Ke Yong An, for the next week, practiced different positions to get used to her new body. She also practiced creating a mask to hide under. Although, it felt awkward being so arrogant toward a mirror.
Ke YongAn knew that this mask would eventually fade away, so she planned to cast away this mask when she entered the Heaven Dao Academy with a different identity. However, the hard part was to negotiate with Emperor Huang ZiYun.
Thus, she wavered.
This wavering continued until the Heaven Dao Academy Examinations drew only a few days before. During this time, she learned etiquettes, martial arts, and cultivation.
Ke YongAn's pace in cultivation was exactly the lowest of the low. It took her a week to enter the first level of Qi Strengthening stage when others, even with average talent, needed a few days. Emperor Huang ZiYun's final shred of hope had died. He ordered for the rarest of medicines to help Ke YongAn improve to the next level, but those medicines seemed to be doing too little.
Actually, it was because something inside her lower dantian forced all the qi to become the purest of pure, and thus why the slow pace. Even if Ke YongAn didn't want it this way, there was nothing she could do. And that was also why medicines weren't doing much either. Although they contained more Qi then if Ke YongAn were to absorb manually, the amount of impurities also went up.
Finally, with Emperor Huang ZiYun's determination and impatientness, Ke YongAn finally reached the fifth level of Qi strengthening stage, the Tempering Body with Qi phrase.
"Emperor Huang ZiYun, this lowly one, may she request one thing?" Ke YongAn spoke finally when alone with Emperor Huang ZiYun.
"Mm." Emperor Huang ZiYun merely hummed a reply. In reality, Emperor Huang ZiYun was thinking of a way to buy Ke YongAn into the academy because he himself was not confident at all that Ke YongAn could enter.
"When I go for the examinations, could I use a different identity?" Finally mustering up courage, Ke YongAn asked with a clear voice.
"Uhm." Without thinking, Emperor Huang ZiYun agreed. But because he was a high-level cultivator, he instantly questioned,
"You what?"
Therefore, Ke YongAn cleared her constricting throat and spoke again,
"This lowly one is going to use a different identity when I go for the examinations."
However, seeing Emperor Huang ZiYun's changing expression, Ke YongAn hurriedly added on,
"I can't let Princess Huang Xing's reputation take a dive. If I assume a different identity, no one can find out. If I pass the examinations, and climb to a reasonable position, I can take off the identity and prove myself as Princess Huang Xing. Being a playful person, I can just say everything I did was for fun. Instead, her reputation should rise for that.
If I don't pass the examinations, nothing will happen. I can just assume an arrogant position saying that your majesty was forcing this lowly one to enter and that I didn't want to."
Thinking about this case over and over with a turmoiled stomach the past weeks gave Ke YongAn a good reason.
Emperor Huang ZiYun paused to think over it. But he still decided that buying their way into the academy was still possible given his position. It was also the safest case.
Thus, he refused, causing Ke YongAn to feel indignant.
"Your majesty, based on our current relationship, you would refuse this lowly one's proposition? I think this plan has no dirt to swallow."
But, Ke YongAn knew chinese men and their face. When they decide to do something, they will do it no matter what. Therefore, Ke YongAn did not insist any further.
On the day of the Dao Academy Examinations, Emperor Huang ZiYun brought Ke YongAn to meet someone.
"This is Elder Rong of the Dao Academy. He will let you pass the examinations unhindered."
The sentence took a few moments to process in Ke YongAn's mind.
"So you are telling me that I need to cheat to get in?"
Anger began to build inside Ke YongAn.
"Ehehe, leave it all to me your majesty Huang. This lowly elder can only do this little thing to repay your consideration."
Seeing the greedy glint in his eye, Ke YongAn felt even angrier. Using such a lowly way and a petty-minded elder truly stabbed into Ke Yong An's guts. She was not afraid of failure. She was not afraid of ruining her reputation.
If not for this body not her own, she would have been leaving a peaceful life. However, she did not say anything.
All she did was follow behind obediently to the examination square where there were other examinees. Seeing the badge and elder robe belonging to the Heaven Dao Academy, they all began whispering and gossiping.
"Hello everyone and I am very joyful to see this many willing to get into my Heaven Dao Academy. I am Elder Rong and your group examiner. Keep in mind that these tests will involve dangerous aspects and cause injuries.
Also know that we will only accept 20 of you lot in this group out of 200. " He spoke while strolling back and forth with his hands clasped behind his back.
"But, each one of you that we accept will become a Spiritual Sea level Expert when you graduate!
If you please me well, you shall pass!"
The last words sounded as though everyone should keep in line and show their best side, but a few caught on the hidden meaning. Ke YongAn, who already saw his greedy side, knew what that meant.
"Good luck to you all, now, who wants to become a student at the illustrious Heaven Dao Academy?!"
A cheer resounded through all of nature. However, Ke YongAn did not cheer. She knew her success was guaranteed.
After most of the examinees entered the hall, the ones that caught the underlying meaning of his words rushed forward to present gifts. Elder Rong laughed joyfully, and spoke kind words, but his hands told otherwise, snatching the presents as quickly as he could.
Ignoring the actions that caused her hands to curl, Ke YongAn entered the hall. The first were questions on cultivation and math, but after studying book after book, these were just child's play to Ke YongAn.
She was able to finish in half of the time needed. Instead of handing it in right away, she surveyed the surroundings. Many continued to scribble frantically away on the paper, but some had caught her eye.
A person had an extremely calm expression on, looking like a noble. Another seemed to want to burst into anger and smash the table into bits, but he merely curled his lip and held it in.
Suddenly, a wooden chair was pushed. A man that was the same age as Ke YongAn walked confidently to the front and handed in the sheet of paper.
"Oh, finished already?" Elder Rong spoke, but disdain leaked out.
He's probably thinking, "oh, this kid must have just scribbled some nonsense in desperation and put up a confident front as a disguise to "please" me". Well, there are people like me who can finish it in an hour.
"Yes." The young man was good-looking, actually the most handsome in the whole group.
As if seeing someone staring at him, he looked Ke YongAn's way. Knowing there was no time to shift her gaze away obnoxiously, she gave a bright smile to him.
Now, Ke YongAn, although not considered extremely beautiful, was still pretty. So when she smiled, it looked like a flower blooming. Her brown eyes twinkled and her luscious dark brown hair shone.