Chapter 4362 — Nothing Strange About It

As for Wei Zhaotong and Cheng Qitian, they were at that moment exchanging cold, triumphant smiles. To their minds, matters had developed to such a point that Wei Zhao had no room left to refuse; he could only obediently leap into the trap they had dug for him. Otherwise, if he dared to publicly humiliate the three giants, he would die a miserable death on the spot.

Wei Zhao cast a startled glance over the assembled crowd. Before he could open his mouth, Qin Deli had already stepped forward and announced to all present: "Ling Yi, because you are able to challenge Nascent Soul cultivators above your level, your talent and potential are astonishing. For this reason, the three deans of our Morning Star Academy have taken a liking to you and decided to make an exception in admitting you as a disciple under their tutelage. From this day forth, you join the Morning Star Academy. This is a heaven-sent opportunity that comes but once in ten thousand years—you would do well to seize it."

Wei Zhao was all the more dumbfounded at this. He swept his gaze past the three giants, then looked to Wang Xinyan and Huang Xiaotao, and saw both of them shake their heads without a word. At once he knew this had not been their idea.

But if it was not Wang Xinyan and Huang Xiaotao, then it was someone else—so why on earth would anyone recommend him to these three Foundation Establishment giants? What was the real aim behind it?

Wei Zhao was a man of no ordinary keenness. Qin Deli had merely exchanged a glance with Wei Zhaotong and Cheng Qitian, and he caught it at once. Sure enough, no one offers unsolicited kindness without a motive—if not lust, then thievery. Since this man was in league with Wei Zhaotong and the others, it could not possibly mean anything good. Some scheme was surely waiting for him in the shadows.

Such a thing Wei Zhao naturally could not agree to. If he had truly entertained the notion, he would not have found it so difficult back in Zhenduan City—why would he wait until now?

"Seniors three," Wei Zhao said at once, raising his hands in refusal, "this junior is dull of aptitude. I fear I must disappoint you."

"Dull of aptitude? Young Master Ling is far too modest. That business at the docks, where you crippled a peak early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator—everyone saw it with their own eyes. And now that the three of us deans have come in person to invite you, you still put up such excuses—that is rather hard to justify, is it not? Or do you simply not hold our Morning Star Academy in your eyes?" Qin Deli needled at once, seizing the moment.

Ling Yuanqing and the other two frowned slightly as well. Whatever the case, this Ling Yi's refusal was too abrupt and clean—he had not even given it the most basic consideration. It did grate on their dignity.

The three giants' expressions turned cold, and the atmosphere in the vast reception hall abruptly grew tense and oppressive. Even Qi Wenmo was sweating for Wei Zhao now. This was different from Wei Zhaotong and Cheng Qitian; if he truly offended the great men of the Morning Star Academy, his little Qingtian Escort Agency could not protect Wei Zhao at all.

Every gaze in the room fell on him, each weighted with its own meaning, yet Wei Zhao only gave a faint, unconcerned smile. Pointing at Huang Xiaotao, who stood beside the East Sea Divine Nun, he replied calmly: "Surely none of you have forgotten—back in Zhenduan City, this junior and this junior sister Huang went together to take part in the selection trials. It was only that my aptitude was truly too poor, so I was eliminated in the very first round..."

Ling Yuanqing and the others had in fact a vague impression of this, and with Wei Zhao's words it all came back to them in a flash. So it was him!

Had it been Wei Zhao alone, the three Foundation Establishment giants might never have paid him any mind—but at the time, when they had been dazzled by Huang Xiaotao's top-tier aptitude, Huang Xiaotao had specifically consulted with this senior brother of hers, and so they had naturally taken note of the man as well.

Ling Yuanqing could not help feeling a pang of disappointment. In his memory, this Ling Yi's spiritual root attribute was a single fire element, and so he had been eliminated outright. Moreover, during the selection he had shown nothing outstanding. If he truly possessed such prowess—able to fight across major realms—he would certainly have spoken up on the spot and taken part in the subsequent formation-attack test!

After all, the Morning Star Academy's selection rules stated plainly that if one truly had the strength to fight above one's level, then even if one's spiritual root attribute was ordinary, so long as one performed outstandingly in the formation-attack test, one still had a chance to enter the Academy. And Ling Yuanqing remembered clearly that Ling Yi had not made any such request at the time.

Ling Yuanqing did not believe that Ling Yi would have concealed anything at such a critical juncture. By any ordinary logic, if one came to take part in the selection, one surely hoped to enter the Academy—and moreover, he had come together with Huang Xiaotao. By sentiment and by reason alike, he could not have wished to be parted from her. If he could have entered the Academy, why would he have given it up back then?

"What is the meaning of this?" Ling Yuanqing turned to look at Qin Deli, a note of reproach in his eyes. The three Foundation Establishment giants had come in full array, full of hope, only to meet with such a result—it was a thorough damper on their spirits.

Qin Deli's heart lurched with alarm. What should have been a flawless, inescapable trap had, beyond all expectation, been turned on its head by the other party's two simple sentences. And the reproach of Dean Ling Yuanqing was more than a mere purchasing steward like him could bear!

"I..." Qin Deli could not find the words. He could only turn to look at Wei Zhaotong and Cheng Qitian beside him, his eyes full of vexation and resentment. He had thought it would be a fine stroke that killed two birds with one stone—who would have guessed it would come to this? This time those two wretches had landed him in a fine mess.

Wei Zhaotong was struck dumb as well. He had only acted on Cheng Qitian's words, taken a sudden notion to move against Wei Zhao; he had never looked into the matter beforehand, much less known there was such a backstory. For a moment he was at a loss, and he nudged Cheng Qitian beside him—this was the mess Cheng Qitian had cooked up, so of course it was for him to clean it up.

"Impossible! The first time this fellow came to the Weihu City docks, he clearly wounded old Kong of our Poison Eye Mercenary Corps with nothing but early Golden Core cultivation—and old Kong is a peak early-stage Nascent Soul expert!" Cheng Qitian was frantic too, and he hurriedly leaped out to say.

At these words, Ling Yuanqing and the others turned their gazes back to Wei Zhao, and could not help feeling doubtful. They did not know Cheng Qitian, but at the very least they could be certain that the man would never dare lie to the faces of three Foundation Establishment giants—and besides, such a matter could surely be confirmed by other witnesses. That was to say, this Ling Yi truly had been holding something back?

For a moment, everyone's gaze took on a greater measure of scrutiny. If that were so, then what this Ling Yi had in mind became rather intriguing indeed.

"He speaks the truth," Wei Zhao did not deny it. But then he went on: "Only, at that time, this junior joined hands with junior sister Huang. With junior sister Huang's heaven-defying aptitude, is it really so strange that the two of us together could badly wound a peak early-stage Nascent Soul expert?..." (To be continued.) R752