The Secret School had selected three people from the Second Branch and two from the First Branch.

Among these five, the three from the Second Branch showed clear joy on their faces. From the First Branch, Mei Rujian was absent due to a broken leg, while Mei Jiu stared at her feet, looking dazed.

“The rest may choose to stay or leave,” Master Zhao announced.

Unlike Mei Jiu, the Mei clan’s children had been raised with different values from ordinary people. Most took pride in joining the Crane-Controlling Army. However, studying in the Secret School was life-threatening, so those lacking confidence in their abilities dared not stay.

As the crowd gradually dispersed, Mei Ruyan fell into hesitation. She glanced at Mei Jiu, wondering if she should accompany her.

Mei Ruyan wasn’t afraid of killing or arson, but her foundations were still shaky. Wouldn’t going to the Secret School be tantamount to suicide?

The student assistant looked around and whispered, “Master, only Miss Seventh and Miss Fifteenth have stayed.”

Master Zhao nodded and called out, “Is anyone else leaving?”

Mei Ruyan decided to lower her eyes, enduring the intense pain in her right hand. She suppressed the urge to retreat, rooting herself to the spot.

Master Zhao walked down the stone steps reluctantly, standing beside Mei Jiu. He gently advised, “Fifteenth Miss, perhaps you should wait until next year to enter the Secret School.”

Mei Jiu looked up in surprise.

The student assistant facepalmed, quickly stepping forward to whisper, “Master, this is Fourteenth Miss. The one next to her is Fifteenth Miss.”

“Ahem.” Master Zhao moved two steps to the side, squinting hard. “Fifteenth Miss, you haven’t formed your inner force yet. Don’t act rashly.”

Mei Tingxuan exclaimed in shock, “Master? You say she has no inner force?”

“Mm.” Master Zhao recognized the speaker by voice. “When she caught your book earlier, I fear her palm bones may have already cracked.”

Mei Ruyan hadn’t realized it was so serious. A flash of panic crossed her eyes. “Master, could you take a look for me?”

“I’ve already notified Master Mo. He’ll take you to Elder Qi,” Master Zhao advised again. “I see you have good potential and can endure hardship. In less than two years, you could achieve something. Don’t ruin your future on a whim.”

Mei Jiu finally regained some sense. “We should avoid going if we can. Sister, you don’t need to accompany me. Go get treatment quickly.”

“Master Mo has arrived,” the student assistant announced.

Everyone turned to see a man in flowing robes approaching. His gait made his clothes ripple like clouds, with half his ink-black hair loose and half tied back.

From afar, he looked like an otherworldly immortal. But as he drew closer, Mei Jiu realized he was tall and imposing. His angular face bore sharp brows and deep-set eyes, with thin, tightly pressed lips giving him a severe expression.

“Master Zhao,” Master Mo nodded slightly in greeting.

“Please don’t be angry, Master. It was just girls playing around,” Master Zhao, familiar with Master Mo’s temper, pleaded. This man’s arrogance wasn’t mere aloofness; he looked down even on those who were aloof themselves. His temperament was odd – anyone who dared touch his things would face his wrath until he was satisfied.

True, Mei Ruyan wasn’t an object, but she had been studying with him for a few days.

Mei Ruyan held her chin high, glaring at Master Mo with pursed lips. However, being only chest-high to him, she couldn’t express haughtiness, only stubbornness.

“I don’t hit women,” Master Mo glanced down at Mei Ruyan indifferently, not asking who was at fault. “When your hand heals, hit yourself. If you lose, get out.”

With that, he turned and left.

Master Zhao wiped imaginary sweat. “Hurry and follow him. Treating your hand is urgent.”

Seeing Mei Ruyan look over, Mei Jiu urged, “Sister, go quickly.”

“Mm.” Mei Ruyan cradled her arm and followed Master Mo.

“Mei Seven,” Master Zhao turned, vaguely seeing a figure in the distance. He asked again, “Are you sure you want to join the Secret School?”

The student assistant sighed, tugging at his left sleeve. “She’s right in front of you.”

Master Mo’s figure long gone, Mei Tingxuan relaxed and firmly said, “Yes.”

Mei Tingxuan’s martial arts weren’t weak. Master Zhao stopped persuading her. “In that case, you don’t need to go to your respective teachers this afternoon. Go back and rest well. Someone will come to fetch you tonight. Also, you must come to clan school for lectures every three days and participate in the monthly assessments.”

“Yes,” they answered in unison.

