The dorm they'll be living in for the duration of their stay here, turned out to be for those students with less than well-off income families, the scholarship students, and the lucky few. Despite the lavish rooms, silken beds, comforters, and the beautiful courtyards were the bare minimum the administration was willing to hand out. The rest of the money goes to the castle, and to those with old money, connections, and the prodigies were allowed to stay.

Fei was still dumbstruck by the sheer opulence they were willing to throw at it. So was Cifer, if he was honest with himself. This one room he was staying in, would have fed his family for the rest of their lives without a day of work. It was quite the dizzying comprehension when it dawned on him.

And he wasn't even going to mention the number of zeroes Cifer and his sister's stipend contained. He didn't dare touch the money unless necessary, so the money was still sitting in the bank.

It took some time to get used to their new lives, especially since they now had to share the room with a stranger. Where they were more used to the idea of sleeping under furs on hard ground, they now made their home in a room as large, and twice the size of his village home.

It took several hours to fall asleep, before finally giving up. Ultimately, Cifer fell asleep on the carpeted floor by the bed.

Cifer didn't have much to unpack, other than a few leather pelts, the coin purse, and the new ID card and legal documents given to him by the school's administrative office.

The days went by pretty quickly, and Cifer stayed indoors most of the time, reading up on the textbooks for the upcoming exams. Fei was usually out, wandering about the city, and finding trouble wherever she went. How she found herself in the middle of an underground fighting ring, was beyond him.

They have never been a city before. Sure, he read about it. Even a small city might consist of a few hundred thousand people. A city as large as Hope, with a population of a million? It was inconceivable.

Still, Fei did come home with ten thousand bucks in cash. Apparently, her new boss wanted her back in the ring.

Cifer might need to pay the man a visit, just to ensure that nothing... inappropriate or inconvenient happens to his sister. Although, the chances of him being involved would be slim, considering the temperamental nature of his sister's personality. Still, a brother should worry about his sister, regardless of her capabilities.

Anything could happen, especially in a city like Hope.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I... are you my new roommate?"

A boy of about fifteen walked in, dragging a few pieces of luggage and a chest into the room. His hair was white as the snow, and it fell across his scrawny figure like a waterfall. He looked like a doll, with his androgynous features, thick pink lips, and light hazel eyes.

There was a delicate air about him, a shy-like countenance. It looked like a breeze might blow him away with barely an effort. Hells, the boy barely came up to his chest!

Cifer stared, then he wondered whether the boy was even in the right place, considering the curriculum they would have to be studying. Then again, the boy might be a sage in training.

"My apologies, you startled me," He lept to his feet and bowed low. "You have me at a disadvantage. I thought the school will not be starting for another two months?"

"Ah, yes, you're correct," The boy looked uncomfortable holding on to all that luggage. "I decided to come early, as I have a lot to read up on for my second year's studies,"

Cifer nodded, then apologized again. He was quite surprised the young man was a second-year student. The students of second years are usually seventeen, perhaps younger depending on their intellect and achievements. "Let me help you with your luggage. It must not be easy coming here from... I'm assuming you live far away?"

The boy confirmed it with a nod. "Yes, I live in a small town of Earthstrom city, down in the south. It's near the border to the Song," He seemed startled for a moment, then placed his belongings by the second, empty bed in the room. "I have not introduced myself. My name is Liang Zexi, pleased to meet you,"

Cifer shook his hand, and responded, "A pleasure. My name is Ruo Cifer."

"I have not seen you around, Cifer," Zexi seemed to be thinking of an instance where he ever met Cifer. "I have met most of the students in my year, though I must admit the new students for their first year haven't arrived yet. Are you perhaps a new first year?"

The boy looked a little uncomfortable, and probably wished to point out his age. It was a reasonable assumption, and considering that most of the first year students arriving must be as young as fifteen, and the oldest being sixteen. The fact that Cifer looked like a graduated student seem to put off the boy.

"I am... indeed, a new student," The idea of the Everlasting academy accepting students as old as twenty for their first year would be an absurd notion. A laughable idea, in fact. "There was a special circumstance that allowed me to enter the academy. I will be having my placement exams by the end of the month, so I'll be preparing much of my time on that endeavor,"

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The boy's brow raised until they disappeared into his bangs. "I am surprised. You must be an exceptional student to be accepted into the prestigious academy so late. May I ask what your major will be?"

Cifer shook his head, and smiled. "Not at all. I'll be majoring in the sage arts, and minoring in Alchemy. And you?"

The boy, Zexi, puffed out his chest and gave a beaming grin. "I will be majoring in the Martial Warfare, and minoring in Military Strategy and Tactics."

Cifer's expression barely flickered, but his lips twitched up in a polite smile. It took every conceivable strength of his will not to gape open his mouth like a koi fish. The last thing he wanted was to alienate a valuable, and possible ally so early in the game. Still, Hells and Gods! Was this boy serious?!

