Chapter 185: Chapter 1.3.5: Cangling Ancient Country’s National Preceptor: Fortune and Misfortune
The Spirit Academy is exactly as described, incredibly open. Ever since the entrance test, only Zhao Li had sought him out once, and no one else had come looking for him.
Zhao Li told him that once the ranking competition starts, Lin Chen would become a hot commodity in the eyes of many.
According to the ranking competition rules, the Spirit Beast levels between challenger and challengee cannot differ by more than two levels.
As for the challenger, they only need to switch to the Spirit Academy interface on the Guild Machine to enter campus mode.
When Lin Chen checked, he indeed found a bunch of people challenging him.
This world, there are always some people who refuse to accept things.
Lin Chen wasn’t in a hurry; in this ranking competition, he only needed to fight once a month, and he could accept it whenever he wanted.
The urgent task was still to explore the resources of the Spirit Academy.
Lin Chen came here not to fight and earn points but to cultivate.
First, Lin Chen arrived at the first stop:
Spirit Spring.
The Little Fox was ecstatic when it heard; it still couldn’t bond with Lin Chen, and the fastest upgrade once was at the Spirit Spring.
"Hello, mentor." Lin Chen went to the Spirit Spring management office, took out a Level 3 Resource Card, and the mentor glanced at it and then at Lin Chen, saying, "Very good, Spirit Ruins Ox, right?"
Apparently, many mentors had noticed Lin Chen reaching the 37th floor.
This was natural.
Students have points assessments, and mentors also have assessments.
According to the Spirit Academy’s rules, if a mentor’s students rank last upon graduation, the mentor might also be demoted.
The Spirit Academy’s system is ruthless, but it effectively eliminates slackers.
"It’s Kui Spirit Ox." Lin Chen felt embarrassed, thinking when the Beast Taming Library could update the records and give him a page of honor.
The mentor didn’t say much more, giving Lin Chen a number plate: Spring 3117.
When Lin Chen brought Xiaobai and the others to the spring, Xiaobai was still inspecting hygiene issues, while the Little Fox eagerly jumped in.
Shortly after, it surfaced, making a gurgling sound.
"Isn’t the effect as good as last time?" Lin Chen was puzzled, it shouldn’t be.
He then asked Xiaobai to try it, and after Niu Niu finally finished inspecting the hygiene, it slowly walked in.
Soon, it also surfaced and made a mooing sound.
It meant it was better than last time.
Lin Chen suddenly understood and said to the Little Fox, "Last time it was at your ancestor’s place, of course, it was more beneficial. This time, you won’t level up as much."
The Little Fox’s smile wasn’t as bright then.
....
Celestial Capital
In the best clinic of the Dubhe Pavilion, many physicians came and went, surrounding a center sickroom bed, where an old man was lying.
His face seemed to be sculpted by time and disaster, full of vicissitudes.
The wrinkles were like cracked earth, profound and heavy, his skin rough like aged bark, losing its luster, marked by the mottling of years.
In his deep-set eye sockets, a pair of eyes were clouded and dim, seemingly only left with endless fatigue and numbness.
Outside the door, a well-dressed middle-aged man stood respectfully, not clear about his thoughts.
Suddenly, the old man spoke, "Everyone, disperse."
The surrounding physicians all looked at the middle-aged man.
The middle-aged man sighed deeply and eventually waved his hand, then the physicians left.
They actually all knew that the old man did not have long to live.
This meant the old man had given up on treatment.
The middle-aged man entered the sickroom and said, "Teacher, renewing another Phoenix Essence Blood might give you a chance at a third life."
"Even the Phoenix Essence Blood can’t surpass the Heavenly Dao’s backlash?" the old man replied.
The middle-aged man remained silent.
If it were any ordinary person speaking of the Heavenly Dao, they would surely be ridiculed.
But not the old man.
His level was barely 60, but the figures of major powers in Celestial Capital had to show him respect.
Simply because of his title:
National Preceptor of Cangling Ancient Country.
Strictly speaking, Cangling Ancient Country isn’t a nation, the Dubhe Pavilion’s role is to consolidate the powers of major factions.
’Pavilion’ suggests a cabinet-like function.
Thus, this country doesn’t have a sovereign.
However, it has a National Preceptor.
The National Preceptor does not require great power, ability to ascend to the heavens, or omniscience. In fact, it doesn’t even require cunning strategy and mastery of manipulation from afar.
