“Let’s not talk about them for now. South Star Academy is a much younger school, and I am fine if we lose to a well-established school like Polaris. The last time we came in thirteenth in the end, but this time with Ye Wei on our roster, I would like us to squeeze into the top ten!”
“I think it is entirely possible for South Star to reach stage two and compete at a provincial level!” The vice-princ.i.p.al looked at the trio and said excitedly.
‘Only thirty-six schools are partic.i.p.ating in the provincial stage, but if we advance to the next stage, we will then be fighting before the eyes of cultivators from more than eight hundred different schools. I really hope that we can get South Star’s name out there and give our students some exposure. If we do well, it will be something we can all be proud of…’
When it came to the school’s reputation and management, the vice-princ.i.p.al was way more committed than his boss; he was immensely grateful that Ye Wei was joining the team, and looked forward to leading it to the possible new heights they could reach.
“Phew, I have been losing sleep over who should take the third spot for weeks now. I hope everyone is happy with each other! Why don’t you three go back and rest a bit? We have to leave tomorrow if we want to make the opening ceremony the day after!” Vice-princ.i.p.al Xu said with a relaxed smile on his face.
After bowing to the princ.i.p.al and the vice-princ.i.p.al, Ye Wei, Liu Jian, Chen Mo headed back to rest.
“Princ.i.p.al Gu, was that Master Yi’s…” Xu He asked curiously.
“Yes, you are correct! Master Yi’s legacy apprentice.” Gu Qing smiled and nodded.
“So you’re are telling that kid had a red Sentient?!” Xu He felt emotional, “Master Yi is a bit of a G.o.dly character… I really would like to know what kind of method he used to mold Ye Wei into what he is today in just three years!”
Xu He exhaled slowly. He felt excited just talking about the Runemaster he admired and respected.
“Well, weak Sentients were never and will never be a problem for cultivators training to become Runemasters.” Gu Qing touched his beard then looked at Xu He. He was more interested in how well Ye Wei was doing in terms of his runic studies. He wondered how close Ye Wei was to becoming a one-star Runemaster.
“Apart from those three, how many and who else should we sent to Ning City?”
“We are not bringing along anyone below the three-star Warrior level as the compet.i.tion will be tougher than last year. Every school had great young talents last time, and I doubt those kids have already left their schools. It would be a waste of time to bring too many people, and they won’t learn much if they get crushed.”
“I have a feeling that South Star is going to be one of the top ten schools this year!” Vice-princ.i.p.al Xu clenched his fist and said confidently.
“Only top ten?” Gu Qing smiled. Master Yi had consulted the princ.i.p.al before he started training Ye Wei, and while none of the staff knew how strong Ye Wei was as a fighter, the princ.i.p.al had been briefed with regular updates from the Runemaster himself regarding Ye Wei’s progress. “Don’t underestimate Ye Wei; he is capable of doing much more than what you saw today.”
‘Did princ.i.p.al Gu mean that Ye Wei was more than a ten-star Warrior?’ Xu He was confused but also excited. He looked forward to see how the Runemaster’s apprentice could surprise him.
“By the way, I think the Polaris Academy’s students were told to do what they did by someone higher up. The students on their own wouldn’t have that guts to injure our kids like that.” The vice-princ.i.p.al frowned.
“It will be fine, just make sure the team pays extra attention if they have to face Polaris, and show them that we are not to be messed with.” Gu Qing’s eyes lit up. Although he was planning on retiring soon, he was not going to sit back while his students were bullied on his campus.
‘Polaris Academy… I wonder if Ye Wei or their Qi Xiu is stronger?’ Xu He for the first time in a long while felt compet.i.tive. He was excited to lead one of the strongest team South Star had a.s.sembled in recent years.
The morning after, in the early hours when students were usually asleep, there was a gathering crowd at the front gate of South Star Academy.
They were all South Star student who knew today was the day when the vice-princ.i.p.al announced who of the school’s elites he would take with him to Ning City for the cultivation tournament. Most of the students were here to send off the contestants, and the rest hoped that their names were on the list.
For most of the students, who knew last year’s lineup by heart it was a.s.sumed that if one’s cultivation was above the Warrior level, then they would have a chance to represent South Star to compete against the other schools.
Naturally, the senior cla.s.ses were there as well with Cao Ning, and they were all excited about the announcement.
“Brother Cao, I don’t think I will be chosen to come with you to Ning City so promise to tell us stories when you get back!”
“Hahaha! Of course!” Cao Ning slapped his chest. He was almost jumping with joy when he accepted the request. He had been looking forward to the tournament for a while now. Cao Ning was now a one-star Warrior, and with his training speed he would most likely be a two-star Warrior when he graduated in a year’s time.
