Chapter 227: The Clumsy Bird Flies First!

In the blink of an eye, a month had passed since the new batch of yellow-tier students joined Tianwei Academy.

The yellow-tier students from the five courts had gradually grown accustomed to the bustling and arduous yet fulfilling life within Tianwei Academy.

It was worth mentioning that after Su Qingxuan's "visit," Ling Feng hadn't missed another imperial history class, and it seemed he had developed a keen interest in the subject.

As the ancients said, just as bronze mirrors can reflect one's attire, and people can reflect one's gains and losses, so too can history reflect the rise and fall of nations.

The content of imperial history, encompassing the evolution of the empire, the rise and fall of clans, and the prosperity and decline of sects, proved to be quite useful information for Ling Feng, a young sect leader.

Over the span of a month, the once evenly matched abilities of the new yellow-tier students steadily diverged, with the gap between them widening continuously.

Beneath the cloak of night, Ling Feng sat beside a window, utilizing the abilities of his Human Dao Eye to draw in spiritual energy.

Following sixty breaths, Ling Feng expelled a sigh, marking the breakthrough of his meridian gate to the level of six meridians.

"Sixth level of Pulse Formation Realm, augmented by the Eight Direction Shatter Abyss sword art imparted by Elder Yan, and second form of the Heaven-Slaying Sword Art!"

A curve formed at the corner of Ling Feng's lips as he pondered his current strength. With his abilities, unlocking the Qi-Refining Lock would likely allow him to directly confront experts at the fifth or sixth stage of the Transformation Realm.

However, he wondered if he could reach the level of Gu Tengfeng.

It's strange. Since the incident in the cafeteria, neither Gu Tengfeng nor He Zhongjie have made an appearance or caused any further trouble for me.

However, sky-tier students usually didn't spend extended periods of time on campus. Instead, they engaged in a variety of missions to exchange for training resources, aiming for further improvement.

Their temporary absence from the academy wasn't unexpected.

Ling Feng rose slowly, pushing open his door.

In the moonlit courtyard, a shirtless man was practicing fist techniques.

There was no need for speculation; he was Jiang Xiaofan.

Jiang Xiaofan gained entry to Tianwei Academy through sheer perseverance. While his talent lagged behind the rest, he was undeniably the most diligent among all the students.

Compensating for his lack of innate ability, he dedicated himself to hard work.

Ling Feng frequently witnessed Jiang Xiaofan practicing fist techniques and swordsmanship late into the night.

"Xiaofan, take it easy," Ling Feng said as he walked over to Jiang Xiaofan, gently raising his hand to block Jiang Xiaofan's elbow strike. With a faint smile, he asked, "Why haven't you rested yet?"

"

Hehe,

Big Brother," Jiang Xiaofan replied with a grin, his demeanor simple and honest. "I'm not very bright; I always struggle with my training."

"Who says you're not smart? You just haven't fully unlocked your potential yet," Ling Feng reassured him softly, pursing his lips. "You work harder than anyone else, and everyone recognizes that."

"My old man used to say, 'A clumsy bird has to fly first[1]!'" Jiang Xiaofan chuckled, scratching the back of his head, his face lighting up with a silly grin.

"In this world, many experts are late bloomers. As long as you don't lose heart, progress comes with each passing day. You'll surely be no worse than those so-called geniuses," Ling Feng assured, giving Jiang Xiaofan's shoulder a reassuring pat. "If there's anything you don't understand, I'll break it down for you."

"

Mm-hmm!

" Jiang Xiaofan felt a deep sense of gratitude. Having someone like Ling Feng as a big brother in his life was truly a blessing.

𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Whoosh...

The wind of fists whistled through the night, and beneath the veil of darkness, the diligent figure of a young man appeared remarkably serene at that moment.

...

The following day, at the training ground of the East Court.

"Listen up, you little bastards! It's been nearly a month since you all arrived! It's time to see if you've been making any progress or just wasting time!"

Instructor Leng Jianfeng, known as the Devil Instructor, stood arrogantly on the platform. Over the past month, his sharp tongue had become infamous. He was unparalleled in the art of mockery!

"Instructor Leng, we haven't been slacking off! I've managed to open two meridian gates in this past month alone!"

A tall, muscular man burst into laughter. When he first arrived, he was at the fifth level of the Pulse Formation Realm, but now he had reached the seventh—a remarkable improvement of two levels in just one month.

"Li èrdan[2], you're quite the lively one!" Leng Jianfeng beckoned with a finger, sneering. "Come on up here!"

The young man, Li Erdan, grimaced. "Instructor Leng, my name is Li ěrdan[3], not Li èrdan!"

"What's the difference between Li ěrdan and Li èrdan? They're both the same!" Leng Jianfeng, with a smirk, scratched his ear. "I told you to come up here! Didn't you hear me?"

Li Erdan dared not defy the intentions of the Devil Instructor and reluctantly leaped onto the platform, feeling somewhat apprehensive as he asked, "Instructor Leng, what do you want?"

Leng Jianfeng cast a sidelong glance at Ling Feng and commanded, "Ling Feng! Join us up here!"

"Yes!"

With a fist-and-palm salute, Ling Feng leaped onto the platform.

"Starting today, I'll select about ten or twenty elite students from among you little bastards to undergo training in the second tier. The rest of you will have to wait for another chance next month!"

Leng Jianfeng raised his eyebrows and sneered, "Li Erdan, you claimed to have made significant progress, didn't you? If you can withstand three strikes from Ling Feng, I'll consider giving you a spot!"

"What?" Li Erdan's face went pale at the thought, his complexion turning ashen. "Instructor Leng, you don't understand. Even mystical-tier students have been beaten to a pulp by the chief. I... I can't do it!"

"

Tsk,

so you want me to test you instead?" Leng Jianfeng waved his fist menacingly, his intentions clear.

Li Erdan felt like he was about to lose his nerve entirely. Allowing Leng Jianfeng to strike him would be akin to getting skinned alive!

"

Tsk!

A man should never admit defeat!" Leng Jianfeng sneered disdainfully at Li Erdan before turning to Ling Feng. "You brat, can you suppress your strength to around the level of a typical tenth-level Pulse Formation Realm martial artist?"

"Alright." Ling Feng nodded and replied faintly.

"Did you hear that? Want to give it a shot?" Leng Jianfeng grinned provocatively, shooting a seductive look at Li Erdan.

"N-no... I'd rather not." Li Erdan's legs felt weak at the sight of Ling Feng; he dared not challenge him.

"Well, it's not like I'm not giving you a chance! Get lost!"

With a sneer, Leng Jianfeng scanned the crowd. "The first spot goes to Ling Feng. Any objections?"

"No!" The response from the crowd was remarkably uniform.

"Good!" Leng Jianfeng nodded approvingly, then pointed at several individuals in the crowd. "You! And you! And you! And you!... You few are selected too! Come up here!"

The chosen youths, excited beyond measure, joyfully hopped onto the platform.

Jiang Xiaofan, however, remained rooted to the spot, his eyes reflecting disbelief.

Because, to his utter surprise, the Devil Instructor Leng Jianfeng had also selected... him!

1. The clumsy bird flies first means that birds that fly slowly need to take action first in order to keep up with everyone else's progress. ☜

2. Leng Jianfeng is pronouncing it as Li èrdan, the fourth tonation, which makes it sound like Li two eggs. ☜

3. Actual tonation for Erdan is the third tone ěr. ☜