Chapter 77: Exceptional Admission
Three days later...
Song Yueyao returned to Cangyu City, her face showing signs of exhaustion. She had completed her duties as a Circuit Inspector, temporarily setting aside her official work to report back to Tangong Academy.
She had already learned that Li Hao and his group had returned ahead of her and were likely back in Qingzhou by now.
Thinking of the strength Li Hao had demonstrated, Song Yueyao couldn’t help but grit her teeth. After spending years training at the Black and White Hall, she had encountered countless geniuses, but never someone quite like him.
This had shaken her to some extent.
“Yueyao?”
Just as Song Yueyao was preparing to head to the Black and White Hall to report on Li Hao’s situation to her grandfather, she unexpectedly ran into Su Yehua, who was passing by outside the hall.
Upon seeing her friend, Song Yueyao slowed her steps. “Sister Su.”
The two of them were no more than three years apart in age and had been close like sisters for over a decade.
“You’ve returned so quickly. Was the mission smooth? Did you encounter any Great Demons?” Su Yehua asked softly, noticing Song Yueyao’s weariness.
At the mention of “Great Demons,” an image of the neatly piled tower of demon corpses on the mountaintop flashed in Song Yueyao’s mind, causing her expression to shift slightly.
“What’s wrong?” Su Yehua asked with a slight frown. Could it be that she really had encountered a Great Demon?
“It’s nothing,” Song Yueyao shook her head slightly. Suddenly, an idea occurred to her, and she asked, “Sister Su, have Li Hao and the others returned?”
“Hm?”
Su Yehua was surprised. Over the years, she had come to know Song Yueyao’s aloof nature. She treated others like grass and trees, indifferent to all. Why was she suddenly inquiring about the two young masters of the Li family?
Then it struck her: the mission location of those two seemed to have been Cangyu City as well.
“Why, did they cause you trouble?”
Su Yehua recalled one of the brothers, known for his carefree nature and habit of dozing off during class. With a slight frown, she reassured her friend, “They’re from a prominent family, used to getting their way. Don’t let them get to you…”
Song Yueyao was briefly stunned, then shook her head. “No, something major happened in Cangyu City this time. If it weren’t for Li Hao’s intervention, I might not have made it back alive.”
“What?”
Su Yehua was stunned. She stared at Song Yueyao in disbelief, wondering if she had misspoken.
Song Yueyao wasn’t surprised by her reaction. It was clear Su Yehua was unaware of Li Hao’s strength. She promptly recounted the events that had transpired in Cangyu City.
After hearing the story, Su Yehua stood speechless, staring wide-eyed at Song Yueyao.
“Fifteen Li Realm? Him?”
Images of the boy dozing in class filled Su Yehua’s mind. If she remembered correctly, his age was registered as… fourteen?
Seeing Su Yehua’s shocked expression, Song Yueyao couldn’t suppress a faint smile. A strange sense of satisfaction filled her.
It seemed she wasn’t the only one who had been taken aback.
Her weariness lifted considerably. Waving goodbye to Su Yehua, she said, “I need to report in first.”
With that, she turned and departed gracefully.
Su Yehua snapped out of her daze, her thoughts swirling with clarity.
No wonder Li Hao never paid attention in class or participated in the Martial Ranking. At his level, he could probably teach the others himself.
But still, with such advanced cultivation, why did he even enroll in Tangong Academy?
Her curiosity piqued, she resolved to investigate further the next time she saw Li Hao.
...
A few days later, the disciples of Class A who had been sent out on missions began returning one after another.
Su Yehua convened the disciples to review their mission performances.
Among them, the teams led by the two imperial princes stood out the most. Both had chosen the most challenging missions worth 15 credits and achieved perfect scores.
Additionally, they had made contributions during their missions, assisting the Demon Subduing Division in solving significant cases, earning third-class merits and second-class merits, respectively.
First-class merits, however, were rare outside the borderlands embroiled in conflict. Even earning second-class merits was already remarkable.
“Could it be that they also encountered a demon attack on a city?”
Du Qiuyue and Yu Wei whispered among themselves.
Yu Wei glanced around and muttered softly, “I doubt it. It’s more likely that the Demon Subduing Division credited their achievements to them, or perhaps they were simply sent to areas controlled by their factions…”
“Shh!” Du Qiuyue was startled and quickly hushed him.
Realizing his mistake, Yu Wei fell silent. The complexities of royal politics were not something they could afford to discuss.
