Tang San's Pole Vault Performance

News that Yi Yun had made Prince Xue Beng call him Dad spread like wildfire through Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

Some were shocked, some curious, and some delighted in another's misfortune, but everyone asked the same question: who exactly was that young man in white? The academy's leadership could no longer sit still.

The dean came in person and invited Yi Yun and his companions to stay at Heaven Dou Royal Academy as honorary students.

"Honorary students?" Yi Yun raised an eyebrow at the gold nameplate the dean handed him. "What are the perks?"

"All the academy's facilities will be open to you, with free meals, free accommodation, and dedicated cultivation rooms." The dean was so deferential that he might have been attending to an ancestor.

"Sounds good." Yi Yun casually tucked the nameplate into his clothes. "All right, we'll stay."

Xiao Wu tugged at Yi Yun's sleeve. "Brother Yun, are we really staying here?"

"Free food and lodging. Why wouldn't we?"

Xiao Wu thought that made sense and nodded. Zhu Zhuqing remained expressionless, but her eyes shone brighter than usual as she looked at Yi Yun. Moving into Heaven Dou Royal Academy meant she could see him every day without worrying about him running off.

Ning Rongrong was the happiest. This was her family's turf to begin with, and she had known it since childhood. She could be their guide.

Tang San stood at the very back, holding a carrot, his face expressionless.

Stay at Heaven Dou Royal Academy? Him? A Blue Silver Grass good-for-nothing, a pole-vaulting clown, the laughingstock of the whole school? He felt he did not deserve it, but Yi Yun had said, "Come along," so he had come.

Heaven Dou Royal Academy arranged a separate courtyard residence for Yi Yun and his companions.

The courtyard residence was small but had all its vital organs: a sitting room, bedrooms, a cultivation room, and a backyard. Tang San's first reaction on seeing the backyard was that the plot could grow vegetables. He crouched and felt the soil. The soil was good, with good drainage and plenty of sunlight-a fine place to grow vegetables. Yi Yun stood behind him, watching him crouch there feeling the earth, and could not help laughing.

"Thinking about growing vegetables again?"

"The land's just sitting empty anyway." Tang San stood and brushed the dirt from his hands. "Growing something is better than leaving it barren."

"Sure, go ahead. Grow some for me to eat."

Tang San nodded. He had finally found something he could do in this magnificent academy-grow vegetables. Not because he liked growing vegetables, but because it made him feel he was not a good-for-nothing.

On their third day at Heaven Dou Royal Academy, the academy held its annual talent showcase.

The talent showcase was a tradition at Heaven Dou Royal Academy, held every autumn. Students could display any talent-singing, dancing, musical instruments, acrobatics, Soul Skill performances. Anything was allowed as long as it did not violate academy rules. This year's showcase was livelier than in previous years because the dean had announced that Yi Yun and his companions would participate too.

The moment the news spread, the entire academy boiled over. "That young man in white who made Prince Xue Beng call him Dad is going to perform!" "Will his act be making the dean call him Dad?" "Keep your voice down. If Xue Beng's people hear you, you're finished."

The students buzzed with discussion and claimed their seats early, all eager to see what the mysterious Yi Yun could actually do.

Tang San did not want to participate. He had no talents. All he knew were hidden weapons, pole vaulting, Radio Calisthenics, and growing vegetables. He could not demonstrate hidden weapons; those were killing techniques. Radio Calisthenics was too embarrassing. Growing vegetables was even less suitable-surely he could not grow vegetables onstage? That left only pole vaulting.

But pole vaulting was embarrassing too! Tang San tried to ask Yi Yun to excuse him. "Brother Yun, I'm not feeling well today."

"What's wrong?"

"My head hurts."

"A headache won't affect your performance."

"My legs hurt too."

"Sore legs won't affect your performance."

"I hurt all over."

"That won't affect your performance."

Tang San discovered that no matter where he said it hurt, Yi Yun would say, "It won't affect your performance." "Do you want to see me embarrass myself that badly?" Tang San asked through gritted teeth.

"It's not embarrassing yourself. It's showing off your talent." Yi Yun patted his shoulder. "You've practiced pole vaulting for so long. It's time everyone got to see it."

Tang San took a deep breath and slowly let it out. He resigned himself to his fate. He had already embarrassed himself at Nuoding Academy anyway. Embarrassing himself at Heaven Dou Royal Academy only meant a different crowd would laugh. He just had to get used to it.

The talent showcase was held in the academy's main auditorium. It could hold over a thousand people, and now every seat was occupied, with students even filling the aisles. The stage blazed with light, its red curtains and gold tassels arranged like a proper theater.

The host was a senior female student in a long red dress, her voice sweet. "Next, please welcome honorary student Tang San, who will bring us-a pole vault performance!"

The audience fell silent for an instant, then erupted in deafening laughter.

"Pole vaulting? What's that?"

"Jumping high with a pole, I guess?"

"Isn't that a sport? How does it count as a talent?"

"His Martial Soul is a pole. What else can he do but jump?"

