Star Gate

Skystar Academy.

This was a new academy established twenty years ago. Countless descendants of senior officials, children of local officials, and those with extremely strong potential matriculated as students. Today, however, its august halls were so silent that a pin drop could be heard.

Hou Xiaochen coughed and held a list of names in his hand. He stood on a stage and called out, “Xu Ming, Xu Yue, and Xu Rong… Are these students here?”

He swept a gaze over several thousand furious students and coughed again. “Additionally, those that I call next will step forward as well. I am taking a roll call of those whose parents serve in the four institutions of Calm Borders. There seems to have been an insurrection there, so I must bring you back to the Night Watchers for your safety.”

“Hou Xiaochen, the Silver Moon martial world refrains from dragging family members into your feuds! You go too far!” someone shouted.

“My apologies, I am not of the martial world!” Hou Xiaochen smiled with a cough. “I am an official, the Skystar commander, and a deputy director of the Night Watchers. Those who serve in the government do not follow the rules of bandits and thugs. Not to mention, I am doing this for your own good!

“Not to mention, I was once one of the commanders of the Skystar Guards. My mission was to exterminate superhuman elements that did not follow orders. According to prior custom, I should’ve razed this academy already. You can ask the Steppe Prince if you don’t believe me. Was that not the original mission statement of the Skystar Guards?

“What a pity that we are no longer who we were,” Hou Xiaochen coughed again. “The honorable Steppe Prince wanted to eradicate pests, but he was unable to act upon his aspirations! He wanted to restore the royal family… But ai, I misspeak. Do not misunderstand me! Now we are in a situation of the Skystar Guards being abolished and I shall not speak of it as the Skystar commander.”

An old man with white hair walked out in the distance. His expression was calm as he approached Hou Xiaochen.

“Brother Hou,” he said softly. “You can speak of any matter in private with me. There is no need for such actions. Not to mention, are you sure you can affect the duke in arresting these people?”

Would a man who didn’t care about the death of a son mind the capture of these people? Whether it was his younger brother, grandson, or grand-niece and nephews… Did he care?

The martial world spoke of not embroiling the families of those involved in its grudges, but Hou Xiaochen pointed out that he was not of the martial world. He also said that it was Xu Qing who broke the rules first, to which there was nothing that anyone else could say.

The old man walked out at this time to placate the intruder. If this farce continued at the Skystar Academy, its reputation would hit rock bottom. Who would continue believe that this was the greatest institute of higher learning within the dynasty?

“Do not misunderstand me, I really am cleaning out members of the three great organizations.” Hou Xiaochen struggled with a coughing fit. “I’m not using my position to get even for a private grudge, nor am I that type of person. It’s been so many years, Brother Zhao, but you’ve truly misunderstood me…

“How about this, I won’t make things difficult for you or the boys and girls. I’ll withdraw from the academy if Brother Zhao helps me with something.”

“Please speak of it.” The old man looked at him with mixed emotions. They’d once been familiar with each other and Hou Xiaochen had been under the Steppe Prince’s banner.

Everything was different now.

“The Night Watchers lack personnel in recent times, while highly educated students with great potential are in abundance at the Skystar Academy,” chuckled Hou Xiaochen. “Have them conduct a few missions with me as their graduation exam. I happen to be in the middle of exterminating the three great organizations. These students can do their part for the country!”

He turned to the students that’d brimmed with anger moments ago and smiled at them. “No matter how much you learn in the classrooms, none of it measures up to some actual fights in the battlefield. That is where your talents, knowledge, and strength will shine!

“That Li Hao didn’t learn anything in the Veteris Institute of Skystar City either. It’s only been a short while since he left school, but he’s a premier powerhouse now. He also served beneath my hand for a while… You people need to experience a thing or two. No matter how strong your families are, they cannot protect you for a lifetime!

“The three great organizations are evil beyond compare and burn, kill, loot as they will. No villainy is off limits! I’ll introduce you to blood, seize their treasure, kill evil supernaturals, and dominate the world. Your name will be known throughout the lands—now that’s a life worth living!”

The looks in some eyes changed with his words. No matter how excited the students were, they held themselves in with effort and didn’t make a sound.

The man with white hair frowned slightly.

“We can forget it if you don’t dare,” Hou Xiaochen chuckled. “You are all descendants of large clans and some might be in cahoots with the three great organizations. I wouldn’t want people like that either. They say that Skystar Academy is filled with geniuses, but there are also people that say that you’re just a bunch who got in through connections. Apparently, all of you are just for show. You may graduate as Novas, but Solars in the outside world will beat you black and blue…

“Also, the three great organizations are powerful. It’s normal to be afraid of death, blood, fighting, and their revenge…”

“Are you trying to spur us into action, commander?!” someone yelled. “We’ll go if the headmaster agrees! Who’s afraid of killing members of the three evil organizations?!”

