Chapter 4324 — Wang Xinyan Wants Someone

"But... but if I agree to them, doesn't that mean I'll have to leave you?" Huang Xiaotao clutched Wei Zhao's hand pitifully. The chance others could only dream of meant far less to her than simply being with Wei Zhao; had refusal been possible, she would likely have gritted her teeth and turned them down on the spot.

Unfortunately, that was impossible. Never mind the dreadful consequences of refusing them publicly—even Wei Zhao would not agree to it.

True, if this were merely a matter of studying at Morning Star Academy, or becoming the disciple of an ordinary instructor there, Wei Zhao would indeed have turned up his nose at it, for he was confident that if Huang Xiaotao simply stayed at his side, her growth in the end would be no less—perhaps even greater.

But this was different. The ones who wanted to take Huang Xiaotao were Opening Mountain titans like Ling Yuanqing and Wei Hebei, and what they offered was the all-important status of personal disciple. Such terms were truly hard to come by; even Wei Zhao himself would likely have been tempted, let alone Huang Xiaotao.

With an opportunity like this, and Huang Xiaotao's formidable aptitude, she might very well become the next Wang Xinyan—how could Wei Zhao possibly stand in her way?

"It's all right. This parting now is for the sake of our reunion later. After you get there, Xiaotao, don't overthink things—just focus on your cultivation. Rest assured, I will come find you, but not now." Wei Zhao instructed her gravely.

"Oh." Huang Xiaotao had always listened to Wei Zhao. Since he had said so, even if her heart was reluctant, she would not go against his wishes. Still, she could not help worrying: "But if I just leave like this, won't you be all alone? And the situation here is so chaotic..."

Just as Wei Zhao worried about leaving Huang Xiaotao alone, Huang Xiaotao shared the same concern. When she and Wei Zhao were together, they could use the Raging Fire Eight Trigrams Combined Palm Strike, and even against a Nascent Soul expert they would not feel the least bit daunted. But if she left with the people from Morning Star Academy and Wei Zhao was left all by himself—even if his strength far surpassed that of an ordinary early Golden Core expert—it would still not be enough to cope with this treacherous world.

"Don't worry. Don't you trust my strength, Xiaotao? As long as I'm careful, protecting myself is never a problem." Wei Zhao shook his head with a smile, paused, and then said: "It's you I'm worried about, Xiaotao. After you go to Morning Star Academy, be careful and cautious too. You heard what Ge Datong was asking about earlier—a den of dragons and tigers. The dangers there are no less than outside, perhaps even greater. Once you're there, keep yourself out of things as much as possible and just cultivate in peace. Try not to get tangled up in other people's grudges and feuds."

"Mm, I'll do as you say." Huang Xiaotao nodded obediently, then asked: "Then which one should I choose as my master?"

"Compared with Wei Hebei, I think Academy Head Ling Yuanqing is the better choice. Setting aside that his strength is a cut above, the key is that he is the academy head—his status is far more exalted than Wei Hebei's as vice head. If you can become his personal disciple, others shouldn't dare provoke you lightly. It's safer." Wei Zhao analyzed.

This judgment was made purely on the basis of hard conditions. As for what sort of people Ling Yuanqing and Wei Hebei really were, Wei Zhao had no idea at all, so naturally he could not comment.

"Oh, I understand." Huang Xiaotao nodded. She had no opinions of her own to speak of—or rather, her opinion was to follow Wei Zhao's. Since he had said so, she would do exactly as he said.

"Also, after you go to Morning Star Academy, try not to get involved in other people's grudges, but there is one person you can take the trouble to befriend and get close to." Wei Zhao thought for a moment and said.

"Who? Could it be you have an acquaintance at Morning Star Academy?" Huang Xiaotao was instantly astonished. She remembered that Wei Zhao, just like her, had never even heard of Morning Star Academy's great name before—could he really have an acquaintance there?

"That's right. She is the personal disciple of that female vice head, the East Sea Divine Nun—one of the three fairies of the High Ridge Sea, as Ge Datong just mentioned: Wang Xinyan." Wei Zhao nodded.

"Ah?" Huang Xiaotao could not help looking toward Wang Xinyan on the platform, and found that Wang Xinyan's thoughtful gaze was at this very moment also resting on the two of them. She hastily lowered her head in a fluster, her heart churning like a stormy sea.

"Don't be surprised. She is like me—she too came up from the mundane world, and she is my..." Here Wei Zhao, for once, blushed despite himself, rubbed his nose, and said: "Anyway, just like you, she's one of our own. As long as you reveal your identity to her, she will certainly help you with anything."

Though saying so was a trifle boastful, Wei Zhao could not possibly follow her to Morning Star Academy, so he could only arrange things this way for now. Fortunately, Wang Xinyan's temperament was of the gentle sort, always understanding and considerate; Wei Zhao trusted that, for his sake, she would surely treat Huang Xiaotao well.

"Ah? Oh—oh—oh—oh!" Only now did Huang Xiaotao fully react. No wonder Wei Zhao had been so astonished and flustered from the very first moment he laid eyes on her—so there was this kind of relationship between the two of them!

She had originally thought that after going to Morning Star Academy she would be all alone with no one to rely on. She had never imagined that the fairy Wang Xinyan was one of their own. Now Huang Xiaotao could finally relax—though she then grew a little bashful and worried.

Wang Xinyan was Wei Zhao's girlfriend, and back in the mundane world the two had already been in that sort of relationship. Then did that not make her, the latecomer, rather like a concubine meeting the principal wife? Would the other woman make things difficult for her?

But such a thing Huang Xiaotao could not possibly ask Wei Zhao. She could only silently console herself: Shangguan Lan'er had also been Wei Zhao's girlfriend, and she had harbored no ill feeling toward Huang Xiaotao—she had been easy to get along with instead. And this fairy Wang Xinyan did not look like a difficult person either; surely she would not give her too much trouble...

Huang Xiaotao's discussion with Wei Zhao had been watched by Wang Xinyan on the platform from beginning to end. Before, she had merely suspected; now she could be certain that there must be a very deep relationship between the two. This genius with a dual fire-and-wind spiritual root would, barring any surprise, be her new sister as well.