Senior Master Mu Wan

"Brother Feng, you don't need to worry anymore. Qianyang will definitely be fine today. Although entering the Heavenly Mansion is difficult, with his realm, passing will be a piece of cake," Liu Qing said, holding Li Yanfeng's palm.

"That's good. Qianyang is indeed reliable," Li Yanfeng nodded.

"Qianyang also has you to thank. If you hadn't pulled some strings and gotten him the spot vacated by 'Qu Yucheng,' he wouldn't have gotten the Yanhuang Token," Liu Qing said sweetly.

"It's a small matter," Li Yanfeng squinted, searching for Liu Qinyang in the crowd.

"Brother Feng, my father passed away unexpectedly, and now my family is in decline at the Thunder Venerable Mansion. Now that you've successfully become the son-in-law of the Thunder Venerable Mansion, my family will have to rely on you from now on," Liu Qing said coquettishly, snuggling into his embrace.

"We're already husband and wife, so let's not say such distant things," Li Yanfeng said with a slight smile, stroking her long hair.

The couple's affection was enviable, especially Liu Qing's alluring charm, which drew many jealous glances towards Li Yanfeng.

Li Yanfeng felt a sense of triumph. He now held both status in Yandu and a beautiful woman, proving that everything he had done was correct.

"Oh, right. Li Tianming will definitely be here today. If he finds out that this year's trial requires testing the rank of Companion Beasts first, will he cry himself to death?" Liu Qing thought of the young man, her eyebrows slightly furrowed.

"It's a complete waste of the Yanhuang Token. A First-tier Companion Beast appearing on the Yanhuang Battlefield will only bring him more ridicule," Li Yanfeng said with a serious expression.

"Fortunately, Brother Feng severed ties with him and no longer has a father-son relationship. Otherwise, it would have affected Brother Feng's reputation."

"Mm," Li Yanfeng nodded. Just then, his eyes narrowed because he had just spotted Li Tianming in the crowd.

"Brother Feng, who are you looking at?" Liu Qing asked curiously.

"Look," Li Yanfeng gestured. Following his gaze, Liu Qing also saw the young man who seemed unfazed.

"He really came. Let's see what kind of sensation he'll cause next, with a First-tier Companion Beast," Liu Qing said, a hint of coldness in her smile.

Li Yanfeng didn't speak. He was contemplating a question.

After severing their father-son relationship and abolishing his status as the eldest legitimate son, would people no longer consider him related to Li Tianming?

If Li Tianming were to disgrace himself, could he remain untainted?

Currently, the Yanhuang Battlefield is divided into five areas, corresponding to the assessment areas of the five major halls.

Li Tianming glanced at them. As expected, the Myriad Beasts Hall and the Phoenix Hall had the largest crowds.

He had already obtained the detailed rules for the Palace Examination. It stated that passing this year's examination was divided into two stages. The first stage was to determine the true rank and realm of the Companion Beasts. The realm of the Companion Beast represented the realm of the Beast Master and would be tested by measuring their Beast Essence.

Over 1,600 people had registered for the Phoenix Hall. This first stage of the examination would only allow 1,000 people to advance to the second stage.

The second stage of the examination was combat. It was not necessarily about determining victory or defeat but about passing the combat assessment. High-ranking officials from the Phoenix Hall would evaluate talent and strength, considering factors like innate talent, age, and combat ability under pressure. Ultimately, 500 people would be selected to enter the Phoenix Hall, ensuring a fair and open process.

Each of these two stages would eliminate over 500 people. Therefore, obtaining an Yanhuang Token did not guarantee entry into Yanhuang Academy.

The rules for the other four halls were similar. The Myriad Beasts Hall would recruit 500 people, the Azure Hall seemed to recruit 300, and the Spirit Hall and Tianyi Hall would each recruit 200.

Being able to pass both stages of the assessment and become a disciple of Yanhuang Academy meant they were among the top 1,000 individuals in the entire Vermilion Bird Country over the past four years.

There were over 2,000 cities like Lihuo City in the Vermilion Bird Country. For remote cities, having a disciple in Yanhuang Academy was an honor.

Li Tianming reviewed the requirements. Neither of these two stages posed any difficulty for him, so he just hoped it would be his turn soon so he could start preparing for the ranking battles.

