The Entry-plundering Demon Hunter

Chapter 184: Chapter 184: My Daoist Sect Has Declined? Not a Single Talented Student?

Dusk settled heavily.

Chu Zhengxiong glanced out the window.

The blood-red remnants of the setting sun filled the sky,

splashing across the buildings and making them look as if they were stained with blood.

He turned back and looked at Lin Yi and Wei Nan.

”Alright, it’s getting late. You two should head back now!”

”I’ll treat you to a meal after I get out of the hospital in a couple of days!”

Lin Yi: ”...”

”Hey, what’s with that look? I’m being serious.

”Seriously... my entire reputation is in shambles because of you!”

”Before I came to the Old District, I was famous for being sincere and trustworthy! I never went back on my word. But ever since I met you, my reputation has been dragged through the mud again and again!”

”Brother Chu, I’m not the one ruining your reputation, am I?”

”You’re the one who offers to treat us to a meal every single time. When have you ever actually followed through?”

”I haven’t even said a word, yet you’re getting mad at me? I bet this meal is just another empty promise!”

”Wei Nan, let’s get out of here. I’ll treat you to some hand-pulled noodles!”

After Lin Yi finished speaking,

Wei Nan smiled and stood up. Sitting on the hospital bed, Chu Zhengxiong’s expression darkened.

”You brat... Who’s making empty promises? Just you wait until I’m out of the hospital. I’m treating you to a feast, and you have to come even if you don’t want to!”

”Alright, I’ll wait for you to get out.”

Lin Yi nodded calmly, his eyes utterly devoid of excitement.

The moment the hospital room door clicked shut,

Chu Zhengxiong, who had been fuming just seconds before, couldn’t help but laugh.

...

New District.

Dragon Tiger City.

Ever since Elder Mu Ru returned from the Old District, he had remained on the back mountain, meditating and cultivating.

Several days passed in a flash, and he never once left.

But today, he descended the mountain and stepped onto school grounds.

”Master, what brings you down from the mountain?”

A middle-aged man, also dressed in Daoist robes, asked with the utmost respect.

Mu Ru glanced at him. ”The Martial Arts Examination results are out, I presume?”

”Yes, they are. In fact, the university choice submissions from all the various high schools just came in!”

”Mm.”

Mu Ru nodded. ”How were the results from the Old District this year?”

”Master, a genius emerged from the Old District this year. A student named Lin Yi, with a cultivation at the Three-Star Realm, took first place in the entire district. Furthermore, he ranked first in every examination!”

”Oh?”

Mu Ru was momentarily startled, then stroked his long beard and nodded.

”I knew I wasn’t mistaken about that boy. Did he apply to our Dragon Tiger University?”

At these words, the corner of the middle-aged Daoist’s mouth twitched, and he shook his head.

”N-No...”

”Mm, I suppose that’s to be expected. With his talent, why would he be content to become a Daoist?”

”Then how many students applied to our Dragon Tiger University? And what is their aptitude like?”

A trace of disappointment flickered in Mu Ru’s eyes.

However, he remained confident about the number of applicants.

Who would have thought that the middle-aged Daoist’s own eyes would grow dim.

”Master, in t-total, over one thousand three hundred people applied to Dragon Tiger University... It’s just that, among the top-ranked students of this cohort, not a single one chose us!”

”Especially among the top martial arts examinees from Xinghai City’s high schools. All of them chose Xingwu University as their preference!”

”Oh? Why is that?”

Mu Ru’s expression changed, his brows knitting together tightly.

The middle-aged Daoist shook his head. ”I don’t understand either. Perhaps they... are simply unwilling to cultivate the Dao.”

At these words, Mu Ru let out a long sigh, a flash of anger in his eyes.

”Has our Daoist Sect truly fallen so far? We can’t attract even a single talented student?”

The middle-aged Daoist bowed his back slightly.

Feeling Mu Ru’s wrath, he dared not utter a single word.

Cold sweat trickled down his forehead,

terrified that his Master might strike him dead with a single slap to the crown of his head in the next instant.

...

Aside from Dragon Tiger University,

the situation at Lanshan University and Martial Alliance University was much the same.

When they heard that this year’s Martial Arts Examination Champion Scholar had chosen Xingwu University,

they too felt the sting of regret at having lost out on such a talent.

Fortunately for Lanshan and Martial Alliance,

at least they weren’t in the same boat as Dragon Tiger University, which hadn’t managed to recruit a single Star-rank examinee.

In addition to local students from the New District,

a handful of Star-rank examinees from various cities in the Old District had chosen them.

It was some small consolation.

Among the four famous universities in the New District, Xingwu University was undoubtedly the most pleased.

Inside the principal’s office,

the principal looked over this year’s list of applicants and their martial arts examination scores.

He could barely contain his smile.

”Principal Tang, it looks like Xingwu University can finally hold its head high this year!”

