Chapter 196: Friends (Third)

When Bai Yunfei turned his head, six figures made their way into his line of sight. Ye Zhiqiu, Mo Xiaoxuan, Xi Yan, Zhong Xuhao, Liu Mang, and one more person right next to Ye Zhiqiu were all walking together to meet up with Bai Yunfei. This new addition to the group was Tian Yuhang, the youngster with the 'best' talent in the fire affinity and also incredibly high talent in crafting.

"Brother Bai! No wonder we couldn't find you in your room, you were out here feeling the morning breeze already!" Zhong Xuhao laughed cheerfully as he approached.

Smiling, Bai Yunfei nodded to Zhong Xuhao and the rest of the group, "I wasn't feeling too well, so I thought I'd come here to relax a bit."

"Brother Bai, why do you feel that way?" Ye Zhiqiu asked with concern, "Everyone saw how determined you were that day. Even if you were unable to become a disciple, I've no doubt you are someone that'll go extremely far in life."

"Brother Bai, don't be so hard on yourself! You're the strongest student in the newest group of students! Even brother Ye said he wasn't as strong as you! You're only nineteen, but you're already a late-stage Soul Sprite; that's something no student in the inner school or even any disciple can boast of! Your talent in crafting might be slightly below theirs, but your strength as a soul cultivator is far more amazing!!" The admiring voice of Mo Xiaoxuan rang out.

"Yea, that's right!" Zhong Xuhao piped up. "All of us really admire you, brother Bai! You really scared us all when your soulforce came exploding out the other day, haha… you made it to the inner school at least. Liu Mang and I weren't able to, so that's why we admire you so much!"

"You guys…" The amount of encouragement from everyone else had improved Bai Yunfei's mood. Nodding his thanks, he smiled, "Haha, don't worry then. I'm not so weak to be depressed about such a thing."

"Ah, before I forget, brother Bai, let me introduce you to Tian Yuhang. I believe you might remember him?" Ye Zhiqiu motioned to the young male next to him, "He is the one with the strongest talent in crafting out of us all. During the examinations, he beat me by three hundred meters."

Bai Yunfei was startled to hear this information. He knew that the two had made it past five kilometers, but the fact that Tian Yuhang had beaten Ye Zhiqiu was news to him.

"Brother Bai, I'm Tian Yuhang, but you can call me Yuhang! Brother Bai, you're super cool! Even my brothers back home weren't as cool as you—not even my oldest brother!!" Yu Tianhang displayed a pure smile on his face as he spoke with an equally honest voice. He looked to be a very honest child. It really did seem as if Tian Yuhang believed that Bai Yunfei was cooler than his oldest brother. At his age, many kids thought their oldest brothers were invincible.

"A—haha… little Hang, you're praising me a little too much. The amazing one here is you, I'm quite jealous of you." Bai Yunfei waved his hand with a laugh before turning to Ye Zhiqiu, "Brother Ye, I haven't congratulated you yet for becoming a disciple, so here it is. From here on out, you'll be a senior to us all, little Hang here will be a senior too in fact, haha…"

Whenever the headmaster or first elder took on a personal disciple, they were always called seniors to the rest of the students. Disciples had a hierarchy over the other students, so they were often much more carefree with the students. The hierarchy wasn't always based on when they entered the school, but sometimes based on age or strength. There were thousands of students after all.

Smiling, Ye Zhiqiu replied, "Brother Bai, you must be joking. What's with this talk about seniors? Let's dispense the formalities. From here on out, we are students of the same school. Call me by my name, and I'll call you Yunfei, alright?"

"Haha, alright! Then I'll call you Zhiqiu! Little Xuan, little Hao, you two will have the same as well! Don't treat us like strangers here, let's get along from here on out."

"Ah… I always wanted to be called 'senior' though…" Tian Yuhang softly spoke from the side.

