The next morning, the two sisters were awakened by shouts and cries from outside their window.
Pushing open the window, they saw that the morning mist hadn't fully dissipated, yet the distant training grounds were already bustling with figures.
There were burly men, bare-chested and practicing their punches. Their stances were as steady as elephants stomping the earth, each strike producing a muffled sonic boom.
Others gathered in groups of three or five, sparring with swords. The sound of blades slicing through the air was as crisp as fine silk being torn in an instant.
"Do people here... not need sleep?"
Lin Xiyue rubbed her drowsy eyes, watching her classmates already grinding away at the crack of dawn. She suddenly felt that her own past training regimen had been nothing more than child's play.
Lin Qingyue, however, remained calm. She lifted her chin and pointed toward the distant lakeside.
A group had gathered there, facing the rising sun in perfect unison, performing deep breathing exercises.
"Ancient Martial Arts emphasizes 'Morning Qi Gathering,'" she explained casually. "At this hour, the pure Qi between heaven and earth is at its peak. Training now yields twice the results with half the effort."
"Wow, they're so dedicated," Lin Xiyue said, her voice filled with awe.
Lin Qingyue squinted, trying to get a better look at that direction. The corner of her mouth twitched uncontrollably.
"Hmm, they are quite dedicated."
"...That direction is the school cafeteria."
-
The two changed into light training clothes and walked out of Tingzhu Garden.
In the early morning, the campus air was filled with the fresh scent of rain-soaked grass and damp earth.
The martial spirit of Tianshu University was even more intense than what they had glimpsed from the car yesterday.
As soon as they left the dormitory area, they saw a vast training ground.
At least a hundred people were already there, drenched in sweat.
Some stood in horse stance, their fists whistling through the air with formidable power.
Others wielded wooden swords, each move executed with perfect form. The glint of their blades held an indescribable rhythm.
Farther away, some students were sparring.
The most eye-catching pair was two male students—one using a sword, the other a saber.
The swordsman's technique was agile and graceful, his movements like a butterfly flitting through flowers as he weaved through the saber's light.
The saber wielder's style was bold and powerful, each slash seeming to possess the force to split mountains.
The moment the sword and saber clashed, a visible shockwave of qi erupted, sending fallen leaves swirling into the air.
"Sis, they're so strong," Lin Xiyue said, her eyes glued to the scene.
"Mm, their fundamentals are solid," Lin Qingyue nodded.
After integrating a wisp of Zhongli's Spear Intent and Shenhe's insights into spear arts, her judgment was far sharper than before.
The two sparring students—whether in their footwork, power generation, or understanding of their weapons—were already on par with veteran Millelith soldiers.
It seemed Tianshu University truly was a den of hidden dragons and crouching tigers, with no one to be underestimated.
The two continued walking and soon reached the group of students who had been "gathering qi."
As they drew near, they heard someone from the crowd let out a sigh of utter satisfaction.
"Inhale—Exhale— I smell it! It's the braised pork buns from the cafeteria's breakfast today! This 'earthly smoke and fire' is so rich! Truly a great tonic!"
The person next to him immediately retorted, "Nonsense! What I've gathered is the aroma of freshly fried dough sticks! Straight from the wok! That is the purest Yang energy, the ultimate masculine essence!"
Lin Xiyue stared, dumbfounded.
You can do that?
Even more absurdly, in a corner not far away, a guy was squatting on the ground.
In front of him sat a "self-heating hot pot," bubbling away and releasing thick clouds of steam.
The guy was reverently inhaling the white vapor—a mixture of beef tallow and chili peppers—with a look of utter ecstasy on his face.
A passing instructor finally snapped. He dashed forward in a single stride and smacked the student on the back of the head.
"Zhang San! What kind of qi are you gathering?! You're gathering the qi of beef tallow hot pot base! Get to the track and run twenty laps!"
Lin Qingyue silently facepalmed.
Lin Xiyue offered a profound conclusion: "Noted. The ultimate destination of Ancient Martial Arts is... chow time."
Bypassing the group of foodies, the two sisters continued on their way.
By the lake, things got even more intense.
A burly student in training clothes stood firmly in a horse stance, his arms extended horizontally, holding two enormous water vats filled to the brim.
"Such incredible core strength!" Lin Xiyue whispered in awe.
Lin Qingyue looked closer. The guy was indeed as steady as a rock, but soap bubbles occasionally floated up from the vats.
With each breath he took, the water in the vats sloshed violently at a peculiar frequency. Faintly, she could even see a few articles of clothing tumbling inside.
This wasn't training—he was clearly using himself as a human-powered spin dryer for his laundry!
"...Very practical." After a long silence, Lin Qingyue finally managed to find a somewhat fitting adjective.
Next, they looked toward a small pavilion in the center of the lake.
A girl in a flowing white dress stood on the pointed tip of the pavilion's roof, balancing on one leg, eyes closed, practicing breathing exercises.
The morning breeze rustled her sleeves, making her look ethereal, as if she might ride the wind and ascend to the heavens at any moment.
Just as Lin Xiyue was about to praise her "beautiful movement technique," the girl suddenly pulled a phone from her wide sleeve.
Maintaining her "Golden Rooster Stands on One Leg" pose, she expertly angled the phone and shouted with surprising force:
"Hello? Mom! Can you hear me? The signal's great up here! Yeah, yeah, my appetite's grown, so my allowance isn't enough this month! What? My brother got into trouble again? Speak up! The wind's too loud!"
