"Father?"

At dawn, Xia Xiao had already gotten up, earlier than usual. He was ready to start today's practice, but he was a little surprised to see his father with dark circles under his eyes. Did he not sleep all night?

Xia Jinghong yawned and muttered something.

"I have insomnia and I haven't slept all night. I came to wake you up."

"It's still early, go back and lie down for a while."

"Okay, practice well!"

Xia Jinghong said this as he walked through the corridor and turned back to the room.

"Xiao'er is already up and in good spirits. Don't worry."

Xiao Rong was afraid that Xia Xiao was also worried about these things and couldn't sleep like herself, so she asked Xia Jinghong to go and see. But she was overthinking. Xia Xiao had a lot of worries, but he went to bed on time every day, otherwise it would affect his practice the next day.

"Take a moment to close your eyes. It's no use looking for Yang Zhen now. It's too early!"

"Uh-huh."

Lying in Xia Jinghong's arms, the couple took a nap. But in the morning, when Xia Jinghong was about to go out, Xiao Liu came.

Xiao Liu is very familiar with the Xia family. Today, he was holding a wooden box, sweating profusely, but there was a look of joy on his face that was hard to hide.

"This was sent by Master Jin Qi. He said that he hopes Master Xia Xiao will practice well and not worry about material problems."

When he opened the wooden box, it was filled with silver. Wow, there were at least a hundred taels of silver. That guy was really generous. But he didn't want to accept this favor! Xia Jinghong would rather owe Yang Zhen a favor than have any dealings with the Jin family.

Everyone in the dynasty is the same. They appear to be honest and kind, and they are not competitive. But in reality, they are cunning and treacherous. They all want to do the most with the least effort, just like the Jin family at this time! To them, a hundred taels of silver is nothing? A hundred taels of gold is something they can afford! But to the Xia family now, it is a lot of money!

"Xiao Liu, take it back and give it back to them, and tell them we don't want it. Also, tell the city lord that I want to visit him this afternoon, and I hope he can spare some time!"

Xiao Liu looked embarrassed.

"General, I can do the latter part. It's just delivering the message. That's what I do. But this silver... the Jin family has already left. I'm afraid I can't get it back!"

So soon? Xia Jinghong fixed her eyes, it seemed that the Jin family was determined to sell this favor. What a sinister fellow, how can I repay the hundred taels of silver now? A bowl of water when you are down and out is better than a thousand taels of silver when you are at your peak.

"What else did he say?"

Xiao Liu recalled and said:

"Master Jin Qi also said that he paid this money in his personal name and it had nothing to do with the Jin family. It was considered as an apology to Master Xia Xiao."

Xia Jinghong knew what happened yesterday. Xia Xiao had said it, but this money... should he accept it or not?

"I won't embarrass you. I'll take it. You can go back now!"

"Okay, I'll take my leave now!"

As long as the things were delivered and the words were passed on, Xiao Liu's mission was completed. He was also a small cultivator, but he had not yet reached the stage of walking, only at the initial perception, but he could sense the vitality and ran faster than ordinary people. He quickly disappeared around the old house and headed towards the city lord's mansion.

The whole family sat together around the box.

"Since you have received it, use it first. I will repay the favor of the Jin family in the future."

Xia Jinghong took out some, left half, and looked at Xia Xiao and Shu Shuang.

"Who among you manages the money?"

Xia Xiao and Shu Shuang pointed at each other at the same time, causing everyone to laugh. Are they so in tune with each other?

"Then let me do it!"

Shu Shuang took the wooden box and listened to Xia Xiao say:

"As long as I have enough money, I don't need to worry about housing or anything else. Now I just need to wait for registration!"

In order to ensure the quality and speed of the local selection, Longgang City can only send five people to Rongcheng to participate in the local selection. Xia Xiao is going to Rongcheng now, and in order to avoid running back and forth, he has to take the next position.

This family meeting was exceptionally short, but right after it ended, Xiao Liu came again. The young man with pigtails felt embarrassed and said:

"The city lord said that Rongcheng has begun to collect information about the local contestants, and a list of the most promising candidates can be sent tonight."

The Xia family members looked at each other. Although this was a good thing, they were a little surprised by the sincerity of the two men.

"I will go and thank the city lord in person this afternoon."

After Xia Jinghong finished speaking, Xiao Liu left in another puff of smoke.

"Xiao'er, you only have one mission now, and that is to practice. Don't worry about anything else."

Xia Xiao nodded and returned to the backyard with Shu Shuang.

"Father, I always feel that this is not a good thing."

Xia Wan is smart and a little worried.

Xia Jinghong understood that now that Xia Xiao was being taken seriously by more and more people, he would also be targeted by some people. Even if Xia Xiao had the status of a disciple of the emperor, he could not suppress some desperate criminals. There was no shortage of people who went against the wind in this world. After all, ignorance was fearlessness.

In the afternoon, Xia Jinghong went to the City Lord's Mansion, while Xia Xiao entered the forest inside his body.

Ever since Ju Mang learned to fly yesterday, the forest has undergone earth-shaking changes. The once warm sun was obscured, and a thin layer of dark clouds covered the sky. The lightning in the clouds made Xia Xiao look up and stare for a long time.

The breeze in the forest also grew stronger, whistling so loudly that it was hard to breathe.

Xia Xiao sat on the altar, looking at the lively Ju Mang and asked him:

"Jumang, when can I use your power? At the age of junior high?"

Ju Mang tilted his head and repeated it over and over again.

"No! No!"

"When was that? I felt like I could harness the power of the Wood Element, and even had some connection with this forest, but I just couldn't use it."

"I don't know! I don't know!"

Ju Mang was smiling and circling around the altar. He was a lively person, but he soon sensed the sadness in Xia Xiao's heart.

Landing next to Xia Xiao, Ju Mang sat with him, placing his wings on his legs as a kind of comfort.

"Soon, soon!"

Xia Xiao didn't expect that he would let the contracted beast comfort him, but there were only three months left, and he should be able to enter the Condensation Realm, but the Venerable Realm was extremely difficult. It would be good to be able to advance before the finals, but is it really possible? Even Su Huan took a whole year to go from Condensation Realm to Venerable Realm, and that was the fastest.

It is not easy to live in any world. When Xia Xiao saw the information of the contestants from Rongcheng, he felt a little cold in his heart.

"Lin Tian, ​​seventeen years old, in the middle stage of Condensation..."

"Yu Ling, seventeen years old, in the middle stage of Condensation..."

"Yu Fanchen, seventeen years old, in the early stage of seed condensation..."

"Lin Yu, sixteen years old, early stage of seed condensation..."

"Li Weichun, seventeen years old, in the early stage of seed condensation..."

…

Because the list was ranked by strength, Xia Xiao only looked at one page. The five names were enough to make him worry. His current strength was definitely not enough. He had to practice hard, otherwise how could he get a place in the local competition? How could he advance?

People say that there are few practitioners, but that is not true. There are now many practitioners. It is difficult for poor families to produce noble sons. Cultivation depends on resources, and talent is only a part of it. For example, these five people are from the three major families in Rongcheng. With good resources, they can easily occupy the top spot. The people behind them can hardly surpass them!

Exhaling, Xia Xiao continued to sit cross-legged in front of Shu Shuang, breathing in the vital energy of heaven and earth.

Still a little bit short, need to become stronger, must work harder!