Chapter 393: He’s Here

"I choose..."

Li Junjie hesitated, his eyes instinctively drifting to Li Xiaofei. But Li Xiaofei gave no reaction.

Do I really need to make this decision for him as well? What’s next... holding it for him when he needs to pee? This is too much.

"Then... I choose saber techniques," said Li Junjie, who quickly made his choice.

As someone with a background in street gangs, his favorite phrase was, "Do you believe I’ll cut you down?" Mastering superior saber techniques would mean that anyone daring to challenge his boss could be literally cut down.

Ding Yifeng smiled approvingly. "Excellent choice. I also recommend saber techniques. As the best freshman of the Eastern Blue-Robe House, you have the privilege of being the first to wield the heaviest freshman weapon at White Deer Academy, the Sacred Martial Saber."

As he spoke, he pulled out a colossal broad saber from the nearby weapon chest. The blade was nearly two meters long and about half a meter wide. Its surface glistened with a pale green hue and it emitted an unusual, formidable aura.

"This is the war saber crafted specifically for students at White Deer Academy, known as the Sacred Martial Saber," Ding Yifeng explained. "It weighs six tons and is forged from extraterrestrial iron. It has two forms, and there is a mechanism on the hilt. Take a close look..."

Click.

When the mechanism was activated, the blade folded back on itself, shortening to a compact 1.3 meters, making it easy to carry. In battle, pressing the mechanism again would cause the blade to spring back into its full form of a formidable giant blade that radiated an intense aura.

Li Junjie's eyes shone with excitement. From the moment he laid eyes on the Sacred Martial Saber, he knew he was in love with it. It seemed like this saber had been made just for him.

"Catch the saber," said Ding Yifeng as he tossed the blade to Li Junjie.

Li Junjie caught it effortlessly and gave it a casual swing. The blade flashed like a streak of silver.

Ding Yifeng then turned to the second-ranked student in the academy, Wang Xiaofan, and asked, "What weapon do you prefer?"

The young bear hunter responded without hesitation, "A spear."

In his tribe, the spear was the most common weapon used in battles across the icy plains.

"Good." Ding Yifeng's expression showed approval.

He reached into the weapon chest and retrieved two sections of a green spear shaft, connecting them to form a heavy, 2.8-meter-long spear.

"The Ye Spear, also known as the Green Feather Spear," Ding Yifeng said. "This was designed by the saints of White Deer Academy. Forged from meteorite cold iron, it gives off a chilling aura. When it pierces prey, it can instantly freeze their body. It is specially crafted for the Ye family’s spear technique. To master this spear, one must first train the body, then the spirit. It’s only with unified energy, spirit, and will that one can wield this spear."

With a flick of his wrist, Ding Yifeng tossed the Green Feather Spear toward Wang Xiaofan. Wang Xiaofan reached out to catch it and felt the weight pull down on his arm.

Heavy!

The young bear hunter’s eyes lit up with determination, and he shook his wrist firmly. The spear vibrated with a deep hum, executing a technique known as Three Blossoms with One Thrust.

Ding Yifeng nodded in satisfaction.

A strength to be pleased with.

Li Junjie’s strength was unmatched among the new students. It was far ahead of the others. His physical strength at the Five Spirits Realm was comparable to that of an ordinary instructor. The next strongest was Wang Xiaofan, with a combat ability around the mid-level of the Meridian Expanding Realm.

Notably, both were known for their intense physical training and exceptional bodily strength, though their inner qi cultivation was relatively weak. This focus on physical prowess was, in fact, a defining standard for White Deer Academy when selecting students.

After all, those who excelled in inner qi cultivation would have long been claimed by prestigious schools, leaving White Deer Academy to pick from other talents.

Next, Ding Yifeng called the third name on the list. It was Hou Ni, a girl with quite a unique appearance. She had the face of a delicate girl but the body of a warrior. A true Barbie of Steel.

Standing at 1.96 meters, her muscular frame was as formidable as a tower, yet her face was adorably delicate, with big eyes, long lashes, a petite nose, and small cherry lips that lent her a certain cuteness. This disproportion between her head and body made her look almost monstrous.

As expected, Hou Ni chose the sword as her weapon and was given an ancient, double-handed greatsword called the Yunmeng Sword. It was an unsharpened blade that exuded a timeless aura.

Ding Yifeng said, “The saber, spear, and sword are the three main weapons of White Deer Academy. Our academy’s sole mission is to teach ancient martial arts, and we never use modern firearms when battling star beasts. This was established by the founding Saints of the academy. Do you know who our first Saint was?”

