I spent the rest of the day as usual, training. The week of rest was coming to an end, and soon I had to return to training, start teaching Jiaxing Er and Zhou Min, and also look for material for the second sword. On the one hand, I didn't want the rest to end; it was pleasant to do practically nothing. On the other hand, I eagerly awaited new adventures and fun situations. If you think about it, my past life was much more boring.
We met at the entrance to the university grounds. Mo Fan was in a rather upset mood. But Xu Zhaotin was in high spirits and chatted cheerfully with him. This picture made me laugh so much that I couldn't help but openly laugh.
"What's so funny?" Mo Fan grumbled quite reasonably and rudely.
"Oh, nothing," I replied, calming down and pulling myself together. "Why are you so upset? It's not like you at all."
"Yes, he's been sulking since yesterday that we got into the advanced class, and he didn't," Xu Zhaotin replied cheerfully. It must be said that after his interactions with Mo Fan, he started to have fun and joke more often, though mostly at Mo Fan's expense. This is probably a sign that his injury is gradually healing.
"Oh, leave me alone!" Mo Fan grumbled and walked ahead. Probably, if Zhao Tin hadn't teased him and reminded him of this fact, he would have calmed down quickly.
"Well, who's to blame that you can't get into the advanced class?" Xu Zhaotin asked sarcastically.
"Yes... you..." Mo Fan stopped and, turning around, continued, "I chose the summoning faculty because I thought it was the easiest," he stated honestly. "I don't need an advanced class to surpass you!"
"Well, then why are you so angry?" I asked calmly, in a polite and slightly thoughtful voice. Mo Fan couldn't find anything to answer to such an address and gradually began to calm down. "Besides, I heard that after two months of classes, competitions are held where summoners play the main role. At least, that's what the elders told me."
"Really?" Mo Fan asked, surprised but already calm. "And what's so special about it?"
"And I don't know that. The elders said: 'You'll find out when the time comes.' After which they left," I said, shrugging. "Well, and we need to hurry, or you'll be late for your check-up."
"Alright, alright, let's go," Mo Fan waved his hand and walked on.
Mo Fan's exam was scheduled for nine o'clock in the small indoor arena. If I remember correctly, it was like this in the original too, everything according to my expectations, not bad. When we arrived, there were still ten minutes before the exam, so after a brief conversation, Mo Fan went to prepare in the locker room, from where he would be called for the exam itself. Xu Zhaotin, on the other hand, arranged with the security, and we were allowed to pass, but...
"Zhao Tin, go ahead, I'll breathe some fresh air for a bit longer, it's quite beautiful here," I said, putting my hands on my hips and looking around, breathing in the air deeply. It was indeed beautiful here; the arena was located on a small hill, so a large part of the new campus, where we would study for the next year, was visible.
"Let's go, you'll have time to admire it later," he grinned back at me.
"Yeah, come on, let me enjoy the view. Maybe I won't have a minute to come here later," I said resentfully, puffing out my cheeks slightly and giving him an offended look.
"Well... Alright, as you wish, just don't be late for the start, or Mo Fan might get very angry with you for it," Xu Zhaotin said, slightly taken aback, but then regaining his composure, and headed for the arena.
I continued to stand there, enjoying the view, and at the same time memorizing the approximate map of the campus; after all, I would have to live here for almost half a year. Students are required to live the first semester in dormitories, a rather stupid rule, but I can't do anything about it. An asphalt road led directly to the arena, along which a couple of cars could drive freely without interfering with each other. Soon, a small black limousine pulled up to the entrance of the arena.
"Ha, it's not even funny!" Asura laughed in my head. "Whether we are here or not, the canon for this guy, Mo Fan, hasn't changed at all!"
"That's quite expected," I remarked dryly, shrugging and heading towards the car. "We didn't really have any influence on this event. Except that now Mo Fan himself and his wolf are much stronger than in the original, so there was a small probability that he would be accepted into Minzhu just like that. However, immediately after he said that he was sent for an additional check in a week, I realized that our meeting was predetermined."
"And what are you going to do?" Asura asked with interest.
"I think I'll play a fun game that shouldn't harm our plans much, but it will definitely bring pleasure," I said, already about twenty meters from the car. At this moment, a rather large, dark-haired young man emerged from the rear door. The expression on his face was more like that of a ruler inspecting his possessions and angered by one of his servants.
"How troublesome, and they made me wait a whole week for the results!" the guy exclaimed indignantly and with contempt in his voice.
"Luo Sun, this is Minzhu University, and besides, you are not the only talented young man in this institution. That boy, he has a very rare element," said the driver, dressed in a strict suit, also getting out of the car.
Indeed, this guy's name was Luo Sun from the Luo family. The guy, I must say, is not stupid and quite strong, but his ego is boundless. He could have easily entered the Imperial University, but he chose Minzhu. His main element is ice, but he is entering the earth faculty. In this, he is somewhat similar to me, but that's where the similarity ends. At today's exam, he will be humiliated by Mo Fan and make an enemy of him for a certain period of time, and after that, he will become too weak to even be noticed.
