Having forcibly handed a jade-green Jade Tablet to the police officer, if he didn’t show up at Taiwei Mountain later, she would tie him up and drag him up the mountain, forcing him to enroll in the academy.
Yi Baizhou watched as Tang Ximo, without the slightest hesitation, turned and walked away, only to abruptly look back and toss him another jade-green Jade Tablet from a distance.
“This Jade Tablet is for the patient in your arms. Give it to him when he wakes up. You both have the same amount of time to consider. I hope to see both of you then.”
Buying a few cups of iced shrimp and stumbling upon two people with decent talent—her luck really was something!
Frozen in place, Yi Baizhou lowered his head to examine the Jade Tablet, murmuring to himself, “Taichu Cultivation Academy… Tang Ximo?”
I’ll ask Fu Yan about it later…
Tang Ximo, having left, reunited with her family and returned to the academy.
The main gate, guarded on both sides by stone statues of divine beasts, stood firmly and majestically at the mountain entrance. Both the gateposts and the gate itself were covered in ancient Runic Script, its glow flowing silently.
In the night, the light emitted by the flowing ancient Runic Script was as gentle as moonlight, like a lighthouse guiding students returning late.
The inexperienced Tangxi Xuan gasped in awe once again, scurrying over to the gatepost.
“Wow! Our academy’s gate is so cool! Look at this flowing Runic Script—it’s practically alive!”
Tang Ximo, sheathing her sword, didn’t even look up as she warned, “Don’t stare at those runes for too long. That’s a sign the Formation is active. If you keep staring…”
Before Tang Ximo could finish, Tangxi Xuan’s eyes began to swirl like mosquito coils.
Several different Formations were layered and operating on the gate. Judging by his reaction, he must have triggered the Soul-Confusing Formation. Thankfully, it wasn’t the Killing Formation.
Tang Ximo sighed in exasperation, raising her hand and smacking him on the forehead, leaving a glaring red fingerprint.
The force was just right—enough to daze him without causing brain damage.
Grabbing her brother by the shoulders, she shoved him into their parents’ arms, then jabbed her index finger repeatedly against his useless pig-headed brain.
She sternly warned, “Stop looking around recklessly, or your eyes, which just recovered from nearsightedness, will explode from the Formation’s pressure overload.”
Shaken by the close call, Tangxi Xuan immediately behaved, not daring to cast even a sidelong glance at the glowing Runic Script on the gate. Wedged between his parents, he followed them into the academy, sticking his butt out awkwardly as he walked.
Tangxi Xuan’s recklessness served as a reminder to her. To prevent future new disciples from accidentally triggering Formations and getting hurt, the lethal Formations could be temporarily deactivated.
As for Formations like the Soul-Confusing Formation, they could be left for disciples studying Formations to research!
Upon entering, Xu Wanqing smacked her son on the back of the head, echoing her daughter’s earlier slap.
“See if you’ll dare to look around recklessly again. Let this be a lesson.”
Since this was a matter of life and death, Tangxi Xuan immediately straightened up, one hand covering his head, the other patting his chest as he promised.
“Got it, Mom. There definitely won’t be a next time.”
Seeing this scene, Tang Ximo was speechless but also felt her unlucky brother deserved it.
“It’s too late today. A-Long will take you to the academy’s dormitory to rest. Your clothes are already in the dormitory. Remember to gather at the plaza tomorrow morning at seven.”
Little Golden Dragon had already assigned the dormitories. She had immediately instructed Little Golden Dragon to deliver the clothes to the corresponding dormitory rooms for the three of them.
When the rewards were announced, she hadn’t examined them closely, but she did listen to Little Golden Dragon’s introduction about the dormitory configurations at the academy.
The dormitories were divided into male and female quarters, both with double rooms and well-decorated interiors, but they shared the same main entrance.
After entering through the door and passing through a small private garden, there was a fork in the path: the male quarters on the left and the female quarters on the right.
