Chapter 66: Becoming a Disciple! The Dean of the War College of Jingyu Martial Arts Academy!

A verbal warning?
What kind of punishment is that?
Have the higher-ups started paying attention to me after all these days?
Li Yao understood it instantly.
This was also what he had hoped to see.
In the world of class awakeners, everything is about striving and fighting!
If you hide your strength here, act timidly there, and worry that even the best wine is hidden deep in the alley, failing to display your talent, how will the higher-ups ever notice you? How will they tilt resources in your favor?
Though he no longer needed resource allocation at the moment.
Let's not forget, the dungeon realms themselves were also a form of resource!
The reason Li Yao wanted to enter the Four Great Martial Academies was precisely for this very cause; some truly rare and precious dungeons were the heritage of major factions and could never be offered to the mundane world for free.
Following that, Li Yao spoke up with a question.
"Senior, what about the other matter?"
"The matter concerning the Tower of Babel," Xue Jiulan's tone turned serious as she said, "You saw it yourself, not a single person is around the Tower of Babel right now."
"Whether it's you clearing the tenth floor, or you participating in the Tower of Babel today, the Federation will help you keep it under wraps."
"Therefore, you'd better not leak it out yourself either."
Just that?
Even if the other party hadn't given a reminder, he wouldn't go around spreading this kind of thing.
Li Yao nodded to indicate he understood.
Seeing Li Yao agree so readily,
Xue Jiulan's eyes flickered, and her evaluation of Li Yao in her heart inevitably rose by a notch.
She had originally intended to tell him the reason behind doing this, but now it seemed completely unnecessary.
With foreign races invading, the Dragon Country was far from being a monolith.
As a general of the Dragon Country, Xue Jiulan did not care to dwell on such matters.
To be so young, yet unflustered and composed in the face of an event destined to be recorded in history—
The Principal's eye for talent remains as sharp and ruthless as ever...
If his strength were just a bit stronger, even she might not be able to resist the urge to take him on as a disciple.
Xue Jiulan thought to herself.
However.
Being young, he still needed encouragement where appropriate.
Xue Jiulan looked at Li Yao, her expression solemn, and said earnestly:
"The tenth floor of the Tower of Babel can indeed be considered top-tier prodigy territory."
"But among class awakeners, there are certain special classes whose second-tier advancement does not take place in the Tower of Babel. How can you know for sure that their trials are any simpler than the tenth floor?"
Li Yao listened quietly without refuting.
"In short, the martial examination is still a few days away, don't let your guard down..."
Right at this moment.
A region-wide system notification appeared on the interface of every class awakener in Qinghai City.
[Ding! Emergency update for the Tower of Babel!]
[There will be no rewards for conquering the Tower of Babel during the next seven natural days!]
[Following the update, the Tower of Babel will enter its second phase: monster strength increased, experience rewards increased, clearing rewards increased, and a higher probability of obtaining rare items!]
[Ding! Emergency update for the Tower of Babel!]
...
Three consecutive emergency alerts flooded the interface.
In an instant.
Qinghai City's Star-Net Forum exploded.
Some people wept and wailed because they had prepared to complete their second-tier advancement tasks these next few days.
Some people were excited that the rewards were increased, feeling that those with a favorable position would reap the benefits first and gain better leveling conditions.
Even more people were curious why the Tower of Babel, which had stood for eight years, was suddenly updating.
At this moment, Xue Jiulan stood frozen in place, utterly petrified as if turned to stone.
"Entering the second phase..."
"An illusion?"
Yet, the crystal-clear system prompts visible word for word on her interface were reminding her that this was no illusion!
Others might not know what the Tower of Babel entering the second phase signified.
But the Tower of Babel was something she had personally fought to seize back!
How could she possibly not know?!
Only by slaying an Apostle, by slaying that name-bearing creature, could one enter the second phase?!
A name-bearing entity was a monster whose power had been recognized by the Heavenly Way and specially bestowed with a name.
Just what kind of existence was that?
Twenty years ago.
A level 120 name-bearing monster broke through the abyss and descended upon Sakura Country, an existence that, single-handedly, almost managed to sink Sakura Country directly!
Wait!
Xue Jiulan's pupils constricted violently as she suddenly realized something, staring at Li Yao in utter disbelief.
"What did you do in there?"
Li Yao was completely baffled by the scene before him.
Are the emotions of a nation-guarding general always this unstable?
Before Li Yao could reply, Xue Jiulan released her grip on him.
Apostles only granted rewards to class awakeners who cleared the tenth floor, and this kid was the only one who had entered the tenth floor.
If not him, then who else could it be?
No!