That comment caused Zhong Xuhao to frown in disdain, "What a dreamer! You're only a kid. I'd never call you senior! Even if you're a disciple, you're still younger than me, so you'll be little brother Yuhang!"

"Hey hey! I'm not that much younger than you! Wait until we're in front of the headmaster and the elders, we'll see if you'll call me senior or not then!" Tian Yuhang was young, but he was unhesitant to to get into a fight should one happen.

"You…" An angry knot appeared over Zhong Xuhao's head.

"Haha…"

And so, everyone burst out into happy laughter.

By high noon of the second day, Bai Yunfei and the other ninety-five people that made it into the Crafting School were led by Xiao Nanren to the mountain peak where the main halls were. Pa.s.sing through the vast hallways and through the many gateways, they finally arrived at an abnormally wide hall.

There was an order to how the group walked. Ye Zhiqiu and Tian Yuhang were leading the very front of the line behind Xiao Nanren, Bai Yunfei and the twenty-something students of the inner school were in the middle, and the rest of the students of the outer school followed behind.

No sooner did Bai Yunfei step into the hall did he feel an invisible pressure press against him. When he looked up, Bai Yunfei could see a single person seated at the very top. His very presence was like a mountain that would command deep respect at the very first sight.

The man wore a black brocaded robe that contrasted with the white-stranded hair combed behind his head. He was a tall figure, and his face was exceedingly ordinary-looking. Only his eyes were exceptional in that regard and they were filled with a dignified aura.

Just this sight alone was enough for Bai Yunfei to know that this person in front of him was the headmaster of the Crafting School.

Kou Changkong.

To the seats below, the first elder Xiao Binzi was seated on the left. On the right was the second elder, Huangfu Nan and the third elder Cang Yu.

Song Lin, Li Tiechui, Lian Lingmin and the other disciples all stood right behind their respective elders.

"Pay your respects to the elders and the master." Xiao Nanren first bowed to Kou Changkong before addressing the students.

"All ninety-six of the newly entered students have been gathered here today."

Ye Zhiqiu and the other ninety-five students all immediately bowed to the elders in front of them, "Headmaster and elders, we have come to pay our respects to you!"

"Very good." Kou Changkong nodded. Sweeping a dignified eye across the crowd, he revealed a kind smile on his face. "Very good. This new generation of students is quite satisfactory. From today on out, you are all students of my Crafting School. No matter if you are students of the inner or outer school, you will adhere to our rules and dedicate yourselves to training and learning our arts. Work hard for the day when you attain achievement, for the glory of yourself, and for our Crafting School!"

After he finished his little speech, a short pause was given so that he could nod to Song Lin.

Stepping forward, Song Lin addressed the crowd with a robust voice. "I will now designate you all to one of the mountain points. Brothers and sisters, you must remember now; no matter if you are from the Western Point or the Southern Point, you are still students of the same school. You will not be inferior to one another, and you will not be superior to one another. Students of the outer school, do not feel dejected. The results of the examination are not clear-cut designations of your skill. As long as you focus on your training and work hard at learning the arts, you may one day earn the chance to enter the inner school!"

He paused here to look at the two figures leading the group, Ye Zhiqiu and Tian Yuhang. Smiling, he said, "Firstly, I would like to announce the two figures that managed to make their way to the five kilometer zone in the cave… Junior Ye, from today on, you will become a disciple of the second elder! As for you, junior Tian Yuhang, you will be a disciple to the headmaster!"

"Yes!!" Ye Zhiqiu and Tian Yuhang responded simultaneously. They were well prepared for this announcement, but their hearts were still beating rapidly from the excitement they felt.

Nodding, Song Lin looked to the six female students to the left, "The female juniors will be a.s.signed to the Eastern Point. From here, your senior Lian Lingmin will guide you there when you leave."

"Mo Xiaoxuan, Xi Yan, Chen Hong, Yang Hua…" Song Lin continued to list off the next forty names. "You will all be students of the Western Point!"

