Chapter 6: Four Universities Compete for Talent

Misunderstood by Captain Pheasant, Sun Hai could only smile awkwardly.

“We’re all administrative staff here—how could we possibly have killed the beasts ourselves?”

“The ones who killed these four savage beasts were students who have just completed their first regression to ancestral form,” he explained.

At these words, Pheasant’s eyes widened in astonishment.

“Oh? A student managed to slay four mutated beasts in return?”

“That’s right!”

Pheasant’s lips twitched. “Whose luck could be that good?”

In an instant, the cluster of students parted naturally, revealing on the platform a handsome young man with slightly disheveled hair—Xiang Nan.

“Luck? I doubt it was mere luck,” said Gu Zhihong, pushing his way through the crowd, his sharp gaze fixed intently on Xiang Nan. “Was it you who slew these four beasts?”

Xiang Nan’s expression remained calm. “Yes.”

“What! Such a young student?” someone exclaimed.

“His first ancestral regression, and he’s already managed to kill Level Two savage beasts?”

“Outstanding! Simply outstanding!”

The parents nearby were stunned, and soon a chorus of excited discussions broke out.

“I only succeeded because I worked together with the teachers,” Xiang Nan said, turning his gaze toward several wounded teachers and raising his voice.

At this, the parents immediately turned their praise toward the teachers once more.

The teachers, their faces still marked by exhaustion and injury, couldn’t help but smile in relief and gratitude.

“So humble and respectful, without a hint of arrogance—truly, I was right about him!” one teacher exclaimed.

“Student, I am Gu Zhihong, President of East City Academy of Spiritual Martial Arts. On behalf of the university, I formally invite you to join us,” he said, handing over an official letter of admission, every gesture brimming with sincerity.

“Old Gu, that’s quite unfair of you, isn’t it?” chuckled Duan Lixin as he stepped out from the crowd, his eyes burning with enthusiasm as he looked at Xiang Nan. “Such talent clearly hails from my Songjiang High School—naturally, he should proceed to Songjiang Academy of Spiritual Martial Arts!”

“Don’t be so hasty, both of you!” called out Xie Jiang from the Metropolitan Academy of Spiritual Martial Arts, joining them. “If it’s quality of instruction you’re after, Metropolitan is second to none. Xiang Nan, I hope you’ll choose wisely!”

Xiang Nan felt momentarily dazed by this turn of events. It seemed all three universities already knew he had regressed to the lineage of Wong Fei-hung.

They really had come specifically to recruit him.

So be it—he would see which offer was most tempting.

Feigning hesitation, Xiang Nan said, “Well... I haven’t made up my mind just yet.”

Inside, however, he was thinking, “Please, let the competition begin!”

“Come to East City Academy—we’ll waive all tuition and double your quota of spiritual pearls for cultivation!”

“President Gu, you’re too stingy! Who would dare charge Xiang Nan tuition? As for spiritual pearls, Songjiang offers triple the quota!”

“Join us at Metropolitan, and receive five times the spiritual pearls!”

Five times? Xiang Nan’s eyes lit up, his heart nearly swayed.

Parents nearby, not privy to the full story, looked on in bewilderment.

“Three major universities vying for a single student—why?”

Sun Hai explained with a knowing smile, “Because he’s regressed to the great national martial arts master, the benevolent sage of healing and martial virtue, Wong Fei-hung!”

A sharp intake of breath swept through the crowd.

Even Captain Pheasant of the Longyuan Army gaped, his gaze toward Xiang Nan utterly transformed.

Astonishment washed over the parents; one by one, their spirits sank, and they couldn’t help but look at their own children with disappointment.

Here was a boy who, with a casual regression, became a true martial arts grandmaster, now being bid for by three universities.

And their own children? Not much more than enthusiastic eaters!

Ah, comparing oneself to others only breeds frustration!

Some students protested, “It’s not fair! Where’s the justice in this?”

Meanwhile, as Xiang Nan was preparing to make his choice, another roar echoed from above.

A second helicopter touched down.

From the craft stepped a man in his forties, exuding an air of authority and power.

At his arrival, the faces of Gu Zhihong, Duan Lixin, and the others fell.

“Oh no, Sun the Barbarian is here! We don’t stand a chance now!”

A parent, confused, asked, “Who is this man with such a commanding presence?”

“That’s Sun Liren, president of the Imperial Capital Academy of Spiritual Martial Arts—known as Sun the Barbarian.”

“Even the president of Imperial Capital Academy has come?”

Sun Liren strode straight toward the examination grounds.

“Who dares compete with my Imperial Capital Academy for talent? We’ll grant Xiang Nan a million yuan scholarship, and an unlimited supply of spiritual pearls!”

The words rang out with force—Sun the Barbarian, indeed!

No one dared to raise further bids.

Xiang Nan was elated, though he kept his composure.

He cupped his hands humbly. “I am unworthy of such great favor from all the presidents. I can only strive harder to break through to the next realm as soon as possible.”

His meaning was clear—he would, of course, choose the Imperial Capital Academy with its promise of unlimited spiritual pearls.

In this world, spiritual pearls were an essential aid to cultivation.

Only savage beasts of Level Two, Seven Stars or higher could form them, with each pearl’s grade matching the beast’s rank.

The pearls not only strengthened the body and refined the flesh, but dramatically shortened the time needed for cultivation.

For example, a Level Two pearl was worth at least three months’ hard training; a Level Three pearl equated to a year; a Level Four could save a decade of effort.

As for Level Five pearls, they were said to be equivalent to a hundred years’ training, but were so rare as to be beyond price.

The spiritual martial academies generally provided students with Level Two and Level Three pearls.

Even so, it took time for regressors to refine these pearls, so normally, each student received no more than three pearls per term.

But geniuses like Xiang Nan could refine pearls much faster.

With the promise of unlimited pearls, even if they were low-grade, his future cultivation was fundamentally assured.

The choice of school was settled.

Xiang Nan once more turned his gaze to the teachers on the field.

During the desperate battle just now, their efforts had bought him the chance to slay the beasts.

Now, seeing their battered and wounded forms, a torrent of medical knowledge for treating injuries suddenly surfaced in his mind.

His eyes brightened.

After all, Wong Fei-hung was a master at treating trauma and injuries!

Delighted, Xiang Nan walked toward Sun Hai, who was drenched in sweat from pain.

“Mr. Sun, let me take a look at your leg.”

A student had already fetched a chair for Sun Hai to sit down.

As Xiang Nan gently examined the injured area, a system prompt sounded in his mind:

[Ding! Martial Trauma Medicine triggered. Initial skill points +10, affinity +2%.]

A rush of medical knowledge surged into his consciousness.

It felt completely natural, and his hands moved with practiced, fluid motions.

After a few careful manipulations, Sun Hai felt the pain lessen noticeably.

He wiped the sweat from his brow, looking at the student before him with heartfelt emotion.

“Xiang, congratulations! When you get to university, you must—ah!”

Before he could finish, Xiang Nan suddenly set the bone with a firm twist. There was a crisp crack, followed by Sun Hai’s anguished cry.

Xiang Nan’s lips curved in a smile. “The fracture’s set.”

He promptly broke off two chair legs to use as splints and secured Sun Hai’s leg.

“Rest for a while, and your injury will heal.”

In his mind, the system sounded again.

[Ding! Healing the sick and saving lives. Medical skill points +2, merit points +5.]

More medical knowledge poured into Xiang Nan’s mind.