Yu Lin guided the new students, including Mo Zhan and Han, toward the winding staircase of the tower. They entered a large hall on the third floor — just like the vast courtyard, filled with many two-person desks inside.
The air in the hall was so cold it felt like it could freeze one's blood.
Large open windows lined the walls, letting in a gentle but chilling wind from every direction.
The students each found a place for themselves, filling the hall.
Mo Zhan, being the last one to enter, stood there with his mouth slightly open and eyes sparkling as he stared out the window — until a voice snapped him back to reality.
"Why aren't you sitting down?"
Mo Zhan turned toward the voice. A middle-aged man with a long black beard and a permanent frown on his forehead sat on a mat in front of the students.
This man was "Teacher Xiu," the history instructor.
Mo Zhan gave a half-smile and said, "I'm sitting now."
Then he searched the crowd for Han — and to his surprise, found him sitting beside Yu Lin.
He frowned and muttered under his breath, "Huh… hasn't even arrived properly yet and already making friends."
Only one seat was left. Mo Zhan stomped toward it irritably.
But when he saw who he'd be sitting beside, he wrinkled his nose in disgust.
Reluctantly, he sat down on the small mat.
Under his breath he grumbled, "Ugh, what's this little Kitty (Lan Sizhui) doing here?"
Teacher Xiu began introducing himself and talking about his experiences.
Mo Zhan wasn't listening at all. His eyes kept wandering around the hall until he spotted another familiar face — Xiao, along with her friend Yi'er, sitting two rows ahead on his left.
Annoyed, he leaned his elbow on the desk, rested his head on his hand, and grumbled internally:
"Ugh, ugh… my dear enemies. Seriously? Two against one?"
Unlike Mo Zhan, who was busy complaining internally, Han was fully focused — especially with Yu Lin sitting beside him, who seemed suspicious of Xiao and Lan Sizhui.
Han had realized Yu Lin sat beside him on purpose, even though he had saved a place for Mo Zhan.
He thought doubtfully:
"Yu Lin's the one who brought us to the Realm of the Immortals and is way above everyone else. Xiao almost beat Mo Zhan to a pulp, and that boy — the one Mo Zhan calls 'kitty' — nearly killed Mo Zhan. How is it possible that people like them are sitting in a beginner's class?"
Han was still doubtful, but Teacher Xiu's next words slowly cleared it up.
"And four of my previous students will also be in this class with you. They are here to guide you in all your training matters."
Then he pointed at them one by one and said:
"Xiao."
"Yi'er."
"Yu Lin."
"Lan Sizhui."
"If you have any questions or need guidance, you may ask these four."
The students replied in unison, "Yes, teacher."
When Mo Zhan heard Xiao and Lan Sizhui's names, he grinned from ear to ear.
He turned his head toward Lan Sizhui and said, "What a lovely name… Lan Siiii-zhuuuiii."
He said the name with blatant mockery.
Teacher Xiu glanced around, cleared his throat, and said,
"The books on your desks contain the fundamental lessons of the Immortal Academy. If you cannot learn them, you will not be able to advance your level and may even be expelled. So do your best."
"Yes."
Teacher Xiu rearranged the books on his own desk and said,
"One of these books is The Eternal History: From Origin to Ascension
And the other is Beginner's Guide to Cultivation: Cycles of Inner Energy.
As for behavior, conduct, and minor teachings, those will be taught verbally.
I am responsible for teaching history."
He picked up the history book, stood, and began pacing among the students.
"The most important thing is knowing the history of the realm you live in. In this book, you will learn about all the great and important figures — including the Lords of the Immortals, commanders, battles, and victories…"
Mo Zhan hated history. He stared irritably at Teacher Xiu, who spoke with such excitement about the history book. With furrowed brows he muttered,
"Stupid talking book… look at the hellhole you threw me into, then ran away yourself…"
He continued whispering curses — until a smack to his head brought him back.
He looked up and saw the teacher standing right in front of him.
"Young man, what is your name?"
Mo Zhan cleared his throat. "Mo Zhan."
Teacher Xiu frowned. "Pay attention to the lesson."
That comment triggered Mo Zhan badly.
He glanced at Han. Han was trying hard not to laugh while listening to the lecture — because Mo Zhan's face had turned beet red.
Mo Zhan glared at him, straightened his back, and forced himself to listen.
"The main reason the demons attacked the Immortal Realm was to seize this glorious territory."
Mo Zhan smirked at that. Based on everything he knew, the demons had always been after the Golden Sword — plus they hated brightness and flashy places.
Before he could stop himself, he said,
"But demons always prefer darkness. I don't think they're interested in your shiny fancy realm."
Teacher Xiu stared at Mo Zhan like he was about to strangle him.
Some students even nodded in agreement with Mo Zhan.
Lan Sizhui's expression darkened slightly at that comment.
"Young man, are you trying to teach me history?"
Teacher Xiu said bitterly.
Mo Zhan realized he'd messed up.
He forced a smile, waved his hands quickly, and said,
"Not at all! I don't know anything about history — I just said something random. I'm sorry."
Teacher Xiu frowned and looked away, continuing his lecture.
He spoke for a whole hour about ancient times, as if he had lived through them himself.
The students were visibly tired but still listened carefully, taking notes. They had no choice — failing would mean getting kicked out of the academy and returning to their realms defeated.
Among them, only Mo Zhan wasn't listening at all.
Bored, he rested his head on the desk. Teacher Xiu was standing by the window with his back turned and didn't notice.
Mo Zhan was fiddling with his hair when a mischievous idea struck him.
A wicked grin appeared on his lips.
He sat up straight.
