Chapter 176: The Hopes of the Deputy Headmaster
Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
When Deputy Headmaster Qing Hua saw Zhang Ruochen approaching, her previously turbulent gaze flashed clear. She laughed in a husky voice. “Zhang Ruochen, you’ve gained a lot in this Intermediate Relic Exploration! You’ve reached the Completion of the Black Realm, right?”
Zhang Ruochen bowed slightly to Qing Hua and responded courteously, “Yes, I have indeed reached the Completion of the Black Realm.”
The Deputy Headmaster nodded and looked at him with admiration.
She was very pleased with Zhang Ruochen. Not only did he possess strong Spiritual Power, his talents in Martial Arts were more outstanding than another young genius. His accomplishments in the future would surely surpass hers.
Qing Hua asked, “It’s been almost six months since you came to the Western Campus, right?”
“Yes,” Zhang Ruochen replied.
Her gaze became serious. She said, “Not even half a year, and you’ve gone from the Initial Stage to the Completion of the Black Realm. Your progress might be too fast!”
Zhang Ruochen understood what Qing Hua meant. If he increased his cultivation too quickly, his foundation would be weak. Martial Arts was a long and slow journey, and if his foundation was unstable, it would hurt his future development.
Qing Hua had very high expectations for Zhang Ruochen, and she did not wish to see him fail because of this. She spoke with sincerity, “At the beginning of your cultivation, practice resources play a massive role. A normal prodigy will be able to progress at a fast speed if he receives sufficient resources.”
“30 years ago, there was a top prodigy at the Western Campus. At the age of 12, he had reached the Black Realm and the Earth Realm when he was 13. At 15, he reached the Completion of the Earth Realm. He shocked all 36 commanderies in Omen Ridge. At the time, many of the Elders praised him and believed that he was capable of reaching the Half-Saint’s Realm, or even of becoming a Saint.”
Zhang Ruochen asked, “What happened to him?”
The Deputy Headmaster sighed and shook her head. “He practiced so quickly that his foundation wasn’t solid. His later cultivation was exceedingly slow. After the age of 15, he spent another 15 years before reaching the Heaven Realm.”
“His peers have long left him behind. He still remains a warrior at the Initial Stage of the Heaven Realm. It is not even certain whether he can even reach the Completion of the Heaven Realm, let alone become a Half-Saint, ”
Zhang Ruochen could feel the Deputy Headmaster’s regret. It was a deep disappointment.
The Deputy Headmaster’s gaze landed once again on Zhang Ruochen. “So, don’t rush breaking through to the Earth Realm. Stay at the Completion of the Black Realm for a couple of years. Refine the Genuine Qi in your body and increase its purity. At the same time, you will need to train your body; make yourself as tough as a rock. Only with a solid foundation will you walk far in Martial Arts.”
The Deputy Headmaster did not know that Zhang Ruochen possessed the Time and Space Spinel. She thought Zhang Ruochen had only practiced for half a year, so she was very concerned about his future.
In reality, using the power of the Time and Space Spinel, Zhang Ruochen had already been practicing in the Black Realm for a year.
Of course, what the Deputy Headmaster said made sense. Zhang Ruochen did not plan to rush into the Earth Realm. He wanted to refine his body and use this opportunity to break into the Ultimate Realm of the Earth Realm.
Zhang Ruochen gave himself a year. If he was unable to reach the Ultimate Realm in a year, then he would have to break into the Earth Realm.
The younger the student, the faster the cultivation.
Zhang Ruochen had already wasted 16 years of time. He was already 17. He had no more time to waste.
“A year in the outside world would be three years in the Time and Space Spinel. Three years should be enough to solidify my foundations,” Zhang Ruochen thought.
If he was unable to break into the Ultimate Realm in three years, then he never would. There would be no point in wasting anymore time.
The Deputy Headmaster smiled, “Zhang Ruochen, I have high hopes for you. I hope that you will be ranked first on the Profound Board in two years and crush Zhang Tiangui, the No.1 prodigy of the Yuntai Suzerain. Do you think you can do this?”
“I won’t let you down.”
Of course, Zhang Ruochen had confidence. Even if he went to the Coliseum of the Martial Market right now, he was sure that he would rank first on the Profound Board.
However, after experiencing a few assassination attempts, Zhang Ruochen could see the situation clearly. He was no longer the son of Emperor Ming. Rather, he was the prince of an inferior commandery.
If he appeared too talented, jealousy would arise. Some people would do anything to kill him in the cradle.
It was better for him to keep a low profile.
If it was not necessary, he did not want to compete for a ranking on the Profound Board.
The Deputy Headmaster continued. “If you were able to rank first on the Profound Board, you would be awarded a large amount of silver. Once you reached the Earth Realm, you would be able to use this money to purchase practice resources so that you could also progress quickly through the Earth Realm.”
“Of course, it is difficult to become first on the Profound Board. Even Zhang Tiangui ranks third, while Luo Shuihan ranks second. They are both one step away!”
Zhang Ruochen was confused. “I thought senior sister apprentice Luo was ranked sixth on the Profound Board. When did she become second?” he asked.
