Along the way, Ming Li informed Fang Hui that Qianli was safe. By the time he returned to Nan Que, Qianli had already been taken away by the people from Jing Xiu Academy.

She didn’t mention the breaking of the Seven Star Command, nor did she mention seeing Cui Yaocen. She only said that she had seen the Jiang family people bringing Qianli back halfway.

Fang Hui asked in confusion, “If the Jiang family captured him, why would they send him back?”

Ming Li said, “Perhaps because of the Jing Xiu Academy Master? Wasn’t he very confident that Nan Que wouldn’t hand him over to the Jiang family?”

Fang Hui thought about it and felt it made sense, after all, Qianli had chosen Jing Xiu Academy without any hesitation.

The two waited outside the mountain until daybreak.

The sound of the Spirit-Calming Bell resonated throughout heaven and earth, washing away fatigue from people’s bodies and dispersing the turbid qi from their hearts.

People from the Seven Residences of Nan Que came to the mountain gate to receive their new disciples. Usually, such tasks were handled by disciples of higher status from each academy, or directly by the senior disciples of the academies.

The person who came from Yi Xiu was Jiang Ying.

But Ming Li had inquired last night, and the senior disciple of Yi Xiu Academy wasn’t her.

Yi Xiu Academy was adjacent to Zhen Xiu Academy. Cheng Jingbai, who was following behind Lin Xiao, waved to greet Ming Li, who was walking on the opposite team. Seeing his enthusiasm and playfulness, Ming Li waved back in response.

Jiang Ying was at the front explaining the surrounding areas and paths to the new disciples, her peripheral vision catching Ming Li, who was at the back.

Among the twelve new disciples in Yi Xiu, eight were girls.

Ming Li didn’t know any of them and quietly walked at the end of the queue. Although she hadn’t come to Nan Que to learn and cultivate, she couldn’t avoid being arranged for these activities.

Jiang Ying was saying in the front, “The Master will teach you Nan Que’s entry-level spirit techniques within a month, suitable for different star meridians. Every day at Chen hour, you need to go to the Zhu Que Platform at the South Gate for an hour of meditation, which can cleanse and purify star power.”

“There are no restrictions between the seven academies normally, so you can come and go at any time. If you have friends in other academies, you can visit each other often.”

These words instantly won the hearts of the new disciples, who felt that this senior sister was not only gentle but also very understanding.

Yi Xiu Academy was located at the edge of Nan Que, yet it also had the largest area. Within the academy, mountains and waters were connected, and it would take a full day just to walk around the entire Yi Xiu.

Each academy had certain areas that were not open to disciples.

Some were the main residences of academy masters or sect elders who disliked being disturbed and thus imposed restrictions, while others were forbidden grounds or dangerous areas where ordinary disciples might be injured or lose their lives if they entered by mistake.

It was spring now, with all things growing and blooming, yet the new disciples entering Yi Xiu Academy saw flying snow all over the sky. Even though new green grass and blooming flowers covered the ground, the whitish sky was dropping heavy snow like goose feathers, bringing a refreshing coolness when falling on the skin.

Many people were bewildered by this extremely contrasting weather.

Jiang Ying smiled and said, “Yi Xiu Academy has a natural formation called the Four Seasons, which governs the four seasons and makes Yi Xiu warm in winter and cool in summer. However, it has existed for too long, and various external factors have caused some damage, leading to recent seasonal abnormalities. But don’t worry, Master is repairing it.”

There was already a considerable amount of snow on the ground. As Jiang Ying led them on the path to the Yi Xiu Academy Master’s main residence, she explained, “Star power is formless yet omnipresent. It exists in heaven and on earth, originating from the immortal sun, moon, and stars. Thus, not only humans, but also plants, birds, and beasts can perceive star power. Master once said that even a stone can perceive it.”

“When all things in heaven and earth sense star power, many wondrous sights and strange phenomena are born, such as this natural formation that creates its realm. Tens of thousands of star lines are arranged in complex patterns, all formed naturally without human intervention.”

Such natural formations were extremely rare and incredibly precious. Many were seeing one for the first time and curiously surveyed their surroundings.

Ming Li, however, had seen many of them, so she was just looking at the mountain path under her feet.

Nan Que’s Four Seasons Formation was indeed impressive in its coverage range, and its power was very practical, but their Bei Dou also had many such formations.

For instance, the natural formation in Yu Heng Academy could also manipulate the four seasons and weather. The Academy Master often changed it—if disciples were lazy, caused trouble, or angered him, that day, Yu Heng Academy would have thunder and rainstorms, with thunder so loud the entire Bei Dou could hear it.

Everyone had grown accustomed to determining the Academy Master’s mood from Yu Heng Academy’s weather.

