The inner door suddenly swung open, and the black-veiled woman appeared ghostlike at the threshold, her voice cold as she demanded, "What is all this noise?"
The courtyard fell into dead silence, save for the faint sobs and whimpers of pain from the boys in the pavilion. Xiao Bangchui took a deep breath—she had hit someone. Would she be disqualified?
Though entirely shrouded in black, the children could almost feel the black-veiled woman's gaze slowly sweeping across the courtyard, pausing briefly on the pavilion and Xiao Bangchui before she spoke again: "There is half an hour left before the end of the First Selection. If I hear any more noise within that time, no matter who it is, they can go home immediately."
Not a single child dared to breathe loudly as they watched the black-veiled woman exit and close the door behind her.
Xiao Bangchui exhaled in relief. Good, she could still stay for the Second Selection. She turned to look at the bloodied little boy, who was still crying silently, his shoulders trembling, looking both pitiful and pathetic.
"If someone hits you, either fight back or run away. What's the point of crying? Do you think bawling will stop them from hitting you?" she retorted, not waiting for an answer before dragging him back by his collar.
Ye Ye and the other two were still standing dumbfounded in their original spots. When they saw Xiao Bangchui return, Baili Gelin couldn't help but whistle at her. "Xiao Bangchui, you're so brave!"
Not just brave—she was formidable, having single-handedly beaten those obnoxious rich kids until they cried. Baili Gelin grabbed Xiao Bangchui's hand, her face full of admiration. Beside her, Ye Ye also smiled. "Well done. You beat me to it—I was about to step in too."
Noticing the blood-covered boy behind Xiao Bangchui, still trembling with silent sobs, Ye Ye spoke gently, "Are you alright? Let's clean the blood first. I have some medicine here for external use."
The boy wiped his tears and stammered, "Th-thank you, hero..."
"What hero?" Xiao Bangchui frowned as she sat on the ground. "You're useless, always crying."
The boy's lips quivered, on the verge of tears again, so Ye Ye quickly pulled him aside. "Come on, let's wash your wounds first."
Baili Gelin tugged discreetly at Xiao Bangchui's sleeve and whispered, "You really startled me just now. None of us expected you to charge out like that."
Xiao Bangchui had initially struck them as aloof and indifferent to others' affairs. If Ye Ye or her sister Chang Yue had jumped in to defend the boy, Baili Gelin wouldn't have been surprised—Ye Ye had a strong sense of justice, and her sister, though outwardly gentle, had a fiery temper and couldn't stand bullying. But it was Xiao Bangchui who had rushed out first.
Baili Gelin tilted her head, studying Xiao Bangchui. At first, she had thought Xiao Bangchui was unremarkable—too scrawny for a boy. Ye Ye was only a year older but stood half a head taller and was far more handsome. Xiao Bangchui's skin was dark, her eyebrows thick, but her features were plain, with nothing particularly striking. Yet her actions just now had been heroic, and now, in Baili Gelin's eyes, even her dark skin seemed uniquely appealing.
Could this be the legendary masculinity? Baili Gelin's young maiden heart fluttered.
"I just couldn't stand it," Xiao Bangchui muttered, wiping the boy's blood off her hands onto her clothes.When she rushed out, even she herself was surprised. Normally, she wouldn’t even glance at such trivial matters. Bullying the weak was nothing unusual—it happened countless times every day. If she intervened in every case, she’d never finish in her lifetime.
Perhaps she just saw a shadow of her own future in that boy. If she failed the Second Selection, she would wander the world alone, helpless and destitute, and might one day end up just like him. That was her greatest fear, and instinct drove her to protect him before she even realized what she was doing.
Ye Ye led the boy, now cleaned up and bandaged, over to her. He had finally stopped crying, and his once filthy face was now washed clean. Though crisscrossed with wounds and bruised, he was actually a delicate-looking child. Timidly, he stepped forward and bowed to Xiao Bangchui. “Th-thank you for saving me.”
Xiao Bangchui turned her face away, her voice cold. “You’re just useless. Don’t thank me.”
The boy’s eyes reddened again, but this time he held back his tears and whispered, “Y-yes… I’m too useless.”
