Heaven Awakening Path - Chapter 14

 Joint Major Assessment

Discipline Squadron arranged a stretcher. They were preparing to carry Xi Fan back towards his residence to let him recover. Xi Fan looked towards Lu Ping several times. From his appearance, it looked like he wished to say something to Lu Ping. However, the word ‘thanks’ couldn’t manage to escape from his mouth. In the end, his emotions towards Lu Ping couldn’t transform this quickly.

Xi Fan was carried away and the group of people who had come to express their condolences immediately dispersed. Mo Lin, the new student who had joined the courtyard just a day ago, there were some people who expressed their concern for him. However, for Lu Ping, there wasn’t even a single greeting. No one paid attention to whether he had sustained injuries or not. No one asked what role did he play in this time’s incident.

“ Is that even worth to be asked? He certainly would have just been a burden.” Everyone presumed it to be the case.

Quarter resumed its quietness, leaving behind only Su Tang.

For three years, Su Tang was the sole individual who would come to this quarter.

She was silently sorting out the much messed up Quarter which no one ever visits. She was standing by the window.

The weather was nice once again but the Flower Garden outside the window wasn’t as rich and diverse as it looked on any other day. Due to yesterday’s fierce battle, the situation of Flower Garden was even more critical than Lu Ping’s quarter.

“ You still haven’t left for the class?” Lu Ping asked from behind her body.

“ I am just about to leave.” Su Tang’s vision returned from outside of the window. She pointed towards the small table “ Breakfast is over there.”

“ Ok.”  Lu Ping nodded.

“ Then I will go. That Xing Luo something, will it still have some aftermath?”

“That’s not very likely.” Lu Ping said.

“ Be a little careful.”

“ Don’t worry.”

Su Tang left. Lu Ping went over to the small table and took hold of the breakfast.

Steamed buns were already cold. Lu Ping didn’t mind it, though. He was silently eating it by the window. He was already habitual of being alone while Su Tang was at classes to cultivate. Outside the window, Mo Lin was taking a scolding from Mo Sen with a helpless face. Lu Ping looked at it for some time. In the end, he couldn’t help himself from smiling.

This scene, in his view, was actually very warm. If love is deep, then the duties corresponding to it are absolute! Even though he disgusts Mo Sen Laoshi, even though the times when he had been scolded were not a few, but every time after saying two or three harsh words, Mo Sen Laoshi didn’t bother with him anymore. When did there ever was such a lengthy discussion of Mo Sen Laoshi patiently advising him of his shortcomings?

This guy’s relation with Mo Sen Loashi should be a little deeper than he expected it to be!

As he was thinking, over that side, Mo Sen was finally over with his reprimand. Afterwards, he immediately went to examine the plants and flowers spoiled yesterday to see if they could still be saved. And Mo Lin? He somehow managed to find the straw hat which was missing since he woke up early morning. Putting it on his head, he once again arrived at the Quarter’s window.

This time, Lu Ping didn’t avoid him. He handed over the two steamed buns he had saved for him.

Mo Lin accepted them.

“ Only two?” He mumbled to himself.

“ Completely cold. ” He complained again.

“ Eating cold is not good for your stomach.” Mo Lin stuffed one of them in his mouth and spoke.

“ What is your relation with Mo Sen Laoshi?” Lu Ping asked.

“ He is my second uncle.” Mo Lin said.

“ Your surname is also Mo.”

“ Correct, Actually I am called Mo Lin. Don’t speak it outside!” Mo Lin said.

“ Is it necessary?”

“ Of course, I am but an Assassin. Moreover, I am avoiding from being chased to ..huff(gasps)…death?

As he spoke more, more faint his voice became. While speaking, he eventually recalled that people who were chasing him had already into nutrients for this Flower Garden.

“ It looks like it’s not that necessary after all.” Mo Lin said. “ It’s just that, being an Assassin, concealing the name is always good. Is your name alias or not?”

“ It’s not.” Lu Ping said.

“ Can you be my teacher?” Mo Lin said.

“ What?” Lu Ping jumped frightenedly due to being suddenly asked such a question by Mo Lin. Originally, Lu Ping believed that Mo Lin would  ask him all those questions filled with curiosity next, as he did yesterday.

