"Huh? What is she doing back?"
The intimate atmosphere didn't last long.
Xiao Xun'er caught a glimpse of someone out of the corner of her eye, and a small gasp of surprise escaped her lips.
"Who?"
Xiao Yan paused, then followed her gaze. When he saw the person, his brow furrowed involuntarily.
Not far away, a young woman was leaning against a large tree.
She wore a blue, uniform-like outfit, and her features were quite beautiful. She had a tall, slender figure with a sword at her waist, but it was her pair of long, shapely, and alluring legs that immediately drew one's gaze.
"Xiao Yu? What is she doing here? Didn't she go to Jia'nan Academy to study? Why is she back?"
Hearing their exchange, Zhou Changqing knew exactly who they were talking about. He turned to look as well.
Upon seeing Xiao Yu, Zhou Changqing's expression grew distant. He stared at her for a moment before looking away.
Don't get the wrong idea. It wasn't that he was interested in Xiao Yu.
Although she was undeniably attractive, with a pair of eye-catching legs, she was still a far cry from someone like Ya Fei.
Having been exposed to Ya Fei's enchanting charm, Zhou Changqing's standards for beauty had been raised significantly. Besides, he knew she had a complicated history with Xiao Yan. How could he possibly be interested in her?
The reason he had been staring wasn't because of Xiao Yu herself, but because of the uniform she was wearing.
"Jia'nan Academy..."
As the name echoed in his mind, a sense of melancholy washed over him.
Ever since he had transmigrated to the Dou Qi Continent and discovered his own considerable talent, he had considered joining a major power on more than one occasion.
He was well aware of his family's circumstances; they could never afford the cultivation methods, Dou Techniques, and other resources he would need in the future. Therefore, joining a large faction to obtain these things was his best option.
Unfortunately, he had no connections to join a sect, and he refused to become a servant to a clan.
In the world of Battle Through the Heavens, sects didn't just accept anyone, regardless of talent. Without the right channels, opportunities, or background, an ordinary person couldn't even dream of it.
Clans were even worse. They were extremely exclusive. For an outsider to gain access to their resources, they had no choice but to sell themselves into servitude. They might even worry that your talent was too great and that you would one day usurp their family's position. As a result, they would place all sorts of restrictions on you, ensuring you remained forever under their control.
This was why Zhou Changqing had never joined any of these major sects or clans.
As for the Xiao clan, by the time Zhou Changqing got to know Xiao Yan, Xiao Yan was already on the verge of having his Dou Qi drained away. Besides, they had only just met. He didn't believe for a second that their flimsy connection would be enough for the Xiao clan to overcome their wariness of an outsider with immense talent.
If an exceptionally gifted individual with a different surname were to join their clan, the Xiao family would have no way to control him without resorting to extreme measures. They would never risk betting on his loyalty after he grew powerful, fearing he might take over and make the Xiao clan his own.
Furthermore, his level of talent was far too shocking for a small place like the Jia Ma Empire. If it were exposed, who knew if it would attract a powerful master seeking a disciple, or someone looking to eliminate a future threat?
Before he had the strength or backing to protect himself, Zhou Changqing hadn't planned on revealing his talent at all. Even Xiao Yan had only learned of it after Zhou Changqing was forced to reveal his strength during an attack half a year ago.
Beyond that, Zhou Changqing had also thought about enrolling in Jia'nan Academy.
On the Dou Qi Continent, if any institution was friendly to commoners, it was Jia'nan Academy. Even beggars and thieves had a chance to enter and cultivate there, as long as they had the talent.
Unfortunately, that plan never materialized.
Although Jia'nan Academy sent recruiters to various locations across the Northwest Continent every year, that didn't mean they came to Wu Tan City, let alone the Jia Ma Empire, on an annual basis.
The Northwest Continent, while not as prosperous as the Central Plains, was just as vast, if not larger. Countless empires and factions dotted its boundless expanse. The Jia Ma Empire was located in a remote corner of the continent, and its overall strength was only considered average.
Jia'nan Academy recruited from the entire Northwest Continent. The population was immense. If they truly sent people to every single location each year, how many recruiters would they need? Even if the entire staff and student body of the academy participated, it would likely take them a full year and they still wouldn't succeed. And that wasn't even considering that only the academy's instructors were sent out to recruit.