“It was Saint Taiyi,” Hou Ni shouted confidently. She looked like a devoted follower on a pilgrimage. It was clear she knew more than most.

“Correct. White Deer Academy has a glorious history, and in time, you will understand how right your decision to join us was!” Ding Yifeng shouted passionately. “Now, everyone else, if you choose saber techniques, stand behind Li Junjie. If you choose spear techniques, stand behind Wang Xiaofan. Lastly, if you choose sword techniques, stand behind Hou Ni. Make your decision now—you have thirty seconds.”

The students began moving immediately.

“Boss, what are you choosing?” Ximen Piaoxue whispered as he sidled up to Li Xiaofei.

Li Xiaofei had already positioned himself behind Wang Xiaofan without hesitation. He had practiced both saber and sword techniques before, but he had never found a suitable manual for the spear, so he figured learning the Ye family’s spear techniques at White Deer Academy would be worthwhile.

“Smart choice. A man should wield a spear,” Ximen Piaoxue said, following Li Xiaofei’s lead and choosing the spear as well.

The final count was soon revealed. Thirty-eight students chose saber techniques, eighteen opted for spear techniques, and forty-four selected sword techniques. It was clear that sword techniques remained the most popular among the youth.

Ding Yifeng nodded, neither approving nor disapproving of the results.

He continued, “I hope you all remain committed to your choices. Now, we will begin the first lesson in cultivation at White Deer Academy: Inner Strength cultivation.”

“In White Deer Academy’s curriculum, there is no separate practice of breathing techniques as other universities teach. Instead, we focus solely on cultivating inner strength. Inner strength is unique to White Deer Academy. I’m not exaggerating when I say that the inner strength training at White Deer Academy embodies the true essence of Great Xia’s ancient martial lineage. The so-called breathing techniques taught at other universities are mere superficial practices.”

“White Deer Academy’s inner strength technique is called Innate Art. This art was passed down from Li Mu, one of the Five Supreme Heroes. It was his foundational practice and possesses effects that defy understanding...”

Ding Yifeng explained with an air of authority. Li Xiaofei’s interest was piqued at this point.

Could White Deer Academy really have connections to the Five Supreme Heroes? That is intriguing.

“Here we go again, boasting nonsense,” Ximen Piaoxue muttered under his breath. “These White Deer Academy instructors, without exception, have thick skin. They’d shamelessly attach any legendary figure to themselves just to elevate their reputation.”

Li Xiaofei was speechless. He turned to Ximen Piaoxue and asked, "Do you think the instructor’s claims are exaggerated?"

The slick-haired young man lowered his voice and said, "Exaggerated? More like an ocean of exaggeration. Think about it—if this place were as amazing as they claim, why is almost no one applying anymore?"

It was a question that cut to the core of the matter. Li Xiaofei found himself speechless.

Ximen Piaoxue continued, "You might not know this since you’re not local, but in last year’s University Martial God Tournament, White Deer Academy didn’t even make it to the main competition of the Changyun District. They were eliminated during the preliminaries."

Li Xiaofei was speechless once again.

“You two, stop whispering during class. Don’t disrupt the good students,” Ding Yifeng’s stern voice rang out.

It was the classic tone reserved for chastising troublesome students.

Ximen Piaoxue, ready to throw caution to the wind, raised his hand and said, “Instructor, my seat is uncomfortable. I’d like to request leave to go back and rest.”

“No,” Ding Yifeng denied him flatly. “Now that you’re at White Deer Academy, you must hold yourself to the highest standard. No absences allowed during class.”

Li Xiaofei had also been considering asking for a break, but he resigned himself to paying attention.

As time went on, however, he realized that Ding Yifeng’s lecture on the Innate Art was far from simple. Though the teaching style was straightforward, it had a certain depth that intrigued him. This technique was not as trivial as he initially thought.

***

"He’s here, he’s here..."

"Here."

Within the Cemetery of the Ancestors, a gentle wind whispered through the trees. Invisible phantoms swept over the mountains and through the forest, their murmurs audible only to the Saints.

At the base of the sword peak in the heart of the cemetery, within an abyss of endless darkness, a figure that had been suppressed for centuries stirred. The movement shattered the stone crust that had formed over its body, and its eyes opened.

Those eyes shone like twin blades, piercing through the void and the rock that surrounded them. At that moment, the old headmaster of White Deer Academy suddenly stood up, his body trembling uncontrollably. Moments later, tears streamed down his face.

"He’s here."