By the next day, Chenyang City had mostly returned to normal;
Aside from the somewhat somber atmosphere, everyone had started getting on with their own business.
After all, the disaster was over, but life had to go on...
The schools, including First High School, also reopened quickly.
When Chu Yuan found Qi Da in the office, Qi Da was in a foul mood, giving instructions through his terminal;
After ending the call, he looked at Chu Yuan, and his expression finally softened.
"Need something?"
Chu Yuan nodded and got straight to the point. "Principal, do you know how to get hold of a good cultivation technique?"
Qi Da was clearly surprised and looked puzzled. "What kind of cultivation technique?"
"One that can be cultivated normally, of course. I don't care what realm it reaches, but its quality has to be high."
"Something that can be cultivated normally..." Qi Da murmured. "What technique are you cultivating now?"
Chu Yuan gathered his thoughts before answering. "You could call it an upgraded version of the Essence Tempering Technique. It's not enough for me anymore."
At that, Qi Da furrowed his brow;
To be honest, he wouldn't have been surprised if Chu Yuan had asked for martial arts resources.
But a cultivation technique... Why would Chu Yuan be short of one?
Had the powerful figure backing him not provided one?
Qi Da had already suspected that Chu Yuan had a powerful figure behind him. After Chu Yuan cracked the Blood Sacrifice Array, Qi Da had become even more certain of it.
They'd just tacitly agreed not to ask about it...
"What's wrong, Principal? Is it inconvenient?" Chu Yuan grew a little nervous too, wondering if he should lower his expectations. He didn't need the very best, just something decent...
"It's not inconvenient. Let me see what I can do." Qi Da hurriedly shook his head. Whatever the reason Chu Yuan lacked a technique, since he'd asked, Qi Da would find a way to get one for him;
Not only because of Chu Yuan's talent, but also because he had saved Chenyang City;
It was already unfair that nobody else knew what Chu Yuan had done. Qi Da felt he had to make it up to him in some other way.
The trouble was, First High School didn't have any decent cultivation techniques... They had no use for them, so they hadn't prepared any;
After thinking for a moment, Qi Da placed a call on his terminal.
A few seconds later, the call connected, and a stern, imposing voice came through the terminal;
"Is something wrong?"
Qi Da unconsciously sat up straighter, his tone turning respectful. "Teacher, I wanted to ask if you have any high-quality cultivation techniques on hand right now?
It's mainly for... an Internal Breath Realm Warrior;
It doesn't matter what realm it can ultimately reach, as long as its quality is high..."
"Who's going to use it?"
"A student..."
"Your disciple?"
"Uh..." Qi Da glanced at Chu Yuan and lowered his voice. "Not exactly. He's just very talented."
"Then why are you fussing over this? Got nothing better to do?
If he's talented, just have him apply for resources through the proper channels."
Qi Da looked a little embarrassed. "It's not that... Teacher, just do me a favor..."
"...I don't have that kind of technique;
But I know there's one in the Martial Suppression Bureau's technique repository.
Its quality is exceptionally high, but it can only be cultivated up to the Fifth Realm."
"The Fifth Realm? Why?" Qi Da was surprised. He hadn't expected there to be one at all;
Martial arts in this world had revived without relying on archaeology, so there were no ancient, incomplete manuals.
Almost all cultivation techniques had been created by successive generations of seniors, and were complete in their own right;
If a technique was exceptionally high-quality, it should be able to reach a profound realm.
The person on the other end explained flatly, "Because its creator died before he could finish developing the later stages."
"...The Martial Suppression Bureau's technique repository. With my merit points, can I exchange for it?"
"You can exchange for my ass... No, with the merit points you earned in Chenyang City, you should be able to."
"Then, Teacher..."
"Keep your own merit points. Let me think... I'll contact the Martial Suppression Bureau and arrange a Secret Realm trial. The technique can be the prize;
If that kid you've got your eye on really is that talented, let him compete for it himself!"
"..." Qi Da was about to argue, but the other person spoke again. "That's settled. I have things to do, so I'm hanging up."
Qi Da didn't ask what he meant by that. At his teacher's level, "things to do" usually meant something classified...
"Thank you. I'll visit you and your wife when I have time."
"Come see me when you break through to the Nirvana Realm." After saying that, the other person hung up;
Chu Yuan blinked. He hadn't expected his principal to have such powerful connections—and they seemed very reliable...
Qi Da, meanwhile, looked a little embarrassed and helpless. He should've made that call in private;
Then Chu Yuan wouldn't have heard everything...
"You heard that? The technique is taken care of, but you'll have to win it yourself..." Qi Da sounded a little apologetic;
"It's fine, Principal. I understand," Chu Yuan said, reassuring him instead;
The other person had asked Qi Da right off the bat whether Chu Yuan was his disciple... Clearly, he was checking whether Chu Yuan was one of their own.
Why would anyone spend their own resources helping someone who wasn't one of their own?
Qi Da must have meant a lot to him, and he couldn't refuse, so he'd settled on this compromise.
"Do you need anything else?"
"I also need a sword... I saw one at the Precious Jade Pavilion before. It cost more than ten million;
Could you... lend me some money, Principal?" Chu Yuan asked tentatively.
"...No, when you were controlling the array earlier, why didn't you think of this?" Qi Da lowered his voice, exasperated.
Chu Yuan immediately understood. "How could I think about that at the time? Besides, taking advantage of them in a crisis would be wrong..."
"How is that taking advantage of them? If it weren't for you, that Precious Jade Pavilion branch would have lost both its people and its goods;
You saved them. What's wrong with taking a reward?
The Precious Jade Pavilion is a bunch of swindlers. Taking a little from them is no big deal..."
"Then, if there's another chance..."
"No, no, no. It'd be best if there wasn't another chance." Qi Da hurriedly waved his hand, then hesitated and rubbed the ring on his finger;
Suddenly, a long sword appeared in his hand.
"Don't buy one. Use this."
Chu Yuan's eyes gleamed. He seemed not to notice the sword Qi Da was holding out, keeping his gaze fixed on Qi Da's ring;
"Principal... Is that a Storage Ring?"
"Mm." Qi Da answered, then suddenly grew wary. "...You're not going to ask for a Storage Ring too, are you?"
Chu Yuan praised him. "Principal, you really can see everything coming. There's no hiding my little thoughts from you!"
"...I'll see what I can do. The main problem is getting access to one..."
Qi Da's willingness to help with anything made Chu Yuan feel a little awkward;
He scratched his head. "Um, I can do without it, actually."
Qi Da waved it off magnanimously. "It's fine. It's just a lousy ring...
By the way, do you have any more of those beads?"
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