Master? Young Master!

"The expenses for Young Master Chu Ming at Baiyuan Academy will also be fully covered."

"Yes, covered."

"That's not the point, it's about the master!" Hou Wuchun reminded him again.

"Yes, yes, good disciple, rest assured. I, Shao Pengshu, keep my word. I will definitely take you as my disciple!"

"Exactly, from this day forward, Lord Shao is your master."

"..." Hou Wuchun could no longer hold back. He stood up, took a deep breath, and said, "Lord Shao, you said that if I could get the subsequent techniques from Brother Chu, you would call Brother Chu 'Master'!"

The voice was not loud, but it had an extraordinary penetrating power.

Shao Pengshu and Tan Hong, who were in the middle of practicing their moves, froze instantly.

Shao Pengshu looked at Tan Hong without speaking, as if asking: Did I say that?

Tan Hong returned an uncertain look: Lord Shao, it seems you did.

Could such a thing be true?!

Shao Pengshu's peripheral vision swept past the curtain into the carriage; his face was taut, his expression complex.

The technique on this paper not only continued from the part Hou Wuchun had provided but was also imbued with a deeper martial intent.

What did that mean?

It meant that the young master sitting inside the carriage, whom he had been painstakingly trying to persuade, had at least reached the Great Completion, if not the perfection, of the Tiger Python Force.

In other words, this young master wasn't afraid to practice the Tiger Python Force in front of them; he simply practiced a more profound technique and didn't want to demonstrate it.

His mind recalled his previous question to Chu Ming, to which the answer was that he had only practiced for a few days and then stopped. Could it be that this young master meant he had only practiced the Tiger Python Force for a few days, and then moved on to this technique, which was far superior to the Tiger Python Force?

Thinking back on what he himself had said...

In an instant, Shao Pengshu's complexion turned even worse.

But fortunately, it was just a more advanced technique, not a Body Forging Technique; that was acceptable...

Shao Pengshu coached himself this way, looked up, cleared his throat, and said in a righteous tone, "The time is about right; we should hurry on our way."

As he spoke, he yanked Hou Wuchun down, jumped onto the carriage himself, and calmly picked up the whip and reins.

If Tan Hong hadn't caught him, Hou Wuchun would have fallen face-first onto the ground.

"Lord Shao, didn't you just say you wanted to swap carriages with me?" Tan Hong looked at the carriage, then at the paper in Shao Pengshu's arms, which had been shoved away quite carelessly, as if he weren't worried about the ink smearing.

Shao Pengshu pulled the reins, "Did I say that?"

"Lord Shao said it. Hou Wuchun is your disciple, and you need to guide him personally," Tan Hong added.

Shao Pengshu's hand on the reins faltered, and his body leaned back slightly, "Giddyap!"

According to that logic, my master is supposed to be guiding me...

Baiyuan County, West City.

Two carriages traveled along the spacious stone-paved road. The buildings on both sides were densely packed, mostly in the style of large courtyards. Through the courtyard walls, one could see the protruding flying eaves and corners, covered in blue-gray tiles.

There were few pedestrians on the road, and most were dressed in Confucian robes.

This was the famous academy district of Baiyuan County, where Baiyuan Academy was located.

The appearance of the two carriages drew many gazes, most of them carrying a hint of disgust.

In the academy district, even the streets were usually quiet; the sound of carriage wheels rolling over the stone slabs was particularly jarring in such an environment.

However, when these people saw the driver wearing the Flying Fish Robe of the Criminal Defense Division, they all hurriedly averted their eyes, some even dodging to the side of the road, not daring to take another look.

Shao Pengshu drove the carriage and stopped in front of the academy at the end of the street.

On both sides of the gate stood a pair of majestic stone lions, with poems carved into their pedestals, perfectly blending scholarly elegance with grandeur.

Above the main gate hung a huge plaque with the four characters "Baiyuan Academy" engraved upon it, the brushwork vigorous and the momentum imposing.

"Young Master, we have arrived at Baiyuan Academy." Shao Pengshu respectfully lifted the curtain.

