Initiation Ceremony, Black-White Academy's Compensation (22) Please Bookmark and Vote!

Near dawn.

Xia Manggan finally appeared before the Headmaster Hall.

The moment he appeared, he sensed gaze after gaze shooting out from within the hall.

Those looks held curiosity and scrutiny... but even more than that, alienation.

"Senior Brother Xia Mang, regarding your disciplining of Formal Disciples during the entry assessment..."

Mu Zishuo's voice transmission rang beside Xia Manggan's ear.

Before he could finish, someone spoke.

"The Headmaster Martial Uncle has arrived."

Everyone turned to look.

They saw Jade Sea Daoist in white robes descend from the sky.

Several other figures followed beside him, all of them Primordial Spirit Daoists of the Black-White Academy.

The arrival of this group of Primordial Spirit Daoists made Mu Zishuo forget to continue his warning by voice transmission.

But Xia Manggan already understood.

[Have they been spreading rumors among the Formal Disciples?]

Xia Manggan sneered inwardly.

Sure enough, his Dao Heart had been damaged and his fortune greatly diminished.

He did not even care to maintain his usual pretense.

However, while Beishan Xuantang's foolish move might deceive Formal Disciples who did not know the full story, it could not deceive the Academy's Primordial Spirit Daoists and Immortals.

After all, the Academy's Primordial Spirit Daoists and Immortals had witnessed everything he did that day. The more he distorted the truth, the more clearly the Academy would see his true face.

Beishan Xuantang would not meet a good end in the end.

Thus, Xia Manggan merely considered it briefly before casting it from his mind.

With Headmaster Jade Sea Daoist and the Academy's Primordial Spirit cultivators present, this year's initiation ceremony for the new disciples naturally began at once.

Among the Formal Disciples of the Black-White Academy, there were primarily three generations.

Purple Mansion cultivators and Wanxiang Daoists belonged to the same generation, the third-generation disciples, and addressed one another as martial brothers and sisters.

Primordial Spirit Daoists belonged to the higher second generation.

Immortals at the Earth Immortal and Loose Immortal realms belonged to the highest first generation.

Ordinary third-generation disciples addressed Primordial Spirit Daoists as Martial Uncle or Martial Aunt.

When meeting Immortals, they generally addressed them as Martial Ancestor.

If a third-generation disciple could take an Immortal as a master, he would call the Immortal he served Master.

But he would still address other Immortals as Martial Ancestors.

He would not leap directly into the Academy's second generation merely because his master was an Immortal.

Only upon truly reaching the Primordial Spirit Daoist or Void Return Earth Immortal realm could one rise in status.

This was practically a consensus throughout the entire cultivation world.

Cultivators had long lifespans.

A Wanxiang Daoist could live for eight hundred years.

A Primordial Spirit Daoist could live for as long as ten thousand years.

As for Void Return Earth Immortals and Loose Immortals, as long as they could withstand the increasingly fierce Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations without their Dao Hearts collapsing, living for hundreds of thousands or even millions of years was no problem.

Of course.

The higher one's realm and the longer one lived, the more terrifying the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations became.

Only after reaching Void Return Perfection, passing the Heavenly Tribulation, and becoming a Heavenly Immortal could one truly live carefree, free from the hardships of the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations.

There was not much to say about the entire initiation ceremony.

After Jade Sea Daoist briefly introduced the identities of the three newly admitted disciples, they took the entry blood oath.

That was, they swore to the Heavenly Dao that they would never betray their sect and would obey its rules.

Because the Heavenly Dao was the most fundamental operating law that encompassed the entire Three Realms, once a Heavenly Dao Oath was sworn, it absolutely could not be violated.

Otherwise, before the sect could even punish them, the Heavenly Dao's punishment alone would be enough to kill the traitor.

This was also why betrayal of one's sect was rarely seen throughout the Great Xia Dynasty.

After the Heavenly Dao Blood Oath was completed, Jade Sea Daoist nodded in satisfaction and said:

"You are now formally admitted. My Black-White Academy belongs to the Daoist Sect lineage. Since you have entered, you should have Daoist names. Now, think of a Daoist name you like."

After speaking, Jade Sea Daoist added with a smile, "If you do not wish to take a Daoist name, you may also use your real name as one. Some Academy disciples are accustomed to their real names and not to Daoist names, so many simply use their real names in everyday address."

"My Daoist name shall be Twin Wood," Mu Zishuo suddenly said.

Ji Ning followed with, "My Daoist name shall be North Underworld."

Clearly, both had thought it over in advance, using the names they had chosen for their mountain cave estates.

