Bai Tingting clearly looked disbelieving.
"Hey, no!" Ai Tutu grew anxious; this was completely different from what she had imagined!
Shouldn't Jiang Yuan have gotten flustered and started explaining frantically?
Now she had shot herself in the foot.
"We're really innocent!" For her own and Mu Ningjiao's reputation, Ai Tutu could only keep explaining.
But while Bai Tingting and Ding Y眠 said they believed her, their expressions showed no sign of it.
"Aren't you making them misunderstand?" Mu Ningjiao whispered to Jiang Yuan.
Jiang Yuan shrugged: "It was Ai Tutu who tried to trick me first. I just went along with it to teach her a lesson."
"Then why did you drag me into it?" Mu Ningjiao rolled her beautiful eyes at Jiang Yuan.
"I was just going along with her words, it slipped out," Jiang Yuan said with a smile.
If anyone else had said those words, Mu Ningjiao would definitely have been angry, but coming from Jiang Yuan, she didn't mind.
Instead, a tiny sliver of her wished it were true?
Mu Ningjiao didn't understand either.
She felt her attention on Jiang Yuan was growing, and her curiosity increasing. She couldn't help but think about many things.
But she couldn't control it.
Mu Ningjiao took a deep breath and looked out at the constantly passing scenery.
Let nature take its course, she thought.
...
After some time driving, the Mingzhu Academy enrollment team's vehicles entered Xinxicheng.
"This is the first student we're recruiting this time, named Zhang Xin, ranked first in this region," Mu Ningjiao said, taking out a file.
Jiang Yuan took the file and began to read.
He was a disciple of a small family, and a Mid-Level Mage. His first awakening was Fire, currently Mid-Level Rank One. His second awakening was Wind, currently Basic-Level Rank One.
During magic practice, he had used Wind-Fire Coordinated Magic, greatly increasing the power of his Fire magic, thus earning a very high score.
Looking at it this way, being ranked first in the region seemed well-deserved.
"Let's go, directly to his family's residence," Jiang Yuan said.
According to the address in the file, they soon arrived at the Zhang family residence in Xinxicheng.
Although it was just a small family, their residence was quite imposing, comparable to the Mu Clan family's manor in Bo City.
"Excuse me, who are you?" A Zhang family guard came forward.
"Mingzhu Academy Enrollment Team," Bai Tingting introduced herself.
The guard dared not neglect them and quickly entered the manor to report. Before long, a middle-aged man in a butler's uniform came out to greet them.
"I apologize for not coming out to meet you. Please follow me inside." The butler stepped aside, gesturing for Jiang Yuan and the others to enter.
The group proceeded directly to the reception hall.
The butler invited them to sit, served tea, and said, "The family head is busy with some important matters. He will be here shortly. Please wait a moment."
Jiang Yuan and the others were not in a hurry, so they drank tea while waiting.
After a while, a serious-faced, tall Zhang family head entered the reception hall.
Upon entering, he apologized: "My apologies, esteemed enrollment teachers, I was delayed by some matters."
"It's alright, Zhang family head, we haven't waited long. We are here about Zhang Xin's admission to a higher academy," Jiang Yuan said, standing up.
"Ah, about that." The Zhang family head sat down on a nearby chair, looking troubled. "My son is not at home right now, and as his father, I cannot make decisions for him without his presence. How about we wait until he returns, and then I'll contact you?"
Although he acted convincingly, Jiang Yuan saw through his lie immediately.
The three most famous academies in the country were Imperial Academy, Mingzhu Academy, and Demon Capital Academy.
It seemed this Zhang family head did not favor Mingzhu Academy; he was likely aiming for the top academy—Imperial Academy.
Since that was the case, there was no need to stay any longer.
Jiang Yuan stood up directly and said plainly, "Then we'll take our leave for now."
Seeing Jiang Yuan so understanding, the Zhang family head breathed a sigh of relief. After all, they were enrollment teachers from Mingzhu Academy, and he couldn't afford to offend them.
The Zhang family head quickly stood up, intending to escort Jiang Yuan and the others out of the manor.
Jiang Yuan declined his kind offer, didn't leave any contact information, and simply left.
Outside the manor, Jiang Yuan said, "Cross Zhang Xin off the list. Let's go to the next one."
"Huh? Why?" Mu Ningjiao asked, puzzled.
"They don't think highly of our Mingzhu Academy. I'm not bothered to recruit someone like that," Jiang Yuan said, shaking his head with a smile.
Dean Xiao had told him before they left, recruit if you can, if not, then forget it.
A truly good academy should be able to train ordinary students into talented ones.
And not just snatch up talented students everywhere, ignoring those with more mediocre aptitudes, then pompously claiming that all students in their academy are one in ten thousand geniuses, and that the academy trained them.
Here, a certain Master Yu is being called out.
"Alright." Hearing this, Mu Ningjiao had no choice but to cross Zhang Xin's name off the list.
...
Inside the Zhang family manor.
"Dad, why did the butler say an academy enrollment team came?" Zhang Xin asked, entering the study.
"Yes, they were enrollment teachers from Mingzhu Academy. I sent them away," the Zhang family head replied without looking up.
"What? How could you send them away?!" Zhang Xin looked incredulous.
"What's wrong? Is there something amiss?" The Zhang family head looked up, puzzled, and said,
"Mingzhu Academy is only ranked second in the country, far behind Imperial Academy. All the most outstanding students are at Imperial Academy."
"You're the top student, so of course, you should go to Imperial Academy. I sent them away because I was afraid Imperial Academy would misunderstand."
"Dad, don't you know?"
"Know what?" The Zhang family head grew increasingly confused.
"During the academy sparring a while ago, a student from Mingzhu Academy appeared and single-handedly suppressed everyone from Imperial Academy, and Imperial Academy had no power to resist!" Zhang Xin exclaimed.
"That can't be right? How could Mingzhu Academy have such a powerful student? Such a student should be at Imperial Academy, isn't it the other way around?"
His son's words were somewhat beyond the Zhang family head's common knowledge.
"Why not! Many people in the country are now saying that student from Mingzhu Academy is the number one genius mage in the country. Dad, if you don't believe me, ask someone to inquire; many people know about it!" Zhang Xin urged, agitated.
He was truly anxious.
Because of Jiang Yuan, many people now wanted to go to Mingzhu Academy.
Imperial Academy used to be the first choice, but now Mingzhu Academy was the first choice.
An academy that could cultivate the nation's number one genius mage must be very strong!
Which student, having just embarked on the path of magic, wouldn't want to be crowned with the title of "Nation's Number One Genius Mage"?
The Zhang family head, half-believing, half-doubting, sent someone to inquire.
And sure enough, it was exactly as his son had said!
"It's over, it's over, they've already left. I can't contact them, I can't contact them anymore."
The Zhang family head hadn't paid attention to whether Jiang Yuan left contact information earlier.
Now that he realized there was none, it was too late.