Chapter 174: The Dean's Favoritism

Skipping classes right after enrollment? This must be an unprecedented event in the history of Longxiang Academy! Lin Xiaobao thought for a moment, then sprinted toward Kuang Lizhen's octagonal pavilion.

It seemed that the only option now was to pull some strings with Kuang Lizhen. After all, besides this Dean Kuang, Lin Xiaobao did not know a single soul in Longxiang Academy. Moreover, Lin Xiaobao wanted to increase his chances of entering the octagonal pavilion; only by gradually getting Kuang Lizhen used to his visits would he have the opportunity in the future to investigate that bookshelf protected by an array formation.

Soon, Lin Xiaobao rushed to Kuang Lizhen's purple bamboo formation, and spiritual power wrapped around his voice, slowly sending it inside: "Student Lin Xiaobao requests an audience with Dean Kuang!"

Sitting in the grand armchair with an ancient tome in his hand, Kuang Lizhen heard Lin Xiaobao's voice, frowned slightly, and immediately executed a hand seal. The purple forest formation instantly parted a path.

Familiar with the way, Lin Xiaobao passed through it and entered the octagonal pavilion. Still in the same study as last time, Lin Xiaobao suppressed the curiosity surging in his heart, keeping his gaze away from the bookshelf embedded with the array formation, and said with a touch of embarrassment, "Student Lin Xiaobao pays his respects to the Dean!"

Before this, Kuang Lizhen had intended to severely reprimand Lin Xiaobao. Although he secretly favored this little fellow, he couldn't let him become arrogant due to favor! Yet when he saw Lin Xiaobao, a trace of surprise crossed his eyes as he said, "You have already cultivated to the peak of the Ninth Stage of the Spirit Realm?"

As the dean of Longxiang Academy, geniuses were, so to speak, no different from rotten cabbages littering the ground in his eyes. However, someone with Lin Xiaobao's cultivation speed, while not entirely unique, was nonetheless as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns—especially considering Lin Xiaobao possessed astonishing talent in array formations as well.

With these factors combined, Lin Xiaobao undoubtedly stood out brilliantly in Kuang Lizhen's eyes. At that moment, Kuang Lizhen even forgot his original intention of scolding Lin Xiaobao, and he fully understood why Lin Xiaobao had chosen the path of martial cultivation.

"This student was fortunate enough to cultivate in the Inquiring Pagoda for a month, and broke through without realizing it..." Lin Xiaobao pitched his tone and expression with perfect precision, knowing he needed to leave a favorable impression in Kuang Lizhen's mind.

"A month? Don't you only have five hundred credits?" Kuang Lizhen frowned slightly.

"Oh..." Lin Xiaobao said with a trace of bashfulness, "Originally, I only intended to experience the might of the Inquiring Pagoda, but on the way, I happened to run into a senior student who gifted me a thousand credits."

"You rascal!" Hearing Lin Xiaobao put it that way, Kuang Lizhen burst into laughter. Was that a gift of a thousand credits? It was clearly a case where someone tried to rob you of your credits, only to get robbed by you instead! Realizing that Lin Xiaobao had managed to snatch credits from senior students the moment he enrolled, Kuang Lizhen found this student increasingly pleasing to the eye.

"Um..." Lin Xiaobao paused and said, "Because I became so absorbed in cultivation that I lost track of the school opening, I have come specifically to ask the Dean for punishment!"

Kuang Lizhen glanced at Lin Xiaobao. "Is this you asking for punishment, you rascal? Clearly, you're asking for leniency. However, the academy has its rules; you should still go to your teacher to receive your punishment. But there is one thing you can rest assured about: as long as you don't commit a major offense, you won't be expelled from the academy."

With these words from Kuang Lizhen, it was equivalent to acquiring a golden plaque of immunity. Lin Xiaobao repeatedly nodded and bowed in salute, saying, "Thank you, Dean, for your immense grace!"

Kuang Lizhen stroked his beard. He saw nothing wrong with granting certain privileges to students with exceptional talent. "Although you possess extraordinary talent in martial cultivation as well, I hope you won't cast array formations aside. Once you reach a certain realm, you will discover that the myriad Great Daos ultimately lead to the same destination. No matter which path you set out from, you will eventually converge at a single point. If you have time, learn more about other cultivation methods; it will be of immense help to your comprehension of the profound mysteries of the Dao in the future."

"Thank you for your guidance, Dean!" Lin Xiaobao expressed his gratitude from the bottom of his heart. What Kuang Lizhen had said might not be a specific cultivation technique, but it was his personal cultivation experience. Hearing it now, it might not seem like much, but following his advice would surely yield rewards in the future. With the grooming of Elder Wu and Elder Mo, Lin Xiaobao naturally possessed at least that much discernment.

"You may return first!" Kuang Lizhen waved his hand, feeling he had said enough for today. A student with Lin Xiaobao's talent required very little constraint; simply providing him with a suitable environment would allow him to unleash his full potential.

"This student takes his leave!" Having achieved his goal, Lin Xiaobao bid farewell to Kuang Lizhen.

"Right, I forgot to tell you something!" Just as Lin Xiaobao retreated to the doorway, Kuang Lizhen smiled mischievously. "This year's martial cultivation instructor, Zhuo Zhengyang, has quite a fierce temper. You'd better pray for your own good this time, kid!"

Lin Xiaobao was slightly startled, then bowed respectfully and backed out. Watching Lin Xiaobao's departing figure, Kuang Lizhen himself was momentarily stunned. He had no idea why he had uttered such words, perhaps simply because he rather liked this little fellow.

At this thought, a burst of childlike mischief suddenly welled up within Kuang Lizhen, and he decided to secretly go and see how Lin Xiaobao would face Zhuo Zhengyang's wrath. In an instant, his figure vanished without a trace, leaving only the grand armchair rocking back and forth with a creaking sound...

Compared to pill cultivation and array cultivation, martial cultivation had relatively relaxed requirements for natural aptitude. Therefore, among the more than one thousand new students recruited by Longxiang Academy this time, martial cultivators accounted for over nine hundred.

Those who chose pill cultivation or array cultivation did not mean they were abandoning martial cultivation. To raise one's realm or secure sufficient martial force to guarantee personal safety, one still largely relied on individual combat strength on many occasions.

Thus, the Martial Cultivation Pavilion did not forbid students from other departments to audit classes there. However, Zhuo Zhengyang had only one rule: everyone must arrive on time. If you were late, you didn't need to attend the lecture at all that day.

The main hall of the Martial Cultivation Pavilion was exceptionally spacious, and the over one thousand students seated within still felt not the slightest bit crowded. Zhuo Zhengyang stood on the central podium, currently explaining the control of combat rhythm, his slightly raspy voice carried into the ears of every student present through the infusion of spiritual power.

Although everyone held a certain amount of awe toward him, they still listened with utmost concentration as he explained his combat experience. Nearly every student present shared a single consensus in their hearts: although this Instructor Zhuo had a rather foul temper, one could genuinely learn a vast amount from his lectures.

"Report!" A sound that should never have been made instantly shattered the rhythm of Zhuo Zhengyang's lecture.

Halfway through his sentence, he was interrupted by the sudden noise. Zhuo Zhengyang's entire face darkened, and he roared furiously, "Do you not know my rules?"

At that moment, all the students present turned their gazes toward the entrance, eager to see which fool had the audacity to challenge Instructor Zhuo's authority. The last fellow who arrived late and shouted "report" was rumored to still be bedridden!