Chapter 59

## Chapter 59. Let's Fight Again Next Time!

“Do you want to transfer?”

“Yes.”

In response to Luo Junxiang’s question, Pang Shaxue nodded with a stern expression.

Luo Junxiang stared at Pang Shaxue for a moment before asking, “Why now? Why do you want to transfer?”

“...”

Pang Shaxue felt uncomfortable in this situation.

However, to transfer to another academy, he needed a recommendation letter from the academy head, Luo Junxiang.

Pang Shaxue bowed respectfully and said, “I apologize, but I believe there is nothing more for me to learn at the Azure Dragon Academy. I want to compete with more outstanding students in a better environment.”

“Hmm...”

Luo Junxiang, momentarily speechless, let out a small sigh.

“To which academy are you planning to transfer?”

“The Heavenly Martial Academy.”

“At least it’s not the White Tiger Academy. That would have been a disaster.”

The Azure Dragon Academy and the White Tiger Academy were long-standing rivals.

The two academies, located in the east and west of the martial world, had a subtle sense of competition, and their performances in the Heavenly Martial Competition were similar, leading to constant friction between students and instructors.

...But that became meaningless when the Azure Dragon Academy recorded the lowest rank for ten consecutive years.

“I’ve never considered any other academy besides the Heavenly Martial Academy.”

“Have you prepared for the transfer? It’s quite tight if you start now.”

“Just give me the recommendation letter, and I’ll take care of the rest.”

Of course, transferring is extremely difficult.

One must have excellent academic performance at the current academy and pass a practical exam that is several times harder than the entrance exam.

For a student from the Azure Dragon Academy, the weakest among the five major academies, to transfer to the Heavenly Martial Academy, the standards would be even stricter.

“Favoritism will also be a significant factor. The instructors and students there will constantly test you.”

However, Pang Shaxue didn’t seem fazed by this, not even showing a confident expression.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“...Is that so? Well, I suppose you will adapt well.”

Even if the Heavenly Martial Academy has many talented students, Pang Shaxue was a capable individual who could stand out there.

‘In fact, with his unyielding personality, he might even shake things up at the Heavenly Martial Academy.’

Luo Junxiang suddenly chuckled mischievously, and Pang Shaxue looked at him with a puzzled expression.

“By the way, I don’t know how to describe your character in the recommendation letter. You’ve dominated the club federation for three years, bullied your classmates, and almost got into trouble with the authorities this year for trying to tame the new instructors.”

“Sir, Headmaster.”

Pang Shaxue showed his first signs of unease.

Seeing this, Luo Junxiang’s smile deepened.

“You’re quite a problem student, aren’t you? I wonder what the Heavenly Martial Academy headmaster will think if he learns about this.”

“Headmaster...”

Pang Shaxue was genuinely flustered.

If Luo Junxiang really mentioned his ‘character issues’ in the recommendation letter, the transfer would be impossible.

‘Damn...’

The opponent is the great master Thousand-Handed Guanyin Luo Junxiang, a hundredth-level expert.

Threatening him with the name of the Northern Pang Family wouldn’t work.

Seeing Pang Shaxue’s flustered face, Luo Junxiang chuckled and said, “I’m joking. I’ll omit the character part in the recommendation letter. Your pranks were occasionally over the line, but you generally handled them well.”

“...Thank you.”

Pang Shaxue let out a sigh of relief.

However, Luo Junxiang wasn’t finished.

“But, think about it for one more day.”

“Huh? Why...”

At that moment, Luo Junxiang looked at Pang Shaxue with a deep gaze.

Feeling as if his inner thoughts were being pierced, Pang Shaxue subtly avoided his gaze.

“The reason you want to transfer. Is that all there is to it?”

“...Why do you think so?”

“There’s a lingering attachment in your eyes. You learn things you don’t want to know as you live longer.”

“...”

“I’ll send you to the Heavenly Martial Academy if you want to go. But before that, clear up any lingering attachments here. Leaving them behind might cause you trouble.”

I’ve already neatly resolved any lingering attachments.

The words almost slipped out, but Pang Shaxue wasn’t foolish enough to say that to a senior and academy head.

“...I understand.”

“I’ll have the recommendation letter ready by tomorrow afternoon. Come back then.”

“Yes.”