Between the two quarters lay a bamboo grove, and deeper inside was a seemingly small Spirit Lotus Garden. Hidden within it was a Lotus Chamber for disciples to meditate and cultivate in peace, where both male and female students could enter their own private rooms to practice.
If anyone tried to visit the opposite gender’s quarters, they would definitely trigger the strict Restrictions set up on both sides.
Anyone attempting to enter the dormitory of the opposite gender would be given a demerit and immediately reported academy-wide, leading to instant social humiliation while also facing punishment from the teachers.
“Tangtang, don’t worry. Your dad and I are older and don’t sleep much, so we’ll definitely be at the square on time.”
“That’s right. If Xiaoxuan dares to sleep in, I can just toss him out of the dormitory. There’s no way he’ll be late.”
Tangxi Xuan: This is something only a real dad would do!!
As the older sister, Tang Ximo looked at her brother, whose face was dark with frustration, and smiled inwardly, thinking: Good luck, little brother.
“Oh, I almost forgot to give you the disciple Jade Tablets.”
She took out the prepared platinum and gold dual-colored Jade Tablets and distributed them one by one.
“With these Jade Tablets, you’ll be able to freely enter and exit Taiwei Mountain.”
Tangxi Xuan gently traced the phoenix pattern on the Jade Tablet, turning it over and examining it several times.
Casually, he asked a question: “Sis, why is it ‘freely enter and exit Taiwei Mountain’ and not ‘the academy’?”
“Because Taiwei Mountain is still a new location. The basic facilities aren’t fully developed yet, and it’s still under construction. Besides, the academy’s Sect Protection Array recognizes people.”
Moreover, only those holding the Jade Tablets issued by the academy could enter the mountain gate at the foot of the mountain without being repelled by the Sect Protection Array.
The ones given to them were the platinum and gold dual-colored phoenix Jade Tablets. New students recruited later would use temporary emerald-colored Jade Tablets for access.
Only after passing the Heart-Questioning Heavenly Ladder trial and formally enrolling would they receive the platinum phoenix Jade Tablets, allowing free entry and exit to Taiwei Mountain.
Her family members were considered special admissions, and privately, she didn’t plan to have them go through the Heart-Questioning Heavenly Ladder.
If they wanted to try, they could, and she believed they would definitely pass.
Of course, it was true that the Sect Protection Array recognized people.
Listening nearby, Tangxi Xuan felt an itch in his heart. Sure enough, the Heavenly Ladder trial from the novels, though delayed, had arrived.
His youthful, handsome face was filled with eager excitement. When the academy officially began recruiting, he would definitely give it a try.
Xu Wanqing gently patted her daughter’s slightly cool hand: “Tangtang, we’ll go rest now. You should rest early too, don’t stay up too late.”
She hugged Mother Xu back, nuzzling affectionately: “Alright, I know. Rest well tonight. There won’t be time for you to slack off once cultivation begins.”
“Don’t worry, Mom and Dad definitely won’t hold you back. You can count on us, Tangtang!”
Confident Father Tang patted his chest in assurance.
Tang Ximo stepped out of Mother Xu’s warm embrace and smiled as she watched the couple naturally lean against each other.
“Mm! See you all tomorrow morning.”
Tang Ximo stood in place, watching as Little Golden Dragon led Father Tang, Mother Xu, and Tangxi Xuan to the dormitories to rest.
She couldn’t rest yet. She had to go tonight to finalize and set up the exact location for the Heart-Questioning Heavenly Ladder.
No time to waste—let’s get to it!
The predawn night was thick and heavy, the silhouette of Taiwei Mountain faintly visible under the moonlight, the air filled with the fresh scent of earth and vegetation.
Tang Ximo rolled up his sleeves and stood at the foot of the mountain, taking a deep breath to feel the abundant Spiritual Qi flowing through the mountains. In his mind, he already had a detailed plan for the academy.
At the foot of the mountain, not only would a gate leading directly to the Heart-Questioning Heavenly Ladder be set up, but there would also be a docking station for the Spirit Boats that transported disciples.