Class distinctions existed in almost every people. The Demon Beasts' world was divided into four ranks: lower, middle, upper, and peerless. Even among beasts, there were beast kings.
Human society's class distinctions were far more complicated than those of the Demon Beasts. Beyond individual strength, the greatest factor determining one's class was the gap between rich and poor.
At Heavenly Song Academy, commoner students stood at the poor end, while scions of powerful clans stood at the rich end. In the outside world, the powerful clans naturally oppressed commoners with an overwhelming advantage and exploited them for profit. But in the special environment of Heavenly Song Academy, where fairness was enforced, the commoners' faction could stand up to the powerful clans.
The two sides' conflict was inevitable from the moment each person was born. The opposition between commoners and powerful clans had become a tradition at Heavenly Song Academy.
Yan Que had been born a commoner and served on the Student Council. He was the leader of the commoner faction at the academy. When he heard that Chu Yun, a scion of a powerful clan, had moved into the West Mountain Dormitory, he knew a clash was unavoidable.
The commoners' dignity would not tolerate such a provocation. Allowing a scion of a powerful clan to live in their stronghold would have enormous repercussions. It would not only deal a blow to their morale, but could also unsettle their hearts and ultimately tear their faction apart.
Chu Yun had to be driven out.
Almost immediately, Yan Que went to Chu Yun's dormitory and openly challenged him.
As soon as he finished speaking, a young man emerged from the room, holding a gleaming blade. Though Yan Que had always been hostile toward the powerful clans, when he saw this bona fide scion, he couldn't help but inwardly praise him. What a young man!
Chu Yun had originally been handsome in a delicate way, but he had still been no more than ordinary. Now, however, the spiritual energy that Drunken Snow Blade and the Heavenly Fox had poured into him had transformed his body, making him strikingly handsome.
His sword-shaped brows swept toward his temples, his eyes flashed like lightning, his nose was straight, and his teeth were white against his red lips. More importantly, his rebirth had given him an exceptional presence: steady and magnanimous, yet bold and relentless.
Looking at him, Yan Que felt his heart stir. He sensed an utterly restrained air of dominance in the other man, and a resolute courage that could sweep aside every obstacle in his path.
"I've heard so much about you." Yan Que let out a sigh. No wonder Chu Yun had managed to slay Remnant Wolf. Though he had won by taking advantage of an exhausted opponent, using a bit of cunning, he had already left an impression that surpassed that of any scion Yan Que had met before.
"I've heard so much about you too... What can I say?" Looking at Yan Que, clad in a green robe and as upright as a pine, Chu Yun could only smile wryly to himself.
He had wanted to befriend Yan Que properly, perhaps even recruit him to serve on Shu Family Island. He had never imagined their first meeting would turn out like this.
It left him at a loss whether to laugh or cry.
But whatever the reason, since Yan Que had come to challenge him, Chu Yun had no reason to back down. So what if he was Yan Que? No one in this world could make Chu Yun cower and choose to run away!
"Hey! Have you heard? Young Tiger Chu Yun just arrived at the academy, and he's already fighting Senior Yan Que!"
"What? Really? Young Tiger sure is arrogant."
"I heard Senior Yan Que challenged him first, and Chu Yun accepted. They agreed to fight at the Mountain Arena."
"Then what are we waiting for? Come on, let's go watch!"
News of the clash between Chu Yun and Yan Que spread like wildfire. Before long, it had swept through all of Heavenly Song Academy, stirring up a huge commotion.
From above, one would have seen groups of students converging from every corner of Green Mountain Island, forming streams of people surging toward the Mountain Arena.
"Heh, heh, heh. The scheme to use someone else's blade to kill has worked so quickly. Yan Que always seemed clever, but I never thought he'd fall for it so easily. What a disappointment." Ning Yiyi's lips curled in a cold smile as she watched the crowds around her, looking thoroughly pleased.
Beside her, Hua Ying shook his head. "With Yan Que's talent, how could he fail to see through such a simple scheme? It's just that he's always upright in his ways and prefers to defeat cunning with clumsy strength. Once he noticed what was going on, he decided to drive Chu Yun away through sheer strength. If he succeeds, not only will his reputation soar, but he'll also unite the commoner students more tightly than ever."
"Can he really succeed? Chu Yun's Drunken Snow Blade has 450 years of cultivation. His Thunder Vine may also be a Great Demon, but it has only 380 years. That's a difference of more than seventy years." Wei Qie gave a disdainful laugh.
Hua Ying gently wagged a finger, his eyes gleaming. "Not necessarily. I'd say Yan Que has the better chance of winning."
At that moment, in Green Vine Courtyard on the peak of Green Mountain—
A fence enclosed a vegetable garden, and a wooden table and benches stood in the yard.
The White-Browed Alchemist sat beside the table and set down his rough pottery teacup, his brows drawing together. "I heard the Student Council arranged for the Princess of Dunhuang and Chu Yun to share a dormitory this time. Academy Master, are you really going to let this go? The ruler of the Dunhuang Kingdom entrusted Jin Bihan to our care."
Sitting across from him was an old man with billowing sleeves and an otherworldly air. He smiled as he took a sip of hot tea, then replied, "That child Ning Yiyi must have meddled to get Chu Yun assigned to the West Mountain Dormitory. As for the Princess of Dunhuang being caught up in it, that was probably just a coincidence. Isn't this a fine opportunity? If I openly gave Jin Bihan a room to herself, people would grow suspicious. Chu Yun is a scion of a powerful clan, so he's bound to be pushed aside by the commoner students. When the time is right, I'll arrange for him to move into the East Mountain Dormitory."
The White-Browed Alchemist let out a long breath. "So you had a plan all along, Academy Master. But is this 'right time' the challenge Yan Que has issued to Chu Yun?"
"Yes and no. What matters is how it turns out."
The White-Browed Alchemist smiled. "Though Chu Yun has a Great Demon weapon with 450 years of cultivation, I suspect he'll be the one to lose."
Heavenly Song Academy Master raised his head, smiling faintly. "Oh? What makes you say that?"
The White-Browed Alchemist calmly laid out his reasoning. "First, Chu Yun probably slew Remnant Wolf through sheer luck. My guess is that during their clash, Drunken Snow Blade suddenly acknowledged him as its master and unleashed a powerful attack that caught Remnant Wolf off guard. That was how Chu Yun managed to kill him, winning by a hair."
"Second, Chu Yun's experience is limited to battles against Lesser Demons. He has almost no experience fighting Great Demons, so he can't compare with Yan Que. Besides, Yan Que already knows about Drunken Snow Blade, while Chu Yun knows nothing about Thunder Vine."
"Finally, there's Drunken Snow Blade. Although it's a Great Demon weapon, it has only middling potential and grows heavier the more it's used. Chu Yun is only thirteen. How long can he withstand Yan Que's attacks?"
Heavenly Song Academy Master shook his head.
"What? You don't agree, Academy Master?" the White-Browed Alchemist asked in confusion.
Instead of answering, Heavenly Song Academy Master turned the question back on him. "Do you remember my title?"
"Feng Bole. Academy Master, you're as free and elusive as the wind, and you have the discerning eye of Bole, able to spot a thousand-mile steed among men."
Heavenly Song Academy Master Feng Bole burst into laughter. Only after a good while did he quiet down, then say meaningfully, "Chu Yun is a thousand-mile steed among men..."