Chapter 1420: Chapter 1421: Playing the Role of an Elder of the Heavenly God Academy
Bailu’s face turned livid with anger; the Baihe Family, a distinguished clan, had been played so thoroughly!
What’s more, she couldn’t figure out what kind of sorcery the other party was using. Right under her nose, the man had pulled off one trick after another, repeatedly switching the truth for a lie.
Wu Yong had long since been fuming, his eyes burning with killing intent as he led a group of disciples and cultivators, storming out in pursuit.
Yang Xiu, who had remained silent all along, noticed no one was paying them any attention and leaned over to whisper a few words to Nangong Menglu. In an instant, Nangong Menglu’s beautiful face changed color.
Inside the Baihe Family’s warehouse were over 150 clan disciples who’d been abducted, all of them brought here by Li Xiaobai. What’s worse, Li Xiaobai had entered the Baihe Family alongside her. If this matter were discovered, even with her status as a member of the Nangong Family from the Heavenly God Academy, the consequences would be unimaginable.
The situation was far too serious—how dare that guy act so boldly? Who gave him the guts to do this?
The Baihe Family was in uproar, thrown into a brief moment of chaos, completely unaware that the true perpetrator had long since arrived on the other side of the city.
On the east side of the city, atop a teahouse, Li Xiaobai sat leisurely, sipping some wine and happily watching the bustling streets filled with carriages and wagons.
The Baihe Family’s banquet was, of course, a den of dragons and tigers. From the very beginning, he had no intention of attending personally. Using an External Incarnation in the guest room as a decoy, he had already slipped away without a trace.
The clone had performed a series of operations inside the Baihe Family, bagging all their treasures. Even if the clone were destroyed, it didn’t matter—once the treasures were absorbed into the System’s inventory, Li Xiaobai could retrieve them any time, anywhere.
“The Baihe Family’s cultivators possess the Cangtian White Crane Bloodline, an extraordinary bloodline power. Their cultivation level surpasses disciples of the same rank. With my current insignificant abilities, it’s far too risky to confront them head-on. Moving forward, I’ll need to layer plans upon plans like Russian nesting dolls.”
Li Xiaobai reflected, sipping his wine thoughtfully.
As the saying goes, fortune favors the bold. Events like today’s will inevitably happen again and again; he needed to come up with a solid strategy. With his cultivation stuck at the Transcendent Second Layer, he couldn’t afford to act recklessly. Relying on the clone was truly a brilliant tactic. In the future, he could hide his actual self deep in the mountains and send the clone out to con, swindle, and deceive—it wasn’t a bad idea at all!
As for those 150 “goods,” he’d leave them in the Baihe Family. After taking so many resources and treasures, it was important to know when to stop. That batch of goods could be considered a parting gift. He reckoned Nangong Menglu, even if she learned of this, wouldn’t stir up trouble—after all, no one would want to inadvertently offend the Baihe Family.
“Did you hear? Some fool provoked the Baihe Family. Not only did he sneak in and steal a bunch of resources and treasures, but he managed to escape completely unscathed!”
The chatter from cultivators at a neighboring table reached his ears.
The Baihe Family had moved swiftly and wasn’t discreet about their actions. Many cultivators in the city had glimpsed Wu Yong’s ominous, murderous demeanor.
“Yeah, I heard that too. Apparently, he swiped an incredibly valuable treasure and, right in front of everyone’s eyes, swapped reality with an External Incarnation as a distraction while his real body fled far away!”
“That guy’s a damn genius. If I ever get a chance, I must meet him. The Baihe Family has been strutting around arrogantly for too long, relying on their connection to the Baihe Sect to act however they please. Finally, someone stood up to them!”
“These days, it really seems like chaos is brewing everywhere. Outside the city, mysterious cultivators have been killing vicious Pure Land cultivators. There’s also been the emergence of strange black flames. Even within the city, things are unsettled. Doesn’t it feel like something big is about to happen in Cangtian City?”
“Shh! These aren’t matters we common folk should discuss lightly. If someone with ulterior motives overhears, it could impact the Heavenly God Academy’s evaluation!”
The group quieted down abruptly, their gazes darting around, uneasy as if they’d been caught red-handed.
In Cangtian City, gossiping about prominent clans could spell disaster for one’s future.
“Relax. What’s the Baihe Family anyway? Do they truly think Cangtian City revolves entirely around them?”
“Today is just a signal. Someone has already chosen not to bow to them!”
Li Xiaobai pulled a chair over and smoothly inserted himself into their conversation, his actions so natural they seemed completely unremarkable.
“Damn, you’re right…”
“But seriously, who… Holy crap! Who the hell are you?!”
It took a moment before the group realized something was amiss. There was suddenly an extra person among them—a young man with a mischievous smile. Who was he, and why had he been eavesdropping on their discussion?
“Fellow Daoists, no need to be nervous. I just happened to pass by and overheard your conversation about the Heavenly God Academy. Curiosity got the better of me—might I ask what exactly this Academy’s selection process entails?”
Li Xiaobai asked. The Academy was a powerful faction, and if he could enter, it would undoubtedly be a golden opportunity.
“The Heavenly God Academy will soon send experts to select talented individuals to study within their ranks. However, the Academy folk are notoriously peculiar—they’ll disguise themselves and observe the city’s young talents in secret. Only those who align with their expectations are chosen. Tricks or power plays hold no sway before them.”
“Every year, numerous grassroots cultivators from humble beginnings are inexplicably recruited into the Heavenly God Academy. This is precisely the reason why.”
The group was straightforward. They had discerned Li Xiaobai wasn’t someone to mess with and explained honestly, avoiding potential trouble.
“I see.”
“Does that mean no one has ever seen the true faces of the Heavenly God Academy’s evaluators?”
Li Xiaobai murmured to himself, the image of Nangong Menglu flashing in his mind. Yet her behavior indicated she wasn’t here to recruit disciples—the true assessors must be someone else.
“Exactly. Until the Academy officially arrives to collect individuals, no one will know who’s secretly conducting the evaluations. Moreover, those powerful figures altering their appearances is a completely normal practice—making them impossible to identify. All we can do is show our best sides and hope for the best.”
One cultivator continued with a smile, now fully immersed in the discussion.
“Thank you for enlightening me, kind brothers.”
Li Xiaobai understood. The Academy’s recruitment of promising cultivators was entirely conducted behind the scenes.
With a quick motion, he leapt off the teahouse and vanished into the horizon.
Inside the tea house.
The cultivators looked baffled. That young man didn’t seem weak—how could he not know about something so basic? Could he have come from outside the city?
As their thoughts wandered, the server approached with a smile. “That gentleman just now said you’ll be covering his table. The total comes to three pieces of Rare Earth…”
“…”
…
At the city gate.
In a dimly lit corner, Li Xiaobai pulled out a Human Skin Mask and casually kneaded it a few times before putting it on. His entire appearance and demeanor transformed into that of a frail old man, trembling slightly while leaning on a staff.
His clothing was plain, the sort that would blend into a crowd unnoticed, yet there was an inexplicable air of distinction about him.
The old man’s lips quivered softly: “From this moment forward, this old man is an Elder of the Heavenly God Academy, here to evaluate this city!”