77 Chapter 76: Bugging (1/2)

The Lunar New Year holidays passed, and we returned to Wu Ling Academy. The semester began, and I returned to my residence in Tushan City. Honestly the commute was a little too long for my liking, but I found out that Tang Qi Hong had special access to a Phoenix Express. In other words, a personal limousine that flew at incredible speeds and reached Tushan City from Wu Ling Academy in less than fifteen minutes.

It was almost like we were teleporting from one end of the Great Zhou Empire to another. I wondered why I even bothered with the bus and train to such a faraway place. In fact, I would have moved back to my dorm if it weren't for the Phoenix Express. Fortunately, Tang Qi Hong allowed me, Tong Xue and Lian Rou to ride on the Phoenix Express with her, whenever she returned to Tushan City. A few of the other juniors and schoolmates from the same sect joined in, but surprisingly enough, there weren't many of us.

Most of the students in Wu Ling Academy were more interested in joining the four Celestial Guardian Sects, and the rest simply couldn't make the cut. Not anyone could just join the Nine-Tailed Fox Sect, after all.

Now that we were back in school, things had gotten a bit busier. After class, I had to rush toward where Tang Qi Hong was waiting with the Phoenix Express, get a ride back to Tushan City, and depending on the schedule, attend to assignments that Tang Qi Hong had assigned me, or busy myself with my own martial arts training.

And just like that, three months passed. The semester began in spring, and we were fresh into our first year of high school, surviving whatever Teacher Jiao threw at us.

It was during one of these weeks when Teacher Jiao approached me.

”Student Fei Wu, a word, if you please.”

”Sure.”

I rose from my desk and followed him to the staff room. After Teacher Jiao took his seat, he spun around in his office chair to face me.

”I believe you've already assimilated all that qi you've absorbed from about two years ago, correct?”

”That's right, Teacher Jiao,” I confirmed.

”Well, the deadline is almost up. Principal Xiao wants you to take the level 6 test. Right now, you're the only high school student who has yet to take the level 6 test. You're currently stuck at level 5, but most high school students pass through level 6 within the first month of their first year. In fact, we have a good deal of students progressing to level 7, and even a handful attaining level 8.” He paused and tapped his fingers on the desk. ”We're expecting at least a few students to reach level 9 by the end of this academic year.”

So what did that have to do with me?

”Fei Wu…when do you intend to take the level 6 test?”

”…soon.”

To be honest, I had no intention of taking the level tests. All these levels were meaningless to me. Of course, there were benefits to taking the tests and increasing my level, as these would unlock more resources and lift the restrictions from certain techniques and facilities, but I always hated the idea that someone's ability could be quantified and categorized into ”levels.”

”Well, it better be soon. Principal Xiao is expecting you to achieve level 6 at least. That's why he allowed you to stay in Wu Ling Academy even though you were temporarily unable to use martial arts for almost two years.”

Principal Xiao could go fuck himself. But obviously I didn't voice that out. That said, I couldn't help but be annoyed by the pressure he was exerting on me. Truth be told, I didn't envy his position. Principal Xiao was running a martial arts institution, not a charity. He couldn't afford to be handing out gifts and free tuition fees to any student. As much as I hated to admit it, this timeline continued to be a materialistic society, and thus everything was judged by results.

If I wanted to stay in Wu Ling Academy, I had to produce the results to show that I had the right to remain here. It was the same for everyone. And while I detested the idea of being tested and having my ability quantified, I knew they needed some form of evaluating the students who enrolled here. Otherwise students could just slack off and not bother to do their work, yet continue to earn and benefit off freebies without working for it.

Sighing deeply, I closed my eyes and lowered my head.

”I'll take it next week. I'll go book the level 6 test for next week.”

”Good.” Teacher Jiao looked almost relieved. Throughout the four years, he had remained our teacher, and even went up with us into high school. I wasn't sure how the education system worked, but in Wu Ling Academy, our homeroom teachers followed us into high school. I doubted he would be teaching us if we chose to move on into the university division, though. ”The minimum level that Principal Xiao expects of you is level 6. Please make sure you reach that.”

I wondered briefly if I should just jump straight to level 8, but decided against it. Remembering the last time I underestimated the battle puppet and getting beaten up severely for it, I decided to take things one step at a time. Besides, I had plans to keep a low profile.

If I'm not mistaken, there's an interschool tournament in the summer…

If I wanted to participate in the tournament, I would need every advantage I could get. I didn't want to give away too much of my martial arts for my prospective opponents to study and develop countermeasures again.

After the tournament in the summer, I'll take whatever level tests they want, even up to level 9 if that's what they want me to.

My goal was to get a high ranking in the tournament, and maybe even win it. Hopefully. Of course, with super-strong participants such as Bai Ning Xue and Zhu Jiao in the mix, the odds of me winning the tournament were pretty slim.

But that was exactly why I needed every advantage I could get. So that I could take my prospective opponents by surprise.

”Make sure you do your best, okay?” Teacher Jiao told me as he ran through his tablet and booked a date for me. ”Next…Friday. I'll see you in the coliseum then.”

”Can't it be a private affair?” I asked. ”I would rather not be watched by everyone as I carry out the test.”

Teacher Jiao shrugged helplessly. ”Sorry, Student Fei Wu. No special treatments. You're subjected to the same conditions as everyone else, and therefore will suffer the same disadvantages and advantages as everyone else. I don't think the other students will be happy if you try to keep your martial arts a secret from them.”

