Chapter 385: Eyes Like Trash — The Test Is to Defeat Her!
"Palace Master Lin Yu, wh-why? Bai Mu is the most talented student at our Auckland Academy. His martial soul is the White Tiger, one of the most powerful martial souls there is."
"As long as he can join Immortal Palace, he'll definitely be able to lead the... the Immortal Palace team to achieve great results in the All-Continent Soul Master Academy Elite Exchange Tournament!"
Inside the meeting room, when Lin Yu unexpectedly announced he would exclude Dai Mubai from joining the Immortal Palace, Auckland, the academy's headmaster, hurriedly stepped forward to speak in Dai Mubai's defense.
"No need! The rarest thing on the Douluo Continent is talent—but ironically, the least valuable thing is also talent!"
"It's true that every faction favors geniuses, but personally, I despise ungrateful ones. People like that only become rotten apples that spoil the bunch!"
In response to Auckland's plea, Lin Yu waved his hand indifferently and spoke with clear disdain.
Upon hearing Lin Yu's words, Auckland finally realized why Lin Yu wanted to eliminate Dai Mubai.
Earlier, when Lin Yu mentioned recruiting the Auckland team into the Immortal Palace, the other six members had all shown great gratitude and excitement, bowing deeply to him. Only Bai Mu had remained cold and aloof.
That aloofness might have been interpreted as the dignified calm of a genius, but while some people wouldn't mind, others certainly would.
Clearly, someone like Ning Fengzhi, a mature leader of a major sect, might not take it personally.
But Lin Yu—representing the Immortal Palace and still a young man around twenty—was clearly less emotionally seasoned.
He evidently took offense at Bai Mu's coldness.
Especially given the contrast: the other six members of the Auckland team were all reverent and thrilled, while Bai Mu stood there aloof and arrogant. That stark difference only made his behavior worse!
Bai Mu might usually be the quiet type, but now, of all times, was the moment to make an impression!
Sure, he was a genius—but only an upper-tier one, far from being a top-tier monster. Faced with recruitment from a force like the Immortal Palace, what was he putting on airs for?
Given Lin Yu's status and position, Auckland didn't dare blame him for being petty. Instead, he was furious that Dai Mubai didn't know how to conduct himself properly.
Still, as the headmaster, Auckland had some sense of professional responsibility.
So he still hoped to get Dai Mubai into the Immortal Palace.
Having realized the issue, Auckland quickly put on a forced smile and said to Lin Yu, "Palace Master Lin Yu, Bai Mu's personality is just like that. I hope you won't take it to heart. Let me go speak with him!"
With that, Auckland quickly walked over to Dai Mubai, pulled him out of the meeting room, and once outside, began scolding him sternly.
Despite the scolding, Dai Mubai maintained his usual stoic demeanor, nodding silently and occasionally pretending he understood.
But deep down, he was seething.
This damned Lin Yu, how petty can you be?!
Just because he didn't bow, he's being excluded from joining the Immortal Palace? Is it because I have dual pupils like him, and he's taking it out on me?
It might just be the case.
Still, joining the Immortal Palace was too important for his future. Since his true identity hadn't been exposed, Dai Mubai was determined to join.
Besides, hiding inside the enemy's faction and draining them from within—there was no better thrill than that!
Back in the meeting room—
While Dai Mubai had been excluded from joining, the other six members of the Auckland team felt secretly delighted.
Due to his efforts to stay low-profile and not draw attention, Dai Mubai was always quiet at the academy. Coupled with his inherent pride, he always came across as arrogant.
People like that were naturally unlikable.
After giving Dai Mubai a stern talking-to, Auckland brought him back into the meeting room and walked up to Lin Yu with a smiling face.
"Palace Master Lin Yu, I truly apologize."
"Bai Mu wasn't trying to be ungrateful just now. He's just naturally quiet, and his way of showing appreciation was simply to nod."
"But that wasn't proper, and I've corrected him. Bai Mu!"
At that, Auckland turned sharply toward Dai Mubai and called out.
Though Dai Mubai was full of humiliation and rage over Lin Yu's pettiness, wanting nothing more than to kill him—
He still put on the act of a prideful genius who had realized his mistake. With a slightly awkward and embarrassed expression, he took a deep breath, bowed deeply to Lin Yu, and said,
"Palace Master Lin Yu, I've always held you and the Immortal Palace in the highest regard. I hope you'll allow me the honor of joining."
Seeing Dai Mubai lower his head to him—something that surely burned him inside—Lin Yu felt a wicked sense of amusement. But outwardly, he kept up his cold sneer and dismissive tone.
"No! You did nothing wrong. Since you've now shown me gratitude, that's enough."
"But your eyes... I don't like them. Because someone else I know—trash, really—had the same eyes as you. So if you want to join Immortal Palace, you'll need to pass a test."
Trash?!
When Dai Mubai heard that, his fists clenched and veins popped on his face. He was furious.
This bastard clearly had no grudge with him, yet seemed determined to make trouble!
Fine then—he'd make sure to get into Immortal Palace and suck this guy dry!
But if joining meant buttering up to Lin Yu, then that's what he'd do.
So, even after being called trash, Dai Mubai forced himself to keep smiling and said in mock surprise,
"There's actually someone else in the world with eyes like mine? Incredible!"
"But since Palace Master Lin Yu says that person is trash, then trash he must be. I'm ashamed to share the same eyes as him!"
He even wore a look of great shame and disgust on his face.
But Lin Yu just sneered internally.
That performance was way over the top.
After all, the dual pupils weren't common, and Dai Mubai had already appeared in livestreams. Lin Yu had even exposed him before. Anyone with half a memory could tell he was talking about Dai Mubai.
But here he was, pretending not to know and pretending to shame himself. How fake could he get?
"For Palace Master Lin Yu and the Immortal Palace, I have nothing but admiration. If it means I can join, I'll gladly take on whatever test you propose!"
After finishing his self-directed ridicule, Dai Mubai looked up at Lin Yu, his cold, sharp features filled with sincere determination.
Though he appeared resolute on the surface, Lin Yu alone knew just how much humiliation, disgust, and fury Dai Mubai was hiding beneath.
Lin Yu chuckled softly, then stood with his hands clasped behind his back.
"My test is actually very simple. As long as you can prove you're a true genius, the Immortal Palace would never reject such a person."
"A true genius?"
Everyone was left wondering—what did it mean to be a "true genius"?
"To prove you're a true genius is quite easy," Lin Yu said, smiling faintly. "You just have to defeat her."
He extended a hand toward the tall, slender girl in a white dress seated beside him—a girl with stunning beauty.
Hearing Lin Yu's words, the girl rose to her feet and lifted her chin with swan-like pride.
"Hello, my name is Bai Chenxiang!"
(END CHAPTER)
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