Before dawn the next day, at the exact same time as the day before, Zhuang Xun controlled Bai Yujing to return to the clearing.
Although the Principal hadn't said anything yesterday, Zhuang Xun was certain he would show up.
Sure enough, in the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Zhuang Xun caught the familiar scent of an old man behind him.
“Hahaha.” Dressed in a green robe, the Principal stepped out from the bamboo forest with a laugh. “You certainly are clever. I gave you no hint, yet you still guessed I would return.”
“Are there any parts of the Formless Phaseless Sublime Method you don't understand? From now on, I will guide you here for half an hour every day—”
“I've mastered it,” Zhuang Xun said.
The Principal: “?”
I asked if there was anything you didn't understand, so why on earth are you telling me you've mastered it?
As if realizing something, his expression shifted drastically. He appeared before Bai Yujing like a specter, grabbing his wrist to feel his pulse before sliding his hand up to press against his collarbone. His eyes filled with sheer shock, which quickly gave way to ecstatic delight.
“You've initiated in just a single day!?”
“Splendid! Splendid! Splendid!”
Pulling his hands back behind his waist, the Principal's voice trembled slightly with excitement. “Finally, someone has mastered the Formless Phaseless Sublime Method. My lifelong martial arts will finally be passed down! Are you willing... to take me as your master?”
“My martial arts were taught by you, Principal. To me, you have long shown the benevolence of a master.” Zhuang Xun knelt and performed the formal bow of discipleship. “Master, please accept your disciple's respects.”
“Good! Good! My wonderful disciple!”
With tears welling in his eyes, the Principal helped Bai Yujing up. “I have drifted for half my life without a wife, concubines, or children, and only in my old age did I establish the Wanxing Martial Academy in Zechuan City to find a place to settle down. Yet, I have remained solitary and alone, until today, when I have finally found an exceptional disciple!”
“Yujing, from this day forth, you are my personal disciple—the Chief Disciple of our Wanxing Martial Academy!”
Having said that, he seemed to recall something and sighed softly. “Regrettably, I am already advanced in years and fear my days are numbered. However, being able to pass down the Formless Phaseless Sublime Method means I can die with no regrets.”
Ah, you've got to be kidding me. I just took a master, and he's already about to die of old age?
Wait, if he only has me as his junior, does that mean his entire inheritance goes to me? ...What kind of thought is that? I'm such a scoundrel!
Zhuang Xun fiercely condemned himself in his mind.
“Master, please do not speak such discouraging words. You are in your prime and possess profound martial arts. You will surely live a long life; there is still plenty of time ahead.”
The Principal said softly, “I have cultivated for two jiazhi now.”
Uh... Zhuang Xun's hand twitched as he stared at the Principal.
The Principal chuckled, showing no intention of blaming Bai Yujing.
“You are my first and eldest disciple. Initiating our bond like this is far too simple and does you a disservice...”
He pinched his fingers to calculate the date, then smiled. “At the beginning of next month, I will hold an apprenticeship ceremony at the Wanxing Hall. I will officially take you as my disciple then and announce your status as the Chief Disciple of the Wanxing Martial Academy to the world!”
“Yujing, you are currently in the golden age of cultivation, so you must not lack cultivation resources,” the Principal said with grand generosity. “Starting today, go to the dining hall to claim a serving of precious meat every day.”
“If there is anything else you need, just speak up. Do not be polite with me. From now on, focus entirely on your cultivation and leave everything else to me.”
Wow! Master, you are too awesome!
Excited, Zhuang Xun began to calculate rapidly in his mind.
One serving of precious meat could yield one point on his panel. To gather a hundred points, he would only need a little over three months.
Of course, he couldn't convert all the precious meat he ate into points; he had to leave the majority of it for Bai Yujing's cultivation. But even if he only converted one point every three days, it would still take a mere ten months.
He had never had it this easy. Was this the life of a rich second-generation heir?
Zhuang Xun couldn't help but recall the days when he had worked himself to the bone just to create Bai Yujing.
...
With the Principal's strong financial and resource backing, Bai Yujing's cultivation progressed at a breakneck speed. Zhuang Xun estimated that Bai Yujing would be able to break through to the Eighth Rank by the end of the month.
As time passed, the news that the Principal would take Bai Yujing as his disciple at the beginning of the month spread to more and more people.
Zhuang Xun noticed that the Outer Court disciples treated Bai Yujing with significantly more awe and respect. Even the Inner Court disciples would respectfully call him “Senior Brother Bai” upon seeing him.
One day, in Yan Pingsheng's dormitory.
Tossing and turning, An Dafu couldn't fall asleep. He tossed aside the blanket covering his belly and asked, “Guys, you asleep yet?”
