The sun was shining brightly that day.

Shang Yanting sat in the best-lit spot in the library, copying down martial arts manuals. Outside the library was a wide bluestone platform where many people practiced martial arts.

Outside the window, the clanging of swords clashing rang out, and the sparring and fighting were extremely intense.

"Senior brother, did you steal the underwear I left drying outside?"

"Nonsense, how can something done by a martial artist be considered stealing?"

The second junior brother lunged at the eldest senior brother, attempting to strike his vital spot. "Senior brother, you're shameless!"

"Junior brother, look at your own actions and see who you're calling shameless."

The senior brother, with a righteous expression, grabbed his wicked hand, saying, "Besides, the cotton-padded coat you're wearing was mended by your senior brother..."

The sound of the two talking kept coming, making Jia Xitong really want to go and watch.

Suddenly, the fighting stopped.

The voice of the second senior brother came from outside, "Junior Brother Yan, someone is looking for you!"

##

Downstairs of the library

The first thing Jia Xitong noticed when she saw him was that Niu Chuanchuan had lost weight.

He had a stubble beard and even bags under his eyes. He unconsciously cast a hopeful glance at Shang Yanting.

"Student Yan!"

"Is there something you need?"

"I... I would like to ask if you could help me apply to transfer to Qing Shuang Peak."

"I'm just a student, how could I possibly help you go from being a disciple of Tianwu Peak to a disciple of Qingshuang Peak?"

Shang Yanting's gaze swept over him, a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

The immense courage Niu Chuanchuan had mustered when he arrived suddenly vanished. He didn't know why Yan Qing had been willing to help him before, but that generosity had clearly expired.

After he left, Jia Xitong asked, "Why doesn't Niu Chuanchuan want to stay at Tianwu Peak?"

In the original novel, Shang Yanting spent a long time at Tianwu Peak.

"I don't know."

Ignoring the other party's unusual behavior, Shang Yanting prepared to return to the library.

"Junior Brother Yan."

Before he could leave, two senior students called him back, "The dean is giving a lecture this afternoon, so don't go up there to copy books. Come with us later."

"right."

The second senior brother, having sheathed his sword, nodded. "I'll leave after my fellow disciples and I change our clothes."

Before leaving, he reminded Shang Yanting, "Remember not to eat anything; Tianyuan Palace will provide free lunch."

##

The Dean of Holy Capital Academy is the strongest person in the academy.

The monthly lectures were a privilege reserved for disciples at the inner sect level and above.

Whenever the dean gave a lecture, the disciples of Qing Shuang Peak were always the first and most complete to arrive—because the disciples ate meager meals on Qing Shuang Peak every day, and this was the only time each month they could have a proper feast.

However, we must not diminish the majesty of Qing Shuang Peak when we arrive.

Everyone wears their best disciple robes, and aside from eating meat a little faster, they are no different from the disciples of the other three peaks. This allows the secret of Qing Shuang Peak's poverty to be well concealed; only those who truly become disciples of Qing Shuang Peak know about its long-standing financial deficit. Joining Qing Shuang Peak means joining a large family of ascetic practitioners.

"Junior brother, please sit here!"

The advantage of arriving early is that you can secure a good spot to listen to the lecture.

The senior students, with a great sense of responsibility, helped Shang Yanting squeeze to the middle and taught him their tips for securing seats.

"The people from the other three peaks will arrive in a quarter of an hour. Pay special attention to the disciples of Tianwu Peak; they're all like hungry wolves and will fight over a good spot. You stay here and don't move until the Dean arrives. Also, the best spots in the front are for those noble children, so don't fight with them."

Upon hearing the words "aristocratic scions," Jia Xitong immediately thought of the Eight Great Families.

Whoever you say, will arrive.

After the hungry, wolf-like disciples of Tianwu Peak entered, the disciples of the eight great families strolled leisurely into the main hall.

Their disciple robes were trimmed with gold and inlaid with silver thread. Each of them walked past with an air of pride, amidst the envious gazes of the disciples from other peaks.

Among these people, Jia Xitong saw Shang Moyun and Song Yuer, as well as many familiar faces but whose names she couldn't recall.

Shang Moyun walked proudly at the front, surrounded by the scions of prominent families, like a star being worshipped by the moon.

As Jia Xitong passed by Shang Yanting, she overheard his conversation with the person beside him.

"Mo Yun, I heard your cousin is about to become the dean's personal disciple. Congratulations!"

Congratulations to you both!

Shang Moyun reached out and hooked her arm around Song Yu'er's shoulder, saying, "After Yu'er marries into our family, we will all be one family."

The man next to her smiled and nodded, "It's fate that brought you two together. If it weren't for you, Yu'er would have almost married that heartless bastard Shang Yanting."

"He's overestimating himself."

A hint of mockery flashed in Shang Moyun's eyes, and then he arrogantly walked to the front.

The other scions of prominent families walking behind him exchanged ambiguous glances upon hearing this.

If Shang Yanting successfully gets into the Holy Capital Academy, how could Shang Jiuming possibly get the position of the dean's personal disciple?

In order to make his son a direct disciple, Shang Mingyi did not hesitate to kill his own nephew.

In order to consolidate the interests of the Shangmou family, the head of the Shangmou family abandoned Shang Yanting after his foundation was destroyed, and coldly watched his own grandson die.

Everyone knows about these dirty tricks of the business.

But it's good that Shang Yanting is dead.

He killed the most promising disciples of other aristocratic families, causing such a huge upheaval to the Shangmou family, yet he still managed to maintain his position as the head of the eight great families. If he were still alive, who wouldn't worry that they would be the next to die?

These aristocratic families, each with their own thoughts and smiles, sat down. Little did they know, the person they feared was sitting behind them.

Shang Yanting didn't give them a single glance the entire time.

"Dear host, are you alright?"

Jia Xitong looked at him from within her sea of ​​consciousness.

"Um."

Shang Yanting showed no sign of abnormality.

This reminded Jia Xitong of the original story—the host also had this expression when he wiped out the entire continent.

##

The dean's lectures prioritized ideology over cultivation methods, leaving the disciples below completely bewildered, yet none dared to doze off.

The afternoon passed quickly.

On the way back to the peak, Shang Yanting suddenly asked, "Excuse me, fellow senior brothers, how many direct disciples are there in the academy?"

"Our peak master has two personal disciples, and the other peaks combined have about ten disciples."

The second senior brother replied, "Personal disciples usually have a special place for them to cultivate, and we generally don't have the chance to meet such senior brothers."

As he spoke, he suddenly remembered, "Didn't you want to see the things on the upper floor of the library? Only direct disciples are qualified to see the things on the fifth floor of the library."

"Are you trying to trick Junior Brother Yan? Junior Brother, don't listen to his nonsense. Being a personal disciple isn't a fun thing."

Before the second senior brother could finish speaking, he was interrupted by the eldest senior brother.

He whispered in Shang Yanting's ear, "Our Peak Master..."