Ye Ye stepped in with a smile to smooth things over. “Alright, those bullies won’t dare bother you again, so don’t be afraid. I’m Ye Ye, this is Baili Gelin, and that’s Baili Changyue. The one who saved you is Xiao Bangchui. What’s your name?”
“My name is Lei Xiuyuan.” The boy blushed shyly. “Thank you all for helping me. I’ll never forget your kindness.”
His speech was refined and scholarly, yet his appearance was disheveled—likely from a once-respectable family that had fallen on hard times.
“What kindness?” Baili Gelin laughed. “Xiuyuan, did you come alone for the preliminary selection too?”
Lei Xiuyuan nodded.
“Then we can keep each other company.” The naturally sociable girl grinned and pulled him closer. Suddenly remembering something, she asked, “Oh, why did you point at that girl earlier and scream?”
Lei Xiuyuan’s expression darkened instantly, and tears welled up in his eyes again. Trembling, he said, “I recognized her… Half a year ago, Brother Lu and I were begging on the streets. Brother Lu accidentally startled her dog, and she ordered her attendants to beat him half to death. He passed away that very night!”
The group could only sigh in silence. These children had all tasted the bitterness of life, and no words of comfort could ease Lei Xiuyuan’s grief.
But then his crying grew even more intense, as if it would never stop, drawing curious glances from the other children in the courtyard. Baili Gelin sighed. “Um… Xiuyuan, don’t cry…”
Lei Xiuyuan sobbed uncontrollably. “I… I can’t help it…”
Xiao Bangchui lost her patience and snapped, “Are you made of water? Crying at the drop of a hat. Are you even a man?”
Lei Xiuyuan froze for a moment before rubbing his eyes hard. Though tear streaks remained on his face, no more tears fell. He whispered, “Brother Lu used to say the same thing to me… I’m sorry, Big Brother Xiao Bangchui. I won’t cry anymore.”
Big… Brother… Xiao… Bang… Chui…
Xiao Bangchui nearly burst out laughing—this was the first time anyone had ever called her that! She struggled to hold back her amusement, while Baili Gelin, beside her, had no qualms about rolling on the ground laughing. Even Ye Ye couldn’t suppress his laughter, and soon, even Lei Xiuyuan himself was smiling through his tears.Soon, the preliminary selection at Young Phoenix Academy concluded. In Lu Gongzhen, a total of fifty-six children passed—some dressed in luxurious attire with an elegant demeanor, others simple farm boys. However, children like Xiao Bangchui and her companions, ragged and resembling beggars, were extremely rare.
The black-veiled woman stood beside the Rainbow Deer. Though her voice was sweet and pleasant, her tone remained icy.
"Those whose numbers are called, board the carriage one by one."
Xiao Bangchui observed the fifty-six children gathered in the courtyard, a dark mass of figures, yet there were only four carriages. Though they were quite large, how could a single carriage hold over a dozen people? Was it even possible? How would they arrange the numbers?
The black-veiled woman called out the numbers swiftly. Soon, the first carriage had boarded over a dozen children, yet there was no sign of crowding inside. The children grew both nervous and expectant. Baili Gelin leaned close to Xiao Bangchui’s ear and whispered, "Do you think they’ve cast some Immortal Technique on the carriage? There’s no way it could hold so many people just by looking at it..."
Xiao Bangchui shook her head—she had no idea either.
Before long, the black-veiled woman called her number: "Three-five-nine."
Xiao Bangchui quickly walked to the second carriage and gently lifted the curtain. Inside was pitch black, with only a faint glimmer of light and a sweet, floral fragrance wafting out. She stepped onto the carriage and took a single step forward—then suddenly, the scenery transformed.
Before her eyes, the light was bright yet soft, revealing an enormous courtyard with pavilions and towers in the distance, where mountains and waters blended into a scene straight out of a painting. She stood amidst a sea of pear blossoms, white as snow, and inhaled deeply in disbelief. The sweet floral scent filled her lungs, refreshing her heart and mind.
Was this a dream? She looked around clumsily, bewildered. Hadn’t she just boarded a carriage? Then why... were there pavilions and a boundless sea of pear blossoms inside?
"Three-five-nine, please follow me."
From beneath the dazzling pear blossoms, a figure suddenly emerged—a young woman around twenty years of age. Yet she didn’t quite look human. Her hair was entirely cyan, and from her shoulders to her arms, large patches of skin were exposed, covered in cyan scales.
