Starry Sky Heavenly Palace

"Senior is right, almost no one else knows the truth of this matter."

"Senior, do you have any instructions for me?"

Li Tianming asked respectfully.

His failure three years ago was precisely because he had no backing.

Cultivation requires benefactors. Li Tianming wasn't arrogant enough to think that with the Primordial Chaos Beast, he could just walk around unhindered.

"No instructions. No one can help you reclaim what you lost, especially when your opponent is the Thunder Venerable Mansion." The man's eyes held a smile.

He was looking at Little Yellow Chicken at this moment, and suddenly, his gaze sharpened, and he stared for a long time.

"It seems I underestimated you. I thought your return this time was all in vain, but I never expected that your new companion beast would actually be a Sixth-Tier Companion Beast!"

He must have seen the six stars in Little Yellow Chicken's eyes.

However, he would never have imagined that Ying Huo was far more than just a Sixth-Tier Companion Beast.

"A miracle. To find a miracle of this caliber through the Blood God Contract means you, child, actually have very good fortune. You just suffered from the lack of a backer," the man continued.

"Mm."

"Are you participating in the Palace Examination again?" the man asked.

"Yes."

"The Palace Examination is easy, but entering the Heavenly Mansion is very difficult at your current level. You can only cultivate in Yanhuang Academy for a few years before you might have a chance to enter the Heavenly Mansion," the man said.

"How did Senior know I wanted to enter the Heavenly Mansion?" Li Tianming suddenly asked.

"..."

"Did Senior eavesdrop on my conversation with Mother earlier?" Li Tianming asked again.

"..."

"Senior's eyes remind me of someone, Chen Yao from the Star Palace. May I ask, Senior, are you...?"

"Don't say it. You little clever thing," the man said, chuckling helplessly.

He had just revealed a weakness, and Li Tianming's three questions had directly cornered his identity.

"Fine, I'll just consider Senior a good friend of Mother's." Li Tianming nodded, knowing when to stop pushing.

The other party was wearing a mask, clearly not wanting to reveal his identity.

The fact that he had told Li Tianming not to disturb his mother as soon as he entered was telling.

At the very least, Li Tianming didn't believe he could attract someone like this on his own.

"Li Tianming, seeing your new companion beast, I'm a little relieved. You should be able to take good care of your mother."

Since Li Tianming had guessed his identity, the man spoke more directly.

"She is very great and very unfortunate. I will naturally give everything for her," Li Tianming said.

"I heard what you said during the day. You're a filial son," the man praised.

He didn't know that Li Yanfeng cursed himself as an unfilial son every day. Filial or unfilial, it depended on who the parents were.

"Senior really did eavesdrop..."

"Ahem, don't tell your mother I came today. Don't say anything, understand? Otherwise, if you encounter any trouble in the future, it will be inconvenient for me to help you," the man warned earnestly.

"Don't worry, Senior. My mouth is already sewn shut," Li Tianming quickly replied.

This person was helping him because of his relationship with his mother. Only a fool would refuse.

"Mine is sewn shut too," Little Yellow Chicken chimed in.

"Interesting." The man nodded and took out a piece of Fire Jade with a Crimson Heavenly Pattern, placing it in Li Tianming's hand.

"Giving a Crimson Heavenly Pattern Fire Jade upon meeting, and only one? How stingy," Little Yellow Chicken grumbled.

One had to know that Crimson Heavenly Pattern Fire Jade was the lowest grade of Spirit Ore.

"Haha." The man laughed and said, "This Fire Jade contains my power. If you encounter trouble you can't solve, crush this Fire Jade, and I'll be able to locate you. However, it can only be used once."

Li Tianming knew it. How could he be so stingy!

He quickly accepted the Fire Jade. This was a valuable item. Returning to Yandu, there would definitely be trouble he couldn't resolve.

"But you must remember, I cannot help you openly," the man reminded him.

"Don't worry, Senior. I know what I'm doing."

"Alright, I wish you success in the Palace Examination. I'll be going now." The man was very satisfied with Li Tianming.

With his cultivation, he would likely disappear from Li Tianming's sight the moment he turned around.

"Senior, please wait!" Li Tianming called out urgently. He shouted a bit too loudly, almost waking Wei Jing.

"Quietly!" the man said nervously, glaring.

"My apologies." Li Tianming said.

"What else do you need?"

"Senior, can I borrow some money?"

"..."

The man looked at Li Tianming with a strange expression. He couldn't help but laugh and said, "Your personality is quite similar to your mother's when she was young. So free-spirited and straightforward, not beating around the bush at all."

"Thank you for the compliment, but when I become wealthy in the future, I will definitely return ten times the amount to you, senior, not a penny less. I'll set a one-year deadline." Li Tianming said sincerely.

To participate in the Palace Examination, he needed more capital. To come out first in the Palace Examination, he needed even more capital.

But, he was penniless right now, so he really needed money!

Li Tianming wouldn't let go of this opportunity when someone who could help finally appeared.

As for saving face, that was something only useless men cared about.

"You're sure you'll return ten times the amount in a year? What if you can't?" the man asked with a half-smile.

"Then... I'll give you this chicken as compensation. It's like my own brother, and this bond is hard to sever. Losing it would be like losing half my life." Li Tianming said with a straight face.

"What the heck..." Little Yellow Chicken almost spat blood.

"Then it's a deal." The man was amused. "A Sixth-Tier Companion Beast is quite nourishing even in a stew. Since you want to return ten times the amount, I'll consider lending you a bit more. How much can you afford?"

"No need to be polite, senior. Just lend me as much as you can." Li Tianming said.

"You have guts. Then take it. I'll come to collect the debt in a year, and we'll see how much you can return, kid."

The man fumbled in his embrace and threw out a money bag. The heavy money bag hit the ground with a thud.

