Chapter 214

"You can leave now!"

The words had barely left his mouth.

With a gentle wave of his hand, the Clear Sky Saint King Xiao Minghuang a soft power envelop him, causing him to lose control of his body and his vision to go white.

In the blink of an eye, she left the cave and stood outside the palace gate again.

Upon seeing her sudden appearance, the Seventeen Water Spirit King turned his gaze, a look of confusion on his face.

Previously, the chief had completely ignored her, only summoning Xiao Minghuang, which showed how much he valued her.

At this moment, Xiao Minghuang is probably already the chief disciple's personal disciple, so he absolutely cannot be negligent.

"Princess Xiao, have you already become a disciple?"

The Seventeen Water Spirit King lowered his voice, his tone carrying a hint of respect.

Xiao Minghuang shook her head and said softly, "I haven't even entered the gate."

"Haven't even gotten started?"

The Seventeen Water Spirit King was surprised. If he didn't intend to take on any disciples, why did he summon her alone?

"Then... did the Holy King give any instructions just now?"

Xiao Minghuang raised her eyes and glanced indifferently at the Seventeen Water Spirit King. She suddenly realized that this Holy Academy elder's thoughts seemed a little too heavy.

"It's not convenient to disclose."

Upon hearing this, the Seventeen Water Spirit King glanced at Xiao Minghuang, smiled almost imperceptibly, and then said, "Since the head disciple hasn't accepted any disciples, Princess Xiao, why don't you try your luck in other academies? Your talent is quite good, and the other head disciples should be able to recognize it. I have something to discuss with the head disciple, so please do as you see fit."

After speaking, the Seventeen Water Spirit King entered the hall.

Watching the Seventeen Water Spirit King enter the hall, Xiao Minghuang couldn't help but sigh softly.

"How cold and heartless the world is!"

It seems that the Holy Academy is not a paradise for cultivators either. It is no different in essence from the Southern Border and the Great Xia. It still elevates the powerful and belittles the weak.

No matter how talented she is, she will not gain respect from others until her true identity is confirmed.

Moreover, the respect shown to her just now was only because she was indeed extremely talented. If it were someone with average talent, they wouldn't even have the right to look a king in the eye, let alone have an equal conversation with him.

The cultivation world is so cruel and real!

254. Goodbye Xu Xiuer, Hundred Inquiries Pavilion Master

Thinking of this, Xiao Minghuang clenched her fists, her eyes flashing with determination.

No matter what, she is determined to become strong!

Only with sufficient cultivation can one control their own destiny!

Without sufficient strength, one is destined to become an ant in a dog-eat-dog world, with an uncertain fate.

In the Southern Border, she was a princess of a nation, holding a prestigious position. Wherever she went, she was the center of attention and always stood out from the crowd.

Upon arriving at the Holy Academy, she suddenly went from a high-ranking princess to an ordinary cultivator; she had only just truly experienced this disparity.

Xiao Minghuang pursed her lips slightly, intending to join a courtyard first.

But she didn't expect that because the main peak of the Second Courtyard B was quite remote, it would take her six whole days to get back to the square.

After carefully reviewing the handbook, she decided to choose between the Third Courtyard C and the Seventh Courtyard G to join.

The reason is simple: there are many fire-element cultivators in the Three Academies, and Ye Ruoshui has also joined the Three Academies, so they can look out for each other.

All seven academies are sword cultivators, and the head academy is a Sword Saint King, whose strength is in no way inferior to that of the Clear Sky Saint King.

However, when she went to both hospitals, she was rejected.

After checking the roster, the steward in charge of registering new disciples asked with some surprise, "The roster shows that you are already a disciple of the Second Courtyard B, and a disciple of the Headmaster... You are already a disciple of Head Mu, so why are you making fun of us?"

The deacon said somewhat sarcastically, "Although we deacons are lowly and insignificant, we also have many miscellaneous tasks to handle. I'm afraid I'm unable to keep you company."

After saying that, the steward left without looking back.

Although the deacons of the Holy Court are of low status, they hold permanent positions. Unless they commit a serious crime and are reported to the Chief Abbot, they can remain in their posts until they die.

Xiao Minghuang had no time to pay attention to the butler's sarcastic remarks.

She understood everything now; this was what they were waiting for her all along!

No wonder the Clear Sky Saint King readily let her leave, even saying that he wanted her to become a disciple of another academy.

She's already been recognized as a disciple of the Second Academy, how can she possibly be accepted into another academy?!

Thinking of this, Xiao Minghuang gritted her teeth, but her heart was filled with helplessness.

The Clear Sky Saint King Skies, you've gone too far!

However, she still held onto a sliver of hope, wishing that some high-ranking official would be willing to take her as a disciple.

