The Name That Shocks: Dongfang Bubai Enters the Dormitory

Back in the day, Yang Guo, the Western Frenzy, originally hailed from the Grave School specialization within the Five Absolutes Academy’s junior division. The Grave School’s lightfoot martial arts were peerless, excelling at evasive maneuvers within a confined space. Since this fellow was a descendant of the Yang family, he was naturally adept at such techniques.

Even a formidable figure like Senior Sister Kang Qiao found herself unable to catch him.

The young man, while dodging Senior Sister Kang Qiao’s relentless pursuit, continued to wail and howl towards the girls’ dormitory building.

“Yiyi, why are you doing this to me! Why? I like you so much! You can’t do this! Yiyi, please say something to me, okay?” His feet moved with the wind, but his mouth was just as busy.

After he had carried on like this for some time, a window on the third floor suddenly burst open with a loud thud. A girl poked her head out and shouted down below.

“Yiyi said, Brother Yang, you’re a good person, but she likes Senior Brother Murong Fan from the West District. She told you to stop pestering her and just let it go!”

“No, that’s not true. Let Yiyi come out, let her tell me herself!” Yang Laoer wailed miserably, still scrambling for his life.

“Yiyi said she doesn’t want to see you. She said that since there’s no fate between you, there’s no need to meet again. She wishes you well!” The girl shouted once more, then pulled her head back and closed the window without a backward glance.

“No! Yiyi! Don’t!” Yang Laoer’s cries were heart-wrenching, yet his footwork grew even swifter and more unrestrained, as if he were venting his frustrations.

However, I couldn’t bring myself to feel much sympathy for this poor fellow, who had been rejected, and by proxy, no less. To my knowledge, this was already the twenty-third girl he had pursued since starting his undergraduate studies less than a semester ago.

Twenty-three girls, twenty-three rejection cards, twenty-three voices converging into one phrase: “Brother Yang, you’re a good person!”

****

Seeing that the young man was still relentlessly pestering, Senior Sister Kang Qiao finally lost her patience. With a whoosh, she tossed aside her broom, which was rumored to be capable of unleashing various exotic martial arts techniques like the Thunder Quake Block, Nine-toothed Rake, and Phoenix-wing Gold-plated Trident.

She then executed a ‘Golden Rooster Stands on One Leg’ stance, stabilizing her body. Reaching down, she brushed her kicking foot and unleashed her unique hidden weapon: a flying shoe!

The shoe she had just taken off shot out like a meteor chasing the moon, relentlessly pursuing Yang Laoer’s fleeing figure.

However, Yang Chun had spent a long time loitering around the girls’ dormitory. With his extensive experience in troublemaking, he naturally discerned that Senior Sister Kang Qiao’s current move was extremely difficult to counter. Moreover, he had already received his rejection, so there was no point in prolonging the entanglement.

Spotting the unfavorable situation, he turned and fled. It was said that a hooligan’s basic instinct was to run when things went south, and Yang Laoer was certainly no exception in this regard. His escape was swift and decisive; with a quick turn of his body, he dodged the incoming shoe.

Unfortunately, Senior Sister Kang Qiao’s hidden weapon technique was known as the “Mandarin Duck Butterfly Shoes,” always coming in pairs, a double strike. A fierce gust of wind whistled, and another shoe sole, catching him completely off guard, flew straight towards him.

Yang Laoer had just exhaled a breath of true qi, leaving him momentarily unable to follow up or dodge. With a *smack*, the shoe sole landed squarely on the back of his head!

Though this young man didn’t practice Iron Shirt or Golden Bell Shield techniques, his body had become steel-boned and iron-headed through countless beatings during his long career as a troublemaker. While the blow stung terribly, he thankfully didn’t pass out. Gritting his teeth, he accelerated his pace, vanishing from sight in the blink of an eye.

****

“Junior Sister, please forgive me for letting you witness such a scene right after you arrived…” After the commotion subsided, I finally walked calmly with Senior Sister Xiao Ru into the girls’ dormitory, a place I had longed for. She offered me a helpless, wry smile.

“Oh, I think it was fine, actually. Especially after seeing that the dormitory supervisor possesses such extraordinary martial arts skills, it actually makes me feel a bit more at ease!” Seeing her dejected expression, I immediately offered this comfort.

“That’s true. It’s said that when the dormitory supervisor was young, she was quite a formidable figure in the school! Truly incredibly powerful!” Senior Sister Xiao Ru spoke with a hint of wistful admiration.

“Oh, I see. I wonder what her name is? Perhaps I’ve heard of her before,” I casually replied, as if just making conversation.

“She, she is the famous Kang Qiao from back then! Her nickname, well, it’s a bit vulgar, but quite fitting! I wonder if you’ve heard of her deeds, Junior Sister? If not, I can tell you sometime! Eh…” Senior Sister Xiao Ru answered immediately.

