On the third day of the eighth month, Huaguang Commandery was blessed with clear, fine weather. Early in the morning, before the sky had even brightened, the children all came out of the inn.
Today was the day they would enter Chufeng Academy. Everyone was so excited they had barely slept all night. As soon as they stepped outside, they hurried to hire carriages, needing to reach Zhao Gong Shrine, more than ten li away, before noon. The rainbow deer carriage would be waiting inside the shrine to take them to the academy.
On the road, Baili Gelin chattered nonstop like a little sparrow.
“What do you think the academy will look like? Will it be built on a mountain? Or by the sea? It would be great if it was by the sea. I’ve never seen the ocean!”
“I heard Chufeng Academy is in a dangerous place no mortal could ever reach. It must also be protected by powerful immortal arts. I guess it’s either under the sea or underground.”
Ye Ye also joined the discussion enthusiastically.
Lei Xiuyuan murmured, “Under the sea? Wouldn’t we drown before even reaching the academy?”
“With immortal arts protecting it, that probably won’t be a problem,” Xiao Bangchui cut in. “I also guess it might be under the sea.”
They tirelessly guessed what the academy would look like, and even happily discussed whether the teachers who taught cultivation would be men or women, beautiful or ugly, old or young. This was the happiest day of their lives. Everything in the future felt so mysterious and beautiful. It was their first step into the realm of immortals. Even after they entered a formal sect a year later, they would never again feel the same joy and anticipation they felt today.
Zhao Gong Shrine soon came into view.
Strangely, there was not a single person around. The walls and houses on both sides of the small street had been covered with bright yellow cloth. Rows of guards in imposing armour stood on either side of the road. As soon as the children approached, they were stopped with weapons.
“Impudent commoners! This road is closed today. Get lost at once!” Seeing they were all raggedly dressed children, the guards immediately drove them away.
“But we need to go to Zhao Gong Shrine. Today is…” Before Baili Gelin could finish, she was rudely interrupted.
“Who cares where you’re going! A great noble is visiting Zhao Gong Shrine today. Don’t dirty the ground here! Get lost!”
This arrogant, overbearing attitude immediately angered Xiao Bangchui and Baili Changyue, both of whom had fiery tempers. Their brows furrowed, and they were about to lose their tempers when Ye Ye quietly tugged them from behind. He stepped forward and smiled.
“Big brother, we are new disciples of Chufeng Academy. Today is our entrance day. We have name plaques here. Please be accommodating and let us pass.”
Unexpectedly, the moment the guards heard the words “Chufeng Academy,” they immediately surrounded them. The leader sneered.
“Then you’re the ones we’ve been waiting for! Quick! Seize them all and lock them up! Lowly commoners like you dare cultivate alongside our prince? The only one qualified to enter the academy is Prince Ying! Today, none of you are leaving!”
With a wave of his hand, the guards rushed forward together, holding chains and ropes. They had clearly prepared them in advance. Just as they were about to bind the five children, a violent wind suddenly swept up from the ground. Sand and stones flew everywhere. Everyone instinctively closed their eyes and waited. When the wind gradually stopped and they opened their eyes again, the five children had vanished.
“They even prepared chains and ropes in advance. They definitely planned this from the start!” Baili Gelin crouched on the shrine wall and whispered furiously. “They want to arrest everyone else who’s entering the academy?!”
Ye Ye pondered for a while, then said, “Someone above them must have given the order. Didn’t you hear what he said? Only their prince is qualified to enter the academy. I imagine the imperial clan wants to suppress other people’s path of cultivation. This kind of thing isn’t rare.”
“But some of the selected students might be nobles from other countries. Isn’t it bad for them to do this?” Lei Xiuyuan asked.
Ye Ye shook his head. “First, this is within Yue territory. Second, I heard that Master Xuanshanzi of Xingzheng Hall is from the Yue imperial clan. With such a powerful immortal guarding them, Yue has been able to expand its territory year after year. That’s why they’re so arrogant and domineering.”
