Temper His Arrogance

Time passed, and in the blink of an eye, it was already the twelfth lunar month.

The first day of the twelfth lunar month.

Early in the morning, Qu Changqing arrived at West City and came to the estate where Xia Manggan was temporarily staying.

Outside the sleeping palace.

Beishan Hu was carefully serving Ah Huang breakfast.

There were more than ten enormous dining plates specially forged for it.

Each had a diameter of thirty meters.

This was a lesson Beishan Hu had learned through experience.

Plates of this size were just enough for Ah Huang to swallow in one bite, making them the most suitable capacity without wasting food.

After all, such a noble-blooded True Dragon could not possibly be made to eat food that had fallen to the ground.

The sight made Qu Changqing think his eyes were playing tricks on him.

If one were to speak of the biggest news in Anchan City this month—

It was undoubtedly that 'Beishan Hu,' one of the famed Second Young Masters of Beishan, had stopped being a privileged heir and gone to serve as someone's attendant.

Quite a few young masters from major clans and sects who heard the news later had even made special trips to Anchan City, lying in wait at Cave of Carefree and Heavenly Treasure Mountain.

Yet to everyone's disappointment, Young Master Hu, who had once visited pleasure dens every night to spend lavishly, had not shown himself for an entire month.

Everyone assumed that Beishan Hu had felt too ashamed to show his face.

But from Qu Changqing's perspective now, Beishan Hu actually seemed to be enjoying himself.

"Chirp chirp~~"

Ah Huang used its head to push a huge platter of jade bamboo shoots, glittering like emeralds, toward Beishan Hu.

"Thank you, Divine Beast Yellow Dragon, but I have already eaten this morning."

Delighted, Beishan Hu hurriedly waved his hands and politely declined.

It had not been easy.

A whole month had passed.

He had finally managed to establish the beginnings of a friendship with this True Dragon lord, who could only take human form upon reaching the Heavenly Immortal realm.

Ah Huang was a divine beast of the True Dragon race, possessing the noblest bloodline.

Its aptitude and talent were even several notches greater than those of many true Fiendgods.

Compared to the Human Race, whose Xiantian talent was relatively weak, even if Ah Huang could not yet transform at the Return to Void level, its powerful body and innate divine abilities alone gave it strength comparable to a Loose Immortal who had cultivated for nearly a million years, enough to rival the most ordinary Heavenly Immortals.

Faced with such a future powerhouse, one still in its childhood growth stage with a mind comparable only to that of a six- or seven-year-old human child, Beishan Hu naturally would not miss the chance to build a deep friendship.

It could be said that—

During the month Xia Manggan had spent in seclusion, Beishan Hu had devoted nearly all his attention to serving Ah Huang.

"Hm?"

Sensing someone watching him, Beishan Hu turned his head. He quickly wiped the smile from his face, gave two dry coughs, and said, "Young Master Qu has arrived?"

"Young Master Hu." Pretending not to have seen the previous scene, Qu Changqing walked over and bowed. "Where is Young Master Xia Mang?"

"The young master is still in seclusion," Beishan Hu said.

"Still in seclusion?" Qu Changqing was puzzled. "Today is the day Black-White Academy accepts disciples."

"There are three days anyway." Beishan Hu curled his lip. "Let them wait."

"..."

Qu Changqing was speechless.

Across all of Anchan Commandery, which young cultivator seeking a master was not desperately begging to join a sect?

Yet in Beishan Hu's words, it sounded as if the sects were the ones begging for disciples.

And it was Black-White Academy, which had stood high above all others for countless years...

Still, recalling everything he had personally witnessed a month ago in the Royal Capital and Cave of Carefree—

Qu Changqing had to admit that Xia Manggan truly possessed both the status and talent to make the major sects beg to accept him.

At that moment—

Ah Huang, which had been eating heartily, suddenly stretched out its head and looked back.

Beishan Hu and Qu Changqing both sensed something and turned toward the palace doors.

They saw Xia Manggan slowly walk out from within.

