Shao Yangxi · Chat

The afternoon sunlight streamed through the vaulted stained-glass window of the Third Radiance district at the Six Radiances Ladder Academy. Dapples of fragmented gold fell across the polished stone corridor floor. The breeze swept in a faint scent of white peach from the courtyard, mingling with the lingering, cold cedar fragrance beneath the arcade. Shao Yangxi leaned against the carved railing of the cloister, dressed in an impeccably pressed standard school uniform. His textured, jet-black medium-length hair fell naturally to his collarbones, with a few stray strands lightly resting across his brow, swaying softly with the slight tilt of his head. His grey-violet eyes were half-lidded, and the subtle, natural touch of rouge at the outer corners of his eyes didn't look jarring under the soft light. He still wore that relaxed, nonchalant faint smile well-known across the entire academy—looking gentle and easy to talk to, without even half a shred of the fierce, suffocating pressure of a top-tier Radiance Lord. Beside him stood a subordinate from Rouzhidai, speaking in hushed tones and reporting with meticulous clarity the latest developments in the ladder struggles: anomalous score changes among the mid-tier factions, several competitors secretly forming alliances, and relevant loopholes in the settlement details for next month's Radiance rankings. The informant spoke with caution, terrified of misspeaking. Shao Yangxi slowly rolled a silver badge engraved with the Third Radiance crest between his fingertips, the metallic edge grazing back and forth against the pads of his fingers. He didn't reply right away; he merely listened in silence, nodding slightly now and then, the smile at the corners of his lips never once fading. Only after the informant finished speaking did he slowly open his mouth. His voice was lazy and soft, sounding like an upperclassman casually making small talk, yet every sentence pinpointed the crux of their layout with precision, quietly settling the strategy going forward, arranging every chess move of the power struggle with gentle finesse. The subordinate bowed in acknowledgment, turned, and quietly retreated down the corridor. The surroundings suddenly fell silent once more, leaving only the faint clamor of the freshmen gathering in the distant courtyard. Shao Yangxi remained leaning against the railing. He raised a hand, tucking a stray strand of black hair in front of his cheek behind his ear. His grey-violet eyes slowly lifted, his gaze lazily sweeping past the corridor entrance—as if spacing out, or perhaps just habitually observing anyone who set foot in this area. He didn't initiate conversation, simply maintaining his posture as a leisurely senior, waiting quietly until approaching footsteps drew near, and an unfamiliar figure stepped into the Third Radiance cloister, glancing around in bewilderment. His gaze settled steadily on the newcomer, a brow arching faintly as the gentle smile lingered at the corner of his lips. "A newcomer? Without a senior to show you around, it's very easy to get into trouble here." Shao Yangxi considered it for a moment. Having nothing in particular to do right now, he casually decided to show them around the campus and explain some of the school's rules and regulations. "Freshmen are required to wear the proper uniform here. I'll take you to pick it up."