C199 Your School Is Gone

Chu Yi fell silent for a brief moment, having come to a full understanding.

By entering the Milky Way Academy as a representative of the Aristocratic Alliance, not only would the Milky Way Alliance intensify their support for the Terran Federation, but the Aristocratic Alliance would also secure a significant share of the benefits.

Yet...

With a hint of resignation, Chu Yi glanced at Chu Tianfeng and said, "But Grandfather, I've already made a commitment to another academy..."

Without that prior commitment, Chu Yi would have been genuinely intrigued, regardless of representing the Aristocratic Alliance.

Indeed, he had come to accept the old man's earlier words.

Currently, the Aristocratic Alliance, under the strong suppression of the government, had lost its former luster.

It was like the once-great top families of the Three Capital Lands, who, although not on their last breath, were certainly not thriving.

As Chu Tianfeng had pointed out, it was somewhat better for the aristocratic families and the government to pull together.

Thus, allowing the aristocratic families some room to grow aligned with the interests of all humanity.

But Chu Yi had already made a promise to someone else before this!

Only two months had passed since that event, and it was not something Chu Yi could easily forget.

Adirang Martial Arts College.

Yes, that was the institution with the rather flamboyant and unimpressive name.

Naturally, Chu Yi's current status meant he could easily afford the breach of contract fee.

But Chu Yi did not wish to be someone who reneged on his word.

The Vice Principal, Qi Long, had personally given him the Exquisite Fruit.

Without it, Chu Yi might still have reached his current level, but certainly not as swiftly or smoothly.

The seemingly simple act of giving Chu Yi the Exquisite Fruit had an impact far greater than anyone else could appreciate.

Even if others were unaware, Chu Yi could not simply disregard such a gesture!

Chu Tianfeng's brow furrowed slightly, "Which one of the top three academies?"

"Don't worry, I'll handle it."

"I'm confident that even the government departments won't make a fuss over it."

Indeed, these three prestigious academies require top-tier students to maintain their reputation, but when weighed against the interests of the entire Terran Federation, such a reputation is trivial.

Chu Yi's departure might indeed grant the Aristocratic Alliance the lion's share of resources. However, without his participation, the Terran Federation wouldn't receive these resources at all. The Federation would only get a bit less, not nothing at all. Besides, even if the Aristocratic Alliance received everything, the federal government officials wouldn't mind. The main thing is that the benefits would still fall to the people of Earth.

Chu Yi was somewhat hesitant. He was no longer the boy he once was; it's no exaggeration to say that he now stood at the pinnacle of his generation. While not yet the sole figure at the top, Chu Yi was confident that with his continued progress and the upcoming fourth and final fifth stages of the national exams, he would ultimately stand alone.

The academies he was considering, though... just the name made Chu Yi feel uneasy.

"No, Grandfather, it's the one called—" Chu Yi took a deep breath, gathering a great deal of courage before finally voicing it out loud. "Adirang Martial Arts College!"

Adirang Martial Arts College! Without the word "professional," the name of the institution would carry an air of grandeur. And rightfully so. In the field of martial arts training, Adirang Martial Arts College could rival, perhaps even exceed, the three elite academies. Its unique aspect is its sole focus on nurturing martial arts talent, functioning as a specialized martial arts institution, distinct from the top three academies.

While Adirang Martial Arts College might not be well-known to the general public, everyone in attendance was acutely aware of its stature.

"It's Adirang Martial Arts College, then? No problem, I'll just go over and have a word," one of the clan heads said, and the others nodded in agreement. Everything pales in comparison to the Milky Way Academy.

Chu Yi looked sheepishly at Chu Tianfeng.

"Grandfather, it's not Adirang Martial Arts College, it's the..."

"Adirang Martial Arts College!"

Chu Yi bit down on his frustration and emphasized the word 'College' with a hint of resignation.

It was a decent name, but the addition of 'College' seemed to instantly downgrade it, making it sound like a second-rate institution.

The family heads exchanged glances, each with an odd expression, as if recognizing the unusual implications of the name.

This name...

A hint of contemplation flickered in some of their eyes.

"I feel like I've heard this name before..."

Curious looks were exchanged.

Then, after a brief pause, one of them chuckled.

"If it's Adirang Martial Arts College, then we can dismiss it."

The family head turned to Chu Yi.

"The Dean of Adirang Martial Arts College, is his name Kang Tianxiang?"

Chu Yi paused to recall, remembering the name from the official website's introduction.

He nodded in confirmation.

"Then, there's no need for further discussion."

