Only Human Here 15

Since Wei Huan woke up, he hadn't encountered his savior again. Initially, he thought Yun Yongzhu might be genuinely kind to him, often helping him. However, when he realized Yun wasn't constantly by his side, he figured the kindness might not have been genuine.

Perhaps it was merely sympathy.

Squatting in the makeshift dormitory garden, Wei Huan gently touched an injured little songbird. As he stroked it, he playfully imitated the cold, clipped tone Yun Yongzhu used, saying, "Why are you following me?"

The tiny songbird responded with a gentle chirp, but Wei Huan hushed it, saying, "Quiet down. So noisy."

Wei Huan continued, scolding the bird while patting its head, "Oh, you poor thing. You can't fly or defend yourself. Since you're so helpless, I'll…"

"What are you doing?"

Jing Yun's voice suddenly interrupted, startling Wei Huan. The small creature also got frightened and sought refuge in the bushes. Wei Huan quickly withdrew his hand and awkwardly shook it. When he stood up, he began moving back and forth like the elderly demons doing exercises in the park, swinging his arms. "Just exercising, need to recover from my serious injury. How about you? Would you like to have breakfast with me?"

Jing Yun shook his head, saying, "This morning is the academy selection ceremony. I remember the morning you were still unconscious, so I hurried to inform you."

Selection ceremony? Wei Huan suddenly recalled, chiding himself for being so preoccupied with Yun Yongzhu's change in behavior that he had forgotten about it completely.

"That old stubborn tree spirit is at it again."

Most demon universities primarily employ a voluntary system, where new students receive a form during the exam, and the school assigns them to different colleges based on their scores and preferences. Shanhai, however, had a different approach; their sorting process was quite straightforward.

"The one you mentioned…" Jing Yun whispered the last three words, "the old stubborn… tree spirit, is that it?"

Wei Huan looked up, observing the large tree surrounded by people in the distance. "Yes, that's him."

They arrived at a vast glass greenhouse filled with exotic plants and a lawn in the center, with a single tall tree, about twenty meters in height.

"This tree looks peculiar, tall and drooping like a willow, but its leaves aren't like willow leaves." Jing Yun took off his glasses, wiped them, and put them back on. "Is this the tree that will assign us to our college?"

"Yes," the group of new students was divided by teachers in white uniforms, forming a rectangular formation. Wei Huan stood behind Jing Yun and whispered to him, "When you go, you must call his name first."

"Why?"

"Because this tree has a mischievous sense of humor. If you don't call his name, he'll mess with you."

Just as Wei Huan finished speaking, the first new student had already stepped in front of the tall tree. This demon had a chest covered in red feathers, and its tail feathers were splendidly golden. However, atop its head was a green feather that looked quite flamboyant. While standing there, it even winked at the new students below.

"The flamboyant one from the Red clan is here again," Wei Huan muttered quietly, and Jing Yun overheard him. "Is this from the Red clan? I think their feathers are quite beautiful!"

Wei Huan gave Jing Yun a look as if to say, "Are you kidding me?" Then, he shook his head and gazed at the sky. "Well, I can't grasp kids' aesthetics anymore."

At that moment, the Red clan member was already entangled by the tree's long branches, suspended in mid-air. Its colorful wings flapped helplessly, unable to break free or fly away, and it cried out in distress, "You tree spirit! What are you doing?"

At that moment, a smiling face appeared on the thick tree trunk. "I'm not doing anything~" He reached out another branch to wrap around the Red member's legs. "Do you know my name?"

"It seems like a tentacle play." Wei Huan teased.

Jing Yun, with an innocent look, asked, "What is tentacle play?"

Wei Huan replied seriously, "It's when two good friends hold hands."

Jing Yun looked at his own hand, puzzled. "That's really strange."

Wei Huan nodded, "You're right."

"Help! There's a pervert here!" The Red member continued to struggle. At this moment, a figure descended from the sky, and he stretched his neck to get a better view. "Save me!"

Wei Huan could already see the white wings of the newcomer from a distance and muttered to himself, "Why does he appear everywhere?"

