“Huh? Is that actually true?”

“Otherwise, why do you think the 2000 disciples on the waiting list are divided into five academies? How come there are barely any authorities in the academies, but a few teachers? This kind of hands-off management is perfect for disciples who are truly powerful. Only after unifying his academy and gaining the support of all its disciples, can he be worthy of the title of the top disciple, of eventually joining the core disciples, and of obtaining our sect’s true legacy and magic skills!

“Huh. How come I don’t know all of this?”

“You’re just a glutton who eats all day. If you asked the third-generation disciples, you would have known.”

“Why should I go ask since you can tell me?” said the chubby young man with a pout. “Hey, honestly, you’re probably so critical of my eating because I still manage to stay slim.”

“Damn it, you’re almost as fat as a pig!”

The handsome young man almost passed out from this statement.

…

…

Till the afternoon, Ding Hao finally got rid of his excited fellow disciples and returned to his room.

He cultivated his magic Qi seed for two hours and his swordplay for another two hours before sitting on his bed to review his fight with the Southern Academy disciples.

“Frost Magic Qi is definitely more terrifying than regular Magic Qi. Nangong Zheng is actually about just as powerful as I am, but because he has not exploited his element and formed his element Magic Qi, he was defeated in one move by me!”

“The other purple robed Southern academy disciples are also on the brink of forming their Magic Qi seeds. Their average strength is indeed higher than that of the Eastern Academy of green shirts disciples. Could the rumors that Eastern Academy is the weakest be true?”

“That makes no sense. Disciples are usually divided into academies randomly. Why are the standards so different this time?”

“I did not use my sword today and instead channeled by sword skills into my palm skills. This is acceptable when fighting weaker opponents, but I’ll have to use my sword when facing stronger people.”

“Overall, I don’t know enough martial arts skills. Besides ‘Great Swan Steps’, and ‘Rapid-Cross Sword’, I don’t have other impressive skills.”

Ding Hao frowned and smiled bitterly.

His background was too lowly, and he had never known any magic skills.

In this aspect, he was far behind the spoiled young masters from large cities.

None of the disciples of the Eastern Academy of green shirts, besides a few outstanding disciples like himself and Zhang Fan, had stimulated their Magic Qi seeds. They all came from lower backgrounds and only had a minor understanding of martial arts.

Ding Hao had to come up with a way to fix this flaw immediately.

Otherwise, he would be at a disadvantage in the face of true experts if he did not have a strong attack.

“Hm, I heard that this year’s academy tournament’s top five will have the opportunity to choose a Middle Level Human Realm martial skill from Swordsmanship-seeking Sect’s library and will receive a Sword-seeking Magin Pill. This pill can increase the Magic Qi cultivation for six months. I guess I’ll have to try to enter the top five in order to keep improving!”

At this thought, Ding Hao decided to put all his effort into the tournament the day after tomorrow.

He needed to reach the grandmaster realm as soon as possible.

Only when he was that powerful, could he walk freely among the beast-infested wild and leave Snow Province and Northern Land for the distant Southern Land. There, he could find Muhuang Tianji and his lost sister.

After figuring out the process in his mind, Ding Hao continued cultivating Magic Sword Seeking Skill.

His frost Magic Qi continued growing in his Hand’s Minor Yin, especially in the “Holy Spring” aperture. As the Magic Qi spun at an alarming speed of ten revolutions per second, Ding Hao’s physical body also kept growing stronger.

This was the magic of apertures.

The constant revolution of Magic Qi in apertures increased Magic Qi and provided supernatural strength for martial artists.

With Ding Hao’s exceptional comprehension and changed body, his cultivation speed topped everyone else’s in the five academies.

In the blink of an eye, six to eight hours had passed, and the Magic Qi in Ding Hao’s Hand’s Minor Yin First Meridian grew very strong. As it turned, it gave off deafening rumbling sounds, almost reaching the peak of one-apertured martial apprentice realm.

At the same time, the Holy Spring aperture was almost fully cultivated.

While the Magic Qi revolved, the aperture was shining brilliant like a block of ice, with its light even shining through his dantian.

Ding Hao nodded slightly and swung out his sword.

Crack! Crack!

The sword left behind a stream of silver ice, like a long winding dragon. The entire room was instantly lit up with snowflakes that shone like jewels.

Magic Ice Sword Qi!

“It seems like channeling Ice Magic Qi into swordplay can have interesting results. Great, very great. Haha. This Ice Sword Qi can not only paralyze my opponent, but it can also freeze his Magic Qi. Now, my Magic Qi is much stronger than before!”

Ding Hao was very pleased.

Reaching his left hand into the air, he sucked the long stream of ice and snowflakes back into his body.

“Now that I’ve completed the one-apertured martial apprentice realm, I can now continue to break into my meridians. Maybe I can even cultivate the second aperture, Fate Sea, and reach two-apertured martial apprentice realm!”

He put away his sword, sat on the bed, and began breaking into his veins.

Only by increasing his strength could he perform well in the academy tournament.

In the blink of an eye, another six to eight hours passed.

Ding Hao finally called upon his Ice Magic Qi and completely broke into another meridian, reaching the Hand’s Minor Yin first meridian’s second aperture, Fate Sea. He then began cultivating this second aperture.

However, what happened next completely surprised him.

“Hm? What’s this? Why did all my Magic Qi suddenly disappear after reaching the aperture? The Magic Sword Seeking Skill didn’t say anything about this!”