C12 Weapons

A gentle breeze wafted through the air, carrying the scent of pine that tickled their noses. Everyone committed the three new rules to memory in silence.

Two quaint courtyards lay near the main gate, one marked with a small wooden sign that read "Zhuo Courtyard." Adjacent to it was the Yue Courtyard, together forming the word "excellence."

Yu Yin wasn't sure of the significance behind the name, but he knew that he now resided in the Zhuo Courtyard.

The group followed Huajun into the courtyard, greeted by a pristine expanse of cobblestones and gracefully swaying green willows.

The white jade-colored railings and corridors were adorned with willows that reached as high as the eaves, centered around an ancient well. The entrance was framed by lush, fragrant grass. The sheer elegance of the place took Yu Yin's breath away.

Behind the willows, the corridors were lined with rooms featuring red doors and windows, supported by seven or eight square red pillars, each as thick as three palms.

"The rooms to the left belong to me," Huajun explained, gesturing towards the dwellings. "The light in those rooms isn't great, so we won't use them for now. The room in the center is currently my living space. As for the two rooms on either side, the five of you can choose among yourselves."

All the rooms looked identical from the outside, and Yu Yin, along with the others, was fairly indifferent to the choice.

Upon reaching the corridor, Ou Lu pointed to a room on the left and asked, "How about this one?"

"Sounds good," the four agreed in unison.

"After dinner, come to my room to collect your bedding, toiletries, and clothing. For now, you should go back to your rooms and rest," Huajun instructed.

"Yes, Mentor," they responded, nodding.

Huajun then turned her attention to Zhuang Jiujing and the other two girls, "You three, come with me."

As other mentors and students began to mill about the courtyard, the four men were left to their own devices. Yu Yin pushed open the door to his new room.

"Yu Yin, are your injuries okay?" Dongmen Ai inquired, catching up to him.

Yu Yin glanced back at him and shook his head, "Thanks for your concern on the journey, but I'm fine."

"We've got five years ahead of us; no need for formalities," Dongmen Ai said with a hearty laugh.

The room was modest in size, with a floor of immaculate green stone tiles. Dominating over a third of the space were five beds arranged in a row at the far end.

To the left stood a sandalwood writing desk accompanied by a lengthy bench, while to the right, a series of wooden cabinets stretched three feet in length and rose to a height of five feet, offering five layers of storage. Adjacent to the cabinets was a wooden pole, roughly as thick as a thumb and about six feet in length.

The wall at the head of the beds was part of the outer courtyard wall, with a scenic window positioned above the central bed, bathing that spot in the best light.

Upon observing the layout, Yu Yin moved silently to claim the seat on the middle bed.

The other four exchanged puzzled glances.

"Yu Yin, would you mind letting me have this bed?" Zhao Cai approached with a smile.

Yu Yin gave him a brief look and responded coolly, "No."

Zhao Cai's handsome features tensed, and he frowned.

"How about we draw lots to decide who gets the bed, then?"

"No!" Yu Yin was resolute. He was determined to honor his mother's dying wish, even if it meant conflict.

Zhao Cai's expression soured. He turned to Dongmen Ai and the others for their opinion.

"What do you all think?"

"It's just a bed. Let it go," Dongmen Ai suggested.

"I agree with Zhao Cai. We should draw lots to determine who gets the bed," Ou Lu chimed in, his eyes fixed on the prize. He too coveted the bed.

Xia Chen remained silent, simply standing by.

"The two of you from noble families, if you want this bed, you'll have to kill me first," Yu Yin declared icily.

"You're impossible!" Zhao Cai was livid with rage.

At that, Xia Chen's expression turned icy. "I am not a noble," he stated flatly.

As the tension escalated, Dongmen Ai found himself at a loss for words. He hadn't anticipated such a dispute over a mere bed.

"Yu Yin was the first to arrive; let's give him that. Besides, the dean has made it clear that fighting among students is unacceptable. I'm sure none of us wants to be expelled," Dongmen Ai said, trying to defuse the situation.

