Chapter 211: Fighting till Sand Flies and Pebbles Move
Fu Chengyu nodded in agreement. The three of them slowly strolled back to their residence. Seeing how Ling Chuxi was so lively now, Ling Yichen felt thoroughly relieved.
Early the next morning when they arrived at the academy, Chu Jianyi came leaping over the moment Ling Chuxi stepped into the academy.
"Ling Chuxi, good morning! Let's fight!" said Chu Jianyi with an absolutely serious look on his baby face.
"Sure!" replied Ling Chuxi as she drew her sword decisively. Her mood was good today, so she should just fight!
"Clang, clang, cling, cling!" The air resounded with the sounds of weapons clashing. The two of them fought directly at the academy gates until sand was sent flying and pebbles were moving all over the place. Everything was a mess. Those who were watching them were left with eyes popped open and mouths hanging agape. They stared tongue-tied, exclaiming in shock at what they were seeing. All the students present were extremely taken aback... So, naturally this all ended with Ling Chuxi and Chu Jianyi being called into the dean's study.
The academy's gate had been damaged by them in their fight. In the end, the both of them were fiercely scolded in a series of three rounds. Why were they not scolded only once? It was because when the dean had finished scolding them the first time, another teacher came in and reported that the two of them had not only damaged the main gate in their fight, they had also destroyed the grand stone lion which had stood erect for almost a hundred years by the main gate. All right. After giving them another lecture, the dean had just taken a breather when another teacher came in to report that the fight between the two of them had caused thirteen other students who were merely bystanders to be injured! This was when the dean thoroughly lost it.
"How old are the two of you? Huh?! Fighting at the academy gates! What do you think the martial arts training venue is for? Are the two of you blind or deaf? Didn't the teachers tell you that if you wanted to spar you should go to the training venue?" The dean was a pudgy man with a double chin which turned into a triple chin whenever he howled at them. He was balding and it was apparent he had very little hair left. By now he was so angered by Ling Chuxi and Chu Jianyi's antics that he was practically stomping his feet!
Ling Chuxi and Chu Jianyi lowered their heads, not daring to make a sound.
"Great, you guys destroyed the lion as well. Our academy's treasure that has stood quietly by the courtyard for years and years has been wrecked by the both of you! Did you know that it was engraved by a master that my grandfather had managed to invite over here after much trouble! You two wasteful rascals!" roared the dean angrily at them as he lost control of his temper and grabbed the little bit of hair he had left on his head. When he had regained his senses, he looked down at the bits of his own hair in his hands and shrieked until the roof almost turned over. "My hair! Ahh! What did I just do to my own hair?! Oh, I'm so angry! You two little bastards! I already had so little hair left!"
Ling Chuxi and Chu Jianyi kept their heads lowered, but both of them surreptitiously tilted their head sideways to exchange glances with each other and ended up laughing secretly to themselves. This dean was really quite fun.
"Ahh! And what's more, there were over ten students who were injured! How terrible!" The dean angrily slammed the table when he announced this news. "Bastards! Such bastards! Both of you need to compensate for this! Only then can you make up for all these losses!"
"Oh, aiya. But, dean, I don't have money." Chu Jianyi raised his head and said this very earnestly.
"I don't have money either," chimed in Ling Chuxi in a serious tone as she spread her empty hands to demonstrate her lack of finances. This was not true. Chu Jianyi not having money was likely to be true, but Ling Chuxi not having any money was absolutely false. It was just that Ling Chuxi was extremely stingy. She would only be generous towards certain people and certain things. In matters of this kind, she was an absolute scrooge.
The dean looked at the serious expressions on the faces of Ling Chuxi and Chu Jianyi and felt as though he was on the verge of vomiting blood. After taking a deep breath, he calmed his emotions, which were about to burst, and finally huffed out the words one by one through the gaps of his teeth. "Who said you are to pay with money?"
"Oh? If we're not paying with money, then everything will be easier to discuss," said Ling Chuxi with a grin.
