White Deer Grotto Academy

Welcoming the sunrise, bidding farewell to the evening glow.

At dusk, the silhouette of White Deer Academy finally appeared. According to the original route and schedule, they should have traveled for another day, but Zhu Xianzhen, determined to avoid any mishaps along the way, quickened their pace and compressed the remaining journey into one stretch. At last, they arrived at the academy before nightfall.

The academy’s gate was adorned with double-tiered flying eaves, its blue-tiled roofs and white walls stretching deep within. The warm, dry breeze carried the fragrance of wood and leaves. Even after the sun had completely set, the maple leaves on distant mountains remained vivid and bright.

White Deer Grotto was not actually situated within a cave; rather, its low terrain, embraced by mountains, earned it the name “grotto.” The accompanying scholars and the academy’s deans, hall masters, professors, instructors, heads of study, and supervisors—all paid their respects.

The five principal deans and six major stewards stood in distinguished ranks, waiting early on the stone path before the academy’s gate. The headmaster wore a robe of deep blue and black, his hair tied up, every strand white yet showing no sign of age. His slender face was framed by two striking white brows, above a pair of graceful phoenix eyes. Between his brows, there was no hint of flattery or deference—only a strong sense of disdain mingled with the joy of reuniting with an old friend.

“Brother Giant Deer,” he called.

Zhu Xianzhen stepped forward, grasped Li Giant Deer’s arm, and said with delight, “It’s been years, yet your vigor remains unchanged!”

“You too have not aged,” Li Giant Deer, the headmaster, replied, patting Zhu Xianzhen’s arm with heartfelt emotion.

“Please, after you.”

“After you!”

Hand in hand, the two entered the academy, chatting and laughing. It was clear from the grandeur of the welcome that they were not simply greeting those students who had donated money for admission. The respectful gestures from the five deans and hall masters hinted at the distinguished status of the purple-bearded elder; his bearing and manner suggested he was a renowned official of the imperial court.

The deans followed the headmaster as he departed. The hall masters and stewards dispersed, leaving two stewards to guide them into the academy.

“That must be Master White Deer,” Cheng Yan said, his tone full of reverence. “I’ve heard the court has repeatedly asked Master White Deer to take up office, promising him rank and riches, but he remains unmoved, dedicating himself to teaching. Truly, he inspires the soul—how I long to study under his tutelage.”

“Save your breath, old friend,” Zhou Changcai laughed. “If not for our fortunate circumstances, we’d never get to see him.”

Wu Agui rubbed his hands, daydreaming, “They say noble ladies often disguise themselves as men to study here. If one were to find romance, she might soar to the heights from then on.”

“Hah.”

“Wu, this is not Meilan. Anyone accompanied by maids or female relatives here is far beyond our reach. If you’re intent on courting danger, don’t drag us down with you.”

Zhou Changcai stepped aside, waving his sleeve as if to urge Wu Agui to keep his distance. He was no lustful fool; he understood well that his family had sent him here to polish his reputation, not to cause trouble. As minor gentry with a bit of money from small towns, they would never have gained entry if the academy weren’t planning to open a branch at Meilan. Those who studied here were not to be trifled with by people like them.

Lu He, more silent, said nothing but his eyes held the same yearning and longing. Who wouldn’t wish to be guided by a great scholar?

After their exhausting journey, everyone was both tired and weary. They ate hurriedly and prepared to sleep under the arrangements of the academy stewards.

There were no private rooms or suites, only communal sleeping quarters, four to a room. Zhou Changcai and Wu Agui’s faces dropped immediately, and they quickly asked the steward leading them, “Why aren’t there any private rooms?”

The steward, a calm-looking middle-aged man, was unfazed by their outburst and smiled, “If you want a private room or suite, you’ll need to pay silver, or rank among the top performers in the monthly academy exams.”

“How much silver?”

“Thirty taels per month.”

“What?!”

“How high must we rank to qualify?”

The steward stroked his beard and nodded, “At least among the top thirty.”

Cheng Yan chimed in, “That’s not too bad.”

The steward smiled at him, “Do you know how many students are at the academy?”

They all shook their heads.

“Over five hundred. Most have spent years studying and passed the three-year major exam before being admitted.”

The steward watched as the pageboys prepared their masters’ beds and said lightly, “Pages and servants have their own quarters, separate from the students.”

“Pets like cats and mice are not allowed either.”

Cheng Yan tried to protest.

The academy steward had already brought out wooden cages, one large and one small, and placed the black cat and the mouse inside. Clearly, this was standard procedure.

Unable to argue further, they had to comply with the academy’s rules.

“Send them to the animal house.”

“Yes, sir.”

Two servants carried the cages toward the animal house, while the others followed the steward for further arrangements.

As soon as they entered the animal house, the stench of urine and feces mixed with the sour reek of spoiled food surged through the doors. Though it was late autumn and the air outside was cool, the temperature inside was unexpectedly high, each breath heavy with damp, unpleasant humidity that forced them to hold their noses.

The two attendants quickly shielded their faces with their sleeves. Feathers from chickens, ducks, and geese littered the ground; barking and meowing sounded in turns. Birds chirped in their cages, a python slithered slowly in its enclosure, and splashes echoed from the pond where turtles slid into the water, fat goldfish surfacing for air.

The croaking of frogs, the chirping of crickets, and the rustling of mice filled the air. Geckos and lizards raised their heads. From cages hanging on the beams, bats dangled upside down, their red eyes wide open.

“Just hang them over there,” someone said.

The attendants quickly found a vacant spot for the cat and mouse cages.

“Let’s go, let’s go—can’t stand it in here.”

They grumbled and left.

The animal house was no place for humans. Most of the creatures were pets owned by the students; since they couldn’t simply discard them, they were kept together. The reason students weren’t allowed to keep their animals themselves was to prevent them from becoming distracted by playthings and forgetting that the academy was for study and martial training.

“Squeak!”

Frightened by the unfamiliar surroundings, Grey Treasure curled into a ball, squealing in panic. It bumped the cage a few times but couldn’t escape.

Old Cat watched as the attendants fiddled with the cages. The lock opened easily from the outside but was tricky from within—though that wasn’t a problem for him.

Lu Xun stretched a paw through the gap, flicked out his sharp claws, hooked the lock, and with a gentle twist—click—the mechanism sprang open.

Old Cat leapt from the cage and immediately transformed into the Five-Pass Mountain Lord.

At the very moment Five-Pass Lu Xun appeared, silence fell across the animal house. Not a single insect dared make a sound.

But the stench of urine grew stronger.

Many small animals, upon sensing the aura of the Five-Pass Mountain Lord, shrank into corners in terror.

Lu Xun wasn’t trying to frighten these captive creatures; he had noticed Grey Treasure was constantly panicked, so he revealed his true form to reassure it.

He had intended to use the “Summoning” spell directly on Grey Treasure, but then considered, “Perhaps I should test it on another animal first?”

Forging a spirit clay figure was only an accessory; the real power of Summoning lay in transforming living beings.