This Junior Must Decline

After a long while, Liu Erlong let out a long breath, his face showing an extremely complex expression, a mixture of amazement, admiration, emotion, and a touch of... indescribable emotion.

"Good... very good." Her voice was slightly hoarse. "You passed. No, I should say, you opened my eyes. I've never seen this kind of fighting before. It's not about the strongest power, nor the fastest speed, but about perfecting recovery, defense, harassment, and teamwork... You are a true team."

She walked up to Yan Zu, her gaze fixed intently on him, especially on Little Jade Yu, who was nestled affectionately against his cheek, looking somewhat tired. "Your name is Yan Zu? What is your Martial Soul...?"

"Qilin Martial Soul, her name is Little Jade." Yan Zu nodded, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth.

"Qilin... Little Jade, is it..." Liu Erlong repeated in a low voice, his gaze drifting away, as if through Yan Zu and Little Jade, he saw the distant past, that man who always carried a hint of inferiority and stubbornness, yet also had strange theories, and his chubby, strange creature that could only fart... Luo Sanpao.

She shook her head sharply, suppressing her chaotic thoughts, and looked at Yan Zu with extremely solemn eyes, even carrying a hint of unyielding authority. "Yan Zu, would you be willing to become my disciple?"

Upon hearing this, not only was Yan Zu taken aback, but Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and the others also looked at Liu Erlong in surprise.

Teacher Yin Shu looked on incredulously. The dean personally accepting a disciple was an extremely rare occurrence at the Blue Tyrant Academy! You must know that although Liu Erlong was protective of his own, he was also arrogant and rarely personally instructed students, let alone accepted them as disciples.

Yan Zu looked into Liu Erlong's eyes and saw the lingering reminiscence and complexity, as well as the hint of urgency hidden within them, and he understood.

He remained silent for a moment, not immediately agreeing, but calmly meeting Liu Erlong's gaze, and asked, "Dean Liu wants to take me as your disciple today. From what I've observed, it seems it's not entirely because of my strength and potential, or rather, not just because of those, is that right?"

Liu Erlong frowned. "What do you mean?"

Yan Zu's voice was clear and frank. "Is it because my Martial Soul — the Qilin —reminded you, Dean, of a certain old friend, that you decided to take me on as a disciple?"

Liu Erlong's body trembled, her expression subtly changing, clearly her thoughts had been exposed. She stared at Yan Zu for several seconds, then suddenly gave a self-deprecating laugh, readily admitting, "Indeed. Your Martial Soul aura... is very special, reminding me of... a very important person. His Martial Soul was also somewhat unique, though far inferior to your Qilin, but that... feeling is somewhat similar. Seeing you is like seeing a possibility of his youth..."

Her tone carried an undisguised sense of loneliness and longing.

Xiao Wu and the others suddenly realized that this was the reason.

Having received an affirmative answer, Yan Zu remained calm. He bowed deeply to Liu Erlong and said, "In that case, please forgive this junior for refusing."

"What?" Liu Erlong's brows furrowed, his tone displeased. "You refuse? Do you know how many people in Heaven Dou City beg me, Liu Erlong, for guidance, but to no avail?"

"I am deeply honored by the Dean's kindness," Yan Zu straightened up, his gaze clear and firm, neither humble nor arrogant. "But I hope that one day in the future, Dean Liu will genuinely and purely want to take me on as his disciple because he recognizes me as an Yan Zu —my character, my path, and my potential—rather than seeing me as a vessel for some regret, or a shadow or substitute for some deceased friend. This kind of master-disciple relationship is what I pursue, and it is the only way to go the distance."

These words struck Liu Erlong's heart like a heavy hammer.

She stared blankly at the boy before her, whose eyes were clear and whose spine was straight, and for a moment she was speechless.

A substitute? A shadow? Yes... wasn't my impulsive act just now a way of trying to find that person's shadow in this boy who shared a similar aura, to make up for that lingering regret and guilt?

She remained silent for a long time, and the atmosphere in the training ground became somewhat tense. Xiao Wu and the others looked nervously at Yan Zu, then at Liu Erlong, fearing that the hot-tempered dean would suddenly lose his temper.

However, Liu Erlong ultimately did not get angry.

The complex expression on her face gradually faded, replaced by a deep weariness, and a hint of... relief?

"Good... well said." Liu Erlong's voice lowered, losing some of its wildness and gaining more genuine warmth. "I was presumptuous... You're right, the relationship between master and disciple should be based on sincerity and recognition, not on transference of affection and reliance. Yan Zu, you are very good. Not only are your strength and character outstanding, but your clarity and perseverance are even more rare."

She looked at the remaining four members of the Dawn Team: "The same goes for you. Blue Tyrant Academy welcomes you. I, Liu Erlong, hereby promise that as long as you abide by the academy's basic rules and do not cause trouble, the academy will give you maximum freedom and support your cultivation methods. In terms of resources, you will also be given the treatment of core students. Yin Shu!"

"Dean!" Teacher Yin Shu rushed forward.

"Take them to complete the enrollment procedures and arrange the best student dormitories, everything according to the standards for core students," Liu Erlong instructed. He then looked at Yan Zu and the other four, "You're all tired today, so get some rest. Classes officially begin tomorrow. As for the course content... you can discuss it with Yin Shu. As long as it doesn't disrupt the academy's normal teaching order, adjustments can be made according to your needs."

This treatment is incredibly generous! It's practically giving them a huge degree of autonomy!

"Thank you, Dean!" Yan Zu and the other four said in unison, this time with genuine gratitude.

Liu Erlong waved his hand, turned and left. His back view seemed somewhat desolate, but his steps were lighter than when he came.

Perhaps Yan Zu's words about "substitutes" inadvertently touched a knot deep in her heart that she had always been unwilling to face.

Watching Liu Erlong walk away, Teacher Yin Shu breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at Yan Zu and the other four, saying, "Gentlemen, come with me. The Dean has made an exception for you today; it seems he values you highly."

Under the guidance of Teacher Yin Shu, they successfully completed their enrollment procedures. The accommodation was excellent, a secluded courtyard called Secluded Bamboo Pavilion. The environment was tranquil, with seven or eight spacious rooms and a small training ground, making it perfect for their group to live and cultivate.

After settling in, the five of them gathered in the living room.

"A-Zu, you really dared to say that!" Xiao Wu patted her chest. "I was afraid Dean Liu would slap me across the face."

Ning Rongrong was also still shaken. "But you're right, it's really meaningless to be accepted as a disciple just because you resemble someone else."

Zhu Zhuqing looked at Yan Zu, a hint of approval flashing in her eyes.

Oscar raved about the dorm environment. "This is so much better than Shrek! Boss Yan, we've come to the right place this time!"

Yan Zu smiled, gazing at the deepening twilight outside the window. "Blue Tyrant Academy might be more suitable for us than we imagined. Dean Liu... is also a man with a story. I hope that here, we can truly begin our own path."

Thank you to readers Mu Liluo and 6490 for their monthly ticket support.