Moreover, if they recruited from every empire every year, the number of students, even with strict talent requirements, would be terrifying. Jia'nan Academy couldn't possibly accommodate that many people; it would be bursting at the seams.
Thus, Jia'nan Academy's recruitment system was based on a rotation. One year they would recruit in a few specific locations, the next year they would visit a few different empires, and the order was never fixed.
The last time Jia'nan Academy had recruited in Wu Tan City was ten years ago.
At that time, Zhou Changqing was only six years old. How could his adoptive parents let a child so young travel so far from home? Back then, he hadn't even reached the seventh stage of Dou Zhi Qi. Besides, the vast majority of students the academy accepted were fifteen or older. Why would they ever accept a six-year-old? With how fiercely competitive the academy was, could a small child even survive?
What about Xiao Yu, you ask? She joined Jia'nan Academy three years ago?
Yes, Jia'nan Academy did come to the Jia Ma Empire to recruit three years ago, but they didn't come to Wu Tan City!
Could Zhou Changqing's family background even compare to Xiao Yu's? Her grandfather was the First Elder of the Xiao clan, a Da Dou Shi. Was it not a simple matter for him to take Xiao Yu across mountains and rivers to the city where the academy was holding its entrance exams? The Xiao clan had the power and money to send Xiao Yu to the recruitment location, even if it was several cities away.
And what about Zhou Changqing? Three years ago, he was still stuck at the Dou Zhe level. For a weakling like him, forget about making the journey—he probably wouldn't have even received news of the recruitment drive. The Jia Ma Empire was no smaller than his home country in his previous life. Even if he had found out, if anything happened to him on the road, he would have been finished. What could he have done?
At this thought, a bitter smile touched the corner of Zhou Changqing's lips.
If those clueless keyboard warriors from his past life found out he was having such a miserable time as a transmigrator, they'd probably call him an idiot and a failure.
But how could they possibly understand the bitterness and hardship involved?
They would never know that reality and fantasy are two different things. The cruelty of the real world can't be wished away by imagination. If it were so easy, why weren't they all billionaires? Why weren't they driving luxury cars, wearing expensive watches, and living in mansions?
They all thought they were so clever, but it was nothing more than self-righteous arrogance. If any of them were to transmigrate to the Dou Qi Continent with the same talent he had, it was highly unlikely they would have done any better.
"Hey? Old Zhou, what are you thinking about? My father is here."
Just as Zhou Changqing was lost in his memories, Xiao Yan's voice pulled him back to reality.
Snapping out of his daze, Zhou Changqing saw Xiao Yan waving a hand in front of his face, a curious look in his eyes.
"It's nothing. Just thinking about the past."
Shaking his head, Zhou Changqing stood up and looked into the distance. A lavishly dressed middle-aged man was walking toward them with a few attendants. That must be Xiao Zhan.
Seeing that Zhou Changqing didn't want to elaborate, Xiao Yan didn't press the issue, merely muttering to himself, "What was he thinking about so intensely? He didn't even hear how loud my argument with Xiao Yu was."
---
Author's Note:
I've seen a lot of comments about Jia'nan Academy and the issue of joining a faction, so today I've used Xiao Yu's appearance to explain the reasons.
This explanation took up a fair bit of space, so I apologize to my other readers. I won't pad out chapters like this again.
To those readers who were calling the author or the protagonist an idiot, are you satisfied now?
Please don't argue with me about this in the future. When it comes to logic, everyone's perspective is different, shaped by their own understanding and experiences. Not to mention, the original Battle Through the Heavens novel had many logical inconsistencies regarding Jia'nan Academy's setup. You think you've found a plot hole, but as the author of this story, can't I justify my own logic? Is there a problem with my reasoning?
Right, one more thing.
Regarding whether Yun Yun should be a heroine, I posted a poll in the comments, but the results were inconclusive; the number of likes and replies for '1' were about the same.
So, I'm bringing it up again here.
Readers who want me to include Yun Yun, please comment with '1' below this author's note. Those who don't, comment with '2'.
Please participate, everyone. This decision may require me to change the main outline of the story.