
âNo, no.â Li Muyang repeatedly waved his hand. âWe are classmates, classmates should love each other and take care of each other. Friendship is first, competition is secondâ-itâs not important who was the first to climb the mountain. First and second- whatâs the difference? The old saying goes: who have the last laugh, laughs the best. Your smile is more beautiful than meâ-â
âYouâre lucky this time. Donât you dare climb ahead of me again.â After listening to Li Muyang, Lu Qiji was infuriated even more. This jerk actually dares to show off in public, watch how I take care of you later.
âI never thought of climbing ahead of you.â Li Muyang became worried. Whatâs the matter with this girl, why does it always seem like she had eaten hundreds of sword. Whenever she speaks it feels like she would kill anytime. âMy good friend, Yan Xiangma said men donât want to climb ahead of a women, they just want to climb on a womenâs bodyââ-but I think he is wrong.â
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