The entire venue boiled with excitement!
The captain of the East Courtyard Sword Team, who was known as the "Number One of the East Courtyard," Captain Goo, had personally extended an invitation to a Yellow Character Disciple!
It was certainly the most unbelievable event at Heavenly Position Academy in nearly a hundred years.
Normally, even an Earth Character Disciple might not qualify to join the second team of any court’s Sword Team, yet Ling Feng was merely a Yellow Character Disciple, and Captain Goo invited him to join the first team directly!
He Zhonglei, who Ling Feng had slapped into confusion, wheezed as he struggled to his feet from the ground, and hearing Captain Goo’s decision, his eyes widened in disbelief, "Based on his merit? He can join the Sword Team directly? And the first team at that? How short-handed must your East Courtyard Sword Team be?"
He Zhongjie immediately yanked him by the neck, scaring He Zhonglei into shrinking back, not daring to talk nonsense anymore.
It’s better to be careful when speaking in front of Captain Goo.
This fellow, with a stature like a Great Ape, once he strikes, the result is uncontrollable!
"Hmph, even if Ling Feng is just a Yellow Character Disciple, didn’t he beat your West Courtyard folks until they couldn’t even find their teeth?" Qin Wanwan snorted, retorting sharply.
He Zhonglei was immediately choked up, stammering for a long while, unable to let out even a fart.
Ling Feng took a deep look at Captain Goo. Although he had already clearly declined Captain Goo’s offer last time, after being reminded by Yan Cangtian, he had decided to join the East Courtyard Sword Team!
He wanted to meet higher level champions, and without a doubt, the East Courtyard Sword Team was an excellent stepping stone.
"So, Ling Feng, have you made up your mind?" Captain Goo’s piercing eyes stared at Ling Feng.
His eyes carried full sincerity, even a plea.
"Ling Feng, please, you must join us no matter what!"
Seeing that Ling Feng had not replied for a long time, Gong Cheng gritted his teeth and stepped forward, "Perhaps you don’t know, but for students like us who are already twenty-three or twenty-four years old, this year may be the last chance we have to represent the East Courtyard in the team sword fighting competition."
Gong Cheng paused, his eyes slightly reddening, "After this year, Captain Goo must leave Heavenly Position Academy, perhaps to join the Black Armor Forbidden Army, or enter the court. He won’t have many more opportunities! But you, you are his hope. In this last year before he leaves Heavenly Position Academy, let our East Courtyard Sword Team, at the Five Academy Sword Team competition, defeat a strong team! This is Captain Goo’s wish, and it’s also my wish!"
Ling Feng was stunned, looking at these two tall men, he felt their dedication to the Sword Dao.
That dedication, deep-rooted in their bones, was truly touching.
"I actually didn’t mean to refuse." Ling Feng smiled lightly, a smile that let Captain Goo and Gong Cheng understand his decision.
"Ha ha, good lad, you definitely won’t make the wrong choice!" Captain Goo stretched out a large hand and heavily patted Ling Feng’s shoulder, nearly dislocating it.
"Captain, our East Courtyard Sword Team has hope this year!" Gong Cheng was also immensely excited, his eyes flashing with an exuberant light.
"Ridiculous!" He Zhongjie muttered under his breath, his eyes flashing with disdain.
Recruiting just a Ling Feng, what could it possibly change?
Captain Goo was indeed very strong, but within the East Courtyard Sword Team, only Captain Goo was formidable; the other members were inconsistent!
In the five-person team sword competition, a single Captain Goo couldn’t play a decisive role.
Especially when facing the strong teams from North Courtyard and Central Courtyard, there were three or four evil swordsmen of Captain Goo’s caliber within their sword teams.
Perhaps they might not match Captain Goo individually, but with a perfect coordination, cutting down the East Courtyard’s battle flag was enough for them to win the match. Captain Goo, despite his immense strength, could only taste defeat again and again.
Now, even after recruiting a Ling Feng, and even if he did indeed possess talent, with only about half a year left until the big competition of the Five Academies Sword Team, could he really grow enough to contend with those "monsters" who had opened over fifty meridians?
To He Zhongjie, that was preposterous, utterly ridiculous.
Forget the North Courtyard Sword Team and the Central Courtyard Sword Team, even their own West Courtyard Sword Team, with good cooperation, could easily send the East Courtyard Sword Team home in defeat!
"Hmph, it’s nothing but a desperate attempt, just Ling Feng alone, he’s insignificant!"
He Zhongjie forcefully suppressed the rage within him. With Captain Goo defending Ling Feng, he dared not mention anything more about the deathmatch arena.
In the crowd, Lee Bufan was clearly intimidated by Captain Goo’s powerful presence. He had always known that Heavenly Position Academy was a place full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers, but only after truly joining did he realize that there were even more masters here than he had imagined!
"Bufan, it seems that Ling Feng should be out of danger now. Having Captain Goo step in is a hundred times more effective than if I did," said Lee Bujue with a light smile. He was also an A-class Disciple of the East Courtyard, but unfortunately, his talent was not as monstrous as his younger brother’s, hence he wasn’t a member of the East Courtyard Sword Team.
"Mm," Lee Bufan nodded slightly, his interest in the East Courtyard Sword Team suddenly deepening.
In fact, it was more of a feeling of covert rivalry with Ling Feng. Since Ling Feng had joined the East Courtyard Sword Team, he too must join it!
Just then, from the back of the crowd, a surge of excitement erupted, and numerous people began exclaiming as if a "plague" was spreading rapidly.
"It’s... it’s the number one beauty of the Central Courtyard coming!"
"My god, she really is beautiful! Is she a fairy descending from the Nine Heavens?"
"Is that Yue Yunlan, the young mistress of the Cangqiong Sect? I heard she went on a mission and thought we wouldn’t see her, but she actually came!"
"Haha, we’re truly in for a treat today, having seen so many beauties, but still, the number one beauty of the Central Courtyard, Yue Yunlan, outshines them all!"
Hearing this, Ling Feng also couldn’t help but turn around.
It wasn’t so much because of how exceptionally beautiful the woman was described by the crowd, but rather because of the words "Yue Yunlan."
Wen Tingguang had mentioned in his last letter to Ling Feng that Yue Yunlan would soon be returning to Heavenly Position Academy. It seemed she must have just returned.
Under the gaze of countless eyes, Yue Yunlan moved with a graceful ’Lotus Step,’ slowly approaching from the edge of the square.
With her slender figure and her elegant demeanor, from afar, she appeared like a fairy untouched by the mundane world.
Following closely behind her was a charming and cute young girl, naturally her maid who was like a sister to her, Qiaoqiao.