Chapter 49: Chief Chu, Who Will You Choose?

Chapter 49: Chief Chu, Who Will You Choose? "Disciple admits fault. I ask Chief Chu for forgiveness." The two disciples from Wendao Academy quickly bowed and apologized to Chu Feng. Chu Feng wasn't the petty type. Besides, his presence at Wendao Academy had always been relatively low-key—it was understandable that these disciples didn’t recognize him. "No matter. Those who don't know are not at fault." "Thank you, Chief." Only then did the two breathe a sigh of relief. The look in their eyes now held a trace of admiration. As expected of a chief of Wendao Academy—such grace was rare. But which institute was this Chief Chu from? Why did he look so young? They soon thought of one possibility—the head of the Miscellaneous Dao Institute. In the past, they never would have taken the head of the Miscellaneous Dao Institute seriously. But times had changed. The institute now had Xiao Chen overseeing it, and recently, the deeds of Cao Youqian had spread among the outer sect disciples. Many were now saying the head of the Miscellaneous Dao Institute was a hidden expert. Of course, there were also those who claimed Chief Chu was just lucky. But regardless of the reason, Chief Chu was clearly not someone outer sect disciples like them could afford to offend. Chu Feng then turned his gaze toward the source of the voice from earlier. He saw a middle-aged man rise and respectfully greet him. "Han An of the Merit Hall greets Chief Chu." "No need for formality. You're off duty today?" Chu Feng returned the courtesy politely. Steward Han smiled. "Indeed, I’m off duty today. Chief Chu, what brings you down the mountain?" Chu Feng didn’t bother hiding his intentions. "I have one external disciple recruitment slot this year, so I came down to take a look." As an all-knowing figure in the academy, Steward Han immediately smelled the scent of opportunity. Although Chu Feng didn’t have much fame among the ten institute heads, with the golden reputation of Xiao Chen backing him, his position was stable. "Could it be that Chief Chu is interested in either Kuang Sandao or Ling Zitong?" "No. I just heard there was a duel today and came to watch." Chu Feng answered with a serious expression. But to Steward Han, that sounded like deliberate evasion. Clearly, Chief Chu had taken a liking to one of the two. If he could get a clue and pass the information on, it might fetch a good price. Even if many elders and institute heads didn’t acknowledge Chu Feng’s ability to teach, no one doubted his eye for talent. Otherwise, how could he have picked out both Xiao Chen and Cao Youqian? "Didn’t expect Chief Chu to be one for excitement. As the head of an institute, you must be well-versed in countless techniques. Might you offer us some insights later on which of the two is superior?" Chu Feng smiled. "Hard to say with duels like this. Let’s wait until the fight begins." Steward Han added, "Chief, today’s match is not a life-and-death duel, just a sparring bout. But there are still many who’ve placed bets." Chu Feng replied, "I see. What a shame—I know nothing about either of them. Otherwise, I might have placed a small bet myself." While they spoke, noise stirred from outside. "Look! Kuang Sandao is here!" Hearing this, Steward Han led Chu Feng to a seat by the window. Chu Feng looked outside and saw a bearded man dashing through the air at astonishing speed. His feet moved as if walking on solid ground, even though he was in midair. "Gasp..." Inside the teahouse, many Wendao Academy disciples inhaled sharply at the sight. "Kuang Sandao really lives up to his name. Using spiritual power to run through the air just for an entrance—that’s insanely draining." "Does that mean he’s confident in winning this match?" "Not necessarily. Ling Zitong's Longyuan Spear Technique is no joke. Even among outer sect disciples of Wendao Academy, only those in the top hundred can be sure of beating him." Chu Feng listened to the crowd’s discussions and quietly waited for the second contestant to arrive. Soon, the sound of hooves echoed in the distance. A dashing young man, clad in white robes, silver spear in hand, rode a white horse straight toward the Life and Death Platform. Just before the horse reached the platform, the young man leapt high into the air and landed gracefully atop it. His entrance wasn’t as flashy as Kuang Sandao’s, but it had undeniable style. "Not bad," Chu Feng suddenly remarked. Steward Han instinctively