"How are we to compensate then? With our lives? I don't want to. I am very afraid of death." Chu Jianyi blinked and replied in a serious manner once again.
Chapter 212: The Cute Fat Dean
"Pfft-" Ling Chuxi tried to stifle her laughter but she could not help but laugh out loud. Then she raised her head to look at the dean's expression. The dean had already turned green in the face. Chu Jianyi was truly a clown! How exactly was his brain wired? He was so odd, but so cute.
"You two little bastards, get out of here! Argh! Get out!" The dean roared till he was hoarse. His roar was so loud that the whole academy could hear it.
Chu Jianyi and Ling Chuxi left the dean's study and Chu Jianyi scratched his head feeling perplexed as he blinked. "So, it's over just like that?"
"Then, what else do you wish for?" retorted Ling Chuxi as she rolled her eyes at Chu Jianyi.
"I thought I would be required to compensate," replied Chu Jianyi in a rather clueless manner.
"The dean would not possibly let us go just like that," surmised Ling Chuxi as she rubbed her chin and frowned.
"Chuxi, are you all right?" asked Ling Yichen once he saw them. He had been waiting outside worriedly the whole time. Now that he saw both of them exiting the dean's study, he immediately rushed forward to ask after Ling Chuxi's wellbeing.
"I'm fine. On the contrary, I think the dean will suffer some problems," said Ling Chuxi with a shake of her head. The dean was about to be angered to death by them and the pitiful amount of hair he had left would become even less. "However, I don't think the dean will just let us off so easily without any repercussions."
"Then, what would he do?" asked Chu Jianyi nervously.
Ling Chuxi looked at Chu Jianyi solemnly and frowned. She looked like she was about to speak but yet she did not. Chu Jianyi who was awaiting her reply became even more nervous.
"I'm done for. My master had instructed me so many times not to cause trouble yet that's exactly what I did again," muttered Chu Jianyi in distress. Seeing Ling Chuxi's serious expression, Chu Jianyi's heart sank to the bottom of the valley.
"I also don't know," replied Ling Chuxi with a giggle. She gave Chu Jianyi a big grin and upon seeing him become stunned and unable to react, she felt happy and beckoned Ling Yichen to leave.
However, Ling Chuxi and Chu Jianyi very quickly found out what the dean had in mind for them. They had destroyed the academy gates, wrecked the stone lion which was inherited as an heirloom of the academy for almost a hundred years and even injured more than ten students, yet they did not receive any punishment on the day itself. However, just a few days later, Ling Chuxi and Chu Jianyi received a notice that their original academies were no longer willing to accept them as students anymore. From here on, they would officially be Wind Cloud Academy students! They were no longer here on an exchange but would remain in Wind Cloud Academy indefinitely!
This old fox! After Ling Chuxi received this notice, she finally understood why the double-chinned, balding dean was so forgiving towards them. This was the plan he had all along! She and Chu Jianyi were both influential people in Wind Cloud Academy due to their cultivation skills and now they would remain here for all to see. Was this the reason why the dean wished to keep them in his own pocket?
In the dean's study, the pudgy, double-chinned dean was fixing his already sparse hair while happily overlooking a pile of documents on the table. He chuckled to himself. It was just too great now that both Chu Jianyi and Ling Chuxi had become Wind Cloud Academy students. Seeing the cultivation talents of these two, it was for sure that they would help bring glory to the academy. They could push the reputation of the Wind Cloud Academy to even higher places once again.
Just as the dean was happily imagining all the glories the future held, the door to his study suddenly burst open. He was shocked and with a slip of his hand, two more strands of hair ended up in his palm. He was just about to lose it, but when he saw the person standing at the door, he suppressed his anger.
Ling Chuxi stood at the door with a cold expression as she glared at him.
The dean coughed feebly. "Oh, Ling Chuxi. Don't you know how to knock?" asked the dean in a measured tone as he pretended to act calm.
Ling Chuxi frowned. "Dean! I-" She had barely started speaking, but she was immediately interrupted by the dean.
