The carriage to the Prefecture City was provided by the Martial Arts Academy, and the county yamen was also requested to send yamen runners as escorts. The journey was uneventful and arrived safely half a month later.
His past life’s experiences made him thoroughly familiar with Shangyi County, and with Purple Cloud Temple as his backing, he was almost worry-free within Shangyi County.
However, upon arriving at Chong’an Prefecture, Li Ji'an subconsciously became cautious in his words and actions.
Refusing the kind offer of the Martial Arts Academy’s veteran coachman to show him around the Prefecture City, which was several times more prosperous than Shangyi County, Li Ji'an went straight to the Looking-for-Immortals Academy to report.
“A Dragon emerges from a shallow pond! Young friend, your future is limitless. Please take a seat for a moment while this old man processes your credentials.” Benefiting from his second-place finish in this year’s Martial Examination for the entire prefecture, the Looking-for-Immortals Academy’s steward was very polite to Li Ji'an and did not hesitate to praise him.
Li Ji'an respectfully bowed: “Sir, you flatter me. I am undeserving. I am deeply grateful for your personal handling of this matter, young one.”
The old steward raised his eyebrows slightly and re-examined Li Ji'an carefully: “Not bad, not bad. Young and accomplished, yet without arrogance or impetuosity. His Heart-Nature is also excellent. His future is truly limitless.”
Li Ji'an bowed again.
Although he had never been to the Prefecture City in his previous life, he had learned a lot through various channels. The Prefecture City Immortal Seeking Academy was subordinate to the Seeking Immortal Palace, the most powerful department of the Immortal Bestowed Dynasty.
The Palace Master of the Seeking Immortal Palace was personally appointed by successive emperors.
All matters in the world can be delayed, but the matter of seeking Immortal Seeds cannot be neglected in the slightest.
This was the maxim passed down through generations of the Zhao Imperial Clan.
The steward of the Chong’an Prefecture Looking-for-Immortals Academy, a fourth-rank official, even the Prefect of Chong’an Prefecture, dared not put on airs in front of him.
Moreover, anyone who could hold this position was at least a Grandmaster at Blood Exchange Perfection.
Skin, flesh, bones, blood, marrow, organs—grinding the skin was just the basics, firming the flesh was entry-level, but Bone Forging was a hurdle that blocked 80% of Martial Artists.
As for Blood Exchange… that was a chasm, blocking 99% of people in the world.
Only when one’s mortal blood was refined through pure Qi and blood could one truly shed their mortal coil, possess extraordinary power, subdue Dragons and tigers, and single-handedly block an army.
The true “Immortal Seeds” of the Seeking Immortal Palace were also limited to Blood Exchange Perfection.
In this life, Li Ji'an’s root bones were excellent due to medicinal supplements starting at age eight, coupled with his ten years of martial arts experience from his previous life, and the Comprehension Ability gain from “Returning to Youth.” He stood for three months, ground his skin for half a year, and firmed his flesh for a year, which could be considered remarkable progress.
However, he did not dare to be careless about the upcoming “Bone Forging” hurdle.
As for reaching Blood Exchange Perfection before the Immortal Seed Ceremony, he did not have much confidence.
In this life, Immortal Seeds had already been selected once five years ago. Theoretically, Li Ji'an had two more chances in this life: one at twenty years old, five years from now, and another at thirty years old, fifteen years from now.
If he could achieve Blood Exchange Perfection five years from now, his chances would be very high.
However, if it were fifteen years later, at the age of thirty, he would be at the limit. His age score would be almost zero, and to stand out among the top ten in the entire Immortal Bestowed Dynasty, he would probably need Marrow Cleansing Perfection, or even Minor Achievement in Organ Refining, to be competitive.
“This is your academy token. Keep it safe. With this token, no one in the entire Chong’an Prefecture will dare to offend you.” Steward Hao handed the token to Li Ji'an and casually advised him.
“Thank you, Sir!”
The more Steward Hao looked at Li Ji'an, the more he liked him. Feeling the vigorous Life Qi emanating from him up close, he nodded repeatedly, and his eyes filled with endless regret.
“Ah, to be young is truly good.” He was already over seventy, his Qi and blood decaying faster and faster, deteriorating every day. He increasingly regretted his youthful arrogance and self-importance. Seeing Li Ji'an today reminded him of his past self.