He couldn't bring himself to call him "Master," but he couldn't keep calling him Chu Ming either; following Instructor Fang and calling him "Young Master" wasn't a loss.

Young Master?

The son of which big shot from the Criminal Defense Division?

The Confucian scholars watched from afar.

Vulgar men, what are they doing at the academy!

Chu Ming hugged the Poetry, Politics, and Military Strategy and, carrying a small bundle on his back, stepped out of the carriage.

Finally, he had arrived.

"Eh? What is that person holding... Poetry, Politics, and Military Strategy?" someone whispered.

"It seems to be. Could he be from one of the towns below?"

"Would the Criminal Defense Division call someone from a town below 'Young Master'?"

"Could it be some young master from the Baiyuan County Academy Exam, only arriving at the academy now?"

There were academy exams in the town, and Baiyuan County held them as well, with a larger quota for admission into the academy.

"That is a possibility."

"..."

"Young Master, Baiyuan Academy is different from the Criminal Defense Division; it is not convenient for me to enter..."

"Very well, thank you for your hard work, Constable Shao and Constable Tan." Clutching the Poetry, Politics, and Military Strategy, Chu Ming could not perform a proper cupped-hand salute and could only nod slightly.

"No trouble at all, no trouble."

Just as the two men sat back in their carriage, Chu Ming's voice came from behind: "When there is an opportunity, I will seek out Constable Shao again to ask for guidance on force-cultivation techniques."

"..."

A flash of awkwardness crossed Shao Pengshu's face, and he solemnly brought his hands together in a salute.

"Brother Chu, I am heading to the Criminal Defense Division first. I will come to see you when I have time." Hou Wuchun waved his hand.

"Alright."

"Giddy-up—"

The two carriages drove away.

Clutching the Poetry, Politics, and Military Strategy, Chu Ming walked into the academy amidst numerous gazes. The moment he entered, he caught the scent of thick ink, or perhaps the fragrance of books.

There were ancient, elegant halls and pavilions, and a solemn, massive stone screen wall painted with a landscape of rolling mountains and swirling clouds.

On both sides of the screen wall were two long, covered corridors lined with lush flowers and plants, giving the place a unique charm.

"Excuse me, where can I register?" He stopped a scholar to ask.

The scholar had not seen that Chu Ming was dropped off by the Criminal Defense Division, so he was naturally less reserved: "Just call me Yan Cong. Are you only just coming to register, brother? The academy exam ended over ten days ago, didn't it?"

"...Was it not said that one could register at any time?" Chu Ming asked.

"It is true that you can register at any time, but since you arrived late, haven't you missed quite a few lessons?" Seeing Chu Ming clutching books and carrying a bundle, the scholar kindly offered a hand to help him steady them, then continued: "What is your name, brother? I will take you to register at the Lower Academy."

"Actually... I need to go to the Middle Academy."

"The Middle Academy?" The scholar's footsteps halted, and he eyed Chu Ming up and down: "Are you not mistaken, brother?"

"No mistake, it is the Middle Academy."

"Farewell." Yan Cong stopped helping with the books and turned to leave.

"..."

After walking a few steps, Yan Cong suddenly turned back, his eyes hiding something, a smile appearing on his face: "If you tell me your name, I will take you to register, how about that?"

Chu Ming looked at the scholar, pondered for a moment, and felt that revealing his name did not seem to matter: "Chu Ming."

"Chu Ming..." The smile on Yan Cong's face widened, and he pointed toward a small path on the left side of the academy: "Brother Chu, follow this path to the end, turn left, and there will be a main road. Follow that road to the end, pass through a gate, and you will be at the Middle Academy."

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

Yan Cong watched Chu Ming's retreating back, the corners of his mouth curving upward, as if he had encountered some joyous event.

"Relying on a bit of luck to skip the Lower Academy and enter the Middle Academy, and arriving over ten days late, missing lessons..."

"Heh heh, the next promotion exam will be a good opportunity."

Students like Chu Ming who had not experienced the Lower Academy lacked experience and often became stepping stones for the veteran students of the Lower Academy during the first round of promotion exams.