Xiao Bangchui’s heart skipped a beat. Was she a demon? Why was there a demon here?
No one answered her questions. Following the demon woman through the flowers and willows, she soon arrived at a spacious courtyard. On either side stood small buildings—the western ones seemed already occupied. The demon woman led her to the eastern side and said, "Three-five-nine, please enter this room."
Xiao Bangchui gently pushed open the door to one of the eastern buildings. Inside, a complete set of furniture awaited—a desk, chairs, and a large bed with snow-white, pristine bedding. There was also a bamboo curtain leading to a small bathing pool, its water clear and blue. Beside it lay combs, soap pods, eggs, wash beans, and a wooden basin—everything one could need.
Was this for her to stay in? She had never lived in such a fine room before.
As Xiao Bangchui stood there dazed, the demon woman spoke again from behind, "Please rest here for the night. Tomorrow, the Second Selection will take place at Bountiful Snow Pavilion. I will call for you when the time comes."
With that, she quickly left. Xiao Bangchui looked around in wonder. Truthfully, she had never used luxuries like eggs or wash beans before, nor had she ever seen a bathing pool. She couldn’t help but stare for a long while. The bedding on the bed was as clean as white clouds. She wanted to lie down and feel it, but she feared her clothes might dirty it, so she only dared to lightly touch it with her fingers. The fabric was soft and smooth, carrying a faint fragrance reminiscent of pine forests.
If this truly was a dream, she never wanted to wake up.The courtyard soon filled with voices again, sounding somewhat familiar. Xiao Bangchui pushed open the door to see Baili Gelin walking over with a female demon in tow. She had somehow already struck up a casual rapport with the demon, chattering nonstop along the way. Spotting Xiao Bangchui from afar, she immediately waved excitedly and ran over, laughing loudly, "Xiao Bangchui! How wonderful! We're living so close to each other!"
"Is this inside the carriage?" Xiao Bangchui couldn't help voicing her question.
Baili Gelin shook her head. "I'm not sure either, but Ye Ye guessed earlier that the carriage might be enchanted with an Immortal Technique called 'Universe in the Sleeve.' There's probably a Grotto Heaven inside."
This Ye Ye seemed quite knowledgeable. His identity before his fall from grace must have been extraordinary.
As if reading her thoughts, Baili Gelin smiled and said, "Ye Ye is amazing. He knows so many things. It might look like my sister and I are taking care of him, but in reality, he's the one looking after both of us."
Indeed, this girl before her was far more perceptive than she appeared. Children who had tasted the harshness of life could never be truly naive.
Soon, a few more people were led into the courtyard—Ye Ye, Baili Changyue, and Lei Xiuyuan. Whether it was a coincidence or deliberately arranged by the black-veiled woman was unclear.
Ye Ye explained, "This must be the Immortal Technique 'Universe in the Sleeve,' but I never expected it to be so grand. I suspect this is also a way for the Young Phoenix Academy to build its reputation. Those who pass the first selection get to enter this Grotto Heaven, filled with all sorts of wondrous sights and grandeur. Even if they fail the Second Selection, those who return will spread tales of it far and wide. Word will spread—'Entering the Academy means living a Celestial life!'—and more people will come."
So that was it. Upon reflection, it made perfect sense. The idea of Celestials had always been elusive, but the Young Phoenix Academy's first selection was so grand and lively that even those without Spirit Roots would want to try their luck. The more people came, the higher the chances of finding those with exceptional talent. It was indeed a clever method.
The children chattered noisily in the courtyard, creating quite a lively scene. Suddenly, a door on the western side of the building slammed open, and a boy in white robes stood there furiously, shouting, "You peasants have been yammering nonstop since earlier! Shut up, all of you!"
Everyone turned to look. The boy was none other than the wealthy young master whom Xiao Bangchui had slapped with a silver ingot earlier. He was quite handsome, but half his face was now swollen, making him look ridiculous. No one believed it was a coincidence that he was staying in the western building.
Xiao Bangchui turned to face him and said calmly, "What did you say?"
The moment the boy in white saw her, his face turned beet red. He pointed at her, opening his mouth as if to curse, but quickly swallowed his words. With a disdainful snort, he stormed back inside and slammed the door shut.
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