Chapter 65

"Attention all new students of Class 77, I am your mentor for the next four years. My surname is Chen, Chen Jilian. I hope that during these four years, you will make greater progress in martial arts and bring glory to our Class 77..."

On the podium, Teacher Chen began his lengthy speech for the new semester, first inspiring the new students with enthusiasm, then introducing some important matters to note.

From these matters, Sun Yan noticed the differences between the Advanced Academy and the Intermediate Academy. There was a lot of free time here.

Only three theoretical courses were required: Martial Arts History, Combat Techniques Fundamentals, and Cultivation Techniques Fundamentals. These three theoretical courses had only three class hours per week, all completed in half a day, leaving the rest of the time for students to spend on cultivation. According to Sun Yan, these three theoretical courses were mainly for earning credits.

Apart from the three required theoretical courses, students could also choose other courses, but the selection criteria were very strict, requiring the approval of the instructor. Each elective course that met the standards would earn 5 credits.

The rest of the time, students were free to do as they pleased. If they had cultivation issues, they could consult the mentor, who would provide answers, or difficult problems could be reported to the martial arts masters of the academy for clarification.

The students in the audience were deeply moved. The biggest concern in martial arts cultivation was falling into a wrong path. Getting out of such a path was not easy, but the Difeng Academy had teachers who could provide free guidance.

The number of martial arts masters at Difeng Academy was the highest in the entire Nanfeng Domain. It was rumored that the combined number of martial arts masters from the 2nd to 10th ranked prestigious academies in the Nanfeng Domain might not even match Difeng Academy.

Finding a great teacher was hard!

This was precisely what made Difeng Academy the most attractive place for talented martial artists. Not to mention, the principal of Difeng Academy was Lin Xinghe, the only half-step Martial Ancestor in the Odin Star Region.

Teacher Chen's self-introduction left all the students of Class 77 in awe. Teacher Chen was a 50-year-old 9th-level martial artist.

In the current era of interstellar exploration, the average human lifespan had extended to 400 years, and the lifespan of high-level martial artists was even longer.

Generally, advancing to a 9th-level martial artist before the age of 200 was considered a social elite. A 50-year-old 9th-level martial artist could only be described as a genius. At 50, with a 400-year lifespan, one was still in the prime of life, with a bright future ahead.

In Sun Yan's former Nan Ying Academy, among all the teachers, only the chief instructor was a 9th-level martial artist, and Chief Instructor Rodney was already 300 years old, with almost no further progress in martial arts. Yet, the mentor of an ordinary class at Difeng Academy was a 50-year-old 9th-level martial artist.

The depth of Difeng Academy was indeed unfathomable.

After the lengthy motivational speech for the new students, Teacher Chen clapped his hands and smiled. "Now, let me introduce a genius student in our class."

"Mu Shan, please come to the podium."

Following Teacher Chen's indication, a teenager stood up amidst the surprised gazes of the entire class and walked to the podium.

This teenager was tall, with sharp features, thick eyebrows, and large eyes. Standing there, he exuded a solemn and heroic aura.

"Hello everyone, I am Mu Shan from Class 77. I hope to spend an unforgettable four years with all of you."

Mu Shan's deep voice made many of the girls in the class brighten their eyes and hearts flutter. Such a teenager easily became the center of attention.

Teacher Chen smiled. "Mu Shan is a 3rd-level martial artist, and he scored A+ in all his graduation exams. He was originally destined for the Elite Department. However, his Intermediate Academy teacher strongly recommended him to join our Difeng Academy's Ordinary Department. In recognition of Mu Shan's choice, the Ordinary Department's administration has awarded him 100 credits."

"Please welcome him, and I hope you will all take Mu Shan as a role model."

The class erupted in enthusiastic applause. Although the students were envious, the fact that Mu Shan scored A+ in all his graduation exams left them speechless.

100 credits?

Sun Yan clapped, but his face was expressionless. 100 credits truly stung his nerves. Where are you, Teacher Dao, who is on a business trip? If he had an additional 500 credits, he could now enter the third-class library and choose a third-grade combat technique.

The first class of the new semester, under Teacher Chen's motivation, came to an end without them realizing it.

"Finally, I want to remind all of you that although life at the Advanced Academy is free, the prerequisite is to earn enough credits. I don't want to hear at the end of the term that some students haven't even earned 50 credits and are expelled."

"In three months, there will be a comprehensive assessment for the Ordinary Department. I hope all of you will work hard to bring glory to Class 77 and achieve good results."

"Especially Mu Shan, you need to work even harder. The final results of the comprehensive assessment will determine the number of students who can participate in the college-wide new student competition at the end of the term."

As he finished speaking, the bell rang on time. Teacher Chen smiled and nodded, then left the classroom.

In the classroom, students quickly gathered in small groups, eagerly building connections.

Cultivation was fundamental, but the friendship among students was also important. In the future, when they left school and entered society, the camaraderie of classmates would be a valuable resource.

Those who could enter Difeng Academy were no fools; they were all talented martial arts geniuses. They understood that while personal strength was important, a group of geniuses working together could exert a much more astonishing influence.

