Vice Principal Hu Gan

Following Instructor Ruo Lin into the academy, the sights along the way made quite a few of them nervous.

The students here were all far from weak.

Dou Practitioners were everywhere, and there were plenty of Battle Masters as well. Every now and then, they even saw a few senior students at the Great Dou Master level pass by them.

"Don't be nervous."

Instructor Ruo Lin noticed their emotions and smiled faintly.

"You've only just enrolled. It's perfectly normal for you to be weaker than the senior students."

"As long as you work hard, in a few years, you'll be able to reach their level too."

After completing the enrollment procedures, Qin Yu was assigned to Yellow Class Two, just as he had expected.

Canaan Academy divided its classes according to strength. Qin Yu had only registered as a One-Star Dou Practitioner, so being assigned to a Yellow Tier class was perfectly normal.

"Brother Yu, which class are you in?"

Xiao Yu jogged over with her enrollment certificate in hand, a hint of anticipation on her face.

"Yellow Class Two."

"Great! We're in the same class!"

Xiao Yu's eyes lit up, and her tone became noticeably more cheerful.

"Yeah, that means we're pretty fated."

Qin Yu answered casually, his gaze sweeping over the surroundings as he roughly memorized the locations of several important buildings within the academy.

Canaan Academy's Outer Academy covered an enormous area. There were more than a dozen teaching buildings alone, in addition to independent structures such as the competition grounds, the Scripture Repository, and the Alchemy Department.

"So... can we cultivate together in the future?"

Xiao Yu asked tentatively.

"Of course. We're classmates, after all."

Qin Yu nodded, his attitude as calm as ever.

Xiao Yu wanted to say something else, but from the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a familiar figure walking toward them and immediately stopped herself.

"Instructor Ruo Lin."

"Mm."

Instructor Ruo Lin walked up to the two of them, her gaze settling on Qin Yu as she smiled faintly.

"Student Qin Yu, come with me. The vice principal wants to see you."

Qin Yu raised an eyebrow slightly, already having a rough guess in mind.

After all, he had registered as a One-Star Dou Practitioner, but during the two months spent traveling, he had advanced three levels in succession and reached the realm of a Four-Star Dou Practitioner.

"Alright."

Qin Yu did not ask further. After briefly telling Xiao Yu, he left with Instructor Ruo Lin.

Xiao Yu stood where she was, watching Qin Yu's retreating back as her lips pressed together slightly.

"He's already gone, and you're still staring?"

Xue Ni appeared out of nowhere and threw an arm around Xiao Yu's.

"Tell me, did everything I taught you before go to waste? Are you really waiting for that blockhead to figure it out on his own?"

"You're still talking? If I really did as you taught me, even if he were a rock, he'd probably be scared into rolling away on his own."

Xiao Yu shot her a glare, pulled her arm back, and turned to leave.

"Hey, don't go! I'm not done talking yet..."

Meanwhile, Qin Yu followed Instructor Ruo Lin through several corridors and arrived before a standalone pavilion.

The pavilion was not large, but its location was excellent. Lush trees surrounded it, and the environment was quiet and secluded.

"The vice principal is inside. Go in yourself."

Instructor Ruo Lin stopped at the door, gave Qin Yu a meaningful look, then turned and left.

Qin Yu straightened his collar and pushed the door open.

The interior of the pavilion was far more spacious than it appeared from outside. Its furnishings were simple yet tasteful.

Several sandalwood tables and chairs were arranged neatly. An incense burner in the corner was burning some unknown fragrance, and a faint pleasant scent filled the air.

An elderly man with graying hair and a ruddy complexion sat at the head seat, holding a cup of tea as he scrutinized Qin Yu from head to toe.

"You're Qin Yu?"

The old man's voice was full and vigorous, his gaze sharp as though he wanted to see straight through Qin Yu.

"This student, Qin Yu, greets the vice principal."

Qin Yu cupped his hands in salute, neither servile nor arrogant.

"So you really are a Four-Star Dou Practitioner."

Hu Gan set down his teacup, surprise flashing through his eyes.

"When that girl Ruo Lin told me, I wasn't quite willing to believe it."

"To advance three levels in a row while traveling—your cultivation speed would rank among the best in the entire Outer Academy."

"You flatter me, Vice Principal."

If he had not been traveling every day, breaking through to Five-Star Dou Practitioner by now would not have been impossible.

"Unfortunately, you were only a One-Star Dou Practitioner when you registered, and your talent rating was assessed based on that."

"Now that you've suddenly become a Four-Star, this is a little troublesome."

As Hu Gan spoke, he also observed Qin Yu's expression. When Ruo Lin reported to him, she had briefly discussed Qin Yu's personality with him.

Seeing that Qin Yu's expression remained unchanged, Hu Gan continued.

"According to academy rules, student benefits are allocated based on the talent rating at the time of enrollment."

"But in your case, giving you the benefits of a One-Star would be unfair to you, while giving you the benefits of a Four-Star would set a precedent."

Qin Yu nodded in understanding.

"So, the temporary decision is to grant you a certain degree of convenience."

Hu Gan stood up, walked over to Qin Yu, and looked him over once more.

"I heard from Ruo Lin that your combat instincts are quite good. When you were a One-Star Dou Practitioner, you easily defeated an older student who was a Three-Star Fighter?"

"Just luck."

"Oh, you little brats, don't give me that. I've lived this long—I can still tell the difference between strength and luck."

Hu Gan waved a hand, his tone somewhat helpless.

These young people with a bit of talent always called everything a fluke or good luck. He had lost count of how many times he had heard it.

"You, boy, are either extraordinarily gifted or you've been hiding your strength all along."

Qin Yu did not respond, and Hu Gan did not press the matter further.

"Tell me, then. What do you need?"

Qin Yu pondered for a moment before speaking.

"This student hopes to have free access to the library and the Scripture Repository. Also, if possible, I would like a dorm room to myself."

Hu Gan considered it for a moment, but he did not look surprised.

There were quite a few students in the academy who liked solitude. Some truly disliked being disturbed while cultivating.

Moreover, Ruo Lin had already told him about Qin Yu's various performances during the journey, so he had long expected Qin Yu to make such a request.

"The dormitory matter is easy. I'll inform the logistics department later and have a single room arranged for you."

"Thank you, Vice Principal."

Qin Yu cupped his hands in thanks.

"But I'm afraid the Scripture Repository won't be possible."

Hu Gan took a light sip of tea and shook his head.

"The cultivation methods and Dou techniques in the Scripture Repository are the foundation upon which the academy stands. We cannot let a new student borrow them at will."

"Even students in high-tier classes must exchange points and contributions for the corresponding cultivation methods and Dou techniques."

Qin Yu thought for a moment, then asked instead.

"What about the library?"

"The library is fine."

Hu Gan took a token from his robes and tossed it to Qin Yu.

"This is a library access token. With it, you may freely enter and leave the library and borrow the books inside."

"But as for the Scripture Repository..."

Hu Gan changed the subject, a sly gleam flashing in his eyes.

"It's not completely impossible."