Chapter 41: Tan Mingyang, the Freshman Grand Competition!

Magic City Ability University had four cafeterias in total; Xu Jingming went to the one closest to his dorm.

He had only just reached the cafeteria entrance when wafts of meaty fragrance reached his nose.

Once inside, he discovered that, apart from ordinary food, the cafeteria actually also offered meat dishes made from fierce-beast meat.

Although fierce beasts had thick, tough hides and were vicious by nature, one could say every part of them was a treasure.

Their tough hides were not only an excellent material for crafting battle garments.

Even when made into leather bags, they were luxury goods that many wealthy people scrambled to buy.

Fierce-beast bones, ground into powder, were also an excellent medicinal ingredient.

As for fierce-beast flesh and blood, eating them over the long term could likewise strengthen one's constitution.

Precisely because of this, many ability users would form adventurer squads and venture into the wilderness zones to hunt fierce beasts.

Then they would bring the fierce-beast corpses back to the city and sell them at high prices.

Actually, the fierce beasts Xu Jingming had killed in the Wu Ke Gaokao could likewise have been sold at high prices.

But those were all military district property, so naturally he couldn't take them.

Of course, the dishes in this cafeteria made from fierce-beast flesh and blood were also far more expensive than ordinary dishes.

An ordinary dish cost only 0.1 credits — that is, 10 Great Xia coins — for one serving.

But fierce-beast dishes cost at minimum 0.1 credits, that is, 1,000 Great Xia coins!

Xu Jingming even saw fierce-beast dishes priced at 10 credits, worth as much as 100,000 Great Xia coins!

"Good grief, if you don't have enough credits, you can't even afford to eat."

Xu Jingming shook his head, then chose to buy a 0.1-credit fierce-beast dish to sample the flavor.

He had to admit, the school's chefs had excellent cooking skills.

The tough fierce-beast flesh and blood had actually been stewed until it melted in the mouth, leaving fragrance on the tongue.

Over ten minutes later, with his stomach full and still somewhat unsatisfied, Xu Jingming finally rose and left the cafeteria.

Apart from providing dormitories for students, Magic City Ability University likewise provided lodging for its teaching staff.

Naturally, those were all villas.

And they were even more luxurious than the student dormitories.

After all, any teacher qualified to teach at Magic City Ability University was at least a sixth-rank ability user.

Even out in the wider world, they would be extraordinary figures.

And the dean of the Weapon Academy, Yang Zhentian, lived in villa number 23 of the faculty villa district.

After leaving the cafeteria, Xu Jingming spent another twenty-plus minutes to reach the faculty villa district.

Compared with the student dormitory area, the environment here was even better.

The villa complex backed onto a great mountain, with a sizable artificial lake in the middle.

Beyond that, scenery such as little bridges over flowing streams, rockeries, and waterfalls could be seen everywhere.

"The school actually put a whole small hill there as a backdrop — would you believe it? Only a top-tier university would be this lavish."

After silently muttering that, Xu Jingming easily found villa number 23 by following the map at the entrance to the faculty villa district.

It was a villa in a strong Great Xia ancient style; the outer walls were painted the same color as the wooden structure.

Some pale-cyan wind chimes hung beneath the eaves, looking both rustic and very elegant.

Xu Jingming walked straight to the villa's front gate, and just as he was about to press the doorbell, a laughing voice sounded from behind him:

"Are you here to take a master?"

Xu Jingming turned his head and saw a youth in white standing about five meters to his left rear.

The youth had a delicate appearance, short hair, and a smile on his face.

Unlike an ordinary person's smile, the youth's smile seemed somewhat unrestrained, and somewhat cynical.

Xu Jingming frowned slightly upon hearing this and did not respond.

He didn't even know the man — how could he know his purpose?

The youth didn't seem to mind; seeing Xu Jingming unmoved, he continued with a smile:

"Normally, anyone who comes to see Teacher Yang is either one of his disciples, or someone wanting to take him as a master.

I've met most of Teacher Yang's students, and you're not among them, so you can only be here to take a master.

