Baiyuan Academy

Chu Ming walked along the small path, encountering Students of similar age from time to time.

After walking for about a quarter of an hour, he finally saw the gate Yan Cong had mentioned.

Beyond the entrance lay a small courtyard decorated with rockeries and water pavilions, connected by a long corridor that linked several ink-colored gazebos.

Students were either reading and reciting with their heads swaying, discussing in low voices, or playing chess in pairs.

As Chu Ming clutched his Poetry, Politics, and Military Strategy and prepared to pass through the Middle Academy gate, a Student in one of the gazebos set down his book and walked toward him.

"Brother Chu?"

The voice was somewhat familiar.

Chu Ming turned his head to look: "Lu Xian?"

The person approaching was none other than Lu Xian, the runner-up of the Willow Town Academy Exam and son of a private tutor, who had managed to transcribe two fragments of Poetry, Politics, and Military Strategy.

Lu Xian originally shouldn't have been able to enter the Middle Academy, but his father, Lu Hong, had used some unknown method to have Lord Feng grant Lu Xian an exception.

"Brother Chu, have you only just arrived to report?"

Lu Xian looked at the bundle on Chu Ming's back and the thick Poetry, Politics, and Military Strategy in his arms, his expression shifting slightly.

"Yes," Chu Ming replied, smiling as he realized it was an acquaintance—or at least, someone he knew. "Brother Lu, would you be able to show me where to report?"

"Of course," Lu Xian said without hesitation, pointing toward the gazebo. "Brother Chu, wait for me a moment while I go grab my books."

"Very well."

Chu Ming walked toward the Middle Academy gate first, and Lu Xian soon caught up.

The overall style of the Middle Academy was similar to the Lower Academy, though there were fewer Students.

Lu Xian led Chu Ming to a separate courtyard, where he presented the identity token given to him by Lord Feng to verify his registration, completing the enrollment process smoothly.

Afterward, the two arrived at an area in the Middle Academy that resembled a dormitory.

"Brother Chu, there is no accommodation fee in the Middle Academy of Baiyuan Academy. This is where we live."

"Normally, there are two to three rooms in a small courtyard. Since you arrived late, I'm afraid you won't be able to choose a room facing the sun."

Lu Xian was quite enthusiastic, leading Chu Ming to a courtyard named Cloud-Perch Academy. "Brother Chu, this is where you will be staying from now on."

As he spoke, he cleared his throat, straightened his attire, knocked on the gate, and called out: "Senior Brother Ning, is Senior Brother Liang in?"

After knocking, he looked at Chu Ming, a flash of envy crossing his face: "Lord Feng is truly good to you, Brother Chu. He even arranged your living quarters. Unlike me, my courtyard was assigned randomly—I just had to take whatever was empty."

"Brother Chu, this Cloud-Perch Academy is one of the better courtyards in the Middle Academy. Senior Brother Ning and Senior Brother Liang are both highly learned individuals and strong contenders for the next promotion to the Upper Academy."

As he spoke, the courtyard gate pushed open, and a fair-skinned youth in a light-colored robe stood at the entrance: "What is it?"

"Um, Senior Brother Ning, this is Chu Ming, the top scorer of the Willow Town Academy Exam, here to report..." Lu Xian recognized Ning Hao, but the other party did not seem to recognize him.

"You are Chu Ming?" Ning Hao pushed the partially open gate fully aside, his gaze burning as he stared at Chu Ming: "Senior Brother Xu has already given instructions. Come in."

Senior Brother Xu? Xu He, who stays by Lord Feng's side?

Chu Ming wore a smile: "I'm obliged, Senior Brother Ning."

Clutching his Poetry, Politics, and Military Strategy, he stepped into the courtyard.

Lu Xian stood at the entrance, looking somewhat reserved as he spoke: "Brother Chu, I still have to study, so I won't come in. I live in Pine Wind Courtyard."

"Brother Chu, Senior Brother Ning, farewell."

"Thank you for showing me the way, Brother Lu." Chu Ming turned to return the salute, but Ning Hao remained expressionless, slowly closing the gate and pointing to the west: "The room in the West Wing is yours."

"Understood."

The courtyard faced south, with one room each on the east, west, and north sides.

