"Ah Xin, you're so capable, why don't you take the Canon Law School exam? I've heard that the Canon Law School doesn't differentiate between commoners and nobles, it's a gift from the Grand Governor to everyone." Xueyin tilted her head and said, in her eyes, her brother was the best person in the world, and Governor Luthor was the person she admired most. "Is what he said about life being equal true?"
"I don't know, your question is too big." Li Xin undid Xueyin's slightly messy braid and then retied it into a cute braid. He's practiced this for a long time; it makes her eyes appear bigger.
Seeing Li Xin not responding, Xueyin pouted, "Ah Xin, you should believe in yourself. They all say that entering the Canon Law School can change one's destiny."
Li Xin was amused and tapped Lin Xueyin's head. "You don't know much, but you sure say a lot. The Canon Law School isn't that easy to get into."
"How do you know it's not possible if you don't try? Mom has been asking you to go for the past two years. Why won't you go?"
Li Xin smiled, "Okay, okay, I'll give it a try when I get the chance."
It's not a place you can go just because you want to. Commoners can, but do people from the Underground City count as commoners? There's no need to explain so much to Xueyin.
The Underground City of Celestial City has its rules, but the public order isn't great. Human society always has a few oppressing the many, especially noticeable in the impoverished Underground City. However, the area near Li Xin's home has always been harmonious. Mainly because Li Xin once dealt with troublemakers and those collecting protection fees, and it was known he had awakened his Spiritual Ability and was quite strong.
Once you awaken your Spiritual Ability, you're no longer considered an ordinary person, and most people wouldn't dare provoke you. To ensure everything was foolproof, since Li Xin often went hunting and couldn't always be at home, he arranged to have a very detailed conversation with the boss of the area's biggest gang, the Hearts Club, on a moonless night. Finally, Li Xin's sincerity "moved" the boss, who was also reasonable. Li Xin's requests were very "reasonable," and thus a tacit understanding was formed. The area near Li Xin's home became particularly harmonious. Although the environment was a bit rough, it was somewhat a joyous land where one earned based on labor. Everyone occasionally found some work with Aunt Fei. People here were poor but not foolish.
The life of the family of three wasn't luxurious, but it was sufficient.
Besides hunting, Li Xin also worked part-time delivering letters or parcels around the area, making him a renowned courier in Blackwater, known for safety. He also occasionally handled minor disputes.
Li Xin patted Lin Xueyin's head. The full name of the Canon Law School is the Celestial Martial Divine Strategy Canon Law School, originally the Knight Academy, later reformed and expanded with funding from the City Hall and the Church. It mainly recruited young people who awakened their Spiritual Ability and also covered Hex-Tech, arts, history, and other areas. It transitioned from catering only to nobles and the wealthy to being open to all citizens of Celestial City.
In fact, there were ways to deal with Li Xin's situation, but the current family situation was just manageable. This stability was because of him. If he left, Aunt Fei and Xueyin's life wouldn't be as easy, and over time, problems would arise, not to mention the expensive tuition fees.
From Celestial City, you could take the sewers directly to Blackwater. Both of them were familiar with lifting the manhole cover. Little Xueyin jumped down skillfully, but fortunately, Li Xin caught her steadily below. The little girl giggled happily. To someone her age, everything was a game.
The underground pipes were extremely complicated, and with various expansions and renovations by residents of the Underground City over time, they became barely recognizable. In some ways, this was also to counteract the city above. Not getting lost in such a winding place was a skill. After wandering around the city with Xueyin, as the sky gradually darkened, the little girl, previously full of joy, fell asleep on Li Xin's back, exhausted. It was clear she liked the city. Every time she entered the city, her eyes sparkled, though she didn't say anything about it. The little girl was very sensible; at her age, she already knew people were different. She had seen the disdain in the eyes of kids her age from the city.
Li Xin had considered moving to the city, but the cost of living there was something they couldn't afford, and there were other unresolved issues.
Finding a suitable pipe, Li Xin returned to the Underground City with Xueyin skillfully. The red moon's glow was intense, providing much light to the city, but little to the Underground City. The sewer smelled unpleasant, and under the moonlight, it emitted a peculiar glow, characteristic of Hex-Tech sewage. Even when boiled, this water was poisonous. However, during the earlier formation of the Underground City, it was consumed in this way. People had no choice but to use simple filtering methods; humble folks didn't think too much.
A glimmer of light flashed in the shadows, followed by a rustling sound accompanied by squeaking noises. A rat scurried a bit away, then returned, eyeing the humans. They were not afraid; some humans lived worse off than the rats.
There were people in the city who, after falling on hard times, would rather live in the city's sewers than leave. A few boards and newspapers constituted a home, and when one person left, another would take their place, usually not for long. Even so, they were unwilling to go to the Underground City, as if in doing so, they wouldn't have left the city.
Xueyin slept soundly, smacking her little lips, evidently still craving the little sugar figurine. She knew the family's situation wasn't good, so she only asked to go to the city to eat sweets once a month. Beforehand, she'd put on a bit of an act, so even if refused, she wouldn't be too disappointed.