The current scene was far from what Yu Jing had imagined. There was no welcoming committee, no sign of any organized reception. Alone, he walked along the desolate road, his face partially obscured beneath the brim of his hat, lost in thought. After all, the academy's official start date was tomorrow—he still had a full day to reach the gates.
He didn't know how long he'd been walking along the wide road when he suddenly felt something cool strike his forehead.
"Rain?"
Looking up, he saw thick storm clouds had gathered overhead without warning, darkening what should have been a bright afternoon sky.
With the downpour beginning in earnest, Yu Jing had no choice but to head into the forest that lined the road—at the very least, he could protect the clothing in his suitcase from getting soaked.
He moved quickly through the trees, searching for shelter. Just as he was about to take cover beneath a massive tree—its trunk so wide it would take five men to encircle it—his gaze caught a thin trail of smoke curling into the sky, about two hundred meters up the mountainside.
"A fire? Might as well take a look. If this rain keeps up, hiding under a tree won't do much good."
Following the muddy trail up the slope, Yu Jing eventually reached the source of the smoke: a three-story wooden inn nestled halfway up the mountain. Modest in size, but quaint and well built, it had the rustic charm of a forest lodge.
"The cab driver said this entire area belongs to the Di Hua Academy. This inn might be affiliated with them. I'll take shelter from the rain and ask how far the academy is from here."
He made his way to the front entrance, where a wooden sign hung above the door, inscribed with four bold characters: "Deep Mountain Inn."
The moment Yu Jing stepped into the first-floor lobby, a wave of damp, musty air filled his nostrils—an unpleasant blend of decay and sandalwood, making his stomach churn.
On the counter stood a small wooden sign that read "Vacancies Today," yet there was no one in sight—no innkeeper, no staff.
Looking around, Yu Jing noted the faint warmth still radiating from a teacup, and a muted, old-fashioned television flickering in the background—evidence that someone had been there just recently.
His eyes soon landed on something behind the counter—a small bell, oddly tied with a metal rod and rubber band. Something inexplicable compelled him to pick it up and give it a shake.
"Ding-ling-ling!"
The crisp chime echoed eerily through the empty inn.
"Pop… pop… pop… A… guest…?"
A chilling, inhuman voice floated down from the second floor.
Then, a grotesque figure appeared in the stairwell—a twisted woman with four arms, crawling upside-down along the walls. Her head twisted unnaturally as she smiled at Yu Jing, black drool oozing from between her teeth.
With a jerk, she launched into a mad crawl down the stairs, rushing straight at him—
"Zzzzzzt!"
It was as if the scene had been torn apart like a fragile canvas. The nightmare vanished instantly.
A sharp pain jolted through Yu Jing's arm. Gasping, he opened his eyes to find himself back in the moving taxi. Outside, a torrential rain was pouring down. A cut had opened on the back of his right hand.
"Rough trip, huh?" the driver asked, noticing Yu Jing stirring awake.
Yu Jing quickly covered the wound on his hand, ignoring the question as he struggled to piece together the vivid memory of the mountain inn, the rain, and the monstrous woman. Everything had felt so real—too real to be a dream.
"Driver, this area belongs to the Di Hua Academy, right? Are outside vehicles like yours even allowed in?"
"With a disciple like you onboard, of course they are."
That answer didn't match what the driver had said earlier. Based on that, Yu Jing figured he must've fallen asleep right after exiting the ring highway. Yet the downpour outside matched exactly what he had seen in the dream...
"Up ahead—that's the main gate of Di Hua Academy."
While Yu Jing was still lost in thought, the taxi passed around the final mountain. Before him stretched a vast, open plain, and nestled at its center was a sprawling complex that seemed to stretch beyond the horizon—the Di Hua Academy.
Vehicles from all directions were arriving at the academy's towering, hundred-meter-high front gate.
Those stepping out of the cars were striking in appearance, each one giving off a confident, extraordinary presence—clearly, this year's batch of new recruits.
As Yu Jing's taxi neared the entrance, a man in black stepped forward and raised a hand to stop the vehicle. It seemed that outside transportation was only allowed this far.
"You ever need a ride again, brother, just give me a call," the driver said with a friendly wave.
Yu Jing nodded, swiped his card to pay, and stepped out from the passenger seat. The man in black immediately approached, handing him an open black umbrella to shield against the rain.
"Please complete your registration procedures before the end of today. Physical training begins promptly at midnight. Be prepared," the man said curtly before disappearing into the rain.
"Physical training starts at midnight… on September 1st?"
Yu Jing blinked, surprised, but quickly regained his composure. Holding the umbrella, he strode toward the majestic gates of Di Hua Academy.
At least three hundred new students were already gathered outside the entrance. Some were still talking with their parents or friends about the coming trials, reluctant to step inside just yet.
Yu Jing kept the hood of his jacket pulled low over his face, doing his best to avoid interaction with the other new students. For now, he wasn't in the mood to make acquaintances.
Just as he was about to approach the academy's imposing front gate, he felt a light tap on his shoulder—someone had reached out to him.
Turning around, he found a girl clad in a tight-fitting gray tracksuit. Her features were delicate and finely sculpted, and she was no stranger to him.
"Yu Xiaoxiao…" he murmured.
They had met back in the research facility. She was also the person who had saved his mother's life—a debt he wouldn't forget.
"You survived?" Yu Xiaoxiao asked in a lowered voice, a hint of surprise flickering in her eyes.
"I made it through the exam. Scored a 93.5."
As he spoke, Yu Jing's eyes drifted toward the woman standing beside her—an elegant lady dressed in aristocratic attire, her makeup strikingly heavy. The moment their eyes met, Yu Jing felt as though invisible blades were slicing across his entire body.
A chill ran down his spine. Instinctively, he took a step back, every hair on his body standing on end.
"I'll go check in first," he said quickly.
The pressure radiating from the woman made it clear—she had no intention of letting him get involved with Yu Xiaoxiao. Respecting the unspoken message, Yu Jing wisely excused himself.
"Try not to die."
Yu Xiaoxiao's cold parting words made him pause for a moment. He forced an awkward smile at the corners of his mouth before continuing on.
At the academy's main gate, another figure dressed in black stepped forward and stopped him. The man meticulously scanned Yu Jing's entire body and luggage, verifying his identity and the authenticity of his admission notice. Only after five tense minutes did he finally allow Yu Jing to pass through the gate of the Di Hua Academy.
"What… is this?"
Yu Jing halted before what was supposed to be the front gate. Before him stood not a typical entrance, but a surface like polished glass—smooth and reflective, nearly indistinguishable from a mirror unless viewed up close.
As he reached out to touch it, ripples spread across the surface like water disturbed by a pebble.
Stepping through, his entire body vanished into the mirror-like gate. The moment he passed through, the world behind him disappeared entirely.
What awaited him on the other side wasn't the bustling registration hall he'd imagined. Instead, the interior was eerily empty. A thick, white fog hung over everything, blanketing the entire academy grounds in an otherworldly haze.
In the distance, a barely visible sign pointed off to the right, indicating the direction of the new student registration office.
An unsettling atmosphere and a growing list of questions filled Yu Jing's heart.
ps: read advance chapters visit at https://www.patreon.com/c/Seraphim777