"Assistant?"
Ye Hanjun took a few seconds to weigh:
"According to Master Jia, this is the necessary process for any ordinary mentor. Are you really willing to make an exception?"
"Don't I seem serious?"
Jiang Yongnian grunted, revealing a crafty smile like that of an old fox:
"Currently, Canghai Pavilion has 588 official mentors with a total of more than 10,000 students."
"However, there are fewer than 300 assistants sandwiched between, a section quite sparse."
"This leads to a common issue where experienced old fellows, due to the lack of assistants, come to me to ask for people."
"Today, you have shown enough courage, intelligence, and wisdom to start as an assistant. If you do well, you can continue; if not, you will be dismissed."
"In this way, there may be some public pressure at most, but I can fulfill my promise, and judge in the most direct way whether you are qualified to be a mentor…"
As he delved deeper into the conversation, Jiang Yongnian clapped his hands and laughed, seemingly very satisfied with his bright idea.exclaimed, seemingly quite satisfied with his quick-witted idea.
Ye Hanjun pinched his chin, staying calm and composed.
Earlier when riding on Jia Pengpeng's Giant Sparrow to rush on the journey, he had asked many questions and gained a further understanding of the structure of Canghai Pavilion.
In this place hailed as the First Academy in the Blue Frog Kingdom, whether a student or a mentor, all are striving towards brilliance.
Without considering the abilities and specialized fields, official mentors - just by their ranks - a good eighty percent have reached the 3rd stage.
The remaining twenty percent must possess some indispensable and irreplaceable abilities.
Therefore, even though their ranks are on par with elite students, they can still gain genuine respect from their experience and broader life insights.
Regarding the 'assistants'.
In other words, they are "intern mentors" who have not yet obtained official positions.
The competition among them is said to be fierce.
Reaching the 3rd stage early on, and contracting about the Jade Infant Fetus, might just be part of the usual process, it's a good chance.
Just need a little bit familiarity with the college environment, learners' approval, and then the speed of turning it official can be very quick.
But for those assistants who are only at the 2nd stage and contracted with the Rainbow Light Fetus, unless they have special talents, they may have to wait for two to three decades, without necessarily having this opportunity.
After understanding these hierarchical relationships, Ye Hanjun evaluated his current options and realized that even if he wanted to take shortcuts, he was not qualified to be an official mentor.
The stormy spots, the crowd's rise and attack, it's not a game.
Ye Hanjun forced Jiang Yongnian to do an assessment, from the very beginning, his aim was to settle for second best, strive for an "assistant" position, and then develop peacefully.
Unexpectedly, after just passing through the previous two rounds, in the third round, Jiang Yongnian softened his stance.
He was a little surprised, but after careful thought, it seemed to make sense.
"The agreed term is one month, with additional requirements to reduce complaints and written acknowledgement from three official mentors."
"Also, other assistants are 'intern mentors', and I am an 'intern assistant', inherently more lowly, right?"
Ye Hanjun took a sip of tea, ignoring the old man's playful gaze, and calmly confirmed it.
"In the name of the examiner, I make a promise here."
Jiang Yongnian's smiling face gradually faded, with a serious voice replied.
This young man is more composed than he imagined. Will the atmosphere of the college be a little different in the coming month?
"I will report any related matters further up; for now, you can keep this emblem."
Jiang Yongnian opened a drawer and rummaged inside before throwing an object the size of a fingernail cap:
"This is a magical tool made by a runesmith that embeds 'identity authentication', 'emergency help', 'pointing needle' functions."
"Since you're just an assistant, only the privileges corresponding to the assistant are available to you."
"For example, areas that some students cannot access, you have the right to access;"
"You can use a private training room for free 10 hours each month;"
"You can enjoy a staff meal and a spirit meal every day, although they are all basic styles and low in nutritional value, at least you don't need to pay for them;"
"By the way, when you complete the tasks released by the college or collect the offerings at the end of the month, you need to register using your personal badge..."
Jiang Yongnian picked out the main points and orally explained how to use and what it functioned.
Ye Hanjun held it in his hand and casually played with it. The little badge was extremely light, the material should be a mixed metal, and its touch was cold.
Instead of wearing it on his chest immediately, he put it in his pocket and stood up like he was at ease.
"Elder Jiang, if there's nothing else, I will leave."
"Eh, hang on."
Jiang Yongnian rummaged through a blue sack to come up with a piece of a red dried meat.
"Kid, you've been hungry for a long time, haven't you?"
"I'm generously sponsoring you a meal. Don't come to me without a serious issue, especially for trivial ones."
Jiang Yongnian sternly emphasized:
"I am getting old, and I only want to retire."
"Young man, if you have the ability, you should make achievements on your own and stand firm in the academy."
"If you want me to clean up after you...heh, keep dreaming!"
"I got it, I got it."
Ye Hanjun weighed the dried meat in his hand, unceremoniously took a bite, and was immediately filled with its savory taste.
"It's softer than I thought, and it doesn't seem a commonly seen spirit meat of cattle, sheep or pigs. Considering it's the Giant Frog Marsh..."
"Old man, is this frog meat? This faint sense of burning implies it must be a fire elemental frog-type spirit..."
"The kid is so picky in such a young age?"
Jiang Yongnian was stunned. Looking at the figure of Ye Hanjun, who was about to push the wooden door and leave, he suddenly asked in a deep voice:
"I heard that you have a chance for a Blood Covenant, but you still haven't performed the ritual?"
