Jin Huang returned to his dorm room sometime later, settling in and grabbing some food from his spatial ring. As he was demolishing a hill of tacos, he noticed his jade slip flashing. Checking it, he saw that Qin Shuyue had sent him a message.
"Hey, Jin Huang," her voice came out of the jade, "let me know when you get home. I think I have an idea that might help."
After that, the subsequent message automatically played.
"Oi, Jin Huang, where are you? You didn't go disappear on me again, did you? Heh, just hurry your ass up and get home."
Then the next.
"This is getting ridiculous. What room in Building Four are you staying in!? I'm gonna find you and-- I swear, if you're eating and just ignoring me I'll- I'll- UGH!"
The audible crunching sound coming from Jin Huang's mouth as he devoured taco after taco was soon silenced by the following message.
"You aren't even staying at Building Four? Where the hell are you!? Ugh, this is so annoying! Don't bother messaging me when you get home!"
Jin Huang swallowed, realizing that the last message had played out, and he prepared to record one of his own.
"Are you crazy or something? I just saw you like two hours ago before I left to take a walk. What's wrong with you?" After talking with his mouth full, he swallowed and grabbed another taco.
He was not expecting a reply and was about to put down the jade slip, but it suddenly lit up and, because he was holding it, automatically played the message.
"JIN HUANG! So you're finally home, huh? Sounds like you're eating. Hmph! Typical."
Jin Huang sighed in exasperation, recalling a time where Qin Shuyue didn't even talk much around him. She was always the calm one, knowing more than he did about everything. He had assumed it was because of her upbringing in a so-called 'God Clan,' that she was like that, and had subconsciously put her on the same standing as Dao Yuan.
Over time, as she warmed up to him, he realized that he had been too quick to judge. She became more comfortable with him over time, and was now acting like this after almost five weeks. Part of him wished she would go back to her old self.
"Yeah," he said, then he recalled his recent encounter. "Hey, do you know anything about Xu Ye in class seven?"
A short time passed before her response came: "Xu Ye? I heard a few things leading up to Orientation, but after he got placed in class seven I kind of just forgot about him. Why?"
"I met him just now," Jin Huang reached for a taco but found none, realizing that he had eaten them all. "He seemed... interesting. Not at all like someone that deserved to be in class seven."
He then took out yet another massive portion of tacos and started absent-mindedly eating again.
"Well," Qin Shuyue's response came, "he kinda... doesn't? I mean, Xu Ye is from one of the most prestige God Clans in all the Earthly Realm. His family produced more than a hundred Immortals, and there's even rumors that someone in his family actually became a god. All eyes were on him during the entrance exam stage. Everyone expected him to enter class one."
Jin Huang paused his devouring of tacos, his brows furrowing as he thought back to Xu Ye and the sorry state he had found him in.
"Speaking of eyes, what's up with his? Are they special?"
While he was reaching for another taco, her message came through.
"Yeah. They're supposedly extremely special. If rumors are to be believed, the person in his family that became a god was granted a special bloodline by the Heavenly Daos. That bloodline was then passed to their family, and Xu Ye was the first person to perfectly inherit it. Those eyes are a result of that bloodline."
"For all intents and purposes... Xu Ye possesses the eyes of a god."
Jin Huang froze, his heart suddenly beating a bit faster as the feeling of being under Xu Ye's gaze returned to him. That almost overwhelming surge of... something. Could it have been a result of Xu Ye's godly eyes alone? Or was it something else as well?
"Hey," her voice came during his pondering.
"Freshmen are gonna have a chance to join clubs this weekend. It was supposed to be the weekend we started, but the Club Fair was postponed for some reason. If you're interested, we can go check it out together."
Jin Huang paused at the mention of a Club Fair, and instantly wondered if there was some sort of food-related club. Remembering his and Madam Cho's agreement, though, he banished the thought.
"Yeah, I'd love to go. I wonder what kind of clubs the academy has."
"Great! I heard there's something called the 'Subtle Enlightenment Mutual Aid' club, as well as the 'Cultivation Dropout Support Group.' Maybe you could check those out."
Laughing dryly, Jin Huang said, "What kind of suggestions are those? What are you trying to say, huh?"
They spoke some more on the topic, and decided on when and where they would meet.
...
