An Unintended Act, Beishan Hu's Change of Heart

He valued Dao-heart even more?

Xia Manggan swept his gaze over the upper echelons of the other major sects.

He knew that Jade Sea Daoist was using those words to prod him.

Thus, he immediately said, "On the first day of the twelfth lunar month, I will go to the Black-White Academy to take its entrance examination."

"Then let me congratulate Headmaster Bi Hai in advance."

Beishan Yin smiled and said, "Everyone, we have seen enough excitement. Shall we return to the Immortal Hall and continue the feast?"

"This..."

The higher-ups of several major sects wanted to stay behind to exchange a few words with Xia Manggan, perhaps even test whether they could recruit him into their own sects.

But Beishan Yin also wanted Xia Manggan to enter the Black-White Academy, so how could he give them that chance?

Thus, under Beishan Yin's "warm" invitation, the group left Myriad Phenomena Hall and returned to the Immortal Hall.

"We should leave as well."

Seeing the younger generation watching from afar about to crowd toward them,

Xia Manggan called out to Qu Changqing and left Myriad Phenomena Hall together with Beishan Hu.

He left the others behind, sighing over their missed chance to befriend such a figure.

"Brother Baiwei, what sort of sect is the Black-White Academy? Why would it attract a member of the imperial clan to come all this way to seek apprenticeship?"

Having held it in for a long time, Ji Ning finally found an opportunity to voice the question in his heart after everyone dispersed.

"Hm?"

Beishan Baiwei had been staring blankly at Beishan Hu's departing figure.

Only upon hearing Ji Ning's question did he come back to his senses. He sighed. "The Black-White Academy... Within Anchan Commandery, aside from the Yinglong Guard and the Anchan Marquis Mansion, it is the strongest among the eight supreme powers. The Black-White Academy even produced a Heavenly Immortal in the past."

"A Heavenly Immortal?"

Ji Ning drew a sharp breath.

A Heavenly Immortal.

Although many powers in Anchan Commandery had immortals,

and he had just seen no fewer than ten of them,

they had all been Earth Immortals and Loose Immortals.

He had never heard of any force within Anchan Commandery that possessed a Heavenly Immortal.

Perhaps the Beishan Clan did.

But even that was merely a legend among legends.

"Yes, a Heavenly Immortal."

Beishan Baiwei said, "At its peak, the Black-White Academy was comparable to the Andan Beishan Clan and the Yinglong Guard."

"Even though countless ages have passed, and that ancient Heavenly Immortal perished long ago, the Black-White Academy remains the leader among the eight major powers."

"A sect like that must be difficult to enter, right?" Light flashed in Ji Ning's eyes as he pressed on.

"Of course." Beishan Baiwei said, "Every year, all sects with branches in Anchan City recruit disciples together from the first to the third day of the twelfth lunar month. The Heaven-Splitting Sword Sect, which I had previously wanted to recommend you to, recruits several hundred disciples every year. But the Black-White Academy accepts at most three to five disciples annually, and sometimes none at all."

"Only three to five in an entire year? Sometimes not even one?" Ji Ning could hardly believe it. "It is a sect. How can it accept so few disciples?"

"Because the Black-White Academy has only a little over a hundred Purple Mansion cultivators, a little over two hundred Wanxiang Daoists, more than thirty Primordial Spirit Daoists, and a few elusive immortals. The entire Academy only has several hundred people in total."

Beishan Baiwei sighed. "Precisely because it has so few disciples, entering it is incredibly difficult. Without peerless talent and peerless comprehension, anyone with even the slightest deficiency in their foundation cannot enter."

"That is why, although I thought highly of you before, I only recommended the Heaven-Splitting Sword Sect." Beishan Baiwei smiled. "But now that you have reached the Domain of Dao, you have a chance of entering the Black-White Academy."

"With my abilities, I only have a chance?" Ji Ning held his breath. "Then that imperial clansman, Xia Manggan..."

"Him?" Beishan Baiwei's expression shifted slightly. "The headmaster of the Black-White Academy personally nodded earlier and said he would definitely get in. Naturally, there will be no issue."

"Ji Ning, you need not concern yourself with Xia Manggan. His strength lies in his birth and the resources he possesses. The Xia Mang Clan is the strongest tribe across the endless lands of our world. Before the Xia Mang Clan, our Andan Beishan Clan is like your Ji Clan before our Beishan Clan."

Beishan Baiwei looked at Ji Ning. "But even with such a vast disparity, you are not much inferior to him. He has merely comprehended one more Domain of Dao than you. And you have cultivated for only a little over ten years."