Chapter 213: Gained a Huge Advantage
"Let me tell you, objecting is useless. You and Chu Jianyi destroyed property and neither of you nor your previous academies were able to compensate for the losses. So, my allowing the both of you to compensate for damages by transferring to this academy is truly to your benefit," said the fat dean without stopping. Seeing Ling Chuxi remain expressionless, he began to feel a little guilty. "Don't be like this. Just think about it, Wind Cloud Academy is the number one academy in the whole country. Why don't we do it like this instead then-I'll subsidize half of your tuition fees. How about that? Ah, or maybe I'll just waive everything? If that's not favorable either, then... I'll provide you with a little allowance every year." As he went on, the fat dean's voice became softer and softer and his tone became more and more mellow. After all, in this matter, it was he who had been unkind and had threatened those two other academies, forcing them to hand Ling Chuxi and Chu Jianyi over.
"Fine. Thank you, dean," said Ling Chuxi finally. She gave a slight laugh and smiled. "Just give us a little something every year, then it'll be fine. Ah, that's right. Dean, I came to look for you to request something."
"Oh, do say what it is," replied the fat dean as he dug out a brocade handkerchief to wipe his cold sweat.
"Since I have transferred over here, let Ling Yichen transfer over also. I do not wish to be separated from him. Also, there is another student at White Stone Academy called Xia Zhuoyi, transfer him over here as well," said Ling Chuxi with a grin.
"Ah? This is easy. Simple enough!" said the fat dean exuberantly. He had thought that Ling Chuxi would have some tricky conditions, but he never thought that it would just be something as simple as this. He easily agreed to it.
"Then I'll be thanking you, dean. I'll make a move first." Ling Chuxi smiled as she nodded amiably. When she was at the door, she left a parting comment. "Dean, actually, I just came to get you to transfer Ling Yichen and Xia Zhuoyi over as well. I never thought that the academy would be so generous as to provide free tuition and even an allowance." This advantage was really too huge.
The dean was stunned. He stared at the smiling Ling Chuxi with his mouth agape. Why did he feel as though he had just lost big time? The dean felt a little upset.
"Dean, you are such a good person. You know, good people live long lives. Why don't you also waive Ling Yichen and Xia Zhuoyi's tuition fees?" asked Ling Chuxi with a smile.
"You little bastard. Get out. Get out! Argh! Ah, my hair! It's falling again!" The dean's roar lingered by the walkway for a long time.
...
During the afternoon class, the teacher who was in charge of the lesson kept looking over at Ling Chuxi, so much so that she felt goosebumps. How would Ling Chuxi know that the teacher was thinking to himself, 'Ah, so this was the student who angered the dean till he was jumping all around? Totally couldn't tell. She's even so obediently paying attention and is respectful towards teachers. See, she even pinched the fifth princess who was nodding off to wake her up.'
On the contrary, Ling Chuxi was very attentive towards the teacher's teachings. This class was about how to maximize the use of one's Battle Qi. This lecture allowed Ling Chuxi to gain quite a bit of knowledge.
However, during the practical class in the afternoon, when Ling Chuxi looked at the man who was smiling in front of her, her mind went blank.
Mu Liufeng! Why was he here? And without a mask too. Mu Liufeng appeared with his true countenance.
"From today onwards, I am your martial arts teacher. If there is anything you don't understand, you can just ask me." A smile that could charm all living things appeared on Mu Liufeng's bewitching face. Quite a few female students went into a daze after seeing his smile.
The corners of Ling Chuxi's lips twitched. This rascal, he had actually come to Wind Cloud Academy to be a teacher and had even shown his true face. What exactly was he up to? He was someone from the Ancestral Palace. What position did he hold? Anyway, from the looks of this, he had quite a high position.
Ling Chuxi turned her head around in boredom but she saw a sight that left her feeling shocked. She saw that E Shulan had actually went into a daze looking at Mu Liufeng!
Chapter 214: Infatuated
Seeing E Shulan in such a daze, Ling Chuxi understood that E Shulan did not know of Mu Liufeng's true identity. Or more accurately-besides herself, no one else knew the truth about Mu Liufeng.
