"Hehe, why are you here?"
Seeing Murong Longcheng and Murong Fei, Zhang Hao also laughed heartily. He didn't have many friends, but Murong Fei and Murong Longcheng were definitely among them. The three of them had very compatible personalities.
"Alas, I already know about Father Emperor's matter, Zhang Hao, I am truly very guilty!" Murong Fei looked at Zhang Hao with some apology.
Zhang Hao waved his hand and said, "Don't say that, this has nothing to do with you. One thing is one thing!"
Seeing that Zhang Hao didn't mind at all, Murong Fei asked with some surprise, "Zhang Hao, you don't blame me."
"Why should I blame you? This has nothing to do with you," Zhang Hao said very magnanimously.
"Zhang Hao, it's great to have a friend like you," Murong Fei sighed.
"By the way, did you come here specifically to apologize to me this time? You wouldn't make such a big fuss, would you? I'd feel pressured," Zhang Hao said with a feigned scared expression.
"Hehe, you're overthinking. We are preparing to return to the College. This time, the Three Great Academies are holding assessments in the Hualong Empire. I think, Zhang Hao, you will definitely go too. I just don't know which College you plan to go to, Zhang Hao? It's best to come to our Changfeng Academy," Murong Fei looked at Zhang Hao and smiled.
Zhang Hao nodded slightly and said, "I hope so. Which of the Three Great Academies is the strongest?"
Murong Fei thought for a moment and said, "That's hard to say. The Three Great Academies each have their advantages. Tianwu Academy has a very strong foundation. A hundred years ago, it was always the first of the Three Great Academies and the earliest established College. It produced many experts. However, due to a change in the College a hundred years ago, the College's Elders all died in battle, suffering heavy losses, and only in recent decades has it gradually declined. But the College's foundation is there. It is still one of the Three Great Academies."
"Oh, what about Tianba Academy?" Zhang Hao thought of Gu Long and asked again.
"Tianba Academy can be said to be the College with the most momentum in recent decades. Experts have emerged endlessly in recent decades, and it has also produced many geniuses. The most famous is the current number one expert in the Northern Region, Xiao Long. He joined Tianba Academy when he was thirteen years old. A year after enrollment, he was recommended by the College to enter the Ziyang Sect. Perhaps because of Xiao Long, the influence of Tianba Academy has subtly surpassed the other two Academies, becoming the first," Murong Fei said.
"Hmm, what about Changfeng Academy?"
Zhang Hao thought that Murong Fei was a student of Changfeng Academy and asked with interest.
"Hehe, although Changfeng Academy's foundation is not as strong as Tianwu Academy's, nor is its influence as great as Tianba Academy's, it excels in stability. Changfeng Academy has existed for so many years, developing steadily. It has abundant resources and many experts, so joining Changfeng Academy is also good," Murong Fei smiled.
"Zhang Hao, don't listen to Murong Fei talking nonsense. It's better to choose our Tianwu Academy! Although our Tianwu Academy has declined, the former number one expert in the Northern Region, Wu Xiao, also came from our Tianwu Academy. Although Xiao Long is from Tianba Academy, he is still quite a bit inferior compared to Wu Xiao," Murong Longcheng smiled faintly.
When Zhang Hao heard Wu Xiao, he couldn't help but be moved. Although his information was very limited, Wu Xiao's great name was also like thunder. Although Xiao Long can be called the current number one Genius in the Northern Region, compared to Wu Xiao from back then, he was still much inferior. Wu Xiao a hundred years ago was an undisputed Prodigy, invincible among his peers. All geniuses paled in comparison before him.
He became a Martial King at fourteen and entered the Emperor Domain. Although there has been no news of him since then, his legend is still widely circulated.
"Alright, I will seriously consider your suggestions. I hope we can gather again then and have a good drink," Zhang Hao said with a smile.
"Okay, no problem."
"Just waiting for you to say that. I hope we don't return until we're drunk then."
Murong Longcheng and Murong Fei finally left. Zhang Hao also prepared to set off on the second day. His sister had left, and his Mother needed someone to stay here. He was worried and planned to have his Mother return to the Family to live. Now that his position in the Zhang Family was stable, the kind of things that happened before would never happen again.
"Mother, you should still return to the Family to live. Tomorrow, your son will go to participate in the College assessment and I'm afraid I won't be able to take care of you anymore. Now that sister is not by your side, you don't even have anyone to talk to," Zhang Hao pleaded with his Mother.
"Okay! Your Mother promises you."
Seeing Zhang Hao's hopeful expression, Li Qinglian couldn't bear to refuse.
She just didn't know if it was her own illusion. Zhang Hao always felt that his Mother's expression was a little strange today, as if she wanted to speak but hesitated. It seemed like she had something she wanted to say to him. However, Zhang Hao didn't think too much about it. He thought his Mother was worried about him. He gently comforted his Mother with a few kind words.
The next day
Zhang Hao finally set off, embarking on the road to the Hualong Empire. However, he didn't know that just moments after he left Ninghai City, the news spread immediately. An invisible net was cast over him.
After half a day of traveling, he finally reached a hundred miles in front of the Endless Swamp.
"There seems to be a village ahead. Let's rest for a while and enter the Endless Swamp tomorrow!" Looking at a village ahead, a hint of joy appeared on Zhang Hao's face.
Just as Zhang Hao walked towards the village, his brows suddenly furrowed. Because he actually smelled an extremely strong scent of blood.
What's going on? Zhang Hao couldn't help but quicken his pace. As soon as he reached the entrance of the village, he saw many bodies lying haphazardly outside the village, about a hundred or so.
"Who is it, so cruel?" Zhang Hao felt an endless surge of anger.
These were unarmed civilians, how could someone be so cruel as to kill them? Could it be bandits?
"Wuwuwu... wuwuwu..."
Zhang Hao heard a sound of weeping coming from the east. He immediately rushed over. He found an old man wearing gray cloth clothes and a woman in her thirties, lying on a few corpses and crying. Their voices were Lung Splitting, making the listeners sad and tearful.
"Elder, who did this? Why... are they all dead?" Zhang Hao asked indignantly.
"We don't know either, but I think it must have been a group of bandits from nearby. They come and go like the wind, and they rob villages every time. We didn't expect that this time they would be so insane as to kill everyone in our village. How could they be so heartless!" The old man became more and more sad as he spoke.
Zhang Hao learned from the old man and his wife that the old man's name was Sun Kaiqing, and his wife's name was Hong Lian. They went to the nearby mountains to gather herbs today and had just returned, unexpectedly escaping a disaster because of this. However, most of their Family members were dead, and they were also in unbearable pain.
"Elder, don't cry. I'll help you bury all the villagers! No matter what, they need to rest in peace!" Zhang Hao sighed.
"Thank you, thank you. Otherwise, I really wouldn't know what to do," the old man said to Zhang Hao with great gratitude.
It took several hours to finally clear away the hundred or so bodies and bury them in a large grave. The old man and his wife, out of gratitude to Zhang Hao, warmly invited him to stay.
"My benefactor, if it weren't for you today, Grandpa and I wouldn't know what to do. My benefactor has been busy all day today, you must be tired and thirsty!" Hong Lian poured Zhang Hao a cup of water.
"Thank you!" Zhang Hao smiled and took the cup, drinking the water in one gulp.
Hong Lian saw Zhang Hao drink the water in the cup, and a strange smile appeared on her face.