The confrontation was not only mentally exhausting, it was annoying since I got nothing out of it.
I didn't get to hurt those I wanted to hurt and all I got out of it were fake promises which would not reach the real threat against my sidekick. I was pissed and worn out at the same time.
Vice Chancellor Albert's appearance wasn't a coincidence. The same way General Steel stepped in to save Alex from me, the Vice Chancellor also stepped in to save Dean.
Only a fool would write these two events off as a coincidence. It was all the proof I needed to know I would never be able to harm the God sect within academy premises. There were too many eyes and ears willing to jump in and protect them at the slightest sign of danger.
To be honest, I have never felt this frustrated before.
We are stuck in the academy for a long while and I'm not sure when we will get the chance to leave. So how the hell am I supposed to punish them when they strike at me?
Am I supposed to sit and watch as they have their way?
The feeling of powerlessness was too suffocating. Initially, I headed back home but I didn't sit still. How can I stay home doing nothing when the God sect can strike at me any time and walk away unscathed?
The next best thing was to train, so I decided to stop postponing my trip to the martial arts class.
—
Bam!
The car door slammed shut and I glanced at my phone screen with a frown.
"4:30 pm. I hope I'm not late," I muttered under my breath.
My gaze shifted to the ancient Chinese-style building located at the edge of a lush bamboo forest. I was genuinely stunned by how much effort they put into the learning environment of this academy but adamantly refused to give slaves outside the city the bare minimum.
The building was an architectural marvel. It embodied centuries of tradition and craftsmanship. Its sweeping, upturned eaves were adorned with carvings of mythical creatures: dragons, phoenixes, and qilins.
The roof tiles were a deep, glazed blue that shimmered under the sunlight. The entrance to the building was marked by a pair of imposing wooden doors painted deep red and bound with iron.
On each door, brass knockers were shaped like snarling lion heads.
Above the doors, a horizontal plaque bore elegant calligraphy in gold, proclaiming the name of the martial arts school in Chinese.
[Temple of the Jade Tiger.] Lyxor translated the words for me.
"Quite impressive." I couldn't help but comment.
Honestly, I was dumbstruck by the beauty of the structure. I was born at a time when everything had fallen into chaos and the majority of the human race were slaves.
How could I know of the beautiful tradition of Great China?
In an instant, all my doubts about the martial class vanished. In fact, I was inwardly thankful I came here myself.
[Are you going to stand here all day or are you going in?] Lyxor asked and I frowned.
'Don't rush me.'
Reluctantly I grabbed the door knobs and pushed the heavy doors.
'Heavy,' I muttered inwardly.
Even without tapping into my Xenovian strength, I'm pretty strong. So it felt strange struggling with the gates. What about students who didn't have this level of strength?
'Could it be the first test for students who want to delve into martial arts?' I asked.
[Don't overthink things. It could just be that they were inconsiderate.] Lyxor killed my thoughts almost instantly.
Hmph!
Snorting disdainfully, I stepped into a spacious courtyard. The courtyard was paved with large, worn stones neatly arranged, and at the center stood a grand bronze statue of a tiger.
Surrounding the courtyard were training halls, their sliding wooden doors closed shut. Each hall was supported by sturdy wooden pillars, painted red and adorned with gold leaf patterns.
This was a thousand times better than the fancy buildings scattered across the city. To be honest, I didn't mind standing here and enjoying this view for as long as possible, however I didn't even have the luxury for that.
Clank!
A door slid open and a figure walked out, drawing my attention.
It was an elderly man with ridiculously long silver hair tied back in a neat ponytail, and beards that flowed gracefully over his chest. He wore a simple but elegant robe of deep blue and his sharp gaze was so deep it felt like he could see my soul directly.
I have never considered growing out my hair until this moment. Watching this man's hair gracefully flutter through the wind left me enchanted.
[You are glazing far too much.] Lyxor sounded annoyed but I didn't care.
After gaining these powers, I have felt empty all my life until now. How can I just brush them off like that?
"Name and potential rating." The old man asked directly.
"Lucius Blackwater, S-rated," I responded sharply and the man's eyes widened with genuine shock.
He looked at me with disbelief, probably because high-rated students don't bother with martial arts since they can completely depend on their abilities.
"If you have an S-rated ability, why bother with martial arts?" He asked as the shock in his eyes was deeply replaced with interest.
I froze for a moment, searching for the right words. For the first time, I had to ask myself an important question.
Why do I need martial arts?
However, as soon as I asked the question the answer hit me.
Without saying a word, I lowered myself and touched the ground, absorbing the properties of the stones below.
"Ooh?" The old man's eyes lit up as he saw this.
"Alongside this, I have superior strength potential rated A. But I lack finesse in combat, speed, and flexibility in battle. That is why I am here," I explained.
I wasn't sure why I decided to be honest with this man. Maybe it was because I was interested in his appearance, or was it my zeal for martial arts?
All I knew was that, if I didn't explain my problem, I would never get the answer I needed. So, this once, I will swallow my pride and share my thoughts with a stranger.