As he spoke, Beishan Baiwei patted Ji Ning's shoulder. "Beishan Yin and Beishan Hu think highly of Xia Manggan, but I think even more highly of you. Stay with me for now. On the first day of the twelfth lunar month, enter the Black-White Academy. Once you have the Black-White Academy's techniques, divine abilities, and resources, I believe you will soar into the heavens and become a mighty expert!"

Ji Ning nodded heavily, his eyes blazing with intense confidence.

He had lived two lives and possessed the Water Mansion and Daoist Sanshou's legacy. Naturally, he would not lose confidence so easily.

For now, I will make him my target to surpass.

Ji Ning silently told himself.

Anchan City, western district.

Whoosh.

Under the night sky,

an immortal carriage stopped before a towering estate that covered an area of ten li in every direction.

Rows of soldiers stood guard before its gates.

Every soldier emanated a chilling aura, and none had a cultivation level below the Purple Mansion stage.

"Young Master, we have arrived."

Inside the immortal carriage, Beishan Hu respectfully said, "This is an estate that our Beishan Clan prepared for immortals from other commanderies staying temporarily in Anchan Commandery. Before you enter the Academy, you may stay here."

"Mhm." Xia Manggan nodded faintly and was the first to step down from the immortal carriage.

Although he had accepted Beishan Hu as his follower, he did not wish to become too entangled with Beishan Yin for the time being.

Thus, when Beishan Hu invited him to stay temporarily at his home, Xia Manggan decisively refused.

"Brother Xia Mang, I have been away from my sect for several months. Now that I know where you are staying, let us part here."

Qu Changqing, who had accompanied him all the way, stepped down from the immortal carriage. After looking at the estate before them, he cupped his hands toward Xia Manggan. "On the first day of the twelfth lunar month, I will come again to congratulate Brother Xia Mang on entering the Black-White Academy."

"Good." Xia Manggan smiled and returned the salute.

He still had a favorable impression of the second person he had met in this life.

Furthermore, Qu Changqing was extremely measured in both speech and conduct. He was someone worth associating with.

After watching Qu Changqing depart, Xia Manggan followed Beishan Hu into the spacious estate, which was as large as a small county city.

As they walked, the scenery shifted around them, with pavilions and towers rising one after another.

Its exquisite construction and ingenious layout were no less impressive than the Dagan Imperial Palace from his previous life.

"Young Master, I must return home shortly to fetch some necessities."

As he led the way, Beishan Hu said, "If there is anything lacking in this estate, please tell me."

"Before the first day of the twelfth lunar month, I will not leave the estate. You need not wait on me at all times."

After thinking for a moment, Xia Manggan added, "Have Cave of Carefree deliver one thousand Hundred Delicacies Feasts every day."

One thousand servings, every day?

Beishan Hu was secretly shocked.

One Hundred Delicacies Feast was not particularly expensive, but it still cost one tael of Essence Liquid.

A thousand servings meant one thousand taels, or one hundred jin of Essence Liquid.

That much Essence Liquid could buy a top-grade earth-ranked magic treasure.

More importantly, what was he going to do with so much?

Could he even eat it all!?

"What?" Xia Manggan glanced sideways at him. "Is there a problem?"

"No problem." Beishan Hu hurriedly shook his head.

"Then go."

Xia Manggan saw that they had arrived at a palace furnished with both cultivation chambers and sleeping quarters, so he said to Beishan Hu, "Have the Hundred Delicacies Feasts delivered for Ah Huang to eat. Do not disturb me for this month."

"Ah Huang?"

As Beishan Hu was wondering who that was, a small ochre-colored snake emerged from the skin of Xia Manggan's arm. It then flew to the ground and instantly transformed into a Flood Dragon more than ten zhang long.

"This is Ah Huang, my spirit beast."

Xia Manggan smiled. "Ah Huang ate several Hundred Delicacies Feasts tonight and liked them quite a bit. From now on, use the Hundred Delicacies Feasts as snacks for it."

One hundred jin of Essence Liquid a day, three thousand jin in a month. That could buy a mid-grade heaven-ranked magic treasure... Many ordinary Primordial Spirit Daoists could not even afford one, yet it was being fed to a spirit beast? As snacks?

Beishan Hu shrank back slightly and inwardly sighed, Is this the extravagance of the highest-ranking nobles, of the imperial clan?

Compared to Xia Manggan, his earlier act of spitefully spending a few hundred taels of Essence Liquid with Beishan Baiwei seemed as laughable as children playing house.

Now, he truly believed what his father had told him.

Being able to serve as a follower for such a noble figure was not humiliating at all.

Those outstanding peers who had mocked him today might even envy him in the future.

Without realizing it, Beishan Hu's mindset changed.

The respectful manner of a follower that he had mostly been putting on now gained sixty to seventy percent genuine sincerity.

The second update is here. It is the last day of the month, so please vote~~~