A pair of solemn eyes gazed out toward the distant training grounds.
From the third-story window, an academy elder stood silently, observing everything that had unfolded in the arena.
His brow furrowed deeply. He hadn't expected Fang Yuan to dominate so fiercely on the stage and completely defeat the entire class in a one-sided sweep.
"This lad… he's quite hard to pin down. Not only is he well-versed in the academy's rules, but he's also a natural in combat. Perhaps he really is a once-in-a-generation talent. It's just unfortunate that he's only a C-grade. Even though he sleeps in class, the moment he's asked a question, he answers flawlessly—leaving no openings for others to criticize. Finding a weakness to suppress his growing dominance… that's going to be difficult."
The academy elder couldn't help but feel a faint sense of loathing toward Fang Yuan.
As a teacher, he naturally favored students who were obedient and intelligent, and disliked those who defied the rules or acted out.
But with so many years of experience behind him, he had encountered all kinds of students—those who followed every instruction without question, and others who constantly stirred up trouble.
His heart had long since become calm and impartial, like still water. He had even carved the phrase 'A teacher must treat all students fairly' into the corner of his desk, treating it as a lifelong motto.
Yet now, for the first time, he felt genuine disgust toward a student.
Sensing this deep unease, the academy elder was taken aback. In the past, no matter how unruly a student was, he could always deal with them with tolerance and patience. But why did his fairness falter when it came to Fang Yuan?
After thinking it over carefully, he finally understood why.
This boy—Fang Yuan—carried a kind of arrogance in his very bones.
It was clear from the start that Fang Yuan didn't hold any real respect for his teachers. Earlier, he had not only ignored the martial instructor's authority, but had even dared to speak back to him in public.
Of course, incidents like that weren't uncommon over the years. Students had challenged authority before—but they were always emotional: angry, rebellious, or frustrated.
The elder understood well that when youths acted out emotionally, it was often rooted in fear. The more they raged, the more it showed how insecure they truly were.
But Fang Yuan was different.
He showed no fear at all—as if he had already seen through everything the academy had to offer.
His face remained cold and indifferent, and even after stepping down from the stage, he didn't show the slightest change in expression. It was as if what he had done—openly defying his teacher—meant nothing.
Yes, he had treated disobedience like it was insignificant.
Simply put—
He wasn't afraid.
And it was that very fearlessness that made the academy elder uncomfortable—breeding a growing sense of aversion.
He could easily tolerate a student more rebellious than Fang Yuan, even one ten times more troublesome. That was because those students still had fear in their hearts; their misbehavior stemmed from emotion.
As long as there was fear, as long as they were impulsive, they could be guided—or controlled.
But Fang Yuan?
He was calm. Detached. And utterly disrespectful.
He lacked reverence.
And a person who has no respect for the clan—no matter how gifted—can never be truly useful to it, no matter how much they are nurtured.
"Once they appear, this sort of person, they have to be suppressed, they must be suppressed! Otherwise, his existence will create a sense of irresistibility in the students. In the long run, it will affect the others, causing them to lose their reverence for their teachers, and as the academy, how else are we going to manage the students?"
The academy elder narrowed his eyes, quietly coming to a decision.
But almost immediately, a troubled look crossed his face.
How exactly was he supposed to deal with Fang Yuan?
Fang Yuan hadn't broken any rules—there was no clear flaw to exploit.
His shrewd and composed demeanor left the elder feeling powerless. In all his years, he had never encountered a student so well-versed in the academy's rules and regulations.
As the academy elder, he prided himself on being fair and just. He couldn't stoop to the level of some petty thug, picking fights with a younger student just out of frustration.
He had initially pinned his hopes on the martial instructor to handle the matter, but now he felt thoroughly let down.
"It seems that to suppress Fang Yuan's domination, we can only wait until all the other students advance to Rank one middle stage."
A Gu Master's advancement depends heavily on their innate talent.
With his wealth of experience, the academy elder had already made mental calculations. In his eyes, the ones with the highest chance of advancing first were Gu Yue Fang Zheng, Chi Chen, and Mo Bei.
Among them, Fang Zheng was A-grade, while Chi Chen and Mo Bei were both B-grade. Backed by their elders and with no shortage of primeval stones, they had every resource at their disposal.
