Ling Chunxi read what was written on the piece of paper in her hand, then turned to read what was written on the paper in Ling Yichen’s. “Your examiner is Gu Liwen? Mine is Mu Lifeng.” Ling Yichen said nothing in return, causing uncertainty to creep up on Ling Chunxi. She raised her head to look at Ling Yichen in the eye and saw that his usually unreadable face had turned white.
Besides feeling uncertain, Ling Chunxi now felt surprised as well. Ling Yichen was known for being calm and steady without expressing any signs of emotion upon his face. However, the shade of his face was now pasty and that expressed all the uncharacteristic emotion Ling Chunxi needed to gather that something was wrong. “What’s the matter?” She angled her head slightly to take in the reactions of the other people around them and realized they were looking at her differently after she had read out the name of her examiner. Amongst the looks people cast her way, she detected surprise, pity, and even glee at her misfortune… Ling Chunxi quickly deduced the underlying pattern connecting all these reactions—everyone thought for certain that she would not be able to pass the exam this time.
“Chunxi, I didn’t think Mu Liufeng would be an examiner this year as well.” Ling Yichen furrowed his brows and spoke in a somber tone.
“Mu Liufeng… What about this person?” asked Ling Chunxi as she rolled up the piece of paper bearing that very name in between her fingers. She needed context to be able to understand the reactions she had received so far.
“This person… Well, this person…” Ling Yichen tried to find the right words to encapsulate the concerns he had regarding Mu Liufeng. He took a moment to ponder before slowly continuing in a hushed manner. “This person is someone people find very difficult to read. Nobody knows what he’s really thinking most of the time. Many say his cultivation skills and abilities are very strong and that he has a very carefree personality. Because of this, even the principal of the academy is unable to handle him. He just does whatever he wants without any restraints. He had been an examiner previously, but none of the participants he examined were ever accepted. He failed every single one of them so harshly that some quit cultivating for good there and then.” By the end of this speech, Ling Yichen’s worry came through in his voice. If Ling Chunxi failed the exam, that much was fine. However, if she was provoked by Mu Liufeng to the point of quitting cultivation, what would be the result of that outcome…
After listening to Ling Yichen’s explanation carefully, Ling Chunxi now understood why the other participants around her reacted as such when she read Mu Liufeng’s name aloud. It seemed as though he was a real killer examiner. If even the principal had no way of handling him, what kind of origin or background did Mu Liufeng have?
“Don’t worry. A wise person adapts oneself to circumstances, as water shapes itself to a vessel, right?” Ling Chunxi countered Ling Yichen’s worried expression with a smile and reassured him with words of comfort using a proverb.
Ling Yichen fell silent once more. Observing Ling Chunxi’s confident smile, he found himself thinking that perhaps, just perhaps, she might be able to pass this impossible exam set out before her after all. He sighed. He never thought Mu Liufeng would be an examiner again. Hadn’t he stopped participating in these kinds of examinations long ago? Why was he taking part this year?
‘Mu Liufeng, huh. What was he like? Why was it that no one had ever passed the examination with him presiding?’ Ling Chuxi’s curiosity was inevitable given what she’d just heard.
After being divided into groups, Ling Chuxi and Ling Yichen were split up as each of them was ushered to a different part of the academy grounds by those overseeing the examination process.
…
At the border of the forest that lay behind White Stone Academy’s sprawling grounds, sat a thin man atop a large rock, looking at the sky. He was dressed entirely in black. The hue of his clothing matched the black as ink color of his long hair which flowed from the top of his head and entwined into intricate knots held together by a white jade hairpin. There was nothing out of the ordinary about his face, but his eyes contained an evil charm and was brimming with unspoken feelings. It was a striking mismatch to the rest of his face.
“Tsk tsk tsk. Which little cat would be so unlucky this time?” The man in all black parted his lips ever so slightly to speak. His voice was cold and had a chilling effect, yet it also contained an inexpressible charm.
As he spoke, Ling Chunxi calmly made her way to the border of the forest behind the academy grounds under the pitiful gaze of the teacher who was leading the way there.
“Your examination will take place at that spot in front of the forest. I wish you all the best.” The teacher fled as though he had seen a ghost before he even finished speaking.