C22 Group a

Xie Yuan fell silent, casting his gaze around before landing on a new topic of conversation.

"Have you skipped breakfast? Let's go grab something to eat," Guo Yuan suggested to Zhang Heng.

Zhang Heng had an epiphany; they had indeed spent an inordinate amount of time getting ready that morning and had completely missed breakfast. Now, it was nearly lunchtime.

"Do we still need breakfast at this point?" Zhang Heng questioned.

Guo Yuan surveyed their environment, reflecting on the class that had stretched on without much substance.

"Well, if we've missed breakfast, we definitely can't skip lunch," Guo Yuan declared.

With that, Guo Yuan led Zhang Heng away.

Walking the same path again, Zhang Heng was perplexed. The school's environment was decent, yet its exterior was somewhat rundown.

He couldn't wrap his head around it; if it was a matter of concealing their capabilities, it seemed unnecessary.

Curious, he inquired, "Why does the school look so rundown on the outside when the facilities inside are quite good?"

Guo Yuan just laughed in response to Zhang Heng's question, "You really don't know much about this school, do you?"

He went on to explain, "Even though the school has seen better days, it's still an institution for spiritual cultivation. It prioritizes spending where it matters most, hence the excellent facilities. But there just isn't enough funding to spruce up the exterior."

"Isn't your family quite wealthy? Why not sponsor some improvements?" Zhang Heng teased.

"My family has money, but not enough to throw at a problem like this. Besides, it's not really our responsibility. We only invested in the school because I was underperforming," Guo Yuan admitted.

That was the crux of it. Even if the facade was spruced up, it wouldn't change the fact that the school was underperforming because of its people. So, Guo Yuan's family hadn't poured much money into the institution; they just wanted to ensure Guo Yuan could thrive there.

"Oh, really? But you're still in Class A," Zhang Heng remarked, immediately feeling a twinge of regret for bringing it up.

He suddenly realized that if he could place himself in Class A, then surely he could do it again. Therefore, Guo Yuan's true cultivation strength might not live up to the so-called Class A standard.

Feeling a bit sheepish upon hearing this, Guo Yuan had an inkling that Zhang Heng was catching on. He explained, "Typically, families like ours are incredibly wealthy, so it's not a big deal. If it were up to our family, I could have gotten into a top-notch school."

Zhang Heng now fully grasped the situation, especially recalling how effortlessly he had bested Guo Yuan during the freshman initiation ceremony.

"But because my cultivation level isn't that high, my father decided it was better for me to attend a local school. He prefers being a big fish in a small pond rather than the other way around," Guo Yuan admitted with an awkward chuckle.

"Then why not just join Class D? Why go out of your way to buy your way into Class A?" Zhang Heng was puzzled.

To Guo Yuan, the class distinction was irrelevant. He had assumed that Class A would have a better environment, but now it seemed that even Class D might have a more favorable atmosphere. So why aim for Class A?

Guo Yuan realized Zhang Heng didn't grasp the intricacies of the situation. "When I first arrived, I was a bit embarrassed, so I paid my way in. Later, I discovered that many in this academy had secured their spots through similar transactions," he shared.

Zhang Heng pondered for a moment and realized that seemed to be the case.

"I did consider joining Class D, but after taking a closer look at the students there, I found that they were really..." Guo Yuan trailed off.

"What happened?" Zhang Heng inquired.

"Well, it's not just Class A and Class D; there's also a faction known as Group A. Despite its name, it's a mixed bag of members who specifically target Level D students within the academy," Guo Yuan revealed.

This was something Zhang Heng hadn't anticipated.

"And you know what? They believe that because the academy has so many Level D members, other schools look down on us. But they fail to realize that their own cultivation levels might be no better than D."

"Is that why you chose not to join?" Zhang Heng asked.

I can understand the choice, though. In such circumstances, I'd probably opt for the superior Class A myself.

"Didn't they study diligently? From what I gather, while cultivation level is crucial, it's not the be-all and end-all. It can be changed with enough effort over time," Zhang Heng remarked.

"But consider this: if your academic standing is that poor, how long would it take to improve through sheer effort? And for how long must one toil? As a result, the students in Class D lack ambition, and their aspirations are quite limited, merely hoping to land a job as a security guard upon leaving," he added.

Zhang Heng felt somewhat uneasy.

"Does being worse off lead to an even worse outcome?" he pondered.

Despite being at the top, he wasn't ready to throw in the towel. He believed in his ability to grow stronger through perseverance, especially with the power he'd accumulated over the past three hundred years. Giving up so easily was out of the question.

Determined to make a change, Zhang Heng inquired, "Have you joined Group A?"

Guo Yuan shook his head, "Of course not. I'm well aware of my own abilities. Knowing I got into Class A through connections, how could I oppress a Level D member?"

Zhang Heng felt somewhat relieved by this response.

Despite Guo Yuan's wealth, he wasn't a bad person, which genuinely pleased Zhang Heng.

Yet, to challenge the status quo, he realized he needed to get a closer look at Group A.

"How does one get into Group A?" Zhang Heng asked.

Upon hearing the question, Guo Yuan abruptly stopped and grabbed Zhang Heng, advising earnestly, "Really? You're considering joining that?"

Guo Yuan was surprised to find himself allied with someone who turned out to be quite different from what he expected, and he couldn't hide his disappointment.

Seeing Guo Yuan's reaction, Zhang Heng felt reassured and explained, "I just want to challenge the current mindset. Class D can improve too."

Guo Yuan, hearing this, eased up a bit.

"My advice? Better to leave it alone. Just focus on living well here at the academy and mind your own business, not others'."