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nTwo days later.

nThe clouds receded, the rain ceased, and the skies were bright.

nA grand mountain towered into the firmament. Its blue slopes were shrouded in clouds.

nThis was Maple Mountain, one of the eight most famous blessed grounds in the White Reed Province. Blue Cliff Academy was built atop it.

nThere was an old-fashioned gazebo built not far from Maple Mountain. They called it the Traveler’s Rest Stop, and it was used to welcome and see off guests.

nA group of experts from Pine Hut College were currently resting inside.

n“The Traveler’s Rest Stop was once famous. Cultivators saw it as a place for those on a pilgrimage to rest. Naturally, the cultivators in question were devotees on their way to visit the sages of Blue Cliff Academy,” a white-robed middle-aged man said with a laugh. “Back then, the Central Immortal Court proclaimed Blue Cliff Academy the standard of Confucianism, the greatest Confucian orthodoxy in the Immortal Realm. Alas… all of that is in the past.”

nHe shook his head dismissively.

nA handsome young scholar said, “You’re right, Senior Apprentice Brother. Blue Cliff Academy’s reputation is far from what it was once. None of their past glory remains. Of late, every time the three great academics host their once-in-a-millenia Classical Debate, Blue Cliff Academy comes in third. They’re no longer worthy of the title of ‘greatest Confucian orthodoxy beneath the heavens.”

nThe white-robed middle-aged man said, “That’s only natural. Who doesn’t know that our Pine Hut College is the true greatest Confucian orthodoxy in the Immortal Realm?”

nThe others instantly chimed in their agreement.

n“Enough. No more irresponsible comments.”

nA dignified voice rang out, and the crowd’s hearts were solemn. None of them dared discuss the matter any further.

nTheir gazes all turned toward the same person, a woman seated upright at the center of the gazebo. She wore a hibiscus crown, a jade hairpin, and shoes inlaid with pearls. She was an extraordinary, dignified beauty.

nShe looked young, around sixteen years of age, but when her eyes surveyed her surroundings, they had the look of someone who’d experienced the ups and downs of worldly affairs. But this only gave her an additional, graceful charm.

nNie Weirui.

nThe most famous Saint Realm elder of Pine Hut College.

nShe sat there, gazing at the distant Maple Mountain, and whispered, “Even weakened, a tiger is a tiger. Blue Cliff Academy has declined, but we cannot underestimate them. Besides, the two treasures the Central Immortal Court granted them, the Haoran Ruler and Just Heart Bell, are still under their control.

n“According to the rules of Confucianists, it is only by controlling both treasures that we can become the foremost Confucian orthodoxy.”

nNie Weirui’s eyes filled with staunch determination. “The dean commanded me to debate the Dao with their Immortal Lords. No matter what, I have to bring the Haoran Ruler back to Pine Hut College!”

nThe white-robed middle-aged man laughed. “Elder Nie, if you fight personally, success is assured.”

nThe others nodded along.

nBut then, a tall, upright figure in blue robes walked over from afar. He had a languid bearing, as if he were out enjoying the scenery. Before long, he walked right into the Traveler’s Rest Stop.

nThis was none other than Su Yi.

nNie Weirui and her companions all noticed him; it was hard not to when he walked right into the gazebo as if they weren’t even there.

nThe white-robed middle-aged man snorted coldly. “Young man, can’t you see we’re in the middle of a conversation? Interrupting us like this is far too rude!”

nSu Yi glanced at him. “Did you build the Traveler’s Rest Stop?”

nThe white-robed middle-aged man was instantly at a loss for words.

nBlue Cliff Academy had built the Traveler’s Rest Stop to welcome and see off its guests. Everyone who visited waited here.

nSu Yi had already taken a seat on the stone bench beside Nie Weirui, and he was sipping from a jug of wine.

nHe totally disregarded the group’s strange expressions.

nHis sheer calm stunned these Pine Hut College experts, most of whom were Void Realm True Immortals.

nAfter all, any cultivator who was the slightest bit observant would have already realized how lofty their identities were. They wouldn’t have dared approach, much less disregard them completely and plop down on a bench beside them!

nWas he ignorant? Or fearless?

nThe crowd couldn’t quite get a read on him.

n“Young man, what have you come to Blue Cliff Academy to do?” someone couldn’t help but ask.

n“I’m here to challenge the Blue Cliff Twelve Towers,” Su Yi said casually.

nThe group was stunned. They couldn’t help but re-evaluate him.

nAlthough they were from Pine Hut College, all of them knew that no one had made it through all twelve towers since the days prior to the Age of Fallen Immortals!

nEven before the Age of Fallen Immortals, those who overcame the Blue Cliff Twelve Towers were few and far between.

nThus, by now, the vast majority of cultivators had all but forgotten that this trial ground existed in Blue Cliff Academy!

nYet now, some kid had appeared out of nowhere and proclaimed that he wanted to challenge the Blue Cliff Twelve Towers. Who wouldn’t have been surprised?

nFurthermore, they could tell that the young man in blue was at most in his twenties, and his aura was entirely unassuming; it almost seemed like he didn’t even have a cultivation base. They couldn’t see anything special about him at all.

nQuite a few of them silently concluded, The kid’s just a brazen fool ignorant of the heights of the heavens and the depths of the earth.

