The Inverted Dragon's Scale

He knew it was just fantasy, an illusion, a nightmare; however, the dream was too real and unforgettable.

He could not forget the horrifying scene of those black-clad bandits lifting their sabres overhead and hacking everybody in sight to death, he could not forget the serious and honest expression on Gan Yang’s face when he said to him ‘I saved you from Mangrove Woods so you owe big brother a favour, I want you to live well’. He even more could not forget Gan Liang’s death and the anguished wailing of the ill woman the moment she heard her son has gone to Jiangnan.

So what if he gave her all the gold coins? Could it buyout the despair of losing her beloved son? Would it regain her hope in life and her confidence tomorrow?

Sorrow penetrating deep into bone, pain entering into the heart. That was all there was.

This is not a story; it is what Li Muyang experienced.

“Student——” Right in front of his eyes was a round, podgy face.

Li Muyang jolted awake, only to find himself lying on top of a huge platform. The platform, being enveloped by a sea of mist and with low hanging clouds rolling in rapidly, changing in both shape and colour, looked like the immortal pond in the heavens.

Li Muyang’s eyes swept around, asking aloud: “Where is this? And who are you? What do you want to test me in this time?”

“Student——” A fat man in a gray suit repeatedly waved and said: “Student, don’t get me wrong. I’m not an examiner, I won’t be testing you anything——Congratulations, you have successfully passed the four trials and scale Broken Mountain to become a student of Starry Sky Academy.”

Successfully passed? Scaled the mountain?

Li Muyang pondered seriously for a moment, his profound knowledge of wine culture impressed the elderly wine expert so he successfully passes the wine trial. He gave his life to save Cui Xiaoxin but he was still dragged down the cliff, was that a success or failure?

After that, he was saved by escort guards and encountered desert bandits, all the escort guards were wiped out—-was that the temper or avarice test?

What were the assessment criteria? What were the criterias for him to pass? Is there a model answer?

Does that mean that at Starry Sky Academy, when they say you have passed then you have passed, and when they say you have failed then they will immediately send you home —-isn’t that a bit too informal?

Where is the moral credibility? Where is the fairness?

Of course, even though there are one million questions in Li Muyang’s mind, he would never ask aloud.

Since he has been told that he has passed then why would he not let go? What if they think you’re immature and send him to some other assessments such as wind, rain, thunder and lightning or gold, wood, water, fire and earth?

He has not yet experienced the coolness of Starry Sky Academy but he has already deeply learnt from experience the idiotness of Starry Sky Academy.

How could they cause inflict such sufferings to their own students?

“Thank you.” Li Muyang said. “Where is this place?”

“This is the Stage of Appointing Commander.” The fat man said with a smile.

“The Stage of Appointing Commander? What army?”

The chubby man’s lips pursed into a smile, saying: “Choosing strong people as commander, gathering people to slay dragons, this is not something an ordinary military could be compared to.”

“Gather to slay dragons?” Li Muyang’s heart suddenly felt a coldness in his heart, he smiled and asked: “Why do we need to slay dragons?”

“I do not know.” The fat man smiled kindly. “Too long ago, who knows? However, there must be reason. Otherwise, the strong people wouldn’t do something like this—–Everyone is very busy, isn’t that right?”

“Yes, yes yes.” Li Muyang nodded repeatedly in agreement, saying: “otherwise, who would have that much time to slay dragons? I haven’t asked for big brother’s name?”

“Don’t call me big brother—-you’re a new student of Starry Sky Academy, in the future you would become one of the most dazzling figures in the entire Starry Sky. I’m just an odd-job worker, don’t call me big brother—–you can call me He An.”

“Brother He An—-” Li Muyang did not care whether he was an important person or simply an odd-job worker; fatty Gongshu Yuan said to him when he left: grab onto any thick thighs. He just now noticed He An’s thighs, they are also very thick—-Maybe he is a strong person? Maybe he was sent here by Starry Sky Academy to test him?

Li Muyang has lost faith in Starry Sky Academy, who knows if there would be another test after passing the four trials, who knows whether this is fantasy or reality—–after he scanned around the surroundings, it felt more like fantasy than fantasy.

“No, no—–” He An hurriedly waved his hand. “Student, I don’t deserve this.”

“Brother He An don’t be polite, I’m also from a poor family, my family opens a pastry shop—–I’m unfamiliar with this place and the people, and the other classmates also don’t seem to like me. So, I will need big brother to look after me.” Li Muyang said with utmost sincerity.

This time he wasn’t lying, compared with other students who traveled on hummingbirds here, he really is ‘from a poor family’. Also, those students did acted high and mighty and did not seem to like him at all. A girl with purple hair said to him that she would wait for him at Starry Sky but a dark-haired young man said to him ‘don’t let me see you in Starry Sky Academy’—–facing this kind of bullying at school, Li Muyang did not know what to do. Being looked after by an acquaintance, his life should be a little better, right?

