While walking within the academy, Lin Feng found out that some people were as friendly as him while some of the people were not friendly in the slightest.
For instance, Lin Feng had come across a girl who had a resplendent smile on her face which was lit with innocence yet some of the other girls had similar smiles which were filled with evil intentions.
He had come across another young man whose body released a sharp and cold Qi. He seemed incredibly evil and dangerous.
“Have you seen anything peculiar?” asked Wen Ao Xue with a faint smile on his face when he noticed that Lin Feng looked strange as he looked around. He looked particularly strange as he stared at the different people.
“The Qi they release is quite strange.” replied Lin Feng. Lin Feng wasn’t the only one who had noticed it. Duan Feng and Jing Yun both agreed with him and nodded.
“You’re right. This is because they are very weak. This is why the Qi they release is so strange.” said Wen Ao Xue while nodding. Immediately after, he raised his thin white womanly hand up and pointed at some distant palaces. He then said: “In the Celestial Academy, there are three different categories of people within the academy. Each has their own path of training. This is one of the choices which you are confronted with after entering the academy. Depending on the type of cultivator that you wish to become, I will show you where to go.”
“Three types of people?” thought Lin Feng, he was perplexed. He then asked: “What are these three types of people?”
“The ones who are able to fight on a battlefield while commanding troops. These are the cultivators who are not afraid of bloodshed and violence. They are the first category.”
“Commander.” thought Lin Feng surprised. The first type of training the academy delivered was surprisingly of military nature. These people were able to command troops, were not afraid of blood and had to have great wisdom in the art of war.
“The second type of training you can get teaches you how to become a great leader. It teaches you how to control and manipulate a group of people from the shadows.”
“That sounds alot like me.” thought Lin Feng whose pupils shrank. Wen Ao Xue seemed to be that kind of person.
“What about the third one?” asked Lin Feng. He was very curious. Surprisingly, the two first two types of people the academy trained were those who wished to become commanders or leaders. Lin Feng had a good impression of the academy.
“The third category is about learning how to move as swiftly as the wind at night. It teaches you how to become invisible as if you were in the middle of the fog. This is the most mysterious and mystical category but also the most dangerous. Usually, people don’t see them but if they do see them then blood will flow.” said Wen Ao Xue slowly. Lin Feng was amazed again. The third category was an assassin type of training.
“Who built the academy?” wondered Lin Feng. They trained military commanders, political leaders and assassins. These three categories were all that is required to lead an entire country. Who could have such a wild ambition?
“Could it be the emperor?” asked Lin Feng to himself. He then immediately refuted that thought. If the emperor had built the academy, why would he have allowed Duan Tian Lang to build the Holy Courtyard of Xue Yue? However, if the emperor was really at the origin of the academy, why would he have created such a dangerous place?
“Who is the principal of the academy?” asked Lin Feng to Wen Ao Xue. Wen Ao Xue was surprised. His beautiful eyes stared at Lin Feng and he said: “Many people want to know but it seems like the academy only has the vice-principal. We have never seen the principal with our own eyes. There is only one thing that we can be sure about. The principal must be a member of the Imperial Clan. He must have an amazingly high status. I think that you should clearly understand that.”
Lin Feng slightly nodded. If it had been built by a member of the Imperial Clan then it was made to train people who would later serve the country.
“This is precisely why the academy prefers to remain discreet and doesn’t accept people who don’t have a letter of recommendation. It has many students who have a prestigious background. They all happily joined the academy and to know the others students. They know that the academy is an extremely good learning environment. That is why I can assure you that you will have no regret for having joined the academy.” said Wen Ao Xue while nodding.
“Oh, by the way, you probably already know my name but I don’t know yours.”
“Lin Feng.”
“Lin Feng, that’s a nice name.” said Wen Ao Xue. He then said: “I just told you about the three categories of training which can be chosen in the academy. The academy has a lot of students who come from wealthy and noble families, therefore a great majority of them choose the second category because they want to do things similar to their parents. They want to have more responsibilities when they go back to their families. There are many ordinary people who try to learn these skills but later on, when they want to occupy such functions, they often face a great deal of difficulties.”
“ The hot blooded young men of both noble and ordinary families tend to choose the first category and become military commanders. The third category is the one which people choose the least. This is the most dangerous category. Nobody really knows what they do there and it is shrouded in mystery.”
Lin Feng was carefully listening to what Wen Ao Xue was telling him. Ordinary people wanted to quickly rise up in the hierarchy. It was very difficult to rise up in the hierarchy for a cultivator who didn’t already have a specific background. They required contacts and political influence to gain a higher position.
As far as the third category was concerned, it was a difficult choice to make considering that whenever an assassin came out, his life was at stake.
“Of course, there are other factors to take into consideration. The spirit as well a student’s natural abilities play an important role in their decision. However, no matter what a student chooses, the most important thing is that he is definitely going to greatly improve his strength. If a cultivator is not strong then everything else is useless because strength and willpower are extremely important on the path of cultivation. No matter what you learnt, if you have to fight against someone who is strong then you will die if you are weaker than them.”
Wen Ao Xue looked at Lin Feng and said: “Lin Feng, now you have to think carefully, what cultivation category would you like to choose?”
“The first one.” replied Lin Feng immediately.
Lin Feng didn’t like the second category because it came down to fighting and plotting against people. He wasn’t interested in using other people for his benefit. Besides, he thought the third category was useless. Therefore, the first category seemed to fit him the best. He could use these skills in real battles.
“The cultivators of the first category need to be brave, hot-blooded and loyal.”
“Hot-blooded and brave, no problem… but loyal? Loyal to whom?” asked Lin Feng to Wen Ao Xue. He was surprised.
“Don’t look at me that way. I don’t know either.” replied Wen Ao Xue with a womanly expression in his eyes.
“Lin Feng, I will bring you to the place where you ought to go.”
“And you? You haven’t told me to which category you belong?” asked Lin Feng to Wen Ao Xue. Wen Ao Xue looked like a girl and he obviously came from a noble family but he didn’t look as arrogant as the others. He also didn’t look very brave and did not seem hot blooded.
“Try and guess.”
“The third one.” replied Lin Feng without hesitation which surprised Wen Ao Xue. Immediately after, the latter smiled but remained silent.
“Duan Feng, what about you?” asked Lin Feng. Lin Feng hadn’t forgotten that he was there because of Duan Feng. He would have never thought he would join the academy before that.
“Me?” said Duan Feng while smiling. “I will choose the same one as you, Lin Feng, the first one.”
“That’s great. Let’s go together then.” said Lin Feng while smiling.
A short time after, they arrived on a huge square. Many people were sitting upright. Some guqins could be heard.
“If you want to become one of the first category then you first need to pass a test. Only if you succeed will you will be admitted as a student of the first category.” explained Wen Ao Xue while looking at Lin Feng.
Lin Feng said: “If the first category requires a test, what about the two other categories? Is it the same?”
“The second category doesn’t require any test but the third one requires passing a test and it is by far the most difficult one.” said Wen Ao Xue while smiling. Lin Feng was surprised. Most people were absolutely not interested in the third category but its exam was the most difficult. Lin Feng was puzzled. Besides, it seemed like the first category in which a great majority was interested was also the easiest one.
On the square, there were many new students but some old students as well. Some of the people who noticed Wen Ao Xue smiled at him.
Lin Feng, noticed that many people who passed by or saw Wen Ao Xue were avoiding him as if they were terribly scared of his presence!
Lin Feng found that very strange!