"Which of the Six Great Factions do we belong to?" Lu Chuan asked.
At that, a trace of embarrassment appeared on Chu Feng's face. He forced himself to say, "We don't belong to any of the Six Great Factions."
"Oh." Lu Chuan nodded. "So we're bottom-rung, then."
Chu Feng: ...
"You could say that."
"Since we're bottom-rung, where do we live? And where do we attend classes?" Lu Chuan asked again.
"Besides the six great academies, Azure Dragon Academy also has an Azure Dragon Institute, which houses all sorts of bottom-rung factions."
"The Azure Dragon Institute teaches everything, unlike the six great academies, which only teach content related to their respective factions," Chu Feng explained.
"Enough about that. I still need to pick up some people before returning to Azure Dragon Academy. Once we get there, you can learn about these things properly."
"We're picking up more people?" Lu Chuan asked in confusion. "It isn't the recruitment season for the Four Great Academies right now. Who are we picking up?"
"People like you, of course—students specially recruited into Azure Dragon Academy."
Chu Feng explained with a smile, "Azure Dragon Academy has two recruitment periods every year: the college entrance examination and special recruitment."
"The special recruitment period officially begins tomorrow and lasts three days."
"That's why I gave you a week to prepare in the first place—so you could make it in time for the special recruitment period."
"Besides, my mission on this trip was to escort specially recruited students into the academy."
"Supporting Lin City was merely something I did along the way."
"I see." Lu Chuan nodded, inwardly beginning to look forward to meeting those specially recruited students.
How strong were these specially recruited students?
Were any of them stronger than him?
Very quickly, he got his answer.
"These people are a bunch of beasts!"
Looking at the batch of specially recruited students before him, Lu Chuan cursed inwardly.
Good lord, every last one of them was extraordinary. Either their talent was exceptional, or their cultivation far surpassed that of their peers.
Take Ji Yuechen, the most monstrous student among them, for example. Not only did he possess the special Moon Spirit Physique, his cultivation was downright freakish!
At only seventeen years old, he had already reached the Sixth Rank!
That was right! Sixth Rank!
The strongest person in Lin City, Guardian Lord, was only barely at the Sixth Rank.
And this guy was seventeen?
The one thing that reassured Lu Chuan was that there were no alchemists among this group. Because of Lu Chuan's identity as an alchemist, they all treated him with considerable respect.
Even the lofty Ji Yuechen offered Lu Chuan a friendly smile.
"Master Lu, which faction recruited you?" Just then, a cute, chubby young man came to Lu Chuan's side and asked with a grin.
"Brother Feng recruited me," Lu Chuan said with a smile.
"Brother Feng?"
The chubby young man seemed to think of something. His face filled with shock. "Master Lu, you actually joined the Madman Department?"
Lu Chuan: ???
Chu Feng, who was piloting the Flying Shuttle nearby: ???
"Chen Mo, I'm still right here!" Chu Feng said darkly.
"I was talking nonsense. Teacher Chu, you're a magnanimous man—please don't lower yourself to my level." Chen Mo laughed as he lightly slapped himself across the mouth.
"Old Mo, you've got the nerve to call others madmen?" Lu Chuan looked at Chen Mo with a strange expression.
Chen Mo might look harmless enough, but in truth, he was a living reincarnation of the God of Slaughter.
He possessed the special God of Slaughter Bloodline. So long as he killed, his cultivation would continue to grow.
Back in his second year of high school, Chen Mo had charged alone into a branch of the Heavenly Principle Cult and slaughtered everyone inside, leaving neither chickens nor dogs alive.
Because of that, he had been specially recruited by the Conquest Faction, one of the Six Great Factions, and was regarded as the Conquest Faction's future leader.
Lu Chuan truly dared not imagine what kind of uproar Chen Mo would cause in the Starry Sky Battlefield if he were allowed to command the Conquest Faction.
"I'm different!"
Chen Mo waved his hands repeatedly. "I had no choice! Also, why do you call me Old Mo?"
"I'm not old either."
"It's nothing. Your name reminds me of an old friend, and in some ways, the two of you really are somewhat alike," Lu Chuan said faintly.
"Really?"
Chen Mo said indifferently, "Fine, Old Mo it is. It actually sounds pretty friendly."
"By the way, Old Mo, why do you call our faction the Madman Department?" Lu Chuan asked again.
"Isn't it because you people dare to fight anyone and refuse to bow to anyone? If anyone dares bully one of yours, you'd rather send out the whole family just to avenge your own people."
"If that isn't madness, what is?" Chen Mo said helplessly.
Hearing that, Lu Chuan turned to look at Chu Feng.
Chu Feng, however, fell silent.
Seeing Chu Feng like this, Lu Chuan knew Chen Mo had not been lying.
"And that's not even the end of it."
Chen Mo seemed to grow interested. He said excitedly, "Because of the Sky Swallowing Art, your Madman Department is desperate for resources—so desperate it has reached the point of madness."
"For the sake of just a little bit of resources, you'd dare storm the lairs of other races and turn their nests upside down."
"Tell me, if that isn't madness, what is?"
"Chen Mo!"
Chu Feng turned toward Chen Mo, killing intent surging from him. "I'll say it one more time: our faction is called the Combat Department, not the Madman Department!"
Chen Mo curled his lip. "Combat Department—fighting Heaven and battling Earth. How is that any different from madmen?"
"Chen Mo!" A cold smile appeared at the corner of Chu Feng's lips. "It seems I need to teach you what the wrath of a Ninth Rank powerhouse is."
"You wouldn't dare!"
Chen Mo sprang to his feet in anger. "Brother-in-law, do you believe I'll tell my sister about what happened today?"
That single cry of "brother-in-law" instantly drained all of Chu Feng's temper.
Chu Feng fidgeted slightly. "Don't talk nonsense. Your sister hasn't even agreed to my pursuit yet."
"Isn't that only a matter of time?" Chen Mo said as if it were only natural. "Among my sister's suitors, only you, brother-in-law, can be called a dragon among men and a phoenix among birds."
"How could that bunch of crooked melons and cracked dates possibly compare to you, brother-in-law?"
Lu Chuan stared at Chen Mo in astonishment. Good lord, wasn't this the reverse version of living off a woman?
Chen Mo, selling out your sister like this—aren't you afraid she'll beat you to death?
After that little interlude, Chu Feng happily piloted the Flying Shuttle, while Chen Mo never again uttered the three words "Madman Department."
As for the name of Lu Chuan's faction...
Just as Chen Mo had said: fighting Heaven and battling Earth—the Combat Department!
Time always passed quickly during idle chatter.
Before long, the sky gradually darkened.
Lu Chuan and the others were already not far from Azure Dragon Academy.
When they reached a desolate wilderness, the Flying Shuttle landed, and everyone stepped out one after another.
Seeing the barren surroundings, someone could not help asking, "Didn't you say we'd arrived at the academy? Where is it?"
"Don't worry. The academy will appear shortly." Chu Feng smiled and took a special disk from his robe. Then he pressed down hard.
At once, the space before them rapidly twisted. Gradually, it formed a three-meter-tall vortex!
Before you continue