"Okay, follow me." Bíng Huo silently snuck into the academy using a back door and brought Xi Xue to a separate exam test room.

  "Eh, we don’t need to line up out there-"

  "No, it will take a long time and they will just test your cultivation base." Bíng Huo shook her head. "You are strong enough to be admitted to you don’t need that test."

  "Ah, I see." Xi Xue looked down at his hand and chuckled.

  ’She really doesn’t realize she has been holding my hand for long, right?’


  "So, where are we going?" Xi Xue asked again as the two of them stopped in front of a small building made of wood and iron.

  It was dyed in brown with many plants around looking warm and peaceful.

  The wind blew gently, messing with Xi Xue’s hair.

  The man covered his eyes as to not get his hair pricking it when Bíng Huo suddenly opened the gate of the building.

  "Grandpa, I’m back!" she shouted and slowly released Xi Xue. The girl looked back to the guy and smiled. "Get in!"

  ’.……grandpa?’


  Xi Xue obediently entered the building and once he stepped inside, the wooden floor creaked.

  The smell of incense assaulted his nose and the sight in front of him made the guy gasped.

  "What’s this……" Xi Xue blinked fast.

  The entire building was filled with books everywhere! It looked like a library instead of a mere building.

  The wall was covered by rows of giant bookshelves reaching all the way to the ceiling which was 10 meters tall or so.

  ’This looks so sick.’ Xi Xue clicked his tongue in awe. The smell of an old book, the smell of paper lingered in the air, really gave off a calming vibe.

  "Wait here, I’m going to find grandpa," Bíng Huo said as she pointed at a single wooden chair near the door.

  Didn’t wait for Xi Xue answer, she immediately left to explore the building.

  "Ah? Okay……" Xi Xue slowly sat on the chair and tapped his knees. The guy stared at Bíng Huo’s departing back and sighed.

  ’Why am I even here? Shouldn’t I do the exam……’ Xi Xue propped his chin while crossing his legs.

  The young man slowly leaned back and inhaled deeply, enjoying the smell of nature.

  ’Well, I’ll just relax first.’


  While Xi Xue was waiting, Bíng Huo already reached the innermost room on the first floor of the building.

  "Grandpa, grandpa!" Bíng Huo knocked on the door with her white owl flying around her. The girl’s voice was quite loud that the one inside couldn’t help but flinch.

  "Come in." A rough voice of an old man sounded. It sounded stern yet warm at the same time.

  "Okay." Bíng Huo opened the door and the sight of an old man came to her eyes. The old man was sitting on a chair behind a desk, facing the door.

  Behind him was a huge window. One could see trees and plants outside through the window.

  The sunlight of the day shone upon the old man’s white hair, adding lustre to it. The old man rubbed his long beard reaching his chest as he spoke,

  "Ah Huo’er, what are you doing here?" The old man smiled, showing his wrinkled white skin. His dark blue eyes turned into a crescent moon.

  Bíng Huo gulped and slowly entered. She cautiously moved forward, stride over a tower of books. There were books scattered on the floor and the whole room was surrounded by bookshelves.

  Once she was close enough to the old man, she spoke,

  "I managed to contract a high-ranked beast that’s about to be a divine beast," the girl spoke straight to the point.

  She stopped right in front of the table and whistled, calling her owl.

  The white owl instantly barged in and landed on Bíng Huo’s shoulder, startling the old man.

  !

  "This……" The old man raised his left eyebrows. He squinted. "Where do you get this? Beast tamer is rare."

  "I meet one in the forest near the academy." Bíng Huo lifted her chin proudly. "I have fulfilled my task so you have to fulfil your promise too!" Bíng Huo grinned.

  "……okay, you can be an adventurer once you graduate," the old man immediately agreed without thinking twice. "But tell me more about this beast tamer you meet."

  "There’s no way a beast tamer will willingly tame a beast for a stranger like you." The old man frowned. "Especially when you are in a man’s attire."

  Hearing this, Bíng Huo rolled her eyes. "Grandpa, the one I meet is kind and he becomes my friend." The girl started to brag about Xi Xue.

  "He tamed this beast for me because he gave away my prey to someone else." Bíng Huo continued. "Anyway, this guy is still young yet so talented!"

  "Also, he wants to get into our academy that’s why I bring him here-"

  "What? A young beast tamer taming a high-ranked beast? How old is he?" The old man abruptly stood up and looked down at his one and only granddaughter.

  "He looks around 18 or 20? Now he’s waiting outside……"

  The old man’s eyes instantly brightened.

  ’An 18 years old beast tamer! A gem!’


  "Hurry, let me meet him! You, this child, you are so lucky!" The old man rushed out from the room, almost stumbling over the books on the floor.

  The old man looked so energetic that Bíng Huo could only shrug and followed. "Don’t scare him, okay?"

  "No, no I won’t." The old man shook his head and a smirk merged on his face.

  ’Who is this lad manages to make my granddaughter praise him over the moon?’