He valued Dao Heart even more?
Xia Manggan glanced at the upper echelons of the other major sects.
He knew that Jade Sea Daoist was using those words to prod him.
So 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 Jade Sea 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 upper echelons of several major sects wanted to stay behind and speak with Xia Manggan, perhaps testing 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 possibly give them the 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 spectators in the distance preparing to swarm toward them, Xia Manggan called out to Qu Changqing and left Myriad Phenomena Hall together with Beishan Hu.
Only the others remained behind, sighing over having missed the chance to befriend such a person.
"Brother Baiwei, what kind of sect is the Black-White Academy? Why did it draw this imperial clansman here specifically to seek a master?"
After enduring for a long while, Ji Ning finally found the chance to voice the doubt in his heart once everyone had dispersed.
"Hm?" Beishan Baiwei had been staring blankly at Beishan Hu's departing figure. Only when he heard Ji Ning's question did he come back to himself. With a sigh, he said, "The Black-White Academy... In Anchan Commandery, aside from the Yinglong Guard and the Anchan Marquis Mansion, it is the strongest of the eight greatest powers. The Black-White Academy even produced a Heavenly Immortal in the past."
"A Heavenly Immortal?" Ji Ning drew in a deep breath.
Heavens. Although quite a few powers in Anchan Commandery had Immortals, and he had just seen no fewer than ten of them, they were all Earth Immortals and Loose Immortals.
He had never heard of any power in Anchan Commandery possessing a Heavenly Immortal.
Perhaps the Beishan Clan did.
But that was merely legend upon legend.
"Yes, a Heavenly Immortal." Beishan Baiwei said, "At its peak, the Black-White Academy was comparable to our Andan Beishan Clan and the Yinglong Guard."
"Even though hundreds of millions of years have passed, and that ancient Heavenly Immortal has long since fallen, the Black-White Academy remains the foremost of the eight great powers."
"A sect like that must be very difficult to enter, right?" Ji Ning's eyes gleamed as he pressed on.
"Of course." Beishan Baiwei said, "Every year, all the sects' outposts in Anchan City recruit disciples together from the first through the third day of the twelfth lunar month. A sect like the Heaven-Splitting Sword Sect, which I previously wanted to recommend to you, recruits several hundred disciples each year. But the Black-White Academy accepts at most three to five disciples a year, and sometimes not even one."
"Only three to five a year? Sometimes none at all?" Ji Ning could hardly believe it. "But it is a sect. How can it recruit so few disciples?"
"Because the Black-White Academy has only a little over a hundred Purple Mansion cultivators, over two hundred Wanxiang Daoists, more than thirty Primordial Spirit Daoists, and a few elusive Immortals. The entire Academy has only several hundred people in total." Beishan Baiwei sighed. "Precisely because its disciples are so few, entering it is exceedingly difficult."
"So unless one possesses peerless talent and peerless comprehension, even the slightest deficiency in one's foundation will bar entry."
"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."
"Someone like me only has a chance?" Ji Ning held his breath. "Then that imperial clansman, Xia Manggan..."
"Him?" Beishan Baiwei's expression changed slightly. "The headmaster of the Black-White Academy personally nodded earlier and said he would certainly be accepted. Naturally, there will be no problem."
"Ji Ning, you need not concern yourself with Xia Manggan. His strength lies in his background and in the resources he possesses. The Xia Mang Clan is the strongest tribe on the Endless Earth of this world. Before the Xia Mang Clan, our Andan Beishan Clan is like your Ji Clan before my Beishan Clan."
Beishan Baiwei looked at Ji Ning. "Yet despite such a huge gap, you are not much inferior to him. He has merely comprehended one more Domain of Dao than you. Moreover, you have cultivated for only a little over a decade."
As he spoke, Beishan Baiwei patted Ji Ning on the shoulder. "Beishan Yin and Beishan Hu favor Xia Manggan, but I favor you more. Stay at my place for now. When the first day of the twelfth lunar month arrives, enter the Black-White Academy. Once you have the Black-White Academy's methods, divine abilities, and various resources, I believe you will surely soar into the heavens and become a great power!"
Ji Ning nodded heavily, his eyes shining with incomparably strong confidence.
He had lived two lives and possessed the Water Mansion and Daoist Sanshou's legacy. Naturally, he would not so easily lose confidence.
For now, I will make him the target I must surpass.
Ji Ning silently told himself.
Anchan City, West City.
Whoosh.
In the night.
An immortal carriage stopped before a majestic estate spanning ten li in every direction.
Rows upon rows of soldiers stood guard before its gates.
Every soldier exuded a chilling aura, and none of them had cultivation below the Purple Mansion level.
"Young master, we have arrived."
Inside the immortal carriage, Beishan Hu respectfully said, "This is an estate prepared by our Beishan Clan for Immortals from other commanderies when they come to stay in Anchan Commandery. Before you enter the Academy, you may stay here for the time being."
"Mhm." Xia Manggan nodded slightly and was the first to step down from the immortal carriage.
Although he had accepted Beishan Hu as a follower, he did not wish to become too entangled with Beishan Yin for the moment.
Therefore, when Beishan Hu suggested that he 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 glancing 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.
For the second person he had met in this life, he held quite a favorable impression of Qu Changqing.
Moreover, Qu Changqing was measured in both his conduct and speech. He was someone worth associating with.
After watching Qu Changqing leave, Xia Manggan followed Beishan Hu into the spacious estate, which was as large as a small county town.
As they walked, the scenery shifted around them, with pavilions and towers standing 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 retrieve some necessities."
As he led the way, Beishan Hu said, "If there is anything lacking in this estate, please tell me."
"I will not leave the estate before the first day of the twelfth lunar month, so you need not remain on standby 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 portions, every day?
Beishan Hu was secretly shocked.
A single Hundred Delicacies Feast was not considered expensive, but it still cost one tael of Essence Liquid.
One thousand portions meant one thousand taels—one hundred jin of Essence Liquid.
That much Essence Liquid could buy an Earth Rank high-grade magic treasure.
More importantly, what was he going to do with so much of it?
Could anyone even eat that much?!
"What?" Xia Manggan glanced sideways at him. "Is there a problem?"
"No problem." Beishan Hu hurriedly shook his head.
"Then go."
When Xia Manggan arrived at a palace containing everything from cultivation chambers to sleeping quarters, 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?"
Beishan Hu was still puzzled when a small ochre-yellow snake emerged from the skin of Xia Manggan's arm, flew down to the ground, and instantly transformed into a Flood Dragon more than ten zhang long.
"That is Ah Huang, my spirit beast."
Xia Manggan smiled. "Ah Huang ate several Hundred Delicacies Feasts tonight and liked them very much. From now on, use Hundred Delicacies Feasts as its snacks."
One hundred jin of Essence Liquid every day. That would be three thousand jin in a month, enough to buy a Heaven Rank mid-grade magic treasure... Many ordinary Primordial Spirit Daoists could not even afford one, yet he is using it to feed a spirit beast? As snacks?
Beishan Hu shrank back slightly and sighed inwardly, Is this the extravagance of the most elite nobles, of the imperial clan?
Compared to Xia Manggan, the few hundred taels of Essence Liquid he and Beishan Baiwei had spent in their petty contest now seemed as laughable as children playing house.
Now he truly believed what his father had said.
Being a follower to 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, follower-like manner he had mostly put on before suddenly gained sixty to seventy percent more sincerity.
The second update is here. It is the final day of the month, so please vote~~~
Before you continue