Chapter 226: Spirit Platform

Earth-Moon Academy.

Shengshan, beneath the Earth-Moon stone carving.

Shen Xi stood alone, hands clasped behind his back, expression indifferent.

The surroundings were empty and silent, not a soul in sight.

Yet Shen Xi suddenly spoke: "Have all the new students been settled?"

As his words ended.

The air around him twisted.

A figure stepped forth, standing shoulder to shoulder with Shen Xi.

"Settled."

The figure replied, "One of this year's new students is a young prince—hard to please."

Shen Xi's face remained calm. "Logically, their offspring shouldn't need to come here for training."

"Let's drop it."

The figure shook his head. "Rather, how come you went to Long Gong again?"

Shen Xi sneered. "I didn't go. That was my Luck Avatar, dispatched at the Great Zhou Court's request to court the Sacred Selection."

The figure said, "Your Luck Avatar isn't just you?"

Shen Xi shook his head. "It's been too deeply corrupted by Great Zhou's destiny. Aside from shared memories, most of its actions now favor the Great Zhou Court."

The two walked to the edge of Shengshan, gazing down at the distant patches of mountains and lands.

"Shen Xi, I heard you're planning to stay again during this personnel rotation—is that true?"

The figure finally voiced his doubt: "For the past hundred years, you've always chosen to stay and guard the gate. You've never once considered leaving. Why?"

By normal standards.

Academy staff rotate every ten years.

From the seventy prefectures on the surface, Shen Palace cultivators are selected to serve as instructors.

But Shen Xi, every single rotation, has voluntarily requested to remain.

A hundred years have passed.

Except for one trip to the Moon Realm.

Shen Xi has almost never left this place.

"It's quieter here—better for cultivation."

Shen Xi replied.

For this answer,

the figure beside him was clearly unsatisfied: "Your cultivation is profound—we all admire it. But if you've discovered some spiritual insight, don't hide it."

Shen Xi, as an unparalleled prodigy of the Shen Palace Realm,

has cultivation so close to the Spirit Platform Realm.

To outsiders, every move he makes seems laden with meaning.

Within the Earth-Moon Academy, rumors have persisted for a century.

Shen Xi discovered a secret to glimpsing the Spirit Platform Realm in the Second Realm.

The rumor claims this is why he voluntarily chose to stay.

Every time personnel rotated, he never left the academy's world.

For a time, these rumors spread wildly.

Under the weight of gossip,

some Shen Palace cultivators, resentful, reported the matter to the Earth Alliance.

They swore Shen Xi had found a shortcut to glimpsing the Spirit Platform Realm in the Second Realm.

Shen Xi's status was unique—he was one of Earth-Moon's four realms' Spirit Platform seedlings, under intense scrutiny.

Finally, a Spirit Platform being personally inquired.

Demanding Shen Xi give a proper reason for remaining in the Second Realm.

Not long after,

the Spirit Platform being declared outright: Shen Xi had found no shortcut.

And Shen Xi's explanation was equally sufficient.

The rumors vanished instantly.

All doubters fell silent.

Since then,

Shen Xi has remained year after year in the academy's world, never leaving again.

"If I told you,"

"I've discovered a shortcut to glimpsing the Spirit Platform Realm,"

"would you believe me?"

Shen Xi turned his head, looking at the figure beside him.

The figure froze, then sneered: "Don't joke."

Shen Xi smiled too, as if mocking himself.

"Actually,"

"I'm waiting for someone."

Shen Xi suddenly said, "She's my wife."

The figure raised an eyebrow. "Are you telling a fairy tale?"

Shen Xi smiled. "Over the past decade, you've been the one I've connected with most. If you want to know, I'll tell you."

The figure nodded. "I'm all ears."

(End of Chapter)