17 Chapter 16: The Announcemen (2/2)

Xiao Zhang must have heard the terrified musings, for he smiled and assured the students.

”Don't worry, we've prepared all the necessary equipment, weapons and items for the journey, such as food, water and armor. Even though all of you have impressed me and your masters in training, you should not let your guard down. The monsters in the wild are completely different from the automaton puppets you've been training against in the academy.”

I recalled my sparring against a level 3 training dummy the night before. While I was no longer getting instantly destroyed in one shot like a few months ago, I still had yet to beat a level 3 battle puppet. On the bright side, it wasn't as if I lost either. Unfortunately, there was nothing to be proud about when all I did was run away or evade every attack the level 3 puppet threw at me.

There was only so much I could do with evasion. In the end, I still needed to deliver a finishing blow if I wanted to defeat my opponent.

”So be careful, all of you. Don't underestimate the monsters in the wild. Sen Lin Forest is a very dangerous place, so stay on alert and don't be reckless.”

Qi Fu Ren coughed, but his hacking sounded suspiciously like laughter. The bastard obviously didn't think too highly of the monsters in the forest.

”You have one month to prepare yourselves. Review whatever you've been taught, procure whatever equipment or weapons you think is necessary, consult your masters for advice regarding the practical training. Speaking of which, your masters should already know about this, and every single one of them have approved of this. Especially since this trip has been a yearly tradition for ages. You'll find that they're actually pretty eager to see the fruits of your training.”

Xiao Zhang favored the milling and muttering first year students with a smile, but most of them still seemed somewhat afraid and nervous.

”All right, that's it! Disperse!”

With a clap of his hands, Xiao Zhang issued the order. Then he turned away with great flair and self-importantly descended from the stage.

After he left, the majority of the first year cohort immediately exploded with excitement, all of them gathering around to chat enthusiastically.

”We're finally going to Sen Lin Forest next month!”

”At last! I thought we would never be sent there!”

”I can't wait!”

”I wonder what sort of treasures will be waiting inside…”

”Eh?! Isn't it dangerous? I'm still kind of worried, you know…”

”Don't worry! I'll protect you!”

Listening to the dialogue from the rest of class, I could only slink away in dejection. Zhu Jiao noticed my sullen mood, for he quickly caught up to me.

”Don't worry. I'll keep an eye on you, so you won't be in any real danger.”

That's not necessary. I can take care of myself!

At least that was what I wanted to snap, but I knew Zhu Jiao only meant well. Not wanting to waste his good intentions, I just nodded.

”Thank you.”

Despite forcing a smile on my face, I could only feel that the future was looking bleak.

”Ah, you are Zhu Jiao, aren't you?”

Xiao Zhang suddenly appeared. Both of us stepped back, startled by his sudden intrusion. The sage smiled.

”Do you mind? I want to have a word with you.”

”Sure.”

Zhu Jiao waited. Xiao Zhang raised an eyebrow at me.

”Alone, if you don't mind.”

I wasn't stupid enough to know what he was trying to imply. Then again, it wasn't proper for me to eavesdrop on a private conversation, so I backed down and distanced myself.

”I heard that you've regained your talent. That was quite an impressive display a week ago. I've even seen the recording. Impressive. Can't say I'm surprised, because I know you are originally a Five Star Constitution candidate. Congratulations on getting your talent back.”

Oh, so that was what this was about. News of Zhu Jiao kicking Qi Fu Ren's ass had reached even the ears of the principal of Wu Ling, and he wanted to find out more.

”If I'm not mistaken, you're not in a sect yet. If you'd like, I can speak to one of the major sects and request for one of the masters to begin teaching you in the next one month before…”

”I am grateful for the offer, but I already have a master.” Zhu Jiao bowed respectfully as he declined. Xiao Zhang blinked, his eyebrows rising.

”What? Who?”

”I'm afraid that I've promised my master to keep his identity a secret.”

”Ah…I see…if that's the case, then…”

Xiao Zhang sighed, as if ruing over a wasted opportunity. But he continued to smile and placed an encouraging hand on Zhu Jiao's shoulder.