asked, "Is Chief Chu placing his hopes on Ling Zitong?" "No. I just think the kid’s handsome. In my eyes, strength is temporary, but looks—those are forever." Chu Feng said with a completely serious face, spouting nonsense with a straight expression. Steward Han: "..." Was this Chief Chu... unreliable? Or perhaps he was using this to mislead everyone else— To prevent them from guessing whom he intended to recruit. Yes. That had to be it. Thinking this, Steward Han couldn’t help but smile slightly and took a sip of tea. Once I confirm who Chief Chu plans to take as a disciple, I’ll sell the info. On the Life and Death Platform— Kuang Sandao saw Ling Zitong land and greeted him heartily. "Brother Ling, it’s been a while. Still as elegant as ever, I see." Ling Zitong cupped his fists and said, "Brother Sandao, you’re no less impressive. Today, I’d like to see how your three slashes have progressed." Kuang Sandao laughed. "This time, I won’t let you down, Brother Ling." "Then let’s begin." Ling Zitong spoke as he took half a step back. "Please." Kuang Sandao didn’t retreat but instead gestured for him to strike. "Please!" As Ling Zitong spoke, the spear in his hand swept forward. Kuang Sandao also drew his blade and met the attack. Boom! The two clashed at full force right from the start. A tremendous explosion rang out, causing the surrounding spectators to instinctively retreat several steps, afraid of getting caught in the blast. "Cleaving a Thousand Armies!" Kuang Sandao roared as he unleashed his technique in a wide, sweeping arc. Ling Zitong was not to be outdone. He immediately retaliated with a shout: "Howling Dragon Break!" In an instant, blade aura and spear force engulfed the entire platform. The whole Life and Death Platform shook violently under their exchange, as if it might collapse at any moment. A thick cloud of dust engulfed the stage. The audience below retreated further, trying to disperse the haze. In the teahouse, Chu Feng and the others sipped their tea calmly, their expressions unchanged. Moments later, the dust cleared. On the stage, Ling Zitong had been pushed back to the edge. He bore a few minor injuries, but his gaze was resolute. Across from him, Kuang Sandao didn’t fare much better—his shoulder had a bloody hole. Spectators below looked at the two and cried out, "So strong! These two are incredible! Even Wendao Academy disciples might not be better than this!" Kuang Sandao and Ling Zitong didn’t continue their attacks, instead staring at each other with solemn expressions. "Brother Ling, you've gotten stronger," said Kuang Sandao. Ling Zitong smiled. "We’re about equal." Kuang Sandao said, "Next, I’ll use my strongest slash. If you can withstand it, I’ll concede defeat." "Very well!" Ling Zitong replied, "I’ve been wanting to see this strongest slash you've trained so hard on." Kuang Sandao slowly raised his blade, and his aura steadily intensified. Ling Zitong stepped forward half a pace, eyes growing ever more determined. "Wild Wave Slash!" "Dragon Bearing Break!" The moment the blade was drawn, the entire crowd was shaken. "Blade intent! Kuang Sandao actually grasped a sliver of blade intent—this guy’s impressive," Chu Feng commented with a smile as he watched the seemingly unstoppable strike. The disciples in the teahouse, hearing this, looked at Kuang Sandao with new wariness. The blade fell—victory was decided. Clang! Ling Zitong’s silver spear dropped to the ground, blood dripping down his arm. "Thank you for showing mercy, Brother Sandao. I accept this loss wholeheartedly." Kuang Sandao said, "You flatter me, Brother Ling. We were only sparring—there's no grudge between us. Tonight’s drinks are on me at the Fragrant Pavilion." "Agreed." Ling Zitong picked up his weapon and left the platform with Kuang Sandao. Steward Han watched the scene unfold, then turned to Chu Feng and asked, "Chief Chu, if you had to choose between the two, who would you take as a disciple?" "Kuang Sandao is excellent," Chu Feng said, then suddenly shifted his tone. "But if I had to choose—it would be Ling Zitong." "Why?" Steward Han looked puzzled. Chu Feng smiled. "Didn’t I already give you the answer? Because he’s handsome." Steward Han: "..." ==================================================================================== Get access to 20 chapters in advance and enjoy 2 daily updates by supporting the series. Available on Patreon: /Alex_Cruise or Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/anish_44