”To think, even the Martial Arts Examination Champion Scholar from the Old District is coming to our university.”

”I bet the folks at Lanshan and Martial Alliance are absolutely furious!”

A sharply dressed, middle-aged man in his fifties standing across the desk said with a fawning expression.

The principal sitting behind the desk nodded as the man finished speaking.

His name was Tang Baichuan, and he was also in his fifties.

However, he looked considerably younger than the man opposite him.

He glanced up at the man across from him. ”Director Liang, go and prepare the acceptance letters for the admitted students.”

”Yes, Principal Tang... How many should we send out this year?” Director Liang asked, pausing as he was about to leave.

Tang Baichuan glanced at the list of applicants.

After a moment’s deliberation, he declared, ”Accept every applicant who meets our score requirement!”

”But...”

”Principal Tang, isn’t that too many students for one year?”

”In the past, we’ve always capped our enrollment at five hundred, with a limit of eight hundred for students from our own district...” Director Liang’s brows furrowed in concern.

Tang Baichuan shot him a look. ”These are the Bureau’s orders. If you have a problem with it, take it up with them.”

”Yes, yes, of course! Th-Then I’ll go make the arrangements right away!”

Director Liang’s expression flickered, and he quickly scurried out of the office.

The moment the door closed,

Tang Baichuan picked up his phone and dialed a number.

After a long pause, the call finally connected.

”Hello? Old Tang? Spit it out, I’m busy!” a woman’s voice snapped from the other end.

Despite her unfriendly tone,

the moment he heard her voice,

Tang Baichuan broke into a doting smile. ”Qinru, guess who applied to Xingwu University?”

”Who? Didn’t I tell you I’m busy? Just say it, don’t make me guess!”

Tang Qinru was clearly getting impatient on the other end of the line.

Tang Baichuan’s expression turned serious, and he said quickly, ”It’s that Lin Yi you told me about!”

”Who? Lin Yi? Are you sure?”

In the next instant, Tang Qinru’s voice was filled with surprise.

Tang Baichuan nodded. ”His file is right here in my hands. It was just submitted. Xinghai City Third Middle School, first place in the district, Three-Star Realm...”

Tang Baichuan read Lin Yi’s entire file to her.

Suddenly, the line went silent.

After a few seconds, Tang Qinru finally said, ”Alright, I get it. I’m hanging up.”

”Wait, about this Lin Yi...”

Before Tang Baichuan could finish, the line went dead.

He frowned at his phone, sighing and shaking his head.

’That girl,’ he thought. ’She never treats me with any respect!’

He then picked up the files for a few other students.

”Wei Nan, Sun Tao, Zhou Qi... Shen Mengyi?”

’They’re all from Xinghai City, and their realms aren’t half bad. Don’t tell me they planned this together?’

Tang Baichuan muttered to himself in bemusement.

He then returned to reviewing the other student files.

...

As evening fell,

Lin Yi sat in the living room, feeding Xiaoqi some Demon Beast Meat.

After everything that had happened that day,

Xiaoqi seemed to have grown a little larger than when he’d left that morning.

The color of its feathers, in particular, had become even more magnificent and vibrant.

It seemed to be developing into a creature just like that multicolored, divine bird from the [Heart Spirit Domain].

”Eat up. The more you eat, the faster you’ll grow!”

Lin Yi had cut all the Demon Beast Meat into small cubes.

Without even lifting its head, Xiaoqi gobbled up the pieces one by one, like a chicken pecking at grain.

In no time at all,

all the Demon Beast Meat was gone.

Xiaoqi didn’t ask for more. It just ruffled its feathers in satisfaction.

Then, it turned and headed for the bedroom.

Seeing this, Lin Yi quickly called out, ”Going to sleep already? Shouldn’t you walk around a bit to help your digestion? ’A walk after dinner helps you live to ninety-nine’...”

It was as if Xiaoqi hadn’t heard a thing.

With a swagger that recognized neither friend nor foe, it continued into the bedroom.

Ever since Tang Qinru had returned to the New District, the large house had felt cold and empty.

Lin Yi lived there all by himself, with no one to talk to.

But ever since Xiaoqi arrived,

it had brought him a great deal of joy. The man and the bird kept each other company,

and things weren’t so boring anymore.

Lin Yi cleaned up the bowl and utensils.

He also washed out the thermal food container to return to Deng Long when he brought his meal tomorrow.

They had always rotated them.

Just as Lin Yi carried everything into the kitchen,

his phone rang, and he hurried back out.

The caller ID was clearly labeled: ’Sister Qingru’.

Lin Yi answered the call with a smile. ”Hey, Sister Qingru, I was just thinking I’d call you after I finished the dishes...”

”Xiaoyi, let me ask you—which university did you apply to?”

Tang Qinru cut him off before he could finish.

Lin Yi was taken aback for a second. ”Xingwu University!”