Yuan Chenyang didn't elaborate further. He asked mildly: "Was there something you needed?"
"I have a friend who says he has talent." Bai Fengxi's voice was clear and direct.
"A friend?" Yuan Chenyang frowned slightly, hesitating. "A refugee?"
"Yes." Bai Fengxi nodded.
Yuan Chenyang sighed. A flicker of killing intent crossed his eyes. "You're too kind — you don't know how to say no. I'll send someone to the settlement to warn him off."
Bai Fengxi shook her head and explained: "Zhou Zong was digging into my background. He blocked Zhou Zong for me."
"Zhou Zong?" Yuan Chenyang frowned, sensing something was off. "Where'd he get the standing to block Zhou Zong?"
"He's already enrolled at Nanfeng Academy. As an auditing student..." Bai Fengxi explained.
"How'd he get in?" Yuan Chenyang was intrigued.
Bai Fengxi hesitated briefly. "Teacher Jiang He brought him in."
"Jiang He?" Yuan Chenyang was startled again. A flash of disgust passed through his eyes — and some of that distaste extended to this unknown young man he'd never met.
"I'm not taking any more students." Yuan Chenyang shook his head.
Bai Fengxi didn't press the matter. She simply lowered her head further and quietly began backing away.
Looking at the girl like that, Yuan Chenyang relented. "How about this — I'll give him a chance. I'll put him on this year's elite training roster."
"Thank you." Bai Fengxi bowed and added: "His name is Su Chen."
"Noted. I'll have someone make the arrangements. Also..." Yuan Chenyang suddenly recalled something, and his tone sharpened. "Don't get too entangled with him."
'Anyone caught Jiang He's eye must have quite the pretty face.'
"Entangled how?" Bai Fengxi looked up with what seemed like genuine confusion.
"Never mind. Off you go." Yuan Chenyang relaxed slightly.
Once through the door, the confusion melted from Bai Fengxi's face, replaced by cool indifference.
She knew exactly where her advantages lay, and how to use them.
Since arriving at Nanfeng Academy, she'd never once asked Yuan Chenyang for anything. She knew that the first time she opened her mouth, she'd walk away with a result.
'Elite training. That's all I can do — the rest is up to you.' Bai Fengxi's reasons for helping Su Chen were complex.
Partly for Little Pigeon. Partly out of a vague sense of camaraderie with a fellow refugee. And partly out of admiration that Su Chen had actually managed to get into Jiang He's bed.
Someone that ruthlessly resourceful deserved at least one chance.
......
Knock! Knock! Knock!
The knocking was gentle. Su Chen was still guessing who it might be when he opened the door to find a stranger — a man he'd never seen before, wearing black-framed glasses. The way he carried himself made it obvious he wasn't a student. He held a stack of documents.
His tone was decidedly lukewarm. "Su Chen, I presume? I'm Wei Zhigao, director of Nanfeng Academy's Elite Training Class. You've been added to the roster. I'm here to brief you on the essentials."
"Elite Training Class?" Su Chen froze, surprised. "Me?"
'What's happening — did the creditor actually pull through?'
Wei Zhigao paid no mind to Su Chen's shock. He walked in without invitation. He'd already reviewed Su Chen's file.
A pure relationship hire, through and through. First Jiang He, now Vice-Principal Yuan.
A mid-term insertion. Naturally, he wasn't inclined to be friendly about it.
......
"Yuan Chenyang — how is that geezer involved?"
In a study, the white-haired elder's brows were knotted tight. Jiang He paced restlessly, muttering: "Why would Yuan Chenyang help Qi Chuan? Did I offend him somehow?"
"Father, you said this was Qi Chuan counter-fishing us. So how did Su Chen end up on the roster?"
"This is a problem..." The elder's frown deepened. "If it's that old man, then we need to let this go for now."
"Let it go?" Jiang He halted mid-stride, incredulous. "What do you mean? Just forget that he tried to have me killed?"
