After setting his three targets, Lin Hui continued his usual routine: attending classes on schedule, helping Class Leader Song Xinyan supervise Martial Arts practice, and occasionally meting out punishment to students who broke the rules.

His Body Tempering with the Typhoon Swordsmanship wasn’t completely finished yet. He had started trying to practice the Star Breath Sword Manual, but its difficulty was even more baffling than the Typhoon’s.

Even though he had received all the creation and cultivation experience for it, when he actually tried to practice it, Lin Hui felt this Martial Art had a rather idealistic beauty to it.

’Feel the planet’s breath... Only after entering such a state can one truly begin to cultivate this Cultivation Technique...’

On the training grounds, Lin Hui supervised a few students who were being punished with extra practice while pondering his own difficulties.

The Star Breath Sword Manual required him to first enter that wondrous state before he could truly begin cultivating.

During the memory infusion, Lin Hui had entered the state with ease. But doing it entirely on his own was extremely difficult. He had tried for a month but still hadn’t succeeded even once.

’The planet’s breath... is it the pulse of the earth? The flow of the air? Or maybe the rise and fall of the atmosphere?’ Lin Hui replayed the memory of the infusion over and over.

This sticking point had troubled him for a long time, yet he was no closer to a solution.

"The weather’s been getting colder and colder lately. There was frost on the road when I went back yesterday. Getting a drink of water at night is a real hassle."

The punished students were chatting in low voices, talking as they trained.

"Didn’t they just say the warm current’s effects would continue? Why is it getting cold again?" another kid asked, confused.

"The Astronomical Tower is wrong sometimes. It’s nothing to be surprised about."

’The Astronomical Tower?’

Lin Hui’s heart suddenly stirred.

Black Cloud City had so many novel things compared to Tuyue.

The Astronomical Tower, for example, was one of them.

It was an institution Black Cloud specifically used to forecast the weather. For a massive city that revolved around maritime trade, weather prediction was undoubtedly a crucial component.

And so, the Astronomical Tower was born.

The words "celestial phenomena" and "seasons" inexplicably triggered something related to the puzzle Lin Hui had been agonizing over.

The wondrous state from the Blood Seal’s memory infusion suddenly connected with the changing of seasons, flashing through Lin Hui’s mind like a bolt of lightning.

’Seasons!?’

He suddenly made a connection. His gaze grew distant, and his entire presence became ethereal as he quietly slipped into that strange state from his memories.

In that state, Lin Hui’s sense of presence began to diminish infinitely.

He was clearly standing right there on the training grounds, right beside the three students who were being punished and were chatting.

Yet, as the three chatted on, they gradually began to ignore his presence, as if they had completely forgotten he was there.

"Hey, have you heard about that ’White Bamboo Letter-Carving Method’ that’s been going around?"

"You mean that Dharma Gate where you find a white bamboo tube, carve words on it, and it might grant your wish?"

"I tried it. It’s useless. It’s all fake."

"But my older cousin tried it not long ago, and it actually worked! She had messed up a small task and got chewed out by the workshop’s Steward for a long time. After using this method, the Steward actually apologized to her the very next day! He was really sincere about it and even invited her to go to the Sea’s Origin..."

"Huh? The Sea’s Origin?! You mean that great place full of handsome men, all different types of handsome men!?"

"You know about it too? I heard it costs tens of thousands for one night there. Super expensive!"

The group of fifteen and sixteen-year-olds began discussing adult matters that were clearly not age-appropriate.

Just then, Lin Hui slowly returned from that strange state. He felt a significant increase in his Heart and Spirit. Hearing the trio’s conversation, he gave a couple of slightly exasperated coughs.

The three immediately fell silent, suddenly remembering that a teacher was supervising them.

Lin Hui smiled in satisfaction and glanced at the large clock on the distant clock tower.

"Time’s about up. You can go. Next time, don’t break Teacher Song’s rules in class again."