"Actually, Canghai Pavilion can provide these resources for free, just sign an agreement..."
Blood Pact Summoning requires a large amount of resources to arrange the ritual formation, which is common knowledge.
As a descendant of the Ye Clan, Ye Hanjun has the right to enjoy free resources for the Blood Pact Summoning before the trial.
But as a double-job Active Awakener, Ye Hanjun messed up once, and the remaining chance will inevitably have to be resolved by himself.
However... this does not mean he wishes to sell himself.
In many places, there is such a tradition: because the family of the Active Awakener cannot support the Blood Pact Summoning, it is sorted out with the help of certain forces.
In exchange, the Patron needs to sign an agreement containing the power of law, and the content of the agreement is usually to bind the investor firmly and serve them for a long time.
Ye Hanjun doesn't need this.
He clearly remembers the misaligned summoning.
Moreover, his physical condition is too poor to meet another prerequisite for Blood Pact, that is, "a steady and healthy body and soul".
Take it slow, one step at a time.
Without answering Jiang Yongnian's inquiry, Ye Hanjun just waved his hand and left without looking back.
His attitude explained everything.
Jiang Yongnian shook his head, did not say anything more, and watched the young man leave.
"Squeak--"
Pushed the door open and walked down the stairs.
Ye Hanjun saw Jia Pengpeng standing at the gate from a distance, stupidly like a pillar.
The elegant parrot next to him stood on a shelf, tilting its head, staring at him.
"He's out! He's out!"
Sensing movement behind him, the elegant parrot flapped its wings and shouted loudly:
"Today we have visitors, my humble home truly radiates by your presence!"
"Welcome your next visit, take care! Goodbye! Sa You Lala! Anni Kasaihou! Bye Bye! ...*￥#*^@!"
As expected of an expert in mimicking humans, the elegant parrot bade them farewell in seven dialects and three foreign languages.
Ye Hanjun automatically screened out these annoying noises, and when he was far away from the castle, he casually showed Jia Pengpeng the object in his pocket with an expectant and uncertain look:
"Easy-peasy, I got it without a hitch."
"Ah?!" Jia Pengpeng froze in place, trembling.
His mouth gradually widened, as if his throat was dry, he swallowed saliva five or six times in succession.
"Really, you really got it?"
"Director Jiang actually approved you and gave you the badge representing the mentor's status???"
Ye Hanjun shrugged:
"Look closely, there are only three corners on this silver badge."
"What I got is just an 'Assistant', it's still a long way to becoming an official mentor."
Jia Pengpeng didn't pay any attention, his tone became stammering:
"But Lord Han, you are 20 years old this year, and you don't even have a Contracted Spirit."
"Even if it's an assistant, it's also breaking new ground in the academy. This doesn't mean that I can keep calm about it!"
"Don't publicize it for now, give me some time to buffer."
Ye Hanjun didn't care about this achievement at all. While gnawing on the meat, he handed Jia Pengpeng a piece of paper:
"Master Jia, help me to see who this mentor is?"
When the lunchbox was given, along with the dried meat tossed over, there was also an inconspicuous small note.
There was a name written on it, no doubt, this was the person he was going to focus on next.
"Tu Long?"
Jia Pengpeng read it once.
At first, he felt familiar, but he couldn't connect it to the face in his mind.
After pondering a few seconds, he gave a shudder, and suddenly trembled as he asked:
"Lord Han, is this the mentor that Director Jiang wants you to follow?"
"This guy, it is said he has a horrible temper, when his rage erupts, ten bulls can't pull him back..."
"There was once an assistant working under him, who made a very small mistake, but was beaten by his Contracted Spirit till his face was disfigured, and he almost lost his human dignity..."
"Another big trouble?" Ye Hanjun had an as expected expression.
In the Canghai Pavilion, the assistants act as trainee mentors and are not qualified to teach independently.
Each assistant must bind to an official mentor and then explore the path to becoming a mentor under the supervision and guidance of the official mentor.
Once the mentor who they are following feels that this assistant is incompetent, lacking knowledge and ability.
Then it can almost be determined that this assistant will never have the chance to be promoted.
The best case scenario would be to continue being a subordinate between a teacher and a student.
If the situation is bad enough, they will be directly expelled from the Canghai Pavilion, as the academy does not need such mediocrity to mislead students.
The old nuisance … was putting a roadblock in my way, wanting to see me make a fool of myself?
Ye Hanjun pondered for a while, asked Jia Pengpeng some questions about Tu Long, and temporarily put this matter aside.
"The sun is about to set, thank Master Jia for accompanying and helping me today."
"When I get my cultivation on track, I will surely visit specially and express my gratitude with a rich gift."
Jia Pengpeng sighed and advised:
"Lord Han, you should take care of yourself first. Tu Long is hard to get along with, you are currently weak and holding the position of academy assistant, whether it's a student, or other assistants and mentors, they will all have an opinion about you."
"Troops to fend off the general, mud to block the water, nothing to be afraid of."
Having finished the dried meat, Ye Hanjun made a fist salute and said solemnly:
"Please lead me back to the North City District, Master."
"I won't go back to assigned housing right away, please take me to the Chick House, I need to contract a suitable Fond Spirit as soon as possible to clarify the direction of future cultivation."