Star pavilion

A sword suddenly countered Prince Xi Yuan, his eyes snapped to where the sword came from. "Your cultivation is still weak!" Crown Prince Xi Lehua screamed, aiming for the young prince's chest.

Every of the sword attacks was countered easily by Prince Xi Yuan, his other hand behind his back. "My cultivation might still be weak but not so weak like yours." He replied to him, throwing the crown prince meters away just with his fist.

The elders rose up, "The long fist technique." Everyone was shocked by their kidneys. How did the once weak young Prince Xi Yuan who was always humiliated and trampled on, become so powerful that he could defeat the crown prince with just one move?

HEAVENLY PALACE ✓

The Empress and Emperor of the Heavens sat on the only high seat in the palace. "The signs didn't fool us. A deity has awakened." The Emperor sighed, running his hands through his black and white hair.

"What does it mean when a deity awakens?" The youngest Princess of the heavenly kingdom asked inquisitively, sitting on her mother's laps. "

“The awakening of a deity isn't a mistake, it always has a mission. That mission can be a good or a bad one but most deities always want revenge for something." Her mother, the Empress answered her.

The Emperor sighed again, "Xun'er...." He called. "Yes father." Xun'er, the first and crown princess went forward. "It is your duty to go down to the Earth and find that deity." The Emperor ordered.

Xun'er wasn't surprised. She has always been the one taking up different heavy duties, especially ones that have to do with the earth. "You can't kill the deity because it will be awakened in a particular person and that person will be too powerful for you to defeat. When you find him, notify me immediately." She nodded and left.

"Mother, when will sister Xun'er be back?" The youngest Princess asked. "Not anytime soon, Anu'er." The Empress sighed.

CULTIVATION ACADEMY ✓

Young masters from Han, Pei, Tian and Ji families took the exam and have been admitted into the academy. "The academy is so big and beautiful!" Han Tei exclaimed, his hand fan in the air as he ran a few meters around.

"Only young masters of some families are eligible to get admitted every two years when the exam is taken." Ji Feng said, his hands folded on his chest as he looked around too. The academy looked heavenly, more than it was described to them.

Xu Ye felt like a cheap scumbag in the midst of different young masters of different families, "I insist! If Xu Ye won't come with me, I am not attending the academy either." The Emperor was forced to give a verdict to allow Xu Ye get into the academy, alongside his master, Prince Xi Yuan.

"The cultivation academy teacher arrives!" Everybody rearranged themselves and lined up forward. Mouths dropped open in shock when the so-called academy teacher stepped into the hall.

Murmurings took hold of the ground as everyone whispered to one another in utmost surprise. Why would their teacher be a woman? A very young woman around their age or even younger than they were, to be precise!

"It has never happened before!" Ji Feng spat, eyeing their teacher. 

"How is it possible that the laws changed? Teachers in the cultivation academy are always men!" Han Fei splitted his fan in displeasure.

The complaints went on and on, their teacher comfortably sat on the chair she asked for and watched them argue about the past academy teachers being males.

Prince Xi Yuan shook his head, feeling annoyed that they were being delayed because of some unnecessary argument. "Are your knees weak, Prince?" Xu Ye asked in a whisper.

"Address me by my name here in the academy. If you don't, I'll make you go back home where you will be beaten by everyone there." Prince Xi Yuan said, his eyes focused only on the female teacher.

At last, the argument stopped. They were surprised to see the female teacher sitting, patiently waiting for them to be done with their ranting. She stood up and removed her net hat, her long white hair wavered down below her buttocks.

"Heavens!" The students exclaimed. Her beauty was more than that of the radiating sun or the beautiful stars of the night. Her flawless skin made them marvel if she was actually from this earth because it looked so ravishingly heavenly.

The female teacher cleared her throat, "It is true. I am the very first female teacher in this academy and -- it's not entirely bad." She began to walk around, her hands behind her back.

"I won't be here for the whole cultivation training, it's just for a little while." She smiled and turned to leave but she suddenly paused.