“ When I joined the institute yesterday, Dean asked me which teacher do I wish to follow. At that time, without giving it much thought, I randomly gave my uncle’s name. However, at this moment, I think you are the most suitable.” Mo Lin said extremely seriously. In terms of age, he should be bigger than Lu Ping by two or three years. However, he didn’t feel that this is something embarrassing. He was looking at Lu Ping with a look filled with anticipation.

“ I can’t teach you anything.” Lu Ping said.

“ Don’t decline so quickly. Carefully think about it again.” Mo Lin said.

“ I truly can’t teach you anything.” After saying this, Lu Ping once again returned to lie on the bed.

“Pretending to be a corpse again. Hey Hey! ” Mo Lin madly shouted, but he was once again refused outside the window.

Three days of time flashed past in an instant. At last, the time for Annual Yearly Assessment has arrived.

Within these three days, nothing happened inside Zhai Feng institute. Only, a bad news was spreading. Discipline Squadron’s captain Xi Fan is recovering from heavy injuries and thus won’t be able to participate in Annual Assessment.

After this news spread around, new student Mo Lin immediately sought out Dean Godou.

“ Can I substitute?” He seriously asked. He feels himself to be heavily responsible for Xi Fan’s injuries. If it was not for his existence, Xing Luo definitely wouldn’t have shown up at Zhai Feng institute. Similarly, if it was not for trying to save him, Xi Fan wouldn’t be injured like this. Therefore, he feels he should substitute for Xi Fan. It was pretty reasonable.

However, although Zhai Feng institute’s rules are very relaxed, even though this time the circumstances are special, it is still not possible to allow something such as substituting in Annual Assessment

The result, at that time Mo Lin was kicked out of Dean’s room.

Soon after, Dean decided to provide special compensation for Xi Fan. After his body recovers, he would have one more chance to take the major test.

Even though it was like this, many people still felt regret for Xi Fan.

An institute’s Major Assessment, people who take notice of it are not just limited to teachers and students. Every country, every major power on the continent pay attention to it.

Although Zhai Feng is not like four major institutes whose reputation soars in the entire continent, but in a desolate province such as Xia Feng region, it is one of the only two institutes. However, when compared with the other institute in the region, the Xia Feng institute, its influence is quite lacking. Xia Feng institute as of now already has a history of two hundred years. It was jointly established with Xia Feng region and has developed alongside with it.  It has a deep background and profound resources. Moreover, it has always been revered in the Xia Feng region. Relying on the famous identity of the Dean Godou, Zhai Feng institute quickly strengthened despite being established after it. However, it still cannot compare to the two hundred years worth of accumulation of Xia Feng institute.

Yearly Annual Assessment is conducted collaboratively by the two institutes, thus, it was natural to have a desire to compete. The amount of students in Xia Feng institute is much more as compared to Zhai Feng institute. Till now, Xia Feng had always been the leading institute. However, in the few most recent years, Xia Feng institute’s prestige has turned somewhat lightless because of some exceedingly outstanding students appearing in Zhai Feng institute.

And Xi Fan had been in the limelight for the last two consecutive Major Assessments.  In this time’s fourth grade Assessment, he was originally a major headache for Xia Feng institutes. However, as the news of him being seriously injured arrived, they immediately felt that the gates of fortunes have opened up for them.

“ Such a pity! How could Xi Fan possibly be so careless? “ Sitting in the middle of the Monitoring platform naturally are the Dean’s of two institutes. Xia Feng institute’s Dean Baliyan was conveying his regret and sympathy to Godou with a foxy smile.

“ It’s all good as long as he is ok.” Godou indifferently said.

“ Haha. Of course, that’s most important.” As Baliyan was laughing, the row of Xia Feng courtyard’s teachers besides him also immediately joined the fray.

As soon as they were over with it, a few people approached them: “Dean, it’s almost time.”

“ Oh, that’s fine. Then, prepare to begin right away! Do it just like always. Begin with the first years and let students of Zhai Feng institute come first. They are quite less. It would be much quicker.”

