Fu Zang!

Under Ye Tianming's gaze, the silver-haired woman entered the main hall in the distance.

Ye Tianming's eyes were full of curiosity. The young woman's presence was extraordinary, giving off an overwhelming pressure without her doing a thing.

Though he was curious about her, he did not follow. Instead, he turned toward his quarters. He had to cook, because his teacher was usually busy at this hour, writing that law or whatever it was.

The two of them ate simply every day, either wild greens or vegetables Mu Guanchen grew himself. But today, while Ye Tianming was cooking, Mu Guanchen came over carrying a large piece of meat. He set it down and said with a smile, "We're having something extra today."

Ye Tianming stared at the meat, curious. "Teacher, what kind of meat is this?"

"Demonic beast meat," Mu Guanchen said. "Cook it however you like."

With that, he turned and left.

Something extra!

Ye Tianming broke into a smile. It had been a long time since he had eaten meat. He quickly washed the chunk clean, then sliced the demonic beast meat into pieces, planning to make a pot of boiled meat.

Before long, he carried the pot into Mu Guanchen's hall. He placed it on the stove, then hurriedly filled a bowl with rice and brought it to Mu Guanchen, who was still busy. "Teacher, let's eat first."

"All right," Mu Guanchen said with a smile.

He put down his brush, accepted the bowl with both hands, and walked over to the stove.

Teacher and student began to eat.

Ye Tianming had barely eaten a piece of the demonic beast meat when he was struck with amazement. He discovered a mysterious energy inside him, warm and nourishing his internal organs.

He looked up at Mu Guanchen in confusion. Mu Guanchen smiled. "Some demonic beast meat can nourish Qi and blood. It's normal."

"Teacher," Ye Tianming said softly, "this must be expensive, right?"

"The academy master paid for it, so we don't need to worry."

Ye Tianming said nothing more.

Mu Guanchen looked at him and smiled. "You're a student of the academy. The academy will do everything it can to provide you with resources. You deserve all of this, so don't think otherwise, understand?"

Ye Tianming nodded. "Yes."

He said no more, because he understood that the only way to repay his teacher and the academy master for their kindness was to cultivate diligently and achieve something. Otherwise, words of thanks would be nothing but empty talk.

Mu Guanchen suddenly said, "We'll go cultivate on the back mountain tonight."

Ye Tianming nodded. "All right."

Just then, Song Shi suddenly walked in, followed by a woman: the silver-haired woman from before.

The smile on Song Shi's face bloomed like a chrysanthemum. "Let me introduce you. This is Miss Fu Zang. Starting today, she's also a student of our academy."

Mu Guanchen and Ye Tianming were both a little surprised.

Song Shi looked at the woman called Fu Zang. "Miss Fu Zang, from today on, these two will be your teacher and senior brother..."

Fu Zang glanced at Mu Guanchen. "My only teacher?"

Her voice was as cold as ice.

Song Shi hurriedly nodded. "Yes, your only teacher."

He placed deliberate emphasis on the word "only."

Fu Zang remained silent, while Song Shi grew uneasy. Just then, Fu Zang said, "Fine."

Song Shi immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

But Fu Zang suddenly looked at Ye Tianming. "Come here."

With that, she turned and walked outside.

Puzzled, Ye Tianming looked at Song Shi. Song Shi did not know either, so he could only say, "Go and see."

Ye Tianming picked up his bowl and walked outside. By then, Fu Zang was standing before a hall on the right. Ye Tianming looked at her, his face full of confusion.

Just then, Fu Zang suddenly slammed a fist into a pillar of the hall.

Boom!

In an instant, the entire hall shattered with a crash, then turned to dust.

The three of them: "..."

Fu Zang walked up to Ye Tianming and looked at his eyes, wide as lanterns. "You can be the junior brother, or take one punch from me."

Ye Tianming swallowed. "I... never said I had to be the senior brother. Wasn't that all the academy master's idea?"

Song Shi: "..."

Little Pagoda said, "You chickened out."

Ye Tianming: "..."

Fu Zang turned to Song Shi. "Where do I sleep?"

Song Shi looked at Mu Guanchen and Ye Tianming. Mu Guanchen said, "The hall behind us is mine, and the one on the left is Tianming's. Yours should be the one on the right... the one you just smashed."

Fu Zang headed straight for the hall on the left.

Ye Tianming hurriedly reminded her, "Miss, that one's mine..."

Fu Zang suddenly tossed him a storage ring. Ye Tianming caught it and looked inside, and his voice came to an abrupt halt.

Inside the ring were a full two thousand spirit crystals.

Ye Tianming said nothing more and silently put the ring away.

Song Shi: "..."

Mu Guanchen suddenly smiled. "Tianming, go wait for me on the back mountain. Oh, and finish the meat in the pot."