The rest of the students would naturally be a.s.signed to the Southern Point, but Song Lin announced their names anyways to make it official. After you leave, your seniors will take you to your future place of residence."

Everyone was excited with hearing the results of their examinations, but Bai Yunfei was among the few people who were stunned; Ye Zhiqiu and the others in their group had turned their heads to look at Bai Yunfei as well.

Out of all the names Song Lin read, Bai Yunfei's name hadn't been mentioned!!

——–

Chapter 197: Exceptions and Trials! (First)

Song Lin's announcement had designated each and every student to their appropriate mountain point, but only Bai Yunfei's name had been left off his list!

Bai Yunfei himself was surprised to say the least, and his mind was racing with confusion on the reason why.

Noticing Bai Yunfei's expression, Song Lin smiled rea.s.suringly, "Haha, junior Bai, there's no need to panic. The reason why I've not yet mentioned your name is because there is still a special announcement to make."

Turning back to the new students, Song Lin announced, "While junior Bai Yunfei did not make it past the five kilometer threshold, his talent as a soul cultivator is shocking to everyone. At the age of nineteen, he is already a late-stage Soul Sprite. Thus, the headmaster has ordained an exception and will take him in as a disciple!"

This announcement brought forth silence from the entire crowd for a few brief moments. Stunned, everyone looked at Bai Yunfei and began to whisper to one another as they tried to figure out the reason why. Even Fei Nian and the other disciples looked on in surprise at the announcement.

"An exception… to become a disciple?" Bai Yunfei's mind went blank. Thinking that he was still in some sort of delusional fantasy where he had become a disciple, Bai Yunfei hastened to circulate his soulforce into his head to wake him up, but upon not feeling the 'fantasy' shatter away, Bai Yunfei realized—this was reality, he had heard correctly!

"Senior Song Lin, are you… are you saying I can become a disciple to the headmaster!?" Bai Yunfei asked to reconfirm. He could hardly believe his ears.

"Correct. This was what the master ordained, but…" Song Lin immediately changed the topic mid-speech, "The master himself wishes to give you a test!"

Sucking in a deep breath to calm down the rapidly beating heart in his chest, Bai Yunfei asked cautiously, "What test?"

Somewhat surprised by how fast Bai Yunfei had calmed himself down, Song Lin smiled in approval, "The master will give you three months time. During these three months, you will be treated as a disciple and will be taught the arts of crafting by the master. After three months, if you are able to create an earth-tier soul armament, you will become a genuine disciple. If not, you will be sent back to the inner school!"

Everyone was shocked again to hear such an announcement and turned to look at Bai Yunfei with jealousy in their eyes. Even if Bai Yunfei wasn't able to continue being a disciple, being one for three months was still a wondrous fortune.

As for the group of disciples on the other side, everyone displayed the same exact face, "Impossible!"

While Bai Yunfei was managing to keep calm on his face, his heart was in a chaotic state of being. Confusion, elation, surprise… all sorts of emotions ran amuck in his head without a chance for him to calm down. Silently, he bowed to Kou Changkong and respectfully said, "This student thanks the headmaster for granting such an opportunity. I will work with all my might to not disappoint the headmaster!!"

Smiling and nodding, Kou Changkong replied, "I didn't want to overlook such a capable soul cultivator. Whether or not you'll be able to grab the chance to succeed, that'll depend on your own efforts…Well, return with your seniors and listen to their instructions for now."

Soon enough, all of the students were led away by Song Lin and the others, leaving behind only Kou Changkong and the three elders alone in the hall…

"Senior, is this Bai Yunfei really that worth it?" After a while, the second elder Huangfu Nan broke the silence to ask the question on his mind.

"Whether he's worth it or not will be known in three months time." Came the nonchalant answer.