Even though the two princes were not particularly favored, they were still of royal blood. Who could predict if they might one day rise to power?
Aside from the imperial princes, the standout performers were Wang Han and the siblings Li Yun and Li Zhining. They had also undertaken one of the most challenging missions, earning a perfect score for their team. However, unlike the princes, they had not achieved any additional merits.
The reactions of the other disciples from aristocratic families varied. Some whispered among themselves, others admired their abilities, while a few scoffed inwardly, convinced that these results were due to connections rather than merit.
Despite being just teenagers, they were already beginning to experience the vast disparities brought by social status. This disillusionment, though bitter, would teach them to be observant and worldly.
“These two…”
Li Yuanzhao observed Li Yun and Li Zhining receiving Su Yehua’s praise. Although their expressions were calm, the faint joy in their eyes was unmistakable.
Li Zhining seemed composed, but Li Yun, with his arm wrapped in bandages, exuded a smugness that was hard to miss. Despite his injury, he appeared perfectly content.
Li Yuanzhao couldn’t help but shake his head. Given Li Yun’s strength and background, he likely got hurt by pushing himself too hard in hopes of performing well.
Compared to the attention-seeking Li Yun, Li Yuanzhao’s thoughts turned to Li Hao.
He enjoyed spending time with Li Hao not just because of their similar family backgrounds, but because he genuinely admired Li Hao’s demeanor.
How to describe it? Using one of Li Hao’s own strange phrases, it was “cool.”
He always maintained an air of calm and ease, as though everything was inconsequential.
Li Hao had once said, “If you come across a mountain you can’t climb… just walk around it.”
If laziness were his only trait, it wouldn’t amount to much. However, during the events at Cangyu City, Li Hao had single-handedly defended the city, slaying a Great Demon, and achieving remarkable feats—yet he remained low-key, as if it were a mere trifle.
This quality alone set him far above people like Li Yun.
Even the two princes, who feigned composure, didn’t compare to Hao Ge in Li Yuanzhao’s eyes.
Moreover, despite reaching the Fifteen Li Realm, Li Hao never boasted. If someone like Li Yun had achieved such a level, the entire world would know by now.
Most people chased fame, but Li Hao saw it as a burden.
The first time Li Yuanzhao heard him say that, it was like a thunderclap. Although he didn’t fully understand it, it felt undeniably profound.
For this reason, Li Yuanzhao loved staying by Li Hao’s side—not for any other reason, but simply because he wanted to learn from him.
“Teacher, where is Li Hao?”
Li Yun noticed the empty spot beside Li Yuanzhao and frowned. An inexplicable sense of unease crept into his heart. Had something happened to him?
“Li Hao…”
Su Yehua glanced at the empty seat next to Li Yuanzhao. A complicated expression flickered in her eyes before she calmly replied, “He was exceptionally admitted into the Black and White Hall.”
“What?!”
The moment those words left her mouth, the entire Class A erupted like a marketplace.
The clamor of voices filled the room as everyone scrambled to ask questions. Why? How?
Among the crowd, Jiang Ye’s previously smiling face instantly fell.
As a prince, even he hadn’t been granted an exception. How could a mere son of the Li family receive such treatment?
His expression darkened, though he quickly composed himself, remembering the counsel of his tutors in the palace. His face regained its calm, but his anger simmered beneath the surface, his gaze shadowed with malice.
“Teacher,” Jiang Ye spoke, his voice cutting through the commotion and quieting the crowd. “Why was he granted an exceptional admission?”
Jiang Ye’s piercing gaze locked onto Su Yehua.
Su Yehua, perceiving the fury hidden behind his calm demeanor, inwardly sighed. If you were at the Fifteen Li Realm—or even just at the Spiritual Wandering Realm—you could have been granted the same exception.
Outwardly, she maintained her composure, her smile steady. “Li Hao’s cultivation surpasses all of yours. Additionally, during the mission in Cangyu City, he achieved a special merit of the highest class. Therefore, to provide education suited to his talents, he was exceptionally admitted to the Black and White Hall.
“If he remained here, neither I nor the other instructors could teach him, and he would also unnecessarily occupy a spot on the Martial Ranking.”
Her explanation left everyone staring at each other, their shock evident.
Li Hao’s cultivation was higher than theirs? Did this mean he had already surpassed the Spirit Fusion Realm?
But… what was this special merit of the highest class?
Li Yun and Li Zhining also wore expressions of confusion, glancing toward Li Yuanzhao.
