Am I too Lucky?

Three more years have since passed, and I am now ten years old. 

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The distant echo of hooves approaching the entrance. A carriage slowly came into view. The time for me to depart to the academy has arrived. Naturally, my parents are sad- as one can tell from their loud cries. 

"My baby is all grown up now!" Mother cried out, tears streaming down her face. Even though Father tried to keep his composure, I knew he'd probably find a corner to sob in as soon as I left this house.

For a family renowned as one of the strongest in the Upper Realm, most people might assume we're rigid and cold, casting out anyone who doesn't fit the family standard. But moments like this would shatter that belief. Despite our status, we're surprisingly down-to-earth- almost like a regular family living a quiet life in the countryside. It's... odd when you think about it.

The sound of the horses' hooves hitting the ground came to a halt and a man with long, orange hair stepped out of the carriage and walked toward us. "Sir Xingyun, I assume?" he asked, saluting with a cupped fist. 

I quickly saluted back toward him, "Yes that is correct. I apologize for my rudeness, but who are you? I was under the impression that my butler was the one taking me to the academy."

The man responded, "Haha, no offense taken. In light of recent circumstances which you need not concern yourself with, the Academy Head has ordered all instructors to travel and bring back the students themselves."

Ah, so this man is to be my instructor. Judging by his aura, he's at least a Nascent Soul realm cultivator, though his exact level, I have no clue.

"I understand, Instructor. I trust your journey here went smoothly. I have everything I need with me in my storage ring, including my sword. I'm ready to depart. May I ask for Sir Instructor's name?"

Before the man could respond, my Father pat me on the shoulder with a hearty laugh. "His name is Luo Jianfeng. We were comrades during my academy days. You'll learn a great deal under his guidance."

Father then turned to Instructor Jianfeng, grinning widely. "Long time no see, Jianfeng! How's Bai Xuanye? Is the Academic Director still the same old grandpa? And are you marri-"

Instructor Jianfeng's face conveyed a sense of awkwardness, and therefore I did what any righteous person would do, and decided to elbow my Father in the gut. A silent but effective message: one does not ask one of the forbidden questions.

I bowed slightly in apology. "I beg your pardon for my Father's behavior, Instructor Jianfeng. I'll head to the carriage now."

Turning to face my family, I addressed them firmly. "Father, Mother, I'll be leaving for the academy now. Please refrain from sending an excessive number of letters or people to check on me. I promise to visit when I can, but I'll be staying there for some time."

Kneeling briefly, I patted my younger siblings—a mischievous pair of twins—on the head. "Take care, you two. Next time you see me, I might even be stronger than Father!"

Father's scoff was immediate. "In your dreams, boy! Do you have any idea the blood, sweat, and tears it took to reach my level? Let me tell you—"

The rest of his words faded as I stepped into the carriage, shutting the door behind me.

Instructor Jianfeng, standing nearby, gave my Father a swift bow. "It's been a pleasure to see you again, Tianho, but I am short on time. I have other students to collect before dusk. I'll ensure your son's safety and growth while he's under my care."

As he turned to leave, Jianfeng shot my Father a pointed glance. "And for the record, Tianho, don't overwhelm the academy with letters. I know your personality and trust me, your son won't appreciate it either."

My Father made a face of disappointment, screaming, "You won't be able to stop me from sending letters! Maybe I ought to go there myself to see who will stop me from talking to my son!"

The sound of the carriage door closing cut off his voice.

The instructor's amused voice brought my attention back. "Phew. Your Father's quite the character, isn't he? Anyway, allow me to formally introduce myself. I am Luo Jianfeng, but you will address me as Instructor or Master Jianfeng. For the next few years, I'll oversee your education and training. First, I will need some information."

Instructor Jianfeng pulled out a sheet of paper with fields to input information- also known as a forum in my old world. I didn't expect to see something like this here.

"Now then, Xingyun, let's begin. I'll need the following details: your height, weight, cultivation level, the Dao you pursue, and your current mastery within that Dao."

"Uh.. alright... I am 150cm (4'11), 88.9 jin (44.45kg, 98lbs). I'm currently in the second stage of Foundation Establishment, and I am pursuing the Sword Dao. My mastery level is at the first stage, with high proficiency."

Instructor Jianfeng nodded, scribbling down the details on his sheet. "Alright, thank you. I know these questions might seem a bit mundane, but all my students go through this assessment every semester. It helps me tailor their training. Additionally, although the academy is primarily focused on swords, we do instruct the Dao in spears, sabers, daggers, bows, axes, etc. "

He paused, then glanced at me with raised eyebrows. "That said, I'm surprised to hear you're already in the second stage of Foundation Establishment. Has Tianho been feeding you Qi pills every day?"

"Not that I'm aware of," I replied, my tone genuine. "I've been cultivating for about three and a half years now. Isn't that a normal rate of progression?"

There was a moment of silence, followed by a low chuckle. "Surely you jest. The average cultivator doesn't reach Foundation Establishment until they've spent at least six years in Qi Refining! And most don't even start proper cultivation until they're around your age. Are you sure there's nothing you're not telling me?"

I shook my head firmly. "I promise, I'm being honest. I've only been cultivating it as an auxiliary practice to complement my sword training. So far, I haven't taken it too seriously, nor have I been provided with any specialized techniques."

Instructor Jianfeng's jaw dropped, his expression caught somewhere between disbelief and admiration, "Well... you're his son alright. Perhaps you're an even greater monster than he is. I wonder how strong you'll become if you're provided with a proper cultivation technique. You have the Shi family sword technique on you I presume?"

"Yes, Instructor Jianfeng," I replied confidently. "I've fully memorized and mastered the basics of all 256 movements."

The instructor blinked, visibly stunned, before breaking into a wry laugh. "Well, I'll be. Your Father didn't master all 256 movements until he was fourteen. Looks like you've already outpaced him in some ways." He knocked on the carriage walls, signaling to start moving.

The rhythmic sound of hooves on the road filled the air.

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