The Shadow Academy selected three from the Second Branch and two from the First Branch.
Among these five, the three from the Second Branch wore expressions of joy, while in the First Branch, Mei Rujian was absent from the Clan School due to a fractured shinbone still healing. Mei Jiu, on the other hand, kept her eyes lowered, staring blankly at the tips of her feet.
"The rest may choose whether to stay or leave," announced Zhao Shanchang.
Unlike Mei Jiu, the Mei Clan disciples had been raised with values different from the common folk. Most took pride in the prospect of joining the Crane Control Army. However, training in the Shadow Academy carried life-threatening risks, so those who lacked confidence in their abilities usually dared not remain.
As the crowd gradually dispersed, Mei Ru Yan hesitated. She glanced at Mei Jiu, wondering—should she really accompany her?
It wasn’t that Mei Ru Yan feared killing or arson, but her foundations were still shaky. Wouldn’t entering the Shadow Academy be akin to courting death?
A page boy surveyed the scene and whispered, "Shanchang, only Seventh Lady Mei and Fifteenth Lady Mei have also stayed."
Zhao Shanchang nodded and raised his voice. "Does anyone else wish to leave?"
Mei Ru Yan clenched her teeth against the searing pain in her right hand, suppressing the flicker of fear and hesitation in her heart, as if her feet had taken root.
Zhao Shanchang sighed and descended the stone steps, stopping beside Mei Jiu. Gently, he advised, "Fifteenth Lady, perhaps you should wait until next year to join the Shadow Academy."
Mei Jiu looked up in surprise.
The page boy rubbed his forehead and hurried forward, whispering, "Shanchang, this is Fourteenth Lady. The one beside her is Fifteenth Lady."
"Ahem." Zhao Shanchang took two steps to the side and squinted hard. "Fifteenth Lady, your Inner Force has yet to manifest. Do not act recklessly."
Mei Tingyuan gasped. "Shanchang! You mean she has no Inner Force?"
"Indeed." Zhao Shanchang recognized the speaker by her voice. "When she caught your book earlier, her palm bones likely shattered from the impact."
Mei Ru Yan hadn’t realized the injury was so severe. A trace of panic flashed in her eyes. "Shanchang, could you examine it for me?"
"I’ve already informed Mister Mo. He will take you to Elder Qi." Zhao Shanchang urged again, "I see great potential in you, and you endure hardship well. In less than two years, you could achieve notable progress. Do not ruin your future over a momentary impulse."
Mei Jiu finally regained some composure. "The fewer of us who go, the better. Little sister, you needn’t accompany me. Go seek treatment quickly."
"Mister Mo has arrived," the page boy announced.
Everyone turned to see a man in plain robes with wide sleeves approaching. His garments fluttered like drifting clouds with each step, his dark hair half-loose and half-tied in a careless knot at his back.
From a distance, he appeared an ethereal immortal untouched by mortal affairs. But as he drew nearer, Mei Jiu noticed his towering stature, sharp features, knife-like brows, deep-set eyes, and thin, sternly pressed lips—his demeanor was icy and imposing.
"Zhao Shanchang," Mister Mo acknowledged with a slight nod.
"Sir, please do not take offense—this was merely a childish squabble among young ladies." Zhao Shanchang knew Mister Mo’s temperament well. His arrogance wasn’t the kind that looked down on the world—it was the kind that looked down on those who already looked down on the world. Yet his temperament was peculiar; if anyone dared touch what was his, he would retaliate until his anger subsided.
Though Mei Ru Yan was not an object, she had, after all, trained under him for some time.
Mei Ru Yan lifted her chin defiantly, lips pressed tight as she glared at Mister Mo. But given that her head barely reached his chest, her defiance came across less as haughtiness and more as sheer stubbornness."I don't hit women." Mister Mo lowered his gaze to glance indifferently at Mei Ru Yan, not bothering to ask who was at fault. "Wait until your hand heals and fight her yourself. If you lose, get out."
With that, he turned and left.
Zhao Shanchang wiped away nervous sweat. "Hurry and follow him. Treating your hand is urgent."
Seeing Mei Ru Yan look her way, Mei Jiu urged, "Go quickly, little sister."
"Mm." Clutching her arm, Mei Ru Yan followed Mister Mo out.
"Mei Seven." Zhao Shanchang turned around, vaguely making out figures in the distance, and asked again, "Are you certain you wish to join the Shadow Academy?"
The book attendant sighed and tugged at his left sleeve. "Right in front of you."
With Mister Mo long gone from sight, Mei Tingyuan relaxed and answered firmly, "Yes."
