C8 Four Courts

Mid-May had arrived, and the oppressive heat was enough to fray anyone's nerves. Yu Yin was ready to move on from this stifling place.

"Heh, looks like even a dog can have its day," a mocking voice called out from behind him.

"Truly," another voice chimed in with a laugh, "with his unkempt appearance, it seems the heavens have turned a blind eye."

Yu Yin halted and turned around, his action drawing the gaze of onlookers.

"Your parents provided you with wealth, but it seems they forgot to instill any decency," Yu Yin retorted icily.

The two young men, both around sixteen or seventeen, were clad in luxurious attire, clearly offspring from affluent families.

The poor boy's bold retort caused the square-faced, peach-eyed man to scowl.

"Kid, looking for trouble, are you?"

Despite the pain from the bruises on his face, Yu Yin's sneer was fearless.

"Lost your composure, have you? Your mother bore a wretch like you and mistakenly blamed your father!"

"You!" The man's eyes bulged with rage, unable to outmatch Yu Yin, who had grown up on the rough streets.

The other young man's laughter took on a mocking tone. "Wow, look at you, a bottom-feeder suddenly rising up. Impressive!"

"Kid, you think you're untouchable as a cultivator now? I can still take you down!" The square-faced man was livid, feeling as though he was the butt of a joke.

Yu Yin shook his head, expecting a heated exchange but finding their insults lackluster and dull.

The woman and man from the Sealing Academy exchanged bewildered glances, taken aback by the coarse language spewing from this otherwise composed and quiet youth.

Bang!

Out of nowhere, Yu Yin was blindsided by a punch from the square-faced man, sending him flying.

A cry of pain escaped him as he grabbed a jagged stone from the ground and, with a swift motion, slammed it against his attacker's cheek.

The crowd erupted into chaos, stunned by the sudden burst of violence.

"Enough! If you continue this brawl, you can forget about ever stepping foot in my Sealing Academy again!" The woman rose to her feet, her voice cutting through the turmoil.

"Ah—my face!" The man with the square face clutched at his face, wailing in agony on the ground.

Yu Yin shot a cold glance at another man before swiftly turning on his heel and striding away, aware that lingering would only put him at a disadvantage.

The man, catching Yu Yin's gaze, instinctively stepped back, a wary look crossing his face.

Watching Yu Yin quickly vanish into the crowd, the man with the hooked nose behind the table couldn't help but chuckle to himself.

"This kid doesn't pull any punches."

The woman gave a slight nod in agreement, "He's also very clever!"

The next day—

At dawn, on the bamboo-lined path leading to the Northern Pine Sealed Academy, groups of playful fifteen and sixteen-year-old boys and girls frolicked among the trees.

On the small island at the end of the bamboo bridge, in the central hall, stood a group of men and women. They were clad in ocean-blue robes, each adorned with the inverted triangle of the Astral Nebula on their foreheads, lined up in anticipation outside the hall.

"You are all exemplary cultivators from the last graduating class. Neither the academy nor the nation has coerced any of you to stay on as teachers. I trust you all recognize this," the elder addressed them.

"Over the next five years, I expect no one to abandon their post," said one of the two elderly men at the front of the crowd. He, along with the other, had been the one to guide Yu Yin when he had arrived some time ago.

One person in the crowd joked, "After all the effort it took to stay and teach this generation of students, does the Dean really think any of us would leave halfway through?"

The portly elder shook his head and replied calmly, "What you think or feel is your business. But remember, should anyone dare to leave without notice, their talent certificate will be branded with a black mark from my Heavenly Country."

Despite understanding the gravity of the elder's words, the faces of those present couldn't help but show concern.

It was well known that a black mark on a cultivator's talent certificate signified a deed so egregious that it had incurred the wrath of the heavens, resulting in being blacklisted by that country. Such a mark would lead to ostracism by other nations when traveling the continent.

More critically, a cultivator with such a mark would be barred from receiving bounty missions from the Four Seas Society, established by the continent's cultivators. For those who depended on these bounties for their livelihood and travels, this was a devastating blow.

The room fell into silence, with no one speaking for a brief moment.

"The respect due to a teacher who imparts knowledge lasts a lifetime. I understand the effort you've all put into teaching, despite my advanced years," one elder said.

"However, the state has its laws, and the academy has its regulations. Since you've chosen to stay, you must abide by the academy's decisions and hold yourselves accountable," he continued.

Exchanging knowing glances, the two elders smiled. They were aware that firm measures were necessary to keep these young novices in line; otherwise, there was no telling what trouble might ensue.

"The first group of students should be arriving shortly. Lighten up, everyone. Why the long faces? You don't want to frighten the kids," the elder with the long face said, his smile lifting his long white eyebrows in a way that was comically endearing.

"Haha, the Vice President is the best. The President has a big heart, and an even bigger temper—we dare not provoke him," the woman who had registered Yu Yin chimed in with a grin.

The group chuckled, and even the stout elder's lips twitched into a smile, softening the mood.

"This year's rules are the same as always. The students will be selected by the four academies," he announced.

"There are two hundred and twenty-four students in total, with fifty-six assigned to each academy. They will be brought to their respective academies shortly," the long-faced elder explained.

"Huajun and Long Yang are in charge of recruitment this time. Doesn't that put us at a disadvantage?" a man with bushy eyebrows complained.

The stout elder responded, "Huajun and Long Yang's White Courtyard will choose last."

"It's all down to luck, and we have no objections," Huajun and Long Yang responded in unison, looking visibly worn from their efforts throughout the night.

"Talent isn't determined by appearance. We at the White Courtyard have no objections," the five mentors from the White Courtyard concurred.

With mutual nods, everyone signified their agreement.

The Northern Pine Sealing Academy's four academies are named after the Astral Nebula, the sea, the giant, and the white. Each academy has seven teaching mentors, and Huajun, Long Yang, and the other five individuals are the mentors of the White Academy.

The gentle chirping of birds and the soothing whisper of the wind accompanied the passage of time. Suddenly, a lively chatter broke through the calm, bringing smiles to everyone's faces.

"Hey, looks like there's someone ahead." At that moment, a girl clad in green bounded out from the pine forest and announced.

As her words trailed off, the forest fell into an abrupt silence. Shortly thereafter, a group of young men and women came into view.

"See those two old guys over there? They're the Principal and Vice Principal of the Sealing Academy," someone recognized the elders and murmured.

"Quick, tell us, which one is the Principal and which is the Vice Principal?"

"The one with the big nose and round belly is the Principal, and the tall one with the red nose is the Vice Principal."

"Hey, let's not gossip now. We should head over."

Watching the group of young men and women approach with reserved expressions, the elder with the long face beckoned with a smile, "Come on over."