chsdbacks Chapter 84 The Junior Refuses
Chapter 84 The Junior Refuses
After a long while, Liu Erlong let out a long breath, his face showing a 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 Xiao Yu, who was nestled affectionately against his cheek, looking somewhat tired. "Your name is Yan Zu? What... is your martial spirit?"
"Qilin Martial Soul, her name is Xiaoyu." Yan Zu nodded, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth.
"Qilin... Xiaoyu is it..." Liu Erlong repeated in a low voice, his gaze drifting away, as if through Yan Zu and Xiaoyu, he saw the distant past, that man who always carried a hint of inferiority and stubbornness, yet 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 Lan Ba 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 at the lingering reminiscence and complexity in Liu Erlong's eyes, as well as the hint of urgency hidden within them, and 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 spirit—the Qilin—reminded you, Dean, of an old friend, that you decided to take him 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 spirit aura... is very special, reminding me of... a very important person. His martial spirit 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 tinged with displeasure. "You refuse? Do you know how many people in this Heavenly 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 sincerely and purely want to take me as his disciple because he recognizes me as a person—my character, my path, and my potential—rather than treating me as a vessel for some regret, or a shadow and substitute for some deceased person. 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 in front of 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 with a similar aura, to make up for that unforgettable 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 did not get angry in the end.
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 most valuable thing between master and disciple is sincerity and recognition, not 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 Yinshu 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 will 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, it can be adjusted 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 looked 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 leave, Teacher Yinshu 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 Yinshu, they successfully completed their enrollment procedures. The accommodation was excellent, a secluded courtyard called Youzhuxuan. 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.
"Ah 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 Academy! Boss Yan, we've come to the right place this time!"
Yan Zu smiled and looked out the window at the deepening twilight: "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."
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