Autumn had arrived.
On the official road outside Senluo City, a carriage sped through the air along the winding mountain path heading north.
It was a pitch-black carriage. The carriage body was forged from ironwood, its four corners carved with cloud patterns, while light green gauze curtains hung over the windows.
What made it truly unusual was the pair of beasts pulling it.
They were not ordinary horses, but two snow-white spirit steeds.
Each was far larger than a normal horse. Wind gathered beneath their hooves, and when they ran, their bodies floated three inches above the ground. Their manes fluttered wildly in the rushing wind.
Lin Fei leaned against the window, staring at the mountains flashing past outside. His eyes were wide with excitement.
"Uncle! Why are these horses flying?"
The middle-aged man sitting across from him smiled faintly. It was Wan Li.
Today he wore a simple blue robe and looked like an ordinary traveling merchant, yet the calm authority in his bearing could not be hidden.
"These are spirit steeds," Wan Li said. "They're my spirit beasts. This carriage is called a Spirit Steed Flying Carriage. I had it specially crafted. Wind-controlling runes are carved into it, so it runs fast and steady. Traveling a thousand miles a day is nothing."
"A magical artifact? Spirit beasts?" Lin Fei blinked. "Uncle… you… you're a Lin Adept?"
"What, surprised?"
Lin Fei opened his mouth but could not speak for a long moment.
He had grown up with his uncle. As far as he knew, Wan Li was just a merchant who traveled frequently. He had never imagined that his uncle was actually a cultivator.
"Then why didn't you tell me before?"
"You never asked," Wan Li said with a smile.
Lin Fei froze.
That was true. He had never asked.
Leaning against the carriage wall, Li Dong chuckled.
He wore a black hunter's outfit, and his gray-white hair was particularly eye-catching.
"Fei'er, if you've got questions, ask them now. Since your uncle's in a good mood today, he might tell you everything."
Lin Fei thought for a moment.
"Uncle… between you and Brother Li Dong, who's stronger?"
Wan Li answered without hesitation.
"Of course your Brother Li Dong is stronger."
"Then what level are you?"
Wan Li smiled.
"My level? It's enough to protect myself and protect you. Nobody would dare cause trouble for your uncle easily."
Lin Fei turned to Li Dong.
"Brother Li Dong, what about you? You seem really familiar with the Lin Adepts in Senluo City. What level are you?"
"I'm a Heaven—"
Li Dong had just begun speaking when Wan Li coughed lightly.
Li Dong immediately changed his tone and laughed.
"About the same as them."
"The same as them? That can't be right. Not all Lin Adepts are the same level. Li Chen told me cultivation has different realms. What realms are you and my uncle in?"
Wan Li answered.
"We're both in the Golden Core Realm. The only difference is that Li Dong is slightly stronger than me. He's about to break through to the next realm."
"Golden Core Realm?" Lin Fei blinked. "Is that strong?"
"Very strong," Li Dong said vaguely. "Once you enter Giantwood Academy, study well. You'll reach it someday too."
Lin Fei immediately asked another question.
"Where is Giantwood Academy? How long until we arrive? What's it like there?"
Wan Li thought for a moment before answering.
"Giantwood Academy lies in the Green Mountains north of Senluo City. With this carriage, we'll arrive in about half a day.
"The academy is built along the mountainside. It's almost like a small town on a mountain and can accommodate over a thousand people studying and living there.
"There are lecture halls, training grounds, a scripture pavilion, and dormitory areas. Behind the mountain there are places for cultivating spirit herbs, refining pills, forging weapons, and raising spirit beasts.
"There are many places worth exploring."
Lin Fei listened with fascination.
"They raise spirit beasts there? Like these flying horses?"
"Yes. And many creatures you've never seen before," Wan Li said.
"Because north of the academy's back mountain lies a primeval forest—the Vast Wilderness Forest Sea. Countless spirit beasts and animals live there."
"Vast Wilderness Forest Sea?"
Li Dong spoke up.
"It's an enormous ancient forest where towering trees block the sky. The forest is covered in mist all year round. Inside are countless spirit beasts and heavenly treasures, but also unpredictable dangers.
"Ordinary people wouldn't dare enter it. Only highly skilled Lin Adepts venture deep inside."
Lin Fei's imagination ran wild.
"Then what lies beyond the Vast Wilderness Forest?"
"To the north lies the border of the Giantwood Kingdom," Wan Li replied.
"Beyond that is a frozen tundra where plants are sparse and the permafrost never melts. Even farther north lies the Extreme North, where ice stretches for thousands of miles and snowstorms rage endlessly.
"Legend says ancient frost beasts sleep there. Few humans can survive."
"You're lying, Brother Dong!" Lin Fei said suddenly.
"There are people there! Uncle told me before. Isn't there a place called the Cold Moon Palace in the Extreme North?"
Wan Li blinked in surprise.
"Ah… yes, that's right."
He had mentioned it casually years ago after returning from the north. He hadn't expected Lin Fei to remember.
"Hehe, I also know that east of Giantwood is Dragon Burial Valley, west is Kunlun Kingdom, and south are Yunmeng and Vermilion Bird Kingdom. Right, Uncle?"
Lin Fei counted proudly on his fingers.
Wan Li looked at the boy, a complicated expression flashing in his eyes.
This child knew nothing about the dangers of the world.
Yet he was endlessly curious about everything.
Who knew whether that curiosity would bring fortune… or disaster.
Half a day later, the mountains came into view.
The Spirit Steed Flying Carriage crossed a ridge, and the view suddenly opened.
Amid encircling mountains stood a towering mountain gate.
