Dance Of The Phoenix
50. Hidden Land

Hidden Land, the mysterious place behind a Wine Pavilion guarded by 'mad men' and drunkards. There were no disciples in it, because the mentor who was a Great Elder who shut himself down did not want his identity to be known.

Before sending a letter, Dean Yu visited Luo Youzhe to promise the best accommodation for Gu Yuena. The best place in the academy and spared from those foolish disciples. Of course Gu Yuena must have the best teacher on condition that the teacher is a woman.

Dean Yu agreed after some deliberation, then sent a letter to Yan Shuiyin respectfully, that he should accept Gu Yue's freshman passing the examination to the inner courtyard.

Carrying the name 'the person behind Gu Yue' as well as the power that could shake Yuansu Palace, the woman disguised as the man finally let Gu Yuena in.

Of course he did not accept disciples easily. But who would have thought, Gu Yuena was a magician the same as her, coupled with phoenix blood, made her have to rethink accepting it on pity grounds or as a fellow magician.

That's what's happening right now. Yan Shuiyin had decided to let Gu Yuena enter into her territory.

The Hidden Land, a place that was very far away from Mount Huo and was protected by Yan Shuiyin's magic for so many years just for someone.

Now, that someone had appeared before Gu Yuena who was directed to go to a pavilion. An old woman in a wheelchair. Her hair was white due to gray hair, as well as wrinkles everywhere. Much different from Yan Shuiyin who was ageless despite being around 100 years old.

"He is my mother, the Elder of Yuansu Palace as well as the Elder of the Hidden Land, Yan Mi." The jet-black sliced woman introduced the old woman in a gentle tone.

Yan Shuiyin's current appearance had changed drastically. What was originally a drunkardly rough man, now changed into a beautiful and mature woman like a goddess that fell from the sky. Milk-white skin as well as perfect facial features without wrinkles, her slightly tied long hair fluttered in the wind. She doesn't look like a woman for hundreds of years.

Although Gu Yuena was prettier and younger, Yan Shuiyin looked more mature and beautiful in her way.

"Is he your student?" Yan Mi looked at Gu Yuena with a knotty smile.

"Xiao Yuena, greet your teacher quickly." Yan Shuiyin said rather loudly.

Gu Yuena immediately bowed, giving a formal greeting. His brain was still spinning at the thought of when Yan Shuiyin had accepted him as a disciple and he had acknowledged the strange woman as a teacher.

Never mind, later.

"Guru's mother, greetings to you."

Yan Mi chuckled looking at him, then said gently. "Older, just call me Grandma. You're gonna stay here with us, so just assume I'm your grandmother."

"Can that be?" Gu Yuena hesitated.

"Of course."

Gu Yuena showed her best smile, then nodded in agreement. "Good, Grandma."

Although it was a bit unfamiliar since a lifetime of never having a grandmother, he only needed to get used to it a little.

"All right, then. Xiao Yuena, you should welcome your teacher as a good student. Like you said just now, be obedient."

Gu Yuena nodded quickly. If it was like this, could he refuse? Running is also impossible, because the road is closed.

"Now do your job as a good student. You don't live here for free. Every day, you have to look after my mother and clean the Wine Pavilion. Go to where you live and work, I want to get back to drinking." Yan Shuiyin said lazily.

Gu Yuena saw him in disbelief. Cleaning pavilions? She's she?

Is he being made a waitress for rent?

"Yin'er, don't make your students bother like that. You also don't drink too much, it's not good for health." Yan Mi defended poor Gu Yuena, feeling sorry for the boy if he had to clean the pavilion himself.

"Mother, this is one of his 'trainings', nothing to worry about." Yan Shuiyin said sweetly.

Yan Mi could only sigh at her strange daughter like this.

Gu Yuena watched in silence. He became curious as to how Yan Shuiyin and her mother were able to get out of Linghun Palace. But clearly, he could not ask her directly.

