C17 The Dust Settled, the Heart Was Precious!

However, to everyone's surprise,

"Mr. Zhao, I apologize."

"I've decided to attend Vermilion Bird College."

Bai Le's resolve only strengthened after he took a moment to calm down.

His reasons were manifold. Above all, he dreaded the thought of regret.

Once he made a choice, Bai Le was determined not to second-guess himself.

Additionally, he possessed a certain 'design'.

Cultivating under the watchful eye of a Grandmaster could easily blow his cover, so he had to proceed with caution.

Lastly, something felt off to Bai Le, though he couldn't quite pinpoint what it was.

"You..."

"Do you realize what you're saying? Do you understand what it means to be mentored by Principal Cao?!"

Zhao Wenfeng was in disbelief.

Had Bai Le lost his mind?

Was he unaware of Cao Lingfeng's reputation as the Armor King?

Impossible. Who didn't recognize the Armor King?

Cao Lingfeng had five disciples, and aside from one who had perished, each was a colossus among humans.

And yet, Bai Le was turning down this incredible opportunity?

"Mr. Zhao, I'm fully aware of my words."

Bai Le responded with a nod.

In the martial path, the support of a benefactor is crucial.

But holding fast to one's principles is even more vital.

"Bai Le, you..."

"Let's do this... I'll give you three days to reconsider!"

Zhao Wenfeng, a seasoned recruiter, had never lost his composure, whether in success or failure.

This time, he was truly on the verge of losing it.

Partly out of frustration with Bai Le's apparent ignorance of his own best interests.

Partly because it was such a waste for a talent like Bai Le to miss out on Azure Dragon College!

He was reluctant to let go without a fight and surprisingly offered a compromise.

"Teacher Zhao, I've made up my mind. Thank you for your concern."

Bai Le bowed to Zhao Wenfeng once more, standing firm in his decision, not wanting to delay anyone further.

"If that's your choice, so be it!"

Zhao Wenfeng rose, his frustration evident, and stormed off.

"Hahahaha, such a fiery spirit! He's destined for Vermilion Bird College!"

In stark contrast to Zhao Wenfeng was Zhang Lia at the door, brimming with joy. He was thrilled that Bai Le had turned down Zhao Wenfeng—or rather, Cao Lingfeng.

Excellent!

That's the spirit!

Vermilion Bird College always had a penchant for students with a rebellious streak.

He wasn't worried about Bai Le making enemies with this move.

Doesn't Vermilion Bird College have a seventh-grade Grandmaster at the helm?

The teachers from Black Tortoise College and White Tiger College exchanged glances and shook their heads with a wry smile.

Zhao Wenfeng exited with a scowl.

"Rigidity leads to breakage, while flexibility ensures survival."

"Old Zhang, it's your job to guide him now."

With those stern words, Zhao Wenfeng made his exit.

"Hahahahaha."

"Old Zhao, we at Vermilion Bird College prefer the strong-willed! Not like you all! Hahahaha!"

Zhang Lia's laughter was robust and filled Bai Le's home.

"Student Bai, I'm Zhang Lia from Vermilion Bird College!"

"On behalf of the college, I welcome you. Rest assured, although we can't match Azure Dragon College's offer at the moment."

"I promise you, you won't be shortchanged."

With that, Zhang Lia embraced Bai Le and gave him an encouraging pat on the shoulder.

This kid was exactly his cup of tea!

"Thank you, Teacher Zhang."

Bai Le winced as the guy slapped his shoulder twice, the pain sharp and immediate. He managed a pained grin and muttered a thanks.

"Bai Le, since we've made a deal, here's a little something for you," Zhang Lia said, pulling out an ornate box from his pocket. "A top-grade Body Tempering Pill, crafted with the essence of a beast's blood—potent stuff!"

"You're a late bloomer who hasn't even hit the novice level. When the time's right, take this pill to fortify yourself. You might just break through in one fell swoop!"

He then handed Bai Le a cultivation manual and a guide titled "Rudimental Body Tempering Method." The manual, a collaborative effort from the national combat colleges, detailed every advancement from rudimentary level to the eighth Heaven Rank of Martial Saint. The guide essentially outlined the steps to qualify for the rudimentary level.