It was carved from a single block of green stone—three arches supported by four pillars, with upturned eaves and copper bells hanging from each corner. When the wind blew, the bells rang clearly.
Across the gate's plaque were engraved three ancient characters:
Giantwood Academy.
On each side of the gate stood two young men dressed in dark-green uniforms.
Swords hung from their waists. Their postures were straight and their gazes sharp.
They were members of the Qingluo Guard—the most elite Lin Adept force in the Giantwood Kingdom.
Since students from many nations were arriving for enrollment today, they had been dispatched to guard the academy.
The carriage stopped before the gate.
As soon as Li Dong stepped down, the guards recognized him. They were about to bow, but he quickly gestured for them to stop.
He took a token from his robe and handed it to the leading guard.
The guard examined it carefully, then glanced at Wan Li and Lin Fei inside the carriage.
He nodded.
"Please wait."
He walked to a stone stele beside the gate.
The stele was over ten feet tall and covered with dense runes.
Placing his palm upon it, faint spiritual light spread from his hand.
Moments later, the entire gate trembled slightly.
A faint light barrier appeared behind the gate before quickly fading.
"The barrier has been opened," the guard said.
"Please enter."
Li Dong retrieved his token and returned to the carriage.
The Spirit Steed Flying Carriage slowly passed through the gate and continued up the mountain road.
Just then—
A clear cry echoed across the sky.
Lin Fei immediately looked up.
In the distance, a massive shadow rapidly approached.
It was a gigantic bird.
Its wings spread wide enough to block out the sun, spanning dozens of meters. Its feathers were gray-blue and shimmered like metal in the sunlight.
It dove from the sky at incredible speed.
The gust it created bent the trees along the mountain road.
The two spirit steeds pulling the carriage panicked, raising their front hooves and neighing loudly.
The carriage jolted violently, nearly throwing Lin Fei from his seat.
"Don't panic!"
Wan Li shouted.
He formed a hand seal.
Only then did the spirit steeds gradually calm down, though they still snorted uneasily.
Li Dong lifted the carriage curtain and looked toward the sky.
Wan Li leaned halfway out as well.
Both of them stared intently at the descending giant bird.
"That's…" Lin Fei whispered.
"Kunlun Kingdom's spirit beast," Wan Li said in a deep voice.
"A Kunpeng."
The Kunpeng circled once in the air before slowly descending.
When it was still dozens of meters above the ground, three figures leapt from its back and landed lightly before the mountain gate.
The one in front was a boy around ten years old.
His hair was tied neatly into a topknot. He wore simple robes, his expression cold and distant.
Around his neck hung a thin cord, at the end of which was a thumb-sized five-colored stone that glowed softly in the sunlight.
Behind him stood two middle-aged men, one tall and one short.
Both wore gray robes and carried themselves with quiet composure.
After landing, the boy glanced back.
The Kunpeng gave a low cry, spread its wings, and quickly vanished into the clouds.
One of the middle-aged men stepped forward and began speaking with the Qingluo Guards.
Meanwhile, the shorter man approached the Spirit Steed Flying Carriage and bowed politely toward Wan Li and Li Dong.
"Our apologies for frightening your spirit steeds."
His tone was calm and sincere.
Wan Li waved it off.
"No matter. Your Kunpeng's presence is quite imposing. It's natural for spirit beasts to be startled."
The man nodded, bowed again, and returned to the boy.
Lin Fei leaned out the window, staring at the topknotted boy.
The boy seemed to sense his gaze and turned his head.
Their eyes met briefly.
Then the boy looked away again, his expression unchanged.
"That person…" Lin Fei murmured.
"He's a student from Kunlun Kingdom," Wan Li said gently, patting his shoulder.
"You might become classmates."
Lin Fei nodded.
Yet his eyes continued following the boy until the carriage turned around a bend and the figure disappeared from view.
The Spirit Steed Flying Carriage continued upward along the winding mountain road.
Soon they reached a suspended mountain walkway.
On one side stood a steep cliff.
On the other side was a bottomless abyss.
Lin Fei clutched the railing tightly, not daring to look down.
At the end of the path—
The view suddenly opened.
Before them lay a vast semicircular plaza paved with blue stone and surrounded by towering pines.
At the center stood an enormous Welcoming Pine Tree.
No one knew how many years it had grown.
Its trunk was so thick that several people could barely wrap their arms around it.
Its branches twisted outward toward the plaza like an old man bowing to greet guests.
The needles shimmered green in the sunlight as the wind rustled through them.
The plaza was already crowded.
New students had arrived, along with their families and academy instructors.
Lin Fei looked around excitedly.
Suddenly his eyes lit up.
In one corner of the plaza, a thick-browed boy waved enthusiastically.
"Lin Fei! Over here!"
Li Chen ran over and threw an arm around Lin Fei's shoulders, grinning widely.
"You finally made it! I've been waiting for ages!"
The man accompanying Li Chen, dressed in a blue robe, walked forward and bowed politely to Wan Li and Li Dong.
"Brother Wan Li, Brother Li Dong. Long time no see."
Wan Li returned the greeting.
"Brother Qingkong, it's been a while."
The man was Qingkong.
Ten years ago he had served as the personal guard of the Ninth Lin Master, Li Shentong. Now he remained a trusted member of the Li family and had escorted Li Chen to the academy.
Lin Fei tugged Li Chen's sleeve.
"Where's your grandfather?"
"He's busy," Li Chen replied.
"He said he wouldn't come and told Uncle Qingkong to bring me."
Lin Fei nodded without thinking much about it.
After exchanging a few words, they walked deeper into the plaza together.
There—
The entrance examination was about to begin.