Ye Tianming nodded. "All right."

With that, he went inside, picked up the pot, and ran toward the back mountain.

Seeing Ye Tianming run off with the pot, Mu Guanchen hurriedly called out, "You child, I didn't say I'd eaten my fill."

Ye Tianming: "..."

A short while later, after finishing the demonic beast meat, Ye Tianming headed to the back mountain.

Song Shi had not left. He watched Mu Guanchen eat and said, "I know you're curious about that young woman, but I don't know either."

Mu Guanchen was surprised. "You don't know?"

Song Shi nodded. "Not a thing. She just showed up out of nowhere and said she wanted to join our Guanxuan Academy in the Central Divine Province. That was all."

"Then she might be after that spot in the Myriad Provinces Grand Competition," Mu Guanchen said softly.

"Probably," Song Shi said. "In any case, it won't hurt us. I can't even see through that young woman's strength."

Mu Guanchen nodded.

Song Shi suddenly asked, "Are you nearly finished writing that law of yours?"

"Almost," Mu Guanchen said.

Song Shi glanced at him. "Is it worth it?"

Mu Guanchen smiled. "It's my choice. There's no question of whether it's worth it."

Song Shi shook his head and sighed. "You strange fellow."

With that, he turned and left.

Only after washing the bowls and chopsticks did Mu Guanchen head to the back mountain.

At that moment, Ye Tianming was throwing punches, each one accompanied by the howl of air being torn apart. Having just eaten the demonic beast meat, he felt hot all over and filled with boundless strength.

Seeing Mu Guanchen arrive, he hurriedly stopped. "Teacher, what kind of demonic beast did that meat come from?"

Mu Guanchen smiled. "A king-tier demonic beast."

A king-tier demonic beast!

Ye Tianming could no longer remain calm. That was incredibly precious. He had only ever heard of it before, never even seen it.

Mu Guanchen said, "Next, we'll temper your body. The process will be very painful, so prepare yourself."

Ye Tianming grinned. "I can endure any hardship."

Mu Guanchen smiled, then took a box from his robes and handed it to Ye Tianming.

Ye Tianming was puzzled. "What's this?"

"This is an Extreme Attainment Pill," Mu Guanchen said. "It can summon second-tier heavenly lightning."

Ye Tianming exclaimed, "An Extreme Attainment Pill?"

Mu Guanchen nodded. "This pill can summon second-tier heavenly lightning. Your body has some flaws right now, and it needs to be tempered again with heavenly lightning."

As he spoke, he took out another box and handed it to Ye Tianming. "Take this first."

"Teacher, what is it?" Ye Tianming asked.

Mu Guanchen smiled. "Divine Flint Spirit Liquid. It can protect your body and help it absorb the heavenly lightning better."

Divine Flint Spirit Liquid!

Ye Tianming fell silent.

He had never even heard of it. He also knew that the claim about the academy providing cultivation resources was not really true. The academy was so poor it could barely afford food; how could it possibly still have such fine things?

Seeing Ye Tianming fall silent, Mu Guanchen naturally understood why. He smiled and said, "You don't want to owe others a favor, and you feel guilty. There's nothing wrong with thinking that way."

Ye Tianming looked at Mu Guanchen, who continued, "But remember, all things in this world are bound by cause and effect, and favors are no exception. When fate places you in a situation where you have no choice but to ask others for help, never refuse out of pride or guilt. This may be a blessing coming to you. Since it's a blessing bestowed by fate, accept it with an open heart. If you have a chance to repay that kindness in the future, then naturally, that will be a continuation of the good connection between you. But if you never have the chance, there's no need to dwell on it. When you meet someone who needs help in the future, simply lend them a hand and pass that kindness on."

Ye Tianming looked at Mu Guanchen and asked softly, "Teacher, why are you doing all this for me?"

He had wanted to ask that question for a long time.

Mu Guanchen smiled. "You're my student!"

Ye Tianming lowered his head slightly and said nothing.

Mu Guanchen walked over and gently brushed the dust from his shoulder. "Tianming," he said softly, "I understand how you feel. This world is full of dangers to begin with, and after everything you've experienced, you're suspicious of everything and don't believe there's any pure goodness in the world. That's not your fault; it's the fault of this world. But I want you to know that if there are evil people in this world, there must also be good people. When you meet evil people, you should punish evil with evil, but when you meet good people, you should treat goodness with goodness..."

He paused, then continued, "My teacher once said something to me, and I've kept it in my heart ever since. Now I'll give those words to you: 'Always keep hope in your heart for this world.'"

Always keep hope in your heart for this world!

Ye Tianming nodded firmly. "Teacher, I'll remember."

Then he asked, "Teacher, your teacher must be an incredible person, right?"

Mu Guanchen smiled. "You'll meet them if you get the chance someday."