Chapter 553: Xi Yan (2/2)

”According to the rules of the contest, none of these works can be sold before the final results are out. However, the contest did not forbid me from gifting my work to Master Ye Chong. Am I right, Master Karu?” Xi Yan asked suddenly.

Master Karu was surprised by the question, but he nodded in reflex. ”A gift, that is not forbidden.”

”Then we're all good!” Xi Yan smiled. His next words surprised everyone else. ”I willingly present my laser sword as a gift to Master Ye Chong, and I am pulling myself out from the contest.”

”What?” Master Karu and the rest were shocked. Becoming a finalist in the Weapons Design Contest was the highest honour for any weaponsmith. Of course they were surprised by Xi Yan's announcement.

”I only have one request.” Before anyone could recover, Xi Yan looked intently at Ye Chong and said, ”I hope to become a disciple under Master Ye Chong. I will follow Master Ye Chong for the rest of my life.”

This was another bomb for the audience. The other contestants quickly saw the rationale behind his decision. They all saw how capable Ye Chong was.

Everyone in the room looked at Ye Chong. Discipleship was a strict practice, just like in the Five Galaxies.

Ye Chong was surprised by the offer as well. He considered it for a moment, and then replied, ”You can study under me, that is not an issue. However, you must be prepared to live a life of constant travelling, unable to return home.” ”A life of constant travelling” was only a cover. What Ye Chong meant was Xi Yan must be prepared to never return to his home.

Master Karu was shocked. ”A life of constant travelling”? His Majesty would never let him go far. He must warn the King about this soon. If Ye Chong fell into another country's hands, the consequences were unbearable.

Xi Yan smiled easily. ”Xi Yan has always lived alone. Don't worry, Teacher. From today onwards, Xi Yan will always be by your side.” Xi Yan was secretly overjoyed. Unlike other contestants, he did not study formally with any teacher. He was mostly self taught, ever since he was young. Everything he achieved today was the result of his own extraordinary hard work. He had always yearned for a worthy teacher to study under, and now he had found one. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity. He did not care about his ranking in the contest. He was only a technician at heart. Besides, he was already 40 years old. Who would want to have such an old student?

Ye Chong nodded. ”Alright, you'll come with me later.” Xi Yan had good fundamentals. With a bit of push, he would improve very quickly.

Xi Yan was not like Kristen. He could follow Ye Chong all the way. A skilled disciple like him would be of tremendous help to Ye Chong. Kristen would stay in Eastern Cloud in the end. She had family and friends here. Even if Ye Chong found his way back to He Yue Galaxy, he would not take her with him.

The other contestants were jealous of Xi Yan. They had teachers already, and besides, they had family that they could not leave behind.

Fate granted him the chance to under a great weaponsmith like Master Ye Chong. No wonder they were jealous of Xi Yan.

Maste Karu stared while Xi Yan was being accepted by Ye Chong as a disciple. Anyone would try to hire a talented man like Xi Yan to work for them. Now that Ye Chong had laid claim, no one else could hope to get their hands on Xi Yan again. Even His Majesty tread with care when dealing with Ye Chong. Master Karu did not believe that he would be able to convince any of Ye Chong's disciples to betray him.

”At least he's still in Eastern Cloud,” Master Karu consoled himself.

Ye Chong then continued to explain the workings of the other weapons by the finalists. His words were precise and to the point. Everyone was absorbed in them. To them, Master Ye Chong seemed to have a keen sense. He could point out minor changes that could lead to significant improvements. Everyone was impressed by his abilities.

Ye Chong did not care about what his audience was thinking. He only found the designs of these weapons inspiring.

It was a day after all!

After going through all five weapons, Ye Chong took Xi Yan with him and left. The rest of the audience were still entranced by Ye Chong's explanations and miraculous suggestions.

Xi Yan sat behind Ye Chong in his Butterly-3 as they flew towards Ye Chong's manor.

Xi Yan was intrigued by the Butterly-3's manual control mechanism. Ye Chong seemed more like invincible than ever. Xi Yan always thought that piloting an aircraft required a licence, and a licence could only be obtained by having parapsychic abilities. A person without parapsychic abilities cannot fly an aircraft. Xi Yan never imagined that a person without parapsychic abilities can fly an aircraft. It was simply unthinkable!

Xi Yan's eyes widened as he watched Ye Chong maneuver the control lever.

Ye Chong noticed his curious stare at the control lever, and offered some explanation, ”Mechanical parts allow easier control. I don't have parapsychic abilities, so this modification is necessary.”

Xi Yan nodded, not fully understanding him.

The view around them was receding quickly. Xi Yan hesitated for a while, but finally blurted out, ”Teacher, this Butterly-3's engine is modified, right?” The Butterfly-3 was flying much faster than its normal counterparts.

”Yes, but not by a lot. The hull is from the original aircraft. Only the engine, protection system and main body of the aircraft were modified. I've also changed the weapons system.” Ye Chong replied casually.

Xi Yan was already in cold sweat. The engine, main body, protection system and weapons system were all modified - how could he call that ”not by a lot”? Those were basically the main components of the aircraft.

”Careful, turbulence ahead.” Ye Chong interrupted Xi Yan's thoughts.

Suddenly, the world around Xi Yan started spinning wildly. Everything was spinning in his vision. It made him want to throw up badly.

Ye Chong stared straight ahead, unmoved by the disturbance. His hands pushed the levers here and there.

The Butterfly-3 did a big turn in the air, and then charged forward in a corkscrew motion, drilling its way through the turbulent winds with brute force.

Swish!

The aircraft escaped from the region of turbulence.

The landing field of Ye Chong's manor came into view. Ye Chong pulled the control lever upwards. The aircraft abruptly shot upwards, and then dived straight towards the landing field. Behind him, Xi Yan looked very pale.

When they were barely a hundred meters from the ground, Ye Chong abruptly pulled the control lever up again. The aircraft's nose lifted as it began to level with the ground.

Finally, the aircraft decelerated sharply and landed safely on the landing field.

Xi Yan, now pale as a sheet, supported himself on the hull as he made his way out of the cockpit. When his feet finally touched the ground, he bent over and began to vomit.