Elder Qi: This Isn't a Pleasant Surprise, It's a Fright

The place where the Miscellaneous Dao Institute recruits disciples.

A paper crane slowly flew towards the group, and everyone looked puzzled.

The paper crane slowly landed in front of Wang Baole and whispered to him.

After hearing this, Wang Baole smiled happily, "Miss Nangong really came!"

Upon hearing this, everyone cast gossipy glances at him. Even Chu Feng put down his novel and looked at Wang Baole with great interest.

"Master, fellow disciples, why are you all looking at me like that?"

Feeling uncomfortable under everyone's gaze, Wang Baole subconsciously asked a question.

Chu Feng chuckled and joked, "I just want to know which Little White stole away the pig I've been raising with so much care?"

Upon hearing this, everyone echoed in agreement.

"Junior brother, judging from your behavior just now, you must have someone outside."

"Is it your fiancée who's already married into the family, or rather, who's marrying into the family?"

"..."

Wang Baole shook his head dejectedly. "Master, please don't talk nonsense. Miss Nangong and I are just good friends. We've only trained together outside. I heard that she was also going to join the Dao-Seeking Academy, so I arranged to meet her there."

"Oh."

Chu Feng said earnestly, "I believe in you."

Everyone laughed and joked, "Yes, yes, junior brother, we believe you."

Wang Baole wasn't stupid; he could tell that his master and senior brothers and sisters were being sarcastic. But he couldn't refute them; he couldn't very well call Miss Nangong here to clarify things for him.

He scratched his head. "Master, I'm going to find Miss Nangong."

"Go on, go on, remember to have fun."

Chu Feng naturally wouldn't interfere too much with his disciple's private life. Besides, he was familiar with the routine of becoming a live-in son-in-law, inheriting a powerful legacy, being rejected by his fiancée, and then being noticed by a beautiful woman of noble status. He didn't expect that this Little Fatty kid could also build up his buffs, which saved him from worrying about it.

"Yes, Master." Wang Baole said, then turned and left.

Seeing that Wang Baole had walked away, Xiao Chen and the others stopped gossiping and were simply curious about which family's daughter had such good taste.

Wang Baole followed behind the paper crane, weaving through the surging crowd, and after a moment he saw two familiar figures.

From a distance, he raised his hand to greet Miss Nangong: "Miss Nangong!"

Nangong Yu was chatting with Elder Qi when he heard a familiar voice, and his face immediately lit up with joy.

"Uncle, Young Master Wang has arrived!"

Everyone, including Elder Qi, looked in the direction of the sound and saw a Little Fatty dressed in the robes of an inner disciple of the Dao-Seeking Academy walking quickly toward them.

When everyone saw the clothes Wang Baole was wearing, they all froze on the spot.

Even Elder Qi asked in astonishment, "Yu'er, don't tell your uncle that Junior Nephew Wang is the disciple you're going to recommend to him?"

Upon hearing this, Nangong Yu snapped out of her daze, blushing as she explained, "Uncle, I didn't know he was an inner disciple of the Dao-Seeking Academy."

Elder Qi said helplessly, "You little rascal, what I got wasn't a surprise, it was clearly a fright!"

As for the trio standing to the side, all their previous displeasure vanished. They were all still shaken, thankful that this person dressed in the robes of an inner disciple had arrived, otherwise they would have been in serious trouble.

As Wang Baole approached, Nangong Yu smiled slightly, "Young Master Wang, you've kept this from me for so long, you didn't even tell me you were an inner disciple of the Dao-Seeking Academy."

Wang Baole chuckled and scratched his head, "Back then, I wasn't an inner disciple yet, and it was my first time going down the mountain for training, so I didn't reveal my identity. I hope Miss Nangong will forgive me."

After speaking, he noticed Elder Qi standing to the side, and immediately bowed respectfully, saying, "Disciple Wang Baole greets Elder Qi."

"Nephew Wang, you're too kind. I didn't expect you and Little Yu to be friends. We should keep in touch more often in the future."

Elder Qi spoke with a smile, without putting on any airs of an elder.

"OK."

After Wang Baole chuckled and answered, he asked, "Miss Nangong, which academy do you plan to join now?"

Nangong Yu asked, "I'm planning to go to the Dharma Cultivation Institute with my cousin. Which academy are you in?"

"I'm in the Miscellaneous Dao Institute."

Wang Baole originally wanted to ask Nangong Yu if she could meet one of the two conditions his master had mentioned, but since Miss Nangong had already made her choice, he wouldn't interfere further.

"Since Miss Nangong is going to participate in the assessment, let's contact each other again in a few days."

Upon hearing this, Elder Qi immediately said, "No need to contact us another day. With me here, the assessment will be over soon. Then, I'll trouble Junior Nephew Wang to take Yu'er for a stroll around the Dao-Seeking Academy."

Upon hearing this, Wang Baole turned his gaze to Nangong Yu and asked, "Miss Nangong, would you like me to be your guide?"

Although Nangong Yu didn't know why her cousin was being so polite to Young Master Wang, she still nodded slightly. "My cousin has something to attend to later, so if Young Master Wang doesn't mind, I'll have to trouble you."

Without much thought, Wang Baole said, "Alright, then I'll accompany you to the assessment and show you around the Dao-Seeking Academy."

Elder Qi, seeing that he had agreed, led everyone through the long line to a less crowded testing site. Wang Baole did not go in with them but waited outside. He believed that with Miss Nangong's strength, passing the test would be no problem at all.

"Uncle, is Young Master Wang very capable?"

Nangong Yu was the first to voice her doubts, and the three people behind her also perked up their ears.

Elder Qi said, "That kid is more than just 'amazing.' He Outer Sect Grand Competition and is considered the number one by all the disciples."

After listening, Elder Zhao murmured, "Senior, could it be that Young Master Wang is the powerful figure from the Dao-Seeking Academy who defeated a group of opponents with a woodcutter's knife?"

"Um."

Elder Qi nodded slightly. "Besides his own great strength, his senior brother is one of the candidates for the Holy Son of the Dao-Seeking Academy, and his master is the head of the Miscellaneous Dao Institute. Yu'er, it's definitely right for you to get along well with him."

Nangong Yu was deeply shocked after hearing this. She never expected that the woodcutter she had met in the Mist Marsh was so extraordinary. She had misjudged him.

At the same time, a carriage slowly came to a stop outside the gate of the Dao-Seeking Academy.

The old man driving the carriage shouted, "The Dao-Seeking Academy has arrived! Gentlemen and ladies, please disembark to participate in this Dao-Seeking Academy's assessment!"

A group of young men and women eagerly disembarked from the carriage. A handsome young man with fair skin and flowing long hair was awakened by the commotion. He looked around blankly, then, as if realizing something, his eyes widened in astonishment...