Well, as a good student, he would do what he should.

"Xiao Yuena, don't try to make trouble for me. Otherwise, I won't teach you anything." Yan Shuiyin gave a warning after seeing the face of Gu Yuena who was like she was planning something. He pointed at it with narrowed eyes, before finally going to the Wine Pavilion.

Gu Yuena only looked at his departure with a flat face.

He could have been threatened.

Unfortunately, the threat worked.

Gu Yuena went to choose her own pavilion freely. There were no other disciples in this place so he was free to roam around unnoticed.

Despite having to work, this place is not bad and has good air. The Qi contained was also very abundant, not worse than Mount Biluo. It will linger here.

Ah, he had to give a gift to a certain old man who had directed him to this beautiful place, despite having to get a mad teacher.

Amidst strolling to look for a suitable pavilion, his pair of red irises found someone standing in front of a steep cliff while looking at the scene in silence.

It was a man. The tall man in the fluttering black robe would be blowing in the wind. He was like an unreal figure, yet the sunlight made the man look even more real.

Realizing someone was watching him, the man looked back. Her hair was blown away, revealing her slitless looking face. A pair of jet black irises were like eagles and full of cold aura, as if it had no desires and feelings.

If Luo Youzhe was a handsome man with an aura of coldness and charisma that made everyone submit to him, then the man displayed a cold aura filled with gloom, as well as fear.

Who her?

Gu Yuena did not remember the Hidden Land having another disciple.

Yan Mi appeared in a wheelchair that she occupied to Gu Yuena's side, then said, "His name is Yang Xinyuan. She is Yin'er's guest."

"Teachers also receive guests?" Gu Yuena was astonished. What was the identity of that person to the point of making Yan Shuiyin accept it?

"If you want to know, then speak. All day long the child simply stayed in the pavilion or looked at the scene without coming out of the Hidden Land. He didn't say much, even just spoke a few words to Yin'er."

Gu Yuena nodded in understanding. Never mind, no need to think about it. He is lazy to talk to the wall and does not need to reprimand anyone. Talking with Luo Youzhe who was sometimes a statue alone annoyed him half to death.

Looking back at the man. For some reason, he felt familiar.

Have they ever met?

...ΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩ...

The next day, Yan Shuiyin had activated the activities that Gu Yuena had to do.

Cleaning the pavilion is one of them.

Each region has its own uniform that represents each region. But for Gu Yuena who had Yan Shuiyin as her teacher, there was no uniform that she could wear. Basically the Hidden Land did not accept disciples so it did not require uniforms.

But Gu Yuena's case was a different one.

The girl walked around the academy with Xiao Hei in her arms to report to the academy's administrative center before doing any activities.

Gu Yuena's rather striking appearance attracted a lot of attention. But the woman ignored all the gazes and questions, stepping her feet wide into the place where the new disciples were gathered.

The news of Gu Yuena fighting over the elders had spread outside. They were naturally curious, just what kind of 'Gu Yue' figure was so special in the eyes of the elders.

Until finally they saw a beautiful woman who had an indifferent impression, walking in a blood red dress that was different from the other disciples uniform. Even the new disciples were wearing uniforms, but the female was a different ethinity.

The smell of wine circling the woman's body drew the atmosphere so that all eyes were on her. A beautiful woman with an intoxicating aroma of wine, who would not be enchanted?

"Look at the 'favoured disciple' the elders of the territory are fighting over, shouldn't he know himself and not be here after declaring not to enter the four inner courtyard regions? Did you come to beg for a second chance using that look of yours?"

A strange woman appeared right before Gu Yuena. It seems familiar. She was beautiful and slightly older than Gu Yuena, her gaze filled with hostility with an oppressive domineering aura. There were some women behind him escorting.

Gu Yuena watched him closely, not heeding the condescending remark that was thrown from the woman's mouth.

"Do we know?" tanyakanya.

