Chapter 141
Chapter 141
Inside the lounge, Lu Ming looked as miserable as if he had swallowed a fly.
“That brat is definitely a secret weapon Xu Minghu kept hidden!”
He ground his teeth in fury. “He hid the boy well. No matter how hard I investigated, I couldn’t uncover a single clue. Then he reveals him right before the tournament begins. He’s trying to intimidate me!”
“A genius who specializes in mental power, whose Curse Core may even have reached tier four!”
“He is absolutely strong enough to win this tournament!”
Lu Ming’s gaze grew increasingly cold at the thought.
“No, not only the individual championship… With him there, he might lead the rest of Clear Spring Academy to victory in the team competition as well!”
The other Skyfeather Academy students stared at one another in shock and disbelief.
They had never heard Professor Lu evaluate a student so highly!
“Professor Lu, is that person really so strong?”
A short-haired girl sounded unconvinced. “Mental skills are troublesome, but they aren’t impossible to counter… We dealt with Song Lingyan before by focusing our attacks. We can do the same to him!”
Another voice rejected the idea.
“No. That won’t work.”
The door opened, and Li Fengyun emerged with a dark expression. “He and Song Lingyan aren’t on the same level. He’s a far more terrifying opponent!”
“Focusing our attacks offers little chance of victory. Even if we all attack together, we still might not defeat him!”
Everyone sucked in a cold breath.
Li Fengyun was the ace of their freshman class. His Curse Core was on the verge of entering tier four, and he had even defeated several opponents with tier-four Curse Cores from his own academy.
Even he evaluated that young man so highly?
Lu Ming frowned and asked in a low voice, “Fengyun, are you certain?”
Li Fengyun nodded firmly, lingering fear in his eyes.
That single meeting of gazes had left a shadow over him that still refused to fade.
In Li Fengyun’s opinion, Qin Lan might be the strongest participant in the entire history of the Nine Academies Tournament!
He rivaled the monster who had emerged from nowhere back then, only to be crushed by Luan Zimo. That defeat aside, the man had steamrolled every other genius from the Nine Academies.
“Are we truly going to stand by and watch them win?”
Lu Ming simmered with anger.
He and Xu Minghu had always despised each other, and their grudge ran deep. If he had to watch Clear Spring Academy win, the mere thought of Xu Minghu’s smug face made him want to vomit blood.
“Not necessarily.”
Li Fengyun suddenly spoke. His gaze was calm but sinister. “If we can’t beat him inside the arena, we can play outside it.”
“Threats won’t work, but we can tempt him.”
“As long as he’s human, he must have a weakness. I refuse to believe nothing interests him…”
…
After entering the lounge, Qin Lan stretched comfortably.
Professor Xu was discussing tactics with Su Xiaoyue and the others, with particular emphasis on guarding against Skyfeather Academy.
According to Xu Minghu, Skyfeather Academy was guilty of every conceivable crime: unforgivably wicked, arrogantly domineering… As for what grudge truly existed between them? Qin Lan neither understood nor cared.
Truthfully, Qin Lan didn’t care about Clear Spring Academy at all. The only person he cared about was Su Xiaoyue.
As long as Su Xiaoyue placed well, Clear Spring Academy could finish dead last and Qin Lan would feel nothing.
While Qin Lan considered his next move, he suddenly sensed someone approaching from behind.
It was Song Lingyan.
At this moment, Song Lingyan seemed much gentler than usual. The fierce aggression from their first meeting had disappeared, replaced by a touch of uniquely feminine softness.
“Qin Lan.”
She hesitated before speaking gently. “Thank you for what happened earlier.”
Qin Lan paused.
What was this woman talking about?
Did she mean the conflict with Skyfeather Academy?
Qin Lan couldn’t be bothered thinking deeply. He answered casually, “Oh. Yeah. It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”
“I only frightened them a little for the sake of something I care about.”
Song Lingyan’s body stiffened at his words.
Something he cared about?
What did he mean?
Song Lingyan couldn’t help glancing at Su Xiaoyue, who was listening closely to the tactical discussion. An absurd sense of morality made her uncomfortable.
Could he be talking about me?
Did he mean he cared deeply about me?
But… But that was wrong! He was Su Xiaoyue’s boyfriend!
Song Lingyan also had strong feelings for Su Xiaoyue. How could she allow something like this to happen?
She stepped back and spoke hesitantly.
“Qin Lan, this… isn’t very appropriate, is it?”
Summoning her courage, she chose her words carefully. “A person still needs… principles.”
Principles?
Qin Lan gave her a baffled look. “What is this woman talking about?”
He shook his head and answered without concern.
“If I want something, I’ll obtain it. I don’t care what price I have to pay or what methods I have to use.”
He raised his head and looked at Song Lingyan standing beside him.
“Principles are for placating children. History is written by the winner. As long as I’m strong enough, no one can criticize me.”
He would obtain it?
No matter the price?
No matter the method?
What did he mean that no one could criticize him as long as he was strong? Was he some man who admired the feudal tradition of keeping three wives and four concubines?
How outrageous!
Song Lingyan’s face turned pale. She hadn’t expected Qin Lan to make such a wildly unrestrained, even brazen declaration in front of so many people.
“You… You’re impossible!”
“What if Su Xiaoyue finds out? She’ll be upset!”
Song Lingyan bit her lip, her voice colored with embarrassed anger.
Qin Lan was dumbfounded.
“That’s true.” He frowned. “She probably would be upset if she knew.”
Earlier, when Su Xiaoyue asked whether he needed the Pure Heart, Qin Lan had said it wasn’t important and told her not to worry.
If Su Xiaoyue learned how urgently he wanted to obtain it, she might feel unhappy that he was under pressure but unwilling to share that burden with her.
“Then what should I do…?”
Qin Lan scratched his head and sighed. “I’ll talk to her. She should understand, right?”
Song Lingyan’s mind crashed completely.
Talk to her?
Was this really something one could discuss? Could Su Xiaoyue truly accept it? Don’t lie to me!
“No, that’s not right! That isn’t the issue at all!”
Song Lingyan abruptly recovered and stammered, “Even if she agrees, I won’t allow it! Doing this… would be completely wrong!”
Huh?
Qin Lan was shocked too.
Holy shit, were her moral standards really that high?
He only wanted a Pure Heart. It wasn’t as if he were violating the laws of heaven.
These two people were talking about entirely different things, yet somehow the conversation continued.
Each spoke their own words and flirted with their own topic.
Just as Qin Lan was about to ask another question, enthusiastic cheers suddenly erupted from the enormous arena outside the lounge.
The audience could faintly be heard chanting someone’s name.
“What’s that?”
Qin Lan looked puzzled. Xu Minghu casually explained from nearby.
“Oh, that’s a tradition at the Nine Academies Tournament.”
“Before the competition begins, each academy’s geniuses can choose whether to enter the arena and demonstrate their power… In plain terms, it’s an opportunity to show off and look cool.”
“The very best usually don’t participate, though. They don’t want to expose their trump cards.”
Xu Minghu curled his lip.
“Most who choose to perform are mediocre competitors who know they can’t place and want to use the opportunity to gain recognition–though some truly formidable people are simply supremely confident.”
Qin Lan’s eyes lit up when he heard this.
“Professor Xu, this exhibition… Can noncompetitors participate too?”
Xu Minghu paused, uncertain. “Technically, yes… but why would you go?”
“You aren’t competing, and you’re already a member of the Anomaly Hunter Bureau. There’d be no point.”
Qin Lan’s eyes shone brightly.
“How could there be no point?”
“This is fucking perfect!”