Though Yao Ting had many friends in her cla.s.sroom, they didn’t dare to stand up for her sake against Ye Qiaoxiang. After all, anyone would be afraid of dealing with a monster like Freesky.
Nevertheless, she felt an unprecedented sense of safety with Li Qiye standing up for her.
“The path of the dao is full of perils.” Li Qiye looked at her and said: “Certain things are worth exercising restraint and patience over, but not always. Rage and let blood flow each step of the way. Cultivators should be fiery like this, do not be afraid even against imperial lineages.”
Yao Ting embraced the comment for a bit before replying: “Thank you, Teacher, I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Clank, clank, clank!” A series of bell rings echoed across the city and attracted all eyes.
Someone regained their wits and said: “Go, we need to get the best spot since it’s about to begin. The tea garden is opening!”
In a short time, the students in the restaurant paid up and began to run out.
“The tea party is starting.” Yao Ting told Li Qiye.
“I’m actually going.” Li Qiye said: “You might as well come along, perhaps all of you will be fortunate enough to have a nice start of the semester this time around.”
Yao Ting didn’t expect Li Qiye to be so accommodating and hurriedly responded: “Alright, I’ll come along.”
The two of them came straight for the garden, the location of choice for this event. This was a very exciting moment for the students and none wanted to miss it.
Of course, it was very heated too so these friends came prepared. Some maneuvered with peers already in order to seize the upper hand at the party.
The garden was built inside a mountain range. Literature was vast so there were many mountainous regions within.
It was a scene of beautiful green with smatterings of empty among the thickets. Rumor has it that in the past, the geniuses once cultivated here and the land naturally became auspicious and took the form of the tea garden.
For some unknown reason later, no one stayed here any longer for cultivation but the tea parties did become an annual thing henceforth. The students came to talk and learn about the dao.
This semester lined up with the tea party so all the students were excited to use this rare chance for a variety of reasons - mostly cultivation related.
In a short time, the once-peaceful mountain range became rowdy with people coming and going - waiting for the start of the festival.
Some traveled on the ground while others preferred flying with treasures, cranes, or beasts… The ones traveling with great fanfare resulted in loud blasts in the sky.
“Senior White Crane, you’re here too?” Those who came early began greeting the latecomers.
“Senior, your rhino beast is becoming bigger and bigger. It’s going to be a demon king one day.”
People truly tried hard to make conversations even to non-acquaintances. This was a good chance to build relations.h.i.+ps. The ones from Emperor Mansion and Sacred Inst.i.tutions were especially welcomed by those from Hundred Halls.
“Six-sword Young King and Miao Chan from Hundred Halls are here now.” A message spread across the crowd.
“Not just them, even Rumination G.o.dchild from Sacred Inst.i.tution is here.”
“This tea party will be very excited. Even the reclusive geniuses from Emperor Mansion are here, like their number one beauty - Fairy Mei Suyao. Hmm, two of the Three Scions are here too, I wonder if the leader, Freesky Young Lord, will come too?”
People had fun talking about these famous characters even before the opening of the garden. Mei Suyao was a particularly hot topic; all the guys spoke about her with glimmers in their eyes, wis.h.i.+ng to see her beautiful features.
“There’s Teacher Yu Qianxuan for the instructors and then Fairy Mei Suyao for the student body. Our semester really has some peerless ladies!” A few students couldn’t wait anymore and began daydreaming.
In fact, the majority of the male students were filled with antic.i.p.ation. Who wouldn’t be when beautiful women were coming?
The most famous ladies at the academy included Yu Qianxuan, Mei Suyao, and Miao Chan.
As a teacher, Qianxuan rarely interacted socially with others outside of the cla.s.sroom while Miao Chan wasn’t famous for her looks as much. Thus, Mei Suyao naturally became the most famous in the academy. So many students were head over heels for her.
Yao Ting and Li Qiye didn’t attract a lot of attention. After all, outside of students like Yan Chensheng, the others didn’t know that he was a teacher. They a.s.sumed that he was a student in Hundred Halls due to his ordinary appearance.
The group that offended him was scolded by the ancestors of the academy and were placed under house arrest. They were scared out of their mind, realizing that they have messed with the wrong person!
The students focused on Yao Ting instead of Li Qiye. Though she wasn’t a match for Mei Suyao, her pure and innocent aura was still quite attractive so fellow students came up to say hi.
When the two was climbing up the mountain, they saw an empty shrine but there were two students from hundred Halls guarding there.
“Six-sword Young King and Sister Miao Chan want to s.h.i.+ne at this tea party. The young king said he wanted to compete against Sacred Inst.i.tution. Hmm, the two of them are a good combo, both brawn and brains.” Yao Ting was also excited to watch.
Of course, this was a compet.i.tion for these imperial geniuses, no room for regular students like them. People the young king wouldn’t bring those with humble origin since the pie was limited.
Li Qiye chuckled after hearing the name Miao Chan again and walked for the old shrine.
The two students immediately stopped him by the door and thought that he was a n.o.body. With an expression of disdain, one guy uttered coldly: “Fellow Cla.s.smate, go away. This shrine is being used by our Six-sword Young King.”
Li Qiye looked at them and ordered: “Back down.” His voice carried an unquestionable authority.
The two of them seemed to be possessed and instantly obeyed.
Inside the shrine were a dozen students sitting on the ground. They were the most exceptional in Hundred Halls.
The most special ones were naturally the young king and Miao Chan. The form needed no introduction. Given his talents, power, and background, he should have been able to join Sacred Inst.i.tution without a problem yet he chose to stay at Hundred Halls.
He was the leader of this cla.s.sroom and enjoyed great support and trust from his peers.
Meanwhile, Miao Chan was sitting in the corner. Nevertheless, this wasn’t enough to hide her n.o.bility. Her most notable feature was her intelligence, so the young king and the other geniuses wanted her help for planning.
The young king was organizing a plan for the tea party but Li Qiye and Yao Ting interrupted him. The whole room became quiet.
In a short time, all eyes were on the two. They thought that Li Qiye was a student from Hundred Halls. Only Miao Chan was startled by his arrival.
“Sister Yao, we are debating an important matter right now and you’re trespa.s.sing. Leave right now.” The young king’s expression darkened.
Yao Ting didn’t know what to say since she wasn’t sure of the situation or why Li Qiye wanted to intrude.
1. I had it at Si in a previous chapter, it’s Rumination now