Ahead, a pleasure boat shot toward them like an arrow released from a bow.
"At your own convenience?"
Lin Chen’s eyes narrowed, and after alerting the boatman, he was fully on guard.
Ten zhang, five zhang, three zhang...
As the opposing boat was only a zhang away, just when Lin Chen was contemplating whether to strike first, the pleasure boat suddenly ca to a stop.
On the two-story boat, two young n appeared on the deck.
"Are you Lin Chen?"
Upon hearing the inquiry, Lin Chen frowned, but he did not deny it. It was futile to deny since the other party was able to stop his boat with precision.
"That would be . May I ask why you are stopping my boat?"
"Haha, we are from Qingyun Martial Arts Academy. This ti, we were ordered to deliver a Martial Arts Academy enrollnt letter to you. You are eligible to join our Qingyun Martial Arts Academy, and with this letter, you can report to the Qingyun Academy."
People from Qingyun Martial Arts Academy?
Lin Chen did not expect to encounter people from Qingyun Martial Arts Academy here.
Even if Qingyun Martial Arts Academy wanted to recruit him, they shouldn’t stop him midway; such behavior is rather impolite.
"Lin Chen, haven’t you heard of our Qingyun Martial Arts Academy?"
Seeing Lin Chen remain silent, the two young n on the opposite boat showed expressions of surprise.
"I’ve naturally heard of the Qingyun Martial Arts Academy. However, what about this enrollnt letter?"
"Once you’ve accepted the enrollnt letter, you are considered a disciple of our Qingyun Martial Arts Academy. To have our Academy personally deliver you an enrollnt letter, Lin Chen, you’re the first in Jiangnan Dao in five years. Our Qingyun Academy couldn’t be more sincere."
The young man on the left displayed an unmistakably arrogant deanor in his words.
Forget their sincerity.
Lin Chen internally mocked. Just sending an enrollnt letter, and that counts as sincerity?
"Thank you for the kindness of Qingyun Martial Arts Academy, but deciding on which academy to attend, I need to discuss this with my elders and teacher first. I can’t make a quick decision," Lin Chen replied calmly.
Upon hearing Lin Chen’s answer, the two young n’s expressions darkened. They hadn’t expected Lin Chen to refuse.
"Lin Chen, our Qingyun Academy has only recruited students at the Refining the Viscera level in the past, and wishing to join requires taking an academy test in the Capital City. You are receiving an enrollnt letter without even being at the Refining the Viscera stage, which is an exception."
"Thank you for your academy’s recognition, but I indeed need to consult with my elders on this matter."
Lin Chen’s expression didn’t change. Instructor Jia had said that if an academy ca to recruit him, they’d surely offer appropriate terms. But if Qingyun Academy wanted to bring him in with nothing, what did they take him for?
As for being below the Refining the Viscera stage and receiving an enrollnt letter, that was thanks to his rit on Martial Arts Mountain, not Qingyun Academy’s generosity.
"Lin Chen, if you miss this opportunity, there won’t be another. Don’t ruin your future!"
The young man on the right spoke, his aura locking tightly onto Lin Chen.
"I repeat, deciding on which academy to join needs to be discussed with my elders."
Lin Chen remained unfazed; such pressure wasn’t enough to scare him.
Besides, he didn’t believe these two would dare make a move against him. This was the territory of Raozhou Prefecture; he was an exemplary student of Jiangnan Dao.
"Hmm, let’s hope you don’t regret it!"
The two young n exchanged a glance and said nothing more. The right one stomped the deck, and their boat began to move again, brushing past Lin Chen’s craft, causing waves that nearly capsized it.
"If all students of Qingyun Martial Arts Academy possess such qualities, not attending it wouldn’t be a loss," Lin Chen muttered to himself as he watched the direction of the departing boat.
Observing a small part gives insight into the whole; sotis a student’s behavior reveals a lot about an academy. The impression of Qingyun Academy in Lin Chen’s mind was already negative.
...
...
On a boat several miles away, the two young n exchanged glances and suddenly burst into laughter.
"Junior Brother Xiao, how was my performance?"
"Senior Brother Feng, your portrayal of superiority was splendid. If I were Lin Chen, my impression of Qingyun Academy would indeed be nonexistent."
"Heh, I’m doing this for our academy’s sake. Lin Chen can choose not to join our Capital Martial Academy, but he absolutely can’t join Qingyun Academy."
Feng Jin gritted his teeth. Among the Five Great Martial Arts Academies, apart from the Demon-slaying Academy being more unique, the remaining four, including ours and Qingyun Academy, despised each other from instructors to students.
The reason is simple.
There can’t be two tigers on one mountain.
Both academies residing in the Capital City continuously debate over which is the true premier academy of the capital, leading to countless clashes over the years.
Be it in Qingyun or the Capital Academy, students share a common belief: losing a match to any academy is tolerable, except to Qingyun (Capital Academy).
Defeating any other academy would bring glory to ours, but defeating Qingyun (or Capital Academy) would make one a hero.
"We’ve done what we need to. Whether we can recruit Lin Chen will depend on the instructors’ capabilities. To think he bore my oppressive aura without flinching, indeed worthy of his na on Martial Arts Mountain."
"But if Lin Chen eventually joins our Capital Academy only to find out it was us impersonating Qingyun students, won’t it backfire?"
"Once he’s enrolled, he can’t escape. That’s the instructors’ problem to worry about."
Feng Jin chuckled. After all, he had successfully sared Qingyun Academy in Lin Chen’s mind.
This wasn’t arranged by academy instructors but simply a plan he devised en route through Jiangnan Dao, knowing Lin Chen had made a na for himself on Martial Arts Mountain. Anticipating the instructors’ inevitable approach, he took it upon himself to stage this play.
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