”Regardless, I would like you to know that we're always here to help. If you need anything, anything at all – resources, martial arts manuals, spirit pills, medicine, money, or whatever – do not hesitate to let me know. We'll do everything within our power to help you.”

That was a complete change in attitude. Before, the Xiao Zhang treated us as if we didn't exist. Now that Zhu Jiao had regained his talent, he was desperately licking the Golden Kirin Sect disciple's boots and get into his good books.

Zhu Jiao, unfortunately, wasn't smart enough to realize that and he nodded.

”Sure. Thank you.”

Xiao Zhang beamed, and shook his head while stroking his long, white beard.

”You younglings continue to surprise me. I had thought you were lost causes after being revealed as One Star Constitution cultivators, but one has turned out to be the only clue to the lost Heaven and Earth Formula, and the other has miraculously recovered his talent. The heavens can be really fickle, huh?”

The only one fickle was you. And didn't you say you weren't surprised? Now you were expressing your astonishment! Make up your mind, you hypocritical old geezer!

”Fei Wu.”

Fortunately, I didn't have to listen too long to their conversation. Teacher Jiao was beckoning for me to go over. I quickly complied.

”About tonight…”

I swallowed and nodded, adjusting my glasses that had slipped down my nose from the excitement earlier.

”…is it regarding the Heaven and Earth Formula?”

Teacher Jiao looked as if he was caught off guard. ”The Heaven and Earth Formula? Oh, no…ah, I mean, it's somewhat related, but…”

I frowned, puzzled. ”I thought you were going to teach me something tonight, or advise me on the next manual.”

”Yes, I was just about to talk about that…” then Teacher Jiao's eyes lightened up in realization. ”Oh, I see. You thought I was going to help you with the restoration of the Heaven and Earth Formula?”

”Um…you're not?”

Teacher Jiao sighed as he rubbed his forehead. ”Well, I wish to…but unfortunately I can't.” he glanced at Xiao Zhang, and seeing that the latter was still speaking to Zhu Jiao a distance away, dropped his voice into a whisper. ”Did you realistically think that this academy will be able to help you restore a lost martial art when we don't even have a single clue about any of its techniques?”

”…I knew it was too good to be true.”

Even though I had always suspected it deep down, Teacher Jiao's confirmation that the whole thing was a farce brought my whole world crashing down upon me. Even though I knew it was highly unlikely, I had clung to that slight sliver of hope. Now, Teacher Jiao had crushed that last shred of hope with the truth and doomed me to an oblivion of obscurity.

I really was doomed to be a mob character forever.

”Nonetheless, I'm still assigned to help you, and I'll definitely assist you in your training.” Teacher Jiao glanced at Xiao Zhang again, then continued whispering. ”The reason why I insisted on being your mentor is because the other teachers would merely foist unrealistic expectations upon you, then leave you to your own devices to learn a technique that's impossible to recover, and then throw responsibility upon you when you fail.” He straightened up. ”Of course I hope that you'll succeed, but realistically speaking, it'll be near impossible unless you've been lying all along and somehow received a manual or the teachings from the Absolute One.”

I stared at Teacher Jiao, thunderstruck. ”What do I do?”

”That's why I'm helping you. don't worry.” Teacher Jiao patted me on my shoulder. ”First, we'll have to prepare for the training journey to Sen Lin Forest. I have a month to ensure that you'll be ready for it.”

I gulped and nodded. ”I'll do my best.”

Sen Lin Forest.

This was a massive forest that covered a large area in the Middle Continent. It stretched for hundreds of miles, and predictably the deeper you venture into the heart of the forest, the stronger the monsters you would encounter. Despite the massive threat and immense dangers, it was still an extremely popular place for martial artists and mercenaries, because of the treasure and mystical herbs located within. Additionally, it also served as an excellent training ground for recruits – which was why we were being sent there.

I wondered if my mastery of Shadow Steps would help me survive the forest. Even though I had learned nothing more than two kicks, I was good at evasive techniques. I also learned basic qi cultivation and breathing methods, but that was it. I had no idea how to convert my qi into elemental forces like Qi Fu Ren. Fortunately, I knew how to transform my qi into raw physical prowess like Zhu Jiao, for I had been relying on my qi to subtly increase my stamina whenever I went running or did my hundred pushups and hundred sit-ups. Admittedly, I had succeeded in converting my qi into brute force and smashed rocks during my training after several hundred failed experiments.

