Chapter 65 - Keep Company with Wise People!

The more times the aftershocks occurred, the lazier everyone became and did not want to run away.

The more times they were surprised, the less they were willing to talk about it.

They all thought, “Li Muyang, if you have any other great surprises, let us know them all. Anyway, we will just take today as the Spring Festival and celebrate it in advance.”

“Did I win the first place?”

Li Muyang was stunned. It was okay if the others did not believe it, but now even Li Muyang himself could not believe it.

In the past few years, he spent too little time studying. Also, the knowledge he learned was minimal. Fortunately, he had a feeling that he seemed to have known the questions in the exam before. Otherwise, he would not be able to figure out what was going on with the many broad-themed questions and different problems.

Li Muyang made desperate efforts to get a higher score because it was the only way for him to go to Xifeng University.

However, how did he manage to get a first in the Liberal-arts Exam?

His eyes widening, Li Muyang was in a state of disbelief. This whole thing was like having a white-skinned, beautiful woman with big boobs coming up to him and saying, “Li Muyang, you are so handsome. I like you so much!”

“Brother, you are so capable. I love you so much!” Li Sinian threw herself into Li Muyang’s arms, and with her head against his chest, she said, “You won the first place among all the candidates from Xifeng Empire. You are the best in the empire. Oh, my God. Brother, I want to go back and tell our parents. They will go wild with joy at the good news.”

Li Sinian was very happy. Frankly, she thought she would not have been so happy even if Xifeng University had accepted her.

After all, it was a normal thing for her to receive Xifeng University’s offer, but It was highly irregular for Li Muyang to win the first place in the Liberal-arts Exam. Would anyone wonder how Cui Xiaoxin took the first place of the Hero List and got into Xifeng University?

She had put in much effort to take care of and protect her brother. Her dark, frail brother, whom others liked to bully, was actually able to exude such a tremendous amount of energy and make such a dazzling achievement. The whole thing gave Li Sinian a big pleasant surprise, and she thought it was simply an exceedingly crazy thing.

Li Muyang could feel Li Sinian’s joy. When he achieved something, those who truly cared about him would be happier than himself.

Li Muyang stretched out his arms to hold Li Sinian tight and said with a smile, “I did not expect it to be like this…”

“Absolutely true. This kind of thing can’t be faked.” Looking at Li Muyang and Li Sinian who were in ecstasy, Xie Wuyou said with a smile, “Now that I have delivered the good news, I have to go back and report on what I have done. I hope that you will enter the school on time. Don’t make everyone wait.”

“Thank you, Senior Brother Wuyou.” Once again, Li Muyang bowed and thanked him.

“You are welcome.” Xie Wuyou waved good-bye.

“Clown.” Xie Wuyou stretched out his hand to wave at the white crane named Clown, which then soared into the sky with a loud cry.

Xie Wuyou cast a glance at Li Muyang and rose straight from the ground, his robe spreading out in the surging wind. He managed to land firmly on the crane’s back.

Xie Wuyou and the crane flew away and instantly disappeared into the depths of the white clouds.

Everyone was stunned by what they saw.

This way of transportation was really too eye-catching. Who did not want to be a young man riding a crane?

What kind of school could cultivate such an outstanding student? Would Li Muyang ride a crane back to the Jiangnan City like Xie Wuyou?

Thinking of the scene when Li Muyang would return in the future, many people present were full of longing and envy.

This was what a worthwhile life should be!

Lin Zhengyin came over to Li Muyang and looked at him with a joyful face. He said, “Congratulations, Li Muyang. You are the No.1 student in the Liberal-arts Exam, which brought our school an honor which we have never received before. Even in the whole Jiangnan City, only Du Ruofu, the genius teenager, received such an honor 12 years ago…”

“Thank you, headmaster.” Li Muyang said with a smile, “I also appreciate the cultivation of my school and teachers.”

Zhao Mingzhu looked embarrassed and said, “Although I also want to share a little glory from your results, being the best in the empire, I am ashamed of what I did in the past. The first day I came to this school, I had some conflicts with you. Later on, I was hostile toward you and always thought that you were deliberately against me. Thus, I did not pay much more attention to your education.”

