FRGNM -Chapter 87 Crisis at the Sea of Books

“Finally figured it out?” Luo Mingyu smiled faintly, reaching up to touch his nose. “Fang Xu is quite a remarkable person too. Do you know who his master is?”

“Master?” Ling Ruoxi blinked in surprise. Back when she first met Fang Xu, she never imagined that encounter would lead to him helping her so much. Perhaps… this was what people called a friend.

Feeling pleased with herself, Ling Ruoxi hummed a little tune. Beside her, Luo Mingyu reached out and patted her small head. “So, after being out in the world for so long, have you just been feeding my good boy and letting him put on weight?”

“Luo Mingyu!”

“All right, all right, I won’t say that.” Just as his foot almost kicked her, Luo Mingyu quickly sidestepped and chuckled. “Fang Xu’s master is the most powerful formation master on Dragonwalk Continent—Han Yangzi. I think you’ve heard of him; his status isn’t lower than your master, Zuo Mingfeng.”

“Han Yangzi…” Ling Ruoxi’s mind stirred with a faint memory. She recalled some of the books she had read six years ago at the Ling Residence, especially on formations. Han Yangzi—the only formation master on Dragonwalk Continent able to arrange formations out of thin air without any magical tools. He was the only one who could create teleportation formations, and rumors said his power surpassed even the Purple Supreme, though he had been secluded for countless years. His last public appearance was said to be a thousand years ago.

“So it’s him… Han Yangzi! He’s Fang Xu’s master?” Suddenly realizing the weight of this identity, Ling Ruoxi drew in a sharp breath. With such a background, Fang Xu would naturally be respected wherever he went.

In the Dragonwalk Continent, magical beasts ran rampant. Every city had formations around it to defend against sudden attacks, giving Dou Qi practitioners inside more time. Compared to medical alchemists, formation masters were more highly respected.

“That’s right, Han Yangzi. For hundreds of years, he has had only one disciple. However, he and your master are close friends, meeting every year on the third day of the third month,” Luo Mingyu said with a mischievous grin.

Hearing “close friends,” Ling Ruoxi’s entire body bristled. She glared fiercely at Luo Mingyu. “What nonsense are you talking about! My master can’t possibly be ‘close friends’ with him. If you lie again, my master’s wife will pull your teeth out with pliers. But… yes, my master does leave the island on the third day of the third month.”

“Heh, I just think there’s a secret between them. Anyway, Han Yangzi…” Luo Mingyu stopped talking, curling his lips in a smirk. He reached out to wrap an arm around Ling Ruoxi. “Come on, my lady, let’s go meet the little ones at the Sea of Books!”

The Sea of Books was located on a small hill outside the bamboo forest of Beining Kingdom. The rustling bamboo leaves sounded like ocean waves, hence the name. The sound of learning—the recitation of books—was continuous and harmonious, merging with the bamboo “sea” to create the most beautiful melody.

The academy, covering tens of thousands of square meters, lay within the most dangerous part of the bamboo forest yet remained the safest. Outside the Sea of Books, formations were set, and three kilometers beyond that, dragon talismans were scattered to repel any passing magical beasts.

Inside the academy, all teachers had real combat experience. When magical beasts attacked, formation masters would immediately reinforce defenses, while Dou Qi instructors met the beasts head-on.

This secluded academy was home to the children of wealthy and powerful families; few poor children were admitted.

Because of this, vanity and extravagance ran rampant. A student’s annual living expenses could easily exceed ten times their tuition, and in some cases over a hundred times!

“Brother Yizhui, why are they doing this? Does silver really rule everything here?” Yimeng blinked as she lay on the stone table, watching the others play.

Yizhui’s right hand trembled, his face tense. Dropping the brush onto the paper, he drew a flourish, exhaling sharply as he cried, “Done!”

“So ugly…” Yimeng giggled. The characters on the paper were messy despite some improvement.

She had a memory and talent far beyond ordinary children, learning everything quickly, able to memorize all the Dou Qi manuals by age six, and accurately control her Dou Qi. Yet, even though she had mastered the techniques, her body had a limited amount of Dou Qi, insufficient to fully wield what she’d learned.

Even her calligraphy—she had improved the messy handwriting to look better than the teacher’s in such a short time.

