Chapter 122: Ascending Heaven Academy (1)
Ascending Heaven Academy (登天學館).
The most prestigious institution and academy among the direct subordinate organizations of the Martial Alliance.
Located in the very center of the Central Plains, it was, in both name and reality, the highest educational institution and sacred ground of the orthodox path.
Countless experts, geniuses, and heroes who had shined in the orthodox martial world had passed through here.
Within the vast grounds enclosed by high walls, numerous buildings, rivers, bridges, and training grounds were situated, and the number of people working there was as many as ten thousand, excluding the five thousand students and one thousand eight hundred faculty members.
And in the most remote corner of the vast grounds of the Ascending Heaven Academy.
Chirp, chirp, chirp—
A sparrow pecked at the soil.
In the garden reached by spring, light green sprouts popped up their heads here and there.
The backyard of the official residence where the faculty resided.
There, several girls were gathered together, whispering.
Most of them were children who appeared to be in their mid-teens.
“So… who will be the new assistant instructor coming this time?”
“I’ve been promoted to handle the instructors’ residence!”
“I don’t care if they are an instructor or an assistant instructor, I just hope they are handsome and tall. At least to feast my eyes.”
“For me, looks don’t matter, I just hope they have a good personality.”
The girls were maids attached to the official residence.
Their main duties mostly consisted of chores, such as cleaning the rooms used by the instructors and assistant instructors of the Ascending Heaven Academy in a timely manner, bringing them meals, or preparing bathwater.
Among the maids, there were those who cleaned the instructors’ rooms and those who cleaned the assistant instructors’ rooms.
Naturally, hierarchy and ranks were divided among them as well.
…And here, there was a girl named Ying’er (迎兒).
She was a low-ranking maid who would henceforth be in charge of a new assistant instructor named ‘Ximen Qing’.
Ying’er diligently wrote down the advice given by the senior maids.
“They say there are lately a lot of assistant instructors who buy their credentials to enter.”
“And those who buy credentials and enter are mostly arrogant and shameless in many cases.”
“Right. Since they bought the position with money, I heard they do a lot of dirty deeds to get their money’s worth.”
“People like that always look down on maids and servants.”
“Don’t even mention it. I heard they work you to the bone, asking if we know how much money they spent to sit in this position.”
“It’s probably a sort of compensation psychology. Ah, I wanted to serve someone who entered fairly through their own skills…”
Listening to those words, Ying’er also naturally thought.
‘…Who will be the person I serve in the future?’
She thought vaguely.
While her peers dreamed of falling in love with a tall, handsome, and gentle man who was in many ways worth serving, thereby raising their social status… Ying’er’s thoughts were different.
‘Since he is someone who educates the outstanding rising stars of the Ascending Heaven Academy… surely there will be something I can see and learn, even if only over his shoulder.’
However, with the subsequent words of the senior maids, Ying’er’s dream was shattered to pieces.
“Speaking of which, Ying’er, whose assistant did you say you were assigned to?”
“I know. It’s Assistant Instructor Ximen Qing.”
“If he’s an assistant instructor, he’s still a fairly high-ranking person.”
“Huh? Wait? Ximen Qing? That wealthy playboy from Fanjixiang in Xinye County?”
“Uh-huh, right. Do you know him?”
“Of course! That bastard was famous for being absolute trash!”
The maids cast pitiful glances toward Ying’er.
“Ximen Qing, my foot, that man’s real name is Wei Jing. He is from the Wei Clan, but he messed around with women so much that he was disowned by his family.”
“I think I heard what she said too. They say he messed with every woman in the village, even the married ones. Wasn’t he the leader of the ruffians?”
“Yes, yes, exactly. How bad must it have been that the Wei Clan’s patriarch Wei Mingwu and Madame Ximen Bing’e died of stress? They say the entire clan scattered in all directions after that. But Ximen Qing, that lecher, was allegedly delighted and overjoyed just to receive the inheritance.”
With the ongoing slander, Ying’er’s face turned pale.
The senior maids clicked their tongues and placed their hands on Ying’er’s shoulders.
“Judging by the look of it, he seems to be a piece of human scum who entered with money by buying credentials, so be careful. You know there are many maids who get pregnant by instructors or assistant instructors while serving them and have to leave, right? If you are asked to do something unreasonable, come to us immediately. You must never agree to things like night service. Understood?”
But what would be the reason for such warnings being exchanged?
Was it not because that many incidents and accidents actually occurred?
Thus, both the warning senior maids and Ying’er, who was listening to the warning, had expressions of immense worry.
* * *
Soon, Ying’er entered the official residence.
Thanks to her cleaning with all her heart and soul since yesterday, the inside was clean without a single speck of dust.
Two rooms attached to a large living room.
Originally, it was two people to a room, but since there were many empty rooms throughout the residence, only one person would use it for the time being.
When Ying’er was peering around the table to find any spots that might not have been wiped properly,
Creaaak—
the front door opened and someone stepped into the residence.
“Ah, have you arrived, Assistant Instructor… Gasp!?”
Ying’er turned her head to greet him, but she could not.
Ximen Qing—because his appearance was too peculiar.
The bangs covering his face, and the skin beneath them was entirely covered in burn scars.
His height was short, and his attire was merely a single black cape.
“…”
Ximen Qing—he entered the residence and uttered no words.
Ying’er swallowed hard.
Then, casting her eyes as far down as possible, she continued speaking.
“I-I am Ying’er, the one who will serve you, Assistant Instructor. I look forward to working with you.”
Her voice trembled slightly.
In her mind, the words that the senior maids had spoken earlier kept lingering.