Seeing the smiling Mu Liufeng before her, E Shulan felt that her heart was beating very fast. She had never met a man like this before. She had seen quite a few handsome men, but she had never met one who made her unable to look away.
Ling Chuxi retracted her gaze which was focused on E Shulan and sighed gently. E Shulan was really too unfortunate. How could she actually fancy this pervert? Mu Liufeng and E Shulan were essentially forces on two opposing sides. Even if they weren't, liking a person like Mu Liufeng was still a tragedy. Recalling how Mu Liufeng had breezily killed his own two subordinates and how he looked when he yelped because he was almost stained by the blood he spilt, Ling Chuxi could still feel the lingering fear she felt back then.
Mu Liufeng's performance right now was just like any other qualified teacher. He answered any questions that were asked. And when some students requested pointers, he patiently explained their enquiries to them. When a student requested to spar with him, he also taught them well with a smile. That smiling face of his left Ling Chuxi feeling as though she had a toothache whenever she saw it. Who would have thought that what lay behind such a smiling facade was actually such a heartless and cold-blooded true countenance?
"Teacher Mu, I feel that every time I try to release Battle Qi, it feels a little off if I do it like this," asked a female student with her bright, sparkling eyes as she went to stand beside Mu Liufeng.
"Oh, it's like this. You should just do this..." Mu Liufeng smiled gently as he demonstrated his instructions. It was a smile that was dazzling enough to overturn countries and topple cities. All the female students surrounding him were indeed bedazzled by it.
After that, there were even more female students who went over to ask Mu Liufeng questions.
Ling Chuxi sat on the stone steps nearby with her chin resting in her cupped hands, looking over at the group of students forming around Mu Liufeng and frowned slightly. Was exactly was he planning? What was his goal in coming to the academy to be a teacher? Judging by Mu Liufeng's actions, he did not seem to plan to acknowledge her. However, Mu Liufeng had actually used his real name to become a teacher here. Now that she thought about it, he had always been wearing a mask in the past. Even if people knew his name at the previous locations he lived in, they would not associate the Mu Liufeng they knew with this Mu Liufeng despite them being one and the same. At most they would think that it was a mere coincidence that they shared the same first and last name, that's all.
"Master, what are you looking at?" chirped the fifth princess as she dropped down to sit by Ling Chuxi and look at what she was looking at. She saw that Ling Chuxi was looking at Mu Liufeng who was demonstrating moves to a group of students nearby and paused before asking hesitantly, "Master, it wouldn't be that you have also come to fancy Teacher Mu, right?"
Ling Chuxi speechlessly swiveled her head around to glare at the fifth princess and said slowly, "Do you think that I, your master, have such bad taste?"
The fifth princess blinked and understood. "That's right. Master's taste would not be so bad indeed." As the fifth princess finished saying this, she leaned in closer to Ling Chuxi and whispered, "Master, let me tell you, I snuck a look just now and saw that E Shulan looks at Teacher Mu differently. Hmph, so the servant of the Deity is actually so superficial."
Ling Chuxi was a little surprised by the fifth princess' intuition. She never thought that this little girl would actually notice this.
"All right, now. You don't have to meddle in such matters. Do you want to come along to the Gao Clan's Chamber of Commerce auction next month?" asked Ling Chuxi.
"Of course, I want to go. My Ninth Imperial Brother and I can both request for private rooms. Aiya, I know my Ninth Imperial Brother doesn't like me, but I want to be with you, master. So, I'll just be thick-skinned and come over," said the fifth princess, feeling a little troubled.
On the other hand, Ling Chuxi was stunned. She never thought that the fifth princess was so sensitive to know that Fu Chengyu did not like her.
The fifth princess laughed. "Master, what kind of expression is this?" she asked after she saw Ling Chuxi's face. Then, she smiled, "Master, the royal family is like this. Where is there such a thing as being polite to your brothers and being close to your sisters?"