"Twin Wood, North Underworld." Jade Sea Daoist nodded lightly and looked toward Xia Manggan on the other side below.

The Primordial Spirit Daoists and third-generation disciples in the hall all watched as well.

A Daoist name was both important and unimportant.

Unimportant because it was merely a form of address.

Like the courtesy names people used in ancient Blue Star, it allowed others to address someone without directly calling his name, making it seem more respectful.

Important because many people used their Daoist names to declare their aspirations.

They might take what inspired them most, or what held the greatest meaning to them, as their Daoist name, thereby establishing their Dao Heart.

So—

What Daoist name would Xia Manggan choose?

At this moment.

Not only were the Primordial Spirit Daoists and third-generation disciples in the Headmaster Hall watching.

Even the Academy's five Immortals were observing through Water Mirror Techniques from their cave estates.

[A Daoist name...]

Xia Manggan's eyes showed contemplation. Only after a moment did he say, "My Daoist name shall be Mysterious Yellow."

In this life, Hong Xuanji, who had once been utterly loyal to him and willing to die for him, was no longer by his side.

Then he would use the name of the great world from his previous life, Mysterious Yellow, as his Daoist name.

It was also a reminder to himself that one day, he must not forget to return to the Yang God World and bring Hong Xuanji back from the River of Time.

"Mysterious Yellow?" Jade Sea Daoist murmured softly.

The other Immortals, Primordial Spirit Daoists, and second-generation disciples also looked thoughtful, but none could guess its meaning.

"Good." Jade Sea Daoist nodded. "Now that your Daoist names have been decided, the senior members of the Black-White Academy will discuss it, and someone will choose you as disciples. If you are unwilling, you may state so."

"Yes," Ji Ning and Mu Zishuo both answered.

Xia Manggan, meanwhile, looked toward the doors of the hall.

Outside, two figures had already appeared, one short and one tall.

They were Immortal Hanshan and Immortal Diancai.

"Martial Uncle, Martial Uncle." Jade Sea Daoist rose to greet them.

"Greetings, Martial Uncles."

The Primordial Spirit Daoists at the upper end of the hall also rose together and saluted respectfully.

Some of the third-generation disciples were confused, but seeing the Headmaster and the Martial Uncles salute, they knew the arrivals were Immortals of the Academy. They hurriedly called out, "Greetings, Martial Ancestors," and bowed respectfully.

In an instant, the two Immortals who had suddenly arrived together became the center of the entire hall.

[It is Immortal Diancai.]

Ji Ning looked at the black-haired man dressed in black.

He immediately found the corresponding identity in the Black-White Academy information Beishan Baiwei had given him—

'Immortal Diancai: An Earth Immortal of the Black-White Academy. Exceptionally skilled with the sword. Has no disciples.'

[Has he come to take me as his disciple?]

Ji Ning held his breath and looked expectantly at Immortal Diancai.

Immortal Diancai nodded slightly at him, then first said to the childlike figure beside him, "Senior Brother, please go first."

"Mm."

The childlike Immortal Hanshan looked at Xia Manggan, and his incomparably aged voice resounded through the entire Headmaster Hall.

"Mysterious Yellow, are you willing to become my final disciple?"

Final disciple?

Everyone in the hall was shocked.

A so-called final disciple was the last disciple a master took.

After taking a final disciple, the master would no longer accept any other disciples.

Thus, a final disciple was often the most beloved disciple under a master, as well as the one chosen to inherit the true teachings.

"This disciple is willing." Xia Manggan knelt and kowtowed respectfully. "Greetings, Master."

"Good. Come with me." A smile appeared on Immortal Hanshan's childlike face. After nodding to Immortal Diancai, he directly teleported away with Xia Manggan.

Ji Ning watched this scene with burning eyes, but he was not particularly envious.

Because Immortal Diancai had clearly come for him as well.

Moreover, Immortal Diancai did not even have any disciples. The moment Ji Ning entered his sect, he would become the eldest disciple, and his status would be no worse than that of a final disciple.

Inside the hall.

Immortal Hanshan sat atop a jade bed, smiling at Xia Manggan.

"I have reincarnated three times. Including this life, I have cultivated through four lives, and in every life, I entered the Black-White Academy. Therefore, although I have only been a Loose Immortal for a little over two hundred thousand years in this life, whether in seniority, generation, or strength, I temporarily rank first among the Academy's Immortals."

[Reincarnated three times?]

Xia Manggan looked at Immortal Hanshan in surprise.

His experience with reincarnation was even richer than Xia Manggan's.

Of course.