Since the death of the Yu Heng Academy Master, Yu Heng Academy had been covered in snow every day. Until the great revenge was taken, the snow in Yu Heng would not melt.

*

The Central Hall of Yi Xiu Academy was where all affairs, big and small, of the entire Yi Xiu were managed. Thus, it was situated at the highest point in the center. Outside the hall stood a stone statue of a Vermilion Bird facing due south with wings spread in flight. Its stone body and wings were adorned with vibrant gold and red colors, making it look vivid and lifelike.

Li Yansi also frequently handled affairs here.

She stood before the Vermilion Bird statue, with wind and snow brushing her clothes and hair. One more step backward and she would step into empty air and fall from the high building. Due to the high altitude, the scenery behind her became ethereal in the wind and snow, with layers of shadowy images.

Li Yansi raised her head and gazed at the Vermilion Bird statue before her. Its eyes were spirited, with flowing light, as if it were truly a divine bird that had alighted before her, quietly standing to accompany her in appreciating the falling snow of heaven and earth.

Jiang Ying, who had just arrived at the Central Hall, called out from afar, “Master.”

Only then did Li Yansi turn to look.

Ming Li and the others took their positions in front of the Vermilion Bird statue. Li Yansi remained standing where she was, smiling as she observed them, and said, “I’m very pleased that you have chosen Yi Xiu Academy; it is my honor.”

“This is our Nan Que sacred object, the Vermilion Bird. It protects our Nan Que from the formless realm, serving as the southern sky that encompasses all stars and phenomena. It is an unbreakable, unfailing sight, forever suspended high and watching over us.”

As Ming Li listened, her eyelashes trembled slightly, involuntarily recalling the scene when her father guided her into Bei Dou years ago.

Bei Dou had the Broken Star River, meaning to cut off the Milky Way. Heaven and earth were inverted, with stars falling onto the mirror-like, calm, and smooth water surface. The river water only reflected the life stars of the Bei Dou disciples. Bright life stars illuminated the water’s surface, also lighting up the black dragon statue swimming beneath the water.

It swam through the star sea, protecting every life star.

When someone perished, their life star would fall onto the black dragon’s body and become a scale.

Ming Li gazed at the Vermilion Bird statue before her, momentarily lost in thought.

Thinking about it now, her life star should have become a dragon scale.

Then if her junior sister…

Li Yansi raised her head and pointed to the eyes of the Vermilion Bird statue: “Enter our Nan Que, with the Vermilion Bird’s eyes imprinting your life star. In life and death, you are all souls of our Nan Que.”

Ming Li silently recited in her heart: Father, Sect Leader, I’m just here undercover to find my junior sister and junior brother, not truly joining Nan Que.

She extended her hand along with the other disciples to point out her life star, using blood as a guide. The blood drops mixed with the life star and flew into the eyes of the Vermilion Bird statue, making those already spirited eyes even more vibrant and full of soul. The eyeballs glistened brilliantly, reflecting the figures of the new disciples.

Everyone faintly heard a brief, sharp cry of a phoenix.

Ming Li felt a force from the Vermilion Bird statue fall upon her, vanishing in an instant, but she knew this represented that the life star covenant with Nan Que had taken effect.

Li Yansi nodded with satisfaction: “Well then, congratulations on officially becoming Nan Que’s disciples.”

“Your senior sister Jiang Ying should have told you about the recent courses. Just show up on time to sign in. The notice board will refresh the training missions daily, and the rewards are quite generous. Sometimes they will be joint missions with other academies.”

Ming Li stood in front of the Central Hall listening to Li Yansi explain all of Nan Que’s sect rules until noon, when she finally waved her hand and said, “Dismissed.”

The other disciples were all thanking heaven and earth, sneaking away quickly. Ming Li was about to leave when Li Yansi called out to her: “Zhou Li, come here.”

Ming Li had no choice but to go over.

Jiang Ying, who had already walked ahead, looked back.

Li Yansi narrowed her eyes as she examined Ming Li and asked, “Currently, you only have the Circulating Qi meridian at full level?”

Ming Li nodded.

Li Yansi asked again, “According to your thinking, which star meridian do you most want to cultivate now?”

Without thinking, Ming Li said, “The Yin Meridian.”

The Yin Meridian governed the “self” and was the primary source that enabled her to search for her junior brother’s information in dreams. If cultivated to the full level, she would have many ways to enter dreams directly and find her junior brother’s whereabouts.

Unfortunately, her Yin Meridian was only at the first level now, very low, and the spirit techniques she could use were limited, and all low-level ones that were useless to her.

Li Yansi was somewhat surprised: “The Yin and Yang meridians are the most difficult among the eight meridians. You are quite ambitious.”

