What it took to make your way in the world

The aroma of Cotton Jade Crisps drifted over. Li Hao could smell them from far away. Uncle Liu had made them himself.

Uncle Liu might have been only a street vendor, but his fried crisps were second to none. The fact that he had kept a stall for years on the busiest street outside the Divine General Residence spoke volumes about his skill.

The aroma came from the edge of the square. When Li Hao arrived with Li Yuanzhao, he saw that far fewer young men and women remained here. Most had headed toward Tan Palace Academy's Entrance Stairway, though quite a few still lingered at the stalls. Judging by their clothing, they had clearly come from other provinces.

Since they rarely had a chance to visit Qing Prefecture, they might as well sample the local delicacies.

Li Hao saw a long, dragonlike queue stretching out from Uncle Liu's stall. Most of those waiting were young women, along with servants dressed as footmen and maids who had come to buy food for their masters.

Li Hao pulled Li Yuanzhao along and joined the back of the queue.

"Hao Ge, haven't you had breakfast yet?"

Li Yuanzhao couldn't help asking.

Li Hao nodded.

"Wait here. I'll get you some right now."

With that, Li Yuanzhao immediately shouted toward the front, "Uncle Liu, prepare two breakfasts for us!"

His voice rang out, drawing glances from everyone in the queue. Seeing the pair's fine brocade clothes and expensive attire, they knew they must be sons of some wealthy household.

Beside Uncle Liu at the stall, Aunt Liu was busy taking payments and serving customers. At Li Yuanzhao's shout, she looked up and finally noticed Young Master Li Hao at the back. She hurriedly answered with a smile, then told Old Liu, who was hard at work with his head down:

"Young Master Hao from the Divine General Residence is here. Hurry and make two portions for him."

Old Liu paused, then looked up amid the bustle. When he spotted the boy at the end of the queue, his deeply wrinkled face broke into a broad smile.

The powerful had always turned up their noses at vendors and servants like them, people at the very bottom of society, their eyes filled with disgust and contempt.

Only this Young Master Hao treated them as equals, without the slightest hesitation. Three years ago, he had even sat on the ground in front of their stall and called out to attract customers for them. The sight had given the couple quite a fright, leaving them utterly overwhelmed by the favor. Ever since, they had remembered this peculiar young master from a distinguished family.

"You little rascal..."

Li Hao had meant to stop Li Yuanzhao and simply wait their turn. But when Aunt Liu heard the shout and smiled at him, he could only lead Li Yuanzhao forward helplessly and wait quietly at the other side of the stall.

Some of the footmen and maids in line kept glancing their way, but none dared say anything.

The young women who had come to queue themselves, however, pulled long faces and shot them hostile looks. Someone complained:

"Why does he get to cut straight to the front? That's unfair!"

"Exactly!"

"You're being far too unfair, stall owner!"

Hearing these accusations, Li Yuanzhao grew anxious and was about to invoke the Divine General Residence's name, but Li Hao pressed a hand against his chest and stopped the words.

Since things had already come to this, Li Hao could only step in to resolve it. Feeling a little helpless, he nevertheless smiled at the chattering girls, then took a gold ingot from his pouch and offered it across Uncle Liu's stall, speaking gently:

"Ladies, there's no need to be angry. I'll pay for that fairness-five times the price."

Aunt Liu panicked and hurriedly tried to push the gold back into Li Hao's hand. "Young Master Hao, we can't accept this!"

"No need for change. Consider it payment for my future meals as well." Li Hao smiled and pushed it back, his gentle gaze leaving no room for argument.

Small vendors also made their way in the world, and their eye for a situation was remarkably sharp. Aunt Liu understood at once and stopped refusing.

Li Hao said, "Sorry for the trouble, Uncle Liu. Make that five portions."

"Oh, oh, all right!" Uncle Liu hurriedly agreed.

Since his wife had stopped protesting, all he needed to do was get to work.

The other girls in the queue were furious at Li Hao's extravagant display. Even at five times the price, they could afford a crisp, but they didn't want to be taken for fools.

Before long, the five portions of Cotton Jade Crisps were ready. Li Hao casually handed one bag to Li Yuanzhao, then left the crowd.

"So many? Can you finish all those, Hao Ge?"

