C20 A Decent Person

"I confess, I said those things, and I confess I don't want to honor my word," Brother Chao admitted, locking eyes with Wang Yan, each word deliberate. "Let's make another bet. If I win, we'll call it even on everything that's happened before. But if I lose, then..."

"Then you kneel and call me 'Dad'!" Goldie's voice cut in, dripping with contempt. Yet, Brother Chao breathed a sigh of relief. Being called 'Dad' was far preferable to the alternative.

"What's the challenge?" Wang Yan asked, intrigued to see if Brother Chao would truly kneel and call him 'Dad.'

"We fight with our bare hands—no spirit beasts, no soul techniques," Brother Chao stated, his face etched with seriousness.

He was certain Wang Yan would accept, recalling how Wang Yan had slain Lee Yijing's elite spirit beast in a combat test, witnessed by thousands.

"Agreed!" Wang Yan accepted without hesitation.

But before Brother Chao could brace himself, a sharp slap rang out, followed by searing pain. He was caught off guard, his confidence shattered by the force of the blow.

This was a mere hand strike. What if it had been a weapon? Or a soul technique? And Wang Yan possessed a spirit beast that could take down an elite in an instant!

Frozen in place, Brother Chao was haunted by memories of mocking Wang Yan. Could he have shown the same grace under reversal?

Tears welled up in Brother Chao's eyes—part guilt, part regret, and overwhelmingly, the sting of defeat.

Thud!

Brother Chao's knees hit the ground, his tears soaking his shirt. As Wang Yan and Zhang Wei's figures receded, Brother Chao's sobs broke free.

It was too much to bear.

"Ah, Brother Chao has his pride," Zhang Wei remarked, casting a sympathetic glance at the weeping figure on the ground.

He figured Brother Chao was overwhelmed by the agony of defeat, compelled to kneel by his own vow. Pride and promise had waged war within him, leaving him with nothing but tears.

As the instigator, Wang Yan was well aware of the reason behind Brother Chao's behavior.

A slap to the face, the sting of the blow triggering tears and mucus to flow freely, led to the current predicament.

Don't bother asking how Wang Yan knew these details so vividly...

"Wang Yan, come to my office."

No sooner had he entered the classroom than the homeroom teacher materialized as if from thin air.

"Sure."

Wang Yan nodded and followed the teacher to the office.

Upon opening the door, he found three people seated inside.

One, clad in a military uniform, was calmly enjoying his tea. The other two were locked in a fierce glare, their eyes meeting mid-air, nearly sparking a fire.

"Uh, Uncle Luo?"

Wang Yan greeted the man in uniform, the secretary and bodyguard of his Uncle Wang Yi, and his uncle's most trusted confidant.

His presence here likely meant he was acting on behalf of his uncle.

"Don't stand on ceremony. I'm just a regular admissions director now."

Luo Zu dismissed with a wave of his hand and a smile. "These gentlemen are Yuwen Hao from Capital University and Wu Liqiang from M Province University. You've earned a 'Grade A' rating in the practical combat exam, and all three of us are here to extend an invitation to you."

Luo Zu gave Wang Yan a knowing eyebrow raise, hinting that this was an opportunity to discuss terms.

"Good day, teachers. My name is Wang Yan."

Wang Yan nodded, catching Luo Zu's drift.

"Hello, teachers. I'm the boss's Chicken Two."

Goldie chimed in with a mischievous grin.

Before Yuwen Hao and Wu Liqiang could respond, a green blur materialized from nowhere, and Goldie was suddenly plastered against the reinforced glass three meters away.

As he slowly slid down in a sprawled heap, Wang Yan couldn't help but wince.

Clearly, Green was responsible.

Whether out of irritation or just to get rid of the nuisance, it had flicked Goldie away with a swift tail swipe.

"This..."

"This is a Mystic Bird!"

Luo Zu, the sharp-eyed secretary and bodyguard to the commander of M Province's military region, instantly recognized Goldie's true nature.

"A Xuanniao? With the stature of a lord and the bloodline of a phoenix? And how has he managed to bond with a second spirit beast? Could it be that his Soul Contract has reached Level 3?"

Yuwen Hao and Wu Liqiang exchanged glances, both spotting the surprise in each other's eyes.

Fresh out of high school and already at Level 3, with a Lord-tier spirit beast in tow, the term 'genius' hardly seemed adequate.

They were puzzled about how Wang Yan managed to endure the bloodline backlash during the Soul Contract signing, but they trusted Luo Zu's judgment.

"Wait, if that's the Mystic Bird, then the one who sent it flying just now..."

Yuwen Hao and Wu Liqiang shared another look, a surge of astonishment washing over them.

Only a Lord at the very least, with a bloodline no less noble than that of a Phoenix, could launch a Lord-tier Phoenix into the air.

Recalling the Armored Wild Boar that had been devoured during the combat exam and the sight of numerous ferocious beasts cowering on the ground, the same thought struck them both.

Could that snake be of dragon lineage?

They both sharply inhaled.

A dragon species and a phoenix species, two Lord-tier spirit beasts, and to think he attended some no-name university when he could have just been handed a diploma.

"We need to have a detailed discussion with the principal."

Yuwen Hao spoke with gravity.

"Be my guest!"

Wang Yan nodded, signaling his willingness to wait.

"Have a seat."

Luo Zu gestured to the chair next to him.

"Uncle Luo, what did Second Uncle send you for? To recruit me into the military?"

"No."

Luo Zu shook his head, adding, "The Commander sent me to force the other parties to reveal their hand. The two universities are comparable in level, so naturally, it comes down to who offers better terms."

"I see!"

Wang Yan nodded, appreciating his Second Uncle's foresight.

After about ten minutes, Yuwen Hao and Wu Liqiang returned.

"Let's dive straight into the main issue," Yuwen Hao suggested, pausing briefly before continuing, "If you enroll at Capital University, you'll receive 1,000 credits monthly, priority access to resources, unrestricted library access, and personal instruction from the principal, who is a Level 10 beast tamer."

After Stephen Hao finished speaking, Wu Liqiang took the floor.

"The offerings at M Province University are comparable. You'll receive 1,000 credits monthly and have the opportunity to access the Soul Nurturing Ground once a year at no cost. Moreover, the president has agreed to gift you a Moon Beast once your Soul Contract reaches Level 6."

Wang Yan, upon hearing their proposals, didn't rush to accept. He inquired, "What treasures does the library at Capital University hold? And could you explain what the Soul Nurturing Ground and Moon Beast are?"

"The library at Capital University is essentially the first level of the Imperial Library, housing all the martial arts knowledge within the Flame Empire. The Soul Nurturing Ground is a spatial rift that's been cleared out by several Level 10 beast tamers and repurposed as a secret training sanctuary. It's an ideal place for honing soul arts and greatly benefits the enhancement of Soul Strength. As for the Moon Beast, it's a unique spirit beast with Yin attributes, known for its potent healing abilities, surpassing even those of the wood attribute."

Luo Zu clarified Wang Yan's questions with precision and then fell silent.