Chapter 26 The Current Situation of Northern Academy
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"Hmm? Why?" Bi Da'er was a little surprised; he couldn't understand Amon's reason for refusing.
He believed his own strength was good, and he also had a city lord father to rely on. He had background and ability, making cooperation with him a win-win choice.
"I think I made it very clear just now, the Northern Advanced Soul Master Academy doesn't guarantee that you can participate as an academy representative just because you have talent and strength.
"It's impossible for civilian soul masters to organize a team at all.
"And you don't seem to have any major forces supporting you.
"Before, there were many civilian soul masters who banded together, wanting to defeat teams organized by other noble children and win the qualification to participate in the academy's competition.
"They did have the ability, but before the finals in the academy, the team fell apart. Their members quit one after another and joined other teams.
"Some were threatened, some were lured with benefits…"
"So if your goal is the Elite Competition of Advanced Soul Master Academies, there must be someone in the team with enough background… maybe one person isn't enough.
"Or do you think I'm too weak and not worthy of teaming up with you?"
At the end of his words, Bi Da'er's face also showed a hint of anger. He thought he had been respectful and friendly enough to Amon, and he didn't think his strength was bad.
In the Northern Academy, his talent might not be the best, but it was definitely among the top tier.
Amon had a smile on his lips, "I don't think you're weak or unqualified to be with us… I also think teaming up with you is a good choice."
"Hmm?" Bi Da'er was a little puzzled by this inconsistent statement.
Amon continued, "But I won't join your team. I will choose my own partners. My goal is not just to participate… Don't you think it would be interesting to win a championship?"
"Cham… championship?" Bi Da'er was surprised by his goal.
The Beidi Province is a region directly under the jurisdiction of the royal family, belonging to the Heaven Dou City district, and has five qualifying spots. To pass the preliminaries, you must be among the top five in many advanced soul master academies.
But the five elemental academies are like mountains standing in the way, making the students of the Northern Academy unable to muster the courage to climb.
Bi Da'er's biggest goal was just to get the qualification to participate. It would be even better if he could perform well in the preliminaries.
He had never considered entering the finals, let alone winning the championship, which was simply a fantasy.
Amon nodded, "That's right, the championship… therefore, I need control of the team, and I can't accept unqualified people joining.
"From your description, the captain of the participating team in the Northern Academy should have considerable power, because this is a team competition, and the captain is the core of the team.
"Ask yourself, if you were the captain, could you refuse students who have good relationships with your family but are slightly lacking in strength to join?"
Bi Da'er fell silent and shook his head, "Not really, I have to compromise."
Amon said in a gentle but firm voice:
"Yes, it involves conflicts of interest, and you have to make choices, concessions, and compromises. I believe that the conditions for me to compromise will be more difficult to achieve than the conditions for you to compromise…"
"I'm not so easily bought off, nor am I so easily threatened, and I don't have complicated things to consider such as family ties, friendship, or family relationships.
"It's not easy to make me back down.
"Just like in my opinion, your strength is already the bottom line requirement, but your bottom line seems to be lower."
"It seems you're very confident… the championship, that's something I wouldn't even dare to think about." Bi Da'er chuckled, looking at Yan Jin and Lei Yin with a helpless expression, "If everyone had their talent, maybe there would be hope in the next session, but I can't wait that long, I'm already nineteen years old.
"However, if you really have the confidence to win the championship and show that kind of strength, then the various forces in the academy won't break up your team.
"They will only try to send the outstanding students they fancy who meet your requirements into your team…"
Amon suggested, "How about we decide who the captain is after we get to the academy?"
"Okay… if you're strong enough, then you'll be the captain." Bi Da'er nodded, with a bit of expectation and ambition in his eyes. If possible, he would certainly like to perform better.
"Eh? Goldie? Amon agreed to let you join?" Yan Jin, who had been paying attention to the situation, walked over, patted his shoulder, and said with a smile, "Well… your strength is passable."
The corners of Bi Da'er's mouth twitched, revealing a wry smile. Yan Jin's words were hurtful, because they were true.
In fact, after the conflict in the tavern, although Bi Da'er affirmed Yan Jin's talent, he didn't think the other party had surpassed him yet. He seemed passive in the tavern because the space was narrow and he couldn't use his speed advantage.
However, after witnessing the last scene of her sparring with Lei Yin, he changed his mind and admitted that he couldn't beat Yan Jin.
Maybe Amon said I'm the bottom line standard, but he lowered the requirements a bit and saved me some face because I helped him hunt soul rings… Bi Da'er thought to himself.
After Bi Da'er left, Yan Jin belatedly asked, "Amon, are you going to hunt soul rings here? Not going to the academy first?"
Amon pinched his monocle, "Maybe I'm overthinking it, or maybe not… In short, I need to go to the academy in a better, more outstanding state.
"Originally, I planned to get soul rings after going to the academy, wanting to use the academy's power to make hunting easier.
"As for now, relying on Bi Da'er can achieve the same effect."
Lei Yin looked a little serious. Amon wouldn't change his plans casually. The change in plans meant that something unexpected had happened during this time.
"Those… thieves?"
"Huh? What did you say?" Yan Jin asked, hearing Lei Yin's mumble.
"No, nothing." Lei Yin shook his head and looked at Amon, asking, "Do you need us to go together?"
"Yes." Amon nodded, "I don't have many attack methods at the moment, and I need your assistance.
"When we get to the Ironheart Mountains, don't act rashly. This time's target is a bit tricky.
"The Eyeless Snake is not a soul beast with low combat power like the Slime. On the contrary, they are powerful predators.
"A five-thousand-year Eyeless Snake has the strength comparable to the best among Soul Ancestors (40-50), or a general Soul King (50-60)."
"Soul King?" Lei Yin felt the heavy pressure.
He and Yan Jin relied on the special nature of their martial souls to fight against Soul Grandmasters, but it was impossible to cross two major ranks to challenge a Soul Ancestor, let alone a Soul King.
Yan Jin also looked serious, but firmly said, "But since you included it in the hunting range from the beginning, it means you are confident that we can take it down with the strength of the three of us."
Although she didn't like to think much, she knew Amon better than Lei Yin, knowing that he would never do anything he wasn't sure of.
Amon pinched his monocle and smiled noncommittally.