Hearing the woman’s words, Li Changhe let out a long sigh.
“When did our Heavenly Dao Academy fall to this point?”
“A tiger in the flatlands is still a tiger, and a dragon in shallow waters is still a dragon,” someone beside him said lightly.
“No matter what, we are not to be bullied at will.”
“All right,” the woman at the head seemed a bit tired.
She leaned back in her seat, waved her hand, and said, “Just do as I instructed for now.”
Watching the figures gradually leave, the woman’s gaze grew deep, and no one knew what she was thinking.
...
The morning light spread in all directions, with purple energy flowing eastward for three thousand li.
Xu Zimo stretched lazily and walked out of his room.
In the Oasis Courtyard, Mo Tianming had risen early and was sitting cross-legged atop the old ginkgo tree in the yard.
At this moment, he was inhaling and exhaling purple energy, with a dense stream drifting from the horizon toward him.
With each breath in and out, there seemed to be profound mysteries, capable of stirring the changes of heaven and earth’s spiritual energy.
“Brother Xu, you’re awake,” Mo Tianming said with a smile when he saw Xu Zimo come out.
Xu Zimo nodded.
As the two chatted, Li Changhe walked in from outside with two students of the Heavenly Dao Academy.
One of them was Li Menghe.
The other introduced himself as Luo Tian.
“Vice Dean Li,” Mo Tianming greeted.
“Mm, the academy has already arranged your assignments,” Li Changhe said with a nod and smile.
“Tianming, from now on you will follow Venerable Min, and Xu Zimo will follow Venerable Nu.”
After speaking, Li Changhe seemed worried they might be uneasy.
He explained, “Both Venerable Min and Venerable Nu are highly renowned teachers in the academy. Following them will be best for your improvement.”
“Thank you, Vice Dean Li,” Mo Tianming nodded.
“Luo Tian, take Tianming to Venerable Min,” Li Changhe instructed. “Menghe, take Xu Zimo to Venerable Nu.”
Before parting, Mo Tianming smiled and waved to Xu Zimo. “Brother Xu, let’s spar when we get the chance.”
Walking alongside Li Menghe, they headed toward the eastern part of the Heavenly Dao Academy.
Because the academy was vast, it allowed aerial travel, whether flying through the air or riding various mounts.
While they were flying, Li Menghe looked at Xu Zimo and said, “A word of warning. Venerable Nu has a bit of a... strange personality. Best not to provoke him too much.”
“Strange?” Xu Zimo asked curiously.
“I don’t know what the academy was thinking,” Li Menghe said.
“Venerable Nu has stated more than once that he would never take students again. I don’t understand why they assigned you to him.”
“Is that so?” Xu Zimo chuckled.
“All the veteran students know,” Li Menghe nodded.
“Venerable Nu is the most irresponsible teacher in the entire academy, even a bit decadent in personality. But I’ve heard that long ago, Venerable Nu was the most respected, and even the one most likely to become the next dean. No one knows why he ended up like this.”
Xu Zimo smiled and asked, “Do you know if our Heavenly Dao Academy has any fun places?”
“Fun?” Li Menghe didn’t seem to understand the word very well.
“Places with fire attributes suitable for cultivation,” Xu Zimo said.
He couldn’t openly mention the Nine-Curve God Flame.
“There are plenty,” Li Menghe replied.
“There’s Blaze Mountain in the north, the Southern Fire Basin in the south, and the place we’re going now. Venerable Nu’s residence is called Vermilion Bird Island.”
“Vermilion Bird Island,” Xu Zimo said.
“It’s related to the Four God Beasts, right?”
“Yes. Long ago, a Vermilion Bird fell here, which caused the entire island to burn with the Southern Luminous Fire,” Li Menghe explained.
“It’s eternal and unextinguished, still burning to this day.”
“Does our academy have any particularly powerful flames?” Xu Zimo asked again.
“Powerful flames? Plenty,” Li Menghe replied, not quite understanding his intent.
“There’s Southern Luminous Fire, Nirvana Flame, Netherworld Purple Blaze… overall, our Heavenly Dao Academy is far stronger than you think.”
Hearing her words, Xu Zimo sighed inwardly.
It seemed he couldn’t learn anything useful from her, she was just too simple-minded.
Nothing she said was of interest to him.
After about ten minutes, they arrived at Vermilion Bird Island.
From afar, the whole island floated in midair, surrounded by dreamy blue flames.
The entire sky was lit crimson by the fire.
Blazing flames encircled the island, but the plants and trees there seemed to enjoy them.
When Xu Zimo and Li Menghe approached, they felt no heat.
It was as if the flames were cool to the touch.
“We’re here,” Li Menghe said. “When you meet him, just follow the cues. Venerable Nu isn’t easy to deal with, but you’ll get used to it.”
Xu Zimo smiled and nodded.
He reached out and put his hand into the Southern Luminous Fire, feeling no heat at all.
Walking onto the island, they saw lush flowers, plants, and trees everywhere.
Wisteria crept along the cobblestone path ahead.
Greenwood trees and Soaring Eagle trees grew thickly on either side.
Oddly, aside from the plants, there was no other life here.
It was as if vitality here carried a hint of decline.
As they walked along the cobblestone path, the Southern Luminous Fire surged like waves on either side, raising tides of flame around them.
The sound of “clang, clang, clang” reached their ears.
It was like someone hammering metal.
Xu Zimo looked up curiously and saw a shop ahead along the path.
It seemed to be a blacksmith shop.
A tattered flag was stuck into a crack in the doorframe, swaying in the breeze.
At the shop’s entrance, a burly young man was holding a hammer, striking iron with rhythmic clangs.
His expression was focused, so much so that he didn’t even notice Xu Zimo and Li Menghe approaching.
He held the hammer in one hand and pressed down a half-finished sword blank with the other, striking it forcefully.
“Don’t disturb him yet. We’ll wait,” Li Menghe said to Xu Zimo, clearly familiar with this place.
They waited for over ten minutes.
The young man’s brows furrowed at times, then he would grin slightly.
Finally, after finishing the sword blank to his satisfaction, he placed it into the nearby forge.
Just as he wiped the sweat from his forehead with a towel, he finally noticed the two visitors.
“Oh, you two,” the burly young man said in surprise.
“Sister Menghe, when did you get here?”
“I’ve been here a few minutes,” Li Menghe said with a smile.
“I know your habits, so I didn’t disturb you.”
“Sorry to keep you waiting,” the young man said apologetically.
“So, Sister Menghe, what brings you here?”
“We’re looking for Venerable Nu,” Li Menghe replied.