Tang San stood at the side of the stage, tightening his grip on his pole as he heard the audience's laughter. He remembered his first pole vault performance before the whole school at Nuoding Academy. It had been just like this-the entire crowd roaring with laughter while he wished he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into. He had thought that after going through it once, he would no longer be nervous, but his heart was still racing now.

Yi Yun sat in the front row beside Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ning Rongrong. All three girls sat attentively without laughing, because they knew how much effort Tang San had put into pole vaulting.

"Go, Tang San!" Xiao Wu called.

Tang San froze for a moment when he heard Xiao Wu's voice. Then he took a deep breath and walked onto the stage.

The spotlight fell on him, and over a thousand pairs of eyes stared at him from the audience. Tang San stood at center stage, gripping his pole, its green shaft gleaming faintly beneath the lights. He closed his eyes, and Yi Yun's words surfaced in his mind: "Keep your mind calm, your body loose, and your pole steady."

He opened his eyes and began his run-up.

The stage was not long, but it was long enough for him to run from one end to the other. His steps grew faster and steadier. At the end of his run, he planted the pole against the floor and launched himself into the air.

In midair, his body flew straight toward the colored ball suspended above the stage like an arrow loosed from its bow. He reached out and touched it. The ball burst open, scattering streamers.

Then he landed, steady, his feet not moving an inch.

The entire auditorium fell silent. It was not that there was no sound; everyone had forgotten to make any.

Tang San stood at center stage with his pole in his hand. Streamers drifted down, landing on his shoulders, his head, and his pole. The spotlight shone on him, making him look gilded in gold.

The silence lasted a long time. Then someone began clapping. The applause swelled louder and louder until thunderous applause filled the entire auditorium.

Tang San froze. He had expected ridicule, boos, and cries of "That's it?" Instead, he was greeted with applause.

"So cool!"

"That was pole vaulting? That was way too cool!"

"I thought pole vaulting was ridiculous. I never expected it to be so cool!"

"My heart stopped the moment he took flight!"

The audience buzzed with discussion, but not a single remark mocked him.

Tang San stood onstage with his pole in hand, his eyes growing hot. Not from sadness, but because he was moved. He had practiced pole vaulting for so long and been mocked for so long. Finally, the day had come when someone applauded him.

He glanced at Yi Yun in the front row. Yi Yun was clapping hard, a smile on his face-not his usual easy smile, but a genuine, happy smile that curved his eyes. Xiao Wu was clapping, Zhu Zhuqing was clapping, and Ning Rongrong was clapping. Tang San lowered his head, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. Then he raised his head and bowed to the audience.

The applause grew louder.

Sitting in the front row, Yi Yun watched Tang San bow and suddenly felt a little reflective. This kid had gone from Nuoding Academy to Heaven Dou Royal Academy, from ridicule to applause, in just a few short months. He had changed a great deal-grown stronger, more confident, and more composed. But even more about him had stayed the same-his stubbornness, his hard work, and his kindness.

"Brother Yun, Tang San looks really happy," Xiao Wu said, leaning closer.

"Mm."

"Aren't you happy for him?"

"I am."

"Then why don't you smile more?"

Yi Yun turned toward Xiao Wu and smiled until his eyes curved. "Will this do?"

Xiao Wu blushed. "Yes."

Tang San walked offstage and crouched in a corner backstage. He was not crying, but his eyes were red.

"Tang San." A voice came from above his head.

Tang San looked up and saw Zhu Zhuqing standing before him with a bottle of water in her hand.

"For you." Zhu Zhuqing handed him the water.

Tang San took it, unscrewed the cap, and drank a mouthful. The water was cool all the way from his throat to his stomach. It felt pleasant.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." Zhu Zhuqing crouched beside him. "You vaulted really well today."

Tang San paused. Zhu Zhuqing never offered empty pleasantries. If she said he had vaulted well, then he really had.

"Really?"

"Really. Better than any pole vault I've ever seen."

Tang San lowered his head, and the corners of his mouth lifted again. He had smiled more times today than in the past few months combined.

"Tang San," Zhu Zhuqing called again.

"Mm?"

"Have you ever thought that pole vaulting might actually be a really impressive skill?"

Tang San thought for a moment. "I never did before. I'm starting to now."

"Why?"

"Because someone applauded me."

Zhu Zhuqing looked at Tang San for a long time. Suddenly, she felt that although Yi Yun had screwed him over the worst, he had also gained the most. He had gained pole vaulting, Radio Calisthenics, vegetable-growing skills, countless failures, and countless chances to get back up. More importantly, he had gained a different self.

"Tang San, you're a good person." Zhu Zhuqing stood.

Tang San gave a bitter smile. "What's the use of being a good person? A good person still-"

"A good person still can't beat Yi Yun. I know." Zhu Zhuqing gave a rare smile. "But a good person can grow vegetables, pole vault, and make over a thousand people applaud him."

Tang San froze. He said nothing. He simply kept his head lowered, the corners of his mouth turned up.