For a talent like Evan Chu, the academy valued him immensely. If he could master an elemental attribute, he would be cultivated with even greater intensity.
Evan Chu smiled and said, "The strength of those in the elite class is at least at the Earth Martial Realm, but I’m still at the Xuanwu Realm. If I join now, I’ll only be dragging them down.
Training alongside them would affect me greatly. I need a more stable environment, with just enough competition, so it’ll actually help me improve."
"But the starstones for the elite class are several times what the ordinary class gets. If you just settle down and cultivate, wouldn’t your progress be twice as fast?" Elder Wayne jumped in, finally asking the question he’d held back since the main hall.
"Every place is survival of the fittest—Heavenly Dragon Academy is no exception. In the elite class, you really do get more spirit stones and better martial arts than the ordinary class, but it’s also the most dangerous place.
Maybe you get starstones today, but tomorrow they’re snatched away—if you’re unlucky, you might even get killed. How can you improve if you’re cultivating in constant fear? I bet the academy has plenty of disciples who’ve mysteriously disappeared or died, right?"
Evan Chu spoke his mind directly, not caring if criticizing the elite class would get him in trouble—after all, it was basically an insult.
"Good, good, good! So you’re saying our Heavenly Dragon Academy’s elite class is worthless? By your logic, every new disciple who joins ends up getting bullied?
But those disciples have still made huge progress, and there haven’t been any mysterious disappearances or deaths like you claim."
Dean Xavier kept smiling as he spoke, making it impossible for Evan Chu to tell whether he was actually angry or not.
"That’s because the strength gap isn’t huge. Sure, the elite class is the best, but I don’t want it. Old man, are you going to agree or not?"
Evan Chu was getting fired up too. Even though the other party was the high-and-mighty Dean, he couldn’t let anyone dictate his own thinking.
"Old man? You’re calling me old man? Haha! Interesting, you’re the first student who’s ever dared call me that—I like it!" Dean Xavier wasn’t angry at all; instead, he burst out laughing.
"You say you’re still at the Xuanwu Realm, but you can unleash attacks above third-level Earth Martial? That’s basically impossible. If you’re going to lie, at least pick something believable."
At this, Marcus Gongsun spoke up: "This kid might be a real oddball. During the test, he actually had a sudden insight. If I’m not mistaken, he’s already mastered Heart-Sword intent. Using his finger as a sword, controlling the sword with his heart, drawing on the power of heaven and earth for himself—that’s the path of sword mastery."
"Marcus Gongsun, are you serious? He really had an epiphany in that environment? You didn’t see it wrong?" Elder Wayne asked, half in disbelief.
"No way I’m wrong. I felt the fluctuation of heaven and earth’s power at that moment. It was faint, but with our strength, there’s no way we’d misjudge something like that.
For someone his age to grasp Heart-Sword is truly unbelievable. I think we should agree to his request!" Marcus Gongsun said.
"Thank you, Vice-Dean. I really did comprehend Heart-Sword during the test—didn’t expect it to be so powerful. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have used it and saved myself a lot of trouble!" Evan Chu, thrilled at being allowed to stay in the ordinary class, spoke even more freely.
"Kid, you must have other secrets you’re hiding from us. Anyone who can grasp Heart-Sword can’t be that simple." Dean Xavier looked at Evan Chu as if he were some kind of monster.
"I have no idea what you’re talking about. Old man, just say what you mean—don’t beat around the bush." Evan Chu didn’t know why, but he’d never felt afraid of this Dean.
"You must’ve had some kind of lucky encounter. Maybe you’ve got something inside your body?" Dean Xavier probed.
He was really just guessing—after all, for someone Evan Chu’s age to comprehend Heart-Sword was almost impossible. But what really caught his attention was the strange soul fluctuation he sensed from Evan.
That kind of power was terrifying, far beyond what Evan Chu could imagine.
Evan Chu was shocked—how could he possibly have seen Luna, the Sword Spirit? Was the Dean just trying to trick him?
"I don’t have any secrets. And if I did, they’d be mine—I don’t need to tell you. So are you going to agree or not? Hurry up!"
"Kid, you sure talk big. Do you even know where you are? I’ll agree to your request, but only if you accept one condition!" Dean Xavier directly rejected Evan’s demand.
"What condition? I hate being restricted. If you don’t agree, then forget it—I’ll just leave!" Evan Chu tried to use retreat as a way to advance, confident he could handle these old guys.
"He’s just a Xuanwu Realm student—what’s the big deal? Just give him what he wants and quit wasting time." Elder Wayne said impatiently.
Dean Xavier glanced at Elder Wayne, his lips twitching slightly. "Old Wayne, this kid isn’t simple. I’d bet that within three years, he’ll be the strongest in Heavenly Dragon Academy.
We have to focus on cultivating talents like him. Otherwise, when it’s time for competitions, Heavenly Dragon Academy will just end up losing again!"
Evan Chu didn’t really understand Dean Xavier’s words, but he caught every word Elder Wayne said. This old man actually dared to look down on him.
"Lin Feng, with your talent, you can totally extort them. I heard that old man loud and clear—they’re treating you like a savior. Even if you ask for harsher terms, they’ll probably agree."
That was Luna, the Sword Spirit, speaking. To Evan Chu, this news was better than anything else.
"Old man, what’s wrong with being in the Xuanwu Realm? Listen up—I defeated a third-level Earth Martial expert with my fifth-level Xuanwu strength. Don’t underestimate me!" Evan Chu snapped, his face angry.
"Is that true?" The three of them were instantly stunned by his words.
"Jenny Sima can vouch for me. If you don’t believe it, ask her—the elder I defeated was from her City Lord’s Mansion." Evan Chu was still furious.
"If that’s really the case, then we’ll agree to your request and let you join the ordinary class," Dean Xavier said.
"Too late. I’m planning to leave Heavenly Dragon Academy anyway. I hear Sea Dragon Academy is pretty good too. Since you don’t trust me, I’m sure I can get in over there with my qualifications."
Evan Chu had heard that Sea Dragon Academy was just as famous as Heavenly Dragon Academy, so he brought it up.
The very idea shocked Dean Xavier and the other two—if Sea Dragon Academy snatched up a talent like this, it’d be a huge loss for Heavenly Dragon Academy.
"Kid, you sure have a temper. You’re just saying all this to get us to agree to something, right? Tell us your terms—if they’re reasonable, maybe we’ll consider it!"
Marcus Gongsun spoke up—he was genuinely worried Evan Chu would leave.
Evan Chu didn’t reply. He just looked straight at Dean Xavier, hoping for his answer. After all, the Dean was the real boss here—if he nodded, everything would be settled.
"Kid, you’ve got your calculations all worked out, haven’t you? You’re counting on having us in the palm of your hand. Not bad! Your talent is what we care about most, so state your terms!"
Dean Xavier was forced to compromise—after all, Evan Chu’s talent was far beyond any other student in the academy.
"Old man, you said it—don’t regret it later!" Evan Chu felt relieved once he got a definite answer.
Dean Xavier nodded. "Go ahead, say it."
"My demands aren’t that high. Just give me ten mid-grade Starstones and a hundred or so low-grade Starstones each month for my cultivation. As for martial arts manuals, I don’t need them. If you can give more, I won’t complain."
"Ten mid-grade Starstones and over a hundred low-grade ones? Why don’t you just rob us!
Do you even know how much a Starstone costs? A single low-grade Starstone could keep an ordinary family comfortable for life—and you want that every month? Do you think this place is some ancient Starstone mine?"
Dean Xavier nearly jumped out of his seat when he heard Evan Chu’s words. He’d seen shameless people before, but never anyone this bold.