Chapter 54: Acting Unreliably Again

Mo Yanxue’s courtyard.

Watching her best friend constantly absorbing Origin qi and her strength growing stronger and stronger, Yu Xiaoyu’s eyes were filled with envy.

When Dean Lu Mingrong helped kindle the Pinnacle Furnace, she was present, but alas, she was no longer his student and didn’t qualify for help. Otherwise… she would definitely have reached the Accumulative Phase just like her friend!

She really didn’t understand what her father was thinking, insisting on her becoming a disciple of a coachman…

And yet he still acts as the city lord! Such poor judgement.

After some bellyaching, Yu Xiaoyu couldn’t hold back her curiosity any longer, “Xiaoyu, tell me, how much Origin qi can your Pinnacle Furnace absorb in a day?”

Mo Yanxue stopped absorbing, and with a slight smile, said, “Based on the current rate, probably around 140 strands!”

“140?”

Yu Xiaoyu’s eyes widened, “When my dad first reached the Accumulative Phase, he could only absorb 137 strands a day and already broke the record. You’ve surpassed him?”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“It’s due to the cauldron’s power that the dean kindled… You know, the same Fire-Starting Material will yield different effects when ignited by different strengths and methods!”

Mo Yanxue nodded.

“That’s true…”

Yu Xiaoyu’s face fell.

For a Furnace, the cultivator’s talent, the Fire-Starting Material, the method of ignition, and the igniter’s technique… each step is critically important, and the last one is especially significant, with the potential to be decisive.

Her best friend had Dean Lu himself assist, while she could only turn to that coachman… The more she thought about it, the more depressed she became.

“City Lord must have his reasons for having you apprentice under Zhang Xuan. Surely he wouldn’t let such talent go to waste without a good start. Don’t worry!”

Seeing her friend’s thoughts, Mo Yanxue offered comfort.

“I hope so!”

Yu Xiaoyu brooded for a while, bid her friend farewell, and had just returned home when Steward Liao appeared at her door.

“Miss!”

Steward Liao bowed with clasped fists, “This is the Fire-Starting Material City Lord Yu sent me to bring you—the blood essence of the Heavenly Destiny Primeval Beast, the Qingguang Beast.”

Yu Xiaoyu’s eyes rounded, “Blood essence from the Qingguang Beast? That sounds even more expensive than the Lingyun Beast’s, costing over a hundred thousand Origin Currency!”

Steward Liao nodded, “This bottle is 300,000 Origin Currency!”

Yu Xiaoyu was so shocked she was speechless.

Seeing the many Elder’s objections to Zhang Xuan’s 5,000 Origin Currency salary, spending 300,000 Origin Currency on a single drop of blood essence was an undisputedly astronomical sum.

“If father has prepared such precious blood essence, why must he insist that I apprentice under that coachman?”

Muttering with pursed lips, Yu Xiaoyu’s expression clearly showed her displeasure.

“The city lord has his profound reasons for doing so. My coming here is to tell you that you must build a good relationship with that coachman and not look down upon him because of your status!”

Steward Liao meticulously conveyed City Lord Yu’s words once again.

Hesitating for a moment, Yu Xiaoyu said, “If he could help my father submit the Cangbai Eagle, of course I won’t look down on him… Liu Mingyue told me he’s giving his first lesson tomorrow, kindling my Furnace. I’m worried… he’s just started cultivating and doesn’t know how to kindle, unable to unleash the power of the Qingguang Beast’s blood essence…”

Just as different chefs create different flavors, if the technique is lacking, even the finest ingredients can go to waste when poorly handled.

Hearing her concerns, Steward Liao took out another jade bottle from within his robes, “Miss, you need not worry. The city lord has already considered this for you! This is the Luo Zhi Bird’s blood essence. It’s somewhat similar to the Qingguang Beast’s but quite common, not even capable of ignition! Tomorrow, you only need to give this bottle of blood essence to Zhang laoshi. Follow his training and pretend it’s already been ignited!”

“Why?” Yu Xiaoyu was stunned, her face filled with confusion.

Pretend?

Such a niche term for the daughter of the city lord.

Steward Liao said, “The first class for a new instructor is always public, which will be openly demonstrated in front of many teachers and students to showcase one’s ability… This is to save face for Zhang laoshi, so he doesn’t embarrass himself! Rest assured, tonight the city lord will personally come to ignite the cauldron with the blood essence of the Qingguang Beast, enabling you to truly reach the Accumulative Phase. This item is just for deceiving onlookers.”

“All right!”

Only when she heard that her father would personally come did Yu Xiaoyu nod contentedly.

Her father’s strength surpassed School Head Lu’s, and with his personal intervention, it was possible that her absorption rate of Origin qi might exceed that of her close friend’s, instantly making her the number one newcomer.

“Remember, you must give Zhang laoshi face, and it’s best to exaggerate your performance a little, to gain even more favor!” instructed Steward Liao.

“Don’t worry, I understand!”

Yu Xiaoyu waved her hand dismissively.

Although she did not know the exact purpose of her father’s actions, she had grown up in the City Lord Residence, witnessing plenty of schemes and political maneuvers, so she was confident she could easily handle this situation.

…

“What did you say? My sister took a Miscellaneous Duties Teacher as her master, and this guy was previously a coachman?”

In a dormitory room at Baiyan Academy, Yu Feng’s eyes widened in shock.

He had been cultivating in seclusion yesterday and had not attended his sister’s assessment, not expecting such a drama to happen just after one day of his absence.

“Yes, it’s likely that coachman used some method to bewitch the city lord, leading to such a decision… As her brother, you can’t allow Xiaoyu to suffer a disadvantage!”

An angry voice rang out; it belonged to none other than Chen Hao, the student who had made the most commotion earlier.

The young master of the Chen Clan, one of the Three Premier Clans.

“What exactly happened?”

After carefully inquiring about the matter, Yu Feng’s eyes narrowed: “The coachman you mentioned, I seem to have seen him. Yesterday, he didn’t even know where the Source Pool was and understood nothing, and now he dares to take my sister as a disciple. He’s got quite the nerve…”

After seeing how the man stood up for his sister yesterday, Yu Feng initially felt somewhat positive about him, but now that feeling had plummeted to rock bottom.

A servant who knows nothing becoming my sister’s teacher… Even if my father commanded it, how could you accept?

What audacity!

“Isn’t he supposed to teach a public class tomorrow? I’ll let him know what price he has to pay for wanting to be a teacher without the skills!”

Yu Feng clenched his fist tightly, letting out a cold snort.

Chen Hao’s eyes lit up: “I will also try to organize as many classmates to attend as possible tomorrow, to make him look foolish!”

“Good!” Yu Feng nodded.

…

“Achoo!”

Inside the small courtyard, Zhang Xuan sneezed.

Who is thinking about me now…

Never mind, forget it!

Recalling something, Zhang Xuan stared straight ahead.

“I’ve only learned how to ignite my own furnace, and I don’t quite understand how to help others. As a teacher, I naturally can’t bluff my way through! In order not to mess up tomorrow’s class… How about I practice on you? Shall I help you ignite a furnace too?”

Although the thousand-li horse wasn’t a Primordial Beast, it was very close to being one. If it could be helped to absorb Origin qi, might it then transform directly?

“???”

Dao Li was stunned.

Helping a horse ignite a furnace to practice cultivation? It’s over, it feels like he’s starting to be unreliable again…