The Inner Court's Hidden Wonders! At Last, Zhou Xu, a Banished Immortal!

After passing through the Outer Court Main Hall, they found a warped spatial gate ahead. Dense spiritual energy poured from beyond it, completely unlike the grim, murderous aura of the Outer Court.

"This is the spatial gate leading to the Inner Court. The Inner Court is a small space the Dean created on a whim. It holds wonders within wonders—you'll understand once you enter."

Dugu Bo explained as he took the lead through the spatial gate.

Yu Yuanzhen was already beyond shocked. A skill could create space anytime, anywhere?

He led Yu Tianheng after them. The instant they passed through the spatial gate, the sight before them left him utterly dumbfounded.

Within the Inner Court were green mountains and clear waters, birdsong and fragrant blossoms. The spiritual energy was so dense it seemed on the verge of condensing into liquid.

A faint exotic fragrance filled the air. With every breath, they could feel their Soul Power and Dou Qi circulating at high speed.

The distant mountain peaks were shrouded in clouds and mist, like an immortal realm.

The nearby lake was crystal clear, strange fish swimming within it and giving off a faint spiritual glow.

Many exotic flowers and rare herbs they had never seen before lined the road. Some bloomed with seven-colored radiance, while others released enticing fragrances.

"Th-this is practically an immortal realm!" Yu Tianheng could not help but exclaim, his eyes filled with fascination.

Yu Yuanzhen also took a deep breath, his heart shaken beyond measure.

To casually create such a perfect small space—such a method had already surpassed the limits of his understanding.

Just what kind of overwhelmingly powerful being was the Dean of Dou Po Academy?

At that moment, a delicate figure emerged from the distant flowers, dressed in a light-purple gown.

Her features were exquisitely beautiful, her skin fair, and a sweet smile rested on her lips, making her seem like a fairy from a painting.

She appeared to be only sixteen or seventeen years old. Faint Dou Qi Fluctuations emanated from her body. They were not intense, yet they gave off an unfathomable feeling.

"Senior Dugu Bo, Senior Meng Shu, Senior Chao Tianxiang, you're back!" The young woman's voice was crisp and pleasant, as melodious as wind chimes.

Dugu Bo smiled and nodded. "Lady Qing Lin, this is Sect Master Yu Yuanzhen of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. He has brought his grandson to the academy to study."

Yu Yuanzhen's heart stirred as he looked at the young woman before him.

Though she was young, she possessed an extraordinary temperament. The Dou Qi Fluctuations around her seemed weak.

Yet they contained a power that made his heart palpitate. Moreover, anyone who could appear in the Inner Court could not possibly have an ordinary identity.

Remembering his previous experience of mistaking someone else for the Dean, Yu Yuanzhen became far more cautious this time. He carefully studied the young woman and secretly thought:

This girl has an extraordinary bearing and is in the Inner Court. Could she be the Dean's personal disciple or an important elder?

But she looks so young. Could she perhaps be the Dean himself in another form?

After hesitating, he still felt that the young woman before him was most likely the Dean. After all, Dou Po Academy was strange in every respect. A younger Dean was nothing particularly surprising.

He straightened his robes again, stepped forward with Yu Tianheng, and bowed respectfully.

"Yu Yuanzhen of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan pays respects to the Dean! This junior has brought his grandson here to study and humbly begs the Dean to take us in!"

The young woman froze for a moment upon hearing this. Then she covered her mouth and began to laugh, her body trembling like a flower in the wind.

"Sect Master Yu, you've mistaken someone again! I'm not the Dean!"

Clearly, Qing Lin had already learned what had happened outside.

Yu Yuanzhen: "???"

The expression on his face instantly froze, and he nearly collapsed inside.

A second time! He had mistaken someone for the Dean a second time!

Dugu Bo and the others could no longer hold it in and burst into laughter. Dugu Bo in particular laughed until tears nearly came out. "Sect Master Yu! Are you determined to keep mistaking people for someone else? How could Lady Qing Lin possibly be the Dean?"

Yu Yuanzhen's cheeks reddened like boiled shrimp. He was so embarrassed he wished he could crawl into a crack in the ground. He hurriedly asked, "Th-then, who might you be, miss?"

Qing Lin stopped laughing, though the sweet smile remained on her lips. "My name is Qing Lin. I am the Dean's personal attendant, responsible for taking care of his daily needs."

