C17 The Profound Examination of the College!

"Cloud Wing Eagle, you may go," Lin Xi told the Cloud Wing Eagle, as he released the storm binding it. The Cloud Wing Eagle immediately felt a sense of relief wash over it, understanding that Lin Xi had lifted the seal. It was free to leave whenever it chose, but it didn't wish to depart. If not for Lin Xi's life-saving actions, it might have perished, unable to sustain itself, lost in the depths of the abyss. It slowly shook its head in refusal.

"If you don't want to leave, then stay here in the forest. But be careful, and don't act rashly. If I need you, I'll call for you," Lin Xi said, feeling a pang of reluctance to part with the Cloud Wing Eagle. In the Dark Void Abyss, they had come to understand each other, and Lin Xi recognized the Cloud Wing Eagle's invaluable assistance.

The Cloud Wing Eagle nodded, giving Lin Xi a long, meaningful look before spreading its wings and soaring off, vanishing into the forest.

Lin Xi watched the direction in which the Cloud Wing Eagle had disappeared, his eyes reflecting a sense of longing. He then turned and made his way toward the academy.

Unbeknownst to him, during his absence, several significant events had unfolded at the academy, all concerning him. The academy was now a hotbed of quiet tension.

After a grueling four hours, Lin Xi emerged from the dense woods behind the academy. He glanced back, his eyes betraying a hint of nostalgia.

Gazing at the academy buildings, he was struck by their familiarity.

Taking measured steps, Lin Xi proceeded toward the academy, aware that the Academy Examination was imminent and that he needed to be ready.

Upon his return, however, he discovered the academy abuzz with activity. Many students were hurrying to the sports field, and a sense of urgency pervaded the air.

A troubling thought crossed Lin Xi's mind; things were not as he had anticipated.

"Could I have gotten the date wrong?" he wondered, considering that his sense of time might have been skewed in the Dark Void Abyss.

Pondering this, Lin Xi headed to the student dormitories, eager to uncover the truth behind the commotion.

Arriving at the dorms, he found them eerily deserted. Almost no one was there, and those who were, were quickly making their way to the sports field.

Lin Xi's confusion deepened as he pondered the possibility of some urgent matter at the academy, yet he couldn't pinpoint what it could be.

As Lin Xi approached his dormitory, he noticed a figure pacing anxiously in the distance, seemingly troubled by some pressing issue.

"Lu Hao... He made it. Looks like that day's efforts weren't wasted!" A smile crept across Lin Xi's face. He figured that since Fatty Lu was unharmed, he would have surely relayed the message to Lin Xi's father, which gave Lin Xi a sense of relief.

Should his old father fail to locate him, given his military man's temperament, the capital of the Celestial Enlightment Empire would be abuzz with the news. It wasn't beyond the realm of possibility for his old father and the Emperor to engage in a desperate struggle.

"Lu Hao!" Lin Xi called out as he approached.

"Who... Who are you?" Lu Hao eyed the approaching Lin Xi warily. He had been extra cautious since the Dark Void Abyss incident.

But then, Lu Hao's face twisted into an expression of sheer terror, his legs shaking so violently that his entire body quivered as if in a dance. He raised his hands defensively and stammered, "Are you a ghost or a person? Please... Oh my... Young Master Lin, I've already told your father everything you asked me to. If you're upset, you could have visited me in a dream, not like this. We were once good friends... Young Master Lin, spare me, please!"

Fatty Lu looked as though he had seen a ghost, and it scared him considerably.

This sight brought a chuckle to Lin Xi. Observing Lu Hao's fear, he found it quite amusing and couldn't help but laugh.

Lin Xi's laughter only heightened Lu Hao's panic, and he turned to flee.

"Lu Hao, hold it right there! You think you can run from me, the young master? I'll teach you a lesson," Lin Xi declared. At his words, Lu Hao miraculously stopped in his tracks, turned back, and asked hesitantly, "Are you really Lin Xi?"

"Of course, it's me, Young Master Lin Xi. Who else would it be? There are no ghosts in broad daylight. Tell me, Fatty Lu, do you really wish me dead?" Lin Xi said, giving Lu Hao's head a playful swat.

"Look, ghosts don't cast shadows, but look behind me, Young Master Lin; there's a shadow there!" Lin Xi pointed out his own shadow.

At that moment, Lu Hao was almost certain it was Lin Xi. He knew few people dared to call him Fatty Lu, and even fewer would pat his head. Only one person did that, and it was Lin Xi.

"Lin Xi, you're really alive!" Lu Hao exclaimed with joy, rushing forward to embrace him tightly.

"Lin Xi, I've missed you so much... I..."

Lin Xi felt as though he was enveloped in a mass of flesh, surrounded by layers of fat. He tried to push Lu Hao away but ultimately didn't. A profound sense of brotherhood overwhelmed him.

