Soon, news that Zachary Cai was about to formally accept this cycle's Provincial Champion as his disciple spread throughout the Provincial Capital. The juren candidates were all envious and jealous, sighing that Ian Song was incredibly lucky.
Because being formally accepted as a disciple is completely different from merely having a teacher-student relationship by name.
Originally, Ian Song planned to leave the Provincial Capital and return to the Cloudwater Sword Sect after visiting Zachary Cai, but now he couldn’t go yet, because in five days, Zachary Cai would formally accept him as a disciple in front of assembled nobles and celebrities.
So, he had to stay in the Provincial Capital for a few more days.
Wade Residence.
Master Wade sighed repeatedly, while Miss Wade stayed silent.
Inside Xuanyang Temple, Daoist Abbot Eugene Yu was stunned, muttering to himself, "I never imagined that Senior would actually be this cycle’s Provincial Champion. This really is...!"
The next day.
The Wade Residence steward arrived, bringing Ian Song a key and a house deed.
Since the steward was so insistent—refusing to leave unless Ian Song accepted—he had no choice but to take them.
Over the next few days,
Ian Song’s name echoed through the Provincial Capital, and every day he received new invitations.
After attending a few, he began turning the rest down, using 'reading with eyes closed' as an excuse. Mostly, he found them pointless—either drinking or just accepting others’ flattery.
At last,
Five days had passed. Today, Ian Song would formally become Zachary Cai’s disciple.
The disciple ceremony was quite elaborate. After going through all the formal steps, Ian Song finally completed the ritual in front of everyone, then Zachary Cai called him aside for a private talk: "Ziyu, you’ve done well these past few days. I’m very pleased!"
Ian Song paused for a moment, then realized that Zachary Cai meant he hadn’t lost himself and had kept his original heart.
Then Zachary Cai handed him a letter.
It was a recommendation letter, nominating him to study at the Imperial Academy in the royal capital.
The Imperial Academy is the highest institution in Valeguard, normally only open to juren. Of course, if you have the right connections, even a xiucai can get in.
If you’re below xiucai, no matter how much power you have, you can forget about getting in.
"Thank you, Teacher!"
Ian Song accepted the recommendation letter with solemn gratitude.
The next day, Ian Song personally visited the Cai Residence to bid farewell to Zachary Cai, then left the Provincial Capital and set off for the Cloudwater Sword Sect.
Having cultivated to the Daoist Golden Core, Ian Song could now travel by riding the wind. If he had a flying sword or similar magic treasure, he could ride the sword and travel even faster—but treasures like that were extremely rare.
Such things are hardly easy to obtain.
He set out at dawn, and by dusk, Ian Song had arrived within the Cloudwater Sword Sect’s sphere of influence.
He slowed down and approached the main gate, revealing his identity.
"Senior Brother Song is back!"
The gatekeeping disciple greeted him politely—he was a direct disciple, with a noble status that ordinary outer disciples couldn’t compare to.
"Thank you for your hard work, Senior Brothers!"
Ian Song replied, then strode through the mountain gate and went to pay respects to his master, Yvonne Chen.
"Yaner, I never imagined you’d actually win the Provincial Champion!"
As soon as they met, Yvonne Chen smiled warmly, clearly delighted.
"It was just luck!"
Ian Song said with a smile.
After chatting with Yvonne Chen for a while, Ian Song said, "Master, I’m going to look for Senior Sister."
When Ian Song mentioned Chloe Cao, Yvonne Chen’s eyes dimmed. She said, "You don’t need to look for your Senior Sister. She’s no longer at Cloudwater Sword Sect."
"What?"
Ian Song was startled. "Where did she go?"
"Your Senior Sister is the lost daughter of the Prince of Yan Residence. She’s already been taken back there!" Yvonne Chen said, handing Ian Song a letter. "This is the letter she left for you."
Ian Song was stunned—he hadn’t expected Chloe Cao to be a princess of the Prince of Yan. The Prince of Yan is one of the four major feudal princes of Valeguard. When the Grand Zhou prime minister usurped the throne, five princes were created; later, one rebelled and lost his title. Now, the Four Great Princes are Yan, Zheng, Han, and Zhou.
The Yan princely line bears the surname Cao.
Back in his room, Ian Song opened Chloe Cao’s letter. Her handwriting was graceful, and every word was filled with longing. She wrote that once she had formally acknowledged her family at the Prince of Yan Residence, she would return to the Cloudwater Sword Sect—and that he mustn’t forget her.
After reading Chloe Cao’s letter, Ian Song couldn’t help but smile.
Although Chloe Cao was a bit naive, once she acknowledged her family, she would become a princess of the Prince of Yan. How could a princess marry a man who already had a wife?
But Ian Song didn’t see this as a problem.
He was determined to marry Chloe Cao—no one could stop him. After all, he was a Golden Core Realman.
With his abilities, not to mention the Prince of Yan—even Valeguard itself—he could overturn the world if he wished.
So, he decided to return to Songjia Village first.
After spending some time in Songjia Village, he would go find Chloe Cao and marry her.
Ian Song stayed at the Cloudwater Sword Sect for two days, and gained the new title of Provincial Champion Junior Brother.
Two days later, Ian Song rode the wind back to Songjia Village.
He had only passed the juren exam a week ago, so word hadn’t even reached the county yet—let alone Songjia Village.
"Little Sir!"
After more than a month apart, Yoyo Chen threw herself into Ian Song’s arms as soon as she saw him.
When the villagers learned Ian Song had returned,
they all came to ask about his exam results.
"I passed!"
Ian Song said to everyone with a smile.
"Heavens, our Songjia Village has produced a juren!"
"Haha, Songjia Village will be famous far and wide!"
In less than an hour,
his father-in-law’s family rushed over, beaming with joy. Chen Chong was still working at the county office and hadn’t received the news.
But that night,
Chen Chong hurried back to the village. Not only that, but even the county magistrate came and brought gifts. News of Ian Song becoming Provincial Champion had reached Huangshan County by afternoon, and the whole county knew by evening.
Don’t think the juren exam has nothing to do with the county magistrate; in fact, it’s his political achievement. And Ian Song became Provincial Champion—an enormous accomplishment. His position might even be promoted next year.
Even after becoming Provincial Champion, Ian Song remained humble, personally hosting a banquet for the county magistrate’s party. He also gave the village chief a hundred taels of silver to throw a feast for the whole village, inviting not just locals but neighboring villages too.
A month passed in the blink of an eye.
Even so, Ian Song’s house was visited by guests every day, and invitations to banquets kept coming. But he declined most of them, saying he needed to prepare for the metropolitan exam.
"Little Sir, I’ve cultivated inner qi!"
Yoyo Chen ran to Ian Song with delight.
Ian Song checked and found that Yoyo Chen really had cultivated inner qi. During this period, he’d bought many medicinal herbs to nourish her body, so now Yoyo Chen was growing more beautiful than ever.
After staying in Songjia Village for several more days, Ian Song prepared to leave. The day for registering at the Imperial Academy was approaching, and he had to hurry so as not to waste Victor Cai’s recommendation.
Under Yoyo Chen’s reluctant gaze, Ian Song drifted away. He first visited the Cloudwater Sword Sect, and upon learning Chloe Cao hadn’t returned, he headed straight for the Prince of Yan’s fief.
Two days later, Ian Song appeared at Panyang Prefecture—the heart of the Prince of Yan’s domain.