Lei Xiuyuan was surprised. “Since Xuanshanzi is from the Yue imperial clan, why not directly accept that little prince into Xingzheng Hall?”
Ji Tongzhou had excellent talent, and his clan even had an elder who was a powerful immortal. There was no need for him to come to Chufeng Academy at all.
“Hmph. Immortals are pure, detached, equal, and kind. They’d never allow something like that!” Baili Gelin still had a very favourable impression of immortals.
Ye Ye smiled. “How could immortals be pure and free of struggle? Cultivation itself is an act against the heavens. Birth, ageing, sickness, and death are what follow the natural order… Immortals are often even more utilitarian than mortals, with even stronger desires. As for that little prince, how could outsiders like us guess the reason behind it? Let’s not talk about that for now. Let’s circle around and look ahead.”
The group crept along the shrine wall. Before long, they had circled to the back gate. Sure enough, both the front and back gates were heavily guarded. In the rear courtyard, a rainbow deer carriage was parked. In the pavilion beside it were only the black-veiled woman, Ji Tongzhou, Commandery Princess Lanya, and another young man in bright yellow robes. Other than them, there was not a single person in the large rear courtyard. It seemed the other children had all been driven away by the guards outside and still had not been able to enter.
“Is that the emperor?” Xiao Bangchui asked when she saw the man’s clothes embroidered all over with dragon patterns.
“Ah, probably the emperor of Yue,” Lei Xiuyuan nodded.
The children pricked up their ears to listen. The emperor was smiling as he said, “It is already noon. Immortal, why not depart?”
The black-veiled woman’s voice was as cold as ice. “Not everyone is here yet.”
The emperor said, “They must have been delayed on the road. There is no need to wait.”
The black-veiled woman sneered. “Then Your Majesty should be asked about that.”
The emperor played dumb. “Immortal, your words are mistaken. How would I know?”
The black-veiled woman rose and walked out of the pavilion. She looked around and said lightly, “Although Your Majesty is the ruler of a country, within our immortal sects, there is absolutely no distinction between mortal nobility and lowliness. There is only difference in strength. Today, Your Majesty has made such a grand display, even driving others away. Such wilful selfishness is not a good thing. I hope there will not be a next time.”
She threw a vermilion talisman into the sky. In an instant, a red dragon with claws bared appeared in mid-air, spraying flames from its mouth as it circled the shrine. Flames immediately surged outside, and screams rang out again and again.
The three people in the pavilion all changed expression. The emperor said urgently, “Immortal! What are you doing?! Please show mercy!”
The black-veiled woman ignored him and merely raised her head. “All of you, come down.”
With a flurry of movement, more than a dozen children instantly jumped down from the walls, trees, roof beams, and all kinds of hidden places. They were probably all children who had avoided being captured by the guards. Xiao Bangchui and the others also jumped into the rear courtyard.
The emperor’s face turned green. He repeatedly said, “You… where did you… Guards! Guards!”
Baili Gelin, who had been holding back her anger, shouted, “Stop calling! Your guards can’t hear you! You’re too much! The academy isn’t owned by your family! What right do you have to block the road and arrest people?!”
The emperor suddenly shut his mouth. His expression darkened as he looked unkindly at the black-veiled woman.
“Immortal, Huaguang Commandery is Yue territory! Even if you are an honoured guest of an immortal sect, how can you set fire and injure people?”
The black-veiled woman snapped her fingers.
In an instant, the fire went out, the smoke dispersed, and the surroundings became completely quiet. Everything was so calm it was as if nothing had happened.
The emperor’s expression changed again. He hurriedly shouted, “Guards! Guards!”
The gate was quickly opened, and a large group of guards stormed in fiercely. They had neither burns nor other injuries. The flames, thick smoke, and screams from earlier seemed like nothing more than an unreal nightmare.
Only now did the emperor truly begin to panic. He hurriedly said, “Prepare the imperial carriage! Leave this place!”
The magnificent golden carriage was right outside the gate. Without looking back, the emperor supported himself on a guard and rushed out. Ji Tongzhou could not help chasing after him and calling, “Imperial Brother…”
The emperor shook his head. “I am returning. Everything depends on you. Do not disappoint me.”
