Chapter 115: Entering the Academy
"Teacher, please don't be too quick to anger. Let me try to persuade him."
Wen Aoxue stepped forward, carrying a hint of tranquility about him. His entire being was spotless, unnaturally clean—if he dressed up a bit, no one would ever say he was a man.
"The Heavenly One Academy may not have much of a reputation in the outside world, but only when you truly enter it will you understand how different it is. It can greatly develop your talent and enhance your cultivation. There's no harm in this for you. Why do you refuse?"
Wen Aoxue said to Lin Feng calmly, a gentle smile in his beautiful eyes.
"The disciples and teachers of the Heavenly One Academy that I've seen so far—none of them are impressive."
Lin Feng replied indifferently, causing everyone's gaze to freeze. The noble disciples' faces turned ugly one by one. What Lin Feng meant by "not impressive" was clearly referring to them—they had disgraced the Heavenly One Academy.
The old man was also stunned, a cold light flashing in his eyes. What an ungrateful brat, so audacious.
"What you've seen is not the same as reality. Besides, what you've seen is only a small part."
Wen Aoxue shook his head slightly.
But Lin Feng remained unmoved. Academies and sects, though different in concept, were essentially the same in substance.
The entire Cloud Sea Sect had died because of him, and the Sect Leader's ring was now in his hands. He bore the mission of reviving the sect—how could he become a disciple of the Heavenly One Academy?
"Wen Aoxue is right. What you've seen is just the tip of the iceberg. I hope you will enter the Heavenly One Academy."
At this moment, another voice rang out. Not far away, a figure stepped forward, moving like a phantom, instantly crossing a hundred meters to stand before the crowd.
The newcomer was also an old man. Seeing him, the crowd was even more astonished, their gazes carrying a trace of respect.
It was the Vice Dean! The Vice Dean had come personally to invite Lin Feng. How could this not shock them?
"Could Lin Feng's talent be so great that even the academy's high-ranking officials are tempted?"
The crowd's hearts trembled. Zhong Ling, Zuo Qiu, and the others who had mocked Lin Feng for not having a letter of recommendation felt their faces burning. It wasn't that Lin Feng didn't have a letter of recommendation—he simply had no interest in the Heavenly One Academy. He had refused several invitations, and now even the Vice Dean had come to personally invite him.
"Some unworthy disciples of the Heavenly One Academy have already been humiliated by you. As for the teacher, he was indeed a bit short-sighted. I'll have him apologize to you."
The Vice Dean said calmly, then glanced at the old man. This scene once again shocked the crowd.
For Lin Feng's sake, the Vice Dean wanted a teacher to apologize to Lin Feng?
Even Lin Feng was stunned, not understanding why. Although his talent was considerable, the Heavenly One Academy was filled with monstrous prodigies. Zuo Qiu and Bai Ze, who had casually walked out earlier, were already very talented, and that was just the tip of the iceberg. So why would this Vice Dean, whom he had never met before, value him so highly that he would make an old man apologize to him?
"Dean." The old man's gaze sharpened, his expression stiff. He looked at the Vice Dean, but the Vice Dean raised an eyebrow, causing the old man's eye to twitch slightly.
Turning his gaze to Lin Feng, the old man said, "Apologies. I was rash."
"Be more sincere."
The Vice Dean seemed dissatisfied with the old man's stiff attitude and said calmly, making the old man's body tremble slightly. The crowd was even more horrified.
Lin Feng, what great face he had! The Vice Dean was treating him like this.
Could Lin Feng have a powerful background? The crowd wondered silently, finding it hard to imagine.
The teachers of the Heavenly One Academy were all invited by the academy, each one a strong cultivator with considerable fame even in the Imperial City—none were mediocre. Yet the Vice Dean insisted that the old man apologize to Lin Feng, and it wasn't even Lin Feng who demanded it—it was the Vice Dean's own initiative. This forced them to think more deeply.
"Why?"
The old man's face was extremely stiff, resentment burning in his heart. But seeing the Vice Dean's gaze, he could only turn his eyes to Lin Feng and bow slightly. "Apologies. I was arrogant and offended you."
"What do you think?" The Vice Dean asked Lin Feng again.
Lin Feng's eyes flickered as he looked at the Vice Dean, as if trying to see something in the other's eyes. But the Vice Dean's eyes remained calm, without much fluctuation. Lin Feng couldn't discern anything.
Just as Lin Feng was about to speak, the Vice Dean said, "If you don't want to join the Heavenly One Academy, that's fine. I can grant you the status of a guest disciple. You can leave at any time, without being bound by any restraints of the Heavenly One Academy. Whenever you want to leave the academy, you may. However, you will still enjoy the same benefits as a formal disciple—receive guidance from teachers and use the academy's resources to cultivate and improve. This is only beneficial to you, with no harm."
Hearing this, the crowd's hearts couldn't help but twitch violently.