Given their talent and support, any one of the three was most likely to be the first to reach Rank One, middle stage.
"Gu Yue Fang Zheng, Chi Chen and Mo Bei, these three are our hopeful seeds this season." The academy elder looked at the arena and sighed.
With his seasoned eyes, the academy elder could see it clearly—though the students appeared to be standing around casually, they had already divided themselves into three distinct groups.
One group gathered around Gu Yue Chi Chen, surrounded by clansmen of similar age, chatting and sticking close to him.
Another group had Gu Yue Fang Zheng at its center, quietly supported by members of the clan leader's faction. It was clear they were backing this promising A-grade talent.
The final group formed around Gu Yue Mo Bei, who had already recovered from his internal injuries. Though his face was still pale, he stood upright in the arena, answering concerned questions from the classmates gathered around him.
"This is the meaning of letting them compete with each other." Seeing the three factions, the academy elder was overjoyed and laughed.
Allowing the students to compete freely wasn't just about sharpening their combat instincts—it was also a way to identify potential leaders early on.
In previous years, such cliques wouldn't form until the end of the term. But this time, due to Fang Yuan's unexpected rise and his aggressive tactics, those divisions had surfaced much sooner.
When it came to facing Fang Yuan, only three dared to step up—Fang Zheng, Mo Bei, and Chi Chen.
Over time, and through subtle influence, the rest of the students had begun to naturally view these three as their respective group leaders.
Barring any unexpected developments, these social circles would eventually evolve into the factions that shaped the clan's future leadership.
"But these factions are still not stable. Within them, there are still students moving around. Once the three take the lead and advance to the middle stage first, I will give them the positions of class chairman and vice chairman. With that differentiation, they would gain authority, and this will strengthen their social circles," the academy elder thought.
Naturally, there was one student who didn't belong to any of the factions.
That person was Fang Yuan.
It was only natural for people to gravitate toward the strong. In fact, despite Fang Yuan's harsh behavior and his history of extorting classmates, there were still students who tried to align themselves with him.
But Fang Yuan turned them all away. In his eyes, only those with value were worth keeping around—anyone else was just dead weight.
This was yet another reason the academy elder resented him. Fang Yuan was too withdrawn, unwilling to blend into the group.
People like him—those who resisted integration—were far harder for the clan to control.
Once again, the academy elder's gaze turned sharply toward Fang Yuan, still standing in the arena.
Fang Yuan lay in a corner with his eyes closed, appearing almost asleep.
The space around him was empty—none of the other students dared to come near.
It was just as clear that he had no desire for their company either.
He stood alone, surrounded by solitude.
Detached from all the factions, Fang Yuan remained an outsider.
"But I don't have to be too worried. This Fang Yuan is still young and can be changed slowly." The academy elder's gaze shone and he thought deeply.
"Next up will be the establishment of the class chairman and vice chairman. A year later, we will split into groups, creating team leaders and assistant leaders. Every academic year also has all sorts of honor and rewards, like the Small Redflower Award, Blue Neckcloth Prize and Five Outstanding Student Prize. He wants to cultivate so he needs resources, thus he has to compete for these positions and prizes. As time passes, with interaction among the students, he is bound to have kinship, friendship and love as his restraints. I don't have to worry about him going beyond the clan's control."
Over the years, the academy elder had gradually come to a realization.
From the moment a new clan member was born, they were subtly indoctrinated by the clan.
First, they were taught the clan's core values. Then came moral education—lessons on the importance of kinship, friendship, and love.
Following that, they were introduced to the concept of honor. As they grew older, the clan used various rewards and incentives to attract them. Through assigned positions and responsibilities, the most loyal individuals were drawn into factional roles.
Don't underestimate seemingly minor titles like chairman or vice-chairman—once someone accepted such a role, they became a cog in the clan's machinery.
Under this system of continuous influence, power and authority acted as both a lure and a chain. On one side, it offered sweet benefits; on the other, it created dependence. With both the carrot and the stick at play, who could truly escape it?
Even the most rebellious, the loneliest individuals would, over time, be absorbed into the family structure.
Someone born without loyalty would eventually be shaped into a loyal subject. Even those lacking kinship, friendship, or love would be molded to feel and value them.
Such was the strength of the system.
Such was the power of rules.
This was how the clan ensured its survival.