Madam, You Wouldn't Want Your Son Expelled from the Academy, Would You?

"Madam, you wouldn't want your son expelled from the academy, would you?"

In the plaza of the Dao-Seeking Academy, a tall, strikingly handsome young man spoke with a smile, a feather fan in his hand and a scholar's silk cap on his head.

The young man's name was Chu Feng. Standing before him was a dignified and graceful beauty in palace attire.

Her lustrous hair was black, and her large, captivating eyes held a trace of sorrow.

Her charming, mature face was full of troubles, giving her a heart-rending look.

Any man in the world who saw her would feel an urge to cherish and protect her.

But Chu Feng did not have the slightest improper thought at the moment. He simply wanted to take her son as his disciple.

Chu Feng was the head of the Dao-Seeking Academy's Miscellaneous Dao Institute. That morning, he had received an order from the academy head: if he failed to recruit a disciple within a month, the Miscellaneous Dao Institute would be disbanded.

He, the head of the Miscellaneous Dao Institute, would also be expelled from the Dao-Seeking Academy. Upon receiving the news, Chu Feng began looking for a suitable disciple.

Although Chu Feng was a transmigrator, he had been in this world for two and a half years.

He had not learned a single cultivation method, because he was unable to cultivate.

Fortunately, he had been an outstanding master of time management in his previous life, proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.

With his vast learning, he had passed the examination to enter the Dao Inquiry School and become the Miscellaneous Dao Institute's only student.

Otherwise, he would have starved to death in this world long ago, becoming the most miserable transmigrator in history.

But the former head had died half a year ago, and the academy had not sent a new one. On top of that, the old academy head had strongly recommended Chu Feng before his death.

Thus, Chu Feng had become head of the Miscellaneous Dao Institute. Impressive as the title sounded, though, he was a commander without a single soldier. Otherwise, he would not have come to the plaza to look for disciples.

He had heard that Xiao Chen, a prodigy of the Sword Dao Institute, had entered the Mist Marsh to compete for heavenly treasures for his fiancée, only to suffer grave injuries and become a cripple.

The Sword Dao Institute had already ordered Xiao Chen expelled, so Chu Feng had immediately sought out Xiao Chen's mother, planning to take Xiao Chen as his disciple before anyone else.

His surname was Xiao, and he was a genius turned trash. That was unmistakably a protagonist's template.

Chu Feng had made up his mind to take this young man under his wing.

Once Xiao Chen soared into the sky in a single bound, wouldn't he, as the young man's bargain master, share in the glory?

Madam Xiao studied the young man before her warily and asked, her face full of caution, "Sir, do you really have a way to let my son stay at the Dao-Seeking Academy?"

The Dao-Seeking Academy was one of the four great neutral powers on this continent, as well as a sacred place of learning for countless young cultivators.

Those who could study at the Dao-Seeking Academy were either rising prodigies or disciples of powerful clans.

Her son had become a cripple, and even the head of the Sword Dao Institute could not keep Little Chen there.

Yet this young man before her claimed he had a way to let Little Chen stay. She could not help doubting the truth of his words.

"Naturally. I am, after all, one of the Dao-Seeking Academy's ten institute heads, and I have already received the academy head's permission to freely take Dao-Seeking Academy disciples as my own. Xiao Chen is still a disciple of the Dao-Seeking Academy, isn't he?"

Chu Feng looked utterly confident.

"You're actually one of the Dao-Seeking Academy's ten institute heads, sir?"

Madam Xiao sounded utterly taken aback, her eyes full of surprise.

Every head of an institute at the Dao-Seeking Academy was a first-rate figure on this continent.

But she had never heard of the Dao Inquiry School having a head so young.

Chu Feng nodded. "That's right. I am the head of the Miscellaneous Dao Institute. I only took up the post half a year ago."

"The Miscellaneous Dao Institute?"

When Madam Xiao heard those words, the faint hope that had just kindled in her heart was utterly extinguished.

The Miscellaneous Dao Institute ranked last among the Dao-Seeking Academy's ten institutes for one simple reason: it taught neither cultivation methods nor such essential cultivation arts as talismans, pills, artifacts, and formations.

It only taught students music, chess, calligraphy, painting, the art of tea, and the like.

Thus, in the eyes of the world, it was an insignificant place.

How could Chu Feng fail to see what Madam Xiao was thinking? He knew that if he did not do some sweet-talking today, he would have a hard time recruiting a disciple.

"Madam, staying at the Dao-Seeking Academy means there's still a chance, doesn't it?

"If your son leaves the Dao-Seeking Academy, he'll never have another chance to cultivate for the rest of his life.

"Besides, if he stays here, I can protect his life. Outside the Dao-Seeking Academy, whether he can even survive is another question."

Madam Xiao could not help frowning slightly at those words. She knew this gentleman was right.

Without the Dao-Seeking Academy's protection, her son would not live long, even if he returned home.

She might as well take a gamble!

She bowed slightly to Chu Feng. "Thank you for being willing to take my son as your disciple, sir. I'll go and call Little Chen here to acknowledge you as his master!"

"Good."

To prevent trouble from arising with delay, Chu Feng immediately said, "I'd better go with you to find Xiao Chen, Madam. It can save us quite a bit."

"Thank you, sir."

A glimmer of hope flashed in Madam Xiao's eyes. "Please follow me, sir."

Just as Chu Feng fell into step behind Madam Xiao, a mechanical voice suddenly sounded in his mind.

"Ding! The host, who has been transmigrated for two and a half years, has begun accepting a disciple. The system is now officially activated!"

Holy shit!

Hearing the voice, Chu Feng shouted inwardly, It's here, it's here!

My system may be late, but it's finally here.

As a transmigrator, Chu Feng had tried to find a way to activate a system over the past two years and more.

But no matter how many times he tried, he had never received a response from a system.

He had never imagined that accepting a disciple would be the key to activating it.

In this world, parents, heaven, earth, sovereign, and master were revered, and children generally would not defy their parents' wishes.

Madam Xiao had agreed to let her son acknowledge him, Chu Feng, as his master, so Xiao Chen was as good as nailed down as his disciple.

System, what functions do you have?

Chu Feng suppressed his excitement and asked in his mind.

"This system is the Disciple Acceptance System. Each time the host accepts a disciple, the host will receive a corresponding reward. Please explore the specific functions yourself."

After the system's voice disappeared,

an attribute panel appeared in Chu Feng's mind.

Name: Chu Feng

Cultivation: None

Cultivation method: None

Lifespan: 22/79

Skills: Music, chess, calligraphy, painting, the art of tea (all at grand completion)

Evaluation: Abilities too low. The system declines to evaluate.

Even a little system like you fucking looks down on me?

Chu Feng could not help muttering inwardly.

But now that he had a system, he could reach the peak of life and marry a rich beauty. Just thinking about it made him a little excited.

The corners of his mouth lifted slightly of their own accord.

Just then, Madam Xiao suddenly stopped and turned to look at Chu Feng.

Seeing the smile on his face, she could not help asking, "What is it, sir?"

Chu Feng smiled faintly. "I just thought of some happy things."

Madam Xiao did not ask further. "Sir, my son's residence is just ahead. I'll call him out to pay his respects to you."

Chu Feng looked up and saw that he had arrived at the Sword Dao Institute's outer disciple residences. "All right, I'll wait for you here, Madam."