nThe higher someone’s cultivation, the more keenly aware they were of how difficult the Blue Cliff Twelve Towers were to overcome. It was practically impossible to succeed!

nSome of them couldn’t help but shake their heads. This world has never lacked for similar frogs in wells!

nOne of them, a handsome young scholar, said with great interest, “Numerous extraordinary talents have failed to overcome the Blue Cliff Twelve Towers, you know.

n“Thirty-four thousand years ago, the famous Zhou Wen, the expert in first place on the Universe Realm Immortal Rankings, failed to advance beyond the ninth tower.”

n“Twenty-nine thousand years ago, Li Fo’er, the heaven-defying genius of the Church of Supreme Unity, someone proclaimed the greatest Universe Realm Immortal beneath the heavens, couldn’t make it past the tenth tower.”

n…He went on to list several other dazzling, unrivaled geniuses before gazing playfully at Su Yi. “How do you think you compare to them?”

nSu Yi said flatly, “Why should I compare myself to people who failed?”

n“….” The crowd was stunned. The kid sure can boast!

n“So you think you can succeed?” asked the handsome young scholar.

nSu Yi took a sip from a jug of wine and said, “I would understand if a three-year-old asked me a question like that, but coming from an inheritor of Pine Hut College, it seems downright pathetic. Besides, is my success or failure really any of your business?”

nThe handsome young scholar’s face flushed red with shame.

nHis companions were stunned. Su Yi’s words proved he recognized their background, but he nonetheless dared compare one of their allies to a three-year-old. His courage was extraordinary!

n“You..” The handsome young man was obviously enraged, but just as he was about to argue, Nie Weirui interrupted.

n“You made unsolicited comments on a stranger’s affairs, and you’ve failed to mind your own business even after he chastised you,” she said. “Aren’t you ashamed?”

nThe handsome young scholar stiffened and fell silent as a cicada in winter.

nNone of the others dared argue, but inside, they were quite displeased. He’s just a young man, and he didn’t just enter the Traveler’s Rest Stop uninvited and brag with wanton arrogance. He even shamelessly insulted our companion. How could we not be angry?

nNie Weirui merely glanced at Su Yi and disregarded him.

nConfucius once said, “Do not look at what is contrary to propriety, do not hear what is contrary to propriety, do not speak words contrary to propriety, and do not do what is contrary to propriety.” Wasn’t Nie Weirui doing just that?

nOf course, you could also interpret her as simply ignoring Su Yi completely.

nSu Yi didn’t care, but she didn’t care either. They just sat apart in the gazebo and ignored each other.

nBefore long, a snow-white immortal crane flew over from Maple Mountain. As soon as it arrived, it said, “I’ve been ordered to escort our fellow Daoists from Pine Hut College to the Hall of Debates.”

nSomeone immediately said with displeasure, “Blue Cliff Academy sure knows how to put on airs! We’ve acted in accordance with etiquette, and we’ve been waiting a long time, yet they’ve sent some feathered beast to welcome us?”

nThe others couldn’t help but look displeased too.

nBut Nie Weirui wasn’t at all concerned. She rose to her feet and said flatly, “Let’s go. We aren’t here as guests, so it’s natural that we aren’t welcome.”

nWhen the others saw this, they could only endure.

nBefore long, the group followed Nie Weirui toward Maple Mountain.

nSu Yi just sat there, gazing intently at Maple Mountain as if all of this were perfectly normal.

nShortly after, a figure hurried over.

nHe was an extraordinary-looking young man in Confucian robes, and he had a jade ruler strapped to his back. When he saw Su Yi seated in the distant Traveler’s Rest Stop, he couldn’t help but smile. “Fellow Daoist Su, it really is you!”

nSu Yi looked stunned. This was none other than Meng Xinguan!

nBack at the Mirror Lake Immortal Assembly, Ming Xinguan, the second strongest on the Universe Realm Immortal Ranking, had drawn Su Yi’s attention.

nAt the time, Su Yi realized at a glance that Meng Xinguan practiced one of Blue Cliff Academy’s four classics, the Classic of the Deep Blue Sea. His aura was as vast as an ocean, and he’d reached the level of greatness without form.

nIt was also then that Su Yi realized that after welcoming a new golden age, the Immortal Realm had given rise to a group of extraordinary geniuses blessed with great fortune.

nIt was fair to say that Meng Xinguan was one of them. If all went as Su Yi expected, Meng Xinguan had no need to fear failing to prove his Dao and become an Immortal King.

nBut Su Yi was surprised that Meng Xinguan was the one who’d come here to welcome him.

n“You knew I was coming?” Su Yi got up to ask.

n“Not long ago, Senior Tang Lingqi of the ancient Tang Family and Miss Tang Bao’er dropped by Blue Cliff Academy to deliver a message. They took out your portrait, and I recognized you at a glance. Thus, the dean ordered me to welcome you when you arrived,” explained Meng Xinguan.

nAt the most recent Mirror Lake Immortal Assembly, he watched with his own two eyes as Su Yi slew Li Fenghan of the Formless Demons. He admired Su Yi deeply.

nMeng Xinguan was delighted to see Su Yi again. He smiled and said, “When we parted ways at the Mirror Lake, I couldn’t invite you to a banquet. Now that you’ve come to Blue Cliff Academy, please let me show you the full extent of my hospitality!”

nWith that, he led the way, and the two of them proceeded toward Maple Mountain.

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