*He always maintained an unruffled calm and ease, as if everything were just fleeting clouds.*
As Li Hao would put it, if you come across a mountain that’s too hard to climb, we just go around it.
Simply being lazy isn’t much of a skill, but this time, in Cangyu City, Li Hao defended the city alone and slew the Great Demon, earning considerable acclaim, yet he remained low-key and unassuming, as if it were just a small task.
Just in this regard, he surpassed Li Yun and the others by a long margin.
Even those two princes pretending to be composed, in Li Yuanzhao’s eyes, couldn’t match Hao’s flair.
Moreover, although he had already reached the Fifteen Li Realm, Li Hao never showed off. If he were like Li Yun, boasting everywhere, the whole world would have known long ago.
People crave fame, but Li Hao claimed that fame and fortune were burdens.
When Li Yuanzhao first heard this, he felt a ringing clarity, though he didn’t quite understand it, he just felt... it was *so impressive*.
For this reason, Li Yuanzhao liked being by Li Hao’s side, not for any other reason, but simply because he loved to learn.
"Teacher, where’s Li Hao?"
At this moment, Li Yun noticed the absence of Li Hao beside Li Yuanzhao. He furrowed his brow, a twinge of concern arising in his heart, *could something have happened to him?*
"Li Hao..."
Su Yehua glanced at the empty space next to Li Yuanzhao, a complex look in her eyes, and said, "He was exceptionally selected to enter the Black and White Hall."
"What?!"
This announcement set the entire Alpha Academy abuzz.
The noise erupted like a bustling marketplace, everyone chattering, rushing to ask why, on what grounds?
Jiang Ye, amid the crowd, had his previously smiling face drop immediately.
As a prince himself, he hadn’t been granted an exception. Yet the son of the Li Family had?
His face turned stern, but recalling his teachers’ earnest teachings at the palace, he regained his composure, though inside he was furious, his eyes betraying a hint of gloom.
"Teacher," Jiang Ye spoke up, and the other noises seemed to suddenly quiet down: "Why was he exceptionally selected?"
Jiang Ye stared at Su Yehua.
Su Yehua immediately discerned the anger in this prince’s heart. She mused internally, *If you could reach the Fifteen Li Realm, no, even the Divine Travel Realm, you too could be exceptionally selected.*
However, her expression remained calm, with a smile she said,
"Li Hao’s cultivation was above yours, combined with his exceptional accomplishments in the mission at Cangyu City, so to accommodate his talent, he was exceptionally allowed to advance to the Black and White Hall. If he were to stay here, we wouldn’t be able to teach him much, and he’d unnecessarily take up one of your slots on the Martial Arts ranking."
Hearing this, everyone exchanged glances, all stunned and bewildered.
Li Hao’s cultivation was above theirs? Had he perhaps already undergone Soul Continuation?
But... what was this about "exceptional accomplishments"?
Li Yun and Li Zhining both had questions, looking bewildered as they glanced at Li Yuanzhao.
Both of them had gone to Cangyu City, so why hadn’t Li Yuanzhao achieved any accomplishments?
Seeing the glances from the Li siblings, Li Yuanzhao just smiled slightly, *internally pleased,* wanting to know? Well, he just wouldn’t tell them.
After all, Hao had told him not to make it public. When asked why, Hao had simply said he wanted to enjoy a few more peaceful days.
However, the matter at Cangyu City was too significant, fearing it couldn’t be concealed for long.
Li Yuanzhao felt *eager to see* the siblings and others’ reactions once they discovered Hao’s cultivation.
The Li Family, after Uncle Jiu, was destined to once again become renowned throughout the world!
Thinking of that scene, he couldn’t wait for time to pass quickly, so the news from Cangyu City would spread swiftly.
...
...
Meanwhile, in the Tan Palace of the Black and White Hall,
Palace Master Song Yufeng sat above, the tea before him had lost its steam, the tea was cold, yet he stared absentmindedly, forgetting to taste it.
Beside him were Shen Yunqing, Zhao Zongyuan, and several other Tan Palace elders, only a few were absent due to other obligations.
Song Yueyao also sat at the end of the row, like the others, scrutinizing the young man before them.
Li Hao felt slightly helpless under the crowd’s monkey-like gazes. For over ten minutes, they hadn’t uttered a word. In that time, he could have painted two pictures.
"You let me directly join the Black and White Hall, which I am pleased about."
"But I am not fond of how we’re wasting time here."
Li Hao cleared his throat, looking modest and innocent as he spoke.
The gaze of Song Yufeng and others, similar to watching a monkey, finally receded somewhat.
Ten years ago, the fall of the Li Family’s Ninth Son shocked the world, a nineteen-year-old with Three Immortalities, unheard of.
Sadly, they hadn’t witnessed his appearance in life.
Now, seeing this fourteen-year-old at the Fifteen Li Realm, they couldn’t help but want to observe keenly. Was there truly something extraordinary about him?
He too was human, how did he cultivate?
Song Yufeng scrutinized for a long while, the more he looked, the more astonished he was. He had secretly tried to sense Li Hao’s cultivation but found it impenetrable.
At his own level, he still couldn’t see through him. This lad must have trained in some kind of aura-concealing technique, and to an extraordinarily high level.
It was known that such techniques usually offered weak direct combat enhancements. Yet, Li Hao, just fourteen, spent time on these so-called useless skills and concurrently reached the Fifteen Li Realm, *what a ridiculously high talent.*
The emperor’s bestowal back then... the emperor’s insight was indeed precise!
Song Yufeng mused internally, with even greater awe for that majestic figure on the dragon throne.
"You’re already at the Fifteen Li Realm, with such talent, even Gan Tao Palace would be sufficient for you."
Song Yufeng asked Li Hao with a hint of curiosity, "Could you tell me why you chose to come to our Tan Palace Academy?"
Others also watched Li Hao curiously, was it for some supreme technique, or something else?
Song Yueyao also couldn’t help but watch, waiting for Li Hao’s answer.
"The reason..." Li Hao reminisced, "was probably because that morning, I happened to want to try a Mian Yu Crispy."
Everyone: ¿¿¿
What?
They had imagined various responses, but never this one.
What in the world was Mian Yu Crispy?
An oil-fried snack?
People had countless reasons to join Tan Palace Academy: to learn martial arts, seek revenge, gain fame, inherit family business, or even just to polish their credentials... But never had they heard someone joined for a crispy snack.
The hall fell into stunned silence. After a moment, Song Yufeng came to himself, smiling wryly, "That crispy... must be very delicious."
"Yes." Li Hao’s expression grew serious, even passionate, "If you have the chance, you must try it; remember to find the right place, it’s from the Liu Family in Qinglian Alley."
Seeing Li Hao earnestly recommend it, everyone was left speechless.
Qinglian Alley’s crispy treat... Song Yueyao silently murmured, unknowingly committing it to memory.
"Wasn’t it for our Tan Palace’s top technique, the Taiji Qiankun Sword Skill?" Huang Licao couldn’t help but ask.
He felt Li Hao’s words were too misleading, what nonsense about fried food.