"Yes, sir." The three respectfully stopped their forms, bowed to him, and then quickly ran off, laughing and fooling around.

Watching the children’s energetic side, Lin Hui suddenly felt a bit younger himself.

He turned to walk toward the office, but he had only taken a few steps when he suddenly heard hurried footsteps behind him.

"Teacher Lin."

A young female voice called out to him from behind.

Lin Hui turned around, standing by the flowerbeds near the Martial Academy’s main building, and looked behind him.

In the pale morning light, a girl with a ponytail and one eye that was a pure, deathly white, stood looking at him with anticipation. She wore the form-fitting, light-gray academy uniform skirt.

"Fan Lingxi? Is there something you need?" Lin Hui watched her calmly.

"Teacher Lin..." Fan Lingxi’s features weren’t ugly, but compared to the people of the Inner City, they were certainly very plain. Her skin was sallow, and one of her hands was slightly longer than the other, which was a little shorter—as if it had been broken and reset before.

"What you said before, about another path of Martial Arts cultivation that you’re testing... is it real?"

Lin Hui narrowed his eyes.

The Martial Arts self-assessment method he had intentionally released as bait was a physical test he had created specifically for these three targets. It was safe to say that within the entire academy, they were perhaps the only three who perfectly met the requirements.

In the Fifth Martial Academy, there were certainly more than just three children of the rich and powerful. But these three were the ones who best suited Lin Hui’s needs.

"Of course it’s real," Lin Hui replied.

He had considered whether he should disguise his identity to approach the three of them, but he had given up on the idea.

Rather than being secretive, it was better to take the most natural and normal path.

Naturally let his reputation spread, naturally release the Secret Technique, and let everyone test themselves. Naturally let the three of them take the bait on their own.

He wouldn’t initiate, he wouldn’t refuse; he would just let nature take its course.

And now, the first one to take the bait was Fan Lingxi, the one among the three with the strongest desire to become powerful.

"Teacher Lin, I tested myself using the method you gave, and it seems... I really do meet the highest standard you mentioned!" Fan Lingxi was already filled with anticipation.

After all, she was only a sixteen-year-old child who didn’t know any better. Compared to an old swindler like Lin Hui, who came from the information age, she had naturally never encountered a scheme like this, where the willing are hooked.

"The highest standard? Do you know what you’re saying?" Lin Hui gave a disbelieving chuckle.

"It’s true! Teacher, I can tell you’re different from the other teachers. You must be hiding a lot of your strength. To be willing to stay at the Martial Academy as a teacher like this, you must have your own plans. Could it be... that finding a suitable test subject for a new Martial Art is your real purpose?" Fan Lingxi guessed.

Lin Hui’s expression remained unchanged as he watched her for a moment.

Suddenly, he clapped his hands softly three times.

"Alright, I’m done wasting my breath on you. I have things to do at the indoor Martial Dao hall this afternoon. I’m just an ordinary academy teacher, not the mysterious figure you’ve imagined. As for the new Martial Arts, the standards I set are extremely high. For you to say you can meet all of them... Heh heh..."

He said no more, just shook his head and turned to leave.

"Teacher Lin! Take a look!" Fan Lingxi suddenly shouted.

She abruptly drew the Longsword from her back and, with a series of SWISHES, began to practice a rather strange set of Swordsmanship Techniques.

The Techniques resembled Qingfeng Swordsmanship a little, and also the Nine-Section Swift Sword. It was also mixed with some Palm Techniques, and some of the detailed variations were quite awkward. Even a current disciple of the Qingfeng Dao would have difficulty executing the full set.

But Fan Lingxi performed every single move perfectly.

It was clear that after Lin Hui had casually demonstrated it last time, she had gone back and practiced diligently for a long time.

She had managed to grasp onto such a faint, ethereal sliver of hope.

To be precise, among the three, the flames of desire in Fan Lingxi’s heart were already burning incredibly hot, needing no spark to ignite them.