Yizhui, however, didn’t have her talent. Looking at his own work, he scratched his head awkwardly. “Yimeng, Mother said that in the outside world, silver rules everything. We don’t need that stuff. Aren’t there silver bricks outside the master’s practice field? I wouldn’t take them even if given. Good sister, tell me… how am I supposed to write it? Why can’t I get it right?”

“Brother Yizhui, your mind isn’t calm. Look at your writing—our teacher said that handwriting reflects yourself. Every stroke comes from your heart. You’re fidgety, not focused, so…”

“Look! Those two trashy kids are sitting over there, hahaha, still practicing writing? I’ve never seen writing this ugly in my life!”

“Haha, let’s go check it out.”

Before Yimeng could reply, mocking voices surrounded them. Other six- to seven-year-olds, dressed in luxurious clothes, the sons of wealthy families, wearing gold-threaded, gem-studded garments with golden hair crowns.

Each of these kids had accessories worth thousands of silver, while the Sea of Books Academy only charged ten thousand taels of patterned silver per year. Their extravagance was staggering.

Seeing them approach, Yizhui’s face darkened. “Zhou Zhiwen, you again. What do you want?”

Dressed in gold-threaded clothes, Zhou Zhiwen sneered. “Of course I’m here to see what you’re doing. Wearing such ragged clothes and still daring to attend this academy. Did you sneak in? Judging by how you look, you probably couldn’t pay much silver anyway.”

Ragged? The two siblings wore simple silk clothes for convenience and practicality. As their mother said, on the battlefield, magical beasts don’t care about your gold and jewels. Light, practical clothing made escaping easier. In an ambush, those elaborate clothes would have hindered them. Survival depended on mobility, not luxury.

Yizhui snorted, grabbing Yimeng’s hand as they started walking.

Zhou Zhiwen, holding the paper with the misshapen characters, laughed loudly. “Your Dou Qi and your writing are both pathetic. You’re lucky today; I’m off to a dance competition. I’ll borrow your little fairy sister for now!”

“Get lost! My sister is mine!” Yizhui glared at Zhou Zhiwen, shielding Yimeng protectively.

He remembered why he was the brother. Being the firstborn, he became her protector. Their mother loved both of them, but more so Yimeng.

“She said it’s because you’re the brother. The brother’s responsibility is to protect the sister. You must be her harbor, so no one can bully her. That’s why you’re the brother!”

“Brother Yizhui, you can’t beat them!” Sharing the same classroom, Yimeng knew their opponents’ strength. These kids had been learning Dou Qi for two years, far beyond the younger twins.

Hearing this, Zhou Zhiwen smirked. “Hear that, loser? Your sister said it—you’re no match for me. Step aside and hand her over!”

“I’ll go!” Yimeng stretched her hand toward Yizhui’s arm, ready to act.

But Yizhui gripped her hand tightly, stubbornly saying, “No! I won’t move! My existence is to protect my sister. I’m weaker now, but one day I’ll become the strongest Dou Qi practitioner, and no one will bully you, Yimeng!”

“Oh? Showing spirit, huh? I don’t care about your brother-sister nonsense. Hand over your sister now, or else—” Clapping his hands, a group of kids immediately charged forward.

Clenching his fists, Yizhui gritted his teeth. “No! She’s mine! Come on, I’m not afraid!”

“Brother Yizhui!” Yimeng trembled, clutching his clothes tightly. “I love you so much, but don’t overdo it. When we grow up, they won’t be our match.”

“Attack!” Waving his hand, five or six of the kids charged, orange Dou Qi flashing like blades toward the twins.

“Boom!” Before any contact, the academy shuddered violently. The ground seemed to split and rise toward the sky.

Several children lost their footing and tumbled down. Yizhui quickly grabbed Yimeng, sliding from the high hill toward the lower ground.

“What’s happening?! What’s going on?!”

“Heavens, what is that?!”

“Holy… it’s huge!”

The commotion alerted the teachers, who rushed out to see a massive head emerging from the ground.

Like a crocodile, its enormous skull broke through the earth, sharp teeth capable of crushing anything. From the top of its head, a long, sharp spike jabbed downward, smashing into the ground, tearing soil apart. Its massive hands slammed the earth, and a thirty-meter-tall body emerged from the ground.