"Inside the Yong's Mansion. A eunuch carried the decree from Emperor Qiguo and announced: "By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor orders that the imperial descendants of the Nine Provinces and descendants of the Eight Banners shall enter the Wenxing Academy to receive the ancestral teachings, pass on virtues, receive the training of rituals, and bring blessings to the world. This is the will of the Emperor."
"Your Highness, the decree has been delivered, and I implore you to depart as soon as possible so as not to delay your enrollment."
"Yes," replied Wu Jian, taking the decree.
"Your Highness, I must also return to the capital to report back to the Emperor. I will take my leave now."
Every mid-spring, the imperial descendants of the Nine Provinces who have not yet come of age are gathered to enter the Wenxing Academy in the capital, where they are taught morality, cultivated in talent, and trained in rituals. Today's decree indicates that Wu Jian will soon depart to seek education in the capital.
For imperial descendants, only by studying at the academy can they be crowned by the Emperor and have the qualifications to inherit their titles. For Wu Jian, inheriting the throne of the Everlasting Prefecture is his top priority, followed by investigating the truth behind the death of the former King Yong, his father. Only by inheriting the title of King Yong can he have the power to use the resources of the Everlasting Prefecture and act without restraint.
This is the same for the esteemed Crown Prince of Qiguo, who must become the new emperor in order to gain the support of the Mysterious Pavilion. Only then can Wu Jian have the confidence to visit the Blood Lotus Sect, the Nameless Sword Villa, and the Dragon Abyss. After all, as the heir to the King, it is difficult to attract the attention of these great forces alone. Only by becoming the new King of Yong can he have the qualifications for direct dialogue.
...At this moment, in the main hall of the Yong Mansion, Ye Qingfu sat next to Wu Jian, holding his hands. Her eyes were red, and she looked like a worried mother saying
"Jian'er, you've never traveled far. Take good care of yourself when you arrive in the capital."
"Also, remember to write a letter home every seven days so that I won't worry."
"In addition, if you meet a beautiful girl from a good family, be careful and prevent her from having ulterior motives for the Yong's Mansion."
"Huh?" Feeling Wu Jian's slightly strange gaze, Ye Qingfu blushed and tried to cover it up by saying
"After all, the more beautiful a woman is, the more likely she can deceive others. Remember this, Jian'er," said Sister Qing, with red eyes and a worried expression, as she held onto both of his hands.
Wu Jian was speechless. Didn't she say the opposite at the Magpie Bridge on the night of the Qixi Festival?
But with the steward and the little maidservant present, he couldn't reveal his thoughts, so he just smiled faintly and said, "Jian'er will remember it, Sister Qing, don't worry."
The little maidservant Rong'er beside him also had tears in her eyes and her little nose twitched as she said, "Young master, Rong'er will miss you so much."
Hearing this, Wu Jian couldn't help but feel emotional. The little maidservant had become quite dependent on him. "After young master leaves, no one will tell me stories anymore, boo hoo..."
The latter half of the sentence entered his ears, and Wu Jian's mouth twitched. It turned out to be another story.
This trip to the capital was far more than just studying. The time for the Nine Province Grand Competition was also within the period of study. Nine royal descendants, Eight Banner descendants, and Nine Kings of the Nine Provinces were all gathering in the capital. It was a time of great turmoil, with dragon and tiger fighting for supremacy.
Who could rise to the top and sing like a dragon in the sky? Who would be willing to be mediocre and let others bully them?
...
To increase his chances of success in the capital, Wu Jian needed to prepare some necessary items. So, the next day, he came to the largest auction house in Qiguo, the Universal Trading House.
According to legend, the Universal Trading House was a top-notch business that spanned four countries. Its auction houses were spread throughout the world, and it collected countless treasures that could rival a country's wealth.
This caused many royal and noble families to want to participate and get a piece of the pie, but they were all mercilessly rejected by the manager of the trading house.
The consequence of being rejected was to be suppressed by the country. In the end, under the intervention of the top experts of the trading house, an unknown exchange of benefits was reached.
It wasn't that the trading house was destroyed, but that a unanimous agreement was reached, which was enough to demonstrate the terrifying strength of the trading house.
In order to avoid being detected by anyone with malicious intent during his visit to the auction house, Wu Jian covered his face with his true essence, creating a hazy silver aura that made him appear ethereal and indistinct. He strode into the grand and magnificent hall, his steps unhurried, taking note of the golden-plated decorations and spacious meeting rooms as he went. The guards at the entrance, seemingly accustomed to such behavior from visitors to the auction house, did not bat an eye as he passed by, scanning the room with a discerning gaze until his attention was drawn to a large doorway bearing the glittering inscription "Auction Hall." He made his way over to it at a leisurely pace.
At the front desk, a beautiful female attendant greeted him with a professional smile and asked if he was there to bid on items. Wu Jian nodded silently in reply, and the attendant requested a deposit of five hundred lower-grade spirit stones. Without a word, Wu Jian produced a middle-grade spirit stone from his sleeve and handed it over, his voice hoarse as he spoke:
"Keep the rest as a tip. No need to give me any change."
In this world, spirit stones were the universal currency used by cultivators, classified into lower-grade, middle-grade, and upper-grade stones. A single middle-grade spirit stone was equivalent to one thousand lower-grade ones, and contained the energy of heaven and earth, with higher-grade stones being purer and more potent. Cultivators could absorb the energy of the stones to convert into true essence, thereby accelerating their cultivation speed.
Wu Jian had attained the supreme pinnacle of the Grandmaster realm at such a young age not only due to his tireless training but also thanks to the abundant resources of spirit stones supplied to him by the Yong's Mansion.