Chapter 54: One Must Always Be Grateful

Qin Qiang still smiled broadly and said,

"Earlier, the Top Ten Academies found hundreds of Yuan Stones in the Kunlun Mountains; I plan to give several of them to students entering the Wu Mai Mountain Field.

As long as all three of you enter the Wu Mai Mountain Field, I will personally take you as my disciples, each receiving at least one Yuan Stone. I will also teach you my Yan Xin Jue."

These words made Li Li Wanran and Lü Zi's hearts pound wildly, and even Fang Chong was stunned.

They had only heard of Yuan Stones before, seen reports about them.

The Top Ten Academies of Blue Star, in alliance with the Martial Alliance and the Gene Alliance, discovered hundreds of stones imbued with heavenly and earthly Qi in the Kunlun Mountains—these stones are also called Yuan Stones.

Rumor has it that Nong Yizhen, president of Zhenyu Academy, broke through to the Innate realm precisely by using such Yuan Stones. These stones are the most suitable for martial and gene cultivation.

Lü Zi clenched his fists tighter; even teachers at the Top Ten Academies of Blue Star might not be able to obtain such a thing.

After entering Level One Gene Cultivator, every time he practiced the Qianluo Gene Jue, he always felt his strength was insufficient.

No, it wasn't that he lacked strength—it was that the Qi he absorbed always felt inadequate.

If he had even one Yuan Stone to assist him, his chance of reaching Level Two Gene Cultivator would greatly increase.

If the Qi contained in the Yuan Stone was sufficient, he would almost certainly reach Level Two Gene Cultivator.

Li Li Wanran was genuinely swayed; she knew perfectly well the benefits of Yuan Stones.

Compared to Lü Zi and Fang Chong, she cared just as much about the Yan Xing Jue.

The Yan Xing Jue was said to originate from Emei Mountain; previously, it had merely been an artifact with historical traces in the Emei Mountain Museum.

After the transformation of the heavenly and earthly environment, this artifact suddenly became useful.

Because the Yan Xing Jue could now be practiced, and it was an extremely powerful light-body technique.

As long as one could gather internal Qi, one could practice the Yan Xing Jue.

She was nearly at Level One Gene Cultivator, and her internal Qi grew daily.

If she obtained the Yan Xing Jue, her strength would be like a tiger gaining wings, rising to an entirely new level.

She had seen President Nong Yizhen of Zhenyu Academy gliding through the air on television—how impressive was that?

Thinking she could glide effortlessly through the air, Li Li Wanran could no longer remain calm inside; her heartbeat quickened considerably.

As if to confirm what Li Li Wanran was thinking, Qin Qiang smiled again and said, "President Nong Yizhen himself came to me, requesting to study the Yan Xing Jue."

Even Nong Yizhen, with his extraordinary aerial ability, had come to request the Yan Xing Jue?

Li Li Wanran took a deep breath and bowed deeply to Qin Qiang, "President Qin, I am willing to join the Wu Mai Mountain Field."

She deeply appreciated Ding Huan's training, but in her heart, Teacher Ding was no different from the many other teachers who had instructed her—merely her academic mentor.

Since he was merely an academic mentor, there was no reason for her to sacrifice her own future for him. Moreover, in Li Li Wanran's view, joining the Wu Mai Mountain Field and respecting Teacher Ding were entirely compatible.

Deep down, Li Li Wanran was also convincing herself that what Ding Huan taught her was the most valuable.

Yet the time Ding Huan spent teaching her was the shortest of all her mentors—even shorter than three days.

She respected Teacher Ding, but that did not mean she must place him above all other mentors simply because what he taught her was more valuable.

Emotionally, she believed Teacher Ding and all her other mentors held equal standing in her heart.

Would she refuse her own future because other mentors were at odds with President Qin?

The answer was obvious—she would not.

Fang Chong, seeing Li Li Wanran agree to join the Wu Mai Mountain Field, nearly cursed aloud.

He had trained with Li Li Wanran and Lü Zi for months and had never realized she could forget Teacher Ding's painstaking efforts for a little favor.

If he knew what she truly thought, he would have screamed—how could these possibly be the same?

One is teaching you the same as any other student—that's just part of a mentor's job, their livelihood.

The other is expending every ounce of effort to customize a gene-enhancing serum for you, something Teacher Ding was never obligated to do—could these possibly be the same?

Making excuses isn't done this way.

"Student Li, you've made an extremely wise choice. I'm certain you'll one day be proud of it."

Qin Qiang said, satisfied.

After speaking, she turned to Fang Chong and Lü Zi, "What about the two of you?"

"Hah! Before you even asked the academy, President Qin came here personally to recruit students—truly something we should learn from." A sudden voice interrupted Qin Qiang's inquiry.

"Ah, it's Vice President Zeng." Qin Qiang greeted him politely, but her tone lost all the warmth she'd shown to Fang Chong and the others.

Following the voice, a man with long hair walked over.

"Vice President Zeng, greetings." Fang Chong quickly led the others in greeting.

