Outside the Martial Arts Hall, everyone watched the scene unfold with their mouths agape.
No one had expected Phoenix to choose to end her life in this manner.
"She’s dead, does that mean Tang Fei has become number one? Is Tang Fei going to enter the White Crane Academy now?"
"A freshman has actually secured the top spot in the assessment and is entering the White Crane Academy; how can this even be explained?"
"I have a feeling that something’s not quite right. The Princess gathered everyone at the base of Snow Peak; could it have been deliberate? So many participants had yet to compete fairly and were buried by the avalanche..."
"It shouldn’t be like that, the Princess didn’t know there would be an avalanche, and besides, she got buried too..."
"People can have evil intentions, Tang Fei saved the Princess’s life, and there were even rumors about them..."
"Tang Fei was also rumored to have a scandal with Mr. Sheng, it even trended online, you believe that? The Princess simply suggested using the sonic wave technique to summon everyone, who knew that guy would roar so loudly..."
"It’s all Chu Xiong’s fault, if he hadn’t overdone his Lion’s Roar, causing the avalanche, the others wouldn’t have been buried..."
"I had high hopes for Chu Xiong; his strength was formidable... a seed player of our cohort..."
"I had my bets on Chen Botao... it’s a pity, he didn’t even get the chance to fight..."
"Tang Fei got lucky..."
"I’m not convinced, this year’s assessment results are unfair..."
After a brief silence, various analyses and debates ensued.
Everyone had their own speculations, each with their own standpoint.
Little Fatty wore the same dazed expression, muttering to himself as he watched the big screen: "Sister Phoenix is dead... Sister Phoenix has killed herself..."
"Isn’t this the best outcome?" Sheng Xinhua, with her arms crossed, said expressionlessly, "They all got what they wanted..."
She had expected this outcome; when Phoenix said she would participate in this assessment, she already knew what Phoenix was planning.
After all those years together, she knew her best friend and confidante all too well.
Phoenix had no interest in the acceptance offer from the White Crane Academy; the Imperial First Military Academy was a far better fit for her.
This was why all the Princes and Princesses chose the Military Academy or Naval Academy, except for the few who were obsessed with Martial Arts without any political ambition...
"What did Sister Phoenix want?" Little Fatty asked.
Seeing the glance Sheng Xinhua gave him, Little Fatty snapped out of it and blurted out, "My brother is number one? Can he enter the White Crane Academy now?"
"If the White Crane Academy doesn’t change its rules, there shouldn’t be a problem..." Sheng Xinhua said, "But recruitment at the White Crane Academy values strength as well as virtue... If they think your conduct during the assessment was poor, they can still exclude you from entry."
"Ah? Is that even possible?" Little Fatty’s eyes widened.
His brother and Sister Phoenix had spent so much time and effort, overcoming many challenges to finally clinch the top spot.
If White Crane Academy decided against it, he would definitely fight them...
With the Skull Hammer, he would smash their academy to bits.
Little Fatty wasn’t foolish; he knew he couldn’t beat them at the moment.
"Why couldn’t it be?" Sheng Xinhua scoffed, "Truth is in the hands of the few, as are the rules. Some abide by the rules, others set them. For the White Crane Academy, Xuanyuan Mingjing is the one who sets the rules. Whether Tang Fei can enter White Crane is entirely up to him."
"Who he wants to recruit, how many he wants to recruit, it’s all his decision alone. Shen Xinglan didn’t even take part in the assessments, and he personally went to his home to invite him..."
"So, it all depends on whether he likes Tang Fei or not."
"What if he doesn’t?" asked Little Fatty, anxious.
"Then they’ll admit the runner-up."
"Is Sister Phoenix the runner-up?"
"Yes," Sheng Xinhua nodded.
Shen Xinglan looked at Tang Fei and Phoenix sitting opposite each other on the icy field, a bitter smile on his lips: "Did it really have to come to this? Why go to such lengths?"
His eyes rested on Tang Fei’s face, and he murmured softly, "Is it truly you?"
At that moment, a disciple of the academy approached and said, "Xing Lan, the Dean is asking for you."
"Alright," Shen Xinglan nodded and said, "Tell the Dean I will be there shortly."
After one last glance at the big screen, he turned and left.
Xuanyuan Mingjing was sitting under the grapevine in the courtyard, drinking tea at the height of grape season – sipping his tea and plucking grapes from the vine to taste.
It was a scene of comfort and contentment akin to that of immortals.
"Master," Shen Xinglan bowed to Xuanyuan Mingjing.
"Hmm. Are the results out?" Xuanyuan Mingjing asked, tossing a grape into his mouth.
"Is it that person you cared about?" Xuanyuan Mingjing inquired.
Tang Fei lowered his head, staring blankly at the dagger in his hand.
The dagger was in his hand, and his hand was in Phoenix’s hand.
She grasped the dagger in his hand and plunged it into her heart...
Phoenix, already heavily injured from being buried alive by the avalanche.
The moment the blade pierced her, her life was extinguished, her vitality plummeting to zero.
Her body fell forward, but with the dagger still embedded in her, it served as a sturdy support.