After bidding farewell to Ji Jijiu, Xiao Mochi and the other three headed for Bailu Peak of White Deer Academy.
Bailu Peak was also the academy's main peak—the mountain where the Headmaster of White Deer Academy resided.
Over the past few years, it wasn't as if the four of them had never seen the Headmaster before.
Although the Headmaster hadn't taken in disciples again, he would occasionally give lectures.
In most people's minds, the Headmaster of White Deer Academy was a stern man of profound learning, soone who never smiled.
Though most students had little direct contact with him, the weight of his status—along with the rumors that the Headmaster had once lifted an entire mountain and smashed a demonic cultivator sect into dust—made him a figure both feared and revered in the hearts of White Deer Academy's disciples.
So when the four of them arrived at Bailu Peak and ca face-to-face with the Headmaster, they imdiately dropped their usual playful grins and swagger. They stood quietly in the courtyard, waiting for him to appear.
Before long, an elderly man walked into the courtyard.
Judging by his looks, he seed about the sa age as their forr teacher—perhaps even a bit younger.
At the very least, his white hair was nowhere near as abundant as their own teacher's.
"Disciples pay respects to the Headmaster."
Xiao Mochi and the other three bowed in unison.
The Headmaster of White Deer Academy stood before them and smiled.
"From today onward, I am your teacher. My na is Qi Zhengju. You may call 'Sir,' or you may call 'Headmaster'—call whatever you please."
"Sir Qi."
The four of them clasped their hands and bowed again.
Qi Zhengju nodded as he looked them over.
"This Bailu Peak of mine hasn't taken in disciples for three to four hundred years. There are plenty of courtyards halfway up the mountain—pick whichever one you like and tidy it up yourselves."
"Yes, Sir."
"Alright." Qi Zhengju waved his hand. "No class today. The four of you go settle your residences. Lessons begin tomorrow."
"Yes."
The four of them made their way to the mountainside and found four connected rooms—one for each person. It was far more spacious than when they had all been cramd into a dormitory together.
But Nan Wenmo didn't feel that difference quite as strongly.
Because the female disciples of White Deer Academy had always been given a room to themselves.
It was one of the few small privileges granted to the academy's rare female students.
Early the next morning, the sound of a bell rang out across Bailu Peak.
That bell had not been struck for three to four hundred years.
And when the great bell rang, Xiao Mochi and the other three were already seated inside a classroom.
Standing at the front of the room was the most highly revered elder in all the world.
When Qi Zhengju personally taught the scriptures to the four of them, he truly ca to realize just how terrifying their talent and learning were.
In White Deer Academy's thirty thousand years of history, the aptitude of these four could absolutely rank among the top ten of all ti!
Especially that young man nad Xiao Mochi.
His Confucian Dao talent had reached a level that even the Headmaster could only look up to in awe—at the very least, nothing like it had ever appeared in the history of the Confucian path.
If not for the boy's explosive temper, and his inability to settle down, and the fact that he never put much of his heart into studying…
Then his achievents would truly be beyond asure.
"What a waste of talent…"
Qi Zhengju let out a sigh.
"But then again… how could sothing like this be rushed?"
Regarding the matter of Xiao Mochi squandering his gifts, Qi Zhengju already knew Jia Junjie had complained to him countless tis.
But if nagging worked, Xiao Mochi would have changed long ago.
Often, geniuses were simply like that.
They possessed heaven-given talent, yet refused to devote themselves to it.
Only after experiencing sothing—only after truly realizing they had to beco serious—would they fully awaken the potential within them.
In truth, that process was also an indispensable kind of tempering, for both body and mind.
What Qi Zhengju wondered was: how long would it take, and what kind of turning point would it require, for Xiao Mochi to finally get serious?
Day after day passed.
During this period of study at White Deer Academy, life for Xiao Mochi and the others was relaxed and comfortable.
For them, each day only required completing their lessons and researching their learning—then their cultivation realm would rise endlessly, as though there were no bottlenecks at all.
Especially Xiao Mochi.
Xiao Mochi always managed to complete the assignnts the Headmaster gave them in far less ti than the others.
And he always had his own unique insights.
No matter what he learned, he was faster than everyone else.
The problem was—
The ti Xiao Mochi saved never went into studying.
Instead, he spent it on eating, drinking, and having fun.
"Mo Chi, I think Teacher Jia was right," Wang Shenghan said earnestly one afternoon. "Among the four of us, you're the most gifted. You really shouldn't waste your talent like this."
He truly felt that Mochi fooling around like this was an insult to his own gifts.
"Hahaha! What talent do I have?" Xiao Mochi laughed, completely unconcerned. "And besides—even if I do have talent, isn't talent ant to save more ti for having fun? Otherwise, what use is it?"
"You…" Wang Shenghan could only sigh.
"Forget all that for now," Xiao Mochi said with a mischievous grin. "Shenghan, Xiaoliu, Wenmo—I discovered sothing. The Headmaster keeps a whole bunch of pearl chickens in his backyard.
"They're unbelievably fat, and they're free-range too. The flavor must be incredible.
"How about the four of us sneak two out and roast them?
"Then we'll sprinkle on so cumin and chili powder and stuff… I swear, it'll sll insanely good!"
As he spoke, Xiao Mochi subconsciously lowered his voice, then wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth.
"Mo Chi, absolutely not!" Wang Shenghan—always mature and steady—imdiately objected. "How can we scholars steal? And steal the teacher's chickens of all things!"
"Shenghan, that's where you're wrong," Xiao Mochi said with a snicker. "How can sothing a scholar does be called stealing? It can only be called borrowing.
"Look—sure, we borrow one chicken from the teacher… but then we buy him a pearl chicken chick and put it back in. Doesn't that make it the sa?"
Wang Shenghan: "..."
"I still object," Wang Shenghan said, shaking his head. "It just feels wrong."
Xiao Mochi grinned.
"Knew you wouldn't co, Shenghan. But it's fine. What about you two? You coming or not?
"When the roast chicken sll is right in front of him, don't tell he won't eat."
"I'm in! Definitely in!" Lu Xiaoliu agreed at once. "I've been thinking about the Headmaster's chickens for a long ti!"
Nan Wenmo wiped the corner of her mouth too, her eyes shining.
"Then we do it tonight!"
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