Chapter 107: Dean Nottingham's Invitation

Tenth place, with only two hundred votes separating us from the next. It seems that everyone, including myself, has been far too relaxed this past week.

The old rule stands: if we stay in the top ten, I will continue to release three chapters every afternoon.

Here is the first chapter. Please vote!

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Through the words of He Chen and Sakichi, Xu Wen finally understood why the group had suffered innocently. Two well-known young students from the Blood Academy had soundly defeated two of the Qingyun Academy’s champions, including Ma Jiyang. Although the following three matches were lost cleanly, the opponents they faced were significantly weaker than the initial pair. Yet, in response, the Qingyun Academy had dispatched three powerful combat-oriented students—five-star pupils who were hardly any weaker than Ma Jiyang.

It was precisely for this reason that the branch deans were so incensed, refusing to show their faces all day. Their first day of this "state-funded trip abroad" had turned into an exceptionally unforgettable experience for everyone.

"What does this have to do with us?" Xu Wen felt incredibly depressed. He wasn't the one who lost the matches...

One could only blame those senior students who had taken the initiative to go out and goad others into sparring. They had foolishly sent out the academy's five strongest students; winning brought no real glory, and losing only caused the Qingyun Academy to lose face. In such meaningless matches, one certainly shouldn't send their most representative experts—mid-to-high-tier students would have sufficed. By sending the best, the nature of the event had completely changed.

"However, the strength of those students from the Blood Academy is truly terrifying."

He Chen, unaware that Xu Wen was silently despising the seniors who had brought this "disaster" upon them, assumed he was simply shocked by the Blood Academy's prowess and continued to speak about what he knew.

"I heard that the Blood Academy's teaching methods are completely different from our Qingyun Academy. The Blood Alliance is a world of mercenaries, and the Blood Academy implements a mercenary curriculum. Throughout the semester, instruction is entirely based on practical combat."

"After enrolling, students must join or form a mercenary group and enter the Magic Beast Mountain Range for training. Whether they can remain at the Blood Academy depends on the number of missions they undertake over the year, the frequency of high-difficulty missions, and their overall improvement in practical combat capability."

Xu Wen nodded silently. This kind of loose yet intense competitive environment—filled with pressure and threats—was conducive to the emergence of a large number of outstanding talents and allowed an individual to grow much faster in a shorter period.

At this point, He Chen’s tone shifted. "It’s a pity that compared to the fierce competition of the Blood Alliance, our Qingyun Empire seems far too stagnant. Aside from the eight great clans that control most of the industries, the class system is overly rigid... Whether inside or outside the academy, everyone is subject to these invisible constraints. While the Blood Alliance also has a class system, it is one where strength reigns supreme. With a population of over fifty billion, they have over two billion registered mercenaries, more than a million registered mercenary groups, over thirty magus-level powerhouses, and more than seven thousand great magus-level experts. In terms of national power, they are far stronger than our Qingyun Empire."

"If we implemented such a system... Hmph, would the Dark Empire still dare to be so arrogant?"

Xu Wen remained silent. The situation was indeed as he said.

That was why, when the Dark Empire ended its isolationist state, the first target they chose to strike was not the Blood Alliance, but the Qingyun Empire. They had calmly raided the Qingyun capital and even managed to let a portion of their forces escape unscathed! This was a disgrace to the Qingyun Empire!

However... after this incident, the entire Qingyun Empire was shaken. This exchange with the Blood Academy was likely an attempt to incite change.

Thinking of this, Xu Wen looked at He Chen. "Senior Brother He, tell me more about the specific situation at the Blood Academy." The relaxed environment of the Blood Alliance was certainly good, but Xu Wen did not feel that a society with a thousands-year-old slave culture would be any safer than the Qingyun Empire.

"What specifically do you want to know?" He Chen asked.

"Since the Blood Academy encourages students to enter the Magic Beast Mountain Range so heavily, the mortality rate must be quite high, right?"

Xu Wen’s pointed question earned a thumbs-up from He Chen. "As expected of Brother Xu. This is also something that contradicts the laws of our Qingyun Empire. The Blood Alliance’s 'survival of the fittest' system and the Blood Academy itself require a price to be paid. It is said that the mortality rate for incoming freshmen is over fifteen percent, and the disability rate is as high as twenty percent! As for the rest, as long as they survive the year without being expelled, they are basically considered qualified warriors."

"..."

Xu Wen broke out in a cold sweat. What kind of world was this? A fifteen percent mortality rate and a twenty percent disability rate meant that every year, one-third of the students faced a tragic fate. If this were on Earth, who would dare to throw their children into such a school? But the latter part was true: surviving so many real-life battles would yield results far greater than just sitting in an academy.

Just as he was about to ask another question, a majestic voice suddenly resonated in his ears, carrying an unquestionable tone: "I am Dean Noding. Come to the carriage, immediately!"

Xu Wen’s expression shifted, and he instinctively looked toward the large, luxurious carriage parked dozens of meters away. The eight magic wolves had already been unhitched and were wandering around nonchalantly, their green eyes scanning the area from the darkness. Even though he knew these beasts were tamed, he couldn't help but feel a chill.

As Xu Wen turned his head, he saw He Chen, sitting opposite him, also reveal a look of shock, his gaze oddly fixed in that direction. Clearly, he had also received the invitation.