"It's not a significant issue..."

Chu Yi was puzzled.

The family head simply smiled reassuringly.

Addressing the other family heads, he clarified, "This venture was started by Kang Tianxiang, Qi Long, and a few other old-timers. Apparently, they had a rift with the other executives at Adirang Martial Arts College and decided to establish their own institution."

The name Kang Tian was familiar to many family heads.

He was a revered figure within the federal government, a formidable presence at the Half Step to War God Level.

Previously, he had been the influential Vice Principal of the Zhonghua Martial Arts Academy, effectively the second in command.

"As to why it's no longer relevant..."

The family head turned his gaze back to Chu Yi.

"It's quite straightforward. They've managed to set up the entire framework of the academy, but they overlooked one crucial detail—"

"The academy's physical presence!"

The academy itself?

Chu Yi's realization was immediate, and a wry smile crept onto his face.

"Are you suggesting..."

The family head shrugged nonchalantly, the smile still playing on his lips.

"Exactly. They've recruited a host of talents and acquired plenty of top-notch equipment, among other things."

"However..."

"They haven't actually built the academy yet..."

"Sure, the paperwork has been approved, but to this day, they haven't secured a suitable location to construct the academy..."

Chu Yi gasped in shock.

Upon seeing Qi Long earlier, Chu Yi had been convinced that the student was somewhat unreliable.

But he had never imagined that the other party would be unreliable to such an alarming degree!

It was absolutely horrifying!

From students to teachers, from equipment to facilities, everything that should have been in place was accounted for.

And then you're telling me the academy hasn't even been built yet?

That's just absurd!

Chu Yi was at a loss for words.

"Don't worry about it. Right now, Kang Tianding, Qi Long, and the others are probably scrambling to figure out how to explain this to the students and teachers they've already recruited!"

"They're likely going to pay dearly for this blunder..."

With the biggest hurdle out of the way, there was no longer any cause for concern.

Ultimately, Chu Yi accepted Chu Tianfeng's proposal.

Excitement sparkled in the eyes of the other family heads.

They had all seen Chu Yi's talent and strength firsthand.

If there were to be one person guaranteed one of the three special recruitment spots on Earth, then Chu Yi was undoubtedly that person!

While Chu Tianfeng hadn't spelled it out, these family heads were seasoned individuals, some having lived for centuries.

They could easily read between the lines of Chu Tianfeng's implications.

Chu Yi might not be the strongest once the national exams and the ensuing battles commence, but when it comes to innate talent and potential, he was unquestionably in first place!

So, the resources—

Ah, no, the spots were definitely secured!

...

There wasn't much else to attend to.

The main event was to warmly welcome them back and then to organize an evening celebration akin to a victory banquet.

Naturally, being an evening event, it was scheduled for nighttime.

And not just any night, but one a few days hence.

"The fourth round of the national examination will likely be in two to three days. The exact timing is still up in the air, as we need to coordinate and set things up in the interim."

Everyone was initially allotted three days for their trials, but numerous complications had arisen.

For instance, some of the prodigious talents who had passed the assessment and were poised to enter the national examination had sustained serious injuries. Competing immediately could compromise their abilities.

These were critical issues to consider.

Therefore, the exact schedule for the national examination still needs to be confirmed.

Historically, the national examination has always been this way, with the third stage traditionally taking much longer than it does now.

Three days would be short; it could even extend to thirteen days.

The examination rules were changed to provide a more exhilarating experience for everyone, and the timeline was significantly moved up.

The reasons for this are clear to all.

Previously, the national examination culminated in the fourth stage, which was the final assessment.

However, this year introduced the national war.

The exceptional talents and prodigies from various regions who stood out in the national examination will take their place on the stage of history and engage in the ultimate battle, witnessed by the entire world.

It will become clear whether one is a dragon or a mere worm, a true prodigy or just overhyped, in the course of this national war.

Even though this world differs from the one Chu Yi once knew, with intense rivalry among the regions, comparisons are still inevitable.

This is particularly true for the younger generation.

Each new generation believes their own region to be the true number one on Earth, and as the elite prodigies of their regions, they consider themselves the strongest among the young of the Terran Human Race!

Such a mindset is quite normal and shared by the majority of the younger generation.

Previously, it was rare for prodigies to cross regional lines to battle, and even when victories were decided, most prodigies remained unconvinced.

Now presents a great opportunity.

Nearly every top prodigy from each region has stepped forward, embodying the pinnacle of their region's strength!

Failure in this competition would mean true defeat.