C20 The Promise of Two Years!

"This..."

Lin Yih was taken aback—it was his first time assessing the attributes of plants.

Unlike other spirit beasts, plants' intelligence was notably inferior. Typically, spirit beasts would reach human-level intellect upon advancing to the Gold stage, but plants lagged far behind, barely beginning to develop intelligence even at the peak of Gold.

Furthermore, their levels lacked specific classifications, with only a vague hierarchical system in place.

Their skills were mostly passive, with minimal offensive capabilities. Their quality and potential for evolution were equally low, almost to the point of non-existence.

"Hai Dafu! Do you know why you're here?" Jiaang Yuxin set aside her textbook and addressed the three students before her.

The chubby student nodded hesitantly, "I think... I know."

Jiaang Yuxin's expression hardened, "You think you know? Enlighten me—what exactly do you know?"

"Ah! What do I know?" The fat student was flustered, "I just made a comment during class, right?"

"Go stand in the corner!" Jiaang Yuxin directed him to the wall with a stern gesture.

"Oh..." The fat student's face drooped as he trudged away, looking forlorn.

Turning to the girl before her, Jiaang Yuxin inquired, "Zhong Qin, do you understand why I've called you here?"

"Yes," Zhong Qin responded earnestly, "I shouldn't have spoken during class and disrupted the order."

"Alright, share your thoughts with me," Jiaang Yuxin said, her tone softening.

"I'm sorry, I was wrong," Zhong Qin admitted, her head bowed.

Pleased with Zhong Qin's sincere apology, Jiaang Yuxin's voice grew gentler.

"I know you grasp the material I teach... But does that mean you can afford to ignore the lessons?"

"I'm sorry, I was wrong," Zhong Qin repeated.

"You excel in humanities and Pet Beast cultivation, but your physical fitness and combat skills are lacking," Jiaang Yuxin pointed out, handing Zhong Qin a few sheets from a stack of documents on her desk.

Lin Yih, standing beside Zhong Qin, sneaked a peek. They appeared to be exam scores and subjects.

"The exams this year will be tougher than ever," Jiaang Yuxin continued, ignoring Lin Yih's curious glance and the fat student's eavesdropping. "With ongoing skirmishes between the Confederate States Army and alien troops, the emphasis on combat and competitive elements may increase slightly."

She took a sip of tea before adding, "Plus, the progeny of some influential figures have entered the fray, intensifying this year's competition."

"But we have point reduction policies and guaranteed spots for smaller regions like ours, don't we?" Lin Yih interjected thoughtfully.

Jiaang Yuxin looked at him with a hint of surprise, "Well, you've done your homework."

Lin Yih blushed and scratched his head sheepishly.

Jiaang Yuxin continued, "Lin Yih, you're exceptionally gifted. Barring any major setbacks, you're on track to ace the written exams, combat, and physical tests. Securing a spot at a prestigious school should be a breeze for you."

Her tone shifted, "But your Pet Beast has only just hatched. With the college entrance exams two months away, how much progress can you make? Reach the peak of the Bronze stage?"

Lin Yih shook his head, "It's unlikely."

With another sip of tea, Jiaang Yuxin handed Lin Yih and Zhong Qin each a document, "Take a look."

The fat student in the corner wondered silently, "What about mine?"

Name: Yao Wan

Background: A scion of the Yao family. Intelligent and talented, he ranks in the top ten at the Imperial College.

Strength: Early Second Stage of Silver.

Pet Beast: Air Rift Hawk.

Name: Gao Baizhan

Background: Apprentice to a Platinum stage master.

Strength: Unknown

Pet Beast: Unknown

...

Name: Lu Lu

Background: Commoner

Strength: Early First Stage of Silver. (Special physique)

Pet Beast: Unknown

Lin Yih's eyes widened in shock.

The paper listed over a dozen names, each with varying backgrounds but uniformly at the Silver stage.

And Lin Yih? Merely Bronze.

He suddenly grasped the reason behind Jiaang Yuxin's summons.

"In this room, you may be prodigies, but what of it? The world is vast—do you think it lacks for two more?"

Jiaang Yuxin's words jolted Lin Yih back to reality.

Indeed, since acquiring his 'cheat,' Lin Yih had grown complacent, underestimating his peers' abilities and believing he could easily outpace them with minimal effort.

Now, he realized his naivety. The world was never short of geniuses.

True genius only emerges when one has fully matured!

Jiaang Yuxin watched the two deep in contemplation and silently nodded in approval.

They showed promise!

"Teacher, I believe I'll be even stronger than them!"

Lin Yih suddenly looked up, his eyes sparkling with a light named confidence.

Jiaang Yuxin: "..."

"...Actually, these are materials from six months ago. By now, they may have grown even stronger," Jiaang Yuxin said with some hesitation.

The materials she had shown Lin Yih and the others were indeed outdated.

Jiaang Yuxin didn't want them to become complacent just because they had a touch of talent. Her intention today was to give them a reality check, to remind them that there's always someone out there who's better.

But she had to tread lightly; too harsh a blow could backfire. So she had deliberately omitted the dates from the materials, aiming to light a fire under them, to shake them out of their daily complacency.

Yet Lin Yih's confident declaration caught her off guard.

This was totally unexpected.

"Yes, exactly," Lin Yih affirmed with confidence.

"Two months, are you sure?" Jiaang Yuxin was taken aback.

Two months to surpass what others have strived for over a decade—could you believe it?

"Not sure!"

Lin Yih gave Jiaang Yuxin's naive expression an eye roll. "I never claimed I'd outdo them in two months."

"Ah! So I misunderstood!" Jiaang Yuxin exclaimed, her hand on her chest.

She had been terrified. It was merely a self-motivating statement. She had thought... but why did she feel a twinge of disappointment?

"But within two years, I will definitely be stronger than them!"

Jiaang Yuxin was stunned into silence.

"But as you grow stronger, so do others. How can you be so certain you'll surpass everyone?" Zhong Qin, who had been quiet, suddenly chimed in.

Lin Yih paused, reflecting on his experiences across two lifetimes and the auxiliary system that bolstered his confidence.

"Because I'm not ordinary! Because my vision will always reach farther than others!"

"Wow! Yih, you're amazing!" The chubby guy huddled in the corner was brought to tears by Lin Yih's self-assured words.