C20 The Dignified Person

"I confess, I said those things, and I confess I had no intention of keeping my word."

Mr. Rouge locked eyes with Zhou Mu, each word deliberate, "Let's make another bet. If I win, we'll call it even on everything that's happened before. If I lose, then..."

"Then you'll kneel and call me daddy!"

Hearing Zhou Mu's challenge, Mr. Rouge actually felt relief wash over him.

Better to call him daddy than to eat six pounds of... anything.

"Name your challenge."

Zhou Mu was intrigued, eager to see if Mr. Rouge would truly kneel and fulfill the taunt.

"We'll fight it out with our bare hands—no spirit animals, no soul techniques."

Mr. Rouge's gaze was stern as he made the proposition.

He was certain Zhou Mu would accept, just as he had when he killed Wu Yuexia's elite spirit animal in front of thousands during the combat exam.

"Deal!"

Zhou Mu didn't hesitate to accept.

But before Mr. Rouge could brace himself, a crisp sound rang out, followed by searing pain.

Stunned, Mr. Rouge couldn't even process what had happened.

One solid slap had shattered his self-assurance.

If this was the damage done unarmed, what if weapons were involved? Or soul techniques?

Not to mention, Zhou Mu had a spirit animal capable of taking down an elite in seconds!

Mr. Rouge stood there, shell-shocked, as the memory of his mockery played over in his mind.

Could he have been as magnanimous as Zhou Mu?

Tears streamed down Mr. Rouge's face, a mix of guilt and regret, with an overwhelming majority of the sensation being sheer agony.

Thud!

Mr. Rouge collapsed to his knees, his shirt soaked through with tears.

Watching Zhou Mu and Hai Ming walk away, Mr. Rouge finally let himself cry out loud.

It burned too much!

"Man, Mr. Rouge has his pride, doesn't he?"

Hai Ming glanced at the weeping Mr. Rouge, pitying him, "He must be torn apart by the agony of defeat, forced to kneel by his own promise."

His pride and his word were at war, leaving him no choice but to weep bitterly.

As the instigator, Zhou Mu was well aware of why Mr. Rouge was acting this way.

The sting of a slap had triggered a flood of tears and mucus, leading to the current mess.

Don't question how Zhou Mu knew the details so intimately...

"Zhou Mu, come to my office."

No sooner had he entered the classroom than the homeroom teacher materialized from thin air.

"Alright."

Zhou Mu nodded and followed the teacher to the office.

Upon opening the door, he found three people seated inside.

One, clad in a military uniform, was leisurely enjoying his tea. The other two fixed him with such intense stares that their gazes seemed to spark in the air.

"Uh, Uncle Luo?"

Zhou Mu greeted the man in uniform, who was Zhou Hao's secretary and bodyguard, and undoubtedly his second uncle's most trusted confidant.

He must be here on behalf of his second uncle.

"Don't stand on ceremony. I'm just a simple admissions director now."

Zheng Hao dismissed the formality with a wave and a smile. "These gentlemen are Yuwen Hao from Northstar College and Fong Ju from Bayshore School. You've earned a 'first-rate' evaluation in the practical exam, and all three of us are here to extend an invitation."

Zheng Hao gave Zhou Mu a knowing eyebrow raise, hinting that this was his chance to negotiate terms.

"Good day, teachers. I'm Zhou Mu."

Zhou Mu nodded, catching Zheng Hao's drift.

"Good day, teachers. I'm the boss's Chicken Two."

Jinzi blurted out with a mischievous grin.

Before Yuwen Hao and Fong Ju could respond, a green blur materialized from nowhere, and Jinzi was suddenly plastered against the reinforced glass three meters away.

As Jinzi slowly slid down in a heap, Zhou Mu couldn't help but wince.

Clearly, Gator was the culprit.

Whether out of irritation or just fed up, it had swiftly dispatched Jinzi with a flick of its tail.

"This..."

"This is a Mystic Bird!"

Zheng Hao, as expected from the secretary and bodyguard of the Ambergrasp area command, had an exceptionally keen eye and instantly recognized Jinzi's true nature.

"Mystic Bird? Of lordly quality? With Phoenix lineage? And how did he manage to contract a second spirit animal? Has his Soul Contract been elevated to level three?"

Yuwen Hao and Fong Ju exchanged a glance, both spotting the surprise in the other's eyes.

Fresh out of high school and already at level three, with a Lord-grade spirit animal to boot - 'genius' didn't even begin to cover it.

Though puzzled about how Zhou Mu withstood the bloodline backlash when signing the Soul Contract, they trusted Zheng Hao's judgment.

"Wait, if that was the Black Bird, then the one who sent it flying..."

Yuwen Hao and Fong Ju shared another look, a tidal wave of astonishment crashing over them.

Only a Lord-grade spirit animal, at the very least, could launch one with Phoenix lineage through the air - and its bloodline would be no less formidable.

Recalling the barbed sus scrofa that had been swallowed without resistance, and the many fiend beasts cowering on the ground, the same thought struck them both.

Could that snake be of the dragon species?

They inhaled sharply.

A dragon species and a phoenix species, both Lord-grade spirit animals, and they're talking about university? Might as well just hand out the diploma.

"We need to have a detailed discussion with the principal about this."

Yuwen Hao's voice was grave.

"Please, go ahead!"

Zhou Mu nodded, signaling his willingness to wait.

"Come, have a seat."

Zheng Hao gestured to the chair next to him.

"Uncle Luo, what did Second Uncle send you for? To recruit me into the military?"

"No."

Zheng Hao shook his head, adding, "The commander sent me to force the others to show their hand. The two universities are on par with each other, so naturally, you'll go to the one with the better offer."

"I see!"

Zhou Mu nodded, appreciating his second uncle's thoroughness.

After about ten minutes, Yuwen Hao and Fong Ju returned.

"Let's dive right into the heart of the matter," Yuwen Hao suggested, then elaborated, "At Northstar College, you'll receive 1000 credits monthly, priority access to resources, unrestricted library access, and personal instruction from the principal, a level ten Animal Whisperer."

After Yuwen Hao had his say, Fong Ju took the floor.

"The offerings at Bayshore School are quite comparable. You'll receive 1000 credits monthly and gain annual access to the Sanctuary for Spiritual Growth at no cost. Moreover, once your Soul Contract hits level six, the principal has pledged to gift you a Moon Beast."

Zhou Mu listened to the exchange but didn't rush to accept. He inquired, "What treasures does the Northstar College library hold? And could you explain the Sanctuary for Spiritual Growth and the Moon Beast?"

"The Northstar College library is essentially the first level of the imperial library, housing the complete collection of martial arts from across the Noshar Empire. The Sanctuary for Spiritual Growth is a spatial rift that's been cleared out and maintained by a team of level ten Animal Whisperers, transforming it into a secret haven for training. It's an ideal place for honing soul techniques and significantly enhancing soul intensity. The Moon Beast is a unique spirit animal with a Yin attribute, known for its superior healing abilities, even surpassing those of the wood attribute."

Zheng Hao clarified Zhou Mu's questions with precision before falling silent.