Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Formation of the Courtyard, Part Two

In the lecture hall, first-year students of the Fengling Academy were waiting for the general history exam to begin, all of them frantically cramming with their books.

As soon as the bell rang, students from other classes on the same floor poured out of their classrooms, gathering around the Fengling Academy’s classroom to watch the commotion:

"An exam this early? Which academy is it? Never heard of it before."

"You don’t know? Jinda’s Medical Academy and Fengling Academy are always practically invisible."

"I know about the Medical Academy, that side building, but what’s this Fengling Academy? Ghost hunters?"

"We just got out of Marxism class, comrade, your ideological awareness is quite problematic."

"…Oh, shut up."

An Xueru, sitting in the second-to-last seat by the door, frowned impatiently at the noise outside. But since the exam hadn’t started yet, she had no good reason to scold the gawking students. Her red-painted nails scratched at the book pages, her irritation unrelenting.

In the last seat beside her sat Ming Yue, posture upright, flipping through her book with a rustle, scanning ten lines at a glance, completely unaffected by the commotion outside.

An Xueru: "…"

Seeing this only made her more irritated.

The first-year curriculum at Fengling Academy balanced theory and practice, with the latter three years gradually shifting toward practical training. Over the semester, An Xueru often saw Ming Yue staring out the window during class, lost in thought. Yet now, watching her flip through the book with intense focus and astonishing speed, An Xueru found it laughable.

What’s the use of last-minute cramming?

Besides, the general history course ended early and was a large class for all three departments. When it came to written exams, who could outdo the Information Department of the second branch?

At this moment, An Xueru, lost in her internal grumbling, completely forgot how she’d been dragged into late-night study sessions by Ming Yue just a few days ago.

Up front, Jin Yuanbao from the Artifacts Department, a chubby guy with a sly demeanor, was passing notes to those around him. Ming Yue, Bai Linlang, and An Xueru all received one. Unfolding it, they read:

[Latest intel: Li Xianzhou, a graduate from years ago, is still sharp as ever. He’s set to be a part-time teaching assistant for general history next semester, and he’s the one who wrote this semester’s exam.]

[Think about Li Xianzhou’s reputation at Fengling when he was a student, everyone. We need to work together, or we’re all failing this course!]

"…" Ming Yue held the note, unsure if it was true, her mind replaying images of Professor Li’s sparse hairline from the general knowledge class and Li Xianzhou’s grim, Yama-like face.

Oh well, if the King of Hell calls you to die at midnight, who dares keep you till dawn? Ming Yue, ever optimistic, thought to herself. She clicked her black pen and wrote:

[Alright, since we’re here, let’s make the best of it. If worst comes to worst, we’ll help each other and all get held back together =v="]"

Jin Yuanbao, retrieving the note: "…"

Who wants to get held back with a bottom-ranker like you?

Everyone’s responses were unique. Ming Yue’s was as carefree as her personality, while Bai Linlang replied seriously:

[Review properly until the last minute. Stop muttering nonsense!]

An Xueru: [Then I’ll be counting on you all!]

In front of Jin Yuanbao were his two roommates, both troublemakers in their own right.

Yan Jun from the Information Department replied in his sly, smiling-tiger style: [Yuanbao, our academy only has a class leader. Are you asking me to take charge of discipline?]

This scared Jin Yuanbao stiff, his tail practically tucking. He glanced up at his other roommate from the Comprehensive Department, Jun Weinan, who read the note, crumpled it expressionlessly, and tossed it away.

Jin Yuanbao: "…" *Whimper*.

Ming Yue, feeling a bit sorry for Jin Yuanbao, was about to say something when, at 3:20, the bell rang. Li Xianzhou kicked open the classroom door right on time, startling the students.

"Hand out the papers, put your books away, stop dawdling!" Counselor Li barked, slamming the stack of exams onto the lectern.

The students were immediately intimidated by the sheer size of the exam papers!

What the hell, thicker than a college entrance exam Chinese paper?!

Li Xianzhou read out the exam rules in a mumbled, half-hearted tone as the students scrambled to stow their bags.

At 3:00 sharp, the papers were distributed. An Xueru stared at the blackboard, palms sweating. Beside her, two loud spits—*ptew ptew*—and Ming Yue, full of enthusiasm, spat into her palms, rubbing them together as if ready for a big fight.

An Xueru: "…"

Now she was even more nervous.

When the exam papers were handed out, the first definition question made everyone’s heads spin: [Ghost Slayer].

The students: "…"

It was like studying clinical medicine and being asked what a [Doctor] is—utterly absurd.

Ming Yue blinked, picked up her pen, and started writing.

"Ghost Slayer, overseer of the balance between yin and yang, standing on the side of the underworld while receiving offerings from the living."

"This profession emerged in the last century after a population boom overwhelmed the underworld’s staffing. With rampant diseases and a surge in sudden deaths in the living world, fearing long-term consequences, individuals capable of navigating both realms were sought to act as ghost agents. Over time, the role of Ghost Slayers expanded beyond slaying ghosts and supervising ghost agents to include responsibilities for developing underworld industries and guarding the underworld in the modern era."

"Since the 1990s, the establishment of academic disciplines in universities, in response to government directives, incorporated Ghost Slayers, creating the Fengling Academy, officially making Ghost Slayer one of the ‘three hundred and sixty trades.’"

Writing smoothly, Ming Yue thought for a moment and added a bit of flattery at the end:

"Thanks to the government’s grace, I’ll burn incense and pay respects every year."

Many classmates were still hesitating over how to describe their future profession, but Ming Yue’s furious scribbling stood out. The sound of her pen scratching irritated An Xueru, who, frustrated, furrowed her brow and started writing too.

Half an hour passed in a blink.