"Some time ago, you got my sister's level 6 monster killed and injured her so badly. You even humiliated him in front of the outer courtyard disciples. If not for Dean Yu being on your side, I would have long sent people to expel you from the academy, affirming that the Lin Clan should not be offended!"

Ah, yesterday her sister was in trouble, now her sister is intervening. It was actually not unnatural, considering that Gu Yuena also had a protective elder sister.

It was just, Lin Susu who made trouble to him first. Why can't he retaliate? Not killing him was already a high tolerance for Gu Yuena.

"That problem has been missed. I have no contact with him either." Gu Yuena replied indifferently. He was unwilling to deal with the Lin Clan or anything like that.

"Is it that easy to miss? At the very least, you should make up for what happened to Susu. Remember, as long as you are alive, the Lin Clan will not remain silent. Maybe the Lin Clan will let you go if you apologize and destroy your cultivation in front of everyone." The woman showed a slanted smile that was full of ridicule.

At that moment, all eyes were on the two of them with great interest.

The reason, that woman was the eldest daughter of the Lin Clan, Lin Xi, who was the successor of the clan leader in the future. The most beautiful woman in Yuansu Palace, who had even been betrothed to Yun Qiao. If not to become the leader of a great clan, she would become the wife of the Yuansu Palace King in the future.

Who would want to offend a woman like her?

Because of this, the brown-sliced woman with a long mane matching her eye color had a lot of freedom within the academy. You could say, he was the master of the disciples in the academy. Even the Dean could not offend him carelessly.

"Don't just because someone foreign supports you, Yuansu Palace will bow down to you." Lin Xi continued her words in a disdainful tone. He would not hesitate to chase away anyone who harassed him and trampled on the Lin Clan.

Gu Yuena watched everything in silence. He looked around. Many showed a look of pity that made him uncomfortable. Did they think Gu Yuena would just be pummeled by Lin Xi?

"What will happen if I refuse?" Gu Yuena said without any emotional fluctuations. He was so calm as he rubbed the fur of the black cat watching on his arm.

Lin Xi snorted. "Do you have that choice?" He looked at Gu Yuena from top to bottom with a judging look. "I think even the elders don't want you anymore. You're nothing but trash that the academy threw away because of your own arrogance."

"Oh yeah?" Gu Yuena pulled both corners of her lips. "Hopefully have a nice day."

The girl passed by Lin Xi just like that regardless of her facial expression feeling neglected. Rather than dizzy thinking about Lin Xi's childish troubles, it was better to think about how to live longer.

Well, even if it's almost impossible.

Gu Yuena went straight to the administration desk without caring for Lin Xi.

"Gu Yuena, Hidden Land." Gu Yuena placed the identification token that Yan Shuiyin had given her away just like that on the administrative table.

When they heard Gu Yuena's words, they were clearly shocked and unable to believe it. In addition to feeling shocked by the recognition of his real name, the word "Hidden Land" made them all unable to believe it.

"Hidden Land has not accepted disciples for many years, why do you claim to be a disciple of the Hidden Land?" The administration obviously did not believe it.

"Hmph, now you've dared to brag. If it were true, how could the madman accept you as his disciple." Lin Xi snorted.

Gu Yuena turned the eyeballs. Right said Yan Shuiyin, her existence was suspicious.

In the end, he issued a second token onto the table. "Is that enough?"

It was the token of the Hidden Land Elder belonging to Yan Mi that Yan Shuiyin had given as a second identifier. It was used to acknowledge Gu Yuena as a disciple of the Hidden Land.

Everyone was clearly surprised. But that surprise instantly turned into a astonishment when he saw Gu Yuena.

It was only fitting that the girl had the scent of wine on her body.

Lin Xi chuckled softly. "His tune of 'Gu Yue' was considered special, nothing more than a nala*g serving a drunken man. The elders were completely blind when fighting over you. Fortunately, they did not accept you as a private student. Their image can be very bad."

