Chapter 202 Rejection
However, unlike what everyone had expected, Fang Xingjian did not agree right away. Neither was he overwhelmed by joy, nor did he replied with excitement.
He stayed calm, and amidst the silence, he calmly replied, “May I ask if there are any requirements?”
Hearing this question, everyone stared at Fang Xingjian with eyes wide-open and mouths agape.
What was he asking? He was actually asking if there were any requirements for the Divine level expert to be taking him in as a disciple? Did he think of it as the tuition fees paid to home tutors?
However, Master Yuelun maintained his amiable smile. He slowly walked up to Fang Xingjian and said, “Child, don’t think too much. Teacher will not set any requirements when he takes in disciples.
“If you really must insist on listing one, it would be that you must stay in the Sacred Mountain and cultivate for five years. After the five years are up, you’ll be able to leave once you’ve passed Teacher’s test. Otherwise, you may end up ruining Teacher’s reputation.”
“I must stay in the mountain for five years? Must I stay for the full five years?” When Fang Xingjian heard this, his brows tightly knit together.
Yuelun was slightly stunned, as if he had never expected for Fang Xingjian to be so insistent on this problem. Normally, no matter the type of genius, upon hearing that a Divine level expert wished to take one in as a disciple, one would excitedly and wholeheartedly agree. However, this lad was still acting as if he was scared that someone would be conning him to get his money.
He shook his head and gave it some thought. Thinking that he had managed to see through Fang Xingjian’s worries, he asked, “Is it because you have family or friends you’ll miss? Don’t worry, you can bring them along with you.”
If an ordinary person were to show so much hesitation, Yuelun would no longer pay them any heed. However, once he saw Fang Xingjian’s face, he could not help but simply go along with him.
When Fang Xingjian and Yuelun were having their conversation, all the people in the surroundings had their eyes popping out as they looked at the two of them in disbelief.
Master Yuelun was very polite and warm to Fang Xingjian, as if he was talking to his own son. Was this still the Holy Orison’s chief disciple they knew?
David, in particular, was feeling as if his lungs were going to explode from anger when he saw Fang Xingjian and Yuelun chatting. How he wished he could replace Fang Xingjian, and wished that he was actually Fang Xingjian!
Hearing Yuelun’s reply, Fang Xingjian shook his head and said, “I have things I need to do. I can’t stay for five years.”
After giving it some thought, he chose not to share the secret that he only had four years left to live, and his purpose of revenge. It was not something he ought to do. Once he shared it, too many things would change.
Hearing Fang Xingjian’s reply, Yuelun seemed to be extremely shocked. However, this was also something with which he could not compromise on. He replied seriously, “The five years in the mountains are part of our Church of Universal Truth’s regulations, to go through fasting, ablution, and prayer. It did not change even when Teacher had gone up the mountain.
“Only the traitors of the church leave before the five years are up.”
Having heard this reply, Fang Xingjian turned silent. He was considering whether it would be better for him to continue on the path to participate in the Regional Selection and eventually the National Selection, or, to go under the wings of the Holy Orison and rebel once he got strong enough.
The more Fang Xingjian was silent, the more everyone’s gazes toward him grew increasingly strange.
Was this Fang Xingjian an idiot? To refuse a Divine level expert?
What was he thinking? There were many people who wanted to rush up and agree on Fang Xingjian’s behalf.
Edger did not care about it much, squeezing through the crowd and ran up to Fang Xingjian, judgmentally asking, “Fang Xingjian, are you an idiot? It’s your good fortune accumulated for many lives to have the Guardian King take you in as his disciple. What are you still hesitating for? Quickly say that you’ll agree to it!”
He very much wanted to press down on Fang Xingjian’s head and to agree on his behalf. How good a thing was this? It was not just beneficial for Fang Xingjian, but for Kirst as well. A Divine level expert specially spending someone on his behalf to take in a student as his disciple would be great advertisement for Kirst Academy, and would also greatly increase the academy’s reputation.
Kirst Academy would also turn famous very quickly. Countless people would take part in the Prefectural Selection in Kirst and then enrol in Kirst Academy.
