Chen Nan spent two peaceful days at the inn. On the third day, the vice dean sent someone to invite him to Shenfeng Academy. The person told him to pack his things at the inn, as he and some experts from the academy would be heading directly to Xianwu Academy after their trip there.
When Chen Nan arrived at the vice dean's office, there were already nine young men and women waiting there. It was clear that these people were all experts who were going to the Immortal Martial Academy to participate in the warm-up competition.
Among them were several familiar faces. Guan Hao, with a full beard, stood at the front, clearly taken aback when he saw him arrive. In fact, everyone present was somewhat surprised, never expecting that the last person to arrive so late would be such a notorious scoundrel.
Chen Nan may not know them, but his visits to Shenfeng Academy have caused quite a stir, making many people in the academy recognize him as a "villain".
Beside Guan Hao stood a handsome blond man with a bright, sunny smile. He wore a blue, finely crafted robe with three gold stripes embroidered on the cuffs, signifying that he was a mage who had reached the third tier.
Chen Nan had a deep impression of this blond handsome man. He was Kevin, one of the top experts in the magic department. He was the representative chosen by the magic department to fight him that day, but he was blocked by Dongfang Fenghuang, and she personally fought him.
Although he hadn't fought Kevin, Chen Nan had already sensed his extraordinary cultivation. His constant smile and composed demeanor demonstrated his confidence; such confidence in the highly competitive Shenfeng Academy was enough to prove his formidable strength.
The most eye-catching person in the Ninth Middle School was not the handsome Kevin, but a short-haired woman with a clever look. Her peerless face was not the usual kind of gentle beauty. The short-haired beauty was elegant and graceful, with a refined and elegant appearance, exuding a kind of androgynous beauty and revealing a unique charm.
Some people are always the center of attention, no matter the occasion. Long Wu is undoubtedly one of them. Her stunning beauty and extraordinary temperament make her stand out from the crowd and steal the spotlight from everyone else.
Chen Nan felt a headache coming on. Long Wu, who had once threatened him to write down the secrets of the Dragon-Capturing Hand technique, was among them. Of the remaining six, three were men and three were women, none of whom Chen Nan recognized.
Guan Hao was the first to walk towards him, and said softly, "Brother Chen, what brings you here? Are you the last person we've been waiting for? But you're not a student at Shenfeng Academy, are you?"
Chen Nan said listlessly, "It's me. Do you think I wanted to participate in that warm-up match? I had no interest. It was just that that despicable old man, the vice dean, forcibly dragged me here. It wasn't my wish."
"That works too?" Guan Hao exclaimed in surprise, then whispered, "Kevin is an admirer of Dongfang Fenghuang, and it seems that Dongfang Fenghuang also has a bit of a crush on him. You've offended Dongfang Fenghuang, so you'd better be careful on the way and avoid any conflicts with him."
Chen Nan patted him on the shoulder and said, "Don't worry, Haozi. I'm not that rude, and he's not that petty. Nothing will happen."
"Hehe, since I care about you so much, how about giving me something in return? I heard you extorted 50,000 gold coins from Little Trouble. How about giving me a little something in return? I'm so poor I can barely afford to eat."
"You little rat has finally shown its true colors. Get out of here. You tricked me out of a hundred gold coins when I first came to Sin City."
At this moment, Kevin walked over with a smile and said, "I really didn't expect Brother Chen to be one of our companions."
Chen Nan sighed helplessly, "Sigh, that wicked vice dean is forcing me to go."
"You scoundrel, why do you look so gloomy? When did you become a student of our academy?" Long Wu walked over with a smile.
"Little brother, why are you wearing a skirt today? I almost didn't recognize you." Chen Nan teased without answering.
Unlike last time, Long Wu did not wear men's clothing today. Instead, she wore a pure white dress, exuding a serene and otherworldly aura, like a pure and refined white lotus.
Seeing Kevin and his two companions greet Chen Nan, the six people behind them also came over. One of the pretty girls said, "Miss Long is going to meet her lover, of course she has to dress up beautifully..."
"Little sister, how dare you laugh at your brother? I was in a good mood today and even changed my clothes, and you dare to slander me like this." Long Wu was clearly familiar with the woman. As he spoke, he reached out and lifted her chin, like a scoundrel harassing a respectable woman, and said, "Young lady, is it that you yourself are aroused by lust?"
Although the woman knew her well, she was still a little overwhelmed by being "teased" like this in public. She backed away and said, "Unusually, you're dressed so beautifully. You still won't admit it? I've heard that you have a childhood sweetheart brother at the Immortal Martial Academy."