The two of them had been in Cangyu City. How had Li Yuanzhao managed to achieve nothing, while Li Hao earned such honors?
Feeling their questioning gazes, Li Yuanzhao simply smiled faintly, a sense of satisfaction rising within him. Want to know? Too bad, I’m not telling.
After all, Hao Ge had instructed him to keep it under wraps. When asked why, Li Hao had said he wanted to enjoy a bit more peace and quiet.
Still, the events at Cangyu City were too significant. It wouldn’t stay hidden for long.
Li Yuanzhao couldn’t help but feel excited as he imagined their reactions when they eventually learned about Li Hao’s true cultivation.
The Li family, after their illustrious Uncle Ninth, would undoubtedly rise to prominence again!
Just picturing that moment made him impatient for time to pass faster, for the news from Cangyu City to spread widely.
...
...
Meanwhile, in Tangong Academy’s Black and White Hall...
Inside the hall, Palace Master Song Yufeng sat at the head of the room, his cup of tea cooling as he stared blankly ahead, seemingly lost in thought. The tea had gone cold, forgotten.
Surrounding him were elders of the Tangong Academy, including Shen Yunqing, Zhao Zongyuan, and Huang Licai, with only a few absent due to prior obligations.
Seated in the back row was Song Yueyao, who, like the others, was carefully observing the young man before them.
Li Hao felt the scrutinizing gaze of everyone in the room, as if he were a rare exhibit. He sighed inwardly; it had been over ten minutes, and no one had said a word. With this amount of time, he could have completed two paintings by now.
“I’m honored to be allowed direct entry into the Black and White Hall,” he finally spoke, his tone polite yet tinged with reluctance. “But I must say, this silence isn’t exactly to my liking.”
The scrutinizing gazes of Song Yufeng and the elders finally relaxed, their intense stares softening slightly.
Ten years ago, the tragic fall of Li Jiulang from the Li family had shocked the world—a young prodigy of nineteen, acclaimed as one of the Three Immortals, was unheard of. Yet, few of them had ever seen him in person.
Now, as they looked at this fourteen-year-old who had already reached the Fifteen Li Realm, they couldn’t resist the urge to examine him more closely. Could he truly possess some unique, extraordinary abilities?
How could someone so young achieve such a level of cultivation?
The more Song Yufeng looked, the more astonished he became. He had discreetly tested Li Hao’s strength with a slight release of his own aura, but found himself unable to discern the depth of the boy’s cultivation.
For his own cultivation level to fail to probe Li Hao’s capabilities… it suggested that this boy had likely mastered some highly advanced technique for concealing his aura.
Normally, these concealment techniques offered little direct combat benefit. But at only fourteen years old, Li Hao had somehow mastered such a skill to an extreme level, all while pushing his cultivation to the Fifteen Li Realm. His talent was truly beyond measure.
Inwardly, Song Yufeng admired the insight of the emperor, who had granted this young man such a fitting name.
“You’re already at the Fifteen Li Realm. With such talent, even entering Qiandao Palace would be well within your reach,” Song Yufeng mused, his curiosity evident. “I’m curious—why did you choose to join our Tangong Academy?”
All eyes turned to Li Hao, filled with curiosity. Was he here for the academy’s most revered technique, the Tai Chi Qian Kun Sword? Or did he have other motives?
Song Yueyao, too, found herself watching him intently, waiting for his answer.
“Why, you ask…”
Recalling the events of that day, Li Hao answered, “I suppose it was the desire to try a serving of that freshly made Crispy Gem Pastry I had that morning.”
Everyone in the hall fell silent.
What?
They had anticipated all sorts of responses, but never this.
A pastry?
Was he really saying he chose Tangong Academy over any other, simply because of a deep-fried treat?
The hall was steeped in stunned silence until Song Yufeng snapped out of his daze, chuckling with a hint of resignation. “That pastry… it must have been truly remarkable.”
“Indeed,” Li Hao replied, his expression suddenly serious, his tone almost passionate. “If you get a chance, I highly recommend it. Make sure you go to the original shop—Old Liu’s place in Qinglian Alley.”
Seeing Li Hao earnestly endorsing the pastry, the others were left speechless.
Qinglian Alley’s famed crispy pastries... Song Yueyao mentally noted it down, a whisper of intrigue sparking within her.
“Are you sure it wasn’t to learn our academy’s premier technique, the Tai Chi Qian Kun Sword?” Elder Huang Licai couldn’t help but ask.
He found Li Hao’s answer flippant—how could something like a pastry be the reason?