Chapter 14

The hinterland of the Central Plains, north of the capital.

Looking from the Yong'an Avenue, there was a vast sea of forests on the peaks, and beneath it was a divine path split by the mountain, leading straight to the mountainside, where one could see a white jade mountain gate higher than the forest sea, and five grand halls scattered on the mountaintop, hidden in the clouds.

This was the Great Xia's Sacred Sect, the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan, which had been passed down since ancient times and had a profound foundation.

Here, two jewel-adorned carriages arrived before the divine path, and then two people walked out of the carriages.

One was nearly sixty, with white hair, but a ruddy complexion and high spirits, wearing a purple robe; the other had a majestic figure, wearing a pearl crown and jade belt, dressed in an embroidered robe, noble and extraordinary.

"Old man Wei Li, pays respects to His Highness, Prince Chong."

"Minister Wei, rise quickly; there is no need for such formalities between us."

Prince Chong stepped forward to help this veteran official of two dynasties up: "I heard His Majesty has been somewhat overworked these past few days, and his health is unwell?"

Wei Li narrowed his eyes and smiled: "It is just that he is pondering some new policy to revitalize imperial power, and has fallen ill from worry."

"His Majesty is the same as my imperial brother; in the end, he still does not understand that this world is not his world, but the world of immortals. Under the power of immortals, where does imperial power come from?"

"Prince Chong's words are very true." Wei Li said, suddenly rolling his eyes, "However, I heard His Majesty has recalled Ye Sheng from Cold Iron Pass; I wonder if it has anything to do with this new policy?"

Prince Chong heard this, his brows furrowed: "Is the war in the Northern Plains over?"

"It is said that General Ye broke through his realm on the battlefield and is now at the perfection of the Upper Five Realms, killing the enemy general with one blade, and the Wu-Man tribes have temporarily retreated."

"He has no Daoist inheritance; the perfection of the Upper Five Realms is already the end of his life."

Wei Li repeatedly agreed, then took a porcelain bottle from his sleeve and handed it to Prince Chong.

The bottle contained blood pills refined by the elders of the Xuanyuan Immortal Mansion, which were sent by Wei Li to the officials of the pro-immortal faction every month to nourish their roots and bones and assist in cultivation.

After giving the elixir, Wei Li turned his head to look at the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan's divine path: "Old man has been busy collecting taxes and tributes these past few days and hasn't inquired; why was the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan's admission ceremony suddenly postponed?"

"This Prince just found out; this year, the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan has added a Lower Three Realms perfection who is not yet twenty, who has just been sent to the capital."

"There is such a thing? Then wouldn't Prince Chong have to pay another tribute?"

If an Outer Court disciple of the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan does not enter the Upper Five Realms, they cannot enjoy the tributes of the common people.

But there are always high-ranking officials or wealthy families in the capital who scramble to offer tributes and make friends. After all, an immortal who can enter the Upper Five Realms is already a top-tier existence among mortals. Prince Chong was well-versed in this, spending a large amount of silver every year to support Heavenly Tian Shuyuan disciples.

However, this time, he shook his head, somewhat unimpressed by this addition.

"This is a strange thing; you must know that in the past, all Lower Three Realms perfections who were not yet twenty were snatched up by you."

"This time is different; that person is not a descendant of an immortal clan or a child of a wealthy family, but a wild private cultivator."

Wei Li was slightly stunned: "A private cultivator?"

Prince Chong stood with his hands behind his back: "I have supported thousands of Outer Court disciples, spending a huge amount every year, but very few can truly become talents, because after entering the Upper Five Realms, every realm requires a large supply of immortal herbs and spiritual medicine, which even I cannot afford."

"So, Prince Chong is not interested in them?"

"No, I am determined to have the other two students."

Prince Chong could not help but raise the corners of his mouth: "Chu He, the younger brother of Chu Chu Xian, the personal disciple of the Xuanyuan Abbot; this family is all extraordinarily gifted. As for the other one, behind them is the Lu family of Yunzhou, holding the spiritual mines of Yunzhou."

Wei Li narrowed his eyes: "Prince Chong's plans are very grand."

"Eh, don't say such disrespectful words again; let's go, it's time to watch the ceremony."

Prince Chong stopped Wei Li from speaking and walked into the academy with his hands behind his back.

Cultivators in white clothes came and went in the academy, either walking, floating, or riding swords, looking quite immortal.

After entering, walking upward, one reached the Bai Yu Platform of Ascension.

The talented youths from the nine provinces who had just entered the academy gathered here, whispering and chatting with each other.

They had been at the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan for three days and were already familiar with each other, but they were very puzzled as to why the admission ceremony was postponed when everyone had already arrived.

They knew the rumor that the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan had found a Lower Three Realms perfection who was not yet twenty in the remote Fengzhou this year, and that he was a private cultivator.

