Find Your Novel
Before searching for a novel, please provide two or three letters as a starting point.
Chapter 8: What Defines Humanity
At this moment, the young man's face was somewhat pale, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. Despite this, he forced himself to stand firm, slowly lifting his head with a trace of a smile on his face.
"Thank you for the guidance, senior. I will pass on the message."
As his words fell, the young man turned and left with the group.
The old man's expression remained as cold as before. He closed his eyes once again, and the scepter gradually dimmed, merging back into his body.
...
Before they knew it, a week had passed.
Looking at the crystal, now completely drained of energy, Yu Sheng stood up. He cleaned the room, which was covered in dust, retrieved the traps set at the doors and windows, and opened the windows to purify the somewhat murky air inside.
Almost simultaneously, the phone rang.
"Hello, is this Yu Sheng?"
It was Liu Qingfeng's voice on the phone.
Yu Sheng was sitting on the couch, holding the phone and responded with a grunt.
Seemingly accustomed to Yu Sheng's way of speaking, Liu Qingfeng continued, "You should return to school tomorrow morning."
"Because of the situation in Xinhai, Mo Pavilion is taking it very seriously. It seems to involve a plan from higher up, the specifics of which I'm not privy to."
"But tomorrow, people from the Demon Exorcism Pavilion will come to conduct a foundational assessment of all apprentice-level students."
"And they will allocate resources to the outstanding ones."
"This assessment is very important. For a school, there are probably only a few spots."
"Whether it works out or not, just give it your best shot."
Liu Qingfeng described everything in great detail, including the process of the assessment, the timing, and some potential issues, sparing no detail.
Yu Sheng just listened quietly.
"Mm."
He responded again.
"Alright, prepare well."
"I'll ask one more thing, why can't I get through to your father's phone?"
Liu Qingfeng asked, a bit puzzled.
Yu Sheng thought about it seriously: "Maybe they don't allow cell phones in prison."
...
There was silence on the other end of the phone.
After a few seconds, the call was disconnected.
Undeniably, no matter how rational a person is, talking to Yu Sheng for a long time could make their heart feel somewhat uneasy.
And for him, who communicated with Yu Sheng the most, his understanding of this was incredibly profound.
Putting down the phone.
Yu Sheng stood by the window, staring distantly at the sky, lost in thought.
After a moment, he snapped back to reality, flipping through the calendar on the wall and murmuring, "Only... 312 days left."
As to what exactly this date represented, that remained unknown.
...
The next day.
Back at school, Yu Sheng found his seat and sat down.
At this time, most of his classmates were still very excited. Although they were somewhat disheartened upon realizing they were not as uniquely talented as they had imagined and not destined to become heroes who would save the world, the novelty of the situation soon lifted their spirits again.
After all, talent is just the beginning, not the end.
Among the Elders of Mo Pavilion, the only one whose identity is public was said to have started with just Five Stripes when he first awakened.
With such a precedent, they felt no pressure and were once again filled with dreams about the future.
Dreams of becoming the pillar of humanity, single-handedly repelling legions of demons.
It truly stirred the blood.
Yu Sheng, on the other hand, seemed as if he belonged to a different world, sitting in the corner, distinctly out of place.
Soon, Liu Qingfeng entered with a serious expression and addressed the students, "There's been a change. I've just received word that this time, the visitors from the province include not only representatives from the Demon Exorcism Pavilion but also the Security Bureau and the Reserve Forces."
"And the assessment format has been changed."
"Each school will select five students for an elimination-based assessment."
We rely on your support! read at https://novelplex.org
As Liu Qingfeng's words ended, the room erupted into chaos.
It seemed everyone was imagining themselves as one of those five representatives from their school.
Considering that there are only three junior schools in all of Mobei, this meant that only fifteen students in total would participate in the assessment.
Even being eliminated in the first round would catch the attention of top leaders.
This was a path to the skies.
Though young, they were not foolish and fully understood the tremendous benefits this could bring. In an instant, everyone's eyes were fixed on Liu Qingfeng.
"Our class..."
"The Principal personally selected Yu Sheng."
After a brief pause, Liu Qingfeng continued, his gaze landing on Yu Sheng with a hint of confusion.
Although Yu Sheng was a loner, his performance in various aspects was still quite good.
As the homeroom teacher, Liu Qingfeng was well aware of this.
What puzzled him, however, was that Yu Sheng's data, while excellent, seemed just that—excellent within the school context, and not extraordinary enough to be one of the five chosen, especially to be noticed by the Principal himself.
Could there be someone in his family...?
Liu Qingfeng's thoughts began to race.
Yesterday, Yu Sheng had mentioned on the phone that his father was in prison. Could it be a misunderstanding, that his father worked at the prison?
And possibly a leader there?
But in a small place like Mobei, where everyone knew each other, there were no prison leaders with the surname Yu.
"Why him!"
"Yeah, who isn't better than him!"
"It's rigged!"
The students suddenly became agitated, shouting loudly.
During the apprentice phase, physical strength was the key determinant of one's capabilities, and Yu Sheng, with his slight build, seemed an unlikely candidate.
Why should he be chosen!
The atmosphere became charged.
Liu Qingfeng watched calmly, waiting for the emotions to settle, before he spoke in a measured tone, "Disagree?"
"Indeed, even I am unsure why Yu Sheng was selected."
"But that's not a reason for you to shout."
"If Yu Sheng himself possesses formidable strength, it only proves he is modest and reserved, and you are simply not his equal."
"Even if, as you claim, there is foul play, what of it?"
"Remember, in this world, all privileges are bought with the blood and lives of our forebears!"
"Suppose one day demon beasts attack the city, will you yell at them, claiming it's unfair?"
"If you feel injustice, bear it. Improve your strength until the day you can break the rules you disdain."
"Not by standing here, helplessly shouting."
Liu Qingfeng spoke sternly.
The students gradually fell silent.
"Yu Sheng, go to the Principal's office."
"He wants to see you."
Liu Qingfeng's voice returned to its normal calm as he addressed Yu Sheng.
"Okay."
Yu Sheng nodded, stood up under the gaze of all his classmates, opened the door, and left.
"Remember, you don't have time to dream about the future!"
"Instead of indulging in unrealistic dreams, it's better to focus on your training, even if it's just a slight improvement in strength. When a real crisis hits, that little bit could save your life!"
"Those high-ranking humans you see on TV, do they look impressive?"
"Do you envy them?"
"Do you know that beneath their polished exterior, they are covered in scars?"
"Those scars represent protection!"
"If you only see their power and appearance, then you will never understand what it means to be human!"