However, what attracted me more in him was not all these listed merits, demerits, and events, but his family, the Luo family. One of the independent ordinary families of Shanghai, possessing great influence and wealth not inferior to noble families, however, their mages are much weaker than those of noble families. This is why, by the way, they are considered ordinary, but the Luo family is sometimes popularly called the fifth noble family of Shanghai. It would be good to gain their strength and support.
"But how to do that?" a perfectly obvious question. Luo Sun can help greatly with this. Besides, he is the second son of the head of the family, so a potential heir, they clearly pay enough attention to him. So the only thing I need to do is to interest him in my person, and then everything will go smoothly.
"Hey, you," Luo Sun said, pointing at me with his index finger. "What are you doing here, shouldn't the exam start soon?"
"I'm heading there right now, but I won't be participating, I'm just a spectator. My stepbrother will be taking the exam, and I've already been admitted to the advanced class of the lightning faculty," I said with a casual smile.
"I see. And is your brother's pet strong?" he asked arrogantly, not even looking at me.
"Very much so, I think only a second-stage ice prison can hold it. The first stage won't keep up with it," I said thoughtfully. "And why do you need this? And who are you? I just came from Xiamen, so I don't know much here, forgive me if I'm rude."
"Ha, you..." Luo Sun began, but then calmed down and continued in a very arrogant tone. "Not from here, then? I see. I'll repeat it once, I'm from the fifth noble family, Luo, the second son of the head, Luo Sun. If you get in my way, you'll die."
"Oh, so you are very strong, those from noble families always possess great strength," I said thoughtfully, as if by accident.
"Ha! Naturally, how could it be otherwise?" he said smugly, tilting his head back. "You say that your brother's pet can only be contained by a second-stage ice prison? It seems you know nothing about magic if you think so. Spells of one stage can vary greatly, so some mages can be stronger than those who are a stage above them!"
"As expected from the son of the Luo family," I praised him, even clapping my hands, with a wide smile on my face. "But I think young Master Luo should be careful with my brother."
"What? Didn't you understand what I'm telling you?" Luo Sun asked dismissively, quickly recovering from my flattery.
"No, of course, young Master Luo," I said, shrugging, with a spatial voice. "But you see, I'm involved in artifact crafting and have asked my brother a couple of times to test my artifacts in sparring with his wolf. The artifacts that could withstand the attack of a high-level servant broke from one of his blows! I have no idea where such power could come from him," I concluded, spreading my hands.
"It's more likely that your artifacts were worthless junk rather than your brother's beast being so strong," Luo Sun scoffed, raising his head.
"No, what are you talking about, I'm responsible for my artifacts with my own head, I can show you one of them as a sample," I said calmly, pulling out a shield made from the alloy of a giant alligator's hide and ordinary iron. I made about five of them when I was mastering the master's technique for hardening alloys. Since the materials were mine, I was allowed to keep four, and the last one was probably auctioned off. Well, at least I never saw it again.
"Hmm?" Lo Sun grunted with interest, turning his head in my direction and examining the shield. "Not bad, it shows the work of a decent master. But how do I know you didn't just buy it at an auction?" he asked with contempt, looking me straight in the eyes, from top to bottom, although I was even slightly taller than him.
"One minute, I have four of these, how can an ordinary person buy so many good shields at once?" I asked, taking out the remaining ones. "The only conclusion is that I made them myself."
"Indeed, they are almost identical, they were clearly made by the same master," Lo Sun examined the shields, looking like he knew what he was talking about. "I think you're right, a nobody like you couldn't have bought so many shields." I should mention that I was wearing an old, worn-out suit that looked frankly not very good. I was too lazy to buy a new one, so I kept it until the end. "Can you make stronger shields?"
"Of course, young master," I nodded. The fish had taken the bait. Although I wasn't entirely sure that Lo Sun had enough brains to appreciate my work properly. "Look, this is also my work," I said, summoning a shield that was actually made by Tang Yu, and which I had bought at one of the Guangzhou auctions. "It's true, I made it a long time ago and only for myself, but if the young master needs the same one, I'll gladly make an even better one at a reasonable price."
"Hmm..." Lo Sun grunted again. "Unusual work, can it be enhanced with your own magic?" he asked, carefully examining the shield, I was literally flaunting this ability.
"Yes, it's my master's secret technique," I said with a smile. "I made this shield while mastering it."
"I see. There's not much time left before the exam, we'll talk later," Lo Sun waved his hand and headed for the arena.
I, putting all the shields back into my spatial bracelet, also hurried to the arena. Finding Xu Zhao Ting was quite easy, so I quickly joined him and got a scolding for being so late. Everything almost started without me. Ha, as if I didn't know what would happen next, although seeing it all live would be much more fun.
We were sitting quite high up, as the security had forbidden us to show ourselves to the professors. Lo Sun was sitting below, in the front row, next to him was his driver, a man of age, even older than Mo Jiaxing, dressed in a black suit. Throughout our conversation with Lo Sun, he just stood aside and did nothing. All I had to do was wait for the exam to end and catch the golden fish named Lo Sun in my nets, and then, with its help, gain the support of the Lo family.