The two stared blankly.

Xia Manggan was clearly still dressed in plain gray cloth, the attire of an ordinary mortal, and still wore a faint smile.

Yet wherever he walked, it felt as though an emperor were traveling.

It seemed as though the Heaven and Earth around him would operate according to his will.

"Chirp chirp~~"

Ah Huang lowered itself.

Using its dragon head, which had now grown to over nine meters long, it vigorously rubbed against Xia Manggan.

"You've grown so much already?"

Xia Manggan smiled and stroked its forehead, then looked at Beishan Hu. "You've fed it well."

Yet through telepathic communication with Ah Huang, he had heard no shortage of praise for Beishan Hu.

Through his mental communication with Ah Huang, he had heard quite a few compliments about Beishan Hu.

Children were simple.

Whoever fed them and indulged them in everything was a good person.

Beishan Hu was exactly that sort of person.

Hearing Xia Manggan's praise, Beishan Hu finally came back to his senses and hurriedly bowed. "Young Master."

"Young Master Xia Mang."

Qu Changqing also snapped awake.

When he looked at Xia Manggan again, he found nothing unusual.

He secretly thought that it was merely his imagination running wild.

"Brother Qu."

Xia Manggan gave a slight nod.

"Today is the first day of the twelfth lunar month. I came to accompany Young Master Xia Mang to Black-White Academy to seek a master," Qu Changqing said with a smile. "That way, once Young Master Xia Mang successfully enters the Academy, I can congratulate you at once."

"Young Master, shall we depart now?" Beishan Hu asked as well. "Should I prepare the carriage?"

"Go ahead." Xia Manggan smiled. "But first, we'll go to Heavenly Treasure Mountain and have something to eat."

He remembered that in the original book, the entrance examination would not begin until near dusk, when the day's registration period was almost over.

Going to Black-White Academy now would only mean waiting around.

They might as well relax at Heavenly Treasure Mountain first.

Besides, he had already used up all his Essence Liquid and was planning to exchange his remaining Essence Cards for more.

That way, after entering the Academy and taking a master, he could immediately break through in his Qi Refining cultivation.

"Yes."

Beishan Hu responded and left to make preparations.

"Young Master Xia Mang." Once Beishan Hu had gone, Qu Changqing sent a mental message to Xia Manggan. "Earlier, many people asked me about your background, including Beishan Baiwei. I only said that I met you at Yinglong Mountain. I did not even mention that you came from the Royal Capital."

"Brother Qu, you have been thoughtful." Xia Manggan smiled. "You treated us at Cave of Carefree last time. Today, at Heavenly Treasure Mountain, I'll be the host."

"Good." Knowing that Xia Manggan was acknowledging the favor, Qu Changqing hurriedly smiled and nodded.

West City.

Outside Black-White Academy.

Looking at the bustling crowd, Ji Ning sighed. "There really are a lot of people today."

More than ten days ago, unable to suppress his curiosity, he had come here once with Beishan Baiwei.

At that time, Black-White Academy's gates had been shut, with guards posted outside to stop anyone who was not an Academy disciple from entering.

Today, because it was the day the Academy accepted disciples from the outside world, the gates had been opened for outsiders to enter.

"Black-White Academy is extremely strict in accepting disciples. Ning'er, don't get careless and be eliminated," White Water Marsh, still transformed into a large white dog, reminded him through mental communication.

"Don't worry, Uncle Bai." Ji Ning nodded.

"Next."

"Your meridians lack resilience. Leave."

"Next."

"Your meridians are not broad enough. Leave."

"Next."

"You're already at the Purple Mansion Middle Stage, and you still came to Black-White Academy? Get lost!"

"You too, get lost!"

"Listen carefully! Anyone who has used forbidden arts or whose Qi Refining cultivation exceeds the Early Purple Mansion Stage, get out on your own. Don't waste my time!"

Before a lake—

A black-haired middle-aged man stood there, his face full of impatience.

