Ed looked at the person who spoke and frowned.

“Why? Why can't brother Ed go with us?” Lady Jian fumed. She did not like the look on that boy's face.

“You are too old to be entering the academy. No matter how powerful you may be, you are still not in our generation and you will never meet up no matter how you try,” Jia Lin said coldly.

“Fine,” Ed said stepping off the platform. Even though he could not leave the valley now, he did not believe he would not leave one day. He just had to be strong enough. He could feel the smirk of those who hated him. He knew he had a lot of enemies, so this was expected. Lady Jian harrumphed and stepped off the stage too, not forgetting to send Jia Lin a glare.

“Lady Jian, I presume. You need not follow him. You are admitted,” Jia Lin had no intention of letting such a beauty out of his sight. As far as he was concerned, no matter her identity, she grew up not seeing the world. As long as she joins the academy, she would be able to see how powerful he was and how many girls wished to walk beside him.

“That small thing you call an academy? Is that place worthy? I only joined the admissions because I wanted to go with brother Ed,” she snorted and continued after Ed.

Her words caused those from the Emperor Sage Academy to frown. They held their heads high wherever they went, knowing well that they were from the Emperor Sage Academy. Yet this girl looked down on it?

Ed did not bother to answer them or Lady Jian, as he continued walking away. The tension in the air was indescribable. The disciples from the academy wanted nothing but to teach Ed a lesson. But, they had a righteous reputation to uphold so they could only clench their teeth and watch as he walked away.

Jia Lin saw the most beautiful woman he had ever seen walking away from his sight. It did not help that she looked at him as though he was the smallest thing to walk the land. Anger engulfed him as he stared at Ed's leaving back.

“I know you think you are great, but don't hold someone back with your selfishness. I can see that Lady Jian is a rare talent. Walking with you will only hold her back and derail her improvement. Don't be without shame,” Jia Lin scolded Ed righteously, but the person in question did not look back. Lady Jain threw him a dirty look but did not waste her breath.

Jia Lin could feel people give him complicated looks and frowned in confusion. He looked to tew recruits for an explanation. One of them coughed and hesitated.

“Say it. Do you think I am wrong?” he asked. The boy did not know what to say.

“Lady Jian... She follows Valley Master Ed around, but... She does not leave his side no matter what he says,” the boy said. Jia Lin frowned and looked around at those watching. They all thought he was making a fool of himself. It was clear, this Ed did not even care for her attention. It was she that insists on staying beside him. If the tension was not bad enough, silence could be heard vibrating through the arena, except for Ed's steps slowly walking away. The sound of his feet as he moved slowly out of the arena was like a slap to his face. Suddenly all the Emperor Sage Academy disciples were glaring at Ed's feet. Couldn't he walk away faster? Did he have to move so slowly as though rubbing their embarrassment on their faces?

Why were they the ones embarrassed? He was clearly the one that got rejected by the academy.

The silence was broken by someone clearing his throat.

“Well, this was uneventful. Hey, boy! How about you come with me?” the old man from before said. His words caused Ed to pause. This man looked like a beggar yet he had the mind to speak at such a time? Everyone seemed completely amused. As if the Valley master was not embarrassed enough, an old beggar wants to take him in as a disciple? They were all clearly holding back their laughter.

“Ya! Old pervert. What makes you think you can talk to my brother Ed like that?” Lady Jian scolded the old man and the man gave her a wronged look.

“How did I become a pervert?” the man asked.

“Speak fast, why are you spouting rubbish?” Lady Jian asked impatiently. In a blink, he was standing before her. Everyone was startled. Blink! That was surely the blink technique! Those well-taught inner disciples saw through this. No one under the soul awakening stage could do this. Who was this man?

Lady Jian did not seem to care about this though, nor did the man care about her unsurprised nature.

“Little girl, I am a respectable man. What about me looks like a pervert?” he smiled widely making her frown deepen.

“Have you looked in the mirror?” she asked carelessly. The man could only sigh and turned to look at Ed.

“Boy, I saw you contemplating while the game went on. I could help you out with that. Why stay in this little valley when you can come out? What do you think?” the man said. Everyone paused. He was contemplating on the stage? Was that even possible? They stared at the man sceptically.

“You will take me from here?” Ed asked.

“Yes. Are you interested?” the man looked at Ed expectantly.

“Sure,” Ed answered causing the man to sigh a relief.

“That's good. I've never taken a disciple before, I thought it would be harder,” the man laughed with his head leaned back.

“Who said I accepted to be your disciple?” Ed asked.

“But,” the man sighed, ”It is really hard then,” he mumbled. Then he looked up abruptly with a smile.

“How about you come with me first, if I teach you how to enter the spirit awakening, you decide,” Ed frowned at his words. Did this man really want him to be his disciple that much? He knew his split contemplative state was rare but was it really that special? He nodded in agreement and the man who he thought could not smile any wider, smiled wider.

“Even if you are not up to standard, you can be of use to me for a while,” Lady Jian huffed.

“No, you are not coming with me,” the man said and she frowned.

“Yes, I am. I am going with brother Ed,” she frowned at his words.

“Where I am going, I don't want your people following me,” the man said slightly seriously.

“I don't care! I am going with brother Ed!” she insisted.

“Well, have fun now,” the man said and vanished with Ed. Lady Jian fumed at first, then she stomped around the arena so madly people started to get worried. Then she sat on the floor and started wailing loudly.

“No need to worry, Lady Jian, the Emperor Sage Academy is the best place for you to..,” Before Jia Lin could finish his words, a red-eyed Lady Jian attacked him with all her strength.

Kill!

Her common sense was completely gone. The only thing she wanted to do was tear Jia Lin apart. Jia Lin felt an immediate danger as ice-cold light flared his way. He activated all his shields, calling up every last drop of strength from his core to protect his body.

Before the light could reach him, Lu Guan appeared in front of him and blocked the incoming flare with a palm. Even though it was like waking a way a fly to others looking, Lu Guan, himself was shaken as he had used forty percent of his strength to swat the flare away. Still, he felt the backlash. He swallowed the blood that rose from his throat and looked cautiously at the girl below.

“Why resort to killing my disciple?” he said to her. The mad look in her eyes had not dissolved, as she glared at him with killing intent.

“Move or die with him,” she said coldly.