The only requirement is:
Fate and destiny.
The old man is the second generation National Preceptor, named Zhong Nan, and the middle-aged man alongside him is his disciple, Zhang Jin.
Despite the old man’s appearance of being worn out, his age was merely around eighty.
In this world of Beastmasters, that was very young...
If you knew the old man’s Spirit Beast, you’d realize how astonishingly young he was.
His Spirit Beast is: Dragon Race.
[Spirit Dragon]
The Spirit Dragon does not belong to a combat race but is born for fate.
Zhong Nan was chosen as the National Preceptor, guiding Cangling Ancient Country. Still, this came at a cost:
Entanglement with misfortune.
In his first life, he lived to a hundred.
With the collective power of Celestial Capital’s factions, they gathered a large amount of Phoenix Essence Blood to assist Zhong Nan into a second life.
This life came twenty years earlier.
Zhong Nan had a premonition his life wouldn’t last much longer.
It’s not just him; Celestial Capital’s factions began preparations for a new National Preceptor.
Now, Celestial Capital’s factions are entrenched, extremely complex, and the crisis isn’t as it once was, so every faction hopes to influence the position of National Preceptor.
Some even proposed having two National Preceptors, or even more.
But only Zhong Nan knew that their candidates were not children of fate, even if some of them had Spirit Dragon contracts.
"I have little time left, no need to further insist on staying alive." Zhong Nan looked at Zhang Jin and said, "Do you blame me for not passing the National Preceptor position to you?"
"Teacher, you said the best National Preceptor is destined by the heavens."
"That’s right," Zhong Nan candidly stated: "You’re excellent, but you’re not suitable for this position."
Zhang Jin remained silent.
This was like someone telling him, you’re excellent, but we’re not right for each other.
"I once believed you were the next child of fate until this Beast Tide happened..."
"The Beast Tide has been dealt with."
"Instinct tells me this is only the beginning." Zhong Nan said, "I am coinciding with an illness, barely surviving, and the country faces such great difficulty, do you really think it’s merely a coincidence?"
"What should I do?" Zhang Jin asked.
"Find the next National Preceptor."
"How to find?"
"They will naturally appear."
"But..." Zhang Jin pondered for several seconds and said, "Given Celestial Capital’s hold by now, how could an outsider possibly enter this scenario?"
"When a road reaches an end, it doesn’t mean there is no way, it’s just been covered since fewer have traveled that path," Zhong Nan remarked: "Cangling Ancient Country’s fate isn’t over, it’s just my fate reaching its end."
Hearing this, a pang struck Zhang Jin’s heart.
Everyone envies the National Preceptor’s esteemed position in Cangling Ancient Country, but no one considered that this position fettered Zhong Nan’s entire life.
...
While Xiaobai and Xiao Hong were taking a soak, Xiao Hei had nothing to do.
Sitting around and lifting weights would disturb Xiaobai’s meditation, so Lin Chen brought it to the Earth Vein.
The Earth Vein’s body infusion was much hotter than the Spirit Spring; upon entering, Lin Chen felt uncomfortable.
"Xiao Hei, want to give it a try?" Lin Chen pointed to the Earth Vein.
Xiao Hei walked to the Earth Vein’s opening, immediately a rush of airflow surged forth, even strong as Xiao Hei, it almost got knocked over.
Lin Chen swallowed, it looked painful.
Yet Xiao Hei happily exclaimed its comfort, standing up and ready to try again.
Lin Chen was embarrassed, but still advised Xiao Hei not to overtrain its physical form.
In the following days, Lin Chen shuttled between two places, both were private "rooms" with senior brothers on duty, ensuring no one intentionally caused trouble.
After five days, Lin Chen switched the Guild Machine to Spirit Academy mode, discovering something strange.
"I remember the first person to challenge me was named Ling Wenle, when did it become Sun Hao?"
Although Lin Chen couldn’t memorize everything, he remembered this name then.
And the names following should not have been Sun Hao either.
The Spirit Academy has a rule; the first challenger each month must be accepted.
So, this isn’t about fighting then deciding not to fight.
Lin Chen also knew, after making a name on the Path to Immortality, many people were preparing to use him as a stepping stone to make a name at the Spirit Academy.
Now, these people automatically canceled their challenges?
"If something is unusual, there must be something strange."
Lin Chen sensed something different.