“You may leave now,” Master Zhao said.

The four from the Second Branch happily prepared to descend the mountain. Mei Jiu returned to her room to gather her books.

Master Zhao placed his hand on the student assistant’s shoulder as they went inside.

The assistant grumbled, “I don’t know why you sealed your inner force. Otherwise, even without using your eyes, you could judge positions, people, and objects with your other five senses. You wouldn’t need to be a constant laughingstock.”

Master Zhao raised his hand and smacked the back of the assistant’s head. “What’s so funny about poor eyesight! You’re bored stiff every day. Using you a bit and you complain this much!”

The assistant was thinking of a retort, forgetting that Master Zhao’s hand had left his shoulder and was still walking forward. “When am I ever bored stiff? Every day before dawn, I open the mountain gate, sweep the steps…”

Thud!

A heavy sound. The assistant felt the ground tremble slightly. He froze, then peeked through his fingers at the disastrous scene behind him.

In less than five steps, Master Zhao had fallen into a flower pot on the corridor. Several thriving red plum trees had their branches crushed, with broken twigs piercing his forearm. Fresh blood flowed freely.

“Master!” The assistant hurriedly ran to help him up, wailing, “Help! Master is injured!”

Students poured out of the room, clamoring as they carried Master Zhao away for treatment.

The courtyard emptied in an instant.

Mei Jiu descended the mountain alone, carrying a few scrolls.

Due to the Secret School’s sudden selection, Yaoyie didn’t know Mei Jiu had finished classes early and hadn’t come to meet her.

Mei Jiu saw the Second Branch group not far ahead and slowed her pace.

“An Jiu,” she hadn’t forgotten her constant companion.

An Jiu didn’t respond, so Mei Jiu continued talking to herself, “I don’t want to learn to kill, I don’t want to kill, but I have no choice. I don’t dare tell Mother either. I know she’s been worrying; her hair has grayed these past few days.”

Something in these words seemed to touch An Jiu. She said, “Take some sleeping pills tonight. I’ll do the killing.”

“Sleeping pills” was an unfamiliar term, but easy to understand.

Mei Jiu felt even more ashamed. “You help me like this, yet I’ve thought of harming you.”

“Don’t flatter yourself!” An Jiu said coldly.

Since discovering she still existed in this world, An Jiu had entertained thoughts of escaping the killing to live a peaceful life – herding sheep alone on a sparsely populated grassland, with a high, deep blue sky, green plains stretching to the horizon, and clusters of white sheep huddled together like clouds.

She was weary of killing, but killing was etched into her very soul. How could she separate from it? After long contemplation, An Jiu realized that perhaps the weariness of killing was just an excuse. She was weary of herself.

“But didn’t you say you didn’t want to kill anymore?” Mei Jiu often felt like she was descending into hell when recalling An Jiu’s terrifying memories. She had selfish motives but didn’t want to use others to shield her from disaster.

“Fool, you believe everything you hear! How can a devil not kill?” An Jiu snapped. “Just consider it rent for living in your body!”

After a pause, Mei Jiu realized An Jiu was referring to residing in her body. “I didn’t know you could joke.”

Joke?! What’s so funny! An Jiu couldn’t be bothered to respond.

“My lady?” Yaoyie saw Mei Jiu enter. “Why are you back so early?”

“The Secret School made its selection,” Mei Jiu said.

As a house-born servant, Yaoyie was well-versed in Mei clan customs. Without further explanation from Mei Jiu, she understood the situation. “Please rest, my lady. I’ll go inform Lady Yanran.”

“Don’t tell her yet,” Mei Jiu grabbed Yaoyie, hesitating before saying, “Even if we tell Mother, it won’t change anything. It will only make her worry sooner.”

Yaoyie had orders from Mei Yanran to report immediately if the Secret School made selections. She couldn’t disobey either her young mistress or Mei Yanran’s command. She could only explain to Mei Jiu, “My lady, you care for Lady Yanran, and she cares for you too. If she’s the last to know, she’ll worry even more.”

“Then we’ll tell her later. First, help me prepare some sleep-aiding medicine,” Mei Jiu said.

Yaoyie asked suspiciously, “What does my lady need that for?”

Mei Jiu’s palms grew sweaty. “They said they’d come for me tonight to go to the Secret School. I want to sleep a bit to refresh myself, but I can’t fall asleep.”

This reason was sufficient. Yaoyie had no further doubts. “All right, I’ll fetch some sleep incense for you right away, my lady.”