In the heart of the classroom, an atmosphere of calm reigned. The early morning light fell in gentle hues, bathing the space in a soft glow that neither scorched nor chilled.
In front of the blackboard, a teacher was diligently untangling the knots of a complex science lesson.
This wasn't a specialized school for cultivators, just a regular one. Of course, there were many of those other kinds of schools, where students started learning about cultivation and growing stronger from the moment they walked through the doors.
Regrettably, Long Tian was not part of these institutions. Not because he lacked qualifications, but due to his indolent and indulgent demeanor.
Since his youth, he disliked cultivation or anything training-related. He was a spoiled child, always pampered by his parents.
If his father hadn't intervened, he might have remained in this blissful ignorance. But two years ago, he had begun practicing and cultivating, and his progress had been startling. It was as though he had been born with an extraordinary talent for understanding and cultivation, allowing him to reach the pinnacle of Qi Foundation realm in just two years.
His parents and elders were overjoyed. Their joy sprang from the realization that the Long family now had a worthy successor—a genuine prodigy.
With this realization, his ego bloomed, and he began to act more unreservedly. Even after transmigrating, the essence of Long Tian's original emotions and character remained a part of him.
Fortunately, society's and the major families' impressions of him weren't bad, which was still a good card to play when dealing with Qin Chen.
Indeed, once high school was over, he would inevitably align himself with a sect or academy.
Regarding the martial spirit awakening test, he had no worries. He was privy to a method that could evolve a martial spirit; it was only a matter of time before he located the necessary materials. And the most crucial piece, the dragon horn... was in his possession, thanks to Ling Han.
Knock, knock!
Just then, the rhythmic knocking on the door diverted the attention of the room.
The teacher moved gracefully to open the door, revealing Ning Yuan, the math teacher.
He and Ning Yuan seemed to be whispering something, their voices hushed and undecipherable.
However, Long Tian's brows furrowed. Ning Yuan's presence signaled she had encountered with Qin Chen.
He sighed internally. It meant that Qin Chen wasn't expelled from the school. This was a bit tough, as the Ning family was one of the ancient families and an ally of Qin Chen.
"Long Tian, Teacher Ning would like to have a word with you," the teacher called out.
"Apologies, Teacher, but I'd prefer to devote myself to studying at the moment," Long Tian responded nonchalantly.
Hearing this, the teacher seemed unsure whom to side with. He certainly knew that Long Tian was the young master of the Long family, but he also knew that Ning Yuan was a member of the Ning family, one of the ancient families.
Just as he was about to speak, Ning Yuan abruptly stepped into the classroom, "Long Tian, stand up and come with me. I want to discuss something with you. It's important, so don't refuse," she stated, crossing her arms.
"What about? At least tell me what the matter is, then we can talk. You know, Teacher Ning, knowledge is precious, I can't waste a single second," Long Tian replied lightly.
Ning Yuan started to sweat, uncrossed her arms, "It's about... Your academic performance. Yes, there's something I want to discuss regarding that," she declared.
"My academic performance? As far as I remember, from the first year until now, I've always been the top of the class, always ranked 1. I've even won several city-level competitions. Are you sure there's a problem with my academic performance?" Long Tian inquired, frowning.
Ning Yuan sweated even more at his words. She was running out of reasons to persuade Long Tian.
She looked around to see the students watching her with strange expressions.
Even the science teacher.
No one could deny that Long Tian was a genius, not just in cultivation, but also academically.
"Tch!" Ning Yuan was left without a reason to converse with Long Tian. With a thud of her foot, she exited the classroom hastily.
A smirk spread across Long Tian's face. Luckily, he was able to avoid a conversation with Ning Yuan.
Honestly, he didn't want to deal with her for now. At least not until he took care of a few things...
"Okay, let's get back to the topic. So, molecules and particles basically..."
********
Time passed quickly, and school was over.
A majority of the students were already huddled at the gate, ready to head home.
However, Long Tian, Li Guowu, and a handful of their friends stood beside a sleek car, their gazes trained on Qin Chen who remained standing at attention, facing the flagpole.
"Should we go over to him? He looks like an exhausted dog," one of his friends suggested, a grin full of mockery on his face.
"That's a good idea, that bastard should have been expelled from school, but he's fortunate to have been let off with such a punishment," Li Guowu nodded, sporting a similar grin.
Long Tian refrained from commenting, choosing instead to simply smile. There was something satisfying about seeing Qin Chen in such a predicament.
After what he had done in the original plot, he harbored a strong desire to see Qin Chen suffer perpetually and eventually meet his end at Long Tian's hands.
It was always pleasurable to witness the trials and tribulations of the protagonist.
But, at that very moment, he furrowed his brows as he noticed someone approaching.
In the blink of an eye, Ning Yuan was there, clutching his hand. "Be a good boy and come with me!"