High above the various districts of the academy was the Headmaster's residence. However, above that, where the starry void seemed to stretch on endlessly, was an illusory entrance into the Academy's Sovereign District.
Here, the individuals who had the most authority across the board, whether in secret or openly, would gather to discuss only the most important matters.
Of course, the Headmaster, Tang Zhen was present. He stood upon one of many raised pillars within a chamber of empty space. Apart from the many pillars arranged in a circle, there was nothing but the void and total silence.
On one of the other pillars, Madame Cho- Cho Yanshi- stepped out from the dark and appeared. "Long time no see, Tang Zhen," she smirked; the Headmaster bowed.
"I have heard of you just recently though, Ms. Yanshi."
She giggled and nodded just as some others arrived.
Nagira stepped out onto one of the pillars, stretching as he sheathed a sword and put it into his spatial ring, then tied up his long white hair. "I'm not late, am I? I had to rescue some third-years who were on assignment."
"Just in time," said Tang Zhen.
"Was it Bai Nian and those other fools again," Cho Yanshi chuckled, smiling knowingly.
"Damn right it was those brats," Nagira grumbled.
Tang Zhen looked between them, then at the other pillars.
A person shrouded in mist arrived, their body morphing into another shape as soon as they entered the chamber. Behind the mist, their form seemed more serpentine than anything else.
"Uncle Long," Nagira bowed slightly.
"Senior Brother," said Tang Zhen.
"So you finally decided to show up, Long Fang? Hmph!" Cho Yanshi folded her arms and sucked her teeth. "You're lucky today's subject has been keeping me occupied, or I'd have already come to find you at the University."
Long Fang's body moved behind the layer of mist, "I was most busy, Cho Yanshi. I do apologize for being unable to respond to your message, and for only just showing up. Truthfully, after I came here to seal the entrance to the Fallen Heaven realm, I had to hurry back to the university to oversee a tournament. That was a mess."
Cho Yanshi rolled her eyes.
On another pillar, someone landed noisily onto one knee, grunting loudly. "Damn! I hate Immortals!"
Long Fang coughed. "Nice to see you too, Lin Mingdao."
This person was extremely muscular and tall, covered in all manner of scars and markings. There was some kind of visceral matter on his body as well, but he did not seem to notice. "Ah? Bastard Long!? Back so soon?"
As they bickered, and others laughed, one other person arrived on another pillar. They stepped out of thin air silently, then looked at the others.
Everyone present felt an odd sensation spread through their bodies as that person gazed at them, and they all went quiet before even looking in the newest arrival's direction.
"A pleasure to finally meet you," Tang Zhen said as he turned and bowed.
"Yes, it is a pleasure indeed." Long Fang said.
"I never thought I'd see one of your kind again," Nagira smiled, a small ember in his eyes.
"Don't mind the ancient," Cho Yanshi said as she nodded, "he's just a bit itchy."
Lin Mingdao bowed, "Gods I can stand. They're way better than crummy Immortals. Don't you agree, Lady Xu Lan?"
Long Fang twitched behind the cloud of mist.
The person who had just arrived stared at them all with their dark pupils, and in turn they all felt their bodies become overwhelmed by that person's presence. This was a woman of breathtaking beauty, with an even more astounding aura. Her hair was as dark as her eyes, but even more glittery.
She stood at a height that few present could match, and when she spoke her voice seemed to become one with the universe itself.
"Greetings to you all. It is a privilege to be here, amongst those that shape future generations of Immortals and Gods."
They all responded respectfully, then Xu Lan looked at Nagira.
"An ancient was the last of the myriad races that I expected to ever encounter again. Your kind are thought to be on the brink of extinction. Even in all the Heavens."
Nagira smirked, "Ever fought one?"
Xu Lan smiled but did not answer. Instead, she looked them all over once more before she changed the topic.
"Jin Huang has set off many alarms for each of you. His body is special- my Xu Ye has confirmed it. Exactly how special is hard to say. On top of that, he possesses an item that even my son could not see through with these eyes, and a Stamp of Approval that only those in the highest echelons of Heaven should be able to bestow."
Xu Lan frowned, "I know what you all may be thinking, however it is far too early for us to cast such expectations upon the boy."
Sighing, she looked at Cho Yanshi and Nagira, a sense of knowing in her gaze. "He is simply too young- too inexperienced in his self."
"You all have done well to keep him in the dark on these matters. He is not ready."