Time flew by. After Instructor Ruo Lin's visit that day, she did not come to bother Xiao Yao again.
After testing Xiao Yi Xian and Xun'er's strength and ages as well, she agreed to admit them to Jia Nan Academy.
Once recruitment was over, they would all leave for Jia Nan Academy together.
Xiao Yao informed the clan's upper ranks of the news so they could make preparations in advance, particularly for the medicinal herbs produced in the Xiao Clan's forbidden land.
After deciding to go to Jia Nan Academy, Xiao Yao gradually visited the forbidden land less often.
After years of transformation by Xiao Yao's Sun Power, the Xiao Clan's forbidden land could be considered a blessed land.
Medicinal herbs planted there enjoyed far better growing conditions than those outside.
Even without Xiao Yao stationed there, using the vitality of Sun Power to promote the herbs' growth,
as long as the Xiao Clan sent people to tend it properly, it could still produce a good number of medicinal herbs each year.
In the past, to conceal Xiao Yao's identity, the clan had waited until he left the Extreme Yang Land before sending people in to gather herbs, minimizing the chance of his identity being exposed.
That group consisted of the cultivation specialists the Xiao Clan had trained over the years. They were highly experienced and exceptionally capable.
They were also members of the Xiao Clan itself, so they were naturally trustworthy.
Xiao Yao also went to the Mittel Auction House in Wutan City to improve Ya Fei's talent and ask her to look after the Xiao Clan.
Ya Fei readily agreed. Before they parted, she was somewhat reluctant to see him go. She embraced Xiao Yao and gave him a dragonfly's fleeting kiss at the corner of his mouth.
"Little Brother Xiao Yao, have a safe journey. I believe that on this trip to Jia Nan Academy, you'll be like a dragon entering the sea and achieve great things!"
Xiao Yao reached out and put an arm around Ya Fei's waist. Smiling, he said, "Then I'll take Sister Ya Fei's kind words to heart. But it's a little unfair that only Sister Ya Fei got to kiss me. I want to kiss you back."
Ya Fei gave him a bashful, reproachful look, but still closed her eyes slightly, waiting for Xiao Yao to grace her with his favor.
Looking at those lush red lips, Xiao Yao felt his heartbeat quicken a little and gently kissed them.
They were soft and carried an enchanting fragrance, utterly intoxicating.
It was quite a while before Ya Fei gently pushed Xiao Yao away, her face red with embarrassment.
"All right, Little Brother Xiao Yao, are you satisfied now?"
Xiao Yao chuckled and nodded.
Ya Fei shot Xiao Yao a look of exquisite allure. It was as though it carried an electric charge, leaving his body tingling slightly.
"This is a parting gift for you."
Ya Fei placed a Storage Ring in Xiao Yao's palm, then gently pushed against his chest, ushering him out the door.
Bang!
Xiao Yao looked at the tightly closed door, then at the Storage Ring in his hand. A faint warmth lingered on it, and the little ring felt heavier than a thousand jin.
Xiao Yao took a deep breath and spoke softly to the door.
"Sister Ya Fei, until we meet again!"
Listening to the footsteps recede into the distance, Ya Fei opened the door a crack. Only after she saw Xiao Yao's back disappear around the corner did she murmur,
"Until we meet again."
The day after he said goodbye to Ya Fei was the day of departure.
Xiao Yao had made all the necessary arrangements, and the clan's upper ranks had already held a farewell banquet. Now, only a thin youth with a clear, handsome face stood beside him.
"Little Yanzi, now that your talent has returned, cultivate diligently. Don't waste it."
Xiao Yao gave him this reminder, and Xiao Yan nodded solemnly and firmly.
"Brother Yao, don't worry. I'll cultivate hard and won't let you down."
"Good. After I leave, Father will be in your care."
The brothers exchanged a few simple words, then bumped their fists together.
Xiao Yao then waved and left with the three girls, Xun'er, Xiao Yi Xian, and Xiao Yu.
Xiao Yan watched until the three figures disappeared. Only then did he take a deep breath, rally his spirits, and speak to Yao Lao in his heart.
Teacher, let's continue cultivating.
Yao Lao's cheerful voice arose in his heart.
"Your elder brother's talent was already outstanding. Now that he's entering Jia Nan Academy, I'm afraid he'll soar to the heavens in a single bound."
"Are you sure you still want to make him your goal?"
Hearing this, Xiao Yan grinned without the slightest hesitation.
"Of course. If I don't set myself a difficult goal, how can I spur myself onward?"
At that, Yao Lao let out a hearty laugh.
"Haha, good! Since my disciple has such grand ambitions, I, his teacher, must put my heart and soul into teaching him."
Yao Lao did have his own selfish reasons for encouraging Xiao Yan like this. Only by setting a sufficiently daunting goal would Xiao Yan be more likely to choose to cultivate the Flame Mantra.
But he also hoped that Xiao Yan could become a true expert!
Yao Lao had been through it all, after all, and knew better than most that the saying "the strong are revered on the Dou Qi Continent" was no empty talk.
Without sufficient strength, one would always encounter all kinds of difficulties.
He did not want Xiao Yan to be powerless to do anything about certain matters in the future because of his own weakness.
Before long, Xiao Yao's group arrived at a square without incident. Several flying magical beasts were waiting there, and Jia Nan Academy's students were boarding the houses on their backs in an orderly fashion.
The houses were built from an extremely lightweight material and placed no extra burden on the flying magical beasts.
As soon as Xiao Yao's group arrived, Instructor Ruo Lin's eyes lit up, and she hurriedly called out to him.
"You're finally here. I was starting to worry that you didn't want to go to the academy."
Ruo Lin spoke half in jest and half in earnest.
If a genius like Xiao Yao did not join the academy, it would truly be a great loss for the academy, or at least for Instructor Ruo Lin.
The students nearby who had yet to board the flying magical beasts saw how warmly Instructor Ruo Lin greeted them and cast curious glances their way.
One look, and their eyes widened.
In this little group of only four, there were two breathtakingly beautiful girls!
Although Xiao Yu, standing beside them, could not match the two beauties in looks, she too had a standout feature: her long, shapely legs.
With the three girls setting him off, the only young man stood out all the more.
But the young man was also exceptionally handsome. More remarkably, he had an uplifting bearing that drew attention.
Even standing beside the two beautiful girls, he did not seem out of place in the slightest. On the contrary, they seemed exceptionally well matched.
The other students were all filled with surprise and uncertainty, wondering who Xiao Yao's group were. Were they young masters and young ladies from the great clans of Wutan City, or even the Jia Ma Empire?
Then something happened that shocked them.
Instructor Ruo Lin actually arranged for the group to board a flying magical beast as well.
In other words, these people had not come to see someone off. They were new students?!
Instructor Ruo Lin paid no attention to the students' puzzled, curious looks and told them to board the flying magical beasts quickly.
After checking the list, Instructor Ruo Lin leaped onto the back of a flying magical beast. Her voice, infused with Dou Qi, rang across the square.
"Depart!"
The enormous flying magical beasts beat their wings, stirring up wind-attribute energy as they rose into the air. Laden with hopeful students, they headed toward Jia Nan Academy.