A neat old man, lean and tall, with a long white beard and matching white brows, strode purposefully through the academy grounds. He wore a long green silk robe, signifying his status as the highest authority of the Outer Court of the Tianfu Sword Palace. Bold letters on his back proclaimed his title: 'Headmaster.'

This was Headmaster Wang Baole.

He walked toward the Leaning Pagoda of the Zhou Palace, centrally located within the academy. As he approached the leaning tower, a bittersweet expression settled on his face. At one point, the tower symbolized a threat to his ultimate authority within the Outer Court. Yet, paradoxically, it was also his sanctuary, the one place that offered him solace. Here, he found comfort in practicing his cultivation and indulging in his peculiar hobby of crafting weapons alone on the top floor.

Shaking his head, Wang Baole muttered, "Ah, whatever! The great four founders established and installed in the academy; both Outer and Inner Courts within the Zhou's soil, after all. Plus, this thing is not bad at all."

With that, he stepped forward and vanished into the darkness of the night. Moments later, he reappeared in the hallway of the seventh floor.

Meanwhile, an uncle and niece were deeply engrossed in a game of Xiangqi, the traditional Chinese chess. The niece, Yi Jing, grinned as her uncle, Yi Hao, changed his expressions while their pieces shifted strategically across the board. Yi Jing moved her general piece closer to ending the game.

“Check!” she announced.

Yi Hao looked around at each piece, searching for a way to save his general, but struggled to find a solution. As he frowned, beads of sweat began to form on his forehead.

Normally, Yi Hao would greet the headmaster upon his arrival, but today the game was so intense that he failed to sense Headmaster Wang Baole’s presence. This piqued the headmaster’s interest. He dashed over to them and studied the chessboard. After a minute, he reached out, picked a piece, and moved it three steps back, saving the game.

“Old Hao, try this move,” Wang Baole said, breaking the concentration of the uncle and niece, making them aware of his presence.

Yi Hao nodded, and the game resumed, with Headmaster Wang Baole now taking his turn. Yi Jing's grin faded as the game’s dynamic shifted with the headmaster's involvement. She kept her displeasure to herself, aware of the headmaster's VIP status on this floor.

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As the game continued, the pieces moved with increasing intensity. Headmaster Wang was impressed by the strategic aggression behind Yi Jing's seemingly gentle moves, each one cleverly trapping his every attempt to advance.

‘This girl is incredibly skilled. No wonder Old Hao is struggling,’ Headmaster Wang thought. ‘So, this is Princess Yi Jing, the notorious troublemaker of the Zhou Palace. It’s no wonder they have a hard time keeping her in check.’

After twenty-seven moves, Headmaster Wang saw the game slipping away from him. He suddenly pointed at the ceiling with a surprised expression. “What’s that up there?” he said with a hint of alarm.

As Yi Jing and Yi Hao looked up, Wang Baole subtly flicked his long sleeve, sending a gust of wind towards the board. The gust stopped abruptly in midair and vanished, clearly the work of the oblivious Yi Hao.

“It’s just the ceiling. Are you going senile with old age, Old Wang?” Yi Hao asked, bemused.

‘Ugh, this old fool just can’t read the situation,’ Wang Baole thought, exasperated. ‘Losing a game of Xiangqi to a junior would be quite the embarrassment. What should I do?’ An idea quickly sparked in his mind.

Without warning, Wang Baole sprang up, unleashing a powerful aura that pressured Yi Hao. The hallway fell silent. Yi Hao managed to stay composed, but Yi Jing, being less experienced, struggled to breathe.

“What did you just call me?!” Wang Baole demanded. The intense pressure caused the chessboard to tremble, sending the pieces scattering. ‘Did I overdo it?’ Wang Baole wondered.

Yi Hao flapped his sleeve in irritation and shot back, “What’s the meaning of this? Do you want to fight?” He was ready to confront Wang Baole, feeling that the headmaster’s behavior was out of line.

“Why not?” Wang Baole retorted with a smirk.

The two clashed with a resounding boom, both forced to take a step back. Yi Jing, caught in the middle of their skirmish, felt as if she were a tiny boat tossed by a storm.

Just as they prepared to continue, Yi Jing sprang up and shouted, “Stop it! Both of you! You’re too old for this childish nonsense. Why don’t you settle it with a game of Go instead?” She glared at her uncle, realizing that the fight was just a ploy by Headmaster Wang to disrupt their game.

‘This little girl is more perceptive than I thought,’ Wang Baole mused. Clearing his throat, he said, “You’re right. We’re too old for this in front of a junior. Let’s play Go instead.” He flashed a challenging grin at Yi Hao. “Are you scared of losing to me again?”

“Hmph! Who’s afraid of losing to you? Little Jing Er, set up the board for us,” Yi Hao ordered, snorting.

Yi Jing, playing her part, carefully gathered the scattered pieces and placed them back on the board. She winked at her uncle, subtly indicating that taking on the headmaster in Go might not be a wise choice.

“What’s with that look, little girl? You should see the royal physician about your eyes tomorrow,” Yi Hao said, puzzled.

‘Ha! This fool still doesn’t get it,’ Wang Baole and Yi Jing thought in unison.

As they prepared to start their Go match, two yellow talisman papers with symbols on them flew out of Headmaster Wang and Yi Jing’s pockets, bursting into flames.

“Why is the Elder Council calling an emergency meeting at this hour?” Yi Hao grumbled. “Do we really have to go?”

“Yes, it must be something serious. Let’s head over,” Wang Baole said, his expression turning serious. Then, addressing Yi Jing, he added, “You might get bored here. Why don’t you come with us?”

Before she could reply, he placed a hand on her shoulder, and they vanished together. Yi Hao, relieved that Headmaster Wang was taking his niece with him, thought this could mean two things: the headmaster might take a liking to her and possibly make her his direct disciple, and Yi Jing wouldn’t be a bother to him anymore. With that, he also disappeared with a flourish of his sleeve.