"That's the person who saved you!" Jing Yun shook Wei Huan's arm forcefully. "Look, it's him!"

Yes, yes, I can see…

From the moment Yun Yongzhu appeared, Wei Huan's attention had unconsciously scattered.

Yun Yongzhu was still in his instructor's uniform, standing with his legs slightly apart. He deftly undid the metal buttons on his wrist with his right hand and rolled up his sleeves to reveal his well-defined muscular arms.

Many years had passed, and yet, I still couldn't manage to get a tan.

"It looks like his name is Yun Yongzhu. He's really good-looking," she remarked.

Tsk, I used to be quite the looker myself.

Yun Yongzhu's appeal was undeniable, transcending personal preferences.

Lost in thought, Wei Huan suddenly noticed a small, bouncing object on Yun Yongzhu's shoulder. He squinted to get a closer look, only to realize it was the same little chirping creature.

Upon seeing the furry creature, Wei Huan's immediate reaction was to cover his face with his palm.

This persistent little critter had been just as clingy when Wei Huan was alive. Now, seven years later, it had attached itself to Yun Yongzhu's leg. It certainly had a knack for choosing its companions.

"Hey, who's that behind Yun Yongzhu? Ah Heng, do you know?" Jing Yun asked.

Wei Huan glanced in the direction Jing Yun indicated. The person in question wore a white instructor's uniform, a sharp contrast to Yun Yongzhu's black attire. He had an elegant and gentle appearance, unlike Yun Yongzhu's frosty demeanor. His clear, lake-green eyes retained their purity from years past.

Seven years had passed, and it seemed that everyone else, except Wei Huan, had stayed in Shanhai. He felt a pang of nostalgia, wondering if he might have guided the new students had he not met his demise back then.

"What are you daydreaming about?" Jing Yun interrupted his thoughts.

Wei Huan shook his head, keeping his gaze fixed on the two individuals not far away.

"The person you asked about is from Shangshan Academy. His name is Su Buyu. It seems he's now a teacher at Shangshan."

"His aura…" Jing Yun hesitated but continued, and Wei Huan knew he had figured it out.

"You're right; he's a half-demon, a descendant of merfolk and humans," Wei Huan added. "He's a genuinely good person… My friend told me this teacher has an incredibly gentle personality."

And then, he began joking, "Fuyao and Shangshan are both good. Fuyao is like a gentle breeze, and Shangshan is as tranquil as water. Yansui…"

Wei Huan looked at Yun Yongzhu and shook his head, "Fierce as fire and oil."

Jing Yun immediately responded, "Doesn't partake in smoke and fire."

It seemed they were playing an idiom game…

For some reason, Wei Huan felt a competitive urge and continued, "Fury burning within."

"Whoops! The backyard is on fire! Ugh, ugh, ugh…" Jing Yun, who had joined the game, was abruptly silenced as Wei Huan forcefully covered his mouth. "You've gone off track; be quiet, Xiaozhongming."

The comedic duo engaged in the idiom game paid no attention to the struggling Red member, with no intention of rescuing him. Su Buyu, who had joined in, didn't stand idly by. He addressed the panicking Red member, saying, "Don't be afraid; just say 'Yun Yang.'"

The flamboyant Red member let out a hiccup, "Yun—hic—Yang…"

Suddenly, the tree branches loosened, and the Red member, too frightened to spread his wings in time, plummeted to the ground. Su Buyu raised his hand, and a silky stream emerged from his palm, gently catching the Red member and allowing him to land softly.

The Red member felt as if he had just experienced a breath of spring, and his eyes teared up as he looked at Su Buyu. After standing up, he smoothed his feathers and returned to his self-obsessed demeanor.

Su Buyu smiled, revealing two shallow dimples. His hands were behind his back as he faced the big tree and softly said, "Yun Yang. Let's begin."

As soon as he finished speaking, all the tree branches of the big tree slowly lifted, emitting a faint golden glow. The tree spirit spoke solemnly, "Come."

The Red member still stood there in shock, and Yun Yang's branch gently pushed his back. He took a few steps forward, and Yun Yang's tree extended a red branch, and its leaves at the tip touched the Red member's forehead. In an instant, the Red member felt immobilized, and even the feathers on his body, which had been fluttering in the wind, became still.