Pity...

Within half a day, she encountered setbacks one after another.

Ultimately, she had no choice but to give up and decided to return to the Second Courtyard B.

However, at that moment, a joyful shout rang out.

"Princess?!"

The voice sounded somewhat familiar, but I couldn't place it.

Xiao Minghuang turned her head and was immediately stunned.

It was Xu Xiuer!

Xu Xiuer stood in mid-air, wearing a bright green dress. She had a graceful figure, long hair cascading over her shoulders, a slender waist, and a look of surprise on her pretty face.

The person before him quickly overlapped with the pitiful girl in Xiao Minghuang's memory, who always wore a sorrowful expression, but her appearance was completely different.

Xu Xiuer was listless back then, but now she looks youthful and lively.

Moreover, she exuded an aura of mystery, as if shrouded in a layer of mist, with tiny, mysterious patterns shimmering on her skin, seemingly implying some profound truth of the universe, which even she could not quite fathom.

Xu Xiuer, her dress fluttering, descended from mid-air, her face beaming with joy.

"Princess!"

Xiao Minghuang paused slightly, then smiled and said:

"Xiu'er, it's you... I didn't expect to see you here."

Hearing that Xiao Minghuang recognized her name, Xu Xiuer became even happier and hurriedly said, "I didn't expect it to really be the princess. It's been so long! How have you been, princess?"

"I'm fine," Xiao Minghuang asked. "And you?"

Since the struggle for the crown prince, she had no contact with the Wu'an King's Residence. She left the affairs of the Princess Mansion to Lin Wanqiu. In addition, she was busy with cultivation and completely forgot about Xu Xiuer.

But I never expected to run into them here again today.

"Me..." Xu Xiuer said somewhat uneasily, "Ever since I settled down with the princess, Miss Lin has taken good care of me. Later, when the Heavenly Mansion Secret Realm opened, people from the Holy Academy came to take me away. Because it was in a hurry, I didn't have time to wait for His Highness to return to the country to say goodbye in person..."

"I didn't mean to leave without saying goodbye!" she said solemnly.

"Xiu'er, you're overthinking it. I'm overjoyed that you've made progress at the Holy Academy, why would I blame you?"

Xiao Minghuang smiled slightly.

Looking at herself, she had barely stepped inside when she was targeted by a powerful figure with ill intentions, and now she didn't even have a place to stay.

"Did the princess enter the inner sect during this trial? And which head disciple did she become a disciple of?"

Xu Xiuer knew clearly that Xiao Minghuang had amazing talent. Once he entered the sect, he would definitely be favored by the heads of the ten academies and become their personal disciple. From then on, he would rise to prominence and soar to great heights.

"This..."

Xiao Minghuang looked troubled. She couldn't very well tell Xu Xiuer what had happened to her, so she lied and said, "Alas! I've visited all ten academies today, but none of them are willing to accept me as a disciple. I don't know what to do now."

Upon hearing this, Xu Xiuer was immediately shocked and furious. "These deacons are too arrogant, so negligent! I'll tell my master right away and ask him... Never mind, I'll go and ask first to see if there's any misunderstanding here."

After saying that, Xu Xiuer turned and walked towards the nearest courtyard gate.

In the square, there is a reception area set up by the Tenth Academy, where newly recruited disciples register.

When Xiao Minghuang saw Xu Xiuer walk into a reception area and take out a token from her sleeve, the steward immediately became extremely respectful and humble towards her.

"It seems that Xiu'er has met a benefactor at the Holy Academy."

Xiao Minghuang narrowed her beautiful eyes and murmured to herself.

After a while, Xu Xiuer came running back angrily.

"Hey! These people are outrageous! They're saying the princess has been taken in as a personal disciple by the head of the Second Courtyard B. Is that pure nonsense? If she were the head's personal disciple, would she be wasting her breath in a place like this?"

Xu Xiuer said indignantly, then looked at Xiao Minghuang and said, "Princess, don't worry, you can stay at the Hundred Inquiries Pavilion first. If the Ten Academies don't accept you, I will ask my master to intervene and resolve this matter!"

Seeing Xu Xiuer's confident demeanor, Xiao Minghuang tentatively asked, "Xiu'er, who is your master?"

Xu Xiuer was taken aback, then slapped her forehead. "Look how flustered I am! I haven't even explained things clearly to the princess yet. Here's what happened..."

"... The Holy Academy is divided into one Ancestor, two Venerable Ones, five Pavilions, ten Inner Courts, and twelve Outer Courts. The Ancestor is the Old Dean, the two Venerable Ones are the Palace Masters of the Taiyin Hall and the Sun Hall, the five Pavilions are the Pavilion Masters of the Hundred Inquiries Pavilion, Myriad Treasures Pavilion, Pill Cauldron Pavilion Cloud Seal Pavilion, and Spirit Beast Pavilion, the ten Inner Courts are the ten Inner Courts, and the twelve Outer Courts are the twelve Outer Courts."

