Chapter 101: Chapter 93 Shadow of the Demon (Extra)_2
“Oh, don’t worry, I know my stuff.” Tian Xuechuan said, “I do practice daily, so I won’t hold back the juniors when the time comes.”
After placing his backpack in the team’s classroom, Chen Xing said, “I’ll step out for a bit and come back to find you later.”
Watching Chen Xing’s retreating figure, Tian Xuechuan wondered, “What is Junior Chen doing? We don’t have classes today because of the monthly test.”
“I don’t know.”
Tong Xuhua shook his head.
Tian Xuechuan suddenly speculated, “Do you think he’s in love?”
“Others aren’t like you.” Tong Xuhua looked at him disdainfully, “Others aren’t like you, a big flatterer. Junior Chen looks like someone who is destined for greater things.”
Single-mindedly focused, dedicated purely to Beast Taming.
He arrived at the principal’s office.
By now, the principal had arrived.
“How has the Beast Taming training been going recently? Have you encountered any difficulties?” Principal Xue asked with concern.
“No difficulties, everything is going smoothly.” Chen Xing shook his head in response, his heart filled with gratitude for the principal’s help, “I must also thank you for your assistance.”
Principal Xue nodded with a smile, indicating for Chen Xing to continue.
Chen Xing hesitated for a moment before finally revealing the purpose of his visit, “Principal, there’s something I want to tell you. I would like to apply to take this year’s college entrance examination.”
Principal Xue didn’t show a surprised expression. Instead, he calmly took a sip of tea and said with a smile, “I thought you were going to keep it a secret. I’ve known for a while, and your mentor has also contacted me.
To be honest, I didn’t expect that you would manage to find a mentor from Jiuzhou University. You are truly a remarkable young man.”
Chen Xing scratched his head in embarrassment, not expecting the principal to have already known about his plans.
He explained, “Actually, I only recently finalized this thought and felt I should discuss it with you in advance.”
“That’s wonderful!” Principal Xue slapped his thigh, “You are promising, young man, I support you. The college entrance exam is an important step in life. Staying in high school for too long is indeed a waste of your Beast Taming talent. Your readiness to prepare early shows foresight. Go ahead with the exam; I’ll make sure everything is arranged here at the school.”
Hearing the principal’s words, Chen Xing felt touched.
He knew that his ability to reach this point today had been critically aided by Principal Xue.
Whether it was his first pot of gold or meeting the esteemed old Qiu through Principal Xue and then through old Qiu’s network, meeting Instructor Han.
Chen Xing silently resolved to achieve good results in the college examination.
“I met my mentor recently, through old Qiu.”
Chen Xing replied.
“I know. Normally, after three years you would’ve effortlessly gone to Jiuzhou University for the college entrance exam, and finding a mentor with your talent wouldn’t be hard.”
“But finding a mentor early is also a good thing. Do you know why most top-ranked students in university often come from well-connected families?”
“Because they planned their Beast Taming growth path in advance?” Chen Xing pondered and answered.
Principal Xue looked at Chen Xing appreciatively, “Exactly.”
He became a bit reflective, “Choosing the wrong path can mean having to spend a lot more time and energy to correct it, or even needing to start over.
The simplest example is skill combinations; wouldn’t many commoner students want to choose a more Perfect skill set?
They don’t have money or resources, so they can only choose the skill combination that suits their current phase.
But at the university level, they gain access to more resources, which provides them the opportunity to rethink their choices. However, retraining skills takes time, and retraining the habits of Beast Skill release takes time as well.”
“This is something your mentor sent for you.”
Chen Xing saw a black suitcase with a combination lock in the corner.
“Come, have a chat with me for a while.” Principal Xue poured Chen Xing a cup of tea.
Chen Xing sat down, expecting the principal to talk about school-related matters, but he didn’t mention them at all.
Instead, he talked about his stories from when he was in the military.
Only then did Chen Xing realize that Principal Xue, like Coach Kuang, had transitioned from the military to a civilian role.
“Um… Principal, I heard that you once wrote an essay that won an award?”
Principal Xue said with a smile, “Yes, I wrote about my commanding officer father and won a second prize.”
