Chapter 317: Anxiously waiting!“Put him down. Put him down. Don"t be impatient, don"t be impulsive.” Yang Xiaohu repeatedly dissuaded him. If Xiahou Qianbai had not let go any sooner, Tie Muxin, a fairly burly person, would have been strangled by him.
Xiahou Qianbai just realised that, when he pulled Tie Muxin up to midair, Tie Muxin was breathing irregularly, and his face and ears were red. He couldn"t speak a word even if he tried.
He loosened his grip, and Tie Muxin"s body immediately fell to the ground.
Tie Muxin placed his hands around his throat, coughing violently, tears pouring from his eyes. His voice was choked with emotions. “The Illusion had collapsed. The whole illusion had shattered. Cai Pa and I escaped as soon as we could, I don"t know where they have gone—”
“What? The illusion collapsed?” Yang Xiaohu exclaimed.
“How could the illusion collapse?” Xiahou Qianbai sneered. “The illusion have existed for tens of thousands of years, we have sent a number of students in. Other students were able to get in and out safely, why would the illusion collapse now?”
“Right. How is that possible? The illusion is an ancient wasteland, has a longer history than Starry Sky Academy, it would not collapse so easily.”
“Would a few freshmen have the ability to destroy the illusion? You"re thinking too highly of yourself.”
Starry Sky teachers broke into a loud clamour of criticism, evidently not believing in Tie Muxin"s words that the illusion had collapsed.
“It"s true. I saw it myself.” Tie Muxin yelled in a shrill voice.
“It had collapsed.” Cai Pa added. “If we hadn"t been knocked far away, we wouldn"t have escaped.”
“Ask the other students whether they know anything?” Yang Xiaohu suggested.
Kong Li casually pulled a student over, asking: “Student, had the illusion collapsed?”
“I don"t know.” The cla.s.smate looked frightened. “While we were still in the illusion, we felt that the water elements were moving too much and went gushing frantically in one direction. Where we were, the water elements disappeared, the flowers withered, the birds and beasts were dead. We were worried that there would be big changes in the illusion and quickly emerged out from the Weak water.”
It was obvious that, this student had fled when the ice mountain was forming.
“I have also heard about the water elements going berserk, but how many years ago was it?” Kong Li said in a skeptical tone.
“367 years ago.” Yang Xiaohu who reads extensively were familiar with all kinds of historical materials. “367 years ago, the entry of an Academy student sparked the water elements to go on a rampage.”
“I remember that.” Xiahou Qianbai nodded.
“1621 years ago, a student of the academy, also triggered water elements disruption. It was the time that the Academy lost the most students in the history of the Academy, with a total of 11 students dead, nine seriously injured and 24 minorly injured. It created an uproar at the time and the school sent people to investigate into the matter.”
“Did they find out what happened?” Xiahou Qianbai asked.
Yang Xiaohu lowered his voice, “367 years ago, a talented individual named Bai Luchan entered the illusion. Bai Luchan had reached the Empty Valley at three years old, climbed the High Mountain at 11, and later even repeatedly break into the next realm, reaching the Starry Sky realm at the age of 27. This person that had progressed at the fastest rate in hundreds of years, was called "Martial G.o.d". Until now, there is still a record of his glorious achievement on the Academy"s Starry wall.”
“What about 1600 years ago?”
“That time it was "Demon king" Xiu Yusha that went in.” Yang Xiaohu answered.
“What year did Xiu Yusha entered the illusion.” Kong Li was astonished.
“I"m certain it was that year.” Yang Xiaohu said with great firmness. He was confident in his memory. “
Demon King Xiu Yusha was a much more frightening existence than Martial G.o.d Bai Luchan. He belonged to no sect or faction, and was a youngster from an ordinary family. He first entered the ghost region, and then got into Starry Sky. Later because he fell in love with a daughter of an aristocratic family and was rejected, he turned violent and ma.s.sacred her entire family clan. Including the woman he liked and the man the woman liked.
The matter was so shocking that it aroused the discontent of all martial artists. Everyone rallied and attacked Xiu Yusha but repeatedly failed.
Later, Xiu Yusha became enemy with almost all martial artists of the entire divine continent. Many people from all sides attacked him, he could not fight back and thought of ways of escaping. Whoever was involved in the siege, he later did whatever it took to destroy their family and even their sect and faction.
Because Xiu Yusha"s cultivation was extremely profound, as well as vicious and ruthless, everyone that fell into his hands was not able to survive. At that time, the divine continent became a bloodbath because of that person. In the end it was "Human King" Ying Lianyue who killed him in the Beheading Dragon Platform. The Divine continent from then was peaceful. But the evil reputation of Xiu Yusha was known to all, and children cries at the mention of his name. He was known as "Devil King".
Of course, there have also been strong people of Starry Sky that shook the Divine continent in other years. It was just coincidentally that in those two years the water elements were more uncontrollable.
“What is the reason for this year?” Xiahou Qianbai asked, a look of deep thought across his face. “Who could have made the illusion crumble? Afterwards——would that person be a blessing to all people or a disgrace of Starry Sky?”
“Who knows?” Yang Xiaohu shook his head and sighed. “That year Xiu Yusha was the most highly valued student of the Academy. Because he was from an ordinary family background, and belonged to no sect or faction. The Academy wanted to counter the elites" ambition of monopolising outstanding students——”
Yang Xiaohu"s voice had not faded, when Xiahou Qianbai and Kong Li were already glaring at him with a murderous-looking gaze.