"Ah, Yuan Chenyang..." The elder sighed. "The academy's been attacked. If he decides to stir things up and drag us into it, it'll be a nightmare."
"Lay low for the time being. Focus on advancing to Mystic Scholar."
"That's it?" Jiang He was still indignant. "What about Su Chen?"
"Leave Su Chen alone for now. Let Qi Chuan do as he pleases. This matter is on hold — for the time being." The elder's eyes flickered.
"For the time being?" Jiang He latched onto the phrase instantly.
The elder rapped his fingers on the armrest, his voice growing deeper. "Let me figure out why Yuan Chenyang is backing Qi Chuan. Also — the people from Yingfeng will be arriving soon. If Yuan Chenyang fails to find the attacker, he'll face repercussions..."
......
"Why is Yuan Chenyang paying attention to some nobody like Su Chen?"
The calm voice in his ear drew cold sweat from Qi Chuan's forehead. He clenched his jaw. "Rest assured — it's just a spot on the training roster. He still has to go beyond the walls for the mandatory patrol."
"And if Yuan Chenyang investigates? Can you bear the consequences?"
"I'll bear it. All of it." Qi Chuan's voice was steel. "That boy definitely knows something!"
......
"The perks are this good?" Su Chen licked his lips, barely containing his excitement.
The Elite Training Class lived up to its name. First and foremost — resources. Every week, three vials of concentrated nutrient fluid were allocated as standard.
If high-intensity training burned through the supply and he needed to buy more, he'd enjoy a fifty-percent academy discount.
There was also access to purchase supplementary training potions — like the Blood-Activating Potion.
Though even at half price, a single vial still cost five hundred gold.
On top of that: a custom-tailored class progression plan and dedicated professional instruction.
Naturally, these students were expected to serve Nanfeng City for free upon graduation — three to five years depending on resource consumption — as repayment.
"However, the unified talent assessment at the start of the semester has already passed. I don't have the authority to request a private assessment for you. So there's no way to determine your aptitude." Wei Zhigao's face was impassive.
"Don't need it," Su Chen said carelessly. Then a key question struck him. "Do I still have to go outside the walls?"
"The mandatory patrol is set by the City Lord himself." Wei Zhigao smirked internally. 'If this kid could reach even the principal, I'd be impressed.'
"Guess there's no avoiding it." Su Chen sighed.
'Scared of going outside the walls?' Wei Zhigao's regard dropped another notch. 'How could someone with Vice-Principal Yuan's iron personality pull strings for somebody like this?'
He produced another sheet of paper. "Physical track or mental track — pick one, and I'll arrange your integrated training schedule."
Su Chen scanned the page. Two columns of class names — one physical, one mental.
The physical side had more options — five classes. Mental had only three.
"Are any of these pinnacle-grade?" Su Chen asked, earning a look from Wei Zhigao that said 'are you an idiot?'
Su Chen was unfazed. "Physical, then."
Physical at least offered five class options to mental's two — and the only upper-grade mental class listed was Mystic Apprentice.
Among the physical classes, however, there was one upper-grade first-tier class.
"You're choosing Gale Walker?" Wei Zhigao frowned. The words 'eyes bigger than your stomach' were practically engraved on his forehead.
He'd reviewed Su Chen's file. A refugee with no foundation, trying to initiate into an upper-grade first-tier class within three years — that was flatly impossible. A waste of resources and nothing more.
He was about to offer some guidance, but recalling the circumstances of Su Chen's enrollment, he swallowed his words. Why bother? The kid was a relationship hire. Offering advice would probably just be seen as meddling.
'Let him do whatever he wants.'
"Your student ID has been updated. The next physical training session is this afternoon — show up, and the instructor will give you the class materials."
"This is a Spirit Communicator. It's a loaner — if you lose it, you'll need to pay for a replacement."
Wei Zhigao dropped a palm-sized metal device on the table and left without looking back.