The classroom was silent. Li Xianzhou leaned on the lectern, watching the students struggle.

The first few definition questions revealed the depth of Li Xianzhou’s knowledge: [Ghost Slayer], [Chain of Cause and Effect], [Ten Yama Kings]—familiar terms came one after another, leaving the students scratching their heads, dandruff falling like rain.

The big questions that followed were a true bloodbath:

Question: Describe the evolution of official titles for underworld public servants since the Spring and Autumn period.

Question: Where did the gathering places for the deceased originate?

Question: From the different perspectives of the various versions of *The Tang Emperor’s Journey to the Underworld* [Note], discuss the changing attitudes of the living toward the underworld.

Reading these questions, a chill seemed to rise under the bright daylight.

The students answered with furrowed brows, thinking that while the general knowledge course was broad and comprehensive, who could’ve guessed the exam would zero in on the professional background of Ghost Slayers?

Bai Linlang was writing about the history of the underworld’s evolution. She vaguely recalled the part about the "Taishan Underworld" [Note] but couldn’t for the life of her remember the rest—

A loud *whoosh* of flipping pages. She looked up to see Ming Yue at the next desk, writing with such vigor it seemed divinely inspired.

A moment later, another *whoosh*.

Then, she flipped her paper again.

Bai Linlang: "…"

Hold it, hold it—this is the enemy’s trick to disrupt our morale!

Cursing inwardly, Bai Linlang struggled to organize the jumbled underworld history in her mind and started writing. Unable to resist, she stole a glance at Ming Yue’s paper.

For the underworld history question, Ming Yue’s paper was filled to the brim, not a gap in sight.

Bai Linlang: "…Damn."

This enemy’s will is ironclad; our morale’s not holding up! Bai Linlang felt immense pressure.

Could it be that all those times Ming Yue was spacing out by the window in class were a ruse?

Could it be that the Ming family’s scholarly legacy hadn’t been entirely squandered by her unlucky brother, and she’d actually learned a lot?

Bai Linlang’s imagination ran wild with little dramas. She glanced at the boys up front: Jin Yuanbao was scratching his head, while Yan Jun and Jun Weinan were writing at breakneck speed, their papers already half-filled.

The bell rang again outside. Ming Yue raised her hand to signal the proctor she was ready to submit.

All eyes in the room locked onto her. Li Xianzhou, seeing Ming Yue raise her hand like a troublemaker, walked over and asked, "Finished?"

Ming Yue showed him her ID and exam permit, nodding, "Finished."

Li Xianzhou was in a slightly better mood. Look at that—someone could still tackle his exam with heroic speed. He flipped through Ming Yue’s paper, a rare smile appearing, "Not bad. Keep it quiet and head out."

Ming Yue thanked the teacher, grabbed her bag, and headed out. In the silent classroom, all the students stared at her, their gazes filled with disbelief. As she reached the door, Li Xianzhou suddenly tapped the desk, as if just remembering something, and announced:

"It’s Friday today. Starting next week, the academy has changed the arrangements for the practical exam."

"Since I’m proctoring today, I’ll let you know in advance."

"In the past, drawing talismans or setting up formations was enough—not anymore. Recently, due to a subway explosion in Jinling City, a pair of Ox-Head and Horse-Face from the north were taken out. Their district is short-staffed for now, so our academy’s courtyard formation has been borrowed."

Li Xianzhou checked his phone calendar. "It’s happening tonight at midnight, borrowed for two weeks."

"Perfect timing. Since you’re all future successors in the yin-yang industry, let’s see if you can guard the school well for the next half-month."

"The practical exam’s topic isn’t fixed. It’ll take place on Jinling University’s campus, with the courtyard formation removed."

"If you have other questions, ask me privately."

With that, Li Xianzhou tapped the desk again. "Keep testing."

The students: "…"

Most of them looked confused, tinged with questions.

They were Fengling Academy students, but not many knew about the courtyard formation or what it meant for it to be removed.

Ming Yue was about to ask something when Li Xianzhou snapped, "What’re you doing blocking the door? Done with the exam, get out!"

Ming Yue: "…"

Raising her hands in surrender, she grabbed her bag and bolted.

>>>>>>>>

That night, the general history exam results were released, striking the students like a thunderbolt.

In the academy group chat, Yan Jun announced that results would be posted at 11 p.m., and the chat exploded immediately, with anonymous rants:

"What the hell! No mercy at all—results right after the exam?!"

"There’s another one the day after tomorrow!"

"Damn you, Li Xianzhou!"

"Li Xianzhou: Behold my lightning-fast grading."

"Speaking of which, with only thirty-some people in our academy, with Li Xianzhou’s ghostly speed, it’s just a few hours’ work."

"You up there, whose side are you on?! Hope you fail general history!"

News of the first-years getting hammered by Li Xianzhou spread like wildfire to the upperclassmen, who rushed to the first-year group chat to offer “comfort” (read: gloating).

Yan Jun, as the group admin, was annoyed by the constant pings.

*Ping!* Fu Tianqing from second-year Comprehensive Department requested to join.

*Ping!* Zhao Tianque from third-year Information Department requested to join.

*Ping! Ping!*

Yan Jun: "…"

Yan Jun rejected them all.

At 10:50, the first-year Fengling students started spamming the chat, burying the earlier anonymous complaints against the counselor:

"Prosperity, democracy, civilization, harmony—next!"

"Freedom, equality, justice, rule of law—nice memorization!"

"Patriotism, dedication, integrity, friendliness! Welcome, Teacher Li!"

At 11 p.m. sharp, Li Xianzhou came online: "…"

Without a word, he posted the results file and logged off instantly.

The students eagerly opened it. The short list of thirty-some names had Ming Yue’s at the top, glaringly prominent.

The students: "…"

The students: "!!!"