Only Human Here 8

Jingyun was somewhat stunned; no one had ever said such words to him since birth. For some reason, when he looked into Wei Huan's eyes, he had a strange feeling that they were of the same kind. Compared to himself, this brave and open-hearted human youth in front of him seemed more like someone truly belonging to the sky.

"I'll give it a try," Jingyun said, lowering his head, and his shoulder blades on his back protruded. He opened a pair of deep-red wings, and the surrounding onlookers among the supernatural creatures turned their attention to him. Wei Huan smiled and raised his chin, "That's more like it."

Watching Jingyun fly into the sky along with other winged creatures in front of the large screen, Wei Huan was momentarily stunned. He realized how strange it felt to be on the ground, looking up at others.

It was unfamiliar.

Soon, Jingyun nervously landed and said, "Our exam rooms are very close, in the 'Bunyu Building.'"

"Bunyu Building?" Wei Huan swiftly vaulted over a fence, his movements skilled. "That's lucky; it's nearby."

Jingyun hesitated for a moment, bent down, apologized softly, then awkwardly crossed the fence without even asking Wei Huan why he was so familiar with the school's layout and simply followed him.

Wei Huan led Jingyun through a thicket of shadowwood trees to reach a wall that wasn't very tall. Jingyun asked, "Are we going to climb over this?"

"This is a barrier," Wei Huan stood still. "If we try to climb it, the wall will get higher and higher, exhausting you."

Jingyun initially just responded with an "Oh," then turned his head slowly to look at Wei Huan. He was about to say something, but Wei Huan quickly interrupted, "I heard it from someone else. They made it sound quite mystical. But it might be true. Let's stick to the fifteen-minute plan; there's no point in wasting our energy."

Having said that, he pushed Jingyun forward and instructed, "In your mind, silently recite the 'Barrier Crossing Technique.'"

"Is this going to work?"

"It'll work," Wei Huan reassured him, placing his hand on Jingyun's back. He silently recited the barrier spell for the Bunyu Building in his mind.

The Bunyu Building was one of the main academic buildings at Shanhai. Typically, it was a place for students to study independently. What made it unique was that it was a mobile structure. If you followed the official map provided by Shanhai to find it, you'd have to rely on luck to get there within fifteen minutes. Only experienced students like Wei Huan knew about the barrier's direct passage to the Bunyu Building.

The white wall in front of them suddenly flashed a circular light ring. Wei Huan grabbed Jingyun by the back of his collar and pulled him inside. In an instant, they found themselves inside a large building, and the surroundings rapidly changed before their eyes.

It appeared that this human body couldn't cross the barrier on its own, but it could harness language seals. All it needed was a talented supernatural creature as a medium.

They had just entered when Jingyun was still feeling a bit anxious and about to speak, but Wei Huan immediately covered his mouth, subtly shaking his head, indicating not to speak. Then, he pointed to a plaque in the hall where intricate characters read "子不语怪力乱神." (/enf_note) it is a Chinese proverb that can be attributed to Confucius. It conveys the idea that Confucius did not discuss or promote extraordinary or mystical powers. Instead, his teachings focused on ethical and moral principles, the importance of virtue, and proper conduct in society.

In essence, this proverb emphasizes the value of practical and grounded wisdom over superstition or the pursuit of supernatural abilities. It encourages individuals to focus on being morally upright and virtuous rather than seeking extraordinary or mysterious powers.(/enf_note)

Jingyun didn't quite understand Wei Huan's intentions. At that moment, a few other supernatural beings were lucky enough to enter. One of them joyfully patted his thigh, "This is it! We're so…"

Before he could finish his sentence, the murals in the hall suddenly changed. Something inside the walls seemed to be breaking through, and in no time, the supernatural beings from the mural came to life, transforming into three eyeless giants. One step from these giants caused the ground to shake, and Jingyun nearly lost his balance, but Wei Huan quickly grabbed his arm.

The newly arrived supernatural beings, seeing the giants approaching, were both scared and panicking, and they were simply grabbed by the massive arms of the giants and thrown out of Bunyu Building.

Once the giants dealt with them, they turned around, their grotesque and eerie faces scanning the surroundings.

