"No."

Yun Tao rejected Sun Zheqi's request without hesitation.

He himself didn't yet understand what had happened, how could he clarify it? Even if he knew, he wouldn't tell Sun Zheqi.

"Well... Yun Tao senior, we're all..."

"Get lost!"

Before Sun Zheqi could finish his sentence, Yun Tao coldly interrupted.

Sun Zheqi's expression shifted slightly, a cold gleam flashed in his eyes: "Since Senior Yun Tao wants to cultivate, I'll come another day to seek advice."

Whoosh!

As soon as he finished speaking, Sun Zheqi leapt down the mountain.

"Seek advice? Hmph! Trying to use the junior disciple to humiliate the master, are you? Lu Buping, you've miscalculated this time!"

Yun Tao mocked, glancing at Sun Zheqi before closing his eyes to meditate again.

The summit of Purified Rock Mountain.

At the cliff edge on the mountaintop, there was a huge rock, half of which protruded from the cliff. Below this cliff lay a vast sea of clouds, and opposite was Southern Maniac Mountain!

This gigantic rock is one of Changlin Academy's five great fortunes, the Purified Soil Rock.

Beside the rock sat many students practicing the Earth Path, with Lu Buping alone occupying the top of the Purified Soil Rock.

Whoosh!

A figure darted swiftly over, directly landing on the Purified Soil Rock.

"Master."

Sun Zheqi called out softly.

"How did it go?"

Lu Buping opened his eyes and spoke gently.

"The incident at Southern Maniac Mountain wasn't discovered, but I learned that Elder Wine-crazed has taken on a new disciple, whose cultivation is in the Divine Infant Realm Early Stage."

Sun Zheqi said softly.

"Oh?"

Lu Buping's eyes showed a hint of gloom, and he smirked: "Taken on another disciple? Good! I refuse to believe this disciple is as talented as Yun Tao!"

He paused, then turned to Sun Zheqi: "Zheqi, prepare yourself; during the newcomer's competition, guide this junior disciple."

"Yes!"

Sun Zheqi responded respectfully, a cold gleam in his eyes: "I will thoroughly 'guide' this junior sister."

"Southern Maniac Mountain."

Lu Buping looked towards Southern Maniac Mountain, greed visible in his eyes: "Controlling Southern Maniac Mountain means controlling a fifth of the Academy's Great Array. Only then can one truly rise among the academy's elite! Southern Maniac, regardless of what happened with you, as long as your Primordial Spirit's injury isn't healed, I'll definitely take Southern Maniac Mountain!"

Swish!

With that said, Lu Buping vanished from the top of the Purified Soil Rock.

Sun Zheqi smiled slightly, sitting at Lu Buping's original spot, closing his eyes and beginning to contemplate the Great Dao.

Near the Purified Soil Rock, many students glanced at Sun Zheqi atop the rock, some showing discontent, though most were used to it.

Lu Buping was considered the top figure in the academy next to the five great powers. His sect all practiced the Earth Path and Sword Dao. Whenever Lu Buping arrived, he would train atop the Purified Soil Rock, and after he left, his disciples would occupy the best spots for insight.

"It's finally here!"

"Great! Changlin Academy is finally recruiting new students!"

"This day has finally come, I must enter Changlin Academy and become a top-tier powerhouse!"

On this day, Changlin Academy's recruitment was in progress, a large group of cultivators stood outside Changlin Academy's valley, eagerly watching the valley, including some powerful figures from as far as Virtual Refinement to Unity Realm Stage, bringing their juniors along.

Altogether, nearly ten thousand cultivators gathered, completely crowding the valley entrance.

In front of the valley entrance, Jian Wuheng and Yun Tao stood side by side. They were the role models of their generation and responsible for welcoming newcomers.

Behind them stood ten young men and women with silver 'Changlin Academy' embroidered on their chests, followed by fifty ordinary students with green lettering on their chests.

Hum!

Suddenly, a majestic mist appeared in the valley, flashing once before disappearing.

A dignified voice transmitted from within the valley: "Recruitment begins!"

Whoosh!

Jian Wuheng soared into the air, jumping to the midair of the valley entrance. He announced loudly: "The recruitment at Changlin Academy begins, recruitment rules..."

As Changlin Academy's recruitment began, Jian Cangqiong was receiving an important guest in the Academy's Guest Reception Hall.

In the Guest Reception Hall, Jian Cangqiong sat at the host seat, with Li Qingzhu and Dao Yeming seated to his lower right, while on the left, at the foremost, sat a kindly old man with white hair and beard, and next to him sat a beautiful young woman.

The woman was dressed in a snow-white long dress, her sleek hair scattered behind her head, willow eyebrows, high nose bridge, her eyes seemed to glimmer faintly, her small cherry-red mouth lightly pursed, her expression indifferent.

Even in front of Jian Cangqiong and the others, the woman showed no hint of a smile. Her long dress was loose, but couldn't completely hide her ample chest, her slender waist revealed by her waistband, her long legs casually laid down.

Due to the chair height, the woman was slightly uncomfortable, with alabaster calves exposed outside the dress hem, as if a fairy had descended to the mortal world.

Her aura also felt fairy-like, with an air of aloofness that invited admiration but forbade desecration, evoking a desire for conquest despite an unease to approach!

"Why has Elder Ouyang come? And this is..."

Glancing at the woman, Jian Cangqiong looked questioningly at the old man.

Ouyang Song, one of Changling Main Court's eight Great Elders. The eight Great Elders of Changling Main Court were akin to the four great powers of Changlin Academy, standing in positions above many, with Jian Cangqiong, as a branch dean, ranked slightly lower in status.

"Haha! This time, I've come to ask Dean Cangqiong for a favor."

Ouyang Song chuckled lightly.

"Oh? Please, Elder Ouyang."

Jian Cangqiong showed a hint of surprise.

"This is my granddaughter, Ouyang Ruoxue. She practices the fused path of Water and Sword. In the entire Changling Academy and its four branches, Wine-crazed Sword Emperor's insights on this path are truly unique. Hence, I've set aside pride to request Dean Cangqiong's help in having my granddaughter apprentice under Wine-crazed Sword Emperor."

Ouyang Song explained his intentions.

"This..."

Jian Cangqiong hesitated briefly, then softly said: "Isn't Elder Ouyang well acquainted with Elder Wine-crazed? Why not..."

"Dean Cangqiong might not be aware, but... alas!"

Ouyang Song sighed, a look of guilt crossing his eyes: "Regarding past incidents, our Changling Main Court is indebted to Elder Hu Yiqiu. If I were to approach directly, it's hard to speak openly. Therefore, I must trouble Dean Cangqiong to join us in visiting Southern Maniac Mountain."

Jian Cangqiong paused; he fully well knew what had transpired at Changling Main Court back then. Indeed, the court owed a debt to Hu Yiqiu, prompting Hu Yiqiu's relocation from Changling Main Court to Changlin Academy in a fit of anger.

"Very well, I shall accompany you both to Southern Maniac Mountain, but I can't guarantee whether Elder Wine-crazed will accept Raoxue as a disciple."

Jian Cangqiong gently nodded, agreeing to the request.

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