Since Qin Qiang called him Vice President Zeng, he must also be from one of Blue Star's Top Ten Academies—so Fang Chong and the others immediately addressed him as Vice President.

As they spoke, Fang Chong, Li Li Wanran, and Lü Zi silently thought: these presidents really are unpredictable.

Because they recognized this Vice President Zeng—he was the long-haired man who had previously urged them not to join the Wu Mai Mountain Field.

"You call me Vice President Zeng, but you probably don't know me. Let me introduce myself—I'm from the Protectors, Vice President Ceng Yi." Ceng Yi smiled warmly.

All three students felt a surge of awe—the Protectors ranked fourth among Blue Star's Top Ten Academies.

Before, the Vice President of the Protectors would never have come here to waste time with them. Now, not only had he come, but this was his second visit.

"I'm here for only one purpose: to invite you to join the Protectors, to fight for humanity's future.

Are you Lü Zi? Excellent—you ranked first in this assessment. If you join the Protectors, I can petition President Li for the chance to train you in the Xin Yi Hun Yuan Gong."

Ceng Yi had clearly come solely for Lü Zi.

"Thank you, Vice President Zeng—I'm willing to join the Protectors," Lü Zi replied quickly.

Although Qin Qiang's offer far surpassed Ceng Yi's, Qin Qiang was someone who schemed behind Teacher Ding's back—Lü Zi refused to study under such a woman.

He was certain no one else could lay such a profound foundation for him as Teacher Ding had.

Even if he lacked Yuan Stones and his cultivation slowed, so what? Qin Qiang would give him only one Yuan Stone—what then when it was used up?

Slower progress isn't no progress—he would still reach Level Two Gene Cultivator someday.

Seeing Lü Zi actually choose the Guardians under such generous conditions she had offered, Qin Qiang's expression turned rather unpleasant.

Ceng Yi laughed heartily, turned to Fang Chong and said, "You're student Fang Chong, right? What about you? Would you be willing to join our Guardians?"

Fang Chong said, "Thank you, Dean Zeng, for your favor. I plan to join the Great Han Yi Academy."

This was the guidance Ding Huan had given him—if Lü Zi and Li Wanran were willing to join the Great Han Yi Academy together with him, then nothing could be better.

Now it seemed Li Wanran had still joined the Martial Vein Mountain Field, and Lü Zi had joined the Guardians.

Lü Zi joining the Guardians he could understand, but Li Wanran joining the Martial Vein Mountain Field—he couldn't understand it, and from the bottom of his heart he despised this woman.

Usually when they cultivated together, Li Wanran had given him a very good impression, just as her name suggested—gentle and modest in her conduct, and in everything she put him and Lü Zi first.

Sure enough, you can't judge a person only by their surface.

"Fang Chong, are you really joining the Great Han Yi Academy?" Li Wanran looked at Fang Chong with some shock.

She had previously thought Fang Chong was joking; she hadn't expected he truly planned to join the Great Han Yi Academy.

Lü Zi also wore an expression of disbelief. Fang Chong had indeed said he wanted to join the Great Han Yi Academy, and had even asked them whether they would go to the Great Han Yi Academy together.

Whether Li Wanran or Lü Zi, they had all just listened and let it pass, not taking the matter seriously.

Now that Fang Chong had said it in front of Qin Qiang and Ceng Yi, naturally it had to be taken seriously.

The Great Han Yi Academy was one of Blue Star's top ten academies, true enough. In the past, if they could have entered the Great Han Yi Academy, they would have laughed themselves awake even in a dream.

But the Great Han Yi Academy ranked dead last among Blue Star's top ten academies, and this dead-last ranking was different from that of the Martial Vein Mountain Field.

Don't look at the Martial Vein Mountain Field being ranked eighth—the Martial Vein Mountain Field can actually integrate the world's most advanced top-tier genetic agents.

Because the Martial Vein Mountain Field and the Gene Alliance had deep ties.

Apart from that, the Martial Vein Mountain Field's Wild Goose Formation Art was also world-famous.

Even so, when Qin Qiang lured Li Wanran into the Martial Vein Mountain Field, she still took out a primal stone and promised to teach the Wild Goose Formation Art.

Fang Chong taking the initiative to enter the Great Han Yi Academy, yet getting nothing at all.

Fang Chong did not look at Li Wanran, but patted Lü Zi's shoulder. "Lü Zi, no matter what the future holds, you must remember what Teacher Geng told us.

A person's life passes by very quickly; a true man knows what to do and what not to do."

After saying this, Fang Chong turned around and was about to leave.

Lü Zi immediately said, "Fang Chong, don't worry. I, Lü Zi, know what I'm doing."

He understood what Fang Chong meant—that was what Teacher Geng had told the three of them: a person must be grateful.

No matter how far you go, you must remember who it was that cultivated you. A person who is ungrateful will forever be looked down upon."

Li Wanran also understood what Fang Chong meant, and she felt a little wronged.

She wasn't ungrateful! She was deeply grateful to Teacher Ding Huan in her heart—what did that have to do with her joining the Martial Vein Mountain Field?

(Today's update ends here. Goodnight, friends!)