After what happened that day, Su Qing and Tang Qian'er tacitly ignored it whenever they met again.
From then on, Su Qing seemed to have understood something, too.
And so, two quiet, uneventful months passed. Today was the day they would set out for the Five Great Academies.
The golden crow rose through the breath of dawn; jade balustrades shimmered in the morning light.
As winter ended and spring approached, the increasingly radiant morning sun climbed above the horizon, illuminating every blade of grass and every tree in the Northern Spiritual Realm.
It was still early when Su Qing and Mu Chen finished washing and stepped out of their rooms. Mu Feng and Zhou Ye were waiting for them in the courtyard.
At the sight of Su Qing, a smile involuntarily spread across Zhou Ye's face.
Over the past two months, Su Qing had traveled throughout the Northern Spiritual Realm in place of Mu Feng, who was recovering from his injuries.
Since the Liu Domain's destruction, various factions had thought they could seize the opportunity to rise and take its place.
Aside from negotiating the distribution of benefits and cooperation with the other domains, this was what Su Qing had dealt with most during that time.
Through all his running around, Su Qing had stabilized the Mu Domain's development and gained a great deal of experience.
Thinking of how the little radish-headed boy of years past could now shoulder responsibility on his own, Zhou Ye felt deeply moved and gratified.
Zhou Ye patted Su Qing's shoulder and said,
"You're a boy I don't have to worry about. When you get yourself a wife, remember to bring her back for your Uncle Zhou to meet."
"Don't worry, Uncle Zhou. In a few years, you'll be able to enjoy your retirement in peace."
Su Qing replied with a grin.
Zhou Ye smiled happily as well, then turned to Mu Chen and ruffled his hair.
"Mu Chen, keep working hard. Don't let your brother leave you too far behind."
Mu Chen smiled at Zhou Ye and nodded. "Don't worry, Uncle Zhou. But you ought to find yourself a wife, too."
"You little brat." Zhou Ye couldn't help laughing.
The four chatted as they walked, making their way to the Mu Domain's Teleportation Spirit Array.
After seeing the three of them there, Zhou Ye waved goodbye and left to attend to his duties.
"Let's go." Mu Feng waved a hand and stepped onto the Teleportation Spirit Array first. Mu Chen and Su Qing also waved to Zhou Ye before quickly following.
Within the Northern Spiritual Academy, the Northern Spirit Plaza still stood in the northwest.
Crowds milled around the plaza, and the academy's students gazed enviously at the five enormous Light Arrays set up within it.
These were the routes Su Qing and the others would take to the Five Great Academies.
As time passed, Tang Qian'er and the others arrived one after another, waiting there for the Teleportation Spirit Arrays to finish being calibrated.
Before long, Su Qing and his companions stepped into the plaza as well, drawing a host of curious gazes.
Reaching the Divine Soul Realm and slaying the leader of Mangyin Mountain at such a young age was unprecedented in the history of the Northern Spiritual Realm.
Heroes truly did emerge from the young!
After entering, Su Qing and his companions cupped their hands in greeting to Master Mo, Instructor Xi, Dean Xiao, and Mr. Hao, then went over to wait beside Tang Qian'er.
Seeing Tang Qian'er, Su Qing couldn't help sighing inwardly. She must have overheard his conversation with Mu Chen that day and lost control of her emotions for a moment.
After that incident, even a fool would have understood something of Tang Qian'er's feelings. Alas, the falling blossom wished to follow the flowing stream, but the heartless stream had no love for the blossom.
It also left a faint, elusive awkwardness between them whenever they were together.
"Um..."
Tang Qian'er moved closer to Su Qing, her eyes lowered. She bit her lip and spoke to him.
Then she drew a deep breath, raised her eyes, and stared intently into his, a light flickering in her pupils as she said,
"Qing, could you come with me for a moment? There's something I want to talk to you about."
Su Qing had just opened his mouth when Mr. Hao, who was calibrating the Teleportation Spirit Arrays, announced, "All right, the calibration is complete."