The permissions had to be modified!
What kind of bullshit tenth-floor prodigy was this?
Tenth-floor prodigies weren't even worthy of carrying this kid's shoes!
No, that wouldn't do either!
Xue Jiulan frowned.
Modifying the permissions was far too obvious.
Right now, the only people who knew the advancement conditions of the Tower of Babel were the two individuals who had seized it alongside her back then.
Though those two fellows were no saints, they wouldn't flap their gums carelessly about a matter like this.
In just a few short seconds—
Xue Jiulan used more brainpower than she had in the entire past year!
Ultimately, she decided to keep this matter under wraps.
At the same time, she would find an opportunity to warn those two fellows to prevent them from running their mouths!
Having figured it out, Xue Jiulan resumed her carefree and breezy demeanor.
Principal, oh Principal.
Who would have thought that even your old self could misjudge someone!
If the Principal had known that Li Yao could solo a name-bearing monster at level 20,
he wouldn't have sent her to see Li Yao at all; he would have come in person to take him as a disciple.
As for now...
Xue Jiulan looked at Li Yao as if looking at a piping-hot delicacy. After some rapid facial expression management, she said solemnly.
"Right, I suddenly remembered there's one more matter."
"Senior, please speak."
Even though this senior looked somewhat unhinged, Li Yao still asked respectfully.
There was no help for it.
The threshold for a nation-guarding general was a tier-six awakener.
Instead of answering, Xue Jiulan asked, "Which martial academy are you planning to apply for in the exam?"
"The Four Great Martial Academies," Li Yao replied as a matter of course.
"Which of the Four?"
Xue Jiulan wasn't surprised. With this kid's strength, which academy couldn't he enter?
"I haven't decided yet."
Good, not having decided is just right!
When the dignified Dean of the War Academy personally recruits you, there's no way you won't take the bait, kid!
Xue Jiulan maintained a calm expression and said indifferently, "Have you considered Jingyu Martial Academy?"
Li Yao nodded.
Jingyu Martial Academy was indeed his favorite academy so far.
Because Jingyu Martial Academy's teaching model differed from ordinary academies, adopting a master-disciple mentorship system.
There were no classrooms; students chose their own mentors and sought instruction under them.
Of course, mentors also had the right to refuse, making it a mutual selection.
This kind of model demanded extremely high standards for faculty, something only the Four Great Martial Academies were capable of.
The guidance given to students was far beyond what those large lecture halls could ever compare to.
Seeing Li Yao nod, Xue Jiulan felt overjoyed internally, but she didn't show it on her face, saying casually:
"In that case, come to Jingyu. I can introduce you to a mentor."
Li Yao asked, "Who?"
"Jingyu Martial Academy consists of three major colleges: the Heavy-Combat War Academy, the Heavy-Support Lingtong Academy, and the Heavy-Slaughter Penal Academy."
Xue Jiulan introduced with a completely serious and earnest expression: "The person I'm introducing to you is... the Dean of the War Academy, the Dragon Country's number one close-combat awakener below tier seven, and ranked seventh globally on the tier-six honor roll."
"How does having someone like that as your mentor sound?"
Li Yao was startled inwardly.
As expected of a nation-guarding general!
Dean-level figures were already the highest combat strength in Jingyu Martial Academy outside of the Principal.
And the Principal of Jingyu generally didn't come out to take disciples personally.
In other words, a dean-level figure was already the absolute best choice Li Yao could hope for as a mentor.
At this moment,
Xue Jiulan suddenly felt that presenting it this way made it sound a bit cheap: "Becoming the Dean's disciple comes with conditions. The condition is..."
Xue Jiulan thought about it: "The national top scorer in the martial examination..."
No, this year's martial examination was a bit unusual; what if this kid stumbled...
"Top ten in the nation, then. With my influence, she won't make things too difficult for you."
"Thank you, Senior."
Li Yao agreed without hesitation.
Since the other party was a nation-guarding general who had traveled thousands of miles to elevate him, regardless of her underlying motives, he ought to keep it firmly in mind.
"I still don't know Senior's name."
"Xue Jiulan."
Xue Jiulan replied casually, but her heart was bursting with joy.
Once she had his promise, he couldn't run away now!
Upon hearing the name Xue Jiulan, however, Li Yao froze in place.
Immediately afterward,
the corner of his mouth twitched, and a black line appeared across his forehead.
When Shang Zijin had previously introduced the powerhouses of the Four Great Martial Academies to him, she had specifically urged him to seek tutelage under five of them.
Among those five.
Xue Jiulan's name was right there.
Xue Jiulan of Jingyu Martial Academy, Dean of the War Academy...