"Lin Xi, you have no idea. In the days you were gone, I visited your dorm every single day, hoping you'd return. And now, finally, my wait is over. You can't imagine how worried I was, and your old father, he was beside himself with concern. He nearly came to blows with the Celestial Enlightment Empire's officials. You wouldn't believe the things that have happened at the academy in your absence..."

Lu Hao held Lin Xi, his voice laden with the weight of his worries.

Hearing about his old father's near confrontation with the Imperial Court, Lin Xi's heart clenched. He thought to himself, 'Old father, please don't act rashly. Stay calm. Such actions could lead to our downfall.'

"You're saying my old father almost confronted the Emperor?" Lin Xi asked, astounded.

"Yes... But eventually, your father settled down. He didn't use the forbidden whip, an heirloom from your grandfather. The entire court was taken aback. It's unimaginable how close your old father came to losing his reason over you."

"Okay, okay..." Lin Xi, feeling his eyes well up, fought back the tears and patted Fatty Lu's back, comforting Lu Hao:

"Tell me everything that's happened."

"Oh no... Young Master Lin, today is the day of the Academy Profound Examination. We need to hurry to the field. If we're late, we'll miss it." Lu Hao pushed Lin Xi away, urgency in his voice.

"Your old father is alright. Thanks to my grandfather and some of the other elders, the Emperor merely meted out a punishment. The Lin Mansion suffered only minor losses. But this isn't the time to delve into these matters. We must rush to the Profound Examination. If we're late, even princes aren't exempt from being expelled from the academy!" Lu Hao urgently explained to Lin Xi.

"The Academy Profound Examination... I must have truly lost track of time." Lin Xi hadn't realized the Academy Examination was upon them so soon. He felt as though he had spent an eternity in the Dark Void Abyss, yet his time there hadn't been wasted.

"The distance from the student apartments to the sports field is significant. Even at my fastest, I couldn't catch up. Lin Xi, we're at risk of being ousted from the academy. Though I'm less concerned—my grandfather has made arrangements for me—you're in a different situation. After the incident with Princess Jinger, it might be tough for you to remain at the academy."

"Fear not, I'll get us to the sports field on time!" Lin Xi seized Lu Hao, channeling the Clear Qi within him. In an instant, he whisked away like a swift breeze, covering ten miles in the blink of an eye.

"Young Master Lin... Have you had a breakthrough in your cultivation?"

"Young Master Lin... You've grown so much stronger!" Lu Hao's eyes shone with disbelief, his heart pounding with shock.

"We'll talk about this later!" Lin Xi whispered, activating the Chaos Bead in secret. A subtle tempest emanated from him, his speed surging as he soared past like a storm, leaves fluttering to the ground in his wake.

Racing through the academy, Lin Xi sensed time slipping by rapidly. His aura intensified, and he was determined to excel in the Profound Examination. With narrowed eyes and a trace of defiance curling his lips, he slowly clenched his fist and murmured with a slight smile, "Today, I return the label of 'worthless' to those who branded me with it."

The Academy's Profound Examination was a measure of one's Clear Qi Cultivation Level.

The vast academy courtyard was filled with over a thousand young men and women, standing in silence with hardly a whisper among them.

At the center of the courtyard stood a massive purple stone tablet, a testing device only the most powerful families could afford. The academy, slightly more prestigious than these families, boasted this valuable asset. Beside the tablet, the same stoic examiner from the previous year waited.

On the elevated platform to the left of the training field, the academy's dignitaries were seated, with the great elder flanked by the second, third, and sixth elders in the central area.

The young men and women awaiting their evaluation stood with a mix of emotions. Those who had excelled in their training displayed confidence, while others, less gifted or with lower abilities, were visibly anxious and uncertain.

"The time is nearly upon us, great elder, and some students have yet to arrive," the second elder remarked to the great elder.

"Those who haven't made it need not concern us. They will be dealt with according to the academy's regulations. When the time comes, we shall commence the Profound Examination," the great elder responded, his tone detached and his expression blank. The annual Profound Examination was a matter of great importance, and with the Dean often away, the responsibility of running the academy rested on his shoulders.

As the testing time drew near, a slight commotion stirred in the arena.

From a distance, along the path at the edge of the square, two figures dashed toward the field with lightning speed.

"Boom!" Their arrival coincided precisely with the tolling of the testing bell.

"Lin Xi?"

"And Lu Hao?"

The crowd looked on in amazement as the two latecomers appeared, their faces betraying scorn. They had not expected these underachievers to make it on time, attributing Lin Xi's punctuality to sheer luck.

"Lin Xi, even if you've managed to arrive on time, what good will it do if your cultivation level is insufficient? You'll be eliminated all the same, and you'll have to leave the academy," Princess Jinger thought to herself, a glint of ice in her gaze and a sneer in her heart.

"Little rascal, today I'll relish watching you embarrass yourself. I wonder how you'll have the gall to remain in the academy after this," Zhao Yuelun silently mused.

Lin Xi paid no mind to the stares of those around him as he confidently strode into his noble class. He was aware that a significant challenge lay ahead.