It wasn't just pure strength. I also learned how to convert qi into speed, which allowed me to run faster. Hence I could run up to fifty kilometers a day. If we were talking in terms of having a solid foundation, I was sure I wouldn't lose to anyone.

That was why I was as eager as everyone to go into the forest. Not only that, I was looking forward to collecting monster cores from monsters from the wilderness. Defeating a monster would allow one to retrieve its core and use it for a variety of things, from using them as ingredients in strength-enhancement potions or selling them for a great amount of cash. Since merchants had to rely on martial artists to fight and gather such valuable and flexible monster cores, they were willing to pay a high price for them. Moreover, modern society relied on many of these monster cores to power their technology. Cars like Teacher Yi's convertible, electric lights, air conditioning and heaters, computers and tablets – all of these run off monster cores, burning the qi contained within them in place of fuels.

The monster cores of a monster was something like their dantian, where they accumulated and collected natural essence and store the converted form as qi within their core. The larger and better quality their core, the more powerful the monster would be. But my interest were in these cores because they were often used as ingredients for spirit pills and medicine for strengthening – as stated earlier, or also for enhancing equipment, armaments, armor and weapons. By using a monster core as the core of your weapon, you could imbue it with the monster's power, thus amplifying the weapon's strength, toughness, sharpness or speed.

I remembered reading about powerful monsters with high quality demonic cores being able to use attacks or possess abilities very similar to that of humans' martial arts techniques. If this was a fantasy game or story, it would be easy to say that such strong monsters were capable of ”magic”. Unfortunately, this timeline, despite being pseudo-fantasy and using martial arts techniques that were indistinguishable from magic, didn't use the term magic. Politics and all that, I guess. Anyway, the reason why I recalled that was because I needed to be extremely careful when encountering such monsters, especially since I had only learned a mere level 1 Shadow Steps technique.

But if I can leech of the class and claim a monster core or two for myself, I might be able to concoct some spirit medicine that will improve my Star Constitution, or strengthen my qi, so that I will be on par with the rest!

Obviously that was doping, and relying on steroids or drugs to artificially enhance one's body was not good, but at this point I was pretty desperate. I would eat a bloody monster core raw if that would help me grow stronger. I had been driven to such a corner that I was resorting to such barbaric measures. In terms of practicality and realism, I would most likely use the monster cores to forge a spirit weapon that might help me close the gap between myself and my classmates. Or perhaps I might discover that my talent lay not in martial arts but in Spirit Engraving, and I would become a blacksmith who forged weapons for my class.

I couldn't help but imagine look on Qi Fu Ren's face if he realized that he would be relying on me to build a weapon for him…oh, boy. That would be hilarious.

”Hello? Student Fei Wu? Are you paying attention?”

I realized that Teacher Jiao was talking to me. Wiping off the idiotic grin off my face, I cleared my throat and put on a serious expression.

”Yeah. I understand…I will do my best in the practical training one month from now.”

”Not that,” Teacher Jiao sighed. ”Do you think you're ready for it?”

There was something about his tone that had me all worried. I swallowed nervously and hesitated for a moment before shaking my head.

”I…guess not?”

That was the right answer.

”Don't worry. I know how hard you've worked in the past five months,” Teacher Jiao assured me. ”In fact, for a One Star Constitution practitioner, you've done an impressive job.” He winked. ”If you ask me, all those measurements and Star Constitutions are bullshit.”

”That still doesn't change my situation.” My shoulders drooped as I considered my options. They all seemed pretty bleak right now.

”That's where I come in.” Teacher Jiao slapped my shoulder. ”Have you forgotten? I'm going to teach you something tonight. Something that will be even better than any level 2 technique you can borrow from the library.”

”…eh?”

I stared at Teacher Jiao, not daring to believe…not daring to hope that this was my lucky break.

”Follow me. I'm going to show you something that will be very helpful for you when you follow everyone to the forest next month…”