"So, you were attacked by stage eight cultivators," Sera asked and Lyren realized where the slip had been but if that was the case, then it was going to work in his favor. If he could tell cultivation levels, then he was definitely deep and attacking him was going to work in his favor.
If they attacked him and he escaped it was highly likely that he was going to play victim in public and they would lose their reputation. Also, if he played his cards well, not even the academy would dare hurt him and they would most certainly ensure his safety. If he got killed, then their academy would have no reputation to speak of.
She gritted her teeth and Lyren no longer planned on escaping. That slip had actually enabled him to pressure her. Only she and Lyren knew that he could tell cultivation levels despite having no cultivation.
If he escaped, no one was going to believe when she said he had cultivation. Then some dots started connecting in her mind as she recalled events that had happened one year ago.
All those commoners had gone into the woods in search of a newly awakened who had disappeared in the woods. The academy had been forced to send people to look for the kid.
They had combed the forest for two months but they never found him nor any traces. She tried hard to recall what the kid's name was and it then struck her like lightning.
"Lyren!" She said the word both in her mind and aloud. "It's you…" she said with rounded lips having come to a conclusion.
Lyren was more important to their academy even than the mission that had brought them here. Now she realized just how much weight he carried. If he were to accuse the academy students, there was no going back.
Lyren was the ultimate card that their academy needed. He was their sore spot actually. He was the only one they never got to find and the public had lost their faith in them.
If they were to finally bring him back, their merit was going to be so great for the academy and even becoming core disciples was not going to be a big deal.
She now wanted to accept his terms unconditionally but her reaction had sold her off and he had been alerted that she had discovered his real identity. She could only sigh because she had lifted a boulder and dropped it on her foot in the end. The kid was a monster.
Lyren did not miss these changes at all and he connected even more dots. He realized he now had a variety of options to extort and exploit.
If she knew him, then the academy was involved in his search and they had failed. He had seen her eyes flash with desire or rather say greed and he could only conclude that if she brought him back, she was going to get promoted or something. He had to raise the stakes too.
"I guess that you plan on using me, right? But do you think that its going to be easy? I no longer want your recommendation. If the academy realizes that I am alive, they would offer to fulfil one of my requests and I would choose to have direct admission into the academy which is more important than your useless recommendation…" Lyren paused briefly on purpose as he looked at the girl
Sera was on the verge of vomiting blood. The kid was too sharp. She had let herself show her desire and he had caught up on it. Now he no longer wanted her recommendation.
Almost as though he was telling her that she was no longer important to him. This made her clench her teeth because this time, he was going to truly extort her. Was this her karma?
"So, what do you want?" She asked with gritted teeth. His laughter drifted to her ears and she could only close her eyes so as to calm herself down. To think that the number one disciple was actually being toyed with by a kid. She had fallen into his palm again and se had to ask how she could prove herself useful to him because his implication was that she was useless.
"Ha! Now that's more like it. Relax, you don't look adorable at all. Okay, I might allow you to find me and you can claim the rewards. I bet that people would get jealous of you.
"And since I am allowing you to use me. I am also willing to let go of my grudge with you. Thus, what do you think, will you accept my terms? I know that Kaelen would be very willing to take it…"
"I am willing…" she replied instantly cutting him off but the smile on his lips made her feel she was going to regret it.
"I want a three quarter of your rewards if I successfully join the academy."
Lyren did not emphasize or anything as he let his words hung in the air. Well, if she was really desperate, she was going to take it but if she was not…
"I agree but I also have a condition."
'She did not hesitate… very decisive.'
"Why?" Lyren asked instead. He was sure that not many could take on such an outrageous offer and he wanted to hear her reasons.
"There are several reasons and one of them being that you might actually not make it into the academy in the first place. No one gets in directly even with a recommendation.
"In the premises that you fail, I get to keep the rewards. I know you said it on purpose that if you manage to enter the academy, I give you the three quarter.
"Also, you really underestimate the value of being the core disciple. I might give you three quarter of my rewards which include pills, techniques and even cultivation resources but the benefits I will have by being a core disciple are far much better than what you will get on the long run.
"I also know that you have a sense of integrity. Since I have accepted your conditions, it's about time you also accepted my condition. I have only one."
She looked at Lyren waiting to see if he was going to feel cheated but there was an impressed smile on him as though she was still playing in his hands.
"Okay, I accept your conditions." Lyren replied decisively just like she had done. Not waiting for him to state them and state them after she agreed.
"Are you sure?" She asked having been caught off guard again but his smile indicated that he was not taking his words back. "I want you to join my faction if you enter the academy."
Lyren raised his hand and stretched it to her. She had even forgotten that he was a kid and she was treating him as an equal. Seated on he heels besides him.
When had had gotten to this position? Even she did not know. She looked at his stretched hand and extended her own and they shook hands.
His hand was rough and it caried a strength she acknowledged because greeting a non-cultivator would not put any pressure on her hand.
For a moment, she believed that he was actually going to make it into the academy. A certain confidence she had not felt before.
"Deal?"
"Deal."