Lin Qingyue: "..."
Tianshu University, she thought, was truly a happy home for both immortals and lunatics.
The two sisters walked through the long corridor by the lake and entered a tranquil bamboo forest, leaving the previous chaos behind.
From deep within the forest came the sharp sound of weapons slicing through the air.
Curiosity piqued, they followed the sound and discovered a hidden clearing.
A dozen students in matching uniforms were practicing a peculiar footwork technique under the guidance of a teacher.
Their steps were erratic, their figures weaving through the bamboo forest like phantoms.
"That's Tianshu University's 'Phantom Steps,' a required course for students in the Assassin and Ranger Departments."
A gentle voice spoke from beside them.
The sisters turned to see a refined-looking young man with black-framed glasses smiling at them.
"You must be new students from this year's Special Training Camp, right? I'm Li Mo, a sophomore," the young man introduced himself proactively.
"Hello, Senior. I'm Lin Qingyue, and this is my sister, Lin Xiyue," Lin Qingyue replied politely.
"I've heard about your accomplishments," Li Mo said, pushing up his glasses. "Very impressive. By the way, this bamboo forest is the training ground for our Footwork Club. If you're interested, feel free to come and observe anytime."
"Footwork Club?" Lin Xiyue asked curiously.
"Yes. The university has many clubs like this—the Sword Arts Club, Fist Arts Club, Spear Arts Club... They're all organized by teachers or upperclassmen with high proficiency in Ancient Martial Arts. We learn and practice together, which helps everyone improve quickly."
Li Mo explained, "Tianshu University's philosophy is that professional skills are the skeleton, and Ancient Martial Arts are the flesh and blood. Only by combining both can one become truly powerful."
Lin Qingyue nodded thoughtfully.
Li Mo changed the subject, pointing at the group of students with their phantom-like figures. He lowered his voice and said, "But the core training of our Footwork Club is a bit... special."
"The main practice is how to evade the Dean of Students' pursuit while precisely snatching the last portion of Braised Pork from the cafeteria."
"See them? Right now, they're simulating the hundred-meter dash before the cafeteria closes."
Lin Qingyue's eyes widened in realization. So that's why, she thought. No wonder the footwork looks so agile and purposeful.
"Thank you for clearing that up, Senior," Lin Qingyue said gratefully.
"You're welcome," Li Mo smiled. "Feel free to find me if you have any questions. I live in Guanshan Garden, the sophomore dormitory area."
After bidding farewell to the down-to-earth Senior Li Mo, the sisters continued their stroll around the campus.
They came across an artificial lake named Yaoguang Lake. Its water was crystal clear, and by its shore, a student sat cross-legged, practicing breathing exercises facing the water.
With each breath, visible ripples spread across the lake's surface.
In front of the student was a row of fishing rods. Every time the ripples expanded, they would precisely scare away a fish just about to take the bait.
They also saw the massive library, Yuheng Pavilion.
Inside, it housed not only a vast collection of physical books but also countless jade slips recording Ancient Martial Arts demonstrations and combat footage of powerful experts.
A notice board at the library entrance displayed a message in bold, powerful calligraphy: "Watching cultivation dramas on jade slips within the library is strictly forbidden. Violators will be punished by copying the school rules one hundred times!"
"This place... is amazing," Lin Xiyue exclaimed sincerely. "I feel like I could spend four years here and never get bored."
"Assuming you can keep up with the training intensity," Lin Qingyue retorted, mercilessly dousing her sister's enthusiasm.
After wandering around all morning, the two found a bench in the shade of a tree to rest.
"Sis, I'm getting a little hungry," Lin Xiyue said, rubbing her stomach.
"Endure it. I'll make you something even better when we get back."
"Yay!"
Just then, a commotion erupted from a nearby crowd.
"Look! It's Senior Lu Yan, the 'Sword Lunatic'!"
"Is he challenging the Gravity Chamber again? What multiplier is he going for this time?"
"I heard he broke through to five times gravity last week. He's probably aiming for six times now!"
The sisters turned toward the voices.
They saw a stern-faced young man with an ancient longsword strapped to his back, surrounded by a crowd, walking toward a fortress-like building cast entirely from metal.
The young man's gait was peculiar.
Each step was as if measured with a ruler—perfectly precise, without the slightest deviation.
He carried himself like an unsheathed sword, radiating a sharp aura so intense that people dared not look directly at him.
"What's that place?" Lin Xiyue whispered.
"Probably one of the school's special training facilities," Lin Qingyue replied, narrowing her eyes.
She could clearly sense an extremely sharp and pure aura emanating from the young man named Lu Yan—a sword intent forged and tempered through countless swings of his blade.
This was a true expert.
Tianshu University truly was a place where hidden dragons and crouching tigers gathered.
However, just as the stern-faced young man passed by them, Lin Qingyue's keen hearing caught the instructions he whispered to his followers, his voice deliberately lowered.
"Remember, wait ten minutes after I go in. If there's no movement, hurry and get my sister to open the door."
"I'll definitely have passed out again."
An uncontrollable, beautiful smile curved Lin Qingyue's lips.
It was the genuine excitement and delight of a troublemaker who had just discovered a new toy.
"Let's go. Time to head back and eat," she said, standing up and patting her sister's head.
"We need a full stomach to have the energy to watch the show."