“A Sword Immortal? Does he even deserve the title?” Professor Yuan scoffed, his voice carrying from afar. He strode forward with a jerky, almost glitching gait, like a high-tier warrior, one moment distant, the next appearing close by. Huang Xiu had grown accustomed to this mode of movement, a likely manifestation of his unique ability.
Cheng Yangping, despite being openly ridiculed, showed no hint of anger. He merely tilted his head, casting a sidelong glance at Professor Yuan, before turning back to Huang Xiu and continuing,
“All Awakened factions within the country are led by the Conquest Bureau. Do you know why? Because merely resisting Void Realm incursions isn’t enough; we must proactively strike out.”
‘Proactively strike out…’ Huang Xiu found herself inexplicably recalling a saying from a great historical figure at that moment. Indeed, taking the initiative was always superior to being passive. If the battlefield could be confined solely to the Void Realm, the harm to ordinary people would be greatly reduced.
Though it was their first meeting, the Conquest Bureau’s philosophy resonated deeply with Huang Xiu, stirring a nascent sense of goodwill within her.
“Why is everyone trying to poach my student? Have you all no shame?” Professor Yuan suddenly flashed forward, shielding Huang Xiu protectively behind him.
“The young lady hasn’t even signed a letter of intent yet, so how can she be called your student? You old scoundrel, you certainly know how to talk a big game.” Qu Zuiliu chuckled softly.
A letter of intent could only be signed when both the candidate and the institution voluntarily agreed. Once signed, it solidified their affiliation, and either party wishing to breach the agreement would face immense penalties.
The alluring, fiery beauty turned to Huang Xiu, her voice slow and laced with temptation.
“Student Huang, do you like Sword Immortals? Do you know about the ancient Shu Mountain? We also possess their legacy!”
“Shu Mountain?!” Huang Xiu was taken aback. ‘Wasn’t that just a fabrication from novels?’
“What Sword Immortal? It’s just a hodgepodge of spatial void arts mixed with some miscellaneous void arts, isn’t it?” Professor Yuan directly exposed their bluff.
“Go ahead and bring those from your academy who claim to inherit the Sword Immortal legacy. Let’s see if they can withstand a single move from me.” The middle-aged man wore a worldly expression, much like the street thugs at a roadside stall boasting about their fighting prowess.
“Now, now, Professor Yuan, with your esteemed status as a senior figure in the Awakened world, why bother bickering with us juniors?” Qu Zuiliu diplomatically diffused the tension.
‘Though this old scoundrel was utterly improper and unscrupulous, he was indeed formidable!’
‘Their academy’s Sword Immortals, even combined, likely wouldn’t be enough for him to defeat with one hand.’
“Cough, cough.” A faint cough echoed from behind the group.
Everyone turned to look. On the silver-white ground, a ripple of concentric circles, like those on water, suddenly spread out. An old man, entirely silver-white, “grew” out from beneath the ground.
Witnessing this sight, Huang Xiu instantly recalled the monsters from Project Two. Those silver-white creatures, far outnumbering her mutated plants and possessing even greater combat strength, had left a deep impression on her.
“It’s been many years since I’ve seen such a scene of everyone vying for a candidate,” the Old Man remarked with a wistful expression. “So, I suppose I should join in the fun too!”
Finishing his statement, he looked at Huang Xiu. “Student Huang, would you consider our Jurisdiction Bureau? Our work is easy, our training system is comprehensive, we offer eight insurances and one housing fund, weekends off, and a month-long annual leave. Our benefits are absolutely the best among the four major institutions, and we also have…”
To be honest, Huang Xiu felt a flicker of temptation at that moment.
But before the Old Man could finish, Professor Yuan suddenly flashed directly in front of him, placing his right hand on the Old Man’s silver-white shoulder. The next second, with a horrifying *crunch*, the silver-white figure folded backward from its middle, its upper back pressing against its lower back, the back of its head touching its heels.
For an ordinary person, such a blow would have resulted in lifelong paralysis, yet the Old Man merely smiled. “See? You’re getting impatient again.”
With that, the silver-white figure burst apart into a puddle of silver-white liquid, splashing across the ground.
“Ahem, old friend, you look so tired. Why don’t you go back and rest a bit?” Professor Yuan uttered complete nonsense with a straight face, not even a hint of embarrassment.
His gaze swept over the others, then returned to Huang Xiu. This little troublemaker, who had once caused him so much worry, was truly shining today! She hadn’t held back in the slightest, pushing everything to its limit, unequivocally displaying her S-rank talent and formidable power. While it had led to a somewhat troublesome situation now, still…
‘This kind of spirit is precisely what makes her my student, Yuan Fei’s student! Daring to fight, daring to charge, daring to show herself.’ His lips curved into a slight smile as he turned to look at Huang Xiu.
“Little Xiu, I’m different from these guys; I’m not really good at sugarcoating things. All I can tell you is that we are Tiandu University, the world’s most elite Awakened university, the place that has cultivated the most top-tier combatants, and a place where countless dreams come true.”
‘And he said he wasn’t good at sugarcoating? He’s quite good at it…’ Huang Xiu smiled, then stepped forward, bowing respectfully to the three individuals before her. “Thank you, esteemed teachers, for your high regard. However, I have already promised Professor Yuan that I will be his student,” she stated politely.
“Hahahahaha, I told you, she’s my student!” Professor Yuan burst into laughter. At this moment, the heavy weight on his heart finally lifted. However, to prevent any further complications, he still intended to immediately pull Huang away. Once the letter of intent was signed by both parties, it would truly be settled.
With this thought, Professor Yuan gently pushed Huang Xiu’s shoulder, and as they walked out, he loudly declared, “My student and I have something to attend to, so we’ll be stepping out for a moment. Please, carry on with your work, carry on.”
“Student Huang, what I said is something you can consider. Most Tiandu University students, after graduation, ultimately choose to join our Conquest Bureau.” Cheng Yangping did not give up. For the Conquest Bureau, attracting a promising talent was never a matter of immediate success. Even if they failed now, as long as a seed was planted in Huang Xiu’s heart, by the time she made her graduation choices, it might have grown into a towering tree.
*Whoosh!* A slip of paper suddenly fluttered from his pants pocket, drifting to settle before Huang Xiu. The young woman curiously took it, discovering it was a business card bearing the name, title, and phone number of the square-faced man. [Conquest Bureau of the Void Realm, Deputy Commander of the Eighth Army, Cheng Yangping, Phone Number:]
“Should you have any questions related to the Void Realm, or if you wish to intern with our Conquest Bureau, you can call me,” the man stated calmly.
Huang Xiu pondered for a moment before tucking the card into her pocket, a sight that made Professor Yuan’s teeth itch with frustration.
‘As the saying goes, one guards against a thousand dangers, but who would have thought this seemingly honest fellow with thick eyebrows was the true master of poaching?’
“It’s fine, if my student has questions, I’ll teach them,” Professor Yuan managed to suppress his irritation. He then hurriedly pulled Huang Xiu out of the examination hall and, following a designated path, returned to the waiting room.
What surprised Huang Xiu, however, was that in the short time she had been in the examination hall, the waiting room had transformed so dramatically that she barely recognized it.