Since Mei Tingyuan's martial arts weren't weak, Zhao Shanchang stopped persuading her. "Very well. This afternoon you needn't attend your respective instructors' lessons. Return and rest properly—someone will come for you this evening. Also, you must attend Clan School lectures every three days and participate in the monthly examinations."
"Yes," they chorused.
"You may leave now," Zhao Shanchang said.
The four from the Second Branch happily prepared to descend the mountain, while Mei Jiu returned to her room to gather her books.
Zhao Shanchang placed a hand on his book attendant's shoulder as they headed inside.
The attendant grumbled, "I don't know why you sealed your Inner Force. Otherwise, even without eyes, you could rely on your other senses to determine positions, people, and objects—no need to always become a laughingstock."
Zhao Shanchang smacked the back of his head. "What's so funny about poor eyesight? You idle around all day—why so much complaint when I put you to work?"
The attendant, thinking of a retort, forgot Zhao Shanchang's hand had left his shoulder and kept walking. "When have I idled? Every day before dawn I open the mountain gate, sweep the steps—"
Thud!
A heavy sound. The attendant felt the ground tremble slightly beneath his feet. Pausing in surprise, he covered his face and peeked through his fingers at the disaster behind him.
In less than five steps, he'd tumbled into the flowerpots beneath the corridor. Several thriving red plum blossoms had their branches crushed, broken stems piercing his forearm as blood gushed out.
"Shanchang!" The attendant rushed over in panic, helping him up while wailing, "Someone! The Shanchang is injured!"
Students came pouring out of the house, clamoring as they carried him off for medical treatment.
The courtyard emptied instantly.
Mei Jiu descended the mountain alone, clutching a few books.
Because the Shadow Academy had unexpectedly selected candidates, Yao Ye didn't know Mei Jiu had left early and hadn't come to fetch her.
Spotting the Second Branch members not far ahead, Mei Jiu slowed her pace.
"An Jiu." She hadn't forgotten the constant presence beside her.
Receiving no response, she murmured to herself, "I don't want to learn to kill. I don't want to kill anyone. But I have no choice, and I dare not tell Mother. I know she's exhausted herself—these days her temples have gained streaks of white."
Something in these words stirred An Jiu, who said, "Find some sleeping medicine tonight. I'll do the killing."
"Sleeping medicine" was an unfamiliar term, but its meaning was clear.
Mei Jiu grew even more ashamed. "You help me like this, yet I once thought to harm you."
"Don't flatter yourself!" An Jiu said coldly.Since discovering her continued existence in this world, An Jiu had harbored the thought of leaving behind the life of killing to seek peace. Alone on the sparsely populated grasslands, she herded sheep under the vast, azure sky. The verdant plains stretched endlessly, dotted with clusters of white sheep huddled together like clouds in the heavens.
She was weary of killing, yet killing was an indelible part of her soul. How could she separate from it? After much contemplation, An Jiu realized that perhaps her weariness of killing was merely an excuse—she was simply weary of herself.
"But didn’t you say you no longer wanted to kill?" Mei Jiu often recalled An Jiu’s terrifying memories, feeling as though she had fallen into hell. Though she had her own selfish motives, she didn’t want to use others to shield herself from disaster.
"Fool, believing everything you hear! How can a devil not kill?" An Jiu snapped irritably. "Consider it rent!"
It took Mei Jiu a moment to realize An Jiu was referring to her inhabiting her body. "I didn’t expect you to joke around."
Joke?! What was funny about that? An Jiu couldn’t be bothered to respond.
"Miss?" Yao Ye saw Mei Jiu enter. "Why are you back now?"
"The Shadow Academy has chosen its candidates," Mei Jiu said.
Yao Ye, born into the Mei Shi household, was well-versed in its rules and didn’t need further explanation to understand the situation. "Rest first, I’ll go inform Yan Niangzi."
"Don’t tell her yet." Mei Jiu stopped Yao Ye, hesitating before adding, "Even if Mother knows, it won’t help. It’ll only make her worry sooner."
Yao Ye had received orders from Mei Yanran to report immediately if the Shadow Academy made its selection. She couldn’t disobey her young mistress, nor could she defy Mei Yanran’s command. She could only try to persuade Mei Jiu. "Miss, you care for Yan Niangzi, and she cares for you too. If she’s the last to know, she’ll only worry more."
"Then tell her later. For now, help me prepare some sleep aid," Mei Jiu said.
Yao Ye was puzzled. "What do you need that for, Miss?"
Mei Jiu’s palms grew damp. "They said they’d come for me tonight to take me to the Shadow Academy. I want to rest and gather my strength, but I can’t sleep."
The reason was convincing enough, and Yao Ye saw no reason to doubt her. "Very well, I’ll fetch some sleep incense for you, Miss."
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