Lin Hui turned back and saw Fan Lingxi’s sword dance.

He hadn’t expected that while he still had several more tests and hurdles planned, one of the three would just throw themselves at him like this.

From this, one could only say that Fan Lingxi had never given up searching for hope. The moment any opportunity appeared that might help her reverse her fate, she would pounce on it and try, regardless of whether it was real or fake.

Thinking of this, Lin Hui temporarily set aside the other two. As long as one of the three took the bait, the other two were expendable.

After watching Fan Lingxi’s sword dance, Lin Hui closed his eyes and was silent for a moment.

"Unexpected... I didn’t think anyone would be able to satisfy the requirements for the brand new system and path I’ve created... If you have the guts, come to Redrock Beach this afternoon."

Turning around, he said no more, quickened his pace, and entered the academy’s main building.

Leaving Fan Lingxi alone to sheathe her sword, a flicker of anticipation in her eyes.

For three years, she had thought every single moment about tearing the person who ruined her life to pieces. But unfortunately, everything she had was destroyed that night.

Her aptitude was ruined, one eye was permanently blinded, both her hands were broken, and the medicine for her treatment and recovery was swapped out, causing her hands to end up unequal in length.

Her originally bright future was destroyed by that person, just like that.

If her aunt hadn’t returned from overseas in time, she might have already lost her life.

And for everything that was destroyed, her aunt’s strenuous efforts only managed to get the other party a paltry punishment of three years in confinement...

’I hope there’s a chance for a turnaround this time!’ Fan Lingxi encouraged herself. Watching Lin Hui’s departing figure, she also turned and headed back to the student dormitories.

Meanwhile, Lin Hui packed up his teaching materials and went straight back to Qingfeng Courtyard, where he was currently living.

In the span of a year, everyone had scattered and integrated into Black Cloud City.

Xia Si’s strength had increased again, to the point where even Lin Hui wasn’t sure of her level. According to her, her Gale Swordsmanship Body Tempering had reached the Second Grade. But because her Swordsmanship had already carved its own path, its power differed from Lin Hui’s version.

Suyaping had obtained the Qingfeng Dao’s True Body Seal. She treated it like a priceless treasure, and her strength had soared. She was now a complete and fervent defender of the Qingfeng Dao.

As for the others...

When Lin Hui returned to the large, empty courtyard, Li Yuanyuan, the princess of the Shadowhound Clan, came forward and presented an invitation with both hands.

"Daoist Master, this is a wedding invitation personally delivered by Senior Brother Wang Hongshi. You weren’t here when he came, so he sat for a while and then left."

Lin Hui took it. He gently opened the bright red invitation, and inside was a line of small text.

’Wang Hongshi and Zhao Feiyue cordially invite Teacher Lin Hui to attend their wedding banquet at Wanyu Villa on January 17th.

Your presence is the most precious blessing of our lives.’

Below was a private red seal belonging to Wang Hongshi and Zhao Feiyue.

’So Wang Hongshi is getting married here instead of back home...’ Lin Hui still remembered the time Wang Hongshi was exposed for being unable to resist temptation, having had messy relationships with women in Tuyue.

He never thought he’d settle down so completely after arriving in Black Cloud.

"I won’t attend publicly. I’ve received the invitation. We can just meet privately after the banquet," he said, sending a message directly via wind chime transmission.

"Yes! Thank you for gracing me with your presence, Teacher Lin!" Wang Hongshi’s joyous voice sounded from the other side.

"Besides this, is there anything else?" Lin Hui looked at Li Yuanyuan.

Li Yuanyuan had now practically become his new head steward, replacing Wang Hongshi.

"There is one other rather important piece of news. We heard from the merchant marine caravans that arrived this year that a severe pollution turmoil broke out in Tuyue. They say the sealed fortresses of Purgatory and the Extreme Cold lost control. A lot of dangerous big things escaped. They’re still in the process of disaster relief over there," Li Yuanyuan said in a low voice.