Chapter Twenty-Eight: Privilege

“Wait a minute, you just said you want me to go to Tianyang Academy—what exactly do you mean by that?” Chen Bo finally seized the crucial point and asked in confusion.

Zhao Qing chuckled. “Ordinarily, with your current ability, you wouldn’t be able to enter Tianyang Academy. But every set of rules has its exceptions, and in this world, there are always a few people who get to enjoy a little privilege.”

“So, you’re saying I’m one of those privileged people?” Chen Bo asked.

“That’s right,” Zhao Qing nodded.

“But the problem is, I don’t have any powerful connections or an influential background. Is it because of my sister?” Chen Bo’s elder sister was undeniably a genius. Was Tianyang Academy trying to use him as a way to curry favor with Chen Jingjing?

“That’s one reason,” Zhao Qing admitted, “but there’s another, even more important reason: you’re a blacksmith! And your techniques don’t resemble a novice’s at all, but rather those of a seasoned smith.”

“Just because I can forge weapons, I’m entitled to special privileges?”

“Exactly. There aren’t many blacksmiths on the Wildlands Continent, but they’re still far fewer than alchemists. Even at Tianyang Academy, the number of blacksmithing students doesn’t exceed a hundred. In its golden age, the academy’s blacksmithing faculty only had seventy-four students.”

Zhao Qing looked at Chen Bo with a hint of envy—he couldn’t help but feel a little jealous. Back in his day, he too had been a student at Tianyang Academy, and he’d had to fight tooth and nail to earn a single precious spot. But for someone like Chen Bo, as long as he could forge weapons, regardless of his current strength, the gates of Tianyang Academy would always be open to him. Unless, of course, the day came when blacksmiths became as common as cabbages in the market.

Even if that day were to come, no one could say how many thousands of years in the future it would be.

“But why should I go to Tianyang Academy?” Chen Bo suddenly asked, catching Zhao Qing so off-guard that he nearly stumbled. Zhao Qing looked at him with an odd expression.

“You don’t know the benefits of being a student at Tianyang Academy?” Zhao Qing asked, the corners of his mouth twitching.

Chen Bo thought for a moment. “Honestly, I really don’t know.”

Zhao Qing felt utterly defeated, barely managing to stay on his feet. “There are all sorts of competitions at Tianyang Academy, and if you place in the top three, there are always rewards.”

He’d planned to list dozens of benefits, but before he could say more, Chen Bo’s eyes lit up, a look so similar to Zhao Qing’s own earlier expression.

“Rewards? What kind of rewards? What do they give out?” Chen Bo pressed eagerly.

“Well, usually it’s spirit stones, cultivation techniques, things like that.”

No sooner had Zhao Qing finished speaking than Chen Bo clapped his hands in delight. “Why didn’t you say so earlier? You wasted so much of my time and breath—if I’d known about this benefit, I would have agreed right away!”

Zhao Qing felt deeply wronged. How was he supposed to know Chen Bo was so fixated on material gain? Now he was being blamed for it—what kind of world was this?

“So you’re saying you agree to enter Tianyang Academy?”

“Yes!” Chen Bo nodded emphatically. Spirit stones! What a wonderful thing! Chen Bo, unable to cultivate worldly energy directly without a technique, could only absorb the energy within the spirit stones.

Though the process was inefficient and the spiritual energy within the stones was rife with impurities that needed to be refined, it was still better than being stuck at the middle stage of Skin Training forever—wouldn’t you agree?

Having been recruited by a prestigious academy, Chen Bo was a little pleased. He followed Zhao Qing back to the Chen family’s martial grounds.

By now, the battles had entered a fever pitch. On the six arenas, young talents from every family were defending their respective platforms. The Chen family had three participants, the Qin family two, and the Zhang family only one.

Zhao Qing joined the other instructors, murmured a few words, and pointed toward Chen Bo. The other two instructors immediately turned their curious gazes on Chen Bo, making him feel rather uncomfortable.

“Old Zhao, are you sure you’re not pulling my leg? This—”