"Agreed." Tang Qinghe gave a faint nod. His heart brimmed with satisfaction at how much stronger his Spirit Body had become, and he turned his gaze toward the host.
The host, dressed in a long robe embroidered with swan feathers, hurried up the steps. He announced loudly, "Congratulations to the winner, Ghostly Demon! His Spirit Body is as fearsome as a black-hearted tiger, and his run of victories has been astounding. He has delighted the crowd and earned the admiration of everyone here!"
The lonely swan and the others below had already gathered, waiting for Tang Qinghe.
When they saw Tang Qinghe, the women who had been with the lonely swan lit up and hurried over to greet him.
After all, he was strong and gifted—one of the rare talents blessed by heaven.
The lonely swan also came over, smiling. "Brother Tang, you're incredible. That stone mill's Black Tortoise Spirit Body—its defensive power ranks among the top five, maybe even the top three. And you broke through its defenses so easily. Look at how you've got these sisters of mine all smitten."
"The ladies flatter me. I just got lucky."
Facing the women accompanying the lonely swan, Tang Qinghe merely smiled politely. He had no intention of getting involved with them.
After everyone settled up and collected the gold Spirit Stones they'd wagered on Tang Qinghe's victory, he said he needed to return and cultivate, politely declining their invitations.
He was slightly surprised that these women seemed to be interested in him.
Even so, Tang Qinghe had no intention of taking advantage of them. He simply wanted to focus on cultivating.
However, he knew that most of the lonely swan's companions came from wealthy clans. They had neither the talent nor the drive to compete with him, and their family backgrounds were nothing compared to the humble Spirit Body clan he'd been born into.
In the days that followed, Tang Qinghe spent his time cultivating as usual and went to the Spirit Arena every night.
Since the bouts were mostly between third- and fourth-rank Spirit Masters, there were few opponents worth mentioning. The Spirit Arena's Black-Hearted Tiger had quickly become famous throughout Tiandou City.
In the blink of an eye, half a month passed.
The Hundred Flowers Academy opened its doors, and a new school year began. Tang Qinghe and Xiao Chenyu officially entered their third year at the Hundred Flowers Academy.
Because Tang Qinghe had broken through to Great Spirit Master rank at the age of nine, he had received the academy's attention. He had also been exempted from tuition and was given an annual scholarship of eight hundred gold Spirit Stones. He had even earned the qualification to attend the Spirit Master Academy affiliated with the Heaven Dou Imperial Family.
As long as Tang Qinghe completed three years at the Hundred Flowers Academy, he could enter the Heaven Dou Imperial Family's academy, even though he wasn't from a noble clan.
It was safe to say that Tang Qinghe had received an opportunity that had eluded even the previous generation's prodigy, Lan Xing.
And on the day the Hundred Flowers Academy opened, the Spirit Master Academy affiliated with the Heaven Dou Imperial Family also began its new school year.
The lonely swan clan's residence in Tiandou City.
The lonely swan clan had originally been a small Spirit Master clan in Tiandou City.
By the time of the lonely swan's generation, its members had dwindled.
Ever since her father, the clan head, had died unexpectedly, the lonely swan had rarely lived at the residence. She usually stayed with her daughter, the lonely swan.
Only occasionally would the lonely swan return to visit her daughter.
So, naturally, when the lonely swan entered the Heaven Dou Imperial Family's academy today, the lonely swan wouldn't miss the occasion.
"Little swan, little swan, hurry up! Today's the day you start at the Heaven Dou Imperial Family's academy. Your father will come with you to see you off."
A woman's voice rang out from outside the courtyard. It was none other than the lonely swan's father.
Then the lonely swan's clear, helpless voice rang out from inside the room. "I know, I know. Honestly, Father, in the end, am I the one going to school, or are you?"
With those words, the lonely swan walked out of the room.
The moment she saw her daughter, whose entire appearance had changed, the lonely swan froze. "Little swan... Little swan, you..."
"Me? What's wrong?"
The lonely swan was confused.
"Little swan, your hair—and your eyes... What happened?"
The lonely swan's figure flashed, and she was suddenly standing in front of her daughter. She grabbed the girl's shoulders, her face full of shock and anxiety.
At the same time, a faint green glow seemed to flicker in the lonely swan's eyes.
The lonely swan's sudden appearance startled the girl. She hurriedly explained, "You mean this? Last time, at the Great Spirit Arena, I ran into a student from the Hundred Flowers Academy. He noticed I was sick, so he gave me a prescription. He told me to take it every day for a month. I've been taking it for a while, and I really do feel much better. But my eyes and hair have gradually turned black."
As she spoke, she took out the prescription Tang Qinghe had given her and handed it over. A little uneasily, she asked, "What's wrong, Father? Is there something wrong with the prescription?"
At that moment, the lonely swan recalled how much the girl's appearance had changed since their last meeting with Tang Qinghe. But her hair and pupils were no longer that strange color; they had gradually turned black.
The lonely swan took the prescription and glanced at it. She didn't understand the contents, but she smiled with relief. "It's fine. There's nothing wrong with it. Your clan's hair and eyes were originally black. They're only returning to their natural color. Come on, tell your father what happened that first time."
The girl didn't hide anything. She told her father how she'd gone to the Great Spirit Arena with some friends the day before, where she'd run into Xiao Chenyu, and how she'd met Tang Qinghe afterward.
"You're saying that he could tell at a glance there was something wrong with your body, and that he even said you were beyond help? He must have had another reason for saying that. If he didn't find the cause, your condition might worsen again—and in the worst case, it could even threaten your life."
The lonely swan's expression grew increasingly grave. She clenched her fists, looking both worried and furious.
"Hmph! He was just telling the truth."
The girl fell silent. She suddenly remembered waking in the middle of the night to hear her father muttering in his room. She looked at the lonely swan, whose hair and pupils were now much blacker than before, and her expression turned anxious. She hurriedly asked, "Father, is there something you're hiding from me? Could it really put your life in danger?"
"Come on, it's fine. Your father's the Ghostly Demon. What could possibly threaten his life?" The lonely swan forced a smile and patted her daughter's shoulder. "Let's go thank that kid named Tang Qinghe. It sounds like he really did cure your illness. We should show him our gratitude."
"Then I don't have to go to school anymore, right?" the girl asked hesitantly.
"That can wait. No matter what, your father won't dare make an enemy of you. Even the old fellow at the Heaven Dou Imperial Family's academy wouldn't dare ignore your father."
The lonely swan let out a cold laugh. She scooped up her daughter and shot into the sky, heading straight for the Hundred Flowers Academy.
At the same time, the Hundred Flowers Academy was holding its opening ceremony.
Tang Qinghe, the academy's youngest Great Spirit Master, was pushed onto the stage to represent the academy in welcoming the new students. He gave a speech that lasted half an hour.
He had no choice. The food was free, and the rewards were too.
Since he'd accepted the academy's exemption from tuition and its scholarship,
he could only grit his teeth and deliver the speech.
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