Yama Rising

It’s too rare…

He couldn’t remember.

He was actually indifferent to these things.

You guys are all going to die sooner or later, aren’t you?

Familiarity breeds feelings. And with feelings comes impulse. Qin Ye had never taken the initiative to draw close to anyone, including Lin Han or Su Feng. Although they habitually studied and worked together, he had never engaged in any interactions with the intent of deepening their relationship. In fact, he hadn’t even asked of their family history before.

After all… we’ll still be colleagues even after death, so there’s no reason for me to grief at your passing at all.

It was Zhou Xianlong.

Qin Ye took a deep breath and answered the call, “Hello?”

“A party.” Qin Ye looked around, only to receive the looks of several burning gazes, “I’m with the colleagues who have drafted the research paper with me.”

Qin Ye switched on the speakerphone, and the entire room was silent, save for the ragged breaths that abounded all around. Then, Zhou Xianlong took a deep breath and addressed everyone around for the first time, “Good evening to all instructors and students who have been involved in the first research paper completed under the banner of the First Academy of Cultivators.”

Dead silence.

“De-...dedicated full page?” A split second later, Lin Han spoke with a tremble in his voice, “Faculty Head Zhou… are you sure you didn’t hear them wrongly?”

After a protracted pause, he continued, “This comes as a surprise, even to me… but because of your stellar performance, the academy’s leaders have already reported this to the Special Investigations Department and fought for an opportunity to let the rest of the country learn who you are.”

“Everyone, you might be unknown and unrecognized right now, or perhaps you’ve got a lot to offer, yet simply didn’t have the right opportunities to do so. But everything will change from the date of publication of your work. We will provide you with a large-enough stage for you to shine brilliantly. Talents like you should stand in the spotlight. Therefore, following a joint decision between the academy leaders as well as the upper echelon of the Special Investigations Department, we have sent an urgent missive to Commander Li Yunsheng, the general in charge of the City of Salvation, to issue… a special temporary permit allowing you to leave the City of Salvation.”

It’s here…

And today… everything was ripe for the picking!

A dedicated full-page publication on Cultivators Weekly, and a special temporary permit to leave the City of Salvation… A series of good news struck them one after the other, until their minds were in a complete daze. The only voice in their heads right now was crying out feebly - Is this real? Is this really happening? Am I not dreaming?

Zhou Xianlong had always been forthright and to the point. Yet even he needed to take some time to regulate his breath before continuing, “Everyone, brace yourselves.”

Beep beep… Zhou Xianlong hung up. A minute later, the entire room was still completely silent.

“Bloody hell!!” Local Bully was the first one to stand up with a loud clatter. He leapt onto his head with a glass in his arms, “Come! Bottoms up! Nobody’s leaving this place standing today!!!”

Their hearts were all filled with a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment. Having their efforts validated and recognized as such caused their hearts to burst with pride and thump with a wild clamor.

“Come! Drink! It’s not manly to quit right now!” “Cheers!” “Bullshit… I don’t even know what I should say! A full dedicated page… and even a special temporary permit to leave the City of Salvation for exchange and forums… I-I-I simply cannot believe what I’ve just heard!”

It’s Cultivators Weekly… the top cultivation journal in Cathay. This is something read by every single cultivator in the country. Not even my parents and masters have achieved something like that, and yet… I have?

It was already 1.00 a.m. by the time Qin Ye returned to his own dorm room. After leaving the skewers bar, the three instructors had gone on to drink some more at another pub. It was at this moment that they truly appreciated the existence of a university town in the academy.

Having heard no response from Qin Ye, Arthis turned around, only to see a repulsive grin on his face, “The smile on your face right now looks no different from a lecher… Let me guess, the only thing that can evoke such joy from your heart must be the resolution of the matter pertaining to the thesis paper, am I right?”

Arthis nodded and turned around indifferently, “There used to be Emissaries of Hell like you, but they’re all eighteen feet underground, covered by a carpet of tall grass. Given how you’ve been testing my limits time and again… Perhaps you should simply be grateful for my benevolence and mercy…”

Although he had initially embarked on the research paper in the hopes of attending the major auction at the end of June, there were far greater implications to his success in this regard!

A research paper was worth forty thousand merit points and five hundred teaching credits. As long as he could churn out several more research papers of similar standards, he would rack up an immeasurable amount of points! The Great Dipper Vault would become no different from his backyard!

Life is simply too beautiful right now…

The fingers that appeared to be conducting the symphony of bliss in the air suddenly paused.

“It wouldn’t kill me.” Arthis responded with blunt honesty, “But I wouldn’t feel good about it either… speaking of which, I somehow get the feeling that you need some electroconvulsive therapy. Is this just an illusion…”

It was now 21 May.

In other words, he had approximately ten days to confirm his attendance at the summer major auction and negotiate a mortgage of his stock of Southsea Huanghuali with Guardian Auctions in order to raise sufficient funds to bid for the Obsidian Heaven’s Eye Bowl.

A series of words quickly showed up on the screen, “Mr Qin, sorry to have kept you waiting. Have you already decided to meet us?”

With age came a keen eye for detail.

Qin Ye rolled his eyes, “There’s something wrong with this person…”

The smile on Arthis’ face also faded away, and her eyes narrowed to a squint, “Then… perhaps he’s just anxious to meet you. But that doesn’t accord well with his role in the auctions. He’s no more than a channel or conduit. You should be the one who’s anxious to meet him, not the other way around.”

“It’s not just that.” Qin Ye explained indifferently, “It’s already so late at night, and yet a master of the house is still on the line. It’s almost as though… he was just waiting for me.”