Moreover, now right they were before most of the aristocrats in Great Western City. Edger felt that if he were to give Fang Xingjian directions, it would win him much respect. In the future, if news were to spread out saying that Fang Xingjian had repented and agreed to go under the wings of the Holy Orison because of his suggestion, how much respect would he gain?
It would be a legendary story of a teacher and a student!
For someone like Edger, who valued his reputation a lot, how could he not be overjoyed?
However, faced with Edger’s judgemental words, before Edger even had the chance to feel happy for a second, Fang Xingjian stomped down on his chest. With a bang, Fang Xingjian’s kick sent Edger flying out of the crowd.
He mumbled in annoyance, “Long-winded.”
After going through tough training for the past three months, how much had his strength increased? How fast was he now? Moreover, he had stepped into the realm of Heaven’s Perception and his vision of things within a ten meter radius was much clearer than if he were to see with the naked eye. With all these, combined with the Unparalleled Sword Intent, he had aimed and hit on Edger’s flaw in just an instant.
Edger was not on his guard at all. Who would have thought that Fang Xingjian would attack him before so many aristocrats? Who would have thought that Fang Xingjian would be so bold?
He was stunned at the moment when he was attacked and only managed to regain his senses when he collided against a table, all sorts of food and drinks splattering on him.
But everything was too late. Even if he used his Reduced Force Field to get rid of the rubbish around him, he was already fully drenched, and there was even a large footprint on his shirt where he had been kicked in the chest.
Hundreds of aristocrats in the area looked at him as if their eyes were all lasers with filled with great damaging prowess. For a person like Edger who loved his reputation so much, to have been humiliated before majority of Great Western City’s aristocrats was a great disgrace. Consumed by embarrassment and anger, his face had turned flush red. He was unwilling to stay there for even one more second.
He let out a furious bellow and dashed out of the hall, and out of the manor, not daring to look any of the aristocrats in the eye.
However, his actions had not attracted too much attention. After Fang Xingjian carefully considered it, he replied, “My limit is two years. Within two years, I must definitely leave the mountain.”
Yuelun shook his head. “There’s been no exceptions in the Church of Universal Truth.”
Fang Xingjian shrugged, “Then I can only say that I’m sorry, and I can’t go with you to learn in the Sacred Mountain.”
It was then when Valen finally found the courage to interrupt, “Fang Xingjian, are you crazy? You’re rejecting the Guardian King?” He quickly told Master Yuelun, “He’s not in the right frame of mind. He must have gone crazy after all the training he went through. Please let him think through it carefully again.”
However, Fang Xingjian was unfazed. Master Yuelun frowned as he looked at him, that familiar feeling slightly dragging him into a faint trance.
He smiled and said, “Since that’s the case, I won’t push it. We’ll leave everything to fate.”
When David saw this, he was extremely excited. He now thought that Fang Xingjian was truly beyond redemption. To think that he would reject such a good opportunity and end up offending Master Yuelun!
The banquet’s host, Hathaway, also frowned slightly, feeling that this Fang Xingjian truly did not know any better, to have ruined the perfectly good atmosphere.
Astral Ancestor’s grand disciple looked at Fang Xingjian with interest and smiled as if he was looking at a weirdo, ‘Interesting, interesting.
‘Haha, this Fang Xingjian is doomed.
‘To think that a blind man would dare be so arrogant… To think that he would reject the Guardian King’s invitation…
‘This b*stard. If he’ll also participate in this Regional Selection, I’ll definitely kill him for his sin of having undermined the Church of Universal Truth.’
Just then, Fang Xingjian spoke again, “May I ask where the Governor is? I wish to participate in the upcoming Regional Selection but I was late for the registration.”
Hearing Fang Xingjian’s words, everyone looked at him as if they were looking at a fool. To think that an idiot who had rejected a Divine level expert, a blind man, a Knight who was late for the registration, would dare to think of participating in the Regional Selection!
Everyone was waiting for Governor Devitt’s reply, and were anticipating how he would humiliate this Fang Xingjian.