"My only disadvantage is my age. Due to my older age, I might lose many points in the combat assessment of the second stage. After all, if two people are at the same realm, one being twenty years old and the other fifteen, even if I defeat my opponent, they might not let me pass."

Now, the five major halls were already conducting the first stage of the Palace Examination!

For the Phoenix Hall, the assessment was presided over by ten "Senior Masters"!

The status, strength, and qualifications of a Senior Master were higher than those of ordinary teachers at Yanhuang Academy.

Each Senior Master at Yanhuang Academy was generally in charge of a class.

For example, the Phoenix Hall recruited 500 people annually, divided into ten beginner classes, each managed by a Senior Master. Under each Senior Master, there were usually several teachers responsible for guiding disciples in various aspects of cultivation, as well as intermediate and advanced students who would assist with teaching.

Four years ago, Li Tianming entered one of the ten beginner classes of the Phoenix Hall, the "Mu Wan Class." The Senior Master in charge of the Mu Wan Class was named "Mu Wan." Fang Zhao and Lin Qingyu were both classmates of Li Tianming in the "Mu Wan Class."

And today, among the ten Senior Masters presiding over the assessment, was Li Tianming's former Senior Master Mu Wan!

Senior Master Mu Wan was a woman of infinite charm. She was tall, with a cold and beautiful face, and was the dream lover of many at the academy. Rumor had it that her cultivation was unfathomable. If not for her decisive actions and sharp personality scaring many away, making them feel inferior, there would have been even more suitors.

Four years later, the disciples of the Mu Wan Class had advanced to the intermediate classes, and she was about to recruit new disciples today.

The Phoenix Hall had over thirty Senior Masters in total, indicating their esteemed position within Yanhuang Academy, far surpassing ordinary teachers. It was said that the Senior Masters of the academy were all disciples of the Heavenly Mansion. Senior Master Mu Wan was also a disciple of the Heavenly Mansion over a decade ago.

Actually, he had a good impression of Senior Master Mu Wan. She had guided his cultivation before, and after the incident three years ago, she had inquired about his condition and hadn't treated him with the same avoidance as others. In the end, it was she who suggested he leave the Phoenix Hall first and complete the necessary procedures. It was precisely because she had handled the procedures in advance that he wasn't expelled from the Phoenix Hall. If he had been expelled, he would have had a stain on his record and wouldn't be able to be here today.

"All disciples must pass first and then choose a Senior Master to become a beginner class disciple. Only the first place in the ranking battle can directly enter the Heavenly Mansion. There is still some time before the ranking battle, so I will choose to become Senior Master Mu Wan's disciple first and then consider the ranking battle," Li Tianming decided.

After all, Senior Master Mu Wan was the most popular among the male students of the ten Senior Masters. For instance, at this moment, she sat on the high platform with her legs crossed, half of her fair, slender thigh exposed. Although her face was frosty, it still made the young men's mouths water...

"Li Tianming, you're being swayed by beauty," Little Yellow Chicken, who was telepathically connected to him, could feel his thoughts even from within the Companion Space...

"Nonsense, I'm purely being sentimental and grateful, understand?" Li Tianming said earnestly.

"Tsk tsk, then if you have the guts, don't look at her legs."

"Everyone else is looking, why can't I!" Li Tianming declared righteously.

As he and Little Yellow Chicken were whispering, two intense gazes suddenly came from behind him. He turned around and saw a tall figure standing behind him, with a petite beauty behind him.

"Li Tianming, what are you doing here?" Chen Ding of the Starry Sky Merchant Association looked at him with disdain. The young woman beside him was naturally Chen Ying.

Li Tianming had seen them at the Starry Sky Heavenly Palace; he hadn't expected them to show up at the Phoenix Hall as well. It seemed their Companion Beasts were both birds of prey.

"Why can't I come?" Li Tianming shrugged.

"Didn't your Companion Beast die? Don't tell me you used the Blood God Contract to sign a trash Fierce Beast?" Chen Ding looked at him with a half-smile.

"You guessed it all, so smart," Li Tianming gave him a thumbs-up.

"Hey, I say, aren't you ashamed? To bring a Companion Beast signed with the Blood God Contract to Yanhuang Academy, isn't that defiling the place?" Chen Ying pouted from the side in a low voice.

"Besides, you're over the age limit!" Chen Ding's gaze was unfriendly.