The Deputy Headmaster replied, “Right before the Intermediate Relic Exploration Test, Luo Shuihan secretly battled Wang Tong, who was second on the Profound Board. After a thousand strikes, she defeated Wang Tong. Less than 10 people know about this as the Luo family has demanded that the news is kept secret.”
Zhang Ruochen asked again, “If she could defeat Wang Tong, why didn’t she challenge Yan Lixuan, who was first?”
“It would have been impossible to succeed.”
The Deputy Headmaster shook her head. “Yan Lixuan is far more powerful than Wang Tong. He has been first on the Profound Board for 20 years, and no one has been able to take him down. If Luo Shuihan hadn’t broken into the Earth Realm and continued Practicing in the Black Realm for three more years, she might have had a chance to defeat Yan Lixuan. But she couldn’t wait that long. Also, she has no need to be ranked first.”
Luo Shuihan also did not want to linger in the Black Realm for too long.
The Deputy Headmaster smiled. She said, “Huang Yanchen and Duanmu Xingling also had participated in some secret battles. Because some powers are secretly supporting them, their results were not announced. They have the prowess of the top ten on the Profound Board. Some say your generation is the pride of the Western Campus. I hope that your future accomplishments do not stop merely at the Heaven Realm.”
Zhang Ruochen was very curious. “Senior sister apprentice Duanmu also has powers supporting her?” he asked.
The Deputy Headmaster smiled again. “Luo Shuihan, Huang Yanchen, and Duanmu Xingling are known as the three female devils of the Western Campus. Even the presbyters of the Western Campus cannot control them. It is not simply because of their talents, but because strong forces support them. Thus, they can get away with anything, and no one dares to cross them. They could even break someone’s leg, and that person would never dare to report it to the presbyter.”
“Luo Shuihan is supported by the Saint-led Luo family. The Luo family Saint is Luo Xu, who was Western Campus’ first prodigy. Not only did he establish the Luo family, but he continues to live to this day. Who would dare cross a family that has a Saint as its head? Of course, the Luo’s family power is not within the 36 commanderies of the Omen Ridge . You cannot imagine the strength of the Luo family right now.”
“Huang Yanchen also has a great power supporting her. She isn’t simply the Commandery Princess of the Qianshui Commandery. There are many princes and princesses in the Qianshui Commandery, so why is Huang Yanchen special? Mostly because of her mother’s family, who holds great power. Even the Qianshui Commandery Prince himself maintains the throne with the power of her mother’s family.”
“Do you know why Huang Yanchen came to the Martial School in Omen Ridge to practice rather than the School in the Qianshui Commandery? Because the head of the School of the Martial Market in the Omen Ridge is her mother’s brother, her uncle. With this level of connection, who would dare to actually battle her in the School in the Omen Ridge?”
“As for Duanmu Xingling, her situation is a bit special. I know she was brought to the Western Campus by a disciple of a Half-Saint who wanted her to learn at the School of the Martial Market. They wanted to use the strong competitive environment at the School of the Martial Market to better train her.
Zhang Ruochen had always thought that he was fairly close to them. Now, he realized that he actually knew very little about them.
Perhaps, in their eyes, Zhang Ruochen was not yet qualified to enter their social circle. So they had neglected to tell him everything.
The Deputy Headmaster smiled. She said, “Zhang Ruochen, your engagement with Huang Yanchen will bring you endless advantages in the future, but it will also bring you endless trouble.”
Zhang Ruochen frowned a litte. “Why do you say that?”
“Once you enter the Internal Academy you will see how many people chase after Huang Yanchen. An endless stream of people will wish to challenge you, and they will not stop until you are either defeated or dead.”
The Deputy Headmaster continued, “What I’ve told you today, you should keep to yourself. If word gets out, it will do you no good.”
“I understand,” Zhang Ruochen replied.
The Deputy Headmaster paused, then said, “You’re now the top master in the Western Campus, and by rights, you should live in Room One of Titled Heaven. Also, two other people are moving into the Dragon Palace. You will need to look after them. Zi Qian, Yao Qingtong, come in!”
Zi Qian and Yao Qingtong walked in and raised their hands in salute. “Greetings Deputy Headmaster, well-met elder brother.”
Of course, Zi Qian had the right to enter the Dragon Palace. She had already entered the Dawn State of the Black Realm when she joined the School, and she had passed the first obstacle on the third floor of the Wu Tower.
Yao Qingtong was a freshman like Zhang Ruochen and Zi Qian. She was also at the Dawn State when she entered the School and she also passed the first obstacle on the third floor of the Wu Tower. She was not more talented than Zi Qian, although her cultivation had already reached the Final State of the Black Realm.
The Deputy Headmaster said, “Zi Qian, you will live in Room One of Titled Earth. Yao Qingtong, you will live in Room One of Titled Black. I hope you will improve quickly and become warriors of the Profound Division within a year.”
The Deputy Headmaster glanced at Zhang Ruochen. “As the elder here, are you not going to welcome your new junior sister apprentices with gifts?”