At this moment, in the Hall of Affairs at Cloud Academy, an elderly man with an aura of immortality opened his eyes from meditation. With a flick of his duster and a quick calculation with his fingers, he called out, “Shu Ran!”

In response, a young man dressed in white, with black, wavy hair cascading behind him, high-bridged features, and a simple headband, entered the hall politely. “Dean, you have summoned me for something?”

Shu Ran was Cloud Academy’s Eldest Senior brother and the first disciple under Dean An Xuqian.

“Shu Ran, today two people will arrive at the mountain gate. They will be your Junior brother and Junior sister. Go and welcome them,” An Xuqian’s stern but rich voice echoed.

“Understood.”

Shu Ran bowed and exited the Hall of Affairs.

Mu Xian and Gong Xue arrived at the mountain gate, where an inscription with the name “Cloud Academy” was prominently displayed.

Gong Xue stepped forward to knock, but the doors opened on their own.

Shu Ran emerged and introduced himself warmly to the two newcomers, “I am Shu Ran, a disciple under the Dean. May I know your esteemed names?”

Gong Xue respectfully bowed, “I am Gong Xue, and this is my friend, Ren Yue.” She deliberately retained some caution.

Mu Xian, who had just taken a sip of wine, nearly choked when he heard the name Gong Xue had given him. Gong Xue quickly covered his mouth to silence his protest and laughed nervously, “Apologies, it’s his first time meeting an immortal; he’s a bit excited.”

Mu Xian squirmed but halted under Gong Xue’s stern gaze.

Seeing their playful interaction, Shu Ran couldn’t help but smile, “It seems our academy will be much livelier from now on. Junior brother and Junior sister, please follow me.”

As they walked into Cloud Academy, Gong Xue asked curiously, “Why did Immortal Shu call us Junior brother and Junior sister?”

Shu Ran explained, “The Dean has instructed that from now on, you will be the sixth and seventh disciples under him.”

“Ah!” Gong Xue and Mu Xian stopped in their tracks, astonished.

Shu Ran turned back and saw their gaping mouths, smiling kindly, “The Dean’s personal disciples number only five, and with you two, it will be seven. Also, I am not an immortal; from now on, I am your Eldest Senior brother.”

With a wave of Shu Ran’s hand, the two instantly donned their disciple uniforms.

Gong Xue’s uniform was a pale purple gown, while Mu Xian’s was a bright red robe, similar in design to Shu Ran’s.

“Come, let me show you around Cloud Academy.”

The two snapped out of their shock and quickly followed Shu Ran.

The three of them walked through winding corridors and arrived at a mountain pavilion facing three towering peaks. Shu Ran started introducing them one by one from the left.

“That peak is called Twilight. It hosts two hundred disciples and focuses on swordsmanship. The elder in charge is Chang Wan, the foremost swordsmanship master of Cloud Academy.”

“The middle peak is named Moonrise. It has four hundred disciples and focuses on medical arts, alchemy, and toxicology. Elder Wei Xian, a master in medical arts, oversees it.”

“The last peak, Endless Cup, focuses on mystical arts. It also has two hundred disciples. Elder Deng Ying, a master of mystical arts and the one who created the Mountain Guardian Array, is in charge here.”

“Each peak has its own disciple quarters and spacious back mountains.”

They continued walking for a while, traversing the three peaks and reaching a large edifice with the words River Moon inscribed above.

“This is the Cloud Academy library,” Shu Ran explained. “Here, you’ll find a comprehensive collection of manuals from the Mortal Realm, including mystical arts, swordsmanship, and medical books. Feel free to come here whenever you have time.”

Gong Xue inquired, “Is there a manual called ‘Soul Reviving Spell’?”

A flicker of suspicion crossed Shu Ran’s eyes, but he maintained a calm smile. “I’m not sure. Elder Xu Tao is in charge of the library and knows every book here. You can ask him.”

Slightly disappointed, Gong Xue nodded, “Got it. Thank you.”