Li Yuanzhao looked at the four bags in Li Hao's hands, took a bite of his own portion, and smacked his lips. "They smell amazing! No wonder you like them, Hao Ge!"

Li Hao smiled and returned to the carriage. Seeing Qingzhi and Li Fu keeping watch behind it, he handed each of them a bag.

"Young Master, haven't you gone to the Entrance Stairway yet?" Li Fu took the breakfast and stared at Li Hao in surprise.

Li Hao said, "I have to fill my stomach first, don't I?"

"..." Li Fu had no reply. But after following Li Hao for five or six years, he understood the boy's temperament well enough and said no more. He had an invitation anyway.

Li Hao went around to the front of the carriage and glanced at Uncle Ming, who was sitting on the carriage board. Though he belonged to Snowdrift Courtyard, he was usually quite courteous to Li Hao, so Li Hao handed him a portion as well.

"Thank you, Young Master Hao."

Uncle Ming hurriedly accepted it with both hands and rose to thank him.

Then, puzzled just as Li Fu had been, he asked, "Young Master Hao, have you... not gone to the Entrance Stairway yet?"

"I'll go after I finish eating," Li Hao said.

Li Ming was briefly speechless. Young Master Yun and Miss Zhi Ning had probably already entered the academy gates by now, yet Young Master Hao was still wandering around at the foot of the mountain. He really was as leisurely as the rumors said...

After eating and drinking his fill, Li Hao led the now thoroughly impatient Li Yuanzhao through the crowd to the Entrance Stairway.

Though called a stairway, it was actually a long flight of steps.

It was said to have a full thousand steps, leading up to Tan Palace Academy's entrance.

This was also Tan Palace Academy's first test.

Climbing a thousand steps alone was not particularly difficult. But now, beside the steps on the wooded mountainside, figures darted about one after another-clearly demonic apes.

Though they were monsters, they had all been tamed by Tan Palace Academy.

Those challenging the Entrance Stairway would also suffer harassment and attacks from these Ape Demons as they climbed. Anyone who failed to reach the summit within ten breaths while under attack would be deemed to have failed the first trial.

The test was anything but easy. The climb alone required the strength of the sixth or seventh level of the Power Through Realm, let alone dodging Ape Demons that could ambush them at any moment. That demanded even keener eyes and better movement skills.

"Miss, this test looks a little difficult!"

In the crowd, a maid holding a parasol spoke nervously to the white-robed girl beside her.

"There's nothing difficult about it. A mere little first-round test won't stop me."

Si Xiaolan looked calm, but her gaze swept through the crowd. "Compared with this test, some of the people here are much tougher opponents..."

With her exceptional knowledge, she recognized quite a few members of distinguished noble families as she surveyed her surroundings.

Some of those families ranked above the Si Family, while others stood slightly below it.

"Miss, those two over there seem to be young masters from Qing Prefecture's Divine General Residence." The maid stood on tiptoe and looked around, then suddenly pointed to a spot on the left.

Si Xiaolan looked up, recognized the patterns on their sleeves, and nodded slightly. "That's right."

As she looked over, the two happened to be registering to enter.

An idea stirred in Si Xiaolan's mind. She immediately stepped forward to register alongside them.

So what if they're from the Divine General Residence? They say everyone in the Li Family is a True Dragon. I'd like to see just how far behind them I am. A gleam appeared in Si Xiaolan's eyes, carrying a hint of stubborn fighting spirit.

"Age, place of origin, name."

"Ji Province, Si Family."

Before the registrar, Si Xiaolan gave only her family name. Registration for the first trial was quite casual. Sure enough, upon hearing "Si Family," the registrar looked up at the girl, then nodded.

"Go in. You know the rules? Whatever method you use, just reach the top within ten breaths."

"Ten breaths? Far too long."

Beside her, another boy in fine clothes spoke indifferently.

Si Xiaolan glanced at him and recognized a descendant of a distinguished family from another province. Her eyes brightened further.

"Miss, they're all from distinguished families. Should we wait for the next group..." Beside her, the maid hesitated nervously, tugging at the hem of her clothes.

"What's there to fear?"

Si Xiaolan's eyes shone. "Making your way in the world isn't about your name. It's about real skill with your fists and feet!"

With that, she told her maid to wait obediently there, then followed the people ahead into the testing area.

She wanted to secretly measure herself against them.