However, Sun Yan had no interest in these matters. His personality was not reclusive, but he was not particularly sociable either. Since the age of 8, he had been isolated in his class, which made him less inclined to initiate contact with others.

Moreover, with a beautiful girl like Shui Lianqing by his side, Sun Yan had no time to care about others. They leaned against each other, with Sun Yan occasionally telling amusing stories that made Shui Lianqing giggle. She tidied her textbooks while listening quietly, occasionally interjecting, looking like a pair of young lovers.

Just as they were chatting, a deep voice suddenly came from beside them. "Sun Yan, can we switch seats?"

Sun Yan looked up in surprise to see Mu Shan standing by his desk. The much-admired genius was slightly bowing his head, looking down at Sun Yan, his eyes scanning Shui Lianqing with an unhidden possessive desire.

Mu Shan's matter-of-fact tone made Sun Yan frown, and he reined in his smile, saying coolly, "Mu Shan, Teacher Chen just said we should take you as a role model. Are you suggesting we learn from you by disrupting a couple's relationship?"

Hearing this, Shui Lianqing's cheeks turned slightly red. She and Sun Yan were not at that stage yet; they were at most good friends with mutual affection. However, she was used to Sun Yan's mischievous nature and understood his meaning, feeling a sweet warmth in her heart. She gently placed her right hand on his arm, looking like a well-behaved and beautiful girl.

Seeing this, a cold glint flashed in Mu Shan's eyes, and he said sternly, "Our fundamental purpose for entering Difeng Academy is to make faster progress in martial arts. Not to be like you, Sun Yan, who, upon entering the academy, becomes idle and unproductive. Your behavior is a disgrace to our Class 77."

Turning his gaze to Shui Lianqing, Mu Shan's eyes softened, and he said slowly, "Shui Lianqing, choosing such a person as your boyfriend, I hope you will consider it carefully. A martial artist who loses his ambition has no future."

Before Shui Lianqing could respond, a round of applause came from the side. "Well said! How can a martial artist lose his ambition? Mu Shan is indeed a role model for our Class 77, setting an example in every word and action."

The students turned to see a youth standing up, his face as handsome as jade, a charming and mischievous smile on his lips. It was Qiu Shanlin.

Approaching, Qiu Shanlin looked at Sun Yan with disdain and said, "Sun, don't think that entering Difeng Academy means a smooth road ahead. Don't look down on others just because you have some talent. Difeng Academy is full of geniuses, and people like you are a dime a dozen."

Turning his head, Qiu Shanlin looked at Mu Shan and praised, "A genius martial artist like Mu Shan never forgets to strive for progress, reminding us that in martial arts cultivation, it's like rowing against the current; if you don't advance, you retreat."

"Students like Mu Shan are the true representatives of our Class 77. What do you think, everyone?"

As he finished speaking, the students in the class cheered, many of them gloating. Sun Yan's first day of class, spent in intimate conversation with a beauty like Shui Lianqing, had already stirred their resentment. They were eager for an opportunity to take advantage of his situation, and Qiu Shanlin's actions were just what they wanted.

Then, Qiu Shanlin smiled and said, "Shui Lianqing, someone like Mu Shan is your ideal choice. You should consider it carefully."

Hearing this, Mu Shan smiled and nodded, his demeanor as proud as a peacock, saying, "Sun Yan, I hope you will adjust your attitude. I want to switch seats to help Shui Lianqing with her martial arts progress. Helping each other is a duty among classmates."

Seeing Qiu Shanlin and Mu Shan working together, Sun Yan was speechless. He prided himself on his eloquence and thick skin, but compared to these two, he realized he still had a lot to learn.

Before Sun Yan could respond, Shui Lianqing reached out and tightly held his arm, looking up and saying calmly, "Thank you for your concern, Mu Shan, but if I have any cultivation questions, I will consult Teacher Chen Jilian. I don't need your help."

These words made Mu Shan and Qiu Shanlin's faces turn dark.

Turning his head, Mu Shan looked at Sun Yan with a cold expression and said, "In three months, there will be a comprehensive assessment for new students. I hope to have a good exchange with you, Sun Yan. At that time, there won't be a beautiful girl like Shui Lianqing to speak on your behalf."

With that, Mu Shan coldly snorted and returned to his seat with Qiu Shanlin.

Qiu Shanlin leaned close to Mu Shan and whispered, "Mu Shan, the future is long."

Mu Shan nodded slightly, his eyes flickering with a cold glint as they glanced at Sun Yan.

In his seat, Sun Yan stared straight ahead, his face expressionless, looking as if he had been frightened. The students in the class looked down on him even more, lowering their opinion of him.

In reality, Sun Yan was caught in a happy dilemma. Shui Lianqing's arm was tightly around his, and her body pressed against him, making him feel the fullness of her chest pressing against his elbow. The sensation was almost unbearable.

Noticing Sun Yan's unusual state, Shui Lianqing realized what was happening and quickly let go of his arm, her face turning red. She whispered, "No daydreaming."

"Huh?" Sun Yan blinked his innocent eyes and said, "What am I daydreaming about? Lianqing, tell me."

The girl glared at Sun Yan, puffed her cheeks, and turned away, refusing to speak to him.

At that moment, the bell for the next class rang. The first class was Martial Arts History.

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