Nearby, around several campfires, a few people stood up one after another, maintaining faint smiles and a hint of undisguised tension as they headed toward the deans' carriage.

"What's wrong with you two?" Sakichi asked, looking puzzled as he saw He Chen and Xu Wen suddenly stop talking and stand up at the same time.

"The Dean is looking for me... wait, Junior Brother Xu also received an invitation?" He Chen was surprised to see Xu Wen following suit.

Xu Wen smiled. "I suspect the Dean overheard our conversation. You’d better prepare yourself mentally."

He Chen’s expression changed as he took it seriously. He chuckled dryly and said, "The Dean is a kind and magnanimous man. I don't think he will blame us lightly. Ha, haha..." Despite his words, his voice still sounded very nervous.

Sakichi finally understood what was going on from their exchange. Looking at the others rising to walk toward the carriage, a flash of indescribable disappointment crossed his eyes.

The others had also stopped talking, watching with envy as the seven people walked out one by one to board the deans' carriage.

"Who is that kid with He Chen?"

"I don't recognize him, and he’s so young. Why was he invited up there?"

Some noticed that the other six who had been called out were all renowned, top-tier students of the Qingyun Academy, including the highest-cultivation 'Thunder Sword' Ma Jiyang; the eerie 'Black Demon Sword' Cheng Ping; the 'Wind Spirit Dancer' mage Nangong Wanrou; the 'Diamond Bulwark' defensive warrior Meng Yi; the fire-magic prodigy He Chen; and the 'Frost Demon Sword' Stephen Luomeng. They were all powerhouses famous throughout the Qingyun Academy. What was that brat with only three-star, ninth-rank cultivation doing joining them?

The students didn't know, but the teachers in the convoy were well aware of the 'brat's' fame and identity. After glaring fiercely at the students who had spoken out of turn, a single sentence—"He is Dean Harman's disciple, of course he is qualified"—silenced the group of discontented students.

...

Inside the carriage, Dean Noding sat at the head, flanked by four eight-star branch deans. With heads bowed and brows furrowed, the atmosphere was extremely grave. Xu Wen and the other six sat cross-legged on the opposite row.

After a long time, Noding opened his eyes. Scanning the circle, his gaze landed on Xu Wen, and he said with a tone of satisfaction, "I have heard about what happened to the seven of you on the day the capital was besieged. Your performance was outstanding... You are indeed the students we all unanimously hold in high regard."

He paused, looked at a few of them pointedly, and continued in a heavier tone: "Today’s matter has nothing to do with the match the day before yesterday, so don't let your imaginations run wild. We have received intelligence that as of yesterday, the Dark Empire has massed a million troops at Sunset Gorge. Furthermore, the tracks of a missing necromancer have appeared in a town only a thousand miles away, seemingly pushing toward Qingxue City. Considering everyone's safety, we made the temporary decision to replace the carriages with Great-Horned Deer to speed up our process and enter the Blood Alliance ahead of schedule."

Including He Chen, the faces of those who had been discussing the issue earlier turned a faint red. They realized that their conversation had indeed been overheard in its entirety by the Dean. As for the Dark Empire mobilizing troops and the necromancer, they weren't particularly surprised—war between the two empires was inevitable sooner or later.

Noding spoke again: "Just as He Chen said, your deans are very kind and magnanimous; they will not hold these minor matters against you. We called you here because there is a task for you."

Xu Wen glanced sideways at He Chen, whose face was now as red as a monkey's bottom. A corner of Xu Wen’s mouth twitched, and just as he was about to crack a smile, he met the meaningful gazes of Noding and the other deans. He quickly lowered his head, acting like a good student, and continued to listen.

Dean Noding smiled slightly and said to the seven students: "The students who are able to go to the Blood Alliance this time are the most promising and excellent ones we have carefully selected from thirty-five branches."

"And you seven are the students we all believe possess the greatest leadership potential."

"I believe you have all heard of the Blood Academy's teaching methods. I won't go into the dangers, but I hope that after entering the Blood Alliance, you will be able to unite all the students of the Qingyun Academy. You are all highly competitive, and it is impossible to pick just one leader among you. After the resolution of us deans, the seven of you are permitted to form your own mercenary group during your time in the Blood Alliance, and we can provide you with appropriate support at the right time."

"Dean, I want to join a mercenary group in the Blood Alliance to learn!" The one who spoke was Ma Jiyang, broad-shouldered and large-framed, looking solemn and upright.

"That is not forbidden," Dean Noding said, glancing at the four deans beside him. "We are not forcing you to start your own mercenary group; we just want to use this task to encourage you to unite and help the lower-year students. A new mercenary group is difficult to start, but with our help, there shouldn't be much of a problem."

Xu Wen’s heart stirred. It seemed the Qingyun Academy was indeed very concerned about the situation of this batch of students in the Blood Alliance. Secretly offering such conditions to the seven of them was already quite a generous treatment.

"Managing a mercenary group will waste a lot of time. May I ask, Dean, what are the specific benefits?" Xu Wen asked a very abrupt question, under the bewildered stares of the other six.

Even He Chen felt the urge to faint on the spot. This kid was asking for benefits from Dean Noding?