After leaving the Huang Clan, Huang Kong Mei and Huang Kong Di traveled for several days until the towering walls of Luo Tong Kingdom's Capital City came into view.
For Kong Di, it was the first time stepping into such a vast city. The air itself felt alive with the aura of countless cultivators, and everywhere he looked, he saw power—armored guards at every gate, disciples in flowing luxurious robes, nobles riding in carriages marked with beast-crest insignias.
Yet, unlike their days in Huang Clan Manor, here no one dared look down on them.
Huang Kong Mei's Nine-Winged Serpent Martial Spirit wasn't merely formidable in combat—it carried the Innate Skill: Sky Serpent Eye, which allowed her to distinguish truth from falsehood, genuine from fake. She had once relied on it to survive in the clan, but here, in the capital, that ability became very sought after in certain professions, one such place is an Auction Hall.
So, within days, she was recruited by the Royal Auction House as a Treasure Appraiser. Her sharp eye exposed counterfeits that others thought flawless, while her refined aura silenced any doubt. Even the Head of the Auction House, a Prince of the Luo Tong Royal Family, showed her courtesy and respect.
"Kong Mei," the Prince once said with a faint smile after she unmasked a forged ancient sword, "with your skills, our Royal Auction House has nothing to fear. And as for your son—" His gaze lingered on Kong Di, who stood calmly at his mother's side. "—the Academy would be blind not to accept him."
Days later, a golden-sealed recommendation letter was placed into her son's hands.
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The Cosmic Star Academy
The Cosmic Star Academy is the Luo Tong Kingdom's pride, carved into the mountain slopes beyond the city. Towers with powerful arrays as high as the eye could see, waterfalls of vast battle qi and energy pouring down into cultivating pools, and the academy's disciples carried themselves with pride and arrogance.
The enrollment rules were strict: prospective students should be
1. Below twelve years old, at least Houtian Realm
2. Have a Grade Nine Martial Spirit or higher.
While strong connections could bypass the requirements, such students were looked down upon, sneered at by their peers.
Thus, when Huang Kong Di and his mother stepped before the registration hall and presented the recommendation letter of a Prince, murmurs immediately spread.
Behind the reception table sat a beautiful young woman with sharp brows—Xiong Meiqi, an admissions instructor. At first, she greeted them with a professional smile. But the moment she glanced at the seal on the letter, her smile froze, then twisted into disdain.
"A recommendation letter?" she said coolly, her eyes narrowing on Huang Kong Di. "So you've come to squeeze into the Academy through connections. How laughable. I'll save you the embarrassment now—without real strength, even with this letter, you'll only be a waste among geniuses."
Her words dripped with scorn, echoing in the hall. Several nearby students chuckled, sneering openly.
But Huang Kong Di did not flinch. He simply looked at her with eyes as calm as still water.
"Are you a fool?" he asked lightly.
Xiong Meiqi blinked, her brows furrowing at his tone. "What did you say?"
"I asked if you're a fool." His gaze sharpened. "Because once you've said all you want, I'll show you why."
The hall stirred at his audacity. A boy of six, daring to speak to Instructor Xiong this way?
With a thought, a dark mist coiled from behind him, expanding in the hall like a shadow swallowing the sun. From his back rose the monstrous phantom of a nine-headed Hydra, its vast body hollow and spectral, each head burning with eerie foxfire.
The temperature dropped. The whispers died. Even cultivators in the hall felt their knees weaken.
Xiong Meiqi's expression froze. Her breath caught as the aura of the Hollow Hydra pressed down on her. She recognized it instantly—not just a Grade Ten, but the peak of Grade Ten, the kind of Martial Spirit that stood on the boundary of Super Martial Spirits.
Her face paled further when she recalled the letter; she missed an important detail—its seal belonged to the Prince of the Kingdom, Head of the Royal Auction House.
If she enraged this child and his mother, the Academy could very well lose favor with the Auction House. The consequences… even she dared not imagine.
Her voice trembled as she forced a smile. "Y-You… you awakened such a Martial Spirit?"
Huang Kong Di withdrew the Hydra calmly, his eyes still sharp. "Does that satisfy your doubts, Instructor? Or would you like me to summon it again?"
Her cheeks burned with humiliation. Around them, the other applicants' expressions had changed entirely—from mocking to awe, from disdain to envy.
"No," she said quickly, shaking her head. "There's no need."
His gaze lingered on her a moment longer before he turned away, speaking only to his mother. "Come, Mother. We've wasted enough time here."
Huang Kong Mei's lips curved faintly, but she said nothing. As she felt immense pride in how her son handled it, and was able to wash away their ignorance and disdain in their eyes.
Xiong Meiqi could only watch them leave, her fists trembling beneath the table, her face pale as ashes as she considered whether she should hide behind her father to escape the consequences.