These two people were born n.o.ble, had Buddhism or Taoism background, and were the vigorously cultivated pillars of Dragon Tiger Mountain and Sounds of Heaven Temple.
To talk about the monopoly of outstanding talents, besides the royal family, there were the Dragon Tiger Mountain and Sounds of Heaven Temple as well as Changbai sword sect. Starry Sky strong people emerged from these factions one after another, what other groups are more profound compared to them?
Yang Xiaohu also knew that he had said something wrong. He smiled awkwardly. “Xiu Yusha was a model for all sentient beings, who would have imagined that he would become the murdering Devil King in the end just because of unrequited love?”
“Human nature is evil. The great ancient sages of the past have said this already.” Xiahou Qianbai sneered aloud. “No matter which sect or faction they go to, they are students of Starry Sky, they should be proud to be a student of Starry Sky. Starry Sky itself does not need to acc.u.mulate power, and has always been a neutral existence of the Divine continent. What"s the use of contending against the elites?”
“Right. Bookworm has ulterior motives. He wants to stir up internal conflicts.” Kong Li added. In this respect, these two people share a common language.
Yang Xiaohu gave a bitter smile. “Now is not the time to argue about that. The majority of students have returned, why are they not out yet? I"d like to go in and have a look.”
“Wait a little longer.” Xiahou Qianbai said. “If what they said was right, the illusion doesn"t exist anymore. When you arrived at the Continent of Feng Lin, you would probably disturb the thousand years old monsters. You have the ability to escape, but what about them? It"s a bad thing for Li Muyang and the others.”
“But——” Yang Xiaohu was unceasingly worried. He only had a handful of students, and now only Tie Muxin and Cai Pa had came out. If the others were buried in the illusion, would he have the face to continue on teaching? He could only hurry up and pack his bags and go slaughter dragons.
The water mirror was rippling again, Yang Xiaohu hurriedly darted over to greet them.
Kong Li, Xiahou Qianbai and other people were full of antic.i.p.ation, hoping that this time it would be Li Muyang and the others to come out.
Thump！
A white figure was planted out, stumbling forward a few steps, before he could steady his body.
He bowed with hands held in front to the Starry Sky teachers that were crowding around, his voice sounding exhausted as he said: “Chu Xun greets several teachers.”
“Chu Xun, where are Li Muyang and the others.” Yang Xiaohu stepped forward and grasped Chu Xun"s arm, asking anxiously.
The anger in Chu Xun"s eyes flashed away and his countenance remained calm, saying aloud, “Teacher Yang, I entered the illusion alone. In the illusion, I did not seen Li Muyang.”
“What about Lu Qiji, Lin Canghai and the others.” Yang Xiaohu questioned further.
“I did not see them.”
“Then where did you go?”
Chu Xun did not answer.
Students may refuse to answer these questions raised by their teachers, and do not have to report to their teachers what they had acquired from the illusion. In other words, they do not need to share it with others.
If any of the students acquired any treasures or cultivation books, then telling everyone would only bring disaster to themselves.
This was the rule of the Starry Sky Academy.
Yang Xiaohu also knew that he went too far and tried to explain: “Chu Xun, the Dragon slayer cla.s.s is in danger. Now only you, Cai Pa and Tie Muxin have returned. Everyone else is missing. That is why teacher is so worried.”
Chu Xun"s brow knitted in a deep frown, asking anxiously: “Lu Qiji also have not come out yet?”
“Not out yet.”
“I"m going in.” Chu Xun twisted round to re-enter the illusion as he spoke.
Yang Xiaohu dragged him back. “Your essential qi have been exhausted, you"re lacking physical strength. You would only die going in now. Also, from listening to the other students, the illusion had collapsed, just where are you going to find them?”
His face was darkening and his eyes were red, mumbling, “Then do you want me to just sit back and leave them to be buried in the wasteland?”
“If they really can"t get out——” Xiahou Qianbai took on the superior manner of a Starry Sky teacher, uttering in a cold voice. “That"s it. In which year was a student not buried in the wilderness, but don"t we still host this every year? We have also entered the land of illusions before, we have encountered danger, also risked our lives. To escape is lucky. If one could not escape, one will have to accept such a fate.”
Chu Xun"s sword was trembling slightly in his hand, but he dared not refute Xiahou Qianbai"s words.
What Xiahou Qianbai had said was indeed the rule of the Academy. Some people die in the illusion and others stay on their own will.
If they need to re-enter the illusion because they need to avenge the death of relatives and friends, if they need to accompany cla.s.smates that had remained behind, Starry Sky would no longer be Starry Sky Academy.
All the consequences need to be borne by themselves, and all options need to be calmly accepted.
“Wait a little longer.” Yang Xiaohu understood Chu Xun"s feelings for Lu Qiji, patted his shoulder and said in a comforting tone, “Wait a little longer. They"ll be fine.”
Chu Xun without choice had to stand with the several Starry Sky teachers waiting for the rippling and distortion of the water mirror again.
After a good while, just as everyone"s mood was getting more and more low, and even Kong Li was shouting to enter and search the illusion, the water mirror was once again rippling.
Yang Xiaohu"s facial muscles were twitching and shouted excitedly, “Back. They"re finally back——”