Hearing this, the young man in the white robe naturally could not obstruct Han Li and his companion any longer. After walking for a while and crossing several courtyards, Han Li gradually heard the clear sound of reading, which sounded quite ordinary, much like that of a typical academy. Yet he paused slightly, his gaze flickering subtly. Though this place was named an academy, did these lower-level cultivators really not meditate or refine their qi, merely wasting most of their time reading? "These are the junior disciples of Bai Lu Academy conducting their regular midday reading sessions," explained the young man, sensing Han Li's surprise. "To enter the upper academy for cultivation, one simply needs a natural root and spiritual power—this is not enough. One must also cultivate the vast and steady 'Hao Ran Qi' of the Confucian tradition. After all, most of our Confucian cultivation techniques rely on this kind of qi as a supporting force. The more abundant and profound one's Hao Ran Qi, the faster and more promising their future cultivation will be." Regarding this young man brought personally by the scholar named Yan, he had a certain intention of being friendly. "So it is!" Han Li sensed the sincerity in his demeanor and nodded, offering a warm smile. At that moment, the three of them passed through a large hall, winding around several turns, and suddenly found themselves before an elegant courtyard. As soon as they stepped into the courtyard, the clear and distinct sound of reading vanished completely—the courtyard had been enchanted with a sound-dampening spell. Upon seeing this, the scholar named Yan remained composed, as though he had visited this place many times before. In contrast, the young man in white robes hesitated and ultimately refused to enter, stopping at the courtyard gate to bid them farewell before departing. Only after witnessing the young man's silhouette vanish swiftly beside one of the pavilions did the scholar named Yan slightly adjust his garments and begin to walk slowly toward the largest room, preparing to close the door. Yet, as he took just one step forward, the previously closed door gently creaked open on its own. At the same time, a voice from above once again echoed—Lord Lu’s. "Please come in, Mr. Yan! Master Hua Lian, the immortal nun of Huang Qing Temple, is currently visiting our humble abode. I’d be delighted to introduce you to her." Lord Lu’s words were calm and composed, conveying no particular emotion. "Huang Qing Temple?" Mr. Yan’s face showed a slight expression of surprise, yet he stepped forward without hesitation. Han Li followed right behind. As soon as they entered the room, they found themselves in a living hall, where a man and a woman were already seated, one as host and the other as guest. The man was in his forties, with a lean build and three long strands of white beard—clearly someone who remained composed and unflinching in both joy and sorrow. His demeanor bore a resemblance to Mr. Yan’s, yet carried an indescribable sense of solemnity and authority. The woman was in her twenties, with jet-black hair and fair skin, dressed in a yellow Taoist robe, holding a silver-sheened fan in one hand. She exuded a graceful and dignified presence, clearly a Taoist nun. As soon as the two entered the hall, their eyes naturally turned toward them. "Is this Master Yan Yao, the renowned figure? Though I seldom engage in worldly affairs at the temple, I have long heard of Master Yan from Yonghua Academy." Surprisingly, before the elderly man with a scholarly bearing even opened his mouth, the young, beautiful Daoist nun smiled gently and greeted them. Then, she casually glanced at Han Li and let her gaze drift away without further attention. This woman was only at the late Foundation Stage of cultivation, yet she sat composedly and spoke with ease before the elderly man—clearly someone of distinguished standing. "Please forgive me! I have long admired the fame of the Daoist nuns at Huangqing Temple. It is an honor to meet you, Master Hua Lian." Master Yan responded with great deference, bowing respectfully. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am a junior disciple, and it is my pleasure to pay my respects to both of you!" Han Li stepped forward slightly and bowed formally. "Ah, this young gentleman—may I ask your name?" The elderly man narrowed his eyes slightly, offering no immediate reply. "This young cousin of Han Li is a distant relative of one of my close friends. Having heard of the reputation of Bái Lù Academy, I couldn't refuse my friendship and have specially brought him here to see if he qualifies for admission." The scholar with the surname Yan spoke calmly. "Ah! So he is a nephew of Yan's friend, with an ordinary spiritual root quality. Still, we need to carefully examine his elemental attributes. Han junior, please come this way." The elder Lu glanced at Han Li for a moment, then said quietly. "Yes, sir!" Han Li immediately walked over without hesitation, his wrist seized by a slightly cool palm. Though Han Li possessed a strong spiritual awareness and was not afraid of being detected—whether it came to his root quality or physical constitution—he could easily conceal his true condition and present only the information he wished to reveal. Still, Han Li didn't want to draw too much attention to himself, as he wished to maintain a quiet and unobtrusive presence in his future studies at the Academy. Thus, in terms of spiritual root quality, he fully revealed his inherent root attributes without any concealment. Among the four root types, this already meets the basic qualification for joining a cultivation sect. However, regarding his