Just as Chu Ming prepared to enter his room, the door to the east room opened. A disheveled youth with messy hair, unkempt clothes, and ink stains on his face poked his head out: "The person Senior Brother Xu mentioned?"

The man didn't greet Chu Ming, only looking at Ning Hao to ask.

"Yes, Chu Ming." Ning Hao wrinkled his nose in slight disgust: "Liang Yuan, how many days has it been since you bathed?"

"..." The youth named Liang Yuan acted as if he hadn't heard, rolling up his sleeves to wipe the ink from his face as he calmly replied: "I bathed last night."

"Your 'last night'—was that last night, or the night before last?" Ning Hao added.

"..." Chu Ming's footsteps faltered.

Liang Yuan wiped his face a few times, realized he couldn't get it clean, and stepped out of the room. A strange odor immediately wafted out—ink mixed with other scents, smelling like...

Chu Ming was standing at a distance, but his perception was extraordinary, and he caught the scent instantly.

It seemed that having high perception wasn't always a good thing; this Senior Brother Liang definitely hadn't bathed in more than three days.

Liang Yuan walked to the center of the courtyard, grabbed the teapot from the stone table, and poured it into his mouth: "Senior Brother Ning understated it... glug... by two yesterdays, perhaps."

"..." Chu Ming shifted his feet, preparing to enter his room; he couldn't quite handle it.

Upon hearing this, Ning Hao's brows furrowed, his gaze falling on the teapot as he said in a flat tone: "Then this pot of tea suits you quite well; the tea inside is three 'yesterdays' older than your two."

The courtyard fell silent instantly.

The next moment.

"Pfft..." Liang Yuan's face darkened. "Ptui, ptui, ptui! Why didn't you say so earlier?"

"You didn't ask."

"Does that even need asking?"

"It does." Ning Hao's expression remained calm as he turned to look at Chu Ming. "Junior Brother Chu, this is your Senior Brother Liang Yuan."

"Senior Brother Liang." Clutching his books, Chu Ming just wanted to get inside and breathe some fresh air.

He opened the door, stepped in, and closed it behind him.

"Whew..."

Watching Chu Ming's retreating back, Liang Yuan shook out his robes. "Senior Brother Ning, this junior brother doesn't look like Senior Brother Xu, nor is he wearing expensive robes. How did he get assigned to our Cloud-Perch Academy the moment he entered the academy?"

Cloud-Perch Academy was not the best courtyard in Baiyuan Academy, but it was considered top-tier. The quality of a courtyard represented one's level of scholarship, background, and status.

Ordinary courtyards were assigned randomly, but places like Cloud-Perch Academy were symbols of status within the academy.

Ning Hao also stared at the west room where Chu Ming was staying. "I'm not sure. Senior Brother Xu He only told me that someone named Chu Ming would be moving in and asked us to clear out some space."

"Right, you've been holed up in your room for days—did you finish the painting?"

At the mention of this, a distinct smile appeared on Liang Yuan's face—the kind of expression most common on the faces of geniuses: arrogance.

"Of course I finished it, just as you opened the courtyard gate."

"Let me see." Ning Hao walked toward the east room but stopped at the threshold. "You bring it out instead; the smell in your room is too pungent."

"...Wait for it." Liang Yuan ran into the room, cradling a scroll, and walked out with steady, confident steps.

It was a landscape ink wash painting, the ink not yet fully dry.

"Senior Brother, what do you think?" Liang Yuan spread the scroll out on the stone table in the courtyard.

Ning Hao looked at it, a hint of surprise appearing on his calm face. "Junior Brother, this imitation of Old Master Tang Bai's style has quite a bit of charm. It could sell for a good amount of silver."

"Heh heh, naturally. At my current level, one painting is enough for us to have a good meal without relying on our families for money." Liang Yuan lifted his chin slightly.

"How about tonight, at the Immortal Brew Pavilion?" Ning Hao suggested.

"...Tonight won't work. The painting hasn't sold yet. Let's wait a few days, go to the Calligraphy and Painting Workshop, sell this, and then go have a feast."

"Fine..." Ning Hao paused, then turned to look at the west room. "How about we bring this little junior brother along?"

Liang Yuan pondered for a moment and said, "Sure. It'll be a good chance to get to know each other. To be arranged by Senior Brother Xu He, this Chu Ming fellow shouldn't be simple."