"My congratulations on your passage to the second year of your studies," Cifer gave a slight tilt of the head in a bow. "You must have done quite well for yourself. Are you perhaps wanting to enter the military once you graduate?"

"Yes, absolutely. My wish, my ambition, is to become the unit commander of the Black Mountain," Zexi finally replied, almost boastful.

You may as well wish for the sky to fall, and usher in an eternal utopia. Still, Cifer nodded and smiled. Attaining the rank of a unit commander is to attain the highest rank within the military. A near-total control over the entire military of the cultivators of the Jadian empire, second only to the Exalted Prince himself. The boy... unless Zexi could prove himself not only in the field of battle, but in the political arena, and the connections required to climb the military ladder, he would be going nowhere.

Then again, Cifer doesn't know the boy, and Zexi did pass his first year after all. Only the best of the best ever really enter into the Everlasting academy, and the fact that the boy came from a middling city, with parents that might not be as influential in the courts, or in the government, says something about Zexi's ability in both martial might and intellect.

Still, if he passes the college successfully with ninety percentile mark, he would automatically become a colonel in the field.

If Zexi wished to earn a much safer rank, then perhaps a different role be a preferred choice. Zexi could transfer to the strategist department of the military arm if he so chose, where he would be learning the ins and outs of being a military strategist. And if he was ambitious enough, then ultimately, he could be a strategist advisor to a unit commander of the Black Mountain himself.

Attaining such a rank would be an honorable mark upon one's lifetime, and a very noble profession.

However, Zexi wants to attain the rank of a unit commander among the cultivators. In which case, he would have to be out in the field, where death came easy. And to climb the ranking soldiers of the cultivators was to be the best among them all.

Cifer carefully examined the boy once more.

Yup. Zexi's a goner. He's gonna get raped and killed out in the field. He really hoped the boy prepared a will of some sort before all this. It would be a tragedy for his family to lose him like this so soon.

He coughed politely behind his fist. "Quite the ambitious plan, Zexi. I must admit, even I wish I had your strength of will to achieve far in my life."

"Oh? What is it you wish to pursue?" Zexi asked, grinning.

The boy was getting comfortable around his presence. Cifer had to admit, he was also letting his guard down around the boy. "Why, to become an immortal of course."

A beat of silence followed.

Cifer and Zexi let out a laughter, a full belly one.

After a time, Zexi wiped the tears from his eyes, and said, "I must admit. You had me going there, Cifer. Truly splendid! Still, I am glad that you are to be my roommate for the next few years. I think we shall get along quite nicely."

The door slapped open again. Cifer resisted the urge to sigh. Had he become popular today? Has fate decided enough was enough, that whatever peace and quiet he earned, was not enough? Cifer had the sudden urge to curse.

"Hey, brother, you want to help me train?" Fei strode into his room as if he owned this place, though her eyes did flicker to the boy. She thumbed at Zexi, and asked, "Who's the pipsqueak?"

Said pipsqueak, looked like his face just turned into a tomato. Oh, Zexi looked angry. Desist! Desist!

"Sister, please be polite to our fellow senior," He directed toward Zexi with a slight bow. "His name is Liang Zexi, and a potential to be someone great in the future. Zexi, my friend, meet my sister, Ruo Fei. She's majoring in the same field as you, in fact,"

Zexi still hadn't spoken, clammed up like a shell. His face was still as bright as the sun, and the tips of his ears looked like a hot poker.

"Hey, sup! So, you wanna have a match sometime? I wanna know how strong you are," Cifer looked upon Zexi's steaming face, and then he looked back at his sister. "So, how about tomorrow morning? I specialize in spears, so I could totally kick your wussy ass!"

Cifer frowned. His sister wore a rough, and slim fitting sleeveless blue tank top. There was just a slight hint of cleavage, despite the bindings wrapped around her chest. Her hair was done up in a slightly messy tail. Her nose and her left cheek had a bit of dirt smudged on it. Her arms were bare, and it showed off the athletic toned muscles and the darkened sun-browned skin. As for her pants, it was just as tight fitting and slim as her top. She must have custom ordered it from the tailor they ordered the uniform from.

She must have been training all day, considering just how drenched she was in her own sweat.

His gaze zeroed in on Zexi, once more.

Fei was as tall as he was, and had neither the grace nor the sophistication that traditional female cultivators presented among the Jadians, and especially among the Songs. To a Jadian boy of middling worth like Zexi, Fei may as well be an otherworldly creature from an extrinsic culture.

Zexi looked like he had trouble breathing, because he could only nod to her request.

"Great! I'll see you there! At the training hall! Be there before the sun's up!" Fei's narrowed eyes found his. "At least someone is willing to help me train!"

Then, she was gone, slamming the door behind her.

Cifer sighed.

Zexi was still staring faintly at the door.

Shit. "Shit," Cifer muttered. Zexi's in love.