“Nope.” “Almost.” “What's up?”
“Have you guys heard?” An Dafu sat up and said. “The Principal is going to take Senior Brother Bai as his disciple at the beginning of next month.”
Zhang Tie replied, “How could we not? This morning, I even heard several girls in our class sadly talking about how they won't be able to see Senior Brother Bai every day anymore. It really makes a man jealous.”
An Dafu sighed, “Yeah. We entered the academy at the same time, yet Senior Brother Bai is already about to become the Chief Disciple, while we're still running in circles here in the Outer Court.”
Zhuang Xun comforted him, “Senior Brother Bai only entered a few months before us. Once the promotion assessment comes around in a year, we can become Inner Court disciples too.”
“How could it be that simple? Senior Brother Bai is the Chief Disciple. Even if we do make it into the Inner Court, we'll still be light-years away from him.”
“Not to mention, the Inner Court is divided into the Upper Two Courts and the Lower Three Courts.”
Counting on his fingers, An Dafu laid out the hierarchy for the other three. “Above the Lower Court disciples are the Upper Court disciples. Above the Upper Court disciples are the personal disciples of the elders.”
“Above the elders' personal disciples are the true disciples of the Courtyard Heads. And at the very top of all that is Senior Brother Bai. Tell me, is that a massive distance or what?”
So I'm actually that amazing... Zhuang Xun nodded. “It is indeed very far.”
Zhang Tie said regretfully, “Sigh. If I had known, I would have sucked up to Senior Brother Bai back then. Now, I'd be able to walk around the academy completely unchecked.”
“More than just unchecked.”
An Dafu described in an exaggerated tone, “If you really got on Senior Brother Bai's good side, anything you wanted would be just a single word from him. Even the elders of the various halls and the Courtyard Heads would have to show him some respect...”
Zhuang Xun listened, smiling without a word.
An Dafu's words gave him some inspiration. Perhaps he could use Bai Yujing's identity in the future to secure a cushy, effortless job for Yan Pingsheng.
After all, the first requirement to promote to the Inner Court was to temper one's strength to nine stone within a year.
With Yan Pingsheng's current cultivation progress, entering the Lower Three Courts wouldn't be an issue, but climbing any higher would be extremely difficult.
Hearing An Dafu's words, Zhang Tie finally realized what he had missed out on and slapped his bedboard in frustration.
“Is it still not too late?”
“How could it not be too late? Right now, even people wanting to be Senior Brother Bai's dog have to line up,” An Dafu said helplessly.
“Actually, it was too late even before. Didn't you see how many young ladies from prestigious families were practically throwing themselves at Senior Brother Bai to be chosen, yet he didn't even spare them a glance?”
“True.” Zhang Tie quickly came to terms with it.
It wasn't that he had missed the opportunity; there simply was never an opportunity to begin with. As long as he didn't see anyone from their courtyard cozying up to Bai Yujing in the future, he wouldn't feel bad.
An Dafu said, “Let's talk about something more practical. Do you guys think you have hope of promoting to the Inner Court in a year?”
Zhang Tie said reservedly, “Sigh, the Lower Three Courts is probably a safe bet for me, but the Upper Two Courts is likely out of the question.”
An Dafu said enviously, “Must be nice. Even the Lower Three Courts is a stretch for me. My future looks bleak.”
“Pingsheng, what about you?”
“Me?” Zhuang Xun said casually. “I probably don't stand much of a chance either.”
“You practice the Wanxing Body-Tempering Technique so well, surely you have a shot at the Lower Three Courts,” An Dafu said with a silly grin.
“What use is that? The martial path ultimately depends on one's Skeletal Structure. I'm not aiming for the Lower Three Courts.”
I'm going to the Upper Two Courts, Zhuang Xun added in his heart.
If he was going to promote, he naturally had to aim for a better place so he could learn superior martial arts and receive better treatment.
“Hey, don't lose heart, Pingsheng. You still have a great chance.” Zhang Tie said with soaring ambition, “If all else fails, you guys can just roll with me in the future.”
“Once I become a martial artist, I'll establish a gang. When the time comes, you can all be my deputy leaders, and the four of us brothers will conquer the world together!”
Zhuang Xun smiled awkwardly.
An Dafu changed the subject. “It's still better to promote if we can. Brothers, if you want to promote, there's an opportunity at the end of this month that we must seize.”
“Oh?”
An Dafu's single sentence immediately captured the attention of the other three in the dormitory.
He then spoke eloquently, “For the first Grand Competition of each Outer Court class, all the forces in Zechuan City, big and small, will send representatives to watch. Their goal is to scout out promising seeds to sponsor.”
“If you perform well and catch someone's eye, you won't have to worry about cultivation resources ever again.”
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