Chapter 215: The Little Devil King that Everyone Hates
The corners of the fifth princess' lips tugged upwards into a carefree smile. "Master, you don't have to use that kind of a gaze to look at me. I don't need pity. Although I sometimes really admire the deep relationships ordinary families have, I am a princess after all, and a princess who is pampered by her Imperial Father at that. It is destined that I gain some and lose some in this life."
Ling Chuxi looked at the fifth princess who looked carefree, but her heart felt a little uncomfortable. So, it seems as though this little one was not thoughtless, but rather, she had long seen through everything. Although the fifth princess sounded carefree, the vague loneliness in her tone was still noticed by Ling Chuxi.
"However, after getting to know you, I feel that having a master in my life is really not too bad at all," said the fifth princess with a giggle as she raised her head to look at Ling Chuxi. "Good thing I met you, master, otherwise I would still be a little devil king that everyone hates."
"What about now then?" asked Ling Chuxi with a smile.
"Now, if I meet ten people, only nine hate me. It's considered an improvement, right?" said the fifth princess as she smiled mischievously.
Ling Chuxi gave a helpless smile as she stretched out her head to pat the fifth princess' head. "If you know that, then that's good. Continue to change for the better. When the day comes where you are loved by all, I will give you a big gift." Without waiting for the fifth princess to ask out of curiosity what the big gift was, Ling Chuxi spoke up again, "Ah, that's right, Xia Zhuoyi should be coming to this academy very soon."
"What? That hateful person is also coming here?!" exclaimed the fifth princess as she leapt up and lost her bearings. Her tone held a subtle tremor of excitement and enthusiasm.
"Indeed, in the future you won't be lonely anymore. Every day there will be someone who will argue with you and disdain you," said Ling Chuxi with a smile.
"Hmph, when he comes, just watch how I'll deal with him! This is my territory!" declared the fifth princess as she rubbed her fist against her palm in excitement. After she finished speaking, she turned her head to look at Ling Chuxi. "By the way, master, Mother Consort really wants to see you. When you are free, come with me to the palace, okay? Now, let me find someone to spar with." Once she finished her sentence, the fifth princess leapt up and ran off to look for someone to spar with.
Ling Chuxi smiled as she watched the fifth princess acting like a wild child, going all around to look for someone to spar with. Whichever group of students she approached, they would scatter and run away. No one would spar with her. But she did not give up and in the end, she went to Chu Jianyi to spar.
"Miss Ling Chuxi." Suddenly a proud female voice spoke up by Ling Chuxi's ear.
The corners of Ling Chuxi's lips twitched. Did this voice not belong to E Shulan?
"Oh, hi," greeted Ling Chuxi once she turned around and saw E Shulan, who had sat down beside her without a proper greeting and smiled superficially.
"Miss Ling Chuxi, you and the fifth princess seem to have a really good relationship." E Shulan sat with two thighs put neatly together as they trembled slightly, and her hands were crossed one over the other and placed gently upon her thighs. She looked as noble as noble could be and as gentle as gentle could be. Either way, she had climbed onto her own pedestal in a full-blown way.
Ling Chuxi let out a little polite chortle and continued to smile on the surface without her muscles beneath actually moving along. She did not have much positive feelings towards this E Shulan.
"Just now, I overheard that Miss Ling Chuxi will be participating in the Gao Clan's Chamber of Commerce's auction next month." E Shulan acted as if she did not see that Ling Chuxi did not wish to speak to her as she continued to smile and speak, "I will also be attending. How coincidental. I know people from the Gao Clan's Chamber of Commerce, so if you need anything, Miss Ling Chuxi, perhaps I will be able to help." E Shulan did not know what Ling Chuxi wanted from the auction, but she wanted to win her over. Naturally, she needed to put in some effort and give her some benefits.
Ling Chuxi chuckled lightly again and said, "Oh, the Lord Deity's Servant is really a good person. Good people will live long lives. Thank you for your offer." Ling Chuxi gave another slight chuckle and then acted somewhat nonchalant.