Li Luo looked at the middle-aged man nervously, feeling somehow more naked than if he had taken off all his clothes.
The man laughed warmly at his discomfort. "Li Luo... I am Pang Qianyuan, the principal of the Astral Sage College."
Li Luo blinked, noting his name.
"Principal, Sir, we hear so much about you in school, and now I can see that you live up to every inch of your god-like reputation." Li Luo didn't know how he should treat this person, who was way beyond him in both status and power.
"Oh? I've not even been around the school in many years. Surely not many have actually seen me,"
Damn, called out for his empty flattery.
"What a sweet mouth you have there, lad. No one really called me god-like back then. God-damned, more like."
Li Luo frowned. "Surely they were jealous of your accomplishments. Don't take it to heart, Sir. Perhaps you should pay them a visit after a few years."
Pang Qianyuan nodded. "That person's name is Li Taixuan."
Pang Qianyuan nodded.
Li Luo gaped like a goldfish. "Er- he... well. Brave, er, blunt man, my father."
Who knew his father was so ballsy? Calling a King expert god-damned? He must have really not loved life.
"Li Taixuan... He came from beyond, so naturally he's a wild dragon." Pang Qianyuan laughed.
Li Luo laughed along politely. His father was only a Duke. Perhaps more a worm than a dragon compared to this King.
His thoughts were written too clearly on his face. "King is higher than what your father was," Pang Qianyuan said, "but he didn't come from weak stock either."
Li Luo started. "Surely not stock superior to the Academic Federation?"
"Hmm, the Academic Federation is indeed one of the strongest factions in this world... but it is not invincible. There are a few powers that can equal it in this world."
Li Luo's mind reeled from this information. He had just learned not long ago that the Academic Federation was the great institution protecting their world. There were others who were equally strong?
He hesitated. "And my father came from one of those families?"
Pang Qianyuan fell silent for a moment. "I guess your parents really didn't tell you anything."
"Haha, maybe I was picked up from the garbage dump."
Pang Qianyuan shook his head. "Well, if they didn't say anything, it's not my place to tell you. Perhaps you will learn it all in good time. All I can say is..."
He paused to choose his words carefully. "Heavenly King Li's bloodline runs deeper than you can imagine."
Heavenly King Li? What on earth was that? Was he referring to where his father currently was? And what was a Heavenly King?
Li Luo had never heard of it before.
"The world is wider than you can imagine, sonny. The limit of your horizons here in the Xia Kingdom are paltry in the view of the divine continent, which is, again, minuscule to the world. In fact, our divine continent is known as the outer divine continent. You can imagine how disdained we are."
Outer divine continent... Did that mean that there was an inner divine continent, then? More and more new information.
The principal had given him a lot of information to think on. Who was his father, really?
And why would he have come to the supposedly rural and backward outer divine continent?
His parents had clearly kept all this information from him.
He did not know why, but surely they had good reasons. Perhaps the information did not benefit him at all.
Li Luo's mind was racing with new possibilities and thoughts, but he managed to put them aside for the moment. None of it would be relevant if he was dead, which might well happen soon if he didn't execute a brilliant plan regarding the spirit beast.
"Principal, you know why I'm here, right?" Li Luo got straight to the point.
Pang Qianyuan nodded.
"A Heavenly Disaster Class slipped out, eh? Quite a disaster for the outer periphery indeed."
"Can you help?" Li Luo asked hopefully.
If Pang Qianyuan, with all his mysterious powers, could reach out and wipe the Heavenly Disaster Class Other away, they would all be saved without any trouble.
"This form is only a fragment of my will. My real body is in the deepest part of the Umbra Cave, fighting some truly terrifying abominations. If my real body were here, it would probably far exceed even your imagination."
Li Luo's shoulders slumped.
"I can't solve all your problems, but I know of your plan. Heh. You said your father was ballsy, but you've got a real pair yourself.
"Bait the spirit beast out of the forbidden zone with your own body... That is something most people wouldn't even dream of in a nightmare." Pang Qianyuan chuckled with a gleam of admiration in his eyes.
"I support your plan. I'll remove the seal for you. At the same time, I'll send you a little present as thanks for saving all the students at the purified spot."
Li Luo started, but the man was already fading away.
The mountain wind's howling returned as suddenly as it had disappeared, and life started up all around him again. Pang Qianyuan was gone.
And so was the rock with the seal on it.
Li Luo opened his hand and saw that the word “seal” was now faintly visible on his palm.