"A-Cheng... what happened to you?"
Inside the dormitory, Ning Cong looked at Lu Cheng with a dazed expression; the latter had two panda eyes and was yawning incessantly.
"It's nothing. Sister Xiao Tao from the Inner Court asked me to help her cultivate. My Sun Fire is effective in helping her martial soul evolve and cultivate.
After hesitating for a moment, Ning Cong spoke seriously, "A-Cheng, for people our age, it's better to focus on cultivating and developing properly. If you start 'driving a big car' too early—especially one you can't handle—I'm afraid it will severely damage your foundation."
Lu Cheng: "..."
What the hell are you talking about, you bastard!
What do you mean by 'driving'? …?
However, his mind subconsciously recalled the scenes of them practicing together. In the bathroom, amidst an ambiguous and tangled atmosphere, Ma Xiaotao seemed desperate to make up for everything she had lost to Zhang Lexuan back then, leaving Lu Cheng utterly exhausted.
That ripe, peach-like body was indeed a bit...
Cough, cough, cough.
Lu Cheng's face flushed. "No, there's really nothing going on."
"Sigh." Ning Cong shook his head.
His gaze became increasingly determined. He hadn't expected Yan Shaozhe to be willing to send such a lethal weapon to seduce Lu Cheng. He had miscalculated; he originally thought Shrek didn't value Lu Cheng much, but now...
He had to send another letter to his family to hurry them up.
If a political marriage was truly to be settled, it had to be done quickly.
Or... he could start from other aspects. Providing coal in winter is far more effective than adding flowers to a bouquet.
The subsequent matches were smooth sailing.
After Lu Cheng defeated Yu Linglong's team, there was no more suspense in this New Student Assessment. Lu Cheng's team successfully swept through all opponents and took the top spot in the knockout stage.
On the academy square.
Many new student disciples stood in place, their gazes either fervent or filled with emotion as they watched the scene on the stage.
Four teams were the winners of this assessment.
And the three at the very front were even more dazzling.
At the most high-spirited time of youth, under the gaze of nearly five hundred pairs of eyes, Du Weilun walked onto the stage with a smile, his hands behind his back.
However, what made Lu Cheng feel uneasy was that the old man's smile wasn't quite right... it seemed a bit forced. What did that mean?
"Today we gather here to witness the birth of a new generation of Shrek's strength. Just like the ancient golden tree, the will of Shrek Academy is endless..."
Following a formulaic opening, Du Weilun cleared his throat and began to announce the rewards.
"Fourth place, Zhang Bailin's team. All members receive core disciple status, along with three coiling dragon fruits..."
"Third place..."
"Second place, Yu Linglong's team. All members receive Core disciple status, along with one immortal sinking grass and three coiling dragon fruits, and the academy will help them obtain the most suitable next Soul Ring in the future."
"First place, Lu Cheng's team. All members receive Core disciple status, three coiling dragon fruits, and two immortal sinking grasses, and the academy will help them obtain the most suitable Soul Ring in the future..."
"Everyone, let's have a round of applause."
Du Weilun was the first to clap, his eyes crinkling with a smile.
And many new student disciples also clapped with dazed expressions.
Was this right?
Ning Cong was stunned. He knew Shrek Academy was stingy, but he never imagined they would be this stingy...
Why did new student disciples fight so hard for the championship in previous years? It wasn't just for the status and reputation but also for the tangible rewards. In the past, the champion's rewards were at least a street ahead of the runner-up's. Even if they didn't give out thousand-year or ten thousand-year spirit bones, still...
Now, not only did these so-called rewards seem incredibly stingy, but they were only one immortal sinking grass more than the second place.
Even if you sold that thing on the black market, he could get it for just over two thousand gold coins. The total rewards for the entire championship team didn't even amount to twenty thousand gold coins.
Don't tell me the most valuable thing here is your core disciple status?!!
They really don't treat Outer Academy disciples like human beings.
The wealthy Ning Cong's face darkened. Was this really not intentional targeting? Who are you insulting by giving this stuff as rewards?!!
"Following the unanimous decision of the Martial Soul Department's senior management, Shrek Academy disciples need to undergo tempering. This tempering is to 'bitter their minds and toil their bones.' You kids today are too impetuous. Back when I joined Shrek Academy to Cultivate, the environment was incredibly harsh... hundreds of people fighting over one toilet. You have it much better; you only have to fight for one toilet per floor. Back then, the cultivation resources were even more... cough, cough." Seeing the confusion of Ning Cong and many other new student disciples, Du Weilun coughed twice and spoke with some displeasure.
He naturally knew this was a slight to geniuses like Lu Cheng.
But Shrek Academy never lacked monsters!
This name was a gold-standard brand. As long as Shrek Academy stood there, it would attract a continuous stream of geniuses. Cycle after cycle, it remained the number one academy on the continent.
This was why every Shrek person looked down on others.
Are we missing one Genius like you? Do you really think you're someone special?
Of course, he was referring to Ning Cong. The other's darkened face made him feel somewhat offended... even though his own confidence was a bit lacking.
As for Lu Cheng, he still hoped the boy could understand the Dean's painstaking efforts. Giving spirit bones and such in the early stages would easily raise the child's threshold, leading to inevitably higher demands on Shrek Academy in the late stage. It had to be done step by step to ensure a higher degree of loyalty to Shrek Academy.
"We..." Ning Cong's face was dark as he prepared to speak.
But he was stopped by Lu Cheng.
"Thank you for your kindness, Dean. We accept these resources." Lu Cheng looked up, his face full of a brilliant smile.
It's fine. Now he could see everything clearly.
These guys really weren't treating him like a person. In the original story, the duo of Huo Yuhao and Wang Donger were given two spirit bones, but now they were giving him this scrap metal and calling it "tempering his heart-nature"?
Does it mean being a dog for Shrek Academy and having to be grateful for it?
But it's fine.
The more brilliant Lu Cheng's smile was, the more disappointed he became with Shrek Academy.
Yan Shaozhe... truly narrow-minded and short-sighted.
If someone like this can be Dean, it's no wonder the Martial Soul Department declined in the original story.
But it's fine. You train your dogs. When I'm discovered by the Body Sect and leave, don't talk to me about righteousness anymore.
"Hahaha, look at this child's high level of awareness." Du Weilun was overjoyed.
It has to be Dean Yan.
I was worried the boy would feel dissatisfied, but I didn't expect everything to be within Dean Yan's plan.
After all... previously, Dean Yan had been hesitant even about the core disciple status, unwilling to give it to Lu Cheng. He intended to first give him a "probationary core disciple" status, but he was sternly overruled by Vice Dean Cai Meier.
"A-Cheng, why did you stop me?" Ning Cong frowned slightly.
"This is clearly targeting us. If Shrek Academy can't afford to hold this, then don't. When my Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School holds a small internal competition, the rewards are far more generous than this. I don't want his pittance; isn't this an insult to me?"
Notes:
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