The imperial carriage soon disappeared into the distance, and the yellow cloth blocking the street was also removed. The children secretly let out breaths of relief.
Ye Ye said softly, “Arrogant, extravagant, blindly conceited, bullying the weak through strength… Yue is finished. If even the imperial clan is like this, how much worse must the nobles and officials be? So what if Master Xuanshanzi guards them? Even immortals have a day when they pass on. I fear disaster will befall them before that little prince even grows into his talent.”
Lei Xiuyuan added, “Just like Gaolu back then.”
Ye Ye’s expression changed slightly. After a moment, he let out a long sigh and said nothing more.
Since everyone had arrived, they boarded the rainbow deer carriage in order. Inside the carriage, it was still a sea of pear blossoms and an exquisite courtyard. Xiao Bangchui had just reached the pear tree when the black-veiled woman slowly came towards her and said, “Come with me.”
She was looking for her?
What could it be?
Full of doubt, Xiao Bangchui followed the black-veiled woman through the pear blossom grove. After crossing a wooden bridge, they reached a small courtyard. The black-veiled woman raised her hand and lightly knocked on the door. Her voice carried far more respect and solemnity than usual.
“Teacher Zuo Qiu, I have brought the child.”
Soon, an elderly male voice sounded from inside. “Come in.”
The door opened silently.
Xiao Bangchui felt a little nervous. Why had she been called over alone? And who was Teacher Zuo Qiu?
The black-veiled woman led her inside. Behind a bamboo desk sat an old man with white hair. He was lowering his head, focused on reading. Without lifting his head, he waved at them.
“Come here. Sit.”
The bamboo chair was silently pulled out. Xiao Bangchui did not dare breathe loudly and sat opposite him as instructed. Only then did the old man finally close his book.
He looked extremely old, probably around ninety, but his gaze was exceptionally clear. His eyes were sharply black and white. The moment Xiao Bangchui met his eyes, her heart began pounding nervously. She felt as though no secret could be hidden from those eyes.
What was he looking at? Why was he not speaking? Had he seen the fox demon inside her body?
She tried her best to hide her unease.
Teacher Zuo Qiu’s thoughts were also very complicated. His eye was extremely sharp. Xiao Bangchui’s aptitude was indeed not superior; he could see that at one glance. But her various performances in the forest had truly been shocking.
The miasma in the forest had been unable to touch the area around her. Several feet around her body had seemed like a wall, completely isolating the demonic aura and miasma. More interestingly, he could faintly sense an enormous amount of spiritual energy within the child’s body.
What was the reason for this?
Speaking of which, what had been infused into the white paper was the demonic aura of the legendary nine-tailed fox demon. Countless immortal experts had chased and hunted it for many years without ever completely eliminating it. In the end, they had only obtained some of its demonic aura and sealed it away. Only children who could withstand that immense demonic power were truly outstanding talents. The academy always chose true geniuses.
This little girl’s aptitude was ordinary, yet she could do what ordinary people could not. Could she have some rare special constitution that appeared only once in a thousand years? Or was she carrying some powerful magical treasure?
He studied her carefully and suddenly noticed the string of evil-repelling fragrant beads on her wrist. They looked very familiar. If he remembered correctly, they should be Daoist Dongyang of Wuyue Court’s personal item. Had Daoist Dongyang given them to her? Was it these evil-repelling beads protecting her?
Teacher Zuo Qiu suddenly smiled faintly. “Little girl, the beads on your wrist look very familiar. May I take a look?”
Was he talking about the evil-repelling beads Daoist Dongyang had given her?
Xiao Bangchui obediently slipped off the beads and placed them in his palm. He carefully rubbed the beads, then fell silent again.
“Light the incense,” he suddenly instructed the black-veiled woman beside him.
The black-veiled woman immediately lit a completely black stick of incense in the burner. Green smoke spread out, carrying a strange smell. Xiao Bangchui really could not hold it in and sneezed.