Mu Xian stepped in to change the subject, “What does Elder Xu Tao specialize in?”

Shu Ran shook his head. “Elder Xu Tao is very mysterious. No one knows what he practices, except for the Dean. He doesn’t involve himself in much; he only manages the library. However, he has a rather eccentric temperament and is not the easiest to get along with.”

“Let’s go, I’ll show you to your living quarters.”

As they walked away, Gong Xue curiously asked, “Senior brother, which peak do we belong to?”

“You are disciples under the Dean and do not belong to any specific peak. You have no restrictions on what you can study. Disciples from each peak can’t randomly visit other peaks, but we can.”

“That’s great news!” Gong Xue whispered excitedly to Mu Xian, “You said you’ve been here before, right? How come no one seems to recognize you?”

Mu Xian rolled his eyes, “That time, I came with a friend but didn’t go in. We just lingered at the gate, so they naturally wouldn’t know me.”

“I thought you had some connections with Cloud Academy. Otherwise, how could we have gotten in so easily and even become disciples under the Dean?”

“I’m suspicious too. We had just reached the gate when someone came to welcome us without questioning us. I’ve heard that Cloud Academy is very strict in selecting disciples. It shouldn’t be this casual, let alone getting us into such coveted positions under the Dean.”

“You think something’s fishy?”

“Better safe than sorry!”

Both of them now had a sense of caution.

While they whispered at the back, Shu Ran seemed uninterested, continuing forward without looking back.

The trio then passed by a large platform, and Gong Xue pointed at it curiously, “Eldest Senior brother, what’s that for?”

Shu Ran responded, “That’s the arena. It’s where the three peaks can test and compete in what they’ve learned. You can also challenge others there. Coincidentally, Cloud Academy’s annual Grand Competition is coming up in a few days. On that day, all the academy’s disciples gather here, and the usual restrictions between the three peaks are lifted, allowing for unrestricted duels and contests.”

The three of them finally arrived at a secluded back mountain area, where several thatched cottages came into Gong Xue’s view.

Shu Ran walked into the yard, and a blue-haired young man in white clothes rushed out and hugged him.

“Shu Ran! You’re finally back! I’ve missed you so much!”

The young man clung to Shu Ran, crying his heart out, utterly disregarding his image. His cries brought more people out from the cottages.

“Shu Ran, you’re back,” said a young woman in a red disciple uniform, as she came out of the kitchen holding a spatula, “Wash up, everyone. It’s almost dinner time.”

The woman’s uniform was identical in design to Gong Xue’s, differing only in color. Among the people who gathered, the men wore robes and the women wore gowns, with the only difference being the colors.

“Chi Feng, stop pestering your Eldest Senior brother! Go wash your hands and get ready for dinner!”

A stern female voice echoed through the courtyard. The blue-haired young man immediately let go of Shu Ran and obediently ran off to wash his hands.

The woman, exuding liveliness and wearing a blue disciple uniform, walked over and affectionately held Shu Ran’s hand. The closeness between them was evident.

She then turned her gaze to Gong Xue and Mu Xian. “Who are they?”

Shu Ran introduced them, “These two are newly accepted disciples of the Dean. This is Ren Yue and Gong Xue.”

Her eyes curved into a sweet smile, looking immensely cute. “Hello, I’m your Second senior sister, Bing Duoduo.”

“Hello, Second senior sister.” Gong Xue greeted politely.

Mu Xian felt awkward and couldn’t bring himself to speak. After all, he was older than everyone present. Seeing Mu Xian remaining silent, Gong Xue pulled him over with a warning glance. Mu Xian, resigned, mumbled, “Hello, Second senior sister.”

Gong Xue quickly added, “Please don’t mind him, Second senior sister. He’s a bit shy.”

Observing their interaction, Bing Duoduo seemed to perceive the close relationship between the two, and she thought to herself that they must be a couple.

“Alright, alright, don’t just stand there. Go wash your hands and try the dishes prepared by your Third senior sister,” Bing Duoduo urged them, hurrying them along.