Chapter Twenty-Nine: What Right Does He Have

The recruitment competition lasted an entire day, finally settling on six—no, seven—spots. Excluding Chen Bo, from the Chen family there were Chen Long, Chen Yizhang, and Chen Yue. Among them, Chen Long was the strongest. Chen Yizhang was the son of the third elder, and Chen Yue was his twin sister. The three of them had poor relations with Chen Bo.

From the Qin family, there were Qin Jinyin and Qin Dashan, both burdened with rather vulgar names. Still, however crude, they were preferable to Chen Bo’s name, which tended to remind people of a certain beautiful term.

The Zhang family’s candidate was Zhang Kai, the oldest among the seven, just one month shy of eighteen.

When Chen Bo returned home, he found Chen Zhenhai waiting for him, who enthusiastically slapped his shoulder a few times and laughed heartily. “Bo’er, I didn’t expect you would really win the favor of the mentors from Tianyang Academy. They’ve decided to give you a special admission! How about that? Surprised?”

Well, that news was somewhat outdated. It seemed Zhao Qing had been rather thorough, thoughtfully informing his father. Judging from Chen Zhenhai’s tone, he had no idea that Chen Bo was already an artificer. Who knew what excuse Zhao Qing had used, but it didn’t matter now; the favor was noted, and someday it would be repaid.

Chen Zhenhai spoke at length, urging Chen Bo to stay safe, not wander off alone, listen well to the mentors, obey the academy rules, and cultivate diligently. The words reminded Chen Bo of his school days on Earth—tedious, perhaps, but with a certain warmth.

The journey to Tianyang Academy would begin tomorrow. Chen Zhenhai gave Chen Bo four yuanstones as pocket money. In truth, everyone from the Chen family received four yuanstones; Chen Zhenhai did not distinguish among them, though Chen Bo would have preferred special treatment.

The mentors were already waiting at the town’s gate. Chen Bo had risen early, packed his belongings, and hurried to meet them.

At the gate, the six prodigies of Yan Town had arrived, each perched atop a mighty mammoth beast. They examined the beasts with curiosity, patting here and there. Suddenly, a deep voice rumbled, “Hey, you human brats! All that poking is making me uncomfortable.”

“Who’s that?!”

“What was that sound?!”

Startled, the youths scanned their surroundings and soon realized it was the mammoth beast beneath them speaking. One stammered, “A beast... A beast that can talk?”

A mentor explained, “Those that can’t speak aren’t called yuanbeasts; they’re half-yuanbeasts. Half-yuanbeasts are hybrids of yuanbeasts and wild animals, numerous and almost entirely devoid of reason—more bloodthirsty than wild beasts, grotesque in appearance, and difficult to tame.

“True yuanbeasts, regardless of rank or age, can always speak. These mammoth yuanbeasts are genuine, but all have been tamed by the academy.”

“Oh!” The group was enlightened, and their respect for the Tianyang Academy mentors grew. Indeed, they were learned men.

“Mentors, can we depart now?” Zhang Kai, the prodigy from the Zhang family, was impatient.

“Not yet—we’re still waiting for a few more,” Zhao Qing replied.

“You mean that witch?”

“Yes, and one other,” Zhao Qing said with a smile.

“Hello, everyone! I’m not late, am I?” A male voice called from nearby. The group turned to see a youth hurrying toward them, carrying a pack and a longsword at his waist.

“Looks like one more has arrived, but we’re still missing two,” Zhao Qing observed.

“Is that...?” Chen Long stared at the approaching youth, nearly speechless. After composing himself, he said, “Chen Bo, what are you doing here, you useless fool?”

“Why shouldn’t I be here?” Chen Bo glanced at him coolly.

“Hmph, we’re heading to Tianyang Academy. Are you hoping to make peace with me at the last minute?” Chen Long said smugly.

“Make peace?” Chen Bo paused, thinking how many odd fellows there seemed to be in this world—first Zhao Qing, now Chen Long.

He replied, “Why would I want to make peace with you? First, you’re not female; second, you’re not a beauty; and third, you’re certainly not a peerless beauty. Oh, and I forgot to mention, I’m also a student at Tianyang Academy now.”

With that, Chen Bo clambered onto the mammoth beast’s back, marveling, “I truly wonder how yuanbeasts grow so much flesh—how did it get so big? I almost couldn’t climb up.”

“You? You’re a Tianyang Academy student? Hahahahaha! That’s the funniest thing I, Chen Long, have ever heard. Someone as useless as you—if you can get into Tianyang Academy, then whoever recruited you must be blind,” Chen Long sneered.

The other prodigies of Yan Town burst out laughing, their eyes filled with contempt as they looked at Chen Bo.

They failed to notice something was amiss. Chen Bo was seated on the mammoth beast, and none of the mentors intervened, clearly granting tacit approval—but the others, caught up in their derision, didn’t see it.

Chen Bo cast a curious glance at Zhao Qing and said, “Mentor, uncle, so you’re disabled, huh?”

His words provoked the mentors’ anger—not toward Chen Bo, but toward those laughing at him.

“Chen Bo is our special recruit, and none of us are blind!” a mentor said, his face dark as iron, barely restraining his fury.

The voice was loud, and all heard it. The laughter stopped abruptly. Chen Long, stunned, pointed at Chen Bo, protesting, “He’s really a special recruit? No! What right does this useless fool have to enter Tianyang Academy? He’s nothing but a weakling who couldn’t hurt a chicken!”

“There must be some shady deal. Chen Zhenhai must have given you all the family’s yuanstones, that’s why you recruited Chen Bo, isn’t it? Isn’t it?!”

“Enough!” Zhao Qing shouted, his voice so forceful that Chen Long nearly toppled off his beast, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

“I—I’m sorry, mentor. I—I must have lost my head just now,” Chen Long quickly bowed his head in apology, realizing he had angered the mentor.

“Hmph, if you speak another word, I’ll toss you off and you needn’t bother coming to Tianyang Academy! Chen Bo is our special recruit, and that is our decision—not yours!”

The prodigies’ faces turned sour, their gazes at Chen Bo filled with resentment. Chen Long, in particular, harbored murder in his eyes.

Chen Bo, of course, sensed it. He gave Chen Long a middle finger and ignored him. Whether Chen Long understood the gesture or not was none of Chen Bo’s concern.

Six hostile stares were fixed on Chen Bo, as if by staring long enough, a flower might blossom there.