Chapter 5: He Really Gave Too Much

Chapter 5: He really offered too much...

On the cliff, Ye Qiubai sat cross-legged beside the willow tree, the Qingyun Sword resting across his lap.

He was currently comprehending the sword intent contained within the Qingyun Sword.

Sword qi whistled within his body, and sword intent slowly permeated the surrounding heaven and earth, becoming increasingly solid!

The willow tree watched this scene from the side and couldn't help but think to herself, "The Primordial Sword Body—every one of them has become a Sword Emperor of their generation. It seems that saying is not without foundation..."

On the other side.

Lu Changsheng had arrived above the Thatched Cottage.

"The power of this Nine Nether Yellow Springs Array is far stronger than the arrays in the academy's treasury...

However, it is also quite complex. It took me a full stick of incense's time to figure it out completely."

Array levels are divided into Heaven, Earth, Mysterious, and Yellow.

Currently, the protective array of the Cangdao Academy is an Earth-level array.

Compared to it, the level of the Nine Nether Yellow Springs Array far exceeds the Heaven level.

This array is certainly powerful.

However, the materials are a difficult problem.

It requires lightning-struck wood, red-wood heavenly gold, mysterious yellow soil, and phoenix paulownia as the foundation of the array.

Then, one must draw water from the Yellow Springs River to serve as the array spirit.

Only then can the array be formed.

The lightning-struck wood, mysterious yellow soil, and phoenix paulownia are easy enough; there is stock of them in the Thatched Cottage.

But this red-wood heavenly gold—that is the only ingredient missing.

After all, in these years, Lu Changsheng had barely stepped out of the academy at all!

"It seems I have to go to the academy's treasury to take a look..."

Thinking of this, he turned and vanished from where he stood.

...

Cangdao Academy.

The Martial Academy possesses four halls: the Sword Hall, the Array Hall, the Pill Hall, and the Martial Hall.

The Confucian Academy is a single entity, known as the Confucian Academy.

At this moment, in the Confucian Academy's council hall, the Academy Dean, Qin Tiannan, and the elders of each hall were discussing important matters.

"I heard the Thatched Cottage has taken on a disciple?"

Qin Tiannan looked at the crowd and smiled, "I am actually quite curious as to what kind of person could make that kid Changsheng decide to take a disciple.

And he even left the academy for that person, going to Tianyuan City in person."

One must know that in recent years, Lu Changsheng has lived in seclusion; let alone the academy, he rarely even stepped out of the door of the Thatched Cottage.

The Confucian Academy elder also smiled, "Perhaps he has grown up and become sensible."

"I hope so. Alright, let's first talk about the Academy Grand Competition. After all, this involves the exchange between our Southern Region Academy and the other three regional academies."

The Martial Hall elder snorted coldly, "Our Southern Region Academy has been at the bottom for four consecutive sessions. If we don't produce some good talent, I'm afraid we'll be at the bottom again."

Qin Tiannan sighed inwardly and said, "One cannot force such things... However, didn't someone in our academy comprehend sword intent earlier?"

Everyone looked at the elder of the Sword Hall, but the Sword Hall elder shook his head, sighed, and said, "It wasn't from our side."

"Then who could it be?"

Earlier, when the sword intent soared into the sky and filled the Cangdao Academy, Qin Tiannan had wanted to track the aura, but in just an instant, that sword intent was hidden by a special barrier.

It was impossible to trace.

"Then everyone, please look for this person. If it is a student of our academy, our ranking this time should be able to move up a bit."

As soon as he finished speaking, a voice came from outside the door.

"Hey, hey, hey, is anyone there?"

Hearing this tone, Qin Tiannan couldn't help but have black lines appear on his forehead. He waved his hand to undo the barrier.

"Come in."

Lu Changsheng pushed the door open and entered. Looking at the elders, he smiled and cupped his hands, saying, "Changsheng greets the Dean and the elders."

Qin Tiannan covered his head, looking at Lu Changsheng with a headache, and asked, "What is the matter?"

Lu Changsheng stated his purpose, "Dean, I would like to go to the treasury."

"The treasury?"

Qin Tiannan was stunned and asked, "What are you going to the treasury for?"

The treasury is a restricted area of the academy; to enter, one must have Qin Tiannan's approval.

"I am setting up an array, and I am still missing a piece of red-wood heavenly gold..."

Red-wood heavenly gold?

The expressions of all the elders changed.

This is an extremely scarce array foundation material, something that can be encountered but not sought.

Once it appears, it is snatched up by various forces.

It is not impossible that a war could even be sparked because of red-wood heavenly gold.

The Array Hall elder frowned and asked, "Lu Changsheng, what do you need that for? I've never heard that you know arrays, and you shouldn't be able to set up an array requiring foundation materials of the level of red-wood heavenly gold, right?"

Qin Tiannan waved his hand, interrupting, "Changsheng, I won't ask what you need the red-wood heavenly gold for, and I can give it to you. However, you must agree to one condition."

"Dean!"

"Even our Cangdao Academy doesn't have much of that red-wood heavenly gold left!"

Qin Tiannan did not pay attention to the elders' objections but instead looked at Lu Changsheng.

Lu Changsheng felt a bit helpless, but getting the red-wood heavenly gold outside would probably be troublesome, so he had to nod, "Dean, please speak."

Qin Tiannan nodded, "It's very simple. Didn't you go to Tianyuan City in person a few days ago to take in a disciple? The Academy Grand Competition will begin in a week. At that time, I need your disciple to participate."

"The Academy Grand Competition? I'll have to ask him if he's willing..."

"Then this red-wood heavenly gold..."

"It's fine. He is my disciple; would he dare to say no if I say yes?"

Qin Tiannan: "..."

Lu Changsheng sighed inwardly.

Disciple, it's not that Master is being unrighteous, it's just that he offered too much.

After finishing his business, Lu Changsheng returned to the Thatched Cottage.

At this moment, Ye Qiubai was practicing his sword in front of the hut.

Sword qi was rampant, and sword light was unrestrained.

Lu Changsheng took a look and said, "Sword qi needs to be restrained. What is the use of being flashy? It's showy but lacks substance."

Hearing this, Ye Qiubai seemed to have a realization and performed his sword moves again.

After the sun set.

Ye Qiubai's sword technique no longer had the sharp, exposed edge it had before; instead, it was restrained within.

After sheathing his sword.

Lu Changsheng also walked out of the hut.

Ye Qiubai immediately cupped his hands, "Master."

"Hmm. During these days, practice diligently. In seven days, there will be an Academy Grand Competition. You will go and participate then."

Academy Grand Competition?

A fighting spirit appeared in Ye Qiubai's eyes.

"Yes, disciple understands."

...

At the same time, at the Ye family in Tianyuan City.

Great Elder Ye Ling looked at his son and smiled, "Yan'er, since you have been taken as a disciple by an elder of the Cangdao Academy, you must perform well and not lose face for our Ye family."

After saying this, he glanced contemptuously at Ye Qing, who was standing to the side.

Ye Yan cupped his hands and smiled, "Ye Yan will certainly not fail Father's high expectations. In this Academy Grand Competition, I will definitely take a good ranking, win glory for our Ye family, and earn back the face that Ye Qiubai lost!"

Ye Qing stood to the side, his expression extremely ugly.

Ye Ling laughed upon hearing this, "Hahaha, good, very good. We will wait here for your good news."

At the same time, he looked at Ye Qing, patted his shoulder, and said loudly, "Head of the family, in the future, my son will support the Ye family. Our younger generation of the Ye family will absolutely not decline because of this."

(End of chapter)