"A personal attendant?" Yu Yuanzhen's eyes widened, his heart filled with disbelief.

A mere personal attendant possessed such temperament and strength? This Dou Po Academy was simply absurd!

Dugu Bo stepped forward, patted Yu Yuanzhen on the shoulder, and said with restrained laughter, "Sect Master Yu, don't underestimate Lady Qing Lin.

"She is our Dean's chief steward. Nearly all affairs, great and small, within the Inner Court are handled by her.

"Furthermore, she ranks third on the Heavenly Pride Ranking and is a peak Dou Emperor!"

"What?!" Yu Yuanzhen seemed to have been struck by a bolt of lightning. He froze on the spot and stared at Qing Lin in utter disbelief.

Third on the Heavenly Pride Ranking! A peak Dou Emperor! A being beyond any possible reward! Yet she was the Dean's personal attendant and chief steward?

He had never imagined that he would mistake a peak Dou Emperor super-expert for the Dean—and do so twice in a row!

Yu Tianheng's eyes were wide as well, and his gaze toward Qing Lin was filled with reverence.

He had previously thought Qing Lin was merely an ordinary expert. Who would have thought she was actually a peerless powerhouse on the Heavenly Pride Ranking?

Yu Yuanzhen took a deep breath, suppressing the shock and embarrassment in his heart. He bowed deeply to Qing Lin, his tone respectful to the extreme.

"So it is Lady Qing Lin! This old man was blind and mistook three people for the Dean. I hope Lady Qing Lin will not take offense!"

Qing Lin smiled and said, "Sect Master Yu, you are too polite. You are a senior, so it does not matter if you mistook someone. The Dean already knows you have arrived and sent me to bring you in."

"Thank you, Lady Qing Lin!" Yu Yuanzhen quickly replied, his attitude becoming even more respectful.

Qing Lin turned and led the way. Yu Yuanzhen followed closely with Yu Tianheng, their anticipation and reverence reaching their peak.

The paths of the Inner Court twisted and wound onward, with breathtaking scenery on both sides. There were waterfalls plunging straight down, crystal-clear icy springs.

There were ancient, tranquil pavilions and towers, as well as many Inner Court disciples cultivating.

Most of these disciples were around twenty years old, yet the Dou Qi Fluctuations around them were extremely powerful. Even the weakest were Da Dou Shi.

There were even quite a few Dou Wang- and Dou Emperor-level disciples, leaving Yu Yuanzhen and Yu Tianheng clicking their tongues in amazement.

After passing through a dense bamboo forest, an enormous palace appeared ahead. The entire palace was built from white jade.

Complex Dou Qi patterns were carved across it, radiating faint Golden Light and lending it a sacred, solemn air.

Before the palace stood a vast plaza, with a fountain at its center.

The droplets spraying from the fountain contained dense spiritual energy, forming one rainbow after another in the air.

Qing Lin led them into the palace. Its interior was spacious and bright, with enormous Night Pearls hanging from the ceiling and giving off a gentle glow.

At the far end of the palace stood a massive Jade Seat. Seated upon it was a young man in white robes.

He looked to be around twenty years old. His face was incomparably handsome, and his bearing transcendent.

Like a banished immortal descended into the mortal world, he gave off no aura at all, yet made one feel as if heaven, earth, and all things were within his grasp.

His eyes were slightly closed, his expression tranquil, as though nothing in the world had anything to do with him.

This was Zhou Xu, the Dean of Dou Po Academy!

The instant Yu Yuanzhen saw Zhou Xu upon the Jade Seat, he was certain that this had to be the Dean of Dou Po Academy!

That detached, otherworldly aura, that unfathomable foundation—no one else could possibly possess them!

He no longer dared to hesitate in the slightest. Not even bothering to straighten his robes, he hurried forward with Yu Tianheng.

They dropped to their knees before Zhou Xu and heavily kowtowed three times.

"Yu Yuanzhen of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan has brought his grandson, Yu Tianheng, to Dou Po Academy to study!

"I humbly beg the Dean to take us in! This junior is willing to abandon everything and follow the Dean to learn the Dou Qi System. I hope the Dean will grant this request!"

Yu Tianheng hurriedly kowtowed as well. "This junior, Yu Tianheng, humbly begs the Dean to take me in!"