"My master is the Pavilion Master of the Hundred Inquiries Pavilion!"

255. How far have you and she progressed?

"In the Holy Academy, the Old Dean has not shown his face for a long time, Taiyin Hall, one of the two Venerables, also rarely appears. The Sun Hall Mistress is the one who supports the daily affairs."

"The five pavilion masters in the academy hold positions above the heads of the ten inner academies. Princess, rest assured, with my master here, even the heads of the second academy will have to show them some respect."

Next, Xu Xiuer told her some information about the Holy Academy.

This includes the general factions, the current situation, and so on.

This kind of information could not possibly be found in the introductory disciple's handbook.

"The ten inner court leaders are not all equal as outsiders say; there are differences everywhere, it's just a matter of how great the differences are."

"The head of the Second Academy, the Clear Sky Saint King, has an extremely ancient Supreme Elder as her master, who is on the same level as the Second Elder. Therefore, although she is only the head of the Second Academy, the heads of the other nine academies all have to give her some respect."

"But Princess, don't worry too much. So what if the Clear Sky Saint King is powerful? Our Hundred Inquiries Pavilion is not afraid of her!"

Xu Xiuer smiled and said, "Hundred Inquiries Pavilion ranks first among the five pavilions, and its former pavilion master is an ancient supreme being. Therefore, even the Clear Sky Saint King can only address me as his peer."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Minghuang was slightly surprised. "Is the Hundred Inquiries Pavilion that powerful?"

"That's natural. The Hundred Inquiries Pavilion is full of extraordinary individuals who are proficient in all the ways of the world and have studied the mysteries of the universe. They have a wide range of skills, including many masters who are knowledgeable in the principles of the I Ching and can predict the fate of the Celestial Person and the earth. Whenever there are major events in the Holy Academy, or when the cultivators in the academy have doubts, they will come to seek divination. Therefore, the status of our Hundred Inquiries Pavilion has long surpassed that of the other four pavilions, not to mention the ten inner academies."

Xu Xiuer became more and more excited as she spoke, "Thanks to the princess, I had the opportunity to enter the Holy Academy, where my talent for fortune-telling was discovered, and I was directly accepted as a disciple by the Young Pavilion Master on behalf of my master."

She paused, then explained, "The old master went into seclusion a long time ago and has never appeared in public since. The Young Pavilion Master is in charge of the daily affairs."

"So that's how it is..."

Xiao Minghuang didn't understand most of what Xu Xiuer said, but she still wrote it all down.

"Then let's go to the Hundred Inquiries Pavilion first and have them cancel the princess's registration at the Second Courtyard B, and then she can join Hundred Inquiries Pavilion directly!"

"With the princess's talent, she will surely inspire the elders in the pavilion to consider taking her as a disciple."

After saying this, Xu Xiuer took to the air and led Xiao Minghuang away into the distance.

On the way, Xiao Minghuang continued to process the information she had just received.

"According to Xu Xiuer, the Holy Academy is not a monolithic entity, but rather contains many factions."

"Among the ten inner courtyards, the head of the Second Courtyard B Clear Sky Saint King, is very strong, but she does not have any true personal disciples; they are all disciples of the elders in the courtyard."

"The First Academy has the largest number of members. Besides that, the Seventh Academy, which has a large number of sword cultivators, is also very powerful. The Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Academies are mostly composed of members from holy land families, while the Eighth and Ninth Academies are mainly composed of Rogue Cultivator."

"The Five Pavilions are not primarily for training disciples, but rather for engaging in side businesses such as alchemy, qi cultivation, formations, and raising demonic beasts. However, disciples who can join the Five Pavilions all possess a special skill, so their status is slightly higher than that of ordinary disciples from the Ten Academies."

"Entry into the two halls is very difficult, but once you are accepted as a disciple of one of them, it means you have the opportunity to compete for the position of Holy Son Saintess."

"Right now, my goal is to join the Hundred Inquiries Pavilion, and then improve my cultivation level as soon as possible to secure a place among the Thirty-six Peaks of Tiangang."

Xiao Minghuang's mind stirred slightly. Whether it was the Seventeen Water Spirit King or Xu Xiuer, the Heavenly Dipper Assembly was extremely important.

This grand event not only tests the disciples' combat abilities but also their skills in other unorthodox methods.

After Xu Xiuer joined the sect, she was not formally accepted as a disciple. Instead, she distinguished herself at the Heavenly Dipper Assembly and was then formally accepted as a disciple.