Gu Yuena turned to look at Lin Xi. He looked no offense, remaining with his smile as if what Lin Xi said was someone else who had absolutely no relationship with him.

"I don't know who you are, just suddenly come and say something I don't understand. If the Lin Clan wants to 'back me off', I will serve. But I don't promise to keep my attitude if you don't keep your boundaries."

Only after saying so did Gu Yuena leave with Xiao Hei who threw a threatening look at Lin Xi.

The fight between women is very troublesome.

Lin Xi looked at Gu Yuena's departure with a pent-up feeling of anger. He still looks calm for the sake of his image, even though he wants to tear the face until it is not recognized.

Only someone who had come out of nowhere had dared to oppose him? Just look at it later.

...ΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩ...

Women dressed in white pink dress walked through the main building of the academy to a place. His brown iris found a man swinging a sword into the empty air as a form of training.

The sword slash in the air rang out to his ears, signaling that the sword force that the man was carrying was strong enough to let out a real flash of qi.

"Qin Haotian."

The subtle voice calling out his name made the man stop the activity, turning his head to look at the beautiful woman standing in the corridor.

"Lin Xi's? Why are you here?" Qin Haotian kept his sword while approaching the woman. They seem to have known for a long time.

"My sister is in the same territory as you, of course I am here. Lately his health has been compromised, so I have to visit him often." Lin Xi said as she slowly stepped her feet around the corridor with Qin Haotian.

Qin Haotian nodded in understanding. "I heard he was badly injured because of the match."

"Yes, since you are both at the Peak of Light, I must entrust it to you. Milk sometimes gets very active, I hope you take it."

Qin Haotian chuckled. "Since in the Lin Clan, I've considered Susu like my own sister. You just calm down. As long as there's me, he won't have any trouble."

Lin Xi laughed. "I knew you'd say that. In the Peak of Light, only you can be relied upon. If only Huang Jingtian had the same attitude as you, the Lin Clan would definitely support his ascension to the throne sooner."

"Of course I can't be equated with that Huang Jingtian." Qin Haotian sighed. "Lately Huang Jingtian has been very active in and out of the academy. I don't know who he met."

"I heard there was a disciple named Gu Yue who was quite close to Huang Jingtian. Who would have thought, he changed his name to Gu Yuena and entered the Hidden Land in the Wine Pavilion. Huang Jingtian had completely blindly approached him."

"Gu Yuena's? Never heard of it. How could he be in such a bad place?"

"A person who is not interested in academy gossip, will naturally not know it." Lin Xi chuckled. "This man had previously competed with Susu and had left her severely injured. Even though it was only a match and it was appropriate for someone to be injured, shouldn't it go beyond the limit? I, as a big brother, was scolded by the clan elders because of this. Really troublesome."

Qin Haotian's face looked darkly dislikeful. "Injuring the members of the Lin Clan, it was the same as trampling on the Lin Clan. The boy had a great deal of courage."

"I recently warned him, but he was arrogant and ignored me. What does he think of me? Really don't know yourself."

"You just calm down. I'll take care of the kid. Wasn't he just an ordinary disciple from the Hidden Land?"

"I don't think it's that simple." Lin Xi narrowed her eyes. "Even Dean Yu did not dare to offend him, and made him decide not to pass over 200 disciples into the inner courtyard back then. Whether it is the people who support him, we as students of the academy must be careful enough if we want to take care of him. Don't let anyone know."

Qin Haotian snorted. "If it was just like that, there was no way I would find any appreciation from the Lin Clan. You just need to remember. Whatever happens next, it's got nothing to do with us."

Lin Xi looked at Qin Haotian with a trusting smile. They have worked together for years and formed trust between comrades-in-arms and friends. They know each other's abilities.

Facing Gu Yuena, it was as easy as facing an ant. Even though the ants are a little bigger.