A deathly silence hung over the Holy Academy's Second Peak.
"Why wouldn't Father God shine his light on me?!"
The first to break the silence was Feng Mo's hoarse roar. "Father God!! Why would you rather shine your light on an old man than on me?!"
Xia Yi glanced back calmly.
Feng Mo glared back, his eyes bloodshot!
For this Four Little Talented Scholars Saint Soul-or rather, not just for the Saint Soul, but also to vent his frustration over losing to Shi Lai-what he had done had all but severed him from his entire past!
From this day on, he would have no friends among his fellow students! From now on, he would serve under his father, endure the hardships of military training, and begin a completely unfamiliar life of toil!
"It was you! You old bastard!"
"What did you do?! You tricked Father God! Deputy Dean! Him?! An old man?! One of the Four Little Talented Scholars?!"
Feng Mo's face grew increasingly twisted. Having already exposed his true nature before the Holy Academy's Beginner Class students, he no longer cared what anyone thought of him. He threw back his head and roared:
"Father God! I, Feng Mo! Am I not worthy of being one of the Four Little Talented Scholars... mmph..."
A large hand abruptly covered his mouth. His expression grave, Xu Zhou hoisted him onto his shoulder, watched Xia Yi warily, and darted away.
Whether or not Xia Yi becoming one of the Four Little Talented Scholars was Father God's punishment, it was terrifying. He could not let Feng Mo stay here and behave recklessly any longer!
Or rather, it was even more terrifying if it was not Father God's punishment! Changing the recipient of Father God's blessing was unprecedented! Perhaps a King could do it? That lay entirely beyond his knowledge!
Watching the two leave, Luo Ti began cursing inwardly again. Bastards, how am I supposed to wrap this up?!
Xia Yi kindly reminded him, "Deputy Dean Luo, the ceremony isn't over yet. What about the invocation?"
Luo Ti's face twitched. Invoke your damn uncle!
Xia Yi laughed heartily and stopped teasing him. He leaped off the altar and declared, "That was merely a little illusion. You can choose another of the Four Little Talented Scholars to receive the blessing on the altar!"
"An illusion?"
"So it was an illusion?"
"I thought so... this senior must have taken a dislike to Second Senior Brother!"
"You're still calling him Second Senior Brother? Pah!"
"I wonder how Da Neng is doing."
The students all felt relieved, but Luo Ti was not quite convinced. That was an illusion? Who could imitate Father God's boundless power? An illusion that even he and Xu Zhou, two Jade Balance cultivators, could not see through at close range?
But conversely, if it was not an illusion, what else could it be? Altering Father God's will?
He dared not entertain that thought, nor did he dare admit that such a thing had happened during the divine ceremony he presided over. He could only force himself to compose his thoughts and declare, "Quickly select a new fourth member!"
A boy named Zhang Jin became the lucky one. After Luo Ti recited the invocation aloud, another pillar of light really did descend. Only then did the youths truly believe it, and even Luo Ti became half convinced.
There had been one twist after another.
At last, the Divine Bestowal Ceremony was completely over.
"Shi Lai, I'm sorry." As they walked down the mountain, Zhou Xiaoxian suddenly turned and spoke solemnly to Shi Lai, leaving him bewildered.
"When Second Senior Brother broke your leg before, I even spoke up for him. I... really never imagined he was that sort of person," she added.
"Oh, that. Hehe." Shi Lai smiled. "I forgot about it ages ago. Besides, didn't I beat him myself?" Then he immediately turned his head. "Grandpa, Grandpa, that wasn't an illusion just now, was it? Was it?"
Others were filled with reverence for Father God and believed he could not make mistakes or bestow the Four Little Talented Scholars on an old man. Shi Lai had no such reverence.
Naturally, Xia Yi was the same.
He smiled and shook his head, then pointed below.
Zhou Xiaoxian and Shi Lai looked in that direction. From this angle, they could see the foot of the mountain. There, Feng Mo, whom Xu Zhou had carried away ahead of them, was arguing heatedly with him.
"He's blaming Deputy Commander Xu for carrying him away. He wants to go back and claim the Four Little Talented Scholars, but Deputy Commander Xu won't allow it," Xia Yi said.
After a long while, the two parted on bad terms.
Taking the two attendant guards who had originally been waiting at the foot of the mountain, Feng Mo headed out of the Holy Academy.
Xu Zhou looked up toward the summit, then followed far behind with a dark expression, making sure Feng Mo would not double back.
