The sun shone brightly through the windows of the principal's office, casting golden rays across the room. The principal sat at his desk, his hands resting on a pile of paperwork, though his mind was far from focused on the mundane tasks before him. His thoughts kept drifting to the conversation he had had with Ming Ling earlier in the day about Yang Feng, the boy from Wu Lin village. There was something peculiar about the whole situation—something that unsettled him in a way few things did.
The words from ming ling's mouth still lingering in his mind,the principal kept thinking back to the problems yang feng's background would actually spark for the academy. He needed to know more, he needed to question ming ling.
As if on cue, once more, the door to the office creaked open, and Ming Ling entered. The principal looked up, his sharp eyes immediately noticing the troubled expression on Ming Ling's face. Ming Ling closed the door behind him with a quiet thud and approached the desk, standing there in silence for a moment before nodding respectfully.
"How did it go?" the principal asked, raising an eyebrow. "I take it that he has passed the enrollment?"
Ming Ling nodded, though his usual confidence seemed slightly shaken. "Yes, apparently he has passed the enrollment test."
The principal studied Ming Ling's face, sensing the weight of something unspoken hanging between them. Years of working together had given him a deep understanding of the man standing before him. Ming Ling was not one to let his emotions show easily, but the subtle tension in his posture was enough to reveal that something was bothering him.
"You're troubled," the principal said, his voice calm but probing. "What's on your mind?"
Ming Ling hesitated for a moment, his eyes shifting slightly as if he was considering how to respond. Then he shook his head and forced a smile. "It's nothing, really."
The principal leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest as he fixed Ming Ling with a knowing look. "I've known you for too long to believe that. Don't lie to me, Ming Ling. Whatever it is, you need to speak up. Trying to hide it only betrays our friendship."
Ming Ling's smile faltered, and he let out a small, reluctant sigh. He turned his gaze toward the window, watching as the sunlight filtered through the trees outside. For a long moment, he said nothing, the weight of his thoughts hanging in the air between them. Then, finally, he spoke.
"There is something," he admitted, his voice low and thoughtful. "When I went to Wu Lin village, I kept sensing a familiar aura. It wasn't just from Yang Feng—there was someone else there."
The principal leaned forward slightly, his interest piqued. "Someone else?"
"A man," Ming Ling continued, his expression darkening as he recalled the memory. "He wore a cloak and kept his distance, watching from the shadows. But I could sense his power. He was far stronger than I am. Maybe even on par with you!"
The principal frowned, his mind already racing through possibilities. "You think this man is connected to Yang Feng?"
Ming Ling nodded. "Yes. I don't know who he is or what he wants, but I have no doubt that he was there because of Yang Feng. His presence... it felt like he was protecting the boy, but at the same time, he was keeping watch. It's unsettling, to say the least."
The principal sat back in his chair, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Is that why you've decided to keep Yang Feng's identity a secret from the world for now? You're afraid that revealing too much would draw attention—both to him and to this... force?"
"Exactly," Ming Ling said, his tone serious. "If we draw too much attention to Yang Feng, we might be inviting more enemies than we can handle. And if this man—whoever or whatever he is—decides to intervene, we could be dealing with something far beyond our understanding. I don't want to put Yang Feng in that kind of danger before he's ready to face it."
The principal nodded slowly, absorbing Ming Ling's words. The room fell silent for a moment, the only sound being the faint rustle of papers on the desk. Outside, the wind had picked up, causing the branches of the trees to sway gently, casting dancing shadows across the walls.
"There's only one person I can think of who would be capable of such feat," the principal said quietly, breaking the silence. His voice was heavy with the weight of old memories, and when he spoke again, it was as though the name itself carried a dark, unspoken history. "Bai Feng."
At the mention of the name, both men went silent. Ming Ling's eyes darkened, and the tension in the room seemed to thicken. The wind outside howled, as if nature itself was reacting to the utterance of that name.
"Bai Feng..." Ming Ling repeated, the words barely audible. The name hung in the air like a ghost, its presence filling the space between them. His mind raced with memories—some clear, others clouded by time—of a man whose power was beyond comprehension, a man whose very existence could tip the balance of any spiritual land he set foot in.
The principal, too, seemed lost in thought. His fingers tapped rhythmically on the desk, his eyes distant as he stared out the window. "If it's Bai Feng... then we may be dealing with something far greater than we anticipated."
Ming Ling didn't respond immediately. He stood there, staring at the floor, his thoughts a storm of emotions. If the cloaked figure was indeed Bai Feng, then that would explain the overwhelming sense of power he had felt in Wu Lin village. But why would Bai Feng be watching over Yang Feng? What connection did they share? And more importantly, what did it mean for the future of the academy—and the Eastern Spiritual Land?
The silence between them stretched on, the wind outside growing stronger. The trees swayed violently, their branches creaking as if they, too, were caught in the grip of some invisible force.
Finally, the principal spoke again, his voice barely above a whisper. "If it's Bai Feng, then we must be very careful. This is no ordinary situation."
Ming Ling nodded slowly, his eyes still fixed on the ground. "I know."
The two men stood there, staring at each other in silence, the weight of the revelation settling over them like a heavy shroud. The wind continued to howl outside, carrying with it the whispers of the past and the uncertainty of the future.