Perhaps others didn’t know the origin of Starry-Sky Academy, but since Yan Bolai was a descendant of an eminent family in Capital Heaven, how could he not know it?
Some said that Starry-Sky Academy was established 10,000 years ago; some said that since human beings started to write, Starry-Sky Academy had existed. Some others even said that the first college president of Starry-Sky Academy was a cultivator in the Dragon Slaying Realm. Later, he broke the void and became an immortal. After that, he turned into an eternal existence like the sun and the moon and could live as long as heaven and earth.
Though there were so many versions of the academy’s origin, the truth had lost in the mists of time. The records in the history books were ambiguous and unclear. It seemed as if human beings all over the world were trying to hide a huge secret.
Nevertheless, Yan Bolai knew it clearly that countless great people, whose fame spread throughout the Divine Land, were from the Starry-Sky Academy.
For example, Ximen Hongying, who graduated from the academy, broke through the Luoshui City alone with a single sword a thousand years ago. For another example, Zhang Guoren, who liked riding a black ox backward, burst into the desert and struck down Tenggler and his 100,000 cavalries? Tenggler, who was also called the “Iron-cap Prince,” had repeatedly violated the borders of the Xifeng Empire and carried out the inhumane policy of “burn all, kill all, loot all” to deal with the people living in the places where he and his cavalries invaded. Also, there was Ying Qiangu of a humble origin, widely known as the Peacock King. Along with a group of his fellow apprentices, he created the Peacock Empire, which could even stand up to the great Xifeng Empire.
Ordinary people in the world only knew that all the great people with familiar names had mysterious backgrounds and extremely high cultivation levels. Each of these outstanding talents was just like the bright star or the moon of their time, whose radiance was enough to enlighten the entire Divine Land.
In addition to all of this, Yan Bolai knew what they had in common: they all came from Starry-Sky Academy.
For nearly a thousand years, the Divine Land was in peace. Though all the countries had highly competitive relationships, they managed to maintain an excellent balance. Thus, it had been a long time since some prominent talents from Starry-Sky Academy showed up and astonished all the people in the entire Divine Land by their achievements. Nevertheless, it did not mean that Starry-Sky Academy had been forgotten.
No one dared to forget such an academy.
Who wouldn’t want to send their descendants to further their studies in such a school?
No matter it was the royal family or the illustrious family, every single one of them had exerted all their efforts only to send their most outstanding talents to this academy.
Yan Bolai was the most promising candidate whom the Yan Family mainly reckoned on to enter Starry-Sky Academy. However, the academy rejected him without giving him any reason for the denial. The Starry-Sky Academy would never explain why it refused to admit someone.
After becoming the City Lord of Jiangnan City, Yan Bolai tried hard to send Yan Xiangma to the Starry-Sky Academy. Of course, this time, his suggestion was rejected by his family because the Cui Family wanted to send another young man. After all, both Yan Xiangma’s aptitude and cultivation level were far inferior to those of the other candidate.
To their disappointment, the Starry-Sky Academy also rejected that young man, who then entered the Shadow Domain in a fit of anger, swearing to reach the Vicissitude Realm to the death. However, Yan Bolai didn’t want to give up, so he sent his son to strive for the Starry-Sky Academy’s offer. However, no miracle happened—Yan Xiangma failed. The Starry-Sky Academy didn’t accept him and didn’t give any explanations for this decision, exactly like what they did to Yan Bolai that year.
All the members of the Yan Family had been looking forward to the day when the Starry-Sky Academy would admit someone in their family. To send their outstanding descendants to the Starry-Sky Academy, they had put a great deal of time, effort, and money into it. However, all of the descendants failed.
But now, someone came to tell him that the Starry-Sky Academy accepted Li Muyang. What was more, it was one of the guys in the academy, who always held their heads high haughtily, flew over a great distance on a crane to deliver the good news of acceptance to Li Muyang in the Jiangnan City.
Yan Bolai always held Li Muyang cheap, so he just could not figure out how capable and promising Li Muyang was that even the Starry-Sky Academy was willing to admit him.
Even such a good-for-nothing like Li Muyang could enter the Starry-Sky Academy. Would it make the failure of his son Yan Xiangma and him look too obvious and unacceptable?
As the powerful City Lord of Jiangnan City who had achieved the Upper Level of the Floating Cloud Realm, he was outshone by an ordinary teenager! Yan Bolai found that it was difficult for him to stay unmoved even if he was always coolheaded. Now the anger in his heart flared up, and he just could not calm down. The Yan Family’s “Raging-Flame Mantra” was a cultivation method that was domineering and indomitable to the extreme. Thus, it was too hard for him to suppress his emotions completely.
“He took the first place in the Liberal-arts Exam,” said the black-robed man. “It’s said that Li Muyang is the second student who was accepted by the Starry-Sky Academy because he was the No. 1 in the Liberal-arts Exam.”
“The first one was Li Qiubai, right?” Yan Bolai asked coldly. However, he was not asking because he knew the answer in his heart. Li Qiubai, who drifted down the Liang Mountain by water on a tiny boat and slaughtered hundreds of thousands of gangsters robbing on waterways, also had taken the first place in the Liberal-arts Exam. Moreover, he, who was well-known for his poetry, was a poet well-respected by almost everyone in the Divine Land.
The black-robed man didn’t provide an answer, for he was clear that the City Lord had already had a definite answer in his heart.
“Jiangnan City is warm and comfortable. People here are living in wealthy and peaceful lives. Despite that, it is also a place producing outstanding people. I didn’t expect that a small tiger would be hiding right within my territory. Li Muyang, he killed Crow with his bare hands and got the first place in the Liberal-arts Exam. How can such a person be an ordinary teenager? I suppose that even the group of geniuses in the Capital Heaven can’t achieve such dazzling achievements, right?”
