The crowd’s hearts trembled, the voice seeming to pierce their very souls!
They turned as one.
Spotting a familiar figure, everyone swiftly rose.
Respectfully, they said, “Dean!”
But it was soon noticed that the person speaking wasn’t Lin Yuansheng!
Lin Yuansheng himself wore a displeased expression, urgently signaling to them.
The crowd then realized that Lin Yuansheng was humbly standing behind an elder dressed in a Tang suit. Usually, Lin Yuansheng stood at the front, with a crowd of people fawning over him.
Even more surprising, standing beside Lin Yuansheng were several familiar faces: Chen Zhanpeng, the president of the Cang Town Beast Tamers Alliance, and Vice Dean Zhou Nanfeng. Several other individuals present were also major figures rarely seen on ordinary days!
The crowd was stunned!
They immediately inferred the identity of the elder in the Tang suit!
“So dense, still standing there…” Lin Yuansheng coughed dryly and introduced, “This is Master Chu Huainan.”
“Chu Huainan!”
Upon hearing the name, the teachers’ hearts were instantly thrown into turmoil!
They knew the Ten Elders would attend the closing ceremony today, but they never imagined that one of the Ten Elders would be Chu Huainan!
Among the Ten Elders, Chu Huainan was the most mysterious. Legend had it that he had served in a clandestine unit of the World Government in his early years. After retiring, he continued to work for the World Government, being the only one of the Ten Elders who had never appeared in professional competitions!
Yet, today, they were seeing him in person!
Lin Song, who had just spoken confidently, criticizing Lu Fei for lacking combat skills, drastically changed his demeanor. A smile of indescribable nature spread across his vulgar face.
As if struck by sudden realization, he slapped his forehead and declared loudly, “Master Chu’s words are profound! So this is the true essence of beast taming!”
The crowd cast him looks of disdain.
Chu Huainan paid them no mind, his gaze fixed on Lin Yuansheng.
He chuckled and asked, “Dean Lin, what score do you think should be given to this student Lu Fei?”
Lin Yuansheng was taken aback. He hadn’t expected someone of Chu Huainan’s stature to pay attention to a student’s score. However, he dared not be negligent. He already knew that Chu Huainan was the provincial inspector sent this time. Any wrong word from him would likely dash the academy’s promotion prospects for the following year.
After careful consideration, he replied cautiously, “Heh, Master Chu, to be frank, this student has recently gained some popularity online. It was he who made me realize the problems in our academy’s teaching, and it was also he who exposed the conflict between nobles and commoners.” He paused.
“If Lu Fei were to receive your personal evaluation, it would surely become a celebrated tale!”
“Oh? What did he do?” Chu Huainan inquired curiously.
Lin Yuansheng recounted the entire incident from beginning to end. As an old fox like him, he knew very well that even if he didn’t mention it, the other party would certainly ask. Speaking proactively versus being asked to speak yielded completely different results.
Of course, he glossed over some of the more egregious details.
Zhou Nanfeng behind him felt as if his bones were being scraped, fidgeting restlessly, accompanied by a sharp pain in his chest. He had spent a hundred million, only to build a positive image for a mere youngster.
He was rather pleased with Lin Yuansheng’s response and slowly said, “In that case, shall I determine the score?”
Everyone perked up their ears, listening intently.
“Then it’s 100 points.”
A voice, neither light nor heavy, echoed in their ears.
It was like a clap of thunder!
…
After a long wait, a crackling sound of static electricity emanated from the broadcast.
The onlookers ceased their discussions, awaiting the broadcast’s announcement of Lu Fei’s final score.
“First Year, Class Two, Lu Fei!”
“His final score is…”
“100 points!”
A perfect score?!
The audience erupted into a cacophony of discussion.
The young man in the suit, seated in the VIP box, suddenly stood up, his fists clenched tightly against the railing.
His companion, sensing his unusual mood, quickly rose and exclaimed indignantly, “Who gave this score! Does our academy still have such unprofessional mentors?!”
He tugged at the young man in the suit. “Let’s go, Brother Lei! We’ll find the Dean directly!”
The young man didn’t respond, standing rooted to the spot, his face ashen.
To be surpassed by such a good-for-nothing who didn’t even have a proper contracted beast was absolutely unacceptable!
A moment later, a sinister smile playing on his lips, he whispered a few words into his companion’s ear. The companion nodded in understanding and headed in Wang Xiaodi’s direction…
Class Two’s lounge.
After a moment of silence, earth-shattering cheers erupted.
It seemed they had forgotten their bet with Lu Fei.
Because of Lu Fei’s outstanding performance, Class Two’s average score had jumped from second to last to a tie for first place with Class Ten!
However, to everyone’s surprise, Ke Xin, who cared most about the outcome of this competition, showed no joy. Instead, her face was etched with worry.
“Lu Fei’s victory feels a bit like a fluke. Someone will definitely come forward to object…” Recalling her own encounter earlier, she couldn’t help but feel a touch of grievance.
“He violated the rules of the beast taming competition! This score cannot count!”
As expected.
A dissenting voice echoed around the beast taming arena.
Wang Xiaodi, who had appeared on the elevated platform at some point, held a megaphone and declared loudly.
“It’s Wang Xiaodi again!” Ke Xin’s face revealed unconcealed disgust, and she inwardly worried for Lu Fei.
The onlookers turned their attention to Wang Xiaodi.
“Although Lu Fei won the match, his methods were despicable and vulgar! I want to ask everyone, from beginning to end, he never even issued a command to his beast. Do you acknowledge his perfect score?! Would you dare tell others that the highest score in this year’s grade competition was achieved through such means?! Don’t you find this shameful?!”
With three consecutive questions, the onlookers began to murmur amongst themselves.
Wang Xiaodi was pleased with their reaction, a faint smile gracing his lips. He looked at Lu Fei, “Student Lu Fei! Can you take this score with peace of mind?! Don’t you feel ashamed?!”
First, he amplified the points of contention in the onlookers’ minds, then he accused the other party from a moral high ground, causing them to fall into self-blame and existential doubt. This was a common tactic of Yin-Yang Masters.
Wang Xiaodi believed that changing the scores already finalized by the academy’s mentors was unscientific. However, this action was certain to shatter the psychological defenses of this commoner bumpkin, prompting him to voluntarily forfeit this score!
Hearing this.
Ke Xin, in the lounge, felt her heart lurch. She had been rendered speechless and had fled in disarray under similar pressure just moments ago.
If she couldn’t handle it, how could Lu Fei?
In the center of the beast taming arena.
Lu Fei gritted his teeth, maintaining a facade of confused inquiry, as if to say, “Who the heck is this?…”
The onlookers turned to him, their expressions varied.
In their view, Lu Fei’s victory, given the immense disparity in his contracted beast’s combat power, was admirable in its outcome. However, most people did not endorse a perfect score achieved through such beast taming methods.
Now that someone had stepped forward to question it, they were curious to see what further drama would unfold. After all, spectators never minded a bit of excitement.
On the rostrum, Dean Lin Yuansheng’s expression was so grim it looked like it could drip water.
He strode towards the rostrum, about to raise his microphone to stop this farce, but was intercepted by Chu Huainan.
“Progress comes from debate. Dean Lin needn’t stop these students,” Chu Huainan said with a smile, his hands clasped behind his back.
He watched the unfolding situation in the arena intently. He was very curious how Lu Fei would handle the current predicament. He always felt that this young man was not ordinary, and he sensed a faint, elusive sense of mystery about him.
As he stood in a daze.
In the arena, a friendly inquiry was heard.
“Who the hell are you?”