The reincarnations Immortal Hanshan spoke of occurred after an Earth Immortal failed his tribulation and became a Loose Immortal.

As he lived longer and longer, he would gradually become unable to endure the increasingly perilous Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations. He would then make all manner of arrangements and cultivate anew through the Six Paths of Reincarnation in the Underworld.

Generally, one reincarnated in the great world where one had originally been born.

Those clans and sects with close ties to the Underworld, or those who could obtain a decree talisman from a ruler of a great world like the Xia Emperor, could even arrange to be reborn into a designated clan.

This was completely different from how Xia Manggan had transmigrated and been reborn into different novel worlds each time.

Seeing the surprise in Xia Manggan's eyes, Immortal Hanshan smiled. "I am not telling you this to boast about my long years of cultivation or my seniority..."

As he spoke, Immortal Hanshan shook his head. "After bitter cultivation through four lives, I still failed to become a Heavenly Immortal. In two of those lives, I perished midway before I could even attempt the Heavenly Tribulation... It is not something worth boasting about."

"The reason I am telling you this is to say." Immortal Hanshan spoke solemnly, "No matter how great your talent or how noble your status, you must always remember to keep a reverent heart and remain vigilant."

"Be reverent toward Heaven and Earth. Do not only raise your head to gaze at the heavens while forgetting that without the earth beneath your feet, we would not even have a place to stand."

"Be wary of human hearts. Remember that you may know a person's face but not his heart. Be cautious in your dealings with others, always hold something back, and never reveal all your trump cards."

"The path of cultivation may seem carefree, but it is actually incomparably dangerous! A moment of carelessness can lead to death and the destruction of the soul, leaving not even a chance for reincarnation. Therefore, you must remember these words."

"Yes." Xia Manggan said seriously, "This disciple shall remember them well."

"Mm." Immortal Hanshan nodded and continued, "Within the Black-White Academy, if one wishes to learn top-tier methods or divine abilities, one must exchange Black-White Pills for them. Do you know this?"

Xia Manggan nodded.

Black-White Pills were equivalent to sect contribution points or credits in many novels, a form of reward the Black-White Academy gave its disciples.

The pills themselves held no value.

But because they could be exchanged for cultivation methods and divine abilities in the Dao Treasury Hall of the Black-White Academy, disciples often valued them even more highly than Essence Liquid.

"Having just entered the Academy, you receive the basic allotment of one thousand Black-White Pills." Immortal Hanshan said. "For reaching the Dao Comprehension Realm of the Domain of Dao, each Dao earns a reward of one thousand Black-White Pills. You have two, for two thousand Black-White Pills."

"Entering one Great Dao earns a reward of two thousand Black-White Pills. You have three, for six thousand Black-White Pills."

"When a third-generation disciple's soul reaches the level of Divine Sense, he receives a reward of two thousand Black-White Pills."

"Additionally, regarding Beishan Xuantang during the entry assessment, the Academy has already punished him and will further compensate you with six thousand Black-White Pills."

Immortal Hanshan paused slightly before continuing, "Thus, you have a total of seventeen thousand Black-White Pills."

"Yes." Xia Manggan nodded. He was not surprised that the Black-White Academy was directly using Black-White Pills to compensate him over the assessment, but he was somewhat surprised by the amount.

Six thousand Black-White Pills were as much as the reward for his entry into three Great Daos. It was truly no small amount.

Many Formal Disciples might not accumulate six thousand Black-White Pills even after twenty or thirty years in the Academy.

"You already know the route to my cave estate. You may now go directly to the Dao Treasury Hall to collect your Black-White Pills and allotted Essence Liquid. Then choose cultivation methods, spells, divine abilities, and so forth there." Immortal Hanshan said. "If you have any questions in cultivation, you may come see me at any time. Go."

After speaking, Immortal Hanshan closed his eyes and said nothing more.

This instead surprised Xia Manggan even more.

[Master, and the Academy's Immortals, are they not curious about the inheritance left by the Hunyuan Heavenly Immortal? It has been two days, yet none of them have asked about it.]

Xia Manggan suppressed his doubts, bowed, and withdrew, heading for the Dao Treasury Hall.

Only Immortal Hanshan remained seated quietly on the jade bed, the corners of his lips slightly raised in a faint smile.

[That little girl agreed to act as well? Junior Brother Five Madmen moved quickly indeed.]

The second update is here. The next update will be tomorrow morning at 11:45. Gentlemen, please do not stockpile chapters. During the new book period, consider it helping Suifeng out by boosting the follow-up reading data. Better results will give me more motivation to write, and I will release more after it goes premium.

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