His past self, who had not even reached Flesh Firming Perfection at fifteen years old like the current Li Ji'an, yet was self-righteous, arrogant, indulged in flattery and praise, and lost himself in the Mortal World. His talent, which originally held the promise of becoming a generation’s Qi and Blood Grandmaster, ultimately stopped at Blood Exchange, watching himself decay and rot.
He dreamed of returning to his youth, but alas… flowers may bloom again, but a person never becomes young again.
“Young Li, early success is not always a good thing. Great talents mature late and also find their Dao. Work hard, and do not waste your talent.” Before leaving, Steward Hao couldn’t help but offer a reminder.
But that was all. Young people who had not experienced the world, yet achieved astonishing success, found it difficult to maintain their original Heart-Nature.
Even the most correct principles, if the other party had not experienced them, and had not been taught by elders since childhood, could not be understood or grasped.
Li Ji'an deeply agreed with Steward Hao’s advice.
However, this principle was of no use to him.
On the contrary, with his ability to “Return to Youth,” he could “be young again.” In the future, he would inevitably experience too many early successes, making it almost impossible for him to be a late bloomer!
Moreover, how could the so-called “late bloomer” compare to his accumulation over countless lifetimes?
After bidding farewell to Steward Hao, an attendant from the academy led him to the residential area of the Looking-for-Immortals Academy.
“Young Master Li, you are the second-ranked in the entire Prefecture City, so you have been specially assigned a private courtyard in District A. Please come this way.” The attendant guided the way, introducing the various areas within the academy and important notes to Li Ji'an.
“Thank you!” Being as steady as he was, to ensure his well-being at the Prefecture City Immortal Seeking Academy, he had naturally already learned all the details from the head of the Shangyi County Martial Arts Academy, so he was well-prepared.
The Looking-for-Immortals Academies in the thirteen prefectures of the Immortal Bestowed Dynasty were also under immense pressure. If they failed to send a qualified Immortal Seed to the Imperial City’s Seeking Immortal Palace for ten consecutive years, they would be severely punished!
There were even records of capital punishment for dereliction of duty if the Emperor became angry.
The Chong’an Prefecture Looking-for-Immortals Academy had already failed to send an Immortal Seed to the Seeking Immortal Palace for three consecutive years.
Therefore, they were exceptionally preferential towards Geniuses and prospective Immortal Seeds.
The attendant treated Li Ji'an with respect throughout the journey, not sparing any flattery. However, just as they reached the entrance of the District A courtyard, the attendant frowned slightly, smiled apologetically at Li Ji'an, and quickly walked forward.
“Have you students forgotten the academy rules?”
At the entrance of District A, five people stood side by side. Their somewhat casual expressions instantly became serious upon seeing Li Ji'an and the attendant arrive.
Ignoring the attendant’s reprimand, the five people walked towards Li Ji'an.
Li Ji'an raised his eyebrows slightly, a hint of a smile appearing on his face.
He recognized one of them: Xiao Wu, the little fellow who had entered the Martial Arts Academy in his eighth year there in his previous life.
Thirteen-year-old Xiao Wu, fresh to the Martial Arts Academy, still had his childlike innocence and, having left his parents’ care for the first time, felt very lonely and desolate.
Believing Li Ji'an to be someone from the Martial Arts Academy, and seeing that he had no airs and was very kind and humble, Xiao Wu became somewhat dependent on Li Ji'an.
Later, upon learning Li Ji'an’s true identity, he was shocked but their relationship grew even closer and more intimate, becoming like an age-defying friendship.
As the saying goes, children speak without restraint. He would often mock Li Ji'an for being older than his own father yet still coming to practice martial arts with him and being his Senior Brother, calling it embarrassing.
However, he would only allow himself to mock Li Ji'an, not others. Because if others mocked Li Ji'an, he would even get into fights with them.
He still remembered how, just before the Martial Examination, he patted his chest and promised Li Ji'an that if he succeeded in the Martial Examination, he would come back and look after Li Ji'an. He even said that if Li Ji'an had a son, he would sponsor the medicinal materials for strengthening tendons and bones.
However, Li Ji'an did not wait for him to participate in the Martial Examination before he “Returned to Youth.”
He then remained within the Purple Cloud Temple for five years, losing contact.
Two years ago, when he had just entered the Martial Arts Academy, he learned that this kid had failed the Martial Examination that year, and only barely made it into the Looking-for-Immortals Academy two years later on his second attempt. He had now been in the academy for five years.