I groaned inwardly, but nodded outwardly. It looked like I had to prepare special countermeasures. Well, I should have techniques other than Heaven and Earth Formula that I could use for the rest. Heaven and Earth Formula wasn't exactly a combat-type martial arts anyway. Throughout the years, I had to develop my own form and fighting style, since the rituals had died out long ago. Or, as Master had told me, there weren't any rituals and forms to begin with.

That was why I asked for a week. It would give me ample time to prepare an alternative martial art I could use in front of everyone while not revealing my hand for the tournament. At least for now, anyway.

”Understood.”

”Well, good luck.”

Teacher Jiao smiled and patted my shoulder encouragingly.

”I believe in you. You've never let me down before.”

I sighed. Way to pile on the pressure on me even before the level 6 test began. Now that I was committed to taking it, I had no intention of failing it, but that didn't mean I didn't feel any pressure or anxiety. Unlike the other students in Wu Ling Academy, I still couldn't absorb artificial qi. But that was quite all right.

Thanks to my encounter with Chinese Parasol Tree Sect, and spending the last two years assimilating and purifying my qi, I should have roughly the same, if not more inner qi than the students in my cohort. Which was ironic, really.

…this will be my trump card against all my schoolmates who have received several sexagenaries of artificial qi.

”…I'll do my best.”

Forcing a smile and feigning a confidence I didn't feel, I bowed to Teacher Jiao before I exited the staff room.

*

”Shao Yang, I've gotten what you've asked for.”

At night, shadows danced about and veiled the figure sneakily stepping into Liang Shao Yang's apartment. Stepping out of the shadows and into the faint illumination afforded from Liang Shao Yang's desk lamp, the figure revealed himself to be none other than the inner sect disciple who had taken the former as his assistant.

Hao Ying.

He retrieved a velvet box from within his cloak and placed it on Liang Shao Yang's desk. Liang Shao Yang nodded, a malicious light gleaming in his dark pupils. He reached out to take the velvet box and studied it, probing its contents with his qi sense.

”Thank you, Senior.”

”You're welcome.” Hao Ying bowed his head politely and smiled darkly. ”You know how I'm in service to Sect Leader. The reason why I was able to enter the Nine-Tailed Fox Sect and become an inner sect disciple in the first place was all because of the influence of the Divine Shadow Sect Leader. I owe him a great debt.”

He raised his head to look intently at Liang Shao Yang.

”I hope you'll be able to accomplish the mission that Sect Leader assigned you. If you succeed, then our Divine Shadow Sect will reach heights previously undreamed and attain unimaginable power. Beginning with the subjugation and absorption of the Nine-Tailed Fox Sect.”

”I'll do my best,” Liang Shao Yang replied coldly.

Hao Ying merely smiled again, and then bowed his head before taking his leave. Slipping into the shadows, he melted into the darkness once again and returned to his VIP pavilion back in the volcano, completely unseen and undetected.

”Fei Wu…”

Holding the velvet box up and observing it, Liang Shao Yang's lips curled upward into a sneer and his eyes gleamed.

To be honest, he was still not convinced by his father's schemes. It was a pretty well-known fact that Tang Qi Hong already had someone she liked. To force his way into getting married to her so that he would be able to gain control of the Nine-Tailed Fox Sect seemed like the most stupid plan ever. Nonetheless, it was worth a shot, for the guy in question was merely a classmate in Wu Ling Academy and not part of the sect.

Therefore, theoretically, if one could get into the sect and become close to Tang Qi Hong, he would be able to move her heart and switch her interest to someone else. If he succeeded, then Divine Shadow Sect would become much stronger with the resources and spirit armaments of Nine-Tailed Fox Sect at its disposal.

But who knew that the guy in question would end up taking the exam at the same time as him?

At first, Liang Shao Yang thought nothing of me. He merely thought me of a bug, an insect to crush under his foot as he climbed to the top. Yet I had thwarted his plans over and over again, even freezing a bunch of new pillars to replace the columns he had destroyed. Not only that, I had managed to pass the blacksmithing exam.

To be honest, Liang Shao Yang wasn't in love with Tang Qi Hong, so there was no danger of me getting NTRed. Assuming I ever end up in a relationship with Tang Qi Hong, of course, but you know how all these romantic dramas went. Anyway, the girl Liang Shao Yang fell for was none other than Hu Mei Er, who whispered into his ear from behind.

Call it love at first sight, or whatever, but I guess Hu Mei Er's seductions worked on him. Yet, he had to keep his distance from her, for the greater good of Divine Shadow Sect. in order to accomplish the mission for Divine Shadow Sect, he needed to get close to Tang Qi Hong, the inner sect disciple in prime position to succeed the Nine-Tailed Fox Sect. Win her heart, become her husband, and he would be able to manipulate things from behind the scene.

Unfortunately, I showed up, stole the place of assistant from him, and he lost the chance to get close to her.

I don't care who you are…you're a fool if you think you can challenge me over a woman!

Liang Shao Yang glanced at the night sky, his face filled with scorn. As the stars were blotted out by the dark clouds, he then melted into the shadows in the same manner as his senior Hao Ying, and seemingly vanished without a trace.

As for me, I was blissfully unaware of everything that was happening, and could only piece the events together with the benefit of hindsight. At that moment, I was more focused on breaking Phoenix Jade into powder, which would be an ingredient for some Phoenix Armament that offered near-divine protection. Or so Tang Qi Hong told me anyway.

As I said, it had been three months since I had joined the Nine-Tailed Fox Sect. all I had been doing thus far were running errands for Tang Qi Hong, such as grinding monster bones into powder, purifying and distilling qi from monster cores, refining spirit ores, extracting mystical essences from spirit stones, and more…