Jing Yun leaned closer to Wei Huan's ear and whispered, "What's it doing?"

"Yun Yang can see your potential future based on your aura. In other words, he determines the most suitable academy for you based on your demon power attributes."

Jing Yun looked surprised, "So, I…"

Without hesitation, Wei Huan replied, "You're definitely going to Fuyao."

Jing Yun nodded. However, his second question almost slipped out, but he held it back and glanced at Wei Huan. Yet, even that brief glance was caught by Wei Huan. "Don't ask, asking means expulsion."

Jing Yun was startled, "How is that possible? It can't be true. How could you get expelled?"

Wei Huan shrugged, "Just kidding. Maybe it's random allocation? I probably won't get kicked out… "

In the past, there had never been human students at Shanhai. Even now, Wei Huan was the only human in all of Shanhai. He couldn't help but feel anxious, given his lack of demon power. What criteria would Yun Yang employ to determine his academy placement?

In an instant, the branch touching the Red member's forehead loosened, and the face on the tree trunk spoke slowly, "Fuyao Academy."

The Red member quickly regained his mobility and patted the golden feathers on his shoulder. With great satisfaction, he descended, saying, "I knew I'd get into Fuyao."

"Next."

"Your tail is quite beautiful." The carp demon, who clearly had no tail, looked at Yun Yang in astonishment. Yun Yang had an expression like he knew everything and said with a smile, "Shangshan Academy."

"Next."

"This one is a good seedling for Jiahui Academy."

…

As the new students approached one by one, Wei Huan's heart sank like a stone thrown into the center of a lake. The number of people in front of the line decreased, and finally, it was Jing Yun's turn, who stood in front of him.

"I… I'm going up."

Wei Huan nodded and confidently said as if he had expected it, "I'm sure I'm right." After saying that, he accidentally glanced elsewhere and found Yun Yongzhu staring at him from a distance, making Wei Huan's whole body prickle.

What's wrong with this guy? Could he really be interested in him? Good heavens, Yun Yongzhu is really into guys.

Since they were locked in this eye contact, it wouldn't be good not to show some response. Thinking that, Wei Huan squeezed out a smile at Yun Yongzhu.

The little furball on his shoulder suddenly started bouncing like crazy, making frantic chirping sounds, as if it was saying hello to Wei Huan.

This silly furball…

Little did Wei Huan know that when the new owner of the furball saw him smile, he turned away indifferently and removed the dancing furball from his shoulder, clutching it in his palm.

"Ying… hmm hmm hmm…"

Being ignored, Wei Huan felt like there was something wrong with him, or rather, Yun Yongzhu was the one with issues. People like him, even if they genuinely liked someone, would probably have this kind of cold and distant expression. Such people probably deserved to stay single for their whole lives.

Jing Yun, after coming out of the line, had no idea about the various small interactions between Wei Huan and Instructor Yun. He nervously swallowed and walked up to the tree spirit. Awkwardly, he started, "Hi… Yun Yang…" He had intended to wave but ended up being too stiff. His hand started to lift halfway and then retreated, hiding behind his back.

"You're such a well-behaved child." Yun Yang's branch extended, connecting with Jing Yun's body. He didn't make it difficult for him. After a moment, he smiled and said, "Xiaozhongming, you will be a member of Fuyao Academy from now on."

Jing Yun looked at Wei Huan with excitement, and his eyes behind the lenses sparkled. He wanted to jump in joy but didn't dare, making him incredibly cute. Wei Huan felt a sense of nostalgia as he remembered himself from a decade ago, standing beneath this old tree spirit.

["This kid is truly born for Fuyao."]

These words still echoed in his mind, but the Wei Huan who was once born for Fuyao had already experienced death once.

Standing by the side, Su Buyu gently reminded him, "Young student, you can go to the Fuyao Academy's queue now."

"Alright!" Jing Yun quickly bowed to Su Buyu several times and hurriedly walked down to the end of the Fuyao queue, where a deep blue flag was waving.