High in the air behind him floated a massive Bronze Mirror.

The Bronze Mirror shone down upon the cultivators arriving below. Only those approved by the black-haired middle-aged man could cross the lake and truly enter Black-White Academy to participate in the entrance examination.

"Why is this year's examiner in such a bad mood?"

"Yeah. I took the test last year too, and he wasn't like this then."

Ji Ning's ears twitched as he heard the crowd's discussion, and he too felt slightly nervous.

Whoosh~~~

Azure light emerged from the Bronze Mirror and enveloped him.

Ji Ning felt as though his muscles, bones, skin, and flesh had all been pierced through in an instant.

"Oh? Your Fiendgod Body Refining has also reached the Purple Mansion level?"

The black-haired middle-aged man gave Ji Ning a surprised look. Only then did he nod in satisfaction, a faint smile appearing on his face. "Not bad aptitude. And your Divine Body seems quite perfect. What technique do you cultivate?"

"The Crimson Bright Nine Heavens Map," Ji Ning said directly.

The moment those words left his mouth, the waiting crowd behind him erupted in shocked cries.

After all, the Crimson Bright Nine Heavens Map was the legendary foremost Fiendgod Body Refining technique, as well as the most widely spread Fiendgod Body Refining technique on the Endless Continent.

Nearly every somewhat larger cultivator tribe possessed it.

Yet among those who could cultivate it to the entry level, even fewer could reach the Innate Fiendgod realm—perhaps only one in a hundred million.

Not to mention reaching the Purple Mansion Fiendgod level.

"Mhm, go on through." The black-haired middle-aged man nodded with a smile, his expression becoming even warmer. "Remember not to be careless in the slightest. Perhaps you may be able to enter our Academy."

"Thank you, Senior." Ji Ning bowed in gratitude.

Then his body flickered, and he appeared directly on the opposite shore of the lake.

"Find somewhere to wait. When the time comes, we'll take you to the examination. Don't ask questions, and don't wander around."

Another voice rang out, similarly carrying a trace of impatience.

Ji Ning followed the sound.

He saw a young man in a Shuimo Daoist robe standing atop a protruding boulder by the lake, staring intently toward the Academy entrance.

Why are all these Primordial Spirit Daoists so impatient? It's as though they're waiting for someone...

Puzzled, Ji Ning casually chose a large boulder and sat down cross-legged.

Whatever.

No matter what, he would pass the examination and enter Black-White Academy!

In a gorge roughly a hundred li away from the lake where Ji Ning was waiting—

Three figures stood atop the gorge.

One of them wore white Daoist robes and possessed an enchanting, handsome appearance. He was none other than Bi Hai, the headmaster of Black-White Academy.

But Bi Hai no longer had the calm, unfathomable bearing he had displayed at Cave of Carefree a month ago.

His expression was ugly. He seemed hesitant and struggled for a moment before finally saying in a low voice, "Martial Uncle, we have confirmed it. After Xia Manggan left his estate, he went... went to Heavenly Treasure Mountain. He is currently holding a banquet..."

"He's eating?"

A cold, ancient voice emerged from the mouth of a child who appeared only four or five years old.

Endless frigid energy radiated from this young child's body.

After he spoke, it seemed as though even the Heaven and Earth around them had frozen in an instant.

"Yes." Bi Hai obediently nodded, then stood to one side, not daring to say another word.

Though he was the headmaster of Black-White Academy and a prominent figure throughout Anchan Commandery—

Before this person, he still had to observe the etiquette of a junior.

"We two Immortals came here early to wait for him, yet he ran off to Heavenly Treasure Mountain to eat..."

Beside the young child stood an elderly man with a tall ceremonial crown, an extraordinary bearing, and a long beard. He spoke indignantly. "Senior Brother Hanshan, that little fellow is too arrogant. We must give him a warning. Otherwise, if we accept him into the Academy, I fear he will be difficult to discipline."

"He does need to have his temperament tempered." The young child nodded. "Bi Hai, go make the arrangements..."