Three Idiots

Gu Yue stood to the side, her cool voice ringing out. "Although Eastsea Academy is weak overall, it has all the basic cultivation facilities. And there's less competition, so it's easier to stand out."

Hu Fangyuan froze for a moment, then looked up at her.

Xie Xie slapped his thigh. "Exactly! Think about it. If we were at one of those top academies, with dozens of geniuses in the first year, who would even know who you were? Here at Eastsea Academy, the few of us can fight our way to the top and become the best in our year. Wouldn't we get first pick of all the resources?"

Tang Wulin nodded along. "Teacher Wu said the same thing. As long as we do well in the Class Promotion Tournament, the academy will give us extra rewards."

Hu Fangyuan stood up from the ground and patted the dust off his trousers, the look of devastation gradually fading from his face.

Seeing this, Xie Xie immediately grinned and reached out to pat Hu Fangyuan on the shoulder. "That's what I'm saying. What's the big deal? With the four of us joining forces, we could run roughshod over the entire first year. Resources and all that-we just have to fight our way up to them."

Tang Wulin also broke into an earnest smile and nodded vigorously. "Right, right! If we work hard together, we can definitely do it."

Gu Yue stood to the side, her dark eyes shifting slightly. She said nothing, merely watching Hu Fangyuan.

Just as all three thought Hu Fangyuan had pulled himself together and was about to discuss the details of the Class Promotion Tournament with them-

Hu Fangyuan lifted his eyelids, swept a glance over the three of them, and scoffed before turning to leave without hesitation. His strides were so long that he reached the classroom door in just a few steps, still muttering curses at just the right volume for all three to hear.

"Fuck. Three idiots. All that talking, and you might as well have said nothing."

"I'm out of here. Spend too long around morons and you'll catch it."

By the time his words fell, he had already turned out of the classroom, leaving the three inside staring at one another.

Xie Xie's outstretched hand froze in midair, and he was completely dumbstruck. It took him two seconds to react, and he nearly jumped up. "Hey! What's your problem? You're just leaving like that? Who are you calling idiots?"

Tang Wulin froze too, his little hand still raised in midair, the smile lingering on his face before he could withdraw it. He scratched his head, looking somewhat bewildered. "Why did Fangyuan get angry?"

Gu Yue withdrew her gaze, her expression as cool as ever, though the corner of her mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.

Meanwhile, Hu Fangyuan left the classroom and headed down the corridor toward the Academic Affairs Office. He knew perfectly well what use there was in hanging around those three. Xie Xie's family had money, Gu Yue had backing, and although Tang Wulin looked dim, he probably had some background too.

Those three didn't care about the academy's resources, but he did.

Competing in some Class Promotion Tournament with them at this lousy academy was a waste of time.

Even if they became the best in their year, how many resources could the academy give them? What would those even be enough for?

With that time, he could find a better academy and properly enjoy preferential resource allocation. Wouldn't his cultivation progress much faster than it would here?

He, Hu Fangyuan, had never been someone who let hot blood rush to his head. Starting from zero and rising against the odds at a bottom-ranked academy-that was something idiots did.

Ignoring a shortcut and insisting on playing on hell difficulty was sheer insanity.

While he was thinking this, he ran into someone coming the other way.

Wu Changkong wore a clean white martial outfit, his long hair tied behind his head. His face was handsome, and a faintly keen aura surrounded him. He had just come from his office and was heading to Class Five to teach, never expecting to see Hu Fangyuan charging toward him with his head down as soon as he reached the corner of the corridor.

"Hu Fangyuan, class is about to start. What are you doing out here?" Wu Changkong frowned slightly and called him to a stop.

Hu Fangyuan halted and looked up to see Wu Changkong. He pursed his lips, having little liking for this teacher who hadn't told him the truth. But he also knew where to draw the line. Wu Changkong's aura was extremely powerful; he was definitely a high-ranking Soul Master. There was no need to offend someone like that.

So he reined in the impatience on his face and spoke politely. "Teacher Wu, I'm going to see Director Long to withdraw from the academy."

"Withdraw?"

Wu Changkong's frown deepened, his sharp gaze settling on Hu Fangyuan as he looked him up and down. When he took over Class Five yesterday, he had made a point of reviewing these new students' files.

Hu Fangyuan, nine years old, rank twenty-one Soul Power, Tool Martial Soul: Heaven Refining Furnace.