Jingyun was so frightened that he covered his mouth. His two large eyes behind the glasses were filled with terror as he looked at Wei Huan, who, in response, shrugged and put his index finger to his lips. It took a while before the three giants silently returned to the mural, with each of their steps shaking the ground.

This place was indeed strange. Wei Huan, a certified chatterbox, used to detest this place the most because it made him uncomfortable. After a self-study session here, he would become Shanhai's number one silent drama performer. Only people like Yun Yongzhuo, who naturally disliked talking, could endure it.

Wait, wasn't it because of him that Yun Yongzhuo was forced to break the rules here and got expelled back then? Thinking about it, Wei Huan couldn't help but laugh. Jingyun watched him blankly, extending his hand in front of him and waving it to get Wei Huan's attention. Wei Huan laughed and used sign language, then mouthed a question about their specific location. The two of them communicated with some effort and finally found their exam room.

When they entered the room, quite a few people were already seated inside. Wei Huan had just stood at the entrance, but all eyes turned to him, even the teacher on the podium.

Well, they could look all they wanted, nobody could speak anyway.

Wei Huan walked in, pulled out a chair, and sat down. He tapped his fingers on the desk and propped up his legs, scanning the surroundings. A soft chime rang, signaling the end of the fifteen-minute period. Vines extended from under the teacher's feet, climbing up to the desks of each student. At the tip of each vine, a Heavenly Lotus flower blossomed, containing a rolled-up exam paper. Another vine reached out, holding a pen.

It was an exam paper from Jiahui College. Wei Huan glanced at it, and though it appeared small, it unfolded into something lengthy. The questions inside were not much different from the entrance exams from previous years, including topics like Youshi (/enf_note)Supernatural History(/enf_note), Mistsu (/enf_note)Arcane Arts(/enf_note), and Science. However, most supernatural beings considered science beneath them, viewing it as a last-ditch effort by humans for self-preservation.

Wei Huan sighed as he looked at the exam paper in his hand. It seemed that his previous actions had made the supernatural beings more wary of technology. Fortunately, he was well-versed in these subjects from his previous studies, so it wouldn't be a problem now. For someone like him, who had consistently ranked in the top three on the Shanhai Honor Board, doing these questions was a piece of cake.

The exam time was two hours, but he finished in less than an hour, intentionally making a few mistakes to avoid drawing too much attention. In the practical competition, his human body wouldn't hold an advantage, so he needed to secure as many points as possible in the written test. As long as he made it to the top ten in the written test, his overall score would be secure.

To avoid attracting too much attention, Wei Huan had been sitting in his seat, seemingly lost in thought and occasionally reviewing recent events until the exam ended.

Once the exam was over, Wei Huan quickly descended the stairs. Yet, he couldn't shake the feeling that he had forgotten something important. It was an odd sensation, like a pencil mark that hadn't been completely erased.

Following this strange feeling, he adjusted his pace and circled around to the back of the spiral staircase. This area was quite narrow, filled with various items from Bunyu Building, and illuminated by only a dim overhead light, silently filling the cramped space.

He stood still for a moment, and the rhythm of his heartbeat subtly changed once again.

Suddenly, Wei Huan recalled that this was where he and Yun Yongzhuo had been punished to face the wall together. Back then, he had forced Yun Yongzhuo to speak to him here, even if it was just a single word, "shut up."

Approaching the wall, Wei Huan lowered his head and saw some words he had written earlier.

[Are you really angry right now?]

[How about we play a game of rock-paper-scissors? The loser has to pluck a feather from the other's wings. Your wings do look like those of a little swan, quite pretty~]

[Just keep me company for a while. Being unable to talk is really boring.]

[You wait; next time, I'll make you face the same punishment with me!]

[Star Axis Year 28, 3:45:17 PM, in the Ninth Phoenix Family, the only son of the Bei Ji Tian Gui Clan, Wei Huan, died at Shanhai Bunyu Building. Cause of death: Yun Yongzhuo, the youngest son of the Penglai Sea Jinwu Family, didn't talk to him, and he was bored to death. Final wish: Punish Yun Yongzhuo to live in eternal solitude, never to speak to anyone again, and use the most precious possessions as offerings to the Little Ninth Phoenix, living each day in guilt.]