Without any pretense, Bai Le accepted them both.

"I won't belabor the point," Zhang Lia continued. "I'm aware your folks are gone and there's nothing tying you down here. Pack up; we're heading to Aermagh tomorrow at noon!"

Excitement was palpable in his voice, as if he could hardly wait to whisk Bai Le away.

"Teacher Zhang, is it really necessary to go to school this early?" Bai Le asked, knowing full well that Vermilion Bird College started early. But this seemed excessive.

"Yes, we're gathering in Aermagh first due to special circumstances this year," Zhang Lia explained. "The National College Competition kicks off next March, so school and military training are starting earlier. Our college has been outperformed by others for years, and it's time for a change. This year, we're pulling out all the stops to take home the championship!"

They sat on a yoga mat as Zhang Lia shared this, his smile infectious. The National Colleges Competition was a prestigious martial arts event, held biennially, and Vermilion Bird College, having only clinched the title once, was eager to reclaim glory.

"And you, you've got that challenge with Qi Dongsheng," Zhang Lia added. "Starting early could give you the edge you need. Wouldn't want you to lose face with an embarrassing defeat."

Bai Le was taken aback that Zhang Lia knew of his rivalry with Qi Dongsheng. Clearly, his teacher didn't fancy his chances.

"Understood, Teacher Zhang. We leave tomorrow," Bai Le said, nodding firmly.

After Zhang Lia departed, allowing Bai Le to say his goodbyes to Huthwaite City, the other recruitment teachers, having learned of Bai Le's decision to turn down Azure Dragon College for Vermilion Bird College, saw no point in lingering.

They left in a buzz of speculation.

"Did you catch Zhao Wenfeng's scowl? What's got him so riled up?"

"You haven't heard? Bai Le turned down Armor King's offer to take him on as a disciple!"

"What?!"

"Good grief, what's going through his head?"

"Maybe that Vermilion Bird College woman promised him something better. Is she planning to take on a disciple too?"

"Shh! Keep it down, will you?"

Once they were gone, Bai Le retreated to his room, carefully storing the Body Tempering Pill. He then pulled out the Cultivation Guide and began to pore over it.

In high school, we had martial examination teachers who touched on the subject of martial arts cultivation and advancing through the realms. However, their explanations were often unclear, lacking the precision found in textbooks. The absence of a dedicated martial arts cultivation course or methodical instruction in high school boiled down to two main reasons.

Firstly, resources were scarce, and the nation simply didn't have the capacity to extend such training to high school levels. Secondly, and most crucially, about 99% of individuals only experience their Awakening between the ages of 16 and 18. Without adequate resources and only a year or two at their disposal, it was virtually impossible for them to enter the rudimental stage. Consequently, high schools chose to forgo this subject altogether, opting instead to hone students' mastery over their innate talents.

Upon opening the manual, the process for talent Awakened individuals to progress to the rudimental stage was laid out with clarity. Normal Awakened could achieve advancement by unblocking three specific acupoints—the Heaven's Top, Heavenly Connection, and Heavenly Dispelling Acupoints—and undergo Body Tempering. For those with exceptional talent, simply opening these three acupoints and undergoing Body Tempering wasn't enough for advancement. They needed to unblock an additional three apertures—the Root Bone, Floating Gate, and Expansion Apertures—and undergo a second Body Tempering to be promoted.

Then there were the exceedingly rare prodigies. They had to unlock three acupoints, three apertures, and two meridians—the Ren and Du Meridians—and undergo Body Tempering three times before they could advance! The rudimental stage was also referred to as the pseudo-first grade. Once someone entered the rudimental stage, progressing to the first grade was not a formidable challenge!

Of course, for Bai Le, the current predicament was his lack of Awakening. "I must awaken my talent as soon as possible, or the gap between my peers and me will continue to widen," he thought. "If I can't awaken my talent, my only fallbacks are the Intent Blade and the achievement rewards..." Bai Le mused, stroking his chin.

While the Intent Blade could grow increasingly powerful, it was ultimately constrained by the Intent Value. To truly break through in the martial path, one must awaken their talent, clear the three acupoints, and undergo Body Tempering.