They had never heard of a private cultivator reaching Lower Three Realms perfection, so they were full of curiosity and doubt.

Because until this moment, that person had not appeared.

At this time, Prince Chong, Wei Li, and the wealthy families of the capital were all gathered on the Bai Yu Platform, and they saw a piece of immortal light blooming in the clouds deep in Nishan, revealing five figures flying through the air, falling onto the Bai Yu Platform in the blink of an eye.

These were the five Hall Masters under the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan's Abbot.

Seeing this scene, the students who had entered the academy straightened their postures one after another, a trace of respect flowing in their eyes.

After the five Hall Masters arrived, they looked at the disciples below the platform, exchanged glances when they swept over the man and woman in the front, and nodded lightly.

The man wore a high crown, a long sword at his waist, and stood proudly in the wind.

This was Chu He, the second son of the Chu family mentioned by Prince Chong.

The Chu family is recognized as a family of luck in the world; every member of the family has entered the Upper Five Realms, and Chu He's older brother, Chu Chu Xian, is the personal disciple of the Xuanyuan Abbot.

Precisely because of this, since the day he began cultivation, countless Immortal Sects had been staring at Chu He, wanting to take him into their academy.

Originally, the Xuanyuan Immortal Mansion had the best chance, after all, his brother was a personal disciple of the Immortal Mansion, but Chu He did not want to spend his life in his brother's shadow, so he unexpectedly chose the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan.

The other woman had a tall figure, exquisite makeup, and even in immortal robes, she could not hide her willow waist and long legs.

Most eye-catching was the phoenix hairpin on her head, carved from the spiritual core deep in a spiritual vein; she was Lu Lu Qingqiu of the Lu family of Yunzhou.

The Lu family has been passed down for a thousand years, starting by searching for veins and opening mines, with countless family assets.

Both were not yet twenty, both were Lower Three Realms perfections, and both were the proud children of heaven in their respective provinces.

The Heavenly Tian Shuyuan's Inner Court quota is very small every year, so they are natural competitors.

Just at this moment, a commotion appeared in the crowd. Chu He and Lu Lu Qingqiu turned their heads at the same time and saw a man and a woman following a senior sister, arriving late.

Seeing this scene, the platform and the area below instantly began to discuss, their gazes gathering on that "Ji Bandit," and even the five Hall Masters of the Heavenly Tian Shuyuan could not help but raise their eyes slightly.

"Is there really another Lower Three Realms perfection who is not yet twenty?"

"It is said to be a wild private cultivator; it is truly unbelievable."

"Chu He made a grand vow on his first day of admission that he would enter the Inner Court next year; this adds a rival."

"He cannot be considered a rival; rushing into the Upper Five Realms requires the help of spiritual medicine and immortal herbs. Chu He can afford it, but how can he afford it?"

Ji You stepped onto the Bai Yu Platform amidst the discussion, his expression appearing somewhat exhausted.

They set off from Yuyang, took an immortal ship at Changning Ferry, and only arrived in the capital at the hour of the dragon today.

Kuang Cheng left first in the capital to prepare for the examination at the Spring Breeze Post Station, and they rushed to Nishan, being brought to the Bai Yu Platform without even a moment to rest.

Is this how they cultivate immortals? This is simply cultivating special forces.

"Ji You, go stand in the front with those two."

"Fang Ruoyao, come with me to the back..."

The Heavenly Tian Shuyuan's admission ceremony was conducted by eight Outer Court instructors who awarded them badges, followed by the five Hall Masters lecturing on doctrines and academy rules in turn, lasting about two hours.

And after the badge awarding and lectures ended, the five Hall Masters left the field, and it became the main stage for high-ranking officials and capital families.

Prince Chong had already prepared invitations, rushing straight toward Chu He and Lu Lu Qingqiu, inviting them to his mansion for a chat, and others also had constant invitations from various wealthy families.

Only Ji You, Fang Fang Ruoyao, and a group of others who had obtained quotas through other means stood alone on the Bai Yu Platform, appearing quite out of place in the field.

This was the strict hierarchy of the Great Xia, cast like molten iron; even if an ordinary person was as stunning as Ji You, they would still not be their first choice, only the discomfort of the hierarchy being broken.

"I have never seen a Lower Three Realms perfection with so little face."

"After all, he is a wild private cultivator..."

"Chu He has already received eight invitations..."

"Miss Lu also has seven..."

Where there is comparison, there is harm, and the harm at this moment seemed to be gathered on Ji You.

Others who were not from wealthy backgrounds, like Fang Fang Ruoyao, were instead somewhat glad that they were not as dazzling as a Lower Three Realms perfection.

Standing on the platform with cultivation but no one asking, yet being the focus of everyone's attention, might be even more embarrassing than having lower cultivation.

(End of chapter)