Zhao Cai and the others exchanged glances, clearly struck by Dongmen Ai's point.

"Yu Yin, remember this: the matter is far from settled," Zhao Cai declared, his face twisted with emotion as he walked over to a nearby bed but refrained from sitting down.

"You little turtle, I feel like beating you right now," Ou Lu said through gritted teeth.

Xia Chen gave Yu Yin a cold glance before heading to the bed at the far right.

With a soft sigh, Dongmen Ai approached the bed to Yu Yin's right, realizing that any further conversation would only irritate others.

Yu Yin, in pain from the wounds on his body and face, curled up tightly and lay directly on the bed, trying to find a comfortable position.

Moments seemed to fly by, and before long, Yu Yin had drifted off to sleep, unaware of the passing time.

In the eerie silence of the room, Dongmen Ai, bored out of his mind, grinned at Ou Lu, who was lounging on his bed with his feet propped up, and said, "Ou Lu, I heard your folks are blacksmiths. You must have a knack for weapon forging, huh?"

Caught off guard, Ou Lu, who was never one to sit still, chuckled and replied, "That's right! Swords, spears, you name it – they're all just a bit of effort for me. My dad even says I'm nearly as good as he is."

"Wow, impressive!" Dongmen Ai exclaimed, giving a thumbs-up despite his lack of knowledge about blacksmithing.

"There are ordinary, sharp, precious, and King Weapons. What kind of weapons can you forge?" Xia Chen inquired, turning his attention to Ou Lu.

Taken aback by the sudden question, both men paused, and Ou Lu looked at Xia Chen with a puzzled expression.

"The weapons I make are all extremely sharp," he replied, regaining his composure.

"Sharp enough to cut through iron as if it were mud?" Xia Chen pressed on.

"Where in the world would you find a weapon that cuts through iron like mud?" Ou Lu retorted with a frown.

"Sharp weapons can slice through iron like mud, precious weapons can last for millennia, and King Weapons command the respect of all others," Xia Chen explained, shaking his head and choosing not to elaborate further, having surmised the cause of the confusion.

Seeing Ou Lu's increasingly troubled expression, Dongmen Ai fell silent and quickly attempted to lighten the atmosphere.

"That... Ou Lu! Maybe your parents haven't taught you because you're young, but perhaps they'll teach you some extraordinary skills later on."

"Nonsense, the weapons I forge are so good that even my dad admits they could be sold in a weapon shop. I've never even heard of these so-called sharp or royal weapons," Ou Lu retorted, clearly unconvinced.

Xia Chen slightly shook his head, closed his eyes, and leaned against the wall to rest. He had thought that anyone who joined the Seal Academy would be a genius, but Ou Lu was proving to be a disappointment.

"Xia Chen, I heard your father is a blacksmith too. Since you seem to know so much, what level have you reached?" Ou Lu asked mockingly.

Without opening his eyes, Xia Chen replied calmly, "I have a 30% chance of forging a sharp weapon."

Ou Lu scoffed, "That's quite the boast, isn't it?"

Bang, bang, bang!

"Everyone out, it's time for dinner." The sound of knocking came suddenly, followed by Huajun's voice outside the door.

Yu Yin, groggy and yawning, was roused from his sleep.

At the mention of dinner, Dongmen Ai, who was nearby, leapt out of bed excitedly and exclaimed, "It's time to eat!"

Feeling the pain in his body had subsided somewhat after sleeping, Yu Yin cautiously stood up.

Creak—

Zhao Cai was the one who opened the door.

Outside, Huajun stood in the corridor with Zhuang Jiujing and two other girls.

As the five of them stepped out in turn, Huajun asked Yu Yin, "How are you feeling?"

The others looked at him expectantly.

"I'm okay," Yu Yin answered.

"Good, I'll take you all to dinner then."

The Dining Hall—

The doors of the dining hall were wide open, with some instructors having already arrived with their students.

The hall was vast, featuring seven long tables and a small room tucked away in the corner.

By the room's entrance, a gaunt old man in yellow robes was quietly observing the students as they dined.