As he spoke, Deng Blackface pointed at the two stars on his chest. "See these? I'm sick and tired of wearing this Second-rank Star Official uniform. This time, whether I get another star depends entirely on you, kid. Surely you're finally clearheaded now?"
Deng Blackface's style was bold and direct, and a weight lifted from Xu Yi's heart.
Before coming here, he'd feared the instructor might have been assigned by an enemy to deal with him. Now that he'd seen Deng Blackface's personality, all his remaining concerns vanished.
"Thank you for your favor, sir. If you do your utmost, I won't let you down."
Xu Yi answered honestly. He'd originally planned to get through the joint training here, then find some free time to investigate the cultivation methods and techniques of Yin Venerable powerhouses.
Now that Deng Blackface was willing to be his mentor, why go the long way around? From what he'd seen of Deng Blackface's temperament, he didn't dislike him at all.
"Enough nonsense. To put it plainly, you and I are using each other. You use me to improve your strength and earn a good ranking; I use you to earn a good ranking and win political credit. So don't talk about favor. I'll make this clear now: if you don't place in the top three, then whatever benefits you get from me, you'll pay back in full."
Deng Blackface was so blunt that Xu Yi had no idea how to respond.
Deng Blackface waved a hand. "All right, ask whatever you want. I know the broad strokes of your situation—you're famous in Huaixi Prefecture. But in my view, aside from your courage and luck, there's not much worth mentioning. The fact that you're still alive is a wonder in itself. Anyway, I'm getting off track again."