"Get ready." Nearby, an old man who seemed to be deep in meditation lifted his eyelids and spoke flatly.

Everyone adjusted their breathing and loosened their joints.

"Yuanzhao, do your best," Li Hao encouraged Li Yuanzhao with a smile.

The boy insisted on attempting this trial through his own abilities, and there was nothing Li Hao could do about it.

"Mm!"

Li Yuanzhao nodded firmly.

The others glanced at Li Hao, finding his words a little strange, but thought no further about it.

Then, at the old man's command, more than ten people launched themselves forward at once!

Whoosh!

A fierce gust suddenly whipped up beside them. Li Yuanzhao shot out like a cannonball, taking the lead in an instant and leaving a depression in the ground where he had stood.

Almost in the blink of an eye, he had covered a hundred steps. Then he took another stride, surging ahead like a hurricane and swiftly reaching the summit!

It had taken only three breaths from start to finish.

Li Hao knew that, for Yuanzhao, who had reached perfection in the Circulation Realm, this hardly counted as truly exerting himself.

The instant Si Xiaolan saw Li Yuanzhao launch forward, her beautiful eyes narrowed slightly. She immediately unleashed her strength as well, turning into a streak of white light as she chased after him, only to be left behind in an instant.

An Ape Demon suddenly attacked along the way, but she had been prepared. She floated aside like a butterfly turning in flight, then sprinted several more strides before finally reaching the summit.

By her count, it had taken seven breaths.

Almost as soon as she arrived, someone else followed close behind.

After ten breaths, only seven of the twelve had passed.

Those standing at the summit all looked at the short, chubby, unremarkable fellow with complicated expressions, alarm showing in their eyes.

The speed Li Yuanzhao had unleashed was terrifying. Even the fierce wind stirred by his body carried the might of a tiger's roar.

Was this the monstrous talent of the Divine General Residence? The gap was far too great.

Si Xiaolan's gaze grew grave as she repeatedly studied the little fatty, who looked a year or two younger than herself. An intensely uncomfortable feeling rose in her heart-a deep sense of defeat.

At that moment, someone noticed that only one of the two from the Divine General Residence had reached the summit.

Someone looked back and discovered, to their astonishment, a figure strolling slowly up the steps.

Yet none of the Ape Demons around him attacked.

"Hao Ge."

Li Yuanzhao turned and waved in greeting.

Soon, Li Hao also reached the top and smiled at Li Yuanzhao.

"Does he count as having passed too?" someone asked in bewilderment.

"Ten breaths ended ages ago, didn't they?"

Everyone was uncertain and suspicious.

Another old man stood at the summit, responsible for checking the candidates. Hearing their discussion, he said evenly, "You've all passed. Go on to the second trial. You could lose your lives there. If you wish to withdraw, you may give up. Other distinguished schools accept disciples too, after all."

His words left them without a reply, and they could sense the confidence behind them.

"Does he count as having passed too?" Si Xiaolan asked with a frown, pointing at Li Hao.

"Of course. He has an invitation," the old man said calmly.

"An invitation?"

"Tan Palace Academy actually gives out invitations?"

Everyone's eyes widened in astonishment. Clearly, this was the first they had heard of such a thing.

Everyone else was struggling to cross the river, yet someone was rowing straight across in a boat? And Tan Palace Academy itself had given him the ticket!

Li Hao smiled at the little white-robed girl brimming with righteousness. Wanting to tease her a little, he took the invitation from his chest and waved it, then walked straight on.

Si Xiaolan froze for a moment, recalling what she had said earlier about making her way in the world through her fists and feet... Fists and feet, her ass! He was relying on someone backing him!

Remembering Li Hao's smug display, she stamped her foot furiously, then followed him with gritted teeth.

Before long, everyone arrived at the second trial.

Not far ahead of the summit lay a sheer cliff. Chains had been anchored below its edge, stretching across to the opposite side.

The chains were widely spaced, meaning they could only place their feet on a single chain.

Cross a ten-thousand-foot precipice on one lone chain?

Some people's faces changed slightly, and they began to think of backing out.

Si Xiaolan's eyes narrowed, and cold sweat unconsciously seeped into her palms. Then she glanced at the two figures ahead, both radiating an air of nobility.

Surely he couldn't rely on an invitation here too?

She sneered inwardly.

(End of chapter)