“Ms. Zhao, that is all over now. In fact, it was my fault, but I did not mean to behave like that. I just felt too uncomfortable…” Li Muyang comforted her.

“Yes. The past is gone. We don’t need to take such matters to heart.” Lin Zhengyin was trying to ease the situation. “Muyang, would you like to come to my study? I want to have a chat with you.”

“It will be my honor.” Li Muyang readily agreed, knowing that he should not refuse an elder’s invitation.

Lin Zhengyin glanced at Li Sinian, who did not want to let go of the corner of Li Muyang’s clothes that she was hanging on to, and said with a smile, “Come with us, little girl.”

“Thank you, headmaster,” Lin Sinian said with a sweet smile.

“Ms. Zhao, come with us as well. Muyang is your best student. Perhaps, you also want to chat with him a little more. When Muyang goes to Starry-Sky Academy, you may have little chance to talk with him.”

“Thank you, headmaster.” Zhao Mingzhu said, as her face lit up with joy.

Lin Zhengyin’s study was in a small independent building, which was made of wood and located in the northeast corner of the school. This classic, refined building was filled with the essence of books.

Just as Lin Zhengyin invited his several guests to take their seats, a waiter came to the study to serve them tea.

“Muyang, try this Dragon Well tea picked before Pure Brightness. It is a special local product of Lion Mountain. The tea is not very expensive, but it has a fresh taste.” Lin Zhengyin made an invitation gesture.

“Please, headmaster.” Li Muyang picked up the teacup, tasting it carefully.

Li Sinian did not drink the tea. She sat beside her brother, laughing happily.

Lin Zhengyin gave Li Sinian a puzzled look and asked, “What are you laughing at, little girl?”

“I am thrilled.” Li Sinian’s smile widened. “I did not expect that one day you would invite my brother to the study to have tea.”

“Life’s fortunes are unpredictable. No one knows what will happen in the future. However, I firmly believe that the precious jade will eventually shine brilliantly.” Lin Zhengyin also sighed with emotion. A student, who was formerly at the bottom of the class, got the first place in the Liberal-arts Exam of the imperial. It significantly changed the student’s fate, and so would the future of their school.

“You are right, headmaster. My brother is a piece of precious jade.” Li Sinian nodded repeatedly. “After all, no matter how hard a stone tries, it will not be able to shine.”

“…”

Zhao Mingzhu looked at Li Muyang and asked him seriously, “Muyang, can you tell me the secrets of your success? What is your way of studying? How much time do you spend reading books every day? What is your timetable? Do you have any unique skills to improve your academic performance so quickly? I am asking these questions for your junior brothers and sisters. I hope they can also amaze the world one day and become the most dazzling existence in the whole empire, just like you…”

This question put Li Muyang on the spot. He thought to himself, “Was sleeping every day a unique skill? Was being struck by lightning a secret?”

“I think…” Li Muyang hesitated, avoiding eye contact with her. Then he said with embarrassment, “As long as you never give up, you will succeed one day.”

Li Muyang suddenly remembered Cui Xiaoxin, for she was the first person who said, “As long as you never give up, you will succeed one day,” to him. Also, she tutored him with unflagging patience. Sometimes, she had to explain an extremely simple question to him several times.

If she knew his exam result, knowing that he won the first place in the empire’s Liberal-arts Exam, she would definitely feel happy for him, right?

Lin Zhengyin waved his hand and said, “You should teach students in accordance to their aptitude. How can there be universal rules of educating talents?”

“You are right, headmaster. I am in a hurry.” Zhao Mingzhu nodded in agreement.

Lin Zhengyin looked at Li Muyang kindly and said with a smile, “Muyang, you have won the first prize in the empire, which is the highest honor that our university has ever received in the past hundred years. It is also the highest honor that I have received in my life. There are many prestigious schools in the empire, so winning first prize is too difficult to the extreme, which can be considered as an almost incredible achievement.”

“Headmaster, I just…”

Lin Zhengyin waved his hand and said, “There is no need to be so humble, Muyang. I have also been a student, so I understand the pain and difficulty of being a student. Although I still don’t know the background of the Starry-Sky Academy, I suppose that it must be a remarkable academy. It can recruit a student who is ranked first in the Liberal-arts Exam, which proves that it must be out of the ordinary. Once you enter the Starry-Sky Academy, you should continue to exert yourself and make remarkable achievements.”