He opened his book and studied the writing carefully. It was similar to the writing of his own world — just more formal.
Mo Zhan folded a sheet of paper into a paper airplane.
He dipped a brush in ink and wrote something on it.
Then he glanced around cautiously. No one noticed — except Lan Sizhui.
Though pretending to listen, Lan Sizhui's full attention was secretly on Mo Zhan.
Mo Zhan flicked the paper airplane toward Xiao.
It landed perfectly on her desk.
Xiao, focused on the teacher, didn't notice.
Mo Zhan let out the breath he'd been holding and snickered quietly — but was immediately confronted by Teacher Xiu.
"Mo Zhan, this is the twentieth time I've called your name. This time, you won't escape punishment."
Mo Zhan objected under his breath,
"Why are you always picking on me? Am I the only one here?"
Teacher Xiu snapped,
"Besides you, who else is ignoring the lesson?"
Mo Zhan pointed his finger toward Xiao and said,
"Miss Xiao."
Xiao turned around angrily, confusion written all over her face.
Teacher Xiu's frown deepened.
"Xiao has been paying full attention since the beginning of class."
Mo Zhan tilted his head and pointed at her desk.
"Then what about her paper-playing?"
At his words, everyone looked at Xiao's desk.
Xiao looked at it in shock.
There was a brief silence — then a few quiet snickers broke out.
Xiao squeezed her eyes shut in anger.
The paper airplane sat on her desk, and on it was written:
"I am Xiao: not pretty, but rude, shameless, and arrogant."
The nearby students read it and whispered it to others.
Xiao crushed the paper angrily in her hand.
Teacher Xiu, who had watched the scene with a deepening frown, said,
"Xiao, this is a place of learning, not child's play."
Xiao protested, but with one sharp "Silence," she shut her mouth — though she still shot daggers at Mo Zhan.
Han watched his friend with a disappointed look and muttered,
"He'll never change…"
Mo Zhan didn't care at all — but he was surprised that Lan Sizhui hadn't exposed him.
Lan Sizhui simply didn't like meddling in others' business, so he said nothing.
Hours passed, and two instructors taught different subjects — one history and past events, the other morality, behavior, and laws of the realm.
When the exhausting lessons finally ended, the students were dismissed, drained and irritated.
Mo Zhan and Han walked out together.
Mo Zhan stretched his body and yawned.
"Finally! I'm free from prison."
Han put a hand on his shoulder.
"You were sleeping the whole time, yet you look more tired than me."
Mo Zhan groaned. "I can't stand that boring stuff."
"But we're stuck with it. If we don't learn those things, they'll kick us out of the academy and throw us out of the realm."
Mo Zhan shrugged lazily and ran down the stairs two steps at a time.
Han shook his head in disappointment and followed him.
---
Mo Zhan sat on a peach-tree branch in their residence, munching on a peach and laughing at his masterpiece of the day.
Han was sitting on a stone in a corner of the courtyard, eyes closed, with the book Beginner's Guide to Cultivation: Cycles of Energy open in front of him.
He was focusing on his inner power.
Thinking Han could hear him, Mo Zhan began talking.
"That girl… I really put her in her place today. She deserved it for trying to play games with me."
Then remembering Yi'er, he stared at Han and asked,
"Hey, you kept staring at that girl today. Don't tell me you like her?"
There was no reply.
He raised his voice.
"Hey! I'm talking to you. You like her or not?"
Still no answer.
Annoyed, Mo Zhan jumped down from the branch, took big strides toward Han, and said,
"So you're really not answering, huh?"
He called loudly again,
"Han! Han!"
He was about to smack him on the head when a voice behind him stopped him.
"Wait."
He turned and saw Yu Lin standing a few steps away.
"Senior Yu Lin…"
Yu Lin looked at Han.
"Your friend is currently in a state of inner concentration. He can't hear you."
Mo Zhan stared at Han, then back at Yu Lin.
"You didn't see the faint blue aura around him? It means he's releasing his inner energy."
Mo Zhan stared, surprised.
"But… how?"
Yu Lin was just as astonished.
"With his demonic lineage, he should have a red or black aura — not blue, which belongs to high-rank cultivators."
"What do you mean by high-rank cultivators?" Mo Zhan asked curiously.
"The immortals spend years cultivating until their inner aura reaches the blue level. For someone to have it without cultivation… that means he's special."
Mo Zhan nodded slowly, amazed.
He was about to ask another question — but stopped when he saw people standing near the courtyard entrance.
Hands on hips, he said,
"What are they doing here?"
It was Xiao and Yi'er.
Xiao said harshly,
"If it were up to me, I wouldn't even set foot near this place."
Mo Zhan stared at Yu Lin with a puzzled look.
Yu Lin smiled gently and said,
"Oh, I forgot to mention — from now on, four more people will be living in this house."
Mo Zhan looked at each of them in shock.
Yu Lin continued with a soft smile,
"One of them is me. (He pointed at the two girls.) These two… and Lan Sizhui."
Mo Zhan stiffened at the thought of living with two of his enemies.
He pointed toward a room.
"That big double room… that's mine and Han's. The rest is yours."
Yu Lin, despite his cold and serious appearance, was very kind.
He thanked him and walked toward one of the rooms.
Xiao and Yi'er followed him.
Then Lan Sizhui arrived, and with Yu Lin's guidance, headed to one of the rooms — without even glancing at Mo Zhan, though Mo Zhan was staring at him intensely.
Mo Zhan grinned wickedly as he watched him leave.
Rubbing his palms together, he said in a mischievous tone,
"Well well, Miss Fragile and Mr. Kitty… I'll bake something special for you two. Just you wait."