It was Wei Huan's turn. He took a deep breath and walked step by step to Yun Yang, the tree spirit. Various voices from behind reached his ears.

"This human actually came?"

"No yaoxin, no yao power. How can he be sorted? Where should they send him? Is the school trying to humiliate him in public, hahaha."

"Are you trying to embarrass me, Yunyang? Hahaha."

"I feel so sorry for him."

"What's there to feel sorry for? He chose to come to Shanhai himself, just a mere human who doesn't know the limits."

Wei Huan glanced to the side and noticed that Yun Yongzhu, who had been silent the whole time, was staring at him. He quickly turned his head, looked at Yun Yang's face, and called out his name, "Yun Yang."

"A human?" Yun Yang laughed heartily. "There's actually a human?"

All the branches spread and floated, swirling around Wei Huan. Even though he had been through this once before, he felt some resistance this time. After all, he was in a human body, and he knew that Yun Yang couldn't sense any yaoqi, let alone sort him into an academy.

"Don't be afraid," Su Buyu's voice came from behind, as gentle as ever. "He won't harm you."

Wei Huan hadn't heard Su Buyu speak to him in a long time, and his eyes filled with tears.

Yun Yang's extending branches danced around, and the red one pointed directly at Wei Huan's forehead. As the leaves touched his skin, he felt his internal organs churn. Even though his body couldn't move, it felt as if a tsunami was happening inside him.

He couldn't turn his head, so he could only watch Yun Yang in front of him. The face on the tree trunk smiled, "Do you want to go to Fuyao?"

"You have great ambitions, but…"

As the turmoil within him gradually subsided, Wei Huan was perplexed. This experience was entirely different from his previous sorting into an academy years ago. Just when he thought everything was over, a scorching power welled up within him, like molten lava continuously surging, waiting to erupt.

Yun Yang's puzzled expression and his internal muttering left Wei Huan bewildered. He had no time to dwell on it as the intense burning sensation consumed his thoughts. He understood that as a sorting tree spirit, Yun Yang couldn't disclose the reasons for his decisions.

As the red branches retracted, Wei Huan's strength waned, and he found himself kneeling on the ground, still recovering from the scorching sensation.

Then, Yun Yang's voice called out, addressing him directly, 

"Kid."

Wei Huan, summoning his strength, raised his head to meet Yun Yang's gaze.

"There's fire within your body."

Hearing these words, Yun Yongzhu's eyes narrowed, fixed on Wei Huan. He observed him with a serious expression, intrigued by this revelation.

Wei Huan, despite his weariness, managed to stand and asked, 

"So what?"

Yun Yang extended his branches, pointing to the flag that waved like flames in the wind, 

"Yansui Academy."

This result was nothing short of a shock. No one had anticipated that a human with no discernible yaoqi would be sorted into the renowned Yansui Academy, known for its combat excellence.

Discussions erupted among the onlookers, but Wei Huan paid them no mind. He knew his place in Shanhai, whether in Fuyao or Yansui. A Jiufeng always belonged here.

Su Buyu approached and helped him up. Wei Huan whispered his thanks and looked at him, briefly locking eyes. There was a subtle furrowing of Su Buyu's brows, quickly concealed as he turned and walked toward the Yansui Academy's new student queue. Passing by Jing Yun in the Fuyao queue, Su Buyu noticed the complex emotions on the young man's face. Jing Yun hadn't expected to be separated from Wei Huan, and certainly not that Wei Huan would be sorted into Yansui.

As Wei Huan passed by, he discreetly grabbed Jing Yun's wrist, gently pinched it, and whispered words only they could hear, "Don't worry." Jing Yun, his gaze fixed on Wei Huan, felt a sense of reassurance. Wei Huan reached the end of the queue, and from a distance, he flashed a smile at Jing Yun.

This was a result that even Wei Huan hadn't foreseen. He couldn't fathom why Yun Yang had made this decision. Yet, during the sorting process, he had unmistakably felt the presence of fire coursing through his blood and bones. This was inexplicable, as in his previous life, he had no affinity or abilities related to fire.

As he contemplated the fire within him, he furrowed his brow, trying to decipher the mystery.