Above the Galaxy
Chapter 215 - 156: I am the Talented Individual Cherished by Dean Xuanyuan!

Chapter 215: Chapter 156: I am the Talented Individual Cherished by Dean Xuanyuan!

"I wonder if I could ask the dean to become my mentor?"

Upon hearing Tang Fei’s words, everyone was shocked.

Could such a thing be done?

Actively requesting the dean to become one’s mentor?

Who was the dean? Xuanyuan Mingjing, one of the top martial arts experts in the Empire, was rumored to have already stepped into the Great Grandmaster’s domain which contended with the heavens for longevity.

It’s just that he hadn’t fought anyone in many years, so his current strength was unknown.

But such a significant figure, how could he possibly agree to be a mentor so easily to a newcomer from the White Crane Academy?

If he happened to come forward and give you a few pointers, that would be an immense opportunity for you. You might as well kneel towards the direction of your family graves and kowtow in gratitude for the spiritual appearance of your ancestors and the emerging green smoke from their graves.

An exclusive mentor? Pure fantasy.

Even Si Yinchuan looked at Tang Fei with a face full of surprise. He had been working at the White Crane Academy for many years, having held the position of vice dean for over a decade, yet never had any newcomer dared to make such a request to them.

Whether you are a favored child of heaven or of noble descent, who, upon entering the White Crane Academy, doesn’t bury their head in their studies and strive to advance?

Who has ever boldly made demands to the academy like he did?

And to request the dean as a mentor at that.

"Are you Tang Fei from the Imperial First Military Academy?" Si Yinchuan asked.

He recognized Tang Fei. Si Yinchuan was at the scene for the recruitment assessment of the First Military Academy and was the chief examiner for it.

Yu Huoshui was one of the Seven Stars and also a seeded candidate of the Imperial First Military Academy. Tang Fei’s action of stabbing Yu Huoshui to death was deeply memorable...

With a warm smile and a calm voice, yet the action of the stab was swift and decisive, smooth as flowing clouds.

The action of stabbing looked as if he had practiced it countless times.

Through the big screen, they saw clearly, at the moment the knife entered the heart, Yu Huoshui still wore a smile of absolute confidence...

That was what was truly terrifying.

When he wanted to kill you, he could actually make one not feel any sense of vigilance.

"Yes," Tang Fei stood up, bowed deeply to Si Yinchuan, and said, "I’m grateful to Dean Si for the admission."

Si Yinchuan, as the chief examiner, would be considered a mentor to the students in ancient times; after passing the exam, one would typically pay a visit to thank their mentor.

Si Yinchuan waved his hand and said, "It was mainly because of your exceptional performance and excellent results. If you had not performed well, even if I liked you, I wouldn’t be able to recruit you."

After a pause, he continued, "However, the request you’ve made... it’s indeed troubling... Since its founding, the White Crane Academy has always had mentors choose their own students, or they were assigned at random... There has never been a student who could self-select their mentor..."

"To even make such a request, you are the first one..."

Are you joking? What kind of people are the teachers at the White Crane Academy?

Optimum-level quality is standard, and there are several Grandmasters among them.

Such experts, if placed in a local area, would be lords of their own territory.

Can you just pick and choose them like cabbages? Don’t they have any dignity?

"Is that so?" Tang Fei looked surprised and said, "I have a good friend, his name is Shen Xinglan..."

Wow!

The crowd uttered exclamations in unison.

A person’s name, a tree’s shadow.

Shen Xinglan was extremely well-known, not only boasting an impressive family background, but his own abilities were also extremely formidable, ranked first on the Star Sky rankings’ Blue List, a towering figure.

Ever since he made it onto the list, he had never fallen off, and no one had been able to shake his position as number one.

So, the newcomers sitting here, regardless of which school or organization they had been selectively recruited from, were all very familiar with the name Shen Xinglan.

It could be said to be resounding like thunder, with immense national popularity.

It’s even said that there are fan clubs for Shen Xinglan in other countries...

Who wouldn’t when he’s both strong and handsome, coming from an outstanding family background and wealthy at that...

Most people also possess the desire to admire the strong.

"Shen Xinglan, ah, he is our academy’s most distinguished student..." Si Yinchuan said with a smile: "I never expected you two to be close friends... In the future, you can indeed exchange knowledge and enhance each other."

"Yes, we hit it off right away. One reason I participated in this recruitment assessment for the White Crane Academy is that I’ve long admired Bai Lu and wanted to enter this magical institution," Tang Fei explained.

"Additionally, it was upon Shen Xinglan’s invitation. He said that if one wishes to improve rapidly, the White Crane Academy is an excellent choice, not only because of the high caliber of teachers but also because you can request the dean to be your mentor..."

"Shen Xinglan said that the main reason for his rapid improvement was because he studied under Dean Xuanyuan... A great teacher can foster outstanding students... I thought to myself, if Shen Xinglan could do it, I wanted to try to see if I could too..."

"Shen Xinglan was specially invited by Dean Xuanyuan..." Si Yinchuan made a painstaking effort to explain, trying to make Tang Fei feel the huge gap between him and Shen Xinglan, and said, "Dean Xuanyuan was keen on talent and personally went to the Shen Family to invite Shen Xinglan to join our White Crane Academy... and incidentally took him as a disciple under his own mantle..."