bone quality, he concealed his true age, making the examiner unable to detect any inconsistencies. "Ah, lacking the Metal root—still, this is sufficient to qualify for admission to the Academy. You possess spiritual energy within your body and have already practiced several foundational spells. Fortunately, your cultivation follows a pure Wood-based technique, not a strange or demonic method—so that aspect is not an issue. Nevertheless, you are relatively older, and the likelihood of you achieving Foundation Stage is quite slim. At best, you might only reach the seventh or eighth level of the Qi Condensation Stage. In that case, perhaps it would actually be better for you to become an independent cultivator and enjoy greater freedom and ease!" After completing his examination, the elder Lu released韩Lǐ's wrist and spoke calmly. "This assessment, I have heard from other senior cultivators before." "Nevertheless, I believe that diligence can overcome inadequacy, and thus I intend to give it a try on the path of cultivation," said Han Li, bowing respectfully before Lu Da, with a sincerely earnest tone. Lu Da's expression shifted slightly. After glancing at the scholar named Yan beside him, he nodded and said, "Your determination in cultivation is truly admirable. I shall not have much to add. However, as a newcomer to independent cultivation, do you have any particular strengths in the various cultivation techniques?" "Having said that, Han Li seemed a bit embarrassed, his face tinged with bashfulness. "Oh, you're familiar with alchemy? Nowadays, few independent practitioners take up the study of alchemy. After all, the costs involved are truly substantial," Lu Da said, expressing his surprise. Upon hearing this, the nun beside him flashed a brief expression of surprise, then brightened with a pleased look. "I merely possess a jade scroll on alchemy and have been randomly experimenting with crafting items." Han Li naturally downplayed his alchemical skills. If he had openly admitted to knowing nothing at all, it might have significantly affected his chances of joining the academy. Indeed, he genuinely didn't want to bring up anything about alchemy or medicine preparation, which would only add unnecessary complications. Yet, compared to alchemy, those who understand the principles of medicine preparation and array techniques are even rarer. Speaking of such skills might actually draw even more attention. "Friend Han, your knowledge of alchemy is truly commendable. That's wonderful. Lu Senior, I believe we no longer need to borrow alchemy specialists from your academy." "Why not let Brother Han join my Hall of the Qing Dynasty instead, since he has not yet entered your establishment?" The nun suddenly spoke these words. Both the scholar named Yan and Han Li were startled and looked at each other in surprise. "Ah, Sister Hua, this seems rather unusual! Your Hall is a women's monastery—how can you allow a man like Brother Han to join?" Yan's face tightened as he spoke with earnestness. "Indeed, the Hall of the Qing Dynasty is a women's monastery, yet it does not lack male Daoists or male disciples. These men join us, but they actually reside outside the monastery premises. They are merely part of our community, not within the main quarters. That is how I see it," the nun said with a gentle smile. "Ah, I see. I am not very familiar with the affairs of the Hall of the Qing Dynasty. Still, Brother Han has expressed his desire to join Bai Lu Academy. It would seem rather inappropriate for him to join your establishment." Indeed, the scholar Yan was deeply concerned about Han Li's potential admission to the academy. Though he knew Han Li was no ordinary person, he still voiced his objections. "Given Master Han's qualifications, even if he joins the Academy, he would merely be considered a regular disciple with little prospect. Our observatory is currently preparing to craft several precious items and currently lacks a junior disciple skilled in metallurgy to serve as our hands-on assistant. Should Master Han be willing to join our observatory, not only would he deepen his expertise in metallurgy, but I may personally ensure him additional support and attention in his cultivation journey. Not to mention, Master, I originally came to the Academy seeking a metallurgy-specialized disciple. With a suitable candidate now available, there is no need to trouble Master Lu any further." Huá Lián, the immortal nun, remained unconcerned and smiled warmly as she explained. "What about your thoughts, Master Lu?" Upon hearing this, the scholar with the surname Yan hesitated slightly and then raised his gaze toward Master Lu. "Master Han has not yet joined our observatory and remains free to choose. Whether or not he decides to become a disciple under our observatory is ultimately his own decision. As Master Huá Lián mentioned, it is precisely the case." Even if Mr. Han joins this academy to cultivate, I couldn't possibly offer any assistance—his prospects would be rather dim. And indeed, Master Hualian came to this academy specifically in search of a junior disciple with knowledge of metallurgy and crafting. Joining the Huangqing Academy would, however, be a quite favorable option." Master Lu spoke calmly and steadily. As he said this, the gaze of the three people in the hall shifted entirely to Han. Some were concerned, others curious, while a few were visibly excited. "Huangqing Academy?" The name sounded familiar—seemingly a Taoist temple located on another peak of Yitian Mountain. Yet Han had no prior knowledge that this temple was a women's academy, and thus knew little about the sect itself, only appearing puzzled and at a loss.