After they inquired about the sufficient information regarding the Annual Tournament, the two headed straight to the Academy Head Quarter to have an audience with the Vice-Dean, Li Binbing.
During this Midday Break, many students come and go to reporting their assignments to the teachers.
Qiqi was very excited when she was finally able to encounter so many people at once.
"Wow! I never thought that the academy would have so many students! Also, the main building looks somewhat rustic yet so beautiful!"
Ling smiled a bit, seeing the young girl jumping around merrily, like a little vixen she was.
"Watch your way or you'll bump into someone."
"It's fine! I will be careful!"
Sure enough, Qiqi's cheerly behavior drew attention from the people around them. A group of three senior students fixed their eyes towards Qiqi.
Ling was aware they were gawking at Qiqi like a pack of hungry wolves preying on a hare.
"Look at those two. How come village kids can attend the most prestigious school in the kingdom!"
"Indeed! Let's give her some lessons, hehehe!"
They have much bigger stature since they were adequately older than Qiqi and Ling. One of them purposely waylaid Qiqi's way to trample her feet.
However, Qiqi, who was very agile, slipped through them flawlessly. Moving fluidly like water and passed through them without being noticed.
Likewise, Ling also casually walks through them while lowering his head and uttering a word.
"Weaklings."
Those senior students were taken aback when they realized that the two juniors had passed through them and were already behind them.
The only thing that they could hear was Ling's sharp insult.
"Eh?! What did you say?!"
"I said… You all are nothing but weaklings." Ling said this while walking, he doesn't even bother to look at those seniors.
"You! Mannerless son of whore! You think you can mock me and walk away!?"
Ling halted his step, glared back at them as he exuded his fierceful killing intent with just his sheer gaze.
He doesn't care what people would call him, he will just laugh it off to his heart's content.
However, insulting him as the son of whore was the same as insulting Kwan Xi Yue, the woman who gave birth to him! And he won't tolerate anyone who dares insulting her name!
"Am I mannerless? No, I am just telling you all the truth. You guys are the mannerless brats here! All of you tried to pick up on a girl who knows nothing about the academy and called me a mannerless son of whore? You better take that back or I will make your mother into a real whore instead!"
Those spineless seniors were scared shitless, sweating profusely as the fear that invaded their mind and soul.
"C-come on… just leave before things get escalated!"
"J-just you wait! I will come to you and give you some lessons!"
Those three senior students walked away after receiving Ling's ferocious killing intent. A natural ability only possessed by someone who killed countless enemies.
Ling snorted, "Hmph! What a bunch of trash!"
"Just leave them be. Brother Ling. They are not worthy of your attention. Besides, I am okay anyway."
"Right… Let's hurry and meet the Vice-dean."
***
Before long, the two had arrived at the Head Quarter where all teachers and academic staff did their job mostly, aside from attending the classes and teaching the students.
After a short walk, roaming through the winding corridors, they finally arrived at Li Bingbing's room.
Ling knocked the door, gently. "Pardon our intrusion, Li Bingbing Shizun."
"Ling Zhao? Come in." answered the vice-dean.
The two entered the room, shutting the door behind them.
Li Bingbing was quite surprised by his change. He had grown by leaps and bound within a year. On the other hand, she's also quite intrigued by the young lady who had a very thin presence beside Ling, it was her first time meeting Qiqi.
The young lady bowed elegantly, lifting either side of her dress.
"Greetings, Li Bingbing Shizun. My name is Hui Xiao Qi, or you can call me Qiqi for short."
"Qiqi…" Li Bingbing pondered for a while. "Ah… the girl that Fang Zheng Shifu took in as his disciple was it?"
"Indeed…" Qiqi smiled proudly.
"I see, I see…"
The vice-dean nodded her head a couple of times upon knowing the reason why Fang Zheng impulsively chose Ling Zhao as his disciple.
'Shifu paired them to balance each other's energy of these two little monster in front of me. He's still vicious as ever!'
"Fang Zheng Shifu said that we had to come here to meet you," said Ling. "He said you have something to talk with us."
"Oh, right! As you might already know. There would be the Annual Free For All Tournament. Henceforth, I would like to invite you to participate in the tournament."
Li Bingbing gazed at Ling's eyes with such seriousness. As someone who had been through many battles both in the battlefield and political warfare, Ling acknowledged that gaze immediately.
'She's trying to say something but she can't. Someone pulled the string from backstage which prohibited her from speaking frankly in the open. Power play, huh? Royal Family, I guess? Interesting.'
"Very well… But with one condition." Ling extended his finger. "I wish no rule would bind me if things get out of hand. Of course… I will respect and abide by the rules as long as there's no one provoking me to do so. But… judging the nature of this tournament, I doubted those 'entitled' students would follow the rules."
Li Bingbing was impressed by Ling Zhao's sharp mind. 'As expected from a kid with Level 10 Soul Aptitude. His intelligence even has surpassed that of a fully grown adult!'
"Okay… I can do that much."
Ling smirked from ear to ear after hearing it. He was eager to see the result of his training in a real battle situation and upheaving what kind of conspiracy within the academy that he could exploit.
Qiqi raised her hand impulsively while tip-toeing on her feet. "May I join the tournament? I also want to see how strong I have been after a year of training!"
The vice-dean was bemused by Qiqi's cheerful and yet excited behavior.
"Of course! You may participate as well, Xiao Qi. Do your best and I wish the best for both of you."
***