‘Judging by the look of it, he seems to be a piece of human scum who entered with money by buying credentials, so be careful. You know there are many maids who get pregnant by instructors or assistant instructors while serving them and have to leave, right?’
Ying’er bowed her head deeply to avoid catching Ximen Qing’s eye as much as possible.
Then, she quickly recited the information.
“Usually, the instructors and assistant instructors wake up at the start of the Hour of the Rabbit (05:00–07:00). In effect, they wake up half a shichen earlier than the students… Generally, right after waking up, the assistant instructors go to the instructor they serve to receive roll call, and then take a bath or have a meal. The order of bathing and eating is free. And they go to work at the start of the Hour of the Dragon (07:00–09:00), but in winter, because the weather is cold, an additional period of a cup of tea’s time is given before going to work. Once the instructors and assistant instructors leave for work, we clean the rooms tidily, and any matters you instruct us on in advance will be handled with special care and attention for the management of the room in the future…”
At that moment, Ximen Qing raised his hand.
His hand, unlike his face, was white and beautiful.
It was to the extent that it could be believed even if it were said to be a woman’s hand.
Soon, a clear voice that did not match his heavily distorted face was heard in a low tone.
“Enough. I have already familiarized myself with it.”
“Ah… then if you could tell me if you have any other tasks for me…”
“It is fine. If there is something to order, I will call you later.”
Unlike the seniors’ worries, Ximen Qing had a fairly easygoing personality.
Unlike those who demanded this and that to somehow get their money’s worth since they had bought the position for a large sum, Ximen Qing quietly unpacked his simple luggage in a corner of the living room.
Ying’er thought that serving Ximen Qing might surprisingly not be so difficult.
At that moment,
“I will take a bath now.”
“…!”
At Ximen Qing’s immediately following words, Ying’er’s expression darkened.
There were often such people—those who regarded the maids attached to the residence as their slaves.
Those types often engaged in sexual harassment that subtly crossed the line, asking the maids to scrub their backs or lather soap for them when taking a bath.
Ying’er closed both eyes tightly.
Then, she spoke in a trembling voice.
“I-Is there anything you want me to do… Ah, sh-should I scrub your back?”
However,
“…? No, it is fine. I meant for you to leave.”
“Ah.”
At Ximen Qing’s reaction, which seemed to ask what kind of absurd thing she was talking about, Ying’er’s face flushed red in an instant.
“Th-then have a comfortable time! Ah, and! If you have any tasks for me, I would appreciate it if you could write them in the notebook (手帖) on the living room wall! I will check it during the morning and evening cleaning times!”
“Understood.”
Ximen Qing just nodded his head indifferently.
* * *
The maid left the residence.
Ximen Qing stared at the hot water in the bathtub for a while.
Soon, Ximen Qing scooped up a gourdful of hot water.
Splash—
As the hot water was splashed onto his face,
Meltingly—
Ximen Qing’s face slowly began to melt and run down.
Soon, beyond the burn-scarred skin, white and smooth skin like jade was revealed.
Chui swept back his bangs and revealed his true face.
“…The effect is not very good.”
Chui frowned as he looked at the burned skin melting onto the bathroom floor.
A disguise mask (面具). It was a fake face he had frequently crafted during his days acting as an assassin.
Normally, a human-skin mask made from real human skin performed the best, but because Chui did not need to replicate Ximen Qing’s exact appearance, he used a mask made by mixing pig skin with special chemicals.
…However, while the mask Chui made was easy to maintain, it had the disadvantage of being difficult to craft elaborately.
Thus, since there were many difficulties in reproducing veins or implementing facial expressions, Chui had intentionally designed the skin to look burned.
In any case, Ximen Qing’s family members had all disowned him, and even they had died of stress or old age.
Even if by some remote chance someone who knew his face appeared, who would know when his entire face was covered in burns?
Coincidentally, since there had also been a fire incident in the Happy Forest, no one would doubt Ximen Qing’s burns.
This was even more so because the credential itself was an item whose acquisition route was never questioned.
“I just have to be careful with hot water.”
Chui clicked his tongue once as he watched the mask dissolving in the hot water.
Well, although there was rarely an occasion in life where hot water would suddenly be splashed on one’s face… still, there was nothing bad about being cautious.
Soon, Chui immersed his body in the bathtub.
“Is work starting tomorrow?”
Ximen Qing was originally scheduled to come as an assistant instructor at the Ascending Heaven Academy.
Although called by various titles such as assistant instructor, instructor assistant, non-tenured instructor, temporary instructor, and so on… in the end, the core duty was to assist the classes of a regular instructor.
The problem was that Ximen Qing’s superior, the regular instructor, was none other than Bi Mu-geuk (費無極).
Daoist Master Nangwa, Bi Mu-geuk, who died at the hands of the Death Plum Blossom, Oh Ja-woon.
Hearing his name again in this place felt strange.
Until an instructor arrived to replace the vacant position of the deceased Bi Mu-geuk, all the duties of the instructor had to be performed by the assistant instructors instead.
Therefore, Chui would also have to take charge of classes independently starting tomorrow.
‘…Which class I will be in charge of will be decided after the interview tomorrow.’
First, he had to meet the dean (學長) of the Ascending Heaven Academy.
‘Tang Jieha (唐抉瑕)’, a supreme committee member of the Martial Alliance, the dean of the Ascending Heaven Academy, and at the same time an elder of the Sichuan Tang Clan, one of the Five Great Clans.
All the steps Chui would take after infiltrating the Ascending Heaven Academy would be decided after the interview with her.
And.
‘It might be a bit awkward.’
Chui felt burdened by her, whom he would meet tomorrow.
Unrivaled Spear Ghost