The sound of the clock rang up. It indicated to begin the preparations for the test. First-grade students of both the institutes positioned themselves in formations under the tower.

Soul’s Tower.

This is the place used for examination by all the institutes to assess their students under normal conditions. Different institutes have different designing criteria. The Soul’s Tower used by Zhai Feng and Xia Feng institutes consist a total of twelve floors. Students enter the tower with the objective to ascend. Each floor is of eight fen(Tl: 3fen=1 cm), twelve floors add it up to a total of ninety-six fen. However, if it seemed like even the twelve floors would be crossed, then there is an additional four fen required to be crossed in order to obtain a perfect score of hundred.

Although it is just four fen, it’s still the most difficult part. Throughout the twenty Annual Assessments of Zhai Feng institute, there had been only four individuals who hold the record of obtaining full marks. And all of these four individuals eventually being absorbed by the Four Major Academies for advanced learning has been the biggest pride of Zhai Feng institute.

“ Zhai Feng’s new students of this year seems full of spirit!” Baliyan said with feigned courtesy as he swept his gaze over the first-grade students of Zhai Feng institute. As a matter of fact, he was completely aware of Zhai Feng institute’s first-grade students’ level.

“ Oh, five kinds of soul’s power. Not bad at all!” Baliyan pretended that it was astonishing. He had known all along that there is only a single individual like this in the entire first graders. As for the name, he didn’t remember it. The reason is, he absolutely didn’t feel that such an accomplishment is worth remembering.

It was not surprising, though. In this year’s first graders of Xia Feng institute, there were so many students being able to perceive five kinds of souls that he couldn’t even completely remember them all. Students being able to perceive all six kinds of souls were no less than twelve. Among them, three even managed to break through into the realm of first Heavenly Layer. In front of such first graders, Zhai Feng institute was bound to leave defeated. Baliyan didn’t mind throwing in a few lines of praise. More one is raised up through praise, more severe would be the fall!

He continued to sweep every student individually through his gaze. However, when he saw an individual wearing a straw hat at the second last position of the line, his gaze lingered a bit. Then, he increased his soul’s power a bit to confirm if he had mistakenly observed.

Baliyan’s complexion changed in an instant.

“ Dean Guo( Tl: Godou= Guo You Dao, he ain’t acting cozy!), isn’t one of the students in your first grade a bit too good? Sixth Heavenly layer in Pivot’s soul? Is this a first-grade student? Dean Guo truly spares no effort on his part. However, isn’t this a bit bad to look at?”  Baliyan’s complexion changed but he wasn’t flustered. A student with such a realm is in first grade? It would be absolutely impossible to convince people about it. This kind of student lined up in the row of Zhai Feng’s first graders to strengthen their competitive power seems rather stupid.

“ Dean Bai, are you talking about that individual wearing the straw hat? You  misunderstood. He is here just to see a little liveliness. He won’t be participating in the Assessment. He is an Advanced Learning Student.” Godou calmly and unhurriedly said.

“ Advanced……Advanced Learning Student?” This time, Baliyan was unable to conceal his shock. Advanced Learning Student, as the Dean of an institute, he is only too clear about what this implies. This is a kind of an acknowledgment. This is because, only when an institute is exceedingly outstanding, would it be possible to gain the consent of other people to come for Advanced Learning. Although, Xia Feng institute possess a history of two hundred years, but since it is situated at such a widespread desolate region, it’s reputation is not much better than Zhai Feng institute considering the whole continent. Never ever had been a person who had come to their courtyard with Advanced Learning in mind. However, at the moment, there seems to be an Advanced Learning Student in Zhai Feng institute?

Baliyan deeply suspected the authenticity of this fact. However, Godou already told him that this student won’t be taking part in the Assessment. As for whether the student has truly come for Advanced Learning, Godou didn’t feel any need to explain it to him.

Without any choice, Baliyan continued to move his gaze backwards. Behind the body of the straw hat male, was the last student of Zhai Feng institute’s first grade.

Huh? Huh?

Baliyan once again confirmed his observations twice before he could be certain. Then, he let out a smile: “ Dean Guo is able to let such a student remain here. This truly is praiseworthy. Is he also here to see the liveliness?”.