There were murmurings again, "You didn't tell us your name, sunflower." Prince Xi Lehua called, and they all gasped at the nickname. Is he alright to give his cultivation teacher a nickname?

"Wei Xun!" She whispered, behind his ears and he shook. When did she get behind him? "Everyone will be taken to their respective rooms under two wings in the academy. Don't play with your strength, you'll be needing it soon." She concluded and left.

Two wings became occupied, Prince Xi Yuan and Crown Prince Xi Lehua were left without rooms. "Teacher Wei Xun ordered you two to stay in these opposite rooms." The doors of the opposite rooms got slammed with force before the servant could finish talking.

Prince Xi Yuan held his chest, pain shot up through his body that he winced. "Xu Ye is supposed to be here." He totally forgot to request it earlier.

Everywhere became dark, and yet, they haven't done any cultivation training at all. Prince Xi Yuan was getting impatient. Why are they here if they won't even do anything for the first day?

Prince Xi Yuan decided to walk around, till he walked to a particular wing. He didn’t know there was some place like this in the extreme area of the palace. The Star pavilion - forbidden area in the academy.

It was guarded heavily, not with guards but with impenetrable talismans. No one except high spiritual masters can go in without being wounded but Prince Xi Yuan decided to go in.

Prince Xi Yuan paused, studying the talismans. It has different categories, basic and the hard ones. He knew he had never practiced breaking through talismans before, not the simple or the basic ones.

"Rain --- breath of fire...." The Prince muttered. He dragged his feet backwards and bounced it back, his hands swirled forward as he formed a stance. He stomped his left foot on the ground again, pushing his hands forward - the talismans barrier opened at once.

Prince Xi Yuan walked in without any sound coming from him. Different rooms that were barely tidied up, they looked like a mad man's refuge. That was entirely normal, until he got to the main star pavilion.

Stories heard about the pavilion being one of the deadliest places. Even as dangerous as it was, it still has some good it does to the spirituality of a person. 

Suddenly, a figure ran past him and his head snapped towards the place but it was just the shadow he could see. He traced the shadow quickly, to an open space where there was water, grasses and red trees.

A figure, dressed in red, looked like she was having a choreography but no, it is a sword dance. She waved two swords, connecting and reconnecting them together as she fought while using her leg placements to bring out impressive dance moves.

Prince Xi Yuan was mesmerized, not only by her beauty under the red lights but with her inner resilience as well. He watched satisfactorily, studying her every move - especially the sword movements.

As time went on, he started registering those moves in his head to practice later. A small smile lit his lips, maybe the first since he had been born.

Prince Xi Yuan's eyebrows squeezed, he frowned. Something was wrong. The lady, her movements were faltering. It faltered the first time, she gasped the second time and he had to move closer.

His eyes widened, the water in the pavilion was drawing in her strength. It seemed the pavilion does no good to one’s spirituality. Hastily, he lifted himself and leaped over to her, covering the distance.

His hands held her shoulders, turning her in three sixty degrees till she fell to his arms. She gasped, holding his robe. "Who ---" Her lips were sealed when the prince used his other hand to lift up water.

Her eyes widened, "Water control magic!" She muttered surprisingly as she watched him gather the water.

'Trying magic, the pavilion will keep sucking it in.' Prince Xi Yuan released the water back to its place when he figured they had to leave immediately.

"Who are you?" The question again.

"No time for questions. We have to leave." Prince Xi Yuan held her hand, leading her to the exit.

Footsteps from outside the pavilion. "Intruders broke into the pavilion!" One of the guards shouted.

Prince Xi Yuan and the girl came to an abrupt stop. They looked at one another, eyes out of their sockets. "Are we not doomed?" The girl whispered, her voice breaking.

Her hands got removed from his, "Don't save me. Go your way." She held her chest painfully.

"We are the intruders. We both broke into the stars pavilion." Prince Xi Yuan took her hands again.

The girl was stubborn, "I didn't break in. I am -- not an intruder." She argued.

Prince Xi Yuan scoffed, "You know we both broke the rules. Let's escape now before we get caught and get punished by our teacher."

"I am your teacher ---" She fainted, falling into the pavilion water.