“Thank you for your teachings, headmaster.”

“It seems to me that your senior brother is not a mortal. He is more like those legendary cultivators. Maybe you will become someone like him in the future. Whether you want to pursue an official career or become an immortal, the key to success is to follow your heart. Go and seek whatever you want to. We will be with you all the way.”

“Thank you for your teachings, headmaster.” Li Muyang could only keep nodding.

“Each year, our school will offer rich rewards to the student on the top of the Hero List. This year, Cui Xiaoxin was the best in our school, so she should certainly get the big prize. However, I am making a decision myself today to give you the same reward as that of Cui Xiaoxin. When the list of the empire’s Liberal-arts Exam is sent to each city, the Proconsul and the City Lord Mansion will also give bounteous awards to you.”

“Thank you…”

Lin Zhengyin waved his hand, indicating that Li Muyang did not need to thank him anymore.

He looked at Li Muyang and said, “Muyang, you will become the gold-lettered signboard of our school and an insurmountable milestone for other students, who would certainly try to keep up with you. Everyone should strive for the honor of being the top one in the empire. I know that you will soon go to Starry-Sky Academy. Why don’t you take this opportunity to provide an inscription for your brothers and sisters in our school? Then I can ask some people to engrave the inscription on the school motto stone at the school gate. In this way, everyone can look up at it with reverence so as to encourage themselves to seek knowledge and make progress. What do you think?”

“Headmaster Lin, I think we had better not do that. Is that alright?” Li Muyang quickly refused and said, “I am not used to this.”

“Muyang, please do not refuse it.” Lin Zhengyin said with a serious face, “Please do it for me, for our school, and for your junior brothers and sisters, all right?”

“Brother, write one,” Li Sinian said encouragingly, “Then I will be able to see your handwriting every day at school. How nice that will be!”

“Yes, Muyang. It will be good if you can engrave your great achievements on the stone. You have earned such a great honor for the school, so you should let everyone know your achievements.” Aside, Zhao Mingzhu also tried to persuade him.

“But I really don’t know what to write.”

“It does not matter. Take your time.” Lin Zhengyin showed the greatest patience and said, “Think about it slowly while drinking the tea.”

Then he called out his order to the people outside, “Bring the pen and ink.”

Li Muyang knew that he could not refuse, so he had to get up and said, “Please do not laugh at my performance.”

“It will be a blessing for a great number of students,” Lin Zhengyin said.

Li Muyang walked to the front of the table, picked up the brush and dipped it in ink. Then he remained in thoughtful silence.

Others gathered around him, looking forward to his seeing his inscription, with smiles on their faces.

After a long time, Li Muyang finally began to write the first line of words on the white rice paper: “Keep Company with Wise People!”

“Good handwriting! Good sentence!” Lin Zhengyin spoke highly of it. “The characters are well-written and the meaning of the words is even better. If we keep company with wise people, we will certainly benefit greatly from it. It can help us enrich our experience and broaden our horizons. Muyang, with your great insight, you are to be congratulated.”

“What is the second line of a couplet?” Zhao Mingzhu asked with a smile. “Muyang, write down the second line quickly. I am a little anxious to see it.”

“There is no second line.” Li Muyang put down the writing brush and shook his head.

“How can there not be a second line?” Lin Zhengyin also became anxious and said, “Muyang, you gave us an amazing start, but you should also provide us with a perfect end. Otherwise, it will simply make us regret it for the rest of our lives…”

“But headmaster, I really don’t know what I should write next.”

“Think about it again. Think about it again. We are not in a hurry, no hurry,” Lin Zhengyin said, assuming a firm stance that if Li Muyang did not give the second line, he would not let him go out of his study.

“Headmaster, then I will have to present a humble show this time,” Li Muyang braced himself and said.

“It is not humble at all, not even the slightest! It will certainly be a shocking and amazing show.”

“I have a hunch that this couplet will become a famous one that has rarely been seen in a hundred years.”

“Brother, just write it. Don’t be so modest.”

Li Muyang picked up the brush again, and cleanly wrote a sentence in the blank space of the huge rice paper, “Keep Getting Turned Down by Fools!”