Teacher Zuo Qiu quietly looked at her and asked, “You don’t like the smell of this incense?”
“It’s all right.” Xiao Bangchui could not figure out what they were doing, so she could only adapt as she went.
“This is miasma incense.” Teacher Zuo Qiu placed the evil-repelling beads to the side and smiled at her again. “It is made by tanning the fur, bones, and marrow of demons. The miasma that filled the forest during the second selection came from it.”
…So?
Xiao Bangchui still did not understand what he was trying to say.
“In my view, the reason the miasma avoided you was not because of this string of evil-repelling beads.” Teacher Zuo Qiu looked at her with a smile. “It was because of you yourself. Have you never noticed anything different about yourself since you were little? Have you never been bitten by mosquitoes or insects? Never encountered wild beasts?”
Xiao Bangchui opened her mouth wide in shock.
Now that he mentioned it, it really did seem to be true. Her master often had bedbugs and fleas on him. Only she had never been bothered by mosquitoes or insects. She had always thought it was because she was cleaner than her master.
She held her breath, waiting for Teacher Zuo Qiu to say more about her special constitution. But he fell silent again.
After a while, he suddenly said, “Where is your name plaque? Take it out.”
Xiao Bangchui handed him the name plaque. When Teacher Zuo Qiu saw the three brush-written characters “Xiao Bangchui” on it, he smiled again.
“You are an orphan, raised by your master, correct?”
She nodded and told him about how her master had taken her from the river and how he had suddenly left.
“The name Xiao Bangchui can remain as your childhood name. But a person should still have a proper surname and given name. Since you are a girl and were raised by your master, the character for ‘raised’ with ‘woman’ beneath it forms Jiang. Your master saw you in the river when the sky had just begun to brighten. The first light of the sky is dawn, li ming. So you may be called Jiang Li. But Jiang Li sounds like ‘will part,’ which is unlucky. Since you hope to find your master, you must not ‘will part.’ Fei means to oppose or go against. Xiao Bangchui, from today onwards, your surname is Jiang, and your given name is Li Fei.”
Teacher Zuo Qiu finished his long, semi-classical explanation and placed the name plaque in his hand. With a light sweep of his palm, the three characters “Xiao Bangchui” immediately disappeared. On the front of the plaque, neatly engraved in seal script, was her new name:
**Jiang Li Fei.**
He handed the completed name plaque to her.
Xiao Bangchui felt as if she were in a dream. She lightly touched the characters “Jiang Li Fei” with her fingers.
She had a name now?
After that long string of semi-classical words, many of which she had not understood, she had a name?
Seeing that she had not reacted for a long time, the black-veiled woman gently touched her. “Teacher Zuo Qiu has given you a name. You should thank him.”
Xiao Bangchui murmured, “But I… Xiao Bangchui… my master…”
She kept feeling that having a new name was as if she were abandoning the name Xiao Bangchui. That feeling was like forgetting her master. She felt upset and unaccustomed to it.
Teacher Zuo Qiu smiled and put the evil-repelling beads back on her wrist. He said warmly, “Jiang Li Fei is Xiao Bangchui, and Xiao Bangchui is Jiang Li Fei. Since your master gave you a childhood name, I can count as half a master to you and give you a formal name. When your master learns of it in the future, he will also be happy.”
She thought for a moment, then silently nodded. She respectfully bowed to him and said clearly, “Thank you, Teacher Zuo Qiu, for giving me a name.”
Teacher Zuo Qiu laughed heartily. His body suddenly turned into a wisp of white smoke and scattered. Where he vanished, a fresh green bamboo stalk appeared.
Xiao Bangchui was slightly startled.
The black-veiled woman explained, “Teacher Zuo Qiu did not come in person. He borrowed the body of a green bamboo to appear. The old master has returned.”
So that was how it was.
Xiao Bangchui—no, she should now be called Jiang Li Fei.
Jiang Li Fei raised her head. On this day, at ten years old, she finally had a proper surname and name.
The little Xiao Bangchui who had once been like a tiny beggar had forever become part of the past.
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