"Is it because of his friends.h.i.+p with Hong Yin and the fact that there's a relations.h.i.+p between he and Ge Yiyun of the Fate School?" Huangfu Nan asked. "The encounters he had in the Azure Cloud Province are startling enough, but his rise in power is even moreso. If he started to train his soul since he was a kid, he wouldn't have been in such a state for all those years, but he hadn't become a soul cultivator until recently, which made his abrupt strength all the more shocking… But, if Ge Yiyun was involved, I wouldn't say it's impossible either…"

"This Bai Yunfei isn't a bad child in my opinion." Cang Yu spoke from the side. "I've asked Rui'er what happened a few days ago and learned some things. That Bai Yunfei is an upright young man that knows when to be polite. I don't believe there's any need to be suspicious of him…"

Adamant in his suspicions, Huangfu Nan continued, "Due to time constraints, we weren't able to investigate what happened to him after he left the Azure Cloud Province. Why don't we…"

"I've already had them stop investigating Bai Yunfei." The normally silent Xiao Binzi suddenly cut in. "Yesternight I received some information from the Azure Cloud Province. We've confirmed that there's a definite relation between the two, so I've decided it wasn't necessary to investigate anymore."

"Eh? Why stop there?" Huangfu Nan asked, "It's rumored that Ge Yiyun has been traveling the continent these days, in search of something. I've heard many different youngsters of promising potential were helped by Ge Yiyun. Perhaps this Bai Yunfei is…"

"It doesn't matter what happenstances benefited Bai Yunfei. His talent as a soul cultivator can't be overlooked. When Fei Nian fought with Bai Yunfei, he was unable to cause a considerable amount of damage even though he used his 'Unlimited Blade Box' and he doesn't lack fighting experience. Fei Nian was injured almost effortlessly by Bai Yunfei as well. This all but points to saying Bai Yunfei is a very strong one… A person like this should be cultivated carefully. In the future, he will be a great deal of help to our school. Give him the chance to be a disciple. I very much wish to see just what determination and potential he will have." Kou Changkong replied.

"Then how about…" The first elder hummed, "How about we have him and Ye Zhiqiu go over there tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow?" Huangfu Nan was taken back, "Isn't that rus.h.i.+ng things? Let them get acquainted with things first at least…"

"There's no need. For the two of them, a situation like this will be the best way to bring out the best of their abilities and luck." The elder shook his head, "That amount of soulforce he displayed during the examinations could've set a deviation in the scales. For a genius like him, even a deviation as small as a hair is wide in judgement, and would be an unwise thing to do…"

"That place is where the true examination will be!"

Bai Yunfei, Tian Yuhang, and the other forty students were led back to the Western Point by Song Lin while he and the other seniors continued to explain the inner details of the school.

As far as lodgings were concerned, the outer school presided halfway up the mountain and the inner school was closer to the top. Both disciples and students of the inner school shared the same residence. The general lessons on the art of crafting were given to the seniors Song Lin, Li Tiechui, Lian Lingmin, and the others to oversee while the headmaster or elders would come every so often to give a lesson when they wished. Every week there'd be a lesson only the inner school could attend, but every month there'd be a lesson for all the students.

The outer school would be given the chance to learn the fundamentals in the art of crafting, but they were also responsible for the day-to-day tasks for the entire school.

It had been mentioned before that should a student of the outer school be stronger than an inner school student or if an outer school student showed enough promise, they could join the inner school if they pa.s.sed a trial. In the history of the Crafting School, there had been plenty of students from the outer school who had been promoted to the inner school rather than only a few.

Bai Yunfei had been lost in thought the entire time on the path so even though his seniors were explaining things in clear detail, he missed out a majority of the explanation. His mind was still in a fuzz, and the excitement of becoming a disciples was not yet lost on him. The only thing that concerned him now was the 'test'…

As soon as they returned to the Western Point, Bai Yunfei and the other students returned to their rooms on the left side of a courtyard.

On the morning of the second day, Bai Yunfei was finally back to normal. Prepared for whatever situation the test might be, he was then suddenly greeted by Song Lin.

"Junior Bai, the master has called for you to come to the Northern Point right away…"