"You're saying that this time, when Fang Yuan extorted the students, even though he defeated Fang Zheng, Chicheng, and Mobei — all three of them — he let them go without taking their Yuan Stones?" Upon hearing the guard's report, the Academy Elder displayed a faint look of surprise.
"I wouldn't dare deceive you, sir. That is indeed what happened." The guard kneeling on the ground answered immediately.
"Mm." The Academy Elder was noncommittal. He waved his hand. "I've noted this matter. You may leave."
"This subordinate takes his leave."
Once the guard had gone, the Academy Elder sank into deep thought.
The reason he had been paying attention to this matter was his concern that Fang Zheng had won a reward of thirty Yuan Stones, only for Fang Yuan to extort them away. If that happened, the Academy's Yuan Stone rewards would be completely meaningless — might as well hand them all to Fang Yuan directly.
If Fang Yuan really did something like that, the Academy would absolutely not allow it. The Academy Elder had already prepared to punish Fang Yuan severely.
But what he hadn't expected was that this time, Fang Yuan not only hadn't set his sights on those thirty Yuan Stones, he had even voluntarily spared Mobei, Chicheng, and Fang Zheng.
"Fang Yuan has several hundred Yuan Stones on him — perhaps he doesn't care about a mere thirty. That's understandable. But voluntarily giving up the chance to extort Mobei, Chicheng, and Fang Zheng — what's the reasoning behind that?"
The Academy Elder pondered, and his furrowed brow gradually smoothed out.
He was beginning to understand.
Mobei, Chicheng, and Fang Zheng — these three represented the three great factions within the clan. By sparing them, Fang Yuan's intentions spoke for themselves: he was proactively showing goodwill toward all three factions. This could also be interpreted as a shift in Fang Yuan's mindset — a signal that he was willing to bow his head to the clan.
"It makes sense. Through his continuous cultivation, even with the Wine Worm, Fang Yuan has been made all the more keenly aware of the shortcomings of his Grade C Aptitude. After acting out several times before and venting most of his resentment and frustration, he's probably feeling quite dispirited and dejected by now."
"It seems the clan head's words do hold some truth. After all, Fang Yuan is only a fifteen-year-old youth — how could he hope to overturn the clan's system? He's already beginning to accept reality in a preliminary way, and once he finds his proper place, integrating into the clan is simply inevitable."
At this thought, the Academy Elder let out a relieved breath, his mood lifting considerably.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
The Mid-year Exam arrived swiftly.
"Hurry, hurry, hurry! I've lured the wild boar over here!" a youth shouted frantically as he sprinted at full speed.
Around each of his lower calves, a ring of pale green wind spiraled. These two rings of wind granted him, at such a young age, a speed that exceeded that of ordinary mortals.
However, the wild boar charging after him was growing faster and faster, the distance between them shrinking with each passing moment.
The blazing sun pierced through the forest canopy and fell upon the wild boar, glinting off its two tusks until they shone like polished silver.
"The boar's coming! Pull the rope tight!" Four youths lying in ambush suddenly yanked up a thick hemp rope hidden in the grass, instantly forming a trip line.
The sprinting youth gave a light leap, sailed over the trip line, and continued his wild dash forward.
But the boar that followed was tripped solidly, slamming into the ground and skidding five or six meters.
"Ouch!" The four ambush youths were dragged along by the rope and tumbled to the ground just like the boar.
"Get it!" The youth who had been sprinting ahead had already circled back, shouting.
The ones on the ground scrambled to their feet in a flurry and moved to surround the wild boar.
……
Crack.
A small sapling, struck by the boar's charge, snapped clean at the trunk, its crown toppling to the ground.
"That was close!" Gu Yue Chicheng wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, his heart still racing. "Good thing I reacted in time and used the Dragon Pill Cricket Gu to leap three meters to the left. Otherwise, that little tree would have been me."
……
Shhh! Shhh! Shhh!
The Moon Blade danced through the air, striking the wild boar's body one after another, leaving behind slender wound after slender wound.
Gu Yue Mochen's expression was one of intense excitement, his eyes blazing with focus. His entire mind was immersed in the battle.
Half an hour later, the wild boar finally collapsed from excessive blood loss.
Gu Yue Mochen gasped for breath and plopped down onto the ground as well, his whole body caked in dirt and bits of green grass, drenched in sweat.
"Fighting a living wild boar is completely different from sparring against Wooden Man Puppets and Straw Man Puppets. It took me half an hour to kill just one boar — I wonder how everyone else is doing?"
……
On a secluded little hilltop, a temporary shelter had been erected. Its roof braved the fierce glare of the sun, stubbornly casting a patch of cool shade beneath it.
Under the shelter sat several chairs, and the Academy Elder occupied the seat of honor. Around him sat other Elders as well. Several Gu Masters stood behind them.
Hidden among the trees surrounding the shelter, more Gu Masters lay in wait.