In Spirit Ice Plaza, the morning sunlight spilled across the smooth white stone paving, reflecting a faint halo. A row of solemn exam proctors stood in the center of the plaza, facing the first-year students who were about to set out.
Tang Wulin stood near the front of the group, speaking quietly with Gu Yue, a somewhat helpless look on his face. Just as Gu Yue had predicted, the belongings inspection had indeed arrived.
"Tang Wulin." Wu Changkong approached expressionlessly, his long silver-white hair drifting gently in the wind. A chill that warned strangers to keep their distance radiated from him.
Tang Wulin shuddered and immediately straightened, forcing a slightly exaggerated, awkward smile onto his face. "Good morning, Teacher Wu!"
Wu Changkong ignored his greeting and held out his long, slender fingers. "Forging Hammer," he said coldly.
"Well... Teacher Wu..." Tang Wulin scratched his head, his gaze wandering. "I didn't bring it."
At those words, Wu Changkong's indifferent eyes narrowed slightly, and the corner of one eye seemed to twitch almost imperceptibly. Clearly unconvinced, he swept a blade-sharp gaze over Tang Wulin.
Just then, a figure in red approached with light steps, breaking the rather stiff atmosphere.
"Senior brother, let me." Long Bing smiled as she stepped forward and pulled Wu Changkong aside. She approached Tang Wulin with a much gentler expression, though her movements were anything but hesitant.
"Teacher Long, I really didn't bring it," Tang Wulin repeated with a woeful expression. "Gu Yue said the academy would definitely guard against that trick, so I didn't dare."
"They may be guarding against it, but we still have to follow procedure." Long Bing smiled and shook her head before beginning to frisk him.
After a thorough search, she found that Tang Wulin really had nothing on him. Forget a Forging