He An nodded solemnly in agreement: “the school makes no social distinctions in teaching but for some particular historical reasons, we can’t anger some students because of their identity and background. But you do not need to worry too much, you are at Starry Sky Academy, regardless of their background and whether they are a young master or a prince, this is a place where justice can be found. I can’t help you with anything major but if there’s anything I can do then let me know—–What is your name?”

“My last name is Li, I’m called Muyang. Li Muyang.” Li Muyang said with a smile.

“Student Muyang, I will now take you to register and select your academic program, then I will take you to your dorm. You can rest there for the time being and wait for the instruction to be called up.” After listening to Li Muyang, He An felt much closer to Li Muyang.

“Thank you Big brother He An.” Li Muyang said with a smile.

The Stage of Appointing Commander really is too big, Li Muyang did not know how long he had walked in the clouds until he finally came to stop in front of a simple and unadorned ancient building that was similarly shrouded in ethereal clouds and mist.

“Come this way.” He An beckoned to Li Muyang.

Walking in front, he pushed open a door into the main hall, where two odd-job workers in grey shirt were busy working.

“A new student is here to register.” He An shouted.

“What’s the student’s name?” An elder who looked experience and knowledgeable asked aloud.

“Li Muyang.” Li Muyang once again called out his name.

“Li Muyang—–” The elder flipped through the notes made of filaments of bamboo, and as expected found Li Muyang’s files. He said with a smile: “A good name. Student Muyang you arrived early—–”

“Early?” Li Muyang stood stunned for a moment before he exclaimed in surprise: “the other students have not arrived yet?”

“Except you, no other students have arrived.” The elder said with a cheerful smile.

Li Muyang smiled to himself thinking: could it be I am the first person to pass all four assessments? Could it be I am not only the first in West Wind Kingdom but also first in Starry Sky Academy—-

Then, he became alarmed; it’s the taller trees in the woods that get their tops blown off. He is so remarkable and also performed so well, what if other students envy him?

For example at the bottom of the mountain he came across many wealthy masters and ladies, if they weren’t annoyed and irritated because he’s rich and tough, why did they make things difficult for him?

Just as Li Muyang was lost in various fancies and conjectures, the main entrance to the hall was again pushed open.

“A new student is here to register—–this young lady should be the first to arrive at stargazing building for registration, right?” A thin odd-job worker in grey shirt led a pretty young lady into the hall. The young lady had bright purple hair, beautiful facial features and looked cold and elegant, like a royal princess here to visit.

“Oh, someone is earlier than us?” The thin odd-job worker glanced over at Li Muyang, a look of astonishment crossed his face.

“Just a little bit earlier——” Li Muyang gestured by bringing his thumb and index finger together then hurriedly explained: “in fact it was more or less the same time. I’m not that much better than her.”

“It’s you?” Lu Qiji glared furiously at Li Muyang. She smoothly passed the three assessments, wine, women, and avarice but the last ‘temper’ assessment wasted her a lot of time and energy. Even so, she still thought she would be the first to arrive, and the thought of someone being ahead of her never crossed her mind. Moreover, it’s that Li Muyang—-Enemies often cross each other’s path, right?”

“It’s me.” Li Muyang grinned foolishly: “You said you would wait for me at the peak of the mountain but how could I let a beautiful girl wait for a boy, so I climbed up here first—-it’s only right for a boy to wait for a girl.”

Li Shinian said before, never be late at a date with a girl and never let a girl wait for you. Also, must not be disgruntled just because you waited for a girl for more than an hour.

Therefore, Li Muyang often waited for Li Shinian for more than an hour——-

But Li Muyang came to understand what she meant, he has to arrive in advance at a date. This time it was no different.

He thought by saying this she would be happier and would hate him a little less.

After all, he really didn’t want to form enemies now.

Lu Qiji’s eyes were filled with murderous rage as she snapped: “You’re insulting me?”

“No, no.” Li Muyang repeatedly waved his hand. “We are classmates, classmates should love each other and take care of each other. Friendship is first, competition is second—-it’s not important who was the first to climb the mountain. First and second- what’s the difference? The old saying goes: who have the last laugh, laughs the best. Your smile is more beautiful than me—-”

“You’re lucky this time. Don’t you dare climb ahead of me again.” After listening to Li Muyang, Lu Qiji was infuriated even more. This jerk actually dares to show off in public, watch how I take care of you later.

“I never thought of climbing ahead of you.” Li Muyang became worried. What’s the matter with this girl, why does it always seem like she had eaten hundreds of sword. Whenever she speaks it feels like she would kill anytime. “My good friend, Yan Xiangma said men don’t want to climb ahead of a women, they just want to climb on a women’s body——-but I think he is wrong.”

“———-”