He continued, “Unfortunately, the story was made up; the commanding officer in it wasn’t my father.”
Chen Xing suddenly realized it was just a rumor, and indeed rumors are fearsome.
Xue Jinbao sipped his tea, spat out the tea leaves, and continued, “That instructor was a subordinate of my father.”
“…”
Principal, there’s really no need to craft such a lofty image in front of a junior like me.
Seeing the wonderful change in Chen Xing’s expression, Xue Jinbao couldn’t help but laugh and remarked, “Actually, my father died forty years ago. He was an instructor at the time of his death, right before I wrote that essay. His position probably influenced my decision to join the military.”
Noticing the atmosphere turning a bit somber, Xue Jinbao changed the topic.
“I used to be a professional Water Element Beast Tamer. Do you see it?”
Xue Jinbao, pointing at the turtle in the room with excited eyes, boasted, “Back in the day, I rode it through the enemy ranks, in and out seven times, turning the tide of battle.”
Chen Xing turned around and looked at the old turtle lounging like a mascot in the rockery fountain.
[Species] Mountain-moving Dragon Tortoise
[Attribute] Water
[State] Decrepit, Weakened (Significant life force depletion)
[Power Level] 100+
[Energy Level Limit] 100+
“Don’t let its current elderly and feeble appearance fool you; it was quite formidable in its youth,” Xue Jinbao reflected.
“I believe it,” Chen Xing earnestly said.
Principal Xue stunned for a moment, then burst into hearty laughter. “You young man, know how to flatter.”
Getting into high spirits, Principal Xue said, “Come, I am a Water Element Beast Tamer too. I’ll tell you about how to deal with enemies of different attributes. Our beasts are both amphibious, so there are some areas where we can relate.”
Principal Xue spoke incessantly, looking like he hadn’t discussed Beast Taming combat for quite a while.
In the middle of this, the sophomore grade leader, He Qiang, came to report on work and peered through the crack of the door, seeing the enthusiastic principal and Chen Xing sitting opposite him.
Director He was secretly terrified and dared not interrupt.
He quietly retreated.
It wasn’t until almost noon that he came to knock on the door. “Principal, the sophomore competition is almost over, what do you think?” Director He appeared at the door.
Xue Jinbao, reluctant to end the conversation, smacked his lips, took a sip of tea, then turned to Chen Xing and said, “The final is about to end; you should show your face there.”
Chen Xing was taken aback. If he hadn’t misheard, the teacher just mentioned sophomores, right?
“It’s the sophomore competition, what, you want to bully the freshmen too? That would be like using a cannon to kill a mosquito,” Xue Jinbao said as he picked up his tea cup for a sip. “I told him to inform you about participating in the monthly exam, but didn’t specify which grade’s exam it was. Maybe Teacher Lu conveyed it wrong?”
“It just so happens that Teacher Kuang mentioned that Tian Xuechuan has been somewhat lax recently. You should go and properly supervise him,” Principal Xue said, emphasizing the word ‘supervise’ heavily.
Chen Xing took a long time to respond with one word, “Okay.”
He had thought it was the freshmen, but to his surprise, it was actually the sophomore competition.
It’s your games that are tricky.
Thinking of Taotie’s skill that had just awakened yesterday.
Chen Xing silently mourned for Tian Xuechuan for two seconds in his heart: Senior, you can only blame the principal.
“Don’t worry, if you win this time, your reward for the monthly exam will be given according to the standards of a sophomore champion. If you have the strength to win the senior monthly exam later, the reward will be doubled according to the senior champion standard,” Principal Xue promised generously.
Xue Jinbao drew a big pie for Chen Xing.
Rationally, he did not believe Chen Xing could win the senior monthly exam champion.
It wasn’t because this team from Shu State only made it to the quarterfinals in the competition; it was due to their overall lack of strength.
Considering individual strength, Wen Jin’s capacity was certainly above the standard.
Even at top schools in Shu State like Tianwu High School and Azure Dragon Seventh School, his level was definitely stronger.
But emotionally, his words carried a kind of hope, just in case it really happened.
Then their Azure Dragon Eighth School, no, the entire Shu State would have produced a dragon!