The men in the room all showed a flicker of emotion. A woman of such exceptional beauty and grace as Long Wu would surely stir the heart of anyone. The sudden news that she seemed to already have someone she loved made them all feel somewhat uneasy.
Long Wu was tall and slender, more than half a head taller than the average woman. She grabbed the woman's arm with one hand and lifted her chin with the other, just like a playboy flirting with a girl, and said, "How dare you spread rumors about your brother, see how I deal with you."
The woman struggled and said, "Don't think we don't know; it's no secret."
Just as Long Wu was about to launch her next teasing move, the vice dean walked into the courtyard and coughed, which separated the two.
The vice-dean led the ten people into his room and began his pre-battle pep talk. Of course, it was mostly words of encouragement. He then mentioned some things to be careful about, and casually mentioned Chen Nan, saying he was a student currently undergoing examinations at Shenfeng Academy, and if he passed these tests, he would become a full-fledged student.
These students knew perfectly well that the cunning vice-dean and this disgraced guy in front of them had reached some kind of agreement.
When the vice dean mentioned the precautions, Chen Nan realized that Kevin was only leading the team to participate in the warm-up match and might not actually compete. He was going to participate in the real tournament three months later, and this time he was just there to provide support; unless his team suffered a crushing defeat, he would not intervene.
Only then did Chen Nan classify Kevin as a super strong young man; a master who could be recognized by the vice dean was no ordinary person.
The other person among the ten, Long Wu, was not a participant in the warm-up competition; she mainly served as a guide this time. The Immortal Martial Academy was not located within the territory of any of the three major Eastern powers; it was situated in a small country nestled between the kingdoms of Chu, Baiyue, and Anping.
The small country was called Jin, and Long Wu was from Jin. She was quite familiar with everything there, making her the perfect guide. Why she chose to go to the Eastern Martial Arts Department of the Divine Wind Academy instead of the nearby Immortal Martial Academy remained a mystery.
It wasn't until the very end that Chen Nan realized that when the real warm-up matches began, each academy would only have eight players actually competing. Clearly, he would be a key player for Shenfeng Academy, and a tough battle awaited him at Xianwu Academy.
"The boy surnamed Chen, stay here. The rest of you, go to Longchang and wait. You'll set off from there in a bit." Many people now know Chen Nan's surname, but only a limited number know his given name. The vice dean can only address him as such in front of everyone.
Chen Nan found it strange, wondering why this cunning and despicable old man had left him behind alone.
Then the vice dean pulled a large box out from under his desk and said to Chen Nan, "I'm giving you some weapons. Open it."
Chen Nan opened the box and found a strong bow, thirty wolf-tooth arrows, a long sword, and dozens of throwing knives inside. These weapons were all made of fine steel, but they weren't any divine weapons. However, he had a strange feeling that these weapons seemed to contain immense power.
He looked at the vice-dean suspiciously and said, "You old codger, you're too stingy. You're actually giving away these rusty knives and scrap metal? Don't forget I risked my life for you!"
The vice-dean's smile faded as he said, "These aren't ordinary knives and bows; they're expensive magical weapons. Each one has been blessed by a highly skilled mage, containing extremely powerful magical energy. Using these blessed arrows and throwing knives to deal with dragon knights and mages who can move freely in the air and on the ground will save you a lot of effort. But don't use these weapons lightly, because their power diminishes with each use."
Chen Nan was overjoyed and put the weapons away one by one.
Finally, the vice dean smiled and said to Chen Nan, "You brat, I've treated you well, haven't I? If you don't return victorious, you'll be letting me down."
"Pah! You old codger, I'm risking my life for you. You think I'll be grateful to you just because you give me a pile of scrap metal? Don't dream about it."
"Don't get excited. If you return victorious, I can resolve the trouble you caused in the capital of Chu and guarantee that they will not pursue you any further."
"Hmph, you would be so kind? Even if they forgive me for what I did, it certainly wasn't because of you. You cunning old man, you never do anything that doesn't benefit you. I saw through you long ago."
The vice dean laughed awkwardly and said, "You'll know whether I'm telling the truth or not when you get back."
Chen Nan and the vice dean then arrived at Dragon Field, where the nine people had been waiting for a long time. The reason for setting off from Dragon Field was that these people would be traveling to the Immortal Martial Academy by flying dragon; otherwise, it would probably take them a month to walk.
Three of the ten are dragon knights, a special arrangement by the vice dean, as a three-headed dragon is sufficient to carry ten people.