Seeming to hear something, Xia Yi cast his gaze into the distance. He shook his head and sighed softly. "Anger reveals a person's true colors. Someone innocent is about to get hurt."
"What innocent person, Teacher?"
"Let's go to Wangjiang Tower. If we don't get there soon, I'm afraid we'll become unwelcome guests," Xia Yi said.
Half an hour later, at Wangjiang Tower.
Bang!
"Get over here, all of you!"
Feng Mo kicked the door open and roared.
"Young master, what is...?" Several waiters approached in confusion.
Feng Mo swept his gaze over them, lingering on Chen Guang's face for a few moments before saying heavily, "From today onward! Wangjiang Tower is not to serve that white-haired old man in the bamboo hat! The girl with him isn't allowed in either!"
The waiters exchanged glances. Of course they knew Xia Yi, who came almost every day. How had he offended the young master so badly that he would even turn away his business?
"Did you hear me?!" His eyes bloodshot, Feng Mo stepped closer to Chen Guang and jabbed a finger into his chest as he spoke. "Especially you!
"Don't think I don't know you always rush to serve them! What, does Zhou Xiaoxian remind you of your past?! Are you envious that the white-haired old bastard took her as his disciple?! If an expert had taken you as a disciple back then, you wouldn't have ended up like this! A cripple!"
Spittle sprayed onto Chen Guang's face, but he still smiled humbly. "You're right."
Feng Mo's fury stalled. He suddenly punched Chen Guang in the chest, forcing him back several steps. Then, as though still unsatisfied, Feng Mo kicked over several tables and chairs in succession before stopping, panting.
"Cripple!" After cursing a little more, Feng Mo snorted. "A cripple should stop dreaming! Imprint Yi Yin Decoction on your sole remaining Soul Aperture? Hahahaha, Yi Yin Decoction? A cook's Saint Soul?"
Laughing wildly, he pointed at Chen Guang.
"Some of you still don't know, do you? He, Chen Guang, was the Holy Academy's eldest senior brother thirty-five years ago, the eldest senior brother who kept my father firmly beneath him. And now he's set on being a cook? All he wants is to become the proprietor of a restaurant?! Hahaha!"
He looked around casually. His shoes had picked up dusty marks from all his kicking. He laughed loudly. "Come here! Wipe my shoes clean, and I'll have my mother reward you with a restaurant!"
Delighted surprise crossed Chen Guang's face. He immediately pulled the towel off his shoulder, ran over to Feng Mo, and knelt on one knee.
"Wait, I'll do it myself!"
Feng Mo snatched the towel away, raised his foot, and planted it directly on Chen Guang's head, slowly wiping his shoe!
Seeing Chen Guang beneath his foot offer no resistance only made Feng Mo feel more stifled. A good punching bag ought to respond with shame and anger at the right moments!
He lowered his foot, a vicious smile curling his lips. Bending down, he brought his mouth to Chen Guang's ear. "Let me tell you a little secret. Back then, my father was the one who guided you into imprinting the Inferior Rat Saint Soul."
Chen Guang replied humbly in a low voice, "That's why the general felt guilty and promised to give me a restaurant if I imprinted Yi Yin Decoction."
Feng Mo sneered. "Oh? You knew? Then did you know my father also tampered with the medicine you used to remove the Inferior Rat Saint Soul?"
Chen Guang paused, his expression unchanged. "Young master, you've lost your composure. I didn't hear what you just said. Please calm down, calm down."
Feng Mo's gaze went blank, and he slowly straightened.
"You knew? You knew!! Hahahaha, you actually knew! You actually knew! Cripple! Don't you want revenge? A crippled Two-Star Celestial Pivot is still a Two-Star. I'm this close to you. You have a chance to kill me! Do it!"
The two guards behind him hurriedly went on alert.
Yet Chen Guang remained humble. "How would someone like me dare lay a hand on the young master? You must be joking."
For a moment, Feng Mo found it all utterly pointless.
Unable to vent his fury, he felt so stifled by the anger inside him that he could almost explode. He kicked a wooden chair beside him to pieces. "I've truly... I've truly! Never seen a cripple like you! You deserve to have fallen this low! It's your own fault for being greedy! And cowardly!"
"You're right, you're right."
"..." Feng Mo snorted coldly. Turning to head downstairs, he said again, "Do you remember?! Don't let that old bastard in here again!"
"Yes, young master!"
Chen Guang answered faster than anyone, then briskly went to straighten up the overturned tables and chairs.
The other waiters looked at him, then exchanged glances.
Before you continue