Both of them froze briefly at his words. The light in Tang Qian'er's eyes dimmed, and she said, "Never mind."
A trace of forlorn disappointment appeared on her face.
For some reason, seeing her like this made Su Qing's heart ache a little. He opened his mouth but didn't know what to say, so he could only silently raise a hand and smooth the stray strands of hair at her temple.
Mr. Hao stood before them, a kindly smile on his face as he reminded them,
"As I've told you before, although you've passed the Northern Spiritual Academy's trial, you've only earned the right to go to the Five Great Academies and take their real trials. It doesn't mean you've already become their students."
"Only after passing the true trials the Five Great Academies have prepared for you will you become their students, with limitless prospects ahead."
"If you fail, they won't simply send you straight back. They'll assign you to other large spirit academies."
"But you will never have another opportunity to enter the Five Great Academies."
"So, if you want to become true students of the Five Great Academies, you must give the coming trials everything you have."
Su Qing slowly smoothed Tang Qian'er's hair as he thought.
This journey was the first stop on his path out of the Northern Spiritual Realm and into the Great Thousand World.
It was also the first layer of rhinoceros hide that I, this bamboo of the southern mountain, would pierce.
Beside him, Mu Chen thought for a moment before asking Mr. Hao, "Mr. Hao, what will the Five Great Academies' trials involve?"
Mr. Hao shook his head. "Each of the Five Great Academies has its own trial. I don't know, either."
"Once you pass through the Teleportation Spirit Arrays, someone on the other side will meet you and explain how you'll be assessed."
"Thank you, Mr. Hao."
Although he hadn't learned much useful information, Mu Chen still cupped his hands in thanks.
Seeing that there was nothing more to explain, Mr. Hao nodded to Dean Xiao beside him, then addressed the group.
"Those going to the Sacred Spirit Academy, enter the second Teleportation Spirit Array on the left."
At that, Mo Ling waved goodbye to everyone, then stepped into the Spirit Array.
"Those going to the Azure Spirit Academy, enter the third Teleportation Spirit Array on the left."
Chen Fan and Huo Yun promptly stepped onto the Spirit Array as well, their faces showing a mixture of nervousness and excitement.
"The Myriad Phoenix Spirit Academy, the fourth Teleportation Spirit Array."
Hong Ling gave Su Qing a long, searching look before walking toward the Spirit Array.
Su Qing felt rather bewildered, while Tang Qian'er, standing beside him, glared fiercely back at her.
"The Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy is over here."
Su Qing looked back at Mu Feng, thought for a moment, and said, "Mu Chen and I will bring Aunt Jing back. Wait for us."
Mu Feng froze for a moment, then broke into a radiant smile and waved.
Then Su Qing and his two companions stepped into the Spirit Array.
"Steady your minds, everyone. The teleportation is about to begin!"
Mr. Hao reminded them.
With a sweep of Mr. Hao's sleeve, several seals of light shot from it into the Teleportation Spirit Arrays. Light promptly blossomed across the arrays, gradually enveloping their figures.
Beyond that light, Mu Feng's figure seemed to take on a lonely air. You little brats, come back soon.
Meanwhile, on a Bluestone Platform wreathed in clouds and mist, pillars of light appeared out of thin air. Figures stepped out of them and onto the platform.
An unremarkable pillar of light appeared in one corner of the platform, and Su Qing, Tang Qian'er, and Mu Chen emerged from it.
Upon arriving, even Su Qing looked around with a measure of astonishment.
Wind and haze were utterly clear; the mountains shared a single hue.
The clear lake was a frost-bright mirror at dawn; white waves came rolling like snowy mountains.
Lines from the writers of his previous life, describing famed rivers and sheer cliffs, involuntarily surfaced in Su Qing's mind.
After admiring the scenery once more with wonder, Su Qing drew his gaze back and looked across the platform.
The Bluestone Platform was filled with fresh-faced boys and girls like Su Qing and his companions, looking around warily. Clearly, they were somewhat nervous in this unfamiliar environment, too.
Tang Qian'er was now clinging tightly to Su Qing's arm, sheltering behind him.