A silent night,
Having dealt with the matters at Hu Residence, Xu Zimei and his companions were ready to leave.
Hu Yingying, in the end, could not be saved, and Ministry Councillor Hu could only accept this tragic fact amidst his sorrow.
He told Xu Zimei that perhaps it was because he had earned too much dishonest wealth in the first half of his life, so Cang Tian had given him this retribution.
He decided to dissolve the Hu Residence, donate all his wealth to help the poor, and then live alone in a peaceful village for the rest of his life.
...
Riding Desert Flying Horses, the trio set off toward the True Martial Holy Sect. From a distance, Xu Zimei gazed at the small town rising from the land, feeling that the purpose of this trip had indeed been achieved to Perfection.
By evening, the group arrived at a city named Qingfeng City.
As night fell, they decided to rest in the city for the night and continue their journey back the next day.
They found an inn and went inside.
"Would you gentlemen like to eat or...?" the shopkeeper asked, looking at them.
"Dinner and lodging," Xiao Guizi said as he took out a Spirit Crystal in response.
"We can certainly provide food, but I’m sorry, our inn is fully booked and has no rooms left for lodging," the shopkeeper apologized with a smile.
"Business is that good?" Xiao Guizi casually exclaimed.
"It seems that this is your first time in Qingfeng City," the shopkeeper smiled and said, "You may not know that tomorrow is enrollment day for Heaven Tiger Academy, which is why young people from several nearby cities have all come here.
I reckon at this point, not just our inn, but likely all the inns in Qingfeng City are fully booked."
"Heaven Tiger Academy?" Xu Zimei smiled. He remembered that there was something quite interesting within Heaven Tiger Academy.
This item was of no use to him anymore, but for Lin Ruhu, it could be an incredible opportunity.
"Let’s have dinner first," Xu Zimei ordered the shopkeeper, "Bring us the best dishes your inn has to offer."
Afterward, they found an empty table and sat down.
Xiao Guizi looked at Xu Zimei curiously and asked, "Senior Brother, I heard that the background of Heaven Tiger Academy is quite formidable. Is that true?"
"Close enough. They are a branch of the Heavenly Dao Academy," Xu Zimei explained.
The Heavenly Dao Academy is renowned as the premier academy of Yuan Central Continent, its history stretching so far back that it can’t be traced.
Legend has it that the academy was established during the Wild Desolation era, before the Era of Emperors.
Many students who went on to become famous across the Continent were taught there, including Emperor Hengyu and Emperor Mu when they were young.
The main campus of Heavenly Dao Academy is located in the Central Continent, but they have also established four branch academies in the Eastern, Western, Northern, and Southern Continents.
Heaven Tiger Academy in the Eastern Continent, Canglong Academy in the Western Continent, Vermilion Academy in the Northern Continent, and Black Tortoise Academy in the South Continent.
It is said that each year these four branches hold a grand competition, and the top-performing students get the opportunity to be sent to the Central Continent to study directly at the Heavenly Dao Academy.
"Let’s also visit Heaven Tiger Academy tomorrow," Xu Zimei said while eating, addressing the two companions.
"So, we’re not going back to the Sect Gate for now?" Lin Ruhu asked.
"It won’t take long, probably just one day," Xu Zimei replied.
"So where are we sleeping tonight?" Xiao Guizi asked.
"With fists this big, are you still worried about not having a room?" Xu Zimei responded in surprise.
"I understand," Xiao Guizi was quick on the uptake, setting down his chopsticks and walking over to the table nearby.
There were two people sitting at that table, a young boy and a middle-aged man in a blue shirt.
They looked like father and son, probably here to attend the Heaven Tiger Academy’s recruitment.
"Do you have a room at the inn here?" Xiao Guizi inquired softly, looking at the two.
"Yes, we came early and booked a room in advance," the middle-aged man replied, looking puzzled at Xiao Guizi.
"Oh, good," Xiao Guizi nodded, and then with a fierce look on his face, said, "Just now, the noise from your conversation while eating was too loud, and it disturbed me. What are you going to do about it?"
"We didn’t say anything," the middle-aged man, looking startled, quickly explained.
"If I say you disturbed me, then you disturbed me. Do I, Xiao Guizi, look like someone who would slander others for no reason?" Xiao Guizi retorted with a cold huff.
"Brother Xiao Guizi," the middle-aged man began with caution.
But before he could finish, he was cut off as Xiao Guizi slammed his palm onto the table, causing it to split into pieces; his eyes were wide with fury, "Is Xiao Guizi a name you can call casually?
I’ll have you know, I’m in a good mood today, so I won’t make a big deal out of this. Otherwise, you’d already be headless on a normal day.
Give up your two rooms to me, and I will pretend as if nothing had happened."
"You’re just bullying us on purpose," the boy indignantly drew the longsword from his waist, saying, "It was clearly you who came late and didn’t have a room but you’re falsely accusing us in order to take over our room."
"Zhe’er, don’t talk," the middle-aged man sternly glared at his son, then turned with a smile to Xiao Guizi, saying, "The child is young and doesn’t understand. Please, don’t take it to heart.
Since we apparently disturbed you earlier, we will let you have the two rooms."
After speaking, the middle-aged man quickly left the inn, dragging his visibly reluctant son with him.
"He’s quite a character," Xu Zimei muttered, interested as he watched the father and son leave.
Although the middle-aged man only had achieved the Spirit Vein Realm in cultivation, he knew to assess the situation and what was compelling, instead of just brute force.
After finishing dinner, the three of them returned to their rooms.
There were two rooms in total, Xu Zimei took one, and Lin Ruhu and Xiao Guizi shared the other.
...
The sparkling stars shone against the pitch-black night sky.
The streets, quieter now with fewer people, grew later into the night.
The boy still unconvinced, looked at his father and asked, "Dad, why didn’t we argue with them earlier and just gave up our rooms? We clearly weren’t in the wrong."
"Child, being weak is the original sin," the middle-aged man said, looking into his son’s stubborn eyes and patting his shoulders, "Son, when you go to Heaven Tiger Academy tomorrow, you must pass the examination and then focus on cultivation.
Remember the feeling of powerlessness from being weak today, and make sure to become a cut above the rest when you grow up."
"I understand," the boy nodded, a seed of determination to grow stronger planted in his young heart from then on.
...
The city, ensconced in night, finally woke up along with the first light on the horizon.
Twenty meters below their room window, Central Street also started bustling with an increasing number of people.