Under the spotlight, Chen Fan stood behind the lectern, his fingertips resting lightly on its cold surface.
The murmurs from the audience were still buzzing.
"That's him? Chen Fan? He looks pretty young."
"Of course. He's a freshman, probably only eighteen or so. Qi Refining Perfection at eighteen, and Full-Dimensional Foundation Establishment too. That talent is downright absurd."
"I heard he still had a false spirit root when he enrolled. Supposedly his Spiritual Qi conversion rate was only 16% (an information gap). Some people say he has no backer, yet he's turned everything around in just two months? He hasn't been taking some banned drug, has he?"
"What banned drug could get all seventeen categories to Foundation Establishment? Why don't you take some and try? Can't you see the university treasures him like its own precious darling? Would they let him represent the freshmen if he'd really been taking drugs?"
"True... Come to think of it, he and Professor Jiang are both in sword Dao theory. Doesn't that mean he'll get to see her every day? I'm dying of envy."
Most of the upperclassmen were shocked and curious, while the freshmen felt outright admiration.
The sword Dao theory students in particular all straightened their backs a little. That was a big shot from their major! From now on, who wouldn't know that the humanities had welcomed their most formidable fighter?
Chen Fan paid no attention to the discussions below. His gaze first swept over Zhou Zhengyuan on the dais, then settled on Jiang Qingyuan.
The system panel had already silently brought up her information, visible only to him.
[Name: Jiang Qingyuan] [Cultivation: Early Mahayana Realm] [Physiques: Innate Dao Embryo, Immortal Demon Physique, Immortal Spirit Eyes] [Talents: Divine Mastery of the Sword Dao, Heaven-Bestowed Divine Soul, Affinity with All Dharmas] [Identity: serving fourth-rank professor at Jingfu University, specially appointed professor at Handong University, core researcher at the Immortal Palace Cultivation System Research Institute] [Favorability: 10 (newly acquainted)]
Chen Fan mentally raised an eyebrow.
The Mahayana Realm at fifty?
Wasn't that talent a little too outrageous? Most fourth-rank professors at Han University were only at the Tribulation Transcendence Realm. Many had to slog on until they were over ten thousand years old before they could even touch that threshold, yet she'd reached this at fifty?
And an innate Dao embryo, Divine Mastery of the Sword Dao... No wonder she'd become a fourth-rank professor so young. That lineup was practically chosen-one caliber.
As he looked, Jiang Qingyuan seemed to notice his gaze. She raised her eyes slightly, her pale, ice-colored eyes sweeping toward him.
Their eyes met.
There was no extraneous emotion in her gaze, only faint scrutiny, as though she were examining an interesting research specimen.
Chen Fan remained unruffled and gave her a slight nod in greeting.
Jiang Qingyuan paused for a moment, then inclined her head slightly in return.
She had seen Chen Fan's test results yesterday. Foundation Establishment in all seventeen categories, such a solid, all-round foundation while still in the Qi Refining Realm-not only Han University, but even Jingfu couldn't produce a second one.
She had originally imagined a mature, steady cultivation fanatic. She hadn't expected him to look so lively in person, with such a steady gaze and none of a young person's impetuousness.
Just then, the host spoke with a smile. "Chen Fan, why don't you say a few words to everyone?"
Chen Fan withdrew his gaze, picked up the microphone, and cleared his throat.
The audience instantly fell silent. More than thirty thousand people looked at him in unison, eager to hear what earth-shaking words this once-in-ten-thousand-years genius freshman would say.
Holding the microphone, Chen Fan spoke at an unhurried pace, his clear voice carrying throughout the auditorium:
"Hello, teachers and fellow students. I'm Chen Fan, a first-year student majoring in sword Dao theory and science."
"It's an honor to stand here as the freshman representative. Honestly, I'm rather surprised to be here. After all, just yesterday, I was still pained by the testing fee of twenty Spirit Coins an hour."
The audience first fell quiet, then erupted in laughter.
"Hahahaha, twenty Spirit Coins! I get it! The testing rooms really are a rip-off!"
"Even a big shot feels the pinch over twenty Spirit Coins? Why does he suddenly feel so relatable?"
Fatty Wang laughed the hardest below, slapping his thigh as he shouted, "Brother Fan is right! The testing rooms are daylight robbery!"
Even Zhou Zhengyuan on the dais couldn't help laughing. He shook his head, thinking that the boy was quite down-to-earth.
Chen Fan waited for the laughter to subside a little before beginning his formal address:
"Comrades, the great current of our era's social development surges onward in all its might, with banks of fog hanging over the river. Even the Immortal Palace's foremost experts dare not claim they can see two steps ahead before taking one. As the Immortal Palace's finest students, we should strive all the harder to climb higher."
"Along the way, some of you here may find yourselves standing on the crest of the tide through your own efforts, or perhaps through luck."
"Atop that crest lie boundless splendor, boundless temptations, and boundless risks. All the more reason for us to keep our feet firmly on the ground and guard against arrogance and impatience."
"The future changes in countless ways. Rather than looking to the future, look to the past. The past lies there like a weighty history book of the ages, for people to consult."
"The wheat on this land has ripened tens of thousands of times, but there haven't been many new things under the sun. So keep a measure of reverence in your hearts! Your view of other things may be blurry, but you must see the bottom line clearly. Never set yourselves against the Immortal Palace's rules."
"Lastly, there's nothing else I want to say. I just wish you all smooth cultivation, fewer failed courses, and more opened Spirit Veins. Let's strive to have everyone reach Foundation Establishment in every category by graduation."
Chen Fan inclined his head slightly. "That concludes my address. Thank you, everyone."
As his words fell, the entire audience froze for two seconds, then erupted in thunderous applause.
"Good! Well said!"
"Hahahaha, that's so down-to-earth! I like it!"
"Fewer failed courses and more opened Spirit Veins-that's all too real!"
Chen Fan put down the microphone and stepped away from the lectern.
As soon as he returned backstage, he ran into Dean Lü, who was waiting there.
"Well done, lad! That was a fine address!" Dean Lü clapped him on the shoulder, grinning from ear to ear. "You did our sword Dao theory major proud!"
"You're too kind, Dean," Chen Fan replied politely with a smile.
"Oh, there's something I need to tell you." Dean Lü lowered his voice. "Professor Shen Moru from Jingfu will arrive this afternoon. The president, Professor Jiang, and I will meet with you then to settle the specific details of your joint training. Prepare in advance. If you have any ideas or requests, you can bring them all up then."
Chen Fan nodded. "All right, understood."
After giving him a couple more reminders, Dean Lü hurried off.
Chen Fan leaned against the wall and rubbed his chin.
Just as well. He wanted to see what terms Jingfu and Han University could offer him, too.
Meanwhile, not far away beside the dais, Jiang Qingyuan was watching the young man's retreating figure, her fingertips lightly rubbing the pattern along the edge of her sleeve.
The assistant beside her asked quietly, "Professor, do you think this Chen Fan... is really as impressive as the data suggests?"
Jiang Qingyuan withdrew her gaze, a hint of interest in her pale, ice-colored eyes. "We'll know whether he's truly impressive after testing him this afternoon. Someone in the Qi Refining Realm with Foundation Establishment in all seventeen categories... I've genuinely never seen that before."
She paused, then added, "Professor Shen arrives this afternoon. We need to exercise oversight over the joint training arrangements. We can't let such a promising seedling grow crooked."
The assistant nodded repeatedly, then turned to contact Professor Shen's people and began making the relevant preparations for the afternoon.