"Upon hearing Dean Si’s explanation, I’m relieved..."

"How are you relieved?" Si Yinchuan asked with a puzzled face.

Did I not make myself clear enough? I just stopped short of outright saying you can’t compare to Shen Xinglan...

What are you so sure about?

I heard this kid came up from the Old Land, where people aren’t very educated and don’t understand the ways of the world. What if he doesn’t understand your hints?

"Dean Si said that Dean Xuanyuan values talent and cherishes it, so I’m relieved..." Tang Fei said with sincere expression, "Dean Xuanyuan personally went to persuade the Shen family to invite Shen Xinglan to join White Crane Academy because he’s such a talent..."

"I entered White Crane Academy on my own and asked Dean Xuanyuan to become my mentor... I believe that I am the talent that Dean Xuanyuan cherishes..."

"..."

Si Yinchuan was silent for a long time.

This student had rendered him speechless, unsure of how to respond.

He was someone with strong communication skills, but when it came to Tang Fei... why did he suddenly not feel like talking?

He says he’s the talent that Dean Xuanyuan cherishes? Who gave him that confidence?

How could he brazenly say such a thing?

After a long while.

After a long while.

Si Yinchuan looked at Tang Fei and said, "I can’t agree to this request. I have to report to the dean and see what his attitude is..."

"Thank you, Dean Si. I believe that Dean Xuanyuan, once he hears about this, will be happy to take me as his disciple."

"..."

Si Yinchuan felt another pang of frustration.

Dean Xuanyuan doesn’t want to take you as a disciple, so it’s my fault for not reporting it, huh?

What now? Am I to blame?

Si Yinchuan didn’t want to talk to Tang Fei anymore and looked around at the others, asking, "Does anyone else have any requests?"

No one else had any requests.

They didn’t have the guts to make such a bold request, and moreover, they knew it would be futile to ask.

Why bother making a fool of oneself?

They certainly didn’t want to be seen as clueless fools by their teachers and peers like Tang Fei.

"If there are no other requests, then you’re free to do as you please. The academy seniors will take you to tour the academy."

"Yes," everyone replied.

Si Yinchuan left in a hurry, while the others looked at Tang Fei as if he were a fool.

Chen Tianqi came over and asked, "How could you make such a request? White Crane Academy has the academy allocate mentors to students. Whomever you’re assigned to, that’s who it is... I’ve heard that to ensure fairness and justice, it’s all automatically assigned by an intelligent system..."

"Do you want Dean Xuanyuan to be your mentor?" Tang Fei asked.

"Of course, I dream of it." Chen Tianqi nodded frantically, "Dean Xuanyuan is a Great Grandmaster, extremely rare in the Empire, with a cultivation realm that’s unfathomable... It’s said even the dogs raised by a Great Grandmaster have a chance of becoming a Grandmaster... If I can’t become a Great Grandmaster, don’t I want to work towards being a Grandmaster?"

"Then why don’t you speak up about your wishes?"

"I know it’s no use." Chen Tianqi looked at Tang Fei and said, "Don’t take offense, but even if you bring it up, I can assure you there’s no chance... just wait for the smart system to automatically assign you. Don’t stir up trouble unnecessarily."

"Why?"

"Think about it, you are set on having the dean as your mentor... what would the other teachers think? And what about the mentor who gets assigned to you? If you look down on me, then why should I bother teaching you anything? If your mentor doesn’t want to teach you, then what’s the point of your coming here for the next few years?"

"You have a point." Tang Fei agreed, "So, I must make the dean become my mentor... after all, I’ve already offended the other teachers."

"..."

-------

Grape Courtyard.

Xuanyuan Mingjing liked eating grapes, so the courtyard was full of grapevines, thus everyone in the academy liked to call his residence the Grape Courtyard.

Xuanyuan Mingjing lay on a bamboo chair, cradling a bunch of freshly picked purple grapes, popping them into his mouth one by one, and said, "Is that really what he said?"

"Yes," Si Yinchuan said with a wry smile, standing in front of him, "Otherwise, I wouldn’t dare to disturb the dean during his quiet cultivation over such a matter."

"Why does he want me to be his mentor?"

"Which student wouldn’t want to become your disciple? It’s just that he’s bold enough to say it out loud..." Si Yinchuan glanced at Shen Xinglan, who was silently catching bugs on the grapevines in the corner, and said, "He said he and Xing Lan are good friends, and the reason he participated in our academy’s assessment was also on the invitation of Xing Lan..."

Xuanyuan Mingjing chuckled as he looked towards Shen Xinglan and asked, "Did you invite him?"

"I did," Shen Xinglan replied with a smile.

"It seems your assessment of him is quite accurate..."

Shen Xinglan just smiled and did not reply, focusing on catching the bugs.

He didn’t throw away those plump grape worms but put them in a small dish instead. Come dinner time, he planned to fry them up to accompany his master’s drink.

After musing for a moment, Xuanyuan Mingjing said, "Since he wants to become my disciple... let’s meet him then. I’d like to see what abilities he has to brazenly claim he’s the talent that I should cherish..."

Si Yinchuan’s heart stirred, and after a surprised glance at Xuanyuan Mingjing, he immediately said, "I’ll make the arrangements right away."