268 Recount of Rumors (1/2)
Days turned to weeks and weeks turned to a month, time went by like flowing water, and everyone was eagerly expecting what Lin Xiao and Hei Gou would bring forth next.
Eventually, Xue Wei had emerged from the Soul tower together with Bai Tianyi. As they both were returning to the courtyard, they found that a horde of people had gathered outside—all of them waiting for Lin Xiao and Hei Gou to exit.
”It seems they were successful in creating a name for themselves at the academy,” Bai Tianyi said dryly as he saw the huge group of people standing in front of them.
”Excuse us, can we get through?” Xue Wei asked the crowd, ignoring Bai Tianyi. Unexpectedly, the people who were standing in front completely ignored him, causing his brows to furrow slightly.
”Excuse me!” he called a bit higher, causing the people to get annoyed turn towards, eying him with disdain.
”We were here first,” one of them said curtly, his face showing impatience.
”I live in this courtyard,” Xue Wei argued back, but the man just snorted.
”What nonsense,” he retorted, clearly not believing a word Xue Wei was saying.
”This is annoying,” Bai Tianyi mumbled.
Xue Wei just sighed and then infused Qi into his voice before calling out, ”Xiao, Gou, get your butts out here and clear the way, I can't get inside like this!”
The voice was commanding and filled with irritation. The crowd of people in front of Xue Wei frowned when they heard it and turned around, unsure if Xue Wei was really a friend of these two geniuses, or if they were complete lunatics.
But when Lin Xiao and Hei Gou heard the voice, both of them rushed down the stairs and out the courtyard, big smiles plastered on their faces and excitement in their eyes.
”Wei, Tianyi, you are back!” they exclaimed, forcing the people who previously refused to make space to do so.
”We're back,” Bai Tianyi snickered at them. From their expressions of pure joy, it was clear that they were bursting to share a lot of information they'd gathered, and since they had also had a full month to gather it, there was no doubt that they had amassed quite a lot of information.
During this month, Bai Tianyi had raised his rank to the fifth layer of the Earth Knight rank by being on the eighth floor for a month, and at the same time, Xue Wei had reached the second layer of the Earth Knight rank in spiritual energy.
Their advance was incredibly fast, but this was mainly because of the Soul Tower, it was truly a holy place for spiritual energy cultivators.
Xue Wei and Bai Tianyi walked into the courtyard under the curious gaze of the other students. Many had no idea about their identity, but when they sensed the spiritual energy within their bodies, they quickly realized that the one behind the pills and the formations were one of these two people. Alarmingly, however, they were both only two-eyed experts, how could they possibly be so accomplished?
As to where these four two-eyed experts came from, no one knew. Many had already tried to understand the background of Lin Xiao and Hei Gou when they were providing many great items up for rumors, but they had gleaned absolutely no information as the pair had decided not to share their origins, nor had the elders who were aware gossiped uncouthly.
Xue Wei did not care about the many gazes that were sent their way, neither did he care about the thoughts of these people, all he wanted was to solve the mystery he has been tasked with, and he hoped that his two friends had managed to find out something helpful.
Under the watchful eyes of all the present experts outside the courtyard, Xue Wei, Lin Xiao, Hei Gou, and Bai Tianyi all retreated into the house.
As they entered the house, Xue Wei looked around only to find that there was no sign of either Mo Yi nor Mo Er.
Although it was good that the brothers were not around when they discussed important things, it was still weird that they were not present, and Xue Wei could not help but mind it. Why would they leave when their task was to look after the house and courtyard?
”Not important for now,” Xue Wei muttered to himself and returned his focus to Lin Xiao and Hei Gou. These two had been working hard finding information while Xue Wei had been cultivating.
After arriving in the first spacious room, they all sat down together and prepared to discuss their progress.
Xue Wei was the first to open his mouth, ”We managed to reach the sixth floor, almost the seventh,” he said honestly. ”It was going much faster than expected.”
”That's good,” Lin Xiao nodded his head, ”we managed to catch a lot of rumors and information about the different factions, powers, and legends that go around in the capital and the Garden of Shadows.”
”Do share,” Bai Tianyi grinned, slightly curious about this Yan Dalu where they'd been stranded on.
”First of all, let us tell you about the different powers within the academy before we move on to the powers within the capital.” Hei Gou started. ”In the academy, there are different associations,” he began, ”the associations are split into three categories: the heavenly, the earthly, and the mortal associations. There are currently four heavenly associations, twenty-three earthly and countless mortal ones.
”The strongest amongst the heavenly associations is known as the 'Scarlet Blood Association,' which requires of you to be born in or to have pledged yourself to one of the major families within the capital.
”Second-ranked is the 'Rising Sun Association.' This association is smaller than the Scarlet Blood Association, but the prestige is actually higher as it is the one that is controlled by the Royal family. This one has the least members amongst all the associations, not counting a few mortal ones.