After having her thoughts “revealed,” Ming Li just blinked once, neither annoyed nor angry. Such a reaction made Li Yansi sigh inwardly; she found herself liking the person before her more and more.

For some reason, the first time she saw Ming Li, she felt that this person was very “clean”—whether it was her star power, temperament, or eyes, all were flawlessly clean. Even her reactions and behaviors exhibited so far were the same.

If Chen Zhou, who deeply knew Ming Li’s true nature, were to know Li Yansi’s thoughts, he would only give a cold laugh, his gaze toward Li Yansi changing to one of appreciation for yet another fool successfully bewitched by his junior sister’s disguise.

In Li Yansi’s eyes, Ming Li was like a pure, flawless jade that had never been carved. Now that this beautiful jade had fallen into her hands, she must carefully carve it.

Li Yansi waved her hand and said, “Come to the main residence later, and I’ll see how your Yin Meridian level is.”

“Oh.” Ming Li nodded respectfully before backing away.

Li Yansi watched her departing figure and fell into deep thought. This disciple was good in every way, except that she felt like she… didn’t quite treat her as a master.

*

The first thing Ming Li did after leaving the Central Hall and reaching the ground was to find the disciples’ dormitory.

The environment of the dormitories within the academy was very good—quiet with gentle breezes, and everyone had their private room. Correspondingly, the price was also quite beautiful.

That’s when she discovered that dormitories within the Nan Que academies required payment.

Ming Li was stopped outside the dormitory. The disciple in charge of managing the dormitory smiled apologetically and said, “We’re already full. Please go to the new quarters outside the academy.”

The new quarters outside the academy were like Gui Xiu’s new quarters from last night—circular high-rise buildings, six stories tall, with nearly thirty connected rooms on each floor, able to accommodate over a hundred people.

Although the new quarters weren’t within the seven academy compounds, they were still within the Nan Que area.

Nan Que was vast, no worse than Zhu Que State City.

Ming Li didn’t think much about it and went to find the new quarters as instructed.

Upon reaching the new quarters area, she discovered many black high-rise buildings, with numerous disciples coming and going nearby, some of whom were new disciples. Ming Li was hesitating, unsure which building to choose, when suddenly she heard someone calling her name.

“Zhou Li! Genius!”

Ming Li turned to look and found Cheng Jingbai with his arm around Qiu Hong’s shoulder, waving at her. Beside them stood Dou Lanmin, counting money.

These young men who had been strangers just a few days ago had become as familiar as decades-old friends in such a short time.

Cheng Jingbai came over and asked, “Why are you also coming to stay in the outer academy’s new quarters?”

Ming Li said, “The inner academy dormitory said they were full.”

“Full?” Cheng Jingbai was taken aback, “That’s impossible. Just now, someone from Yi Xiu was asking this little guy to borrow money to stay in the inner academy.”

Ming Li blinked once and said emotionlessly, “Oh.”

Cheng Jingbai: “?”

Oh what? Haven’t you realized the seriousness of the problem?

Dou Lanmin, counting his money without raising his head, said, “What did I tell you? She made such a big scene earlier, of course, she would be envied and targeted. Look! Yi Xiu won’t even let her stay in the inner academy, wanting to drive her out to stay in the new quarters.”

Cheng Jingbai looked at Ming Li sympathetically. Being targeted without knowing it, this innocent appearance would only make people want to bully her more.

Ming Li asked, “Then why are you all also ‘targeted’ to the new quarters?”

Qiu Hong pushed away Cheng Jingbai’s arm that was around his shoulder and said, “I like lively places.”

Cheng Jingbai raised an eyebrow and said, “This is where you don’t understand. I’m not here because I don’t have the money to stay in the inner academy, nor because I like the hustle and bustle. It’s because there are many more people in the new quarters than in the inner academy. In places with more people, the information you gain is, of course, much more than in places with fewer people, and it’s diverse, with everything available.”

Ming Li’s heart stirred slightly: “Such as?”

Cheng Jingbai stroked his chin and said, “For example, a certain senior brother is stringing along five junior sisters from different academies at the same time.”

Ming Li: “…”

This wasn’t the kind of intelligence she wanted.

“It’s a mixed bag in there, with everything available—intelligence, trades. It can help you quickly familiarize yourself with Nan Que, and it’s more exciting than the inner academy.” Dou Lanmin put away his money and rubbed his hands together, saying, “I just love excitement, and also trading and business. Where there are more people, there are more trades.”

Ming Li understood:

Dou Lanmin wanted to make money.

Cheng Jingbai wanted to hear gossip.

Qiu Hong wanted to join the hustle and bustle.

So she would give it a try too, to see if she could gather useful information.