Chapter 95

"Let's have a good fight!" This was Cheng Wei's response upon learning that Li Mang had joined Tianyi. After the incident with Yang Fan, he had lost all hope in Team Nine, and there was no reason for him to hinder Li Mang's bright future. Tianyi not only represented a rapid rise to power but also a longer lifespan and a higher realm, a place that any cultivator aspired to.

"Alright!" Li Mang immediately agreed.

"Whoosh!" Without a word, Cheng Wei kicked out, despite his limp, his will and strength remained unbroken, and rigorous training had made him stronger than an ordinary person.

"Bang!" Li Mang did not back down, using his full strength to meet the attack with his fists and feet, rarely resorting to his agility. Although they had not known each other for long, he knew that Cheng Wei was a true man who needed not pretense but a real, bone-crushing fight, a display of strength.

In terms of realm, Li Mang was far inferior to Cheng Wei, but Cheng Wei controlled his strength to match Li Mang's, making the fight not one-sided but very exciting, both of them fighting to their heart's content until Li Mang lay exhausted on the cold floor.

"Don't come this way unless you have to." Cheng Wei returned to his usual coldness, leaving the order before walking away.

"..." Li Mang nodded silently. From now on, he would be a member of Tianyi. If he came here every day to train with Team Nine, what would the people of Team One think? It would be bad for both him and Cheng Wei. Perhaps, this would be his last training session with Cheng Wei.

After regaining some strength, Li Mang visited the neighbors he had known for over half a year: the old lady who raised snakes, the Taoist priest who covered his yard with yellow talismans, the old man who collected ancient books, and finally, the little kid who was still bedridden.

"Congratulations, Li Mang." The little kid, lying in bed, grinned and greeted Li Mang. After his recent episode, although he had nearly exhausted his life force, his brain had recovered. In other words, from now on, he would be a completely normal person, though he had less than a year left to live.

The little kid's serious demeanor made Li Mang feel a bit uncomfortable; in his memory, the little kid had always been crazy and unpredictable. Now, suddenly becoming serious, it was indeed surprising. After a moment of hesitation, he said, "Thank you, I hope you get better soon."

"The Ghost Doctor said I can get out of bed in a few days, and then I'll come find you to play..." The little kid, realizing something was amiss, stopped talking, his expression showing disappointment.

Tianyi's territory was not a place anyone could enter at will. Even now that Li Mang had joined, he had to carry the 'Tianyi' token, or else even Elder Jinde would not have come personally. The head of the Personnel Department was no less important than the head of Team Tian.

"Don't worry, I'll come see you whenever I have time!" Li Mang patted his shoulder gently to comfort him.

"Alright!" The little kid grinned, after all, he was just an eight-year-old child. When his spirits were low, he could still play and act crazy. Now that he was healthy, he naturally wouldn't do those brainless things like setting fires anymore. So, getting comfort from his only friend, Li Mang, made him very happy.

It wasn't a farewell, and they would see each other again. After visiting them, Li Mang headed towards the Secret Academy.

The overall layout of the Yanhuang Academy was divided into three main parts: the Outer Academy, the Inner Academy, and the Secret Academy.

The entrance was called the 'Outer Academy,' where the Earth, Mystic, and Yellow Teams were located, which was the part where Li Mang and the others were now.

After the Outer Academy, to the west was the Inner Academy, where non-normal ability users or prisoners were detained. It was said that there was an underground prison inside, holding various criminals.

To the east was the Secret Academy, the core area of the Yanhuang Academy, where Team Tian was located. It included the Management Department, Discipline Department, Intelligence Department, Mission Department, and Dragon-Phoenix Department, all essential components of the Yanhuang Academy, highlighting their importance.

"Please show your token!" Li Mang was stopped by the guard at the entrance to the Secret Academy.

"Here." Li Mang, not daring to be arrogant, handed over the token given to him by Jinde.

"Hmm?... A new member of Tianyi." The guard captain, who was checking his token, was surprised but did not dare to be disrespectful, respectfully returning it and saying, "Please follow me."

"Thank you." Li Mang thanked him casually and then followed into the Secret Academy, known for its mystery.

The moment Li Mang stepped into the Secret Academy, he could clearly feel a different aura. The plants and trees on both sides were lush and thriving, unlike the plants of the present day, but more akin to those in the Shanhaijing space, exuding an ancient aura.

"What a dense spiritual energy!" Li Mang muttered.

"Brother, you are indeed extraordinary, able to see the difference between the Secret Academy and the Outer Academy at a glance. No wonder you were invited to join Team Tian!" The guard captain, not too heavy-handed, flattered him and then introduced, "There is a spiritual vein beneath the Secret Academy, the largest in all of China. The spiritual energy is sealed within the Secret Academy by an array, making it so dense. Living or cultivating here is excellent!"

"Is that so..." Li Mang's mouth remained open for a long time. The largest spiritual vein in all of China? That sounded quite significant.

The guard captain, thinking Li Mang was impressed, felt a bit smug. In terms of status, he was inferior to the members of Tianyi, which was why he was so eager to please Li Mang. But seeing Li Mang's 'astonished' look made him feel good.

However, Li Mang then asked in disbelief, "In the vast land of China, this is the largest spiritual vein? Are you kidding? This is too pitiful!"

"Uh... cough, cough!" The guard captain was speechless, his face turning red. His intention was to boast about the spiritual vein of the Secret Academy, but Li Mang's words made him feel like a bumpkin.

In fact, Li Mang was genuinely surprised. Although he knew that the Earth's spiritual energy was severely depleted, he did not expect that even the spiritual veins were at this level, and this was the largest in all of China. This... was even inferior to any random place in the Shanhaijing space, truly a sign of decline.

However, compared to ordinary places, the spiritual energy in the Secret Academy was indeed much denser. Unfortunately, Li Mang had become accustomed to the overwhelming spiritual energy in the Shanhaijing space, so he did not find it particularly impressive. If anything, he was disappointed.

Struck by Li Mang's words, the guard captain remained silent for the rest of the journey until he led Li Mang to the hall where Tianyi was located.

Compared to the small courtyards of the Outer Academy, the hall of Team Tian was much more magnificent. There were divine beast statues at the entrance, and the building was adorned with green jade tiles, towering several dozen meters high, exuding grandeur! The spiritual energy condensed into mist, making it look like a celestial palace. The completely classical architecture and decoration even made Li Mang feel as if he had traveled back in time.

Above the entrance to the hall was a signboard with the two sword-script characters 'Tian Hall,' which emitted a powerful sword intent, leaving Li Mang in awe, unable to look directly.

At this moment, the guard captain wanted to say something to Li Mang, but a woman in a white dress walked out of the Tian Hall, making him swallow his words and bow respectfully, calling, "... Snow Goddess."

...

PS: This chapter is the regular update from yesterday. The new volume requires setting up many story backgrounds, so the update was delayed. Apologies.