But an unexpected event occurred. When the three dragon riders summoned their dragons from the dragon field, a small dragon, about two zhang long and with a grayish-brown body, stood up from the cliff above the dragon cave, flew down crookedly, and then staggered towards Chen Nan and the others as if it were drunk.
The vice dean's expression changed drastically, Chen Nan smiled, while the others were worried, fearing that the immature dragon would fall from the sky.
The little dragon landed in front of everyone and waddled toward Chen Nan, causing everyone to smile.
The little dragon's unsteady gait was as tender as a baby just learning to walk, and its bright, sparkling eyes were as innocent and pure as a child's eyes, making it extremely cute.
Everyone praised the little dragon for being cute, especially the girls who were full of praise. Even Long Wu couldn't help but go up and touch the little dragon's scales.
The vice-dean's expression changed drastically. He wanted to stop it, but held back. He knew this little devil knew what was important and wouldn't attack someone who was kind to him without reason.
Chen Nan stroked the little dragon's hard horns and smiled, "Baby dragon, how have you been these past few days?"
Everyone was puzzled, wondering why he said that. But what surprised them even more was what happened next: Little Dragon started to "talk" to Chen Nan in a babbling voice, just like a toddler learning to speak. Everyone stared in astonishment.
Long Wu touched her forehead and sighed, "My goodness, what a clever little dragon! It can even talk about its own feelings. It's so adorable. Dean, could you give me this little dragon? I'd buy it no matter the price."
From the moment the little dragon appeared, Long Wu could tell it was no ordinary dragon and was very likely related to a rare and powerful holy dragon. However, she still underestimated the little dragon; she could never have guessed that it was a genuine fifth-tier holy dragon.
The vice dean coughed and said, "This dragon is a bit special; it cannot be sold."
"Why?" Long Wu asked, puzzled. "I said I'd buy it no matter the cost."
Just then, someone nearby exclaimed, "Look, what's wrong with that three-headed dragon?"
At this moment, the three dragons had all lowered their proud heads, and their bodies were trembling slightly, as if they were terrified.
Gradually, everyone noticed something amiss; the three-headed dragon looked at the little dragon with awe.
Guan Hao exclaimed in surprise, "Are they afraid of this little dragon? That's unbelievable!"
Long Wu seemed to be deep in thought, then turned to the vice-dean and asked, "Dean, what is so special about this little dragon?"
Kevin had already circled the little dragon once and said in surprise, "I feel that this little dragon seems to contain extremely terrifying magical energy. It really gives off a chilling feeling." He was a highly skilled mage, so he was naturally much more sensitive to fluctuations in magical power than ordinary people.
The vice-dean sighed softly, "I never expected the Holy Dragon Amy to suddenly appear at this time. You've actually met the legendary Holy Dragon today!"
"What!" All ten people except Chen Nan exclaimed in unison. They couldn't believe that this cute little dragon was actually a fifth-tier holy dragon.
The nine people swarmed around, scrutinizing the legendary holy dragon with great care. They knew there was an old holy dragon knight in the academy, but they had never seen the mysterious old man or the powerful holy dragon until today.
At first, the nine people were in awe of the baby dragon, but seeing Chen Nan casually stroking the little dragon's horns, they gradually became bolder and began to gently stroke its scales.
Chen Nan said softly to the little dragon, "Baby dragon, you scared those three flying dragons. Quickly calm them down."
Upon hearing this, Xiaolong turned his head and cried out a few times to the three-headed dragon. The three-headed dragon, as if granted a pardon, gradually calmed down and stopped trembling.
Then, Xiaolong, as if trying to please Chen Nan and seemingly pleased with himself, began to speak in dragon language, which amazed everyone.
"Ahem," the vice dean coughed, and said, "You should not easily mention what you saw and heard today to others."
Everyone expressed their understanding and nodded in unison.
The vice dean said, "One of our teachers went to the Immortal Martial Academy not long ago. He will contact you after you arrive there. Although no teachers from the Divine Wind Academy will accompany you on the way, I am very confident that you can handle any unexpected events with your strength."
Kevin said, "Please rest assured, Dean, we will definitely return victorious."
Long Wu smiled and said, "Dean, could we stay in Jin for a few more days?"
"Oh, sure. It's a rare opportunity like this, so I grant you permission to stay a few more days, but don't take too long."
Everyone cheered, and the happiest of all was Long Wu, whose hometown she would surely rush home to reunite with her family.