"Holy crap!" Both of them and the chicken were startled.

The man was so engrossed in talking that he didn't expect the precious jade to make such a loud noise when dropped.

Next, the three of them stared at each other in silence until they confirmed that Wei Jing hadn't been woken up. Only then did the two of them and the chicken breathe a sigh of relief.

"Li Tianming, remember, ten times the amount." The man said one last thing before turning and flying out the window.

This left Li Tianming and Little Yellow Chicken looking at each other.

"Quick!"

Little Yellow Chicken jumped down first, burrowed into the money, then came out and looked at Li Tianming with pity. "Grandson, you're finished."

"How much is there?" Li Tianming quickly asked.

"See for yourself!"

Li Tianming quickly picked it up and opened it. A surge of spiritual energy assailed his senses.

He casually took out a piece of Fire Jade. The Fire Jade burned with high temperature and had a Yellow Heavenly Pattern on it!

Red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, purple. Yellow Heavenly Patterns were the third level.

One piece of Fire Jade with a Yellow Heavenly Pattern was equivalent to ten pieces of Fire Jade with Orange Heavenly Patterns.

Only those in the Spirit Origin Realm could afford wealth with Yellow Heavenly Patterns!

"Judging by the quantity, there are a full thousand pieces of Fire Jade with Yellow Heavenly Patterns. This means in a year, you'll have to return ten thousand pieces of Fire Jade with Yellow Heavenly Patterns!"

"You're finished, Li Tianming, you definitely can't afford it."

Little Yellow Chicken looked at him gleefully.

"Ying Huo, think carefully. If I can't afford it, won't you be the one finished?" Li Tianming smiled.

"Gah?" Little Yellow Chicken shivered all over. It finally remembered that if they couldn't afford it, it would be the one to be given to the senior from before to be stewed!

"Li Tianming, you're not human!" Little Yellow Chicken was furious.

Jokes aside, Li Tianming truly didn't expect the other party to actually give him so much wealth.

These thousand pieces of Fire Jade with Yellow Heavenly Patterns were definitely a massive windfall, enough to help Li Tianming solve many problems.

However, he had his principles. Now that he had taken the other party's wealth, he would definitely repay it in a year.

When he said he would return ten times the amount, he was absolutely not joking.

These thousand pieces of Fire Jade with Yellow Heavenly Patterns were definitely a godsend!

Li Tianming was very grateful to the man, even though he had guessed the man's identity, he couldn't say it.

He definitely couldn't tell his mother, otherwise, Wei Jing would absolutely not accept this senior's wealth.

"Today's kindness will be repaid in the future."

A drop of kindness, especially during his current hardship, would be repaid with a gushing spring in the future. This was his principle!

Once Little Yellow Chicken, this Eternal Purgatory Phoenix, had enough Fire Jade to support it, their cultivation speed would be terrifying.

Moreover, such a sum of wealth would be enough for Li Tianming to choose excellent Battle Arts.

He knew very well that to achieve a higher ranking in the Palace Examination, his original Battle Arts were no longer sufficient to deal with stronger opponents.

The Palace Examination was divided into two parts: "Pass" and "Ranking."

Once the "Pass" part was completed, one would officially become a disciple of Yanhuang Academy.

Afterward, there would be guidance for cultivation, and one would enjoy the cultivation resources of Yanhuang Academy.

Rankings are established based on passing the trial, and only disciples who pass can participate.

This is the first Ranking Battle, which will determine the order of all disciples who passed the trial.

The first-ranked disciple can directly ascend to the Heavenly Mansion for cultivation. Even if they don't get first place, the higher their rank, the more cultivation resources they will enjoy.

Four years ago, Li Tianming barely passed the trial and ranked at the bottom in the Ranking Battle, having little capital at Yanhuang Academy.

Meanwhile, Lin Xiaoting was a genius disciple who ranked first in the Ranking Battle and directly ascended to the Heavenly Mansion.

With Li Tianming's current strength, passing the trial is easy, but ranking is difficult.

"Let's go to the biggest 'Starry Sky Heavenly Palace' in Yandu first. They sell top-tier Battle Arts there."

"The trial's passing portion will begin in three days. I need better Battle Arts to unleash my full strength." Li Tianming made his decision immediately.

The Starry Sky Heavenly Palace is a commercial center established by the Starry Sky Merchant Association in Yandu, and it's the largest commercial hub in the entire country.

Its area is equivalent to a small city, about one-third the size of Lihuo City, making it the most prosperous place in the Vermilion Bird Country.

The term "Heavenly Palace" is used to describe how it has everything imaginable. As long as Li Tianming has money, he can buy good enough Battle Arts.

As it was already late, he and Little Yellow Chicken decided to cultivate by consuming Fire Jade first.

The Senior from earlier probably couldn't comprehend how they cultivated in such a monstrous way.

Little Yellow Chicken had been hungry for a long time. With a night of cultivation, they made rapid progress, advancing towards the Eighth Level of Beast Vein Realm.

Li Tianming had a premonition that within these three days, he could completely reach the Eighth Level of Beast Vein Realm by relying on these Fire Jades!

After a night of cultivation, he looked radiant.

Cultivation requires resources. He didn't consider borrowing money this time as a shortcut; repaying it would be his motivation for the future.

The next morning, he prepared breakfast for his mother before heading to the Starry Sky Heavenly Palace to select suitable Battle Arts.

"I originally thought I wouldn't be able to use this Thunderfire Chain and wanted to sell it. However, if I find a suitable Battle Art to pair with this Third-Rank Beast Soldier, its power will definitely be much greater than the Bloodfire Thorn."

Moving alone is fast. In the blink of an eye, they arrived at the Starry Sky Heavenly Palace!