"None of your business. Since I'm here, I meet the requirements. Shut your mouths and leave me alone," Li Tianming was annoyed by the sarcasm of these two. They were so young, yet so impolite!

"You're asking for death!" Chen Ding was furious. He hadn't dealt with Li Tianming a few days ago, thinking he was just a speck of dust. Now, after a few taunts, he dared to call himself "Laozi" in front of him!

"Try touching me. Want the Senior Masters of the academy to throw you out?" Li Tianming sneered. It was truly unfair. Despite his special circumstances, did everyone have to mock him?

"Li Tianming, you're finished anyway. Brother Yao is too lazy to bother with trash like you, but I'm different. You've offended me, and once you leave the academy, I'll definitely crush you," Chen Ding lowered his voice, speaking like a roaring beast.

"Yeah, I've never seen anyone so fearless and shameless," Chen Ying said speechlessly.

"Heh, the two of you fools standing together are like a bear paired with a wild hen." Back then, he, Li Tianming, was someone who could make people die of anger with just a few words...

As soon as he said that, Chen Ding and Chen Ying's faces turned ashen. If Chen Ying hadn't held him back, Chen Ding would have lost control and attacked Li Tianming during this time when fighting was forbidden.

"Are you still not convinced when I call you a bear? Look at your stupid angry face now. Go look in a mirror," Li Tianming added with a smile.

"You, a rat crossing the street three years ago, a pervert who drugged and assaulted others, you dare to come back and embarrass yourself!" Chen Ying, holding Chen Ding back, cursed incoherently.

"You finally remembered my true colors? Then be careful. I especially like to drug young girls around fifteen or sixteen," Li Tianming's eyes glinted sinisterly as he glanced at Chen Ying's figure.

Chen Ying flinched backward in fear, while Chen Ding was already enraged, veins bulging on his forehead.

"Don't worry, you're safe. With your looks, you'd be a waste of my medicine," Li Tianming said with a pout. Teasing these two youngsters put him in an excellent mood.

He left the two behind, their faces turning purple with anger, cursing incessantly. Li Tianming, however, turned a deaf ear.

He was paying attention to the first stage of the academy's trial, which would be his turn soon.

This stage of the trial was simple. Beside each Senior Master was a "Star Stone," a special kind of Spirit Ore. While the star points in a Companion Beast's eyes could indicate its rank, the Star Stone could provide a more accurate and detailed assessment.

Dripping the Companion Beast's blood onto the Star Stone would cause it to display one of seven colors: red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, or purple, representing First-tier to Seventh-tier Companion Beasts respectively. It could also differentiate between the high, medium, and low grades within the same tier. For example, for a Fifth-tier Companion Beast, a light cyan would indicate a low-grade Fifth-tier Companion Beast, while a deep cyan would indicate a high-grade Fifth-tier Companion Beast.

The star points alone couldn't distinguish between the high, medium, and low grades.

In this stage of the Palace Examination, besides determining the grade, the Companion Beast's realm also needed to be measured. This was personally tested by the Senior Masters. With their cultivation levels, they could easily ascertain the Companion Beast's realm.

Li Tianming observed that any Companion Beast below Fifth-tier was basically eliminated regardless of its realm. Some low-grade Fifth-tier Companion Beasts were also directly eliminated. This showed that today's standards were stricter; this step wasn't present four years ago.

Just then, a commotion suddenly arose from the Yanhuang Battlefield.

The commotion came from the direction of the Myriad Beasts Hall.

A dazzling, deep blue light emanated from there.

"Chen Yao, Companion Beast: Six-Star Luminous Lion, High-Grade Sixth-Tier Companion Beast, Realm: Spirit Origin Realm, Third Level!"

This young man drew widespread admiration.

He was, by far, the youth with the highest-ranked Companion Beast and the highest cultivation realm.

Chen Yao stood there, his eyes deep, a smile on his face. This was a moment of universal attention. He shone so brightly, having long anticipated this scene. His strength and talent were indeed top-tier nationwide.

"Amazing."

"He's the youngest son of Palace Saint Chen. Truly, a worthy successor."

Many voices of admiration arose.

"Li Tianming, did you hear that? Do you know the difference? Our Brother Yao is only sixteen!" Chen Ying said impatiently.

Li Tianming couldn't be bothered to respond, as it was almost his turn with Senior Master Mu Wan.