Resignation appeared on the old man’s face. You idiot! you know he’s trying to goad you, but you respond all the same. It’s so obvious that he’s prodding you into action. Hou Xiaochen is completely blackhearted!

These were a group of children descended from highly placed officials. What should happen if they were to die in the field?

First of all, would the three great organizations dare kill these children? If they didn’t, it was their deaths on the line. But if they did, that would be an end to their peaceful agreement with the nine ministries. And the key was, was Hou Xiaochen truly undertaking this to eliminate the three great organizations? Or would he take the students on some other missions as well?

There were many who understood the connotations and an academy powerhouse snapped, “You won’t be taking anyone with you no matter how much you say, Hou Xiaochen! Don’t think that no one sees through your tricks…”

“My tricks? Should we all be exterminating the three great organizations? Or are you colluding with them?” Hou Xiaochen coughed. “Men! Arrest this fellow and take him back for interrogation!”

“Understood!”

Bam!

Golden Spear jabbed his weapon through the firmament and sent the speaker flying. His next stroke pierced through the speaker’s shoulder and nailed him to the spear.

“So you’re an academy powerhouse?” laughed Hou Xiaochen. “Both of you are initial Nova… but you were captured in two blows. And it’s because Golden Spear doesn’t want to kill people, otherwise you would be dead with one blow! Ai, so this is the famed academy education… How ludicrous!”

The old man’s look turned chilly; Hou Xiaochen stared calmly back at him, but with a hint of killing intent in his eyes. If you dare move, I will dare kill you!

Despite the old man being a metamorphosis expert, he gradually calmed his anger. He knew that if they really met in a fight and Hou Xiaochen unsealed himself, the old man would die. As for whether or not Hou Xiaochen would actually unseal himself… it was hard to gauge these Silver Moon maniacs. Xu Qing would not, but those of Silver Moon unsealed themselves at the drop of a hat!

Golden Spear’s moves electrified quite a few students. Was the gap between powerhouses from the battlefield and the academy this big? That had only been two moves!

“Commander Hou, do you have strength requirements for your interns?”

“None. I have uses for any strength level!” Hou Xiaochen chuckled. “Come with me now if you’re willing. I’ve just received word that an insurrection is occurring in East Shore. We will be going now to arrest those at the East Shore Office in Skystar City. They may be preparing to betray the dynasty, so we’ll take them out!”

Color drained from some faces with his words—those students were from East Shore.

“I’ll go!” someone called out eagerly. It was rare to see pitched battle in Skystar City. A province’s representative office in the dynasty’s capital would certainly be staffed with powerhouses.

“Come with me!” Hou Xiaochen soared into the sky with a laugh. The Silver Moon Guards around him swiftly retreated with a wave of his hand. Golden Spear flung the powerhouse on his spear down to the ground, where colleagues swiftly converged upon the wounded Nova to take him into custody.

“Brother Hou, are you still taking him with you?” The old man frowned.

“Brother Zhao, Headmaster Zhao, I’ll take you if I can’t take him.” Hou Xiaochen turned around and narrowed his eyes. “Take your pick!”

The old man clenched his fists and chose to remain silent. Hou Xiaochen grinned, then gave a bark of laughter that traveled in all directions! It was very cocky and over-the-top laughter!

“Let’s go!”

Hundreds of Guards followed his command. Some of the students looked at their mute headmaster, inwardly despising the man. You’re a metamorphosis expert, a premier powerhouse, one lofty above all… Bah! You don’t even dare resist!

A dozen students rushed out to follow Hou Xiaochen. The man’s unbridled arrogance was right up their alley. They were second generation of the rich and powerful—all of them were audacious in the extreme. They felt that the academy was good enough before, but it was sheer trash to them today!

Witnessing true slaughter at close quarters was what they wanted. More students rushed out to follow Hou Xiaochen. The old man watched them leave.

“Headmaster, he’s too full of himself!” Some furious people appeared next to the old man and transmitted their thoughts to him.

The old man watched Hou Xiaochen’s back and said slowly after a long moment, “No one from the nine ministries, royal family, and aristocracy have stepped forward to stop him. Will you guys stop him?”

The group quieted down, but someone was still frustrated and didn’t understand. “Why?? He’s just come from Silver Moon, how does he dare behave so impudently? Didn’t they say that they were letting him come here just to humble him?”

And now? He’d become the Skystar commander who wielded great authority! What of those who said they were going to take care of him before? Was everyone like Silver Moon of this ilk?

Demon Sword Li Hao had kicked in the Steadfast Duke’s doors and killed his son in front of the duke’s eyes. Hou Xiaochen now did the same. Savages lived in Silver Moon territory and the desolate wild lands produced barbarians!

“Why?” The old man was silent for a very long time before he shook his head. “There’s no real reason why other than they are willing to unseal themselves. Everyone else doesn’t dare to!”

It was just that simple!

etvolare’s Thoughts

Hoo that was a pretty big face slap.