Of course, I'm also here to take a master..."

Before the youth finished speaking, he suddenly noticed something off about Xu Jingming's aura:

"An Awakener?!"

But he quickly caught himself, raised an eyebrow, and said: "A specially-recruited student?"

"Mm."

Xu Jingming did not hide it.

In fact, even among the specially-recruited students, he was probably the only one at merely the Awakener level.

And the Wu Ke Gaokao application process had just begun; Magic City Ability University hadn't even released its admission list yet.

He wasn't surprised that the other had guessed he was a specially-recruited student.

"In previous years, specially-recruited students were either upper first-rank or middle first-rank — I never expected this year there'd be an Awakener specially-recruited student."

The youth clicked his tongue in wonder, but did not look down on Xu Jingming because of it.

After all, anyone who could become a specially-recruited student at Magic City Ability University at the Awakener level was definitely strong.

Moreover, their potential was even more terrifying!

"Senior, you are?"

Seeing that although the other seemed somewhat overly familiar, he didn't seem to bear ill will, Xu Jingming took the initiative to make conversation.

"Weapon Academy, sophomore... no, it should be junior year now.

Junior year student, Tan Mingyang."

Tan Mingyang introduced himself, then asked back, "And you?"

"Xu Jingming, freshman, just reported in today."

"Just reported in and already know about seeking a master, Junior Xu, you move fast. Most freshmen only learn to seek a master after the Freshman Grand Competition."

"Freshman Grand Competition?"

Xu Jingming frowned at this; Zhang Zhaoyang earlier seemed to have not mentioned this matter.

"The Freshman Grand Competition is a tradition of our Magic City Ability University, generally held three or four days after the freshmen have finished reporting in.

When the time comes, most of the school's teachers will go to watch the battles.

Freshmen who perform well at the Freshman Grand Competition will be fought over by the various academies, and mentors will personally step forward to take them as disciples."

Seeing Xu Jingming didn't know, Tan Mingyang briefly explained a few sentences.

"Of course, for a specially-recruited student like you, you really don't need to wait until the Freshman Grand Competition to seek a master."

Tan Mingyang did not deny Xu Jingming's approach.

However, what he didn't say was, even for a specially-recruited student.

The probability of being able to take an academy-head-level mentor as master right upon enrollment is as low as winning the lottery's grand prize.

Most likely it would just be a wasted trip.

But specially-recruited students are often the top scholars, geniuses of some province, some city, with pride in their hearts.

Even if he said this fact, they probably wouldn't listen, so he didn't say it out loud.

"Many thanks, Senior, for the explanation."

Xu Jingming thanked him, then asked with some curiosity, "Senior Tan is also here to seek Master Yang as a master?"

"Yes."

Tan Mingyang nodded, his tone wistful: "This past half year or more, I've already made several trips, but I've never been able to meet the standard for taking him as master.

I'm already about to give up, but in my heart I still can't accept it.

Forget it, no need to say so much, let's go in together."

Tan Mingyang sighed, then pressed the doorbell at the villa's entrance.

It wasn't long before the villa door opened, and a butler-like middle-aged man appeared.

"Welcome to you both, Master Yang is already waiting inside, please follow me."

The butler's smile on his face was as warm as a spring breeze.

Xu Jingming, who was here for the first time, didn't sense anything unusual, but Tan Mingyang beside him was somewhat overwhelmed by the unexpected favor.

This wasn't his first time here; in the past the butler was also very polite, but would absolutely never be this enthusiastic.

And listening to the butler's tone, Master Yang was actually waiting inside specifically for them?

How could that be?!

Seventh-rank ability users aren't sitting around idle every day; on the contrary, they're all very busy.

Previously, even when Tan Mingyang came to pay a visit.

He often had to wait in the villa for half an hour, an hour before he could meet the man in person.

And now, that busy head of the Weapon Academy was actually waiting inside in advance?

What situation is this?

With doubts in mind, Tan Mingyang and Xu Jingming entered the villa together.