Talent like that was undoubtedly rare throughout Eastsea Academy's Intermediate Division. Even at the Skysea Alliance's top academies, he would be one of the finest prospects.

Why did he want to withdraw on the very first day of school?

"Why are you withdrawing? Besides, admissions at all the major Soul Master Academies have already closed by now. Where else could you enroll?"

Wu Changkong spoke slowly, a measure of seriousness in his voice. "You've already enrolled in Eastsea Academy's Intermediate Division. If you withdraw now, you'll lose a year. If there's a problem, tell me. I can help you."

Hu Fangyuan looked up at Wu Changkong and could see the regard in his eyes. He didn't beat around the bush either, laying the matter out directly.

"Teacher Wu, I'll be frank. I've heard that Eastsea Academy ranks at the bottom of the entire Skysea Alliance when it comes to training Soul Masters. You should be able to tell that I came to Eastsea from elsewhere. I don't want my talent to waste away here."

He spoke candidly, without the slightest embarrassment.

People sought higher ground, just as water flowed downhill. That was only natural. There was nothing to hide.

Wu Changkong watched him in silence for a few seconds, then spoke with unquestionable certainty in his voice.

"I guarantee that in my class, you absolutely will not waste your years."

His words were decisive as a blade cutting through iron, and the confidence of a powerful expert naturally radiated from him.

In his view, his cultivation and breadth of knowledge were more than sufficient to teach a rank twenty-one new student. Even if the academy's resources were somewhat lacking, with his personal guidance, the boy would certainly be no worse than the students at those top academies.

But after hearing this, Hu Fangyuan laughed in anger. He folded his arms, raised his chin slightly, and looked at Wu Changkong.

"Teacher Wu, with all due respect, how can you guarantee that?"

He held out a finger and began counting them off on his fingers.

"A Simulated Environment Ring Cultivation Room, a Spirit Gathering Meditation Room, a Gravity Training Room, and so on."

With each item Hu Fangyuan named, he folded down a finger. He looked at Wu Changkong, his tone calm yet thoroughly persuasive.

"Never mind the very best Soul Master Academies. Any Soul Master Academy ranking near the top in any region of the Sun Moon Federation would have everything I just listed. I don't understand what you're basing your guarantee on, Teacher. Surely words alone aren't enough."

Although he came from a small city in the southern Sun Moon Federation, he was, after all, from a genuine Soul Master family.

He might not have seen much of the wider world, but it wasn't as though he had never visited the southern region's intermediate Soul Master Academies.

For truly proper Soul Master training, these basic facilities were indispensable.

It wasn't that Eastsea Academy lacked them, but they were seldom made available to Intermediate Division students.

Yet without even these, any talk of not wasting his years was nothing but empty words.

Wu Changkong opened his mouth, but the words suddenly caught on his tongue.

Only then did this powerful expert from Shrek Academy abruptly realize that he did indeed seem unable to guarantee that these things would be available to the boy.

There was no helping it. Shrek Academy, where Wu Changkong had studied, simply had no need for such things.

With the legendary Golden Ancient Tree rooted on Sea God Island, the concentration of spiritual energy throughout Shrek Academy was more than several times that of the outside world. Students could sit down to meditate anywhere, and the results would be far better than in any Spirit Gathering Meditation Room.

There was even less need to mention simulated-environment cultivation. Shrek Academy's Virtual Cabins could realistically simulate the Primeval Forest, hundred-person melees, and even battles against soul beasts, all with ease.

There were also all kinds of spiritual cultivation treasures. As long as one had academic credits, one could pocket those rare spiritual herbs and precious spiritual metals that money alone could not buy in the outside world.

Having spent so many years at Shrek, he had long grown accustomed to that level of cultivation environment.

So much so that after coming to Eastsea Academy, he had never paid any attention to these basic facilities.

In his eyes, such things were merely optional aids. True cultivation depended on oneself and a teacher's guidance.

But now that Hu Fangyuan had put it this way, he finally realized that these things really were important to an ordinary young Soul Master.

He couldn't exactly tell Hu Fangyuan that none of these things were useful and that he only needed to study under him.

Those words were too hollow, without any persuasive force.

Looking at Hu Fangyuan standing before him, his face calm but his gaze exceptionally firm, Wu Changkong found himself momentarily speechless.