“You’re just a one-star Warrior and you want to represent us in the tournament? Why don’t you take a p.i.s.s on the floor and look at your pathetic face in the reflection?” A mocking voice said while the Senior One boys were chatting and laughing.
“Xiao Qi!” Everyone in Senior One recognized the voice. Cao Ning frowned and stared. The old cla.s.s bully was wearing his att.i.tude on his face as he approached.
Both of Xiao Qi’s parents were senior tutors at South Star which was the reason why he had never lacked training resources or supplies and on top of that Xiao Qi was actually a quick learner; this troublemaker was now a three-star Warrior!
After Xiao Qi had been humiliated by Ye Wei in the Junior Three cla.s.sroom three years ago, he had always avoided Cao Ning, Ye’s closest friend. However, since Ye Wei had vanished for three years, Xiao Qi had slowly regained his confidence.
“The school allowed anybody above the Warrior level to sign up last year, and brother Cao has broken through since then! Why exactly do you think he can’t represent us!?” Cao Ning’s friends spoke before he could.
“And who told you that last year’s rules apply this year? Idiots… I’ve been informed that South Star is only going to send twelve cultivators to this year’s tournament, and you have to be at least a three-star Warrior to get on the team! So I’m afraid your big brother Cao here will have to wait until next year! Hahaha!” Xiao Qi told the cla.s.s with an irritated voice. He had been wanting to tell them and watch them react ever since he overheard it from his parents when they were discussing the tournament.
“We have to be three-star Warriors to take part? That is a bit steep…” The Senior One cultivators were shocked and a bit disappointed.
“Who said Cao Ning can’t partic.i.p.ate?” When Cao Ning was feeling discouraged and slightly helpless, a calm but loud voice sounded behind him.
Ye Wei walked beside Cao Ning and patted his shoulder. Don’t worry about it; I have a solution.” He then turned to Xiao Qi and said, “If Cao Ning can’t take part in this tournament than neither can you!”
“I, a three-star Warrior, one of the twelve best cultivators at South Star Academy, cannot join the team? You’re a riot!” Xiao Qi did not recognize who he was talking with yet, and he laughed out loud after speaking.
“You are Xiao Qi?” Ye Wei’s face changed. He frowned as he recognized Xiao Qi’s att.i.tude, ‘It hasn’t changed one bit… Some people just never grow up!’
“You’re correct; that’s me!” Xiao Qi thought Ye Wei was surprised to meet one of the top twelve cultivators. “If you bow before me and apologize, then I will forgive how you just insulted me!”
“It’s him!”
“That’s the boy who defeated the visitors from Polaris Academy!” People in the crowd started to recognize Ye Wei, and they looked at him with the utmost respect.
“I heard he knocked Mu Feng out with just one slap earlier that day!”
“Even Liu Jian himself confirmed he lost to this boy!”
“That is a bit strange; if he defeated Liu Jian that means he is at least an eight-star Warrior! Why can’t I sense anything from him?”
Xiao Qi’s face turned pale as he heard the conversations, and he realized he was the weak one who just embarra.s.sed himself. ‘He is the kid that everyone has been talking about for these couple days?’ He looked at Ye Wei with fear…
He finally noticed the attention he had been getting since he started speaking was not the good kind.
“Xiao Qi, it’s been a while. If you bow before me and apologize, then I will forgive how you just insulted me.” Ye Wei tried to contain his laugher as he spoke.
“You are…” Xiao Qi’s pupil dilated as he finally recognized the person who stood in front of him was Ye Wei. He froze on the spot as he remembered Ye Wei’s prestigious ident.i.ty as a Runemaster’s legacy apprentice. “I am sorry Ye Wei; I was blind and stupid!” He gritted his teeth and bowed unwillingly.
Xiao Qi would never imagine Ye Wei would become strong enough to beat Mu Feng and Liu Jian in a mere three years! ‘Pfft if I was Master Yi’s legacy apprentice I would have become this strong too!’
“Buzz! Buzz!”
A shrill buzzing sound came from far away as a black runicle closed in. The black bodied vehicle was decorated with star-like gems. It arrived in front of the students in no time, the runicle door opened and the vice-princ.i.p.al stepped out.
“As you are all here, I a.s.sume you know what I will be announcing this morning! This year we will be going to Ning City with a team of twelve students!” Xu He smiled to the antic.i.p.ating students and said.
“And they are, Liu Jian, Chen Mo, Mu Feng…” His voice was loud and clear. “… Joe Yin, Zhang Jie, Zhao Kun, Zhou Cheng and Xiao Qi!”
“All of you mentioned please get into the runicle!” Xu He announced all twelve names in one breath. All of them were names of three-star or stronger Warriors. He then threw his eyes to Ye Wei. “Psst, you too.” He whispered as the vice-princ.i.p.al did not want to say Ye Wei’s name in public before he had to, ‘I should keep him in the shadows for now…’