Pang Shaxue stood up, bowed to Luo Junxiang, and turned to leave. As he did, Luo Junxiang’s gentle voice reached his back.

“Three years ago, when you entered the Azure Dragon Academy, the teachers had high expectations for you. I was no exception.”

“...I’m sorry for not meeting those expectations.”

“What’s there to be sorry about? It’s our fault for not teaching you properly. I feel more apologetic. But...”

Pang Shaxue slowly turned around.

Luo Junxiang, meeting his eyes, smiled and said, “I still have high hopes for you.”

“...Are you telling me to stay at the Azure Dragon Academy?”

Pang Shaxue’s expression hardened as he asked, but Luo Junxiang shook his head.

“That’s not what I mean. Whether you stay here or go to the Heavenly Martial Academy, it doesn’t matter. Just do your best wherever you are and achieve your goals. That’s how you can meet my expectations.”

“...”

“Of course, I’ll miss you. This year’s Azure Dragon Academy will be full of interesting events. You know why, right?”

Luo Junxiang smiled like a child.

Pang Shaxue couldn’t help but smile back.

“I think so.”

At that moment, the same person’s face appeared in both their minds.

-This year’s Heavenly Martial Competition. I’ll take responsibility for winning it.

Bai Shulong, confidently declaring his victory in the Heavenly Martial Competition.

Of course, it’s impossible, but it’s easy to imagine he’ll do anything to achieve his goal.

“Won’t you regret missing that?”

“It might be interesting, but I can’t change anything on my own.”

That was Pang Shaxue’s conclusion.

“I’ll take my leave now.”

Pang Shaxue bowed and turned to leave the headmaster’s office. Luo Junxiang didn’t stop him.

Bang!

As he stepped out, Pang Shaxue muttered to himself.

“...I have no lingering attachments anymore.”

Walking through the academy grounds, Pang Shaxue reflected on the past three years at the Azure Dragon Academy.

No matter how positively he tried to frame it, he wasn’t a good student.

Most classes were boring and below his level, and his classmates were all weak and uninteresting.

‘Dugu Jun is somewhat useful, though.’

Most others are subpar.

Without proper competition, Pang Shaxue soon turned his attention elsewhere.

‘I’ve had my fill of power.’

As the young master of the Northern Pang Family, it was too easy to gather followers in the academy.

He dominated the club federation with his followers, held power, and even some instructors now watched his every move.

He knew they whispered behind his back, calling him a snake’s head satisfied with a small pond, but he didn’t care about the words of the weak.

‘They’re all boring.’

At the Azure Dragon Academy, he could act however he wanted, and it was all accepted.

Whenever he met Xian Yuanqiang, he mockingly called him the troublemaker of the Xian Family, but in truth, he was the real troublemaker.

...Now, even that has become tiresome.

-After eating expensive elixirs provided by the family, learning from the top experts, and practicing the great martial arts passed down only to the family head, if you’re still weaker than me, aren’t you a fool?

“Fool.”

A pitiful face with a swollen, bruised lip.

In the midst of it, filled with venom, glaring at him.

A person with incredible talent that everyone envied, yet wasting his life pitifully.

Once a friend, now nothing.

Thinking of Xian Yuanqiang, Pang Shaxue snorted.

“Live your life like that here forever.”

No matter how he thought about it, there was nothing more to learn or stay for at the Azure Dragon Academy.

He had no lingering attachments.

He would aim higher.

He would transfer to the Heavenly Martial Academy, step on those who looked down on him, and take over the Heavenly Martial Academy.

‘I need to ask for the recommendation letter right away when I get back.’

Just as Pang Shaxue was about to return to Luo Junxiang,

“Pang Shaxue!”

A shout that seemed to expel all the air, followed by the sound of someone dashing with full speed, splitting the air.

‘Could it be...?’

Pang Shaxue turned his head toward the direction of the voice.

He saw Xian Yuanqiang, his face bruised and swollen, running toward him.

It was absurd to see him looking for him, and his pitiful appearance made him laugh.

‘He’s not a fan of mine...’

His eyes were black and blue, looking like a panda, which was incredibly funny.

Xian Yuanqiang, arriving in front of Pang Shaxue, panted heavily.

“Huff, huff... You’re here. Damn, I searched for