“Thank you, Senior Sister!” I was idly responding when Senior Sister Xiao Ru, who had been climbing the stairs, suddenly stopped in her tracks. “Senior Sister, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing, I just suddenly realized I haven’t asked your name yet, Junior Sister?” She turned her head as if nothing were amiss, smiling as she asked.

However, this simple question sent a sudden chill down my spine, making me even more nervous than when I had faced the murderous aura of the ‘Descendants-Severing Kick’ moments ago.

‘What should I do? How should I tell her? Should I make up a name? Or give my original name? Or perhaps the name that’s about to be officially approved?’

‘But the name Dongfang Bubai, in the territory of Tianwu University, is truly a bit too shocking, isn’t it?’

“Junior Sister, what’s wrong? Is it inconvenient to say even this?” She pressed on, half-joking, half-curious.

Thoughts surged and wavered. ‘Since I’ll likely be living under the same roof eventually, even if I don’t say it now, it’s hard to guarantee it won’t be exposed later.’ With a fierce internal grit of my teeth, I made up my mind.

Then, I looked up at Senior Sister Xiao, who stood one step above me, and said with a calm smile in as level a voice as possible, “It’s not that it’s inconvenient, but I’m a little afraid of startling you, Senior Sister Xiao.”

“Haha, Junior Sister, you’re really interesting. It’s fine, I’ve always been bold, you won’t scare me!” Senior Sister Xiao Ru laughed heartily, then, as if playing along with my antics, she said earnestly.

“That’s good then…” I took a soft breath, trying to keep my voice calm as I chuckled, “My name is Dongfang Bubai!”

****

“You, what did you say? What did you say your name was?” The smile on Senior Sister’s face hadn’t faded, as if she hadn’t heard clearly.

“I said, my name is Dongfang Bubai. I hope for your guidance in the future, Senior Sister!” I said again, smiling.

“Hmm, Junior Sister, why did you have to choose such a name, sharing it with a… a *she-male*? Is it because your parents admire this kind of performance art? Or are you just teasing me?” This time, Senior Sister Xiao understood, but she still didn’t grasp the true meaning behind my words. Instead, she began to earnestly criticize my parents.

“It’s not like that. It’s just that this name was inherited from my Master. Master said that to inherit his mantle and cultivate the *Sunflower Manual*, I must bear this name!” I could have easily played dumb and glossed over the situation, but for some reason, I suddenly thought of Master. I remembered how he had entrusted his life to me, carefully passing down this name along with his lifelong cultivation. Suddenly, I didn’t want this name to be hidden or kept in the dark, so I answered truthfully.

“Junior Sister, you… you mean… you… the martial art you cultivate is… Sun… Sun… the *Sunflower Manual*?” Senior Sister Xiao Ru looked at me in disbelief, as if doubting her own ears.

“That’s right… Hmm, that’s also why Principal Dugu allowed me to be a special enrollment student in the Foreign Language Academy.” I took a breath and answered solemnly.

The Foreign Language Academy was the place where my father and Master had stayed. It had two main specializations under its banner: the Sun Moon Divine Cult and the Ming Cult. In a sense, it was my root, regardless of which side I belonged to.

“So, you, you are…” Hearing my explanation and the mention of Principal Dugu, she seemed to believe me somewhat. Then, she pointed at me, trembling with alarm. “Then, you… to cultivate this divine art, one must wield a blade against oneself… you… you, you’re a… a *man*… Ah, no… you, you’re not a girl?”

“That’s not the case at all, but I am indeed a girl, a genuine girl!” I smiled helplessly, answering truthfully.

“Impossible! I heard from the elders of the Xiao family that a female body absolutely cannot cultivate the *Sunflower Manual*. Otherwise, they would, well, it’s impossible!” She immediately retorted.

“The implications here are very complex and serious, so please forgive me for not being able to say more, Senior Sister. However, I am truly a girl… Whether you believe it or not, it’s getting late. Could you please quickly show me to my dormitory?” I sighed again, feeling that it was probably best not to easily tell others about the so-called yin-yang transformation, the turning of male into female. I could only be vague and try to change the subject.

“Impossible! How can I bring a person, well, *not a girl*, into the girls’ dormitory?” She stared at me, stating her point bluntly.

“Then, Senior Sister, how exactly can you believe me?” I asked calmly.

“Hmm? For me to believe you’re a girl, unless, unless…” At this point, Senior Sister’s face flushed, and her usually bold and spirited voice became somewhat bashful. “Unless you let me check, whether you’re a boy or a girl! Or, well, we’ll know if we check!”

Her request left me somewhat speechless, caught between laughter and tears. I initially thought of suggesting she call Principal Dugu directly, but then figured the old man might have already left for his nightlife. With no other option, I steeled my heart, thinking, ‘A check is a check. It’s not like I haven’t been checked before. It’s just taking off pants, right?’

“Since Senior Sister insists, I have no other choice. Please, then!” I replied innocently, then gestured towards the restroom at the stairwell.

Senior Sister’s cheeks were as red as ripe apples…