"Brother Lu, I brought you some books," Dongfang Dan said merrily as he hopped up and down, grabbing a few introductory literacy books from the bookshelf and placing them in front of Lin Xiaolu and Xiao Yuer. Lin Xiaolu nodded Satisfied, indicating that the chubby kid had good eyesight.
The other children in the study hall just watched quietly, not daring to speak. Chen Nianyun, a junior fellow, also just silently flipped through his textbook. He had already developed psychological trauma from Lin Xiaolu.
In the study hall, Lin Xiaolu flipped through the textbooks on the table. Unable to recognize the words, he just glanced at them before becoming bored. He chatted and laughed merrily with his sister, while Dongfang Dan sat behind them, occasionally flattering them, making quite a lively scene.
In contrast to their laughter and chatter, the other students were quiet and did not dare make a peep, making the atmosphere extremely oppressive, like a funeral parlor, deadly silent.
Fortunately, not long after, Elder Yang walked into the study hall right on time, allowing the other children to breathe a sigh of relief.
After entering the room, Elder Yang, with a full head of silver hair, walked to a catalpa wood desk and first glanced at Lin Xiaolu and Xiao Yuer sitting by the window. Seeing they were both present, he nodded approvingly, then smiled at the children, "Let's start morning lessons."
Upon hearing this, the children stood up in unison. Lin Xiaolu and Xiao Yuer also followed suit and stood up with the others.
Then, the group of children bowed and shouted in unison, "Good morning, Master!"
Elder Yang also smiled and bowed in return, "Good morning, students!"
After that, siblings Lin Xiaolu and Xiao Yuer began their first lesson in life.
To be honest, Lin Xiaolu didn't understand anything the teacher said throughout the entire time. After all, this was the first lesson for him and his sister, while Elder Yang was teaching according to the curriculum for the other students. Naturally, they couldn't understand it.
So, not long after the lesson started, Lin Xiaolu laid his head on the table and fell asleep. Xiao Yuer also rested her head on the table, doodling randomly with the brush hanging from the pen holder. She even drew a few strokes on her sleeping brother's face, then covered her mouth to quietly laugh at her brother's cat-faced drawing.
Elder Yang noticed all this, of course, but he didn't stop her. He knew the siblings had no foundation and couldn't possibly understand his current curriculum. Therefore, he didn't say anything and just continued leading the other students in reciting poems.
After taking the students through the words and poetic verses to be taught today, Elder Yang waved his hand for them to copy and review on their own.
Then he strode over to the siblings.
By now, Xiao Yuer had almost filled her brother's face with drawings - little white rabbits, chicks, ducklings, sparrows, everything imaginable. She was happily drawing away when she suddenly saw Elder Yang approaching. She looked up at him with her pink little face.
Elder Yang also looked at her. Seeing the elder staring at her, Xiao Yuer, with her hair in little buns, felt a bit scared. She handed the brush to him and timidly asked, "Teacher, do you want to draw too?"
The old man was both angry and amused. He helplessly shook his head at Xiao Yuer, then knocked on Lin Xiaolu's desk,
"Knock knock."
The boy didn't wake up.
The elder had no choice but to knock harder, "Knock knock knock."
"Oh, Xiao Yuer, stop messing around," Lin Xiaolu mumbled, changing positions and continuing to snore away, even starting to snort.
Seeing this, the surrounding children could hardly hold back their laughter. Their faces turned red from restraining themselves.
Elder Yang was also quite angry. He no longer held back, grabbing the boy by the ear and pulling up sharply.
"Owww, oww, it hurts!" Lin Xiaolu immediately jolted awake, yelling in pain.
Elder Yang let go, glaring at him in annoyance, "You two, come with me to the next study hall to learn words."
"Oh, okay," Lin Xiaolu rubbed his ear and reluctantly followed along with his sister.
After entering the empty next-door study hall, Elder Yang had them take their seats. Then he began giving the siblings private lessons, starting from the most basic curriculum, teaching some fundamental words.
Unexpectedly, the elder discovered that the siblings' literacy speed was very fast. They could be described as quite clever. Before long, they could silently write some of the basic words he taught.
Especially Lin Xiaolu, he seemed to be very intuitive. His mind turned fast. For example, when Elder Yang taught them to recognize the word "bright," he had them guess what it meant. Having just learned the words for sun and moon, Lin Xiaolu immediately guessed it meant the sun and moon together, making everything especially bright - very perceptive.
Watching the siblings concentrating on learning to write at their desks, a hint of appreciation flashed in the elder's eyes.
They were a couple of fine saplings, it was just a pity the boy was too unruly. He would still need strict discipline in the future.
Gradually, the sun hung high in the sky, sunlight flooding Emei Peak. It was noon, so the elder stopped teaching and let the siblings go eat.
The Literacy Hall had a special dining area where students could eat lunch.
Therefore, after class, Lin Xiaolu took his sister to the dining hall here.
The dining hall wasn't much different from Communicate Demon and Pluck Stars Sect, just a bit smaller. There were also outer sect disciples working as waiters.
At the moment, the first floor courtyard of the dining hall was filled with junior fellows who had come to eat. They gathered in groups, laughing and playing around.
"Brother Lu, Sister Yuer," the chubby Dongfang Dan suddenly ran over, "Brother Lu, I found a good spot for you and Sister Yuer. Let's eat together at noon?"
Lin Xiaolu looked at him, then curiously looked up at the private rooms on the second floor and asked doubtfully,
"Don't we inner sect disciples all eat in the private rooms upstairs? How come everyone is eating in the first floor courtyard?"
"Oh, that's because the Literacy Hall students are all inner sect disciples, so here, everyone is the same. There is no division between first and second floors. All the inner sect disciples eat here," Dongfang Dan explained.
"Then let's go upstairs," Lin Xiaolu said.
"The second floor is now exclusively used by the Spirit Sword Branch," Dongfang Dan quickly replied, "Of the Nine Sects of Emei, the Spirit Sword Branch is the most powerful sect, and they also have the most students.
So originally, the second floor was for public use, but it has gradually been occupied by Chen Nianyun and the Spirit Sword Branch students to demonstrate their sect's superiority. Other than those they invite, no one else can go up."
Lin Xiaolu was surprised, "So arrogant? They occupied public rooms for private use?"
"Very normal, Brother Lu. The Spirit Sword Branch is excellent," Dongfang Dan acted as if it was matter of course.
Hearing this, Lin Xiaolu didn't say anything more. He nodded and then turned to walk up the wooden stairs.
Xiao Yuer obediently followed behind him.
Seeing this, Dongfang Dan was stunned at first, then seemed to think of something and excitedly caught up.
At this moment, in the second floor private room, the ten-year-old Chen Nianyun sat in the master seat with a displeased expression, carefully tasting the exquisite food before him.
Beside him also sat four other Spirit Sword Branch students, as well as Yu Chuchu who had been invited.
"Elder Brother Nianyun, you don't need to care about those little mongrels," one fellow said, "You were born with the Indestructible Sword Body physique. In the future, you will surely become the chief senior disciple of the Spirit Sword Branch, or even the Spirit Sword Elder. When that little Lin Xiaolu sees you in the future, won't he have to walk around you?"
"That's right, Eldest Brother Nianyun. Why bother with those wild kids?" Yu Chuchu gently comforted, "They are just swaggering around arrogantly for now since we haven't officially started cultivating yet. In the future when you formally begin cultivating, people like him won't even be in the same realm as you."