Only enjoying the rights and benefits of the academy, without being bound by any rules, and even being able to withdraw from the Heavenly One Academy at any time after getting what you want, severing ties—such a good deal existed in this world? And this was spoken personally by the Vice Dean. This promise was clearly beyond question.
"Could he be from the Duan family, the Yue family, or the Yu family?" The crowd wondered silently. If he were from the Duan family and had such talent, they should have heard of him. As for the Yue family, they were all extremely proud and wouldn't enter an academy to cultivate. The same went for the other family—their own clan's strength was comparable to a sect. None of these were possible.
Many thoughts arose in their minds, but they couldn't figure it out. Even if Lin Feng's talent was outstanding, it shouldn't warrant such generous conditions.
Lin Feng himself couldn't understand the other's intentions and couldn't help asking, "Such good fortune falls on me? I want to know why."
"In fact, when good fortune comes, there's no need to refuse it." The Vice Dean smiled. "I can only tell you that I was entrusted by someone."
"Entrusted by someone?" The crowd was even more puzzled. In the Imperial City, Lin Feng had no acquaintances. Who could have such great face as to make the Vice Dean of the Heavenly One Academy treat him like this?
But as the other had said, this was a situation with only benefits and no harm—there was no reason to refuse.
Without needing to join the Heavenly One Academy, yet enjoying all its benefits—how could Lin Feng refuse such a good deal?
Moreover, if the other party had ill intentions toward him, they wouldn't need to go to such trouble. In their eyes, dealing with someone at the Spirit Martial Realm would be effortless.
"Perhaps it really is a favor for someone." Lin Feng smiled faintly. "I came with my companions. If I enter, they must enter too."
"No problem. Anyone you bring can freely enter and leave the Heavenly One Academy. But I must clarify that aside from you, those who are not formal disciples of the Heavenly One Academy must still follow some rules."
The Vice Dean agreed readily.
"Naturally." Lin Feng smiled.
"Alright. Take this little thing. Everyone, disperse." The Vice Dean waved his hand, and a streak of light shot toward Lin Feng, carrying a blurry object.
Lin Feng reached out and caught it in his palm, making many people itch with curiosity, wondering what the Vice Dean had given Lin Feng.
"Welcome to the Heavenly One Academy. Let me take you around."
Wen Aoxue said to Lin Feng. Lin Feng nodded slightly, and the four of them followed Wen Aoxue into the Heavenly One Academy.
Stepping through the arched gate, rows of small palaces and castles appeared before Lin Feng's eyes, majestic and spectacular.
"Divine craftsmanship."
Lin Feng marveled at these palaces and castles, along with the gardens and rivers in his sight. The architecture was too perfect—each palace and castle had its own unique style.
"Try looking from far to near, horizontally."
Wen Aoxue said with a faint smile.
Lin Feng followed his advice and looked horizontally at the palaces and castles, his gaze freezing again.
"Heavenly One!"
The city formed by these palaces and castles vaguely revealed two large characters: "Heavenly One," as if proclaiming its status—above and below the heavens, there was only one.
"Entering the Heavenly One Academy, you won't regret it." Wen Aoxue smiled calmly.
Lin Feng looked at this eerie man who was more beautiful than a woman and asked, "Why did you speak up for me? Were you also entrusted by someone?"
Wen Aoxue shook his head. "If I said that the Vice Dean and I came one after the other purely by coincidence, would you believe it?"
"There's no reason for you to lie to me. But we've never met before—why did you help me?"
"Fate is always so mysterious. Some people, you take one look at them and feel a connection, and you like them. In my eyes, you're that kind of person."
A hint of redness even appeared on Wen Aoxue's beautiful face. Lin Feng stopped in his tracks, staring at Wen Aoxue in shock.
Seeing Lin Feng stop, Wen Aoxue turned around and saw Lin Feng's strange expression, sizing him up from head to toe. That beautiful face became a bit exaggerated.
"Get lost! I don't have that kind of hobby!"
Wen Aoxue forced out a voice, making Lin Feng burst into laughter. Indeed, some people, even if you haven't known them long, you can still like them. Wen Aoxue was undoubtedly that kind of person.
...
At this moment, in another place, the Vice Dean and the old man who had apologized to Lin Feng were walking on the academy's path. The old man's face was still unpleasant—no one would be happy being forced to apologize to a junior in front of all the disciples.
"Still holding a grudge?"
The Vice Dean asked the old man calmly.
"I dare not disobey the Dean's orders." The old man's tone was stiff. He had been invited to the Heavenly One Academy by the Dean, not a subordinate.
"Heh, you don't have to be like this. You should understand that I always have my principles in doing things. Otherwise, you wouldn't have followed me out." The Vice Dean said calmly. "Since I did that, there must be a reason. As for you... that martial technique you mentioned before—go and claim it directly. Just say I said so."
The old man's steps faltered, and the stiffness on his face instantly vanished, replaced by a wild joy. The gloom was completely overtaken by a flush of ecstasy!