As everyone boarded the three-headed dragon to head to the Immortal Martial Academy, the baby dragon grabbed Chen Nan's sleeve and refused to let go, eventually pulling him onto its back.
Everyone couldn't help but chuckle, but the vice dean's expression changed drastically. He didn't want the problem dragon in his eyes to cause any trouble.
Chen Nan knew that Xiao Long had feelings for him, but he didn't expect it to be so dependent on him. No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't understand the key to it.
"Little Dragon, stop fooling around. I'll play with you later. I'm going far away today."
Xiao Long shook his head in disagreement and made a few "woo-woo" noises.
Chen Nan felt something was off and asked, "Are you coming with me too?"
Xiao Long nodded happily, his big eyes blinking excitedly.
Upon hearing this, the vice-dean's face turned green. He was unwilling for this little devil to go to the Immortal Martial Academy; if he caused a major disaster there, the blame would definitely fall on the Divine Wind Academy.
Seeing the vice dean's expression, Chen Nan knew exactly what he was thinking. He patted Xiao Long's head and said, "It's not up to me. This matter requires that damned old man's approval."
Xiao Long winked at the vice-dean, then let out a "Yiya" sound. The vice-dean was immediately terrified. The miserable experience of being chased and brutally beaten by Xiao Long last time was unforgettable. He didn't want to be bombarded by Xiao Long in front of these students. If that happened, he would rather kill himself first.
"Alright, Chen boy, don't make Amy angry on the way." The vice dean's words were pointed, meant to remind Chen Nan to keep the little dragon in check on the road and not let it cause any big trouble.
"Don't worry, nothing will happen. Hmm, I heard that the baby dragon needs to eat some celestial mushrooms and spiritual ginseng every three days. Should we bring some for it?"
Xiao Long smiled in his dragon-like manner, nodded to Chen Nan, and then started making "ee-yah-yah" sounds at the vice dean.
The vice-dean cursed Chen Nan inwardly, for secretly helping Xiao Long plunder the academy's medicinal herbs before leaving. Knowing Xiao Long's nature and that he couldn't shirk responsibility, he reluctantly walked out of the dragon's den, saying as he went, "Wait a moment."
The nine people on the back of the three-headed dragon looked at the cute little dragon with a mixture of curiosity and surprise. The little dragon seemed to have an extremely unusual relationship with Chen Nan, which made them both envious and jealous.
Long Wu, in particular, was incredibly envious. She couldn't help but ask, "You scoundrel, what kind of bewitching potion did you give the little holy dragon? How can it be so dependent on you?"
Chen Nan chuckled and said, "That's what they call personal charisma. You have good character, even dragons like you."
Long Wu laughed, "Pah, pah, pah, you're getting cocky now. Tell me what happened, or you could try to persuade Little Dragon to come with me. I promise I won't mistreat it."
Chen Nan grinned and said, "Why are we being so formal? What's mine is yours, isn't it? If you like Xiao Long, feel free to sit here with me, hehe..."
"Pah! You scoundrel, if you dare to spout nonsense with your brother again, I'll have someone deal with you when we get to Jin, and you'll die far from home," Long Wu laughed.
A girl next to me said, "Yeah, when we get to Jin, my childhood sweetheart's protector will show up, haha..."
Just then, the vice dean returned carrying a package.
Chen Nan whispered to Little Dragon, "Little Dragon, teach that old guy a lesson before you leave, but don't go too far."
Xiao Long nodded excitedly.
The vice dean tossed the package to Chen Nan, who was sitting on Xiao Long's back, and said, "Everything is inside; enough for Amy to enjoy for a while."
Upon hearing this, Xiaolong winked at the vice dean in a friendly manner, then swayed over to him and affectionately extended a dragon wing to pat his shoulder.
Everyone stared in disbelief. With each slap from Xiaolong, the vice-dean shrank further, and in just three slaps, his legs below the thighs had disappeared into the ground. Chen Nan quickly stopped Xiaolong's actions, otherwise the vice-dean might very well have been "planted" into the ground.
The vice dean glared at Chen Nan through gritted teeth, while everyone present suppressed their laughter.
The three-headed dragon soared into the sky, and the little dragon also wobbled into the air, chasing after the three-headed dragon.
The vice-dean struggled to pull his legs out of the mud, muttering under his breath, "That troublesome dragon, that brat... just you wait!"
As the three-headed dragon and the little dragon took flight, Ruth happened to see them from a short distance away. She gritted her teeth and said, "That bastard actually went to the Immortal Martial Academy, that damned guy..."