Chu Feng: Thirty Years East of the River, Thirty Years West

"Stop talking nonsense, silly boy. Your life is your own; it doesn't belong to anyone else. Once you've grown stronger, just remember how well your master and mother treated you."

Chu Feng spoke with a smile. He hadn't expected to win Xiao Chen's loyalty with just a few words.

Hearing this, Consort Xiao, who stood nearby, looked at Chu Feng with a little more respect.

She had previously harbored some doubts about the head of the Miscellaneous Dao Institute.

But after hearing those words, she understood that the head of the Miscellaneous Dao Institute was an extraordinary mighty figure.

"This disciple will respectfully obey Master's orders."

Xiao Chen's face was full of respect.

"Let's go. Once we've transferred your registration, you can spend some time catching up with your mother. Your formal cultivation begins tomorrow."

Although Chu Feng didn't know how to teach anyone to cultivate, he still had to go through the proper motions.

"Yes, Master."

After answering, Xiao Chen followed behind Chu Feng.

All along the way, the two could hear people around them pointing and commenting.

"Look, isn't that Xiao Chen from the Sword Dao Institute?"

"I heard the academy gave him three days to withdraw."

"Why would a cripple stay here instead of withdrawing? He wouldn't even get a chance to do odd jobs!"

"..."

Chu Feng didn't speak up for Xiao Chen. He merely turned and glanced at him.

To his surprise, there wasn't the slightest trace of dejection or resentment on Xiao Chen's face. If the boy hadn't clenched his fists slightly,

Chu Feng would have thought he had let it go.

A short while later,

the two arrived at the student registration office.

Chu Feng took out his token as institute head and soon reached the registration counter.

He smiled at the old man at the registration office. "Elder Bai, I've brought my disciple to transfer his registration."

Hearing this, Elder Bai smiled and teased him. "Not bad, brat Chu. In just two days, your Miscellaneous Dao Institute has already recruited a disciple. Who was willing to join your institute?"

He didn't speak loudly, but the registration office was relatively quiet to begin with.

Everyone inside heard him clearly.

In an instant, everyone present turned their eyes toward them.

It was no secret to anyone there that the Miscellaneous Dao Institute hadn't taken a disciple in many years.

Some well-informed people had even heard that if the Miscellaneous Dao Institute failed to recruit another disciple, it would be disbanded.

Not only did everyone feel indifferent about that outcome, they were even somewhat happy.

After all, without the Miscellaneous Dao Institute, they would get a larger share of the resources.

Chu Feng ignored their gazes and patted Xiao Chen on the shoulder. "It's this boy. He's transferring from the Sword Dao Institute.

"Xiao Chen, give Elder Bai your identity token so he can take care of the formalities."

Everyone present was taken aback by this and looked at Xiao Chen strangely.

The Sword Dao Institute ranked second in combat strength among the Dao-Seeking Academy's institutes, behind only the Heavenly Spirit Institute.

Its strength far surpassed that of the body cultivators, spell cultivators, and beast tamers.

Was there something wrong with this boy's head? Why would he give up being a perfectly good sword cultivator to join the Miscellaneous Dao Institute?

But Elder Bai's next words made the whole story clear to everyone.

"You're Xiao Chen?"

Elder Bai's expression froze slightly as he looked at Xiao Chen's identity token.

Xiao Chen said respectfully, "Senior, I am Xiao Chen."

"Mm. The Miscellaneous Dao Institute is a good place for you to go. Cultivate diligently, and one day you'll surely be able to repair your dantian."

Elder Bai offered him a few words of encouragement. As a mid-level member of the Dao-Seeking Academy, he had naturally heard about Xiao Chen.

As he spoke, he exchanged Xiao Chen's identity token and transferred his institute registration.

The people around them also began whispering among themselves.

Their voices were low, however, and only a few scattered words reached Chu Feng's ears.

Just as Elder Bai finished the formalities, a commotion arose at the entrance.

"Elder Bing from the Heavenly Spirit Institute is here."

Chu Feng and Xiao Chen instinctively looked toward the entrance.

A beautiful woman with an icy expression walked in with a lovely, innocent-looking young girl. Every gesture the woman made gave off an air that kept people a thousand miles away.

Xiao Chen's body trembled slightly when he saw the girl.

That small movement naturally didn't escape Chu Feng's notice.

Before he could ask Xiao Chen what was wrong,

the icy beauty fixed her gaze on Xiao Chen and said coldly, "If I were you, I wouldn't shamelessly cling to my place at the Dao Inquiry School.

"But a cripple like you is quite a good match for a trashy place like the Miscellaneous Dao Institute."

As soon as she finished speaking, everyone present looked eager to watch the drama unfold.

Some who loved a good spectacle whispered, "I didn't expect to see such a show on a trip to the registration office."

"Senior, what's going on? Why would an elder from the Heavenly Spirit Institute target a piece of trash from another institute?"

"So you don't know? Elder Bing's newly recruited disciple, Qin Rou, is Xiao Chen's fiancée. I hear Xiao Chen deserves much of the credit for her awakening her Ice Soul Sacred Physique."

"I see."

"..."

Feeling Elder Bing's piercing gaze, Xiao Chen was especially miserable. He instinctively looked toward Qin Rou.

But Qin Rou gave him a cold look in return.

Hmph!

He smiled bitterly to himself. Why am I still holding out hope for her at a time like this? From the moment she awakened her sacred physique, we became people from two different worlds.

Just as Xiao Chen stood at a loss, a towering figure stepped in front of him.

He looked up. It was Master?

Chu Feng gave Xiao Chen a reassuring look, then smiled. "Elder Bing, you're mistaken."

"Heh."

Elder Bing paid no regard to Chu Feng, the head of the Miscellaneous Dao Institute who had no cultivation.

If she hadn't needed to consider the Dao-Seeking Academy's reputation, she would have slapped him to death on the spot for daring to talk back to her.

"Does Chief Chu think I'm wrong?"

"You certainly are, and you couldn't be more wrong."

Chu Feng's startling words changed the way everyone around him looked at him.

Elder Bai even gave Chu Feng a discreet thumbs-up.

The chill on Elder Bing's face deepened. She said coldly, "Then please enlighten me, Chief Chu. If you can't give me a proper explanation, don't blame me for defying my superior."

Chu Feng felt a chill envelop his entire body, yet remained as calm and unruffled as ever.

"As the saying goes: thirty years east of the river, thirty years west; don't bully a youth for being poor.

"Little Chen is merely down on his luck for the moment. Given time, he will surely reforge a supreme Sword Dao and shake the world."

Silence fell over the room. Everyone looked at Chu Feng as though he were an idiot.

Elder Bing's eyes filled with undisguised contempt.

Only Xiao Chen looked at Chu Feng with admiration. So I haven't been abandoned after all.

"What a joke. That's the funniest joke I've ever heard in my life. If Chief Chu intends to fob me off with comforting words like those, then don't blame me for showing you no mercy."

As Elder Bing spoke, a chill flashed through her eyes.

Feeling her murderous gaze, Chu Feng nevertheless kept his composure and said calmly, "I, Chu Feng, have always kept my word. Since Elder Bing doesn't believe me, how about the two of us make a three-year agreement here and now?"