“Those gifted youngsters are all unyielding ones,” the black-robed said, knowing perfectly well what kind of answer the City Lord had expected.
“Of course. They were born and have been raised in Capital Heaven. These experiences have broadened their horizons and formed their aspirations that are much higher than others. After we set the trap last time, have you identified anyone who ran errands for some forces?”
“No.” The man in the black robe looked puzzled and said, “After we cleared Young Master Xiangma of his suspicion of killing Crow, we deliberately exposed Li Muyang to the public. However, no suspicious person came to contact him, nor was there anyone coming to make secret inquiries or assassinate Li Muyang. It seemed as if he had become an invisible man, which was truly strange.”
“Humph, there are no people who ran errands for others. Instead, someone of great influence must be behind all of this. If there was no help from some powerful people, do you think that Starry-Sky Academy would accept the son of a pastry shop owner? No matter how amazing and mysterious the Starry-Sky Academy was, its scouts could never spread all over the world. Think about it: how could the son of some ordinary people get the chance to enter the Starry-Sky Academy? The people behind all of this must be mighty, which is far beyond our expectation.”
“Lord, what do you mean?”
“Other than the royal families and the noble families, how many other families are capable of getting a young man from a humble family into the Starry-Sky Academy?”
“City Lord, what do you mean?”
“Since Li Muyang is a candidate from Jiangnan City and has won the first place in the Liberal-arts Exam, the City Lord Mansion will naturally bestow a generous reward to him. Meanwhile, we should vigorously advocate this achievement of him such that those who lag behind can follow his example and work harder. According to the usual practice, what kind of rewards will the other military commanders and City Lords give to the candidate in their cities who has won the first place in the exam of the empire?”
“Reward them with gold coins or other practical items,” the black-robed man said. “The military commander always gives a reward of five hundred gold coins, and the City Lord offers two hundred gold coins.”
“Double the number.” A beam of piercingly-cold light flashed across Yan Bolai’s eyes. He reached out his hand and picked up a red cherry tomato on his desk. With his fingers, he squeezed the cherry tomato hard, and then the tomato juice splashed around. “No. Ten times the reward and give Li Muyang 2,000 gold coins.”
“City Lord, I’m afraid it is highly irregular.”
“Jiangnan City is rich, which is incomparable to other cities.” Yan Bolai said with a smile, “Besides, I, the City Lord, value talents, so why can’t I give a much bigger reward to this outstanding young talent?”
“Yes,” the black-robed man replied with a bow. “I’ll handle it properly.”
Yan Bolai waved his hand and said, “Go ahead.”
After the man in black left, the smile on Yan Bolai’s face disappeared instantly.
He looked at the copy of the Hero List on the table, undid the rope, and slowly spread it out.
When he saw the name at the top of the list, he said with a cold smile, “He won the first place of the exam, but his name is not on the Hero List. As long as I find out the person who secretly changed this list, I can know who is back Li Muyang in the dark. Li Muyang, do you really think you can hide your true identity?”
…
In the garden of the Lu Family.
Lu Xingkong was enjoying the scenery in the garden while gently moving his arms and legs.
He had just met six groups of people in a row and drank more than a dozen cups of tea. Even though his body was much better than that of the ordinary people, he really felt a bit depressed now.
Then, he came to the garden to take some fresh air. Upon seeing the blooming Capital Heaven Cherry blossoms, he felt much more relaxed and comfortable.
“The young lady of the Cui Family, who went to Jiangnan City in the distance to avoid family conflicts, came back. It is said that she will go to Xifeng University after a while.” Aside, the old steward, who looked much older than Lu Xingkong, reported to him in whispers.
“Well, it’s time for her to come back. Ask Qiji to choose a few gifts for her and visit her.”
“I’m afraid Miss Qiji won’t be willing to do that. Both she and this lady belong to Three Bright Moons of the capital, but the relationship of them is not that good.”
“Then, it will be one more reason for her to visit that lady.” Lu Xingkong laughed out loud and said, “The fact that an assassin had attacked the lady of the Cui Family shocked the entire Capital Heaven. So, Qiji certainly should go to visit her. Qiji has grown up such that she can understand the significance of this visit. Just tell her that I arrange it for her.”
“Yes, Elder Master.” The steward promised with respect. “There is another thing. I heard that Yan Bolai, who was the City Lord of the Jiangnan City, has raised the reward to young master Muyang by ten times and gave him 2,000 gold coins. Also, he high praised Li Muyang, calling him the ‘Famous Horse of Jiangnan City’. Because of what he had done, Li Muyang’s name was spread quickly in Capital Heaven. Some young people in the capital even begin to inquire about what exactly Li Muyang’s background is…”
Lu Xingkong looked calm, and there was no trace of angry on his face.
He reached out and broke half of a flowering branch. Holding it in his hand, he said gently, “Yan Bolai is capable of being a City Lord, so he suits Jiangnan City well. However, with the wild ambitions and impractical hope in his heart, I’m afraid that it will be difficult for him to obtain a good end in the future…”
“Elder Master, what about Young Master Muyang?”
“Since I have decided to let him make his way in life by his efforts, why should we bother to deal with these small matters?” Lu Xingkong said in a clear and loud voice. “Just go back. I still have some matters to attend to.”
“Yes, Elder Master.” The steward bowed his head and stepped aside. Only after Lu Xingkong turned around and walked backward did he close up to him with caution.