"Cough, cough… Senior Sister, there's no need for that. My digestion is quite good. I don't need to rely on anyone to make a living."
Zhao Mu coughed repeatedly.
The two Senior Brothers sitting in the front row also struggled to keep straight faces, clearly trying their best not to laugh.
Bai Meimei was usually a serious person, but she had a strange habit of telling terrible jokes. Her jokes often left people wanting to laugh but afraid to do so.
Bai Meimei looked at Zhao Mu curiously.
"Then I really don't understand. Where exactly did all those Ember Remains in your possession come from?"
The Discipline Inspection Department kept records on every student.
Zhao Mu didn't come from a wealthy family, yet he had somehow obtained enough money to purchase Spirit Source.
Even more shocking was his cultivation speed.
In just two months, he had raised his E-Rank Talent from Battle Rank 1 to Combat Level 7.
For a Spirit Power User, the initial stage of foundation building was generally the slowest period for increasing Combat Level. As one's cultivation progressed, the speed would gradually increase.
That was common knowledge.
Furthermore, after Zhao Mu's battle with Shao Han, it had become widely known that he possessed multiple Ember Remains.
Unless he was secretly some kind of amphibian who liked to "quack," Bai Meimei couldn't think of any reasonable explanation.
Zhao Mu smiled faintly.
"The Principals know about this matter. I promised them I wouldn't tell anyone, so if you're really curious, you can ask them yourself."
Bai Meimei's brows furrowed even more deeply.
She thought carefully for a moment before suddenly speaking with complete seriousness.
"So… you're the Principal's illegitimate son?"
The jeep jolted violently.
Zhao Mu almost fell out of his seat.
"Cough, cough! Sorry!"
The Senior Brother driving the jeep quickly apologized.
"The steering wheel slipped."
He had genuinely been stunned by Bai Meimei's words.
Zhao Mu struggled to sit upright again, a dark expression appearing on his forehead.
"I don't think that's the case."
Bai Meimei glanced at him suspiciously.
"You're so mysterious and secretive. There must be something fishy going on!"
However, she didn't continue questioning him.
Instead, she became even more curious about this handsome and heroic Junior Brother sitting in front of her.
…
By the time Zhao Mu returned to Qingfeng Camp, dawn was approaching.
He returned to his dormitory and immediately activated Deep Sleep, resting for more than an hour.
When he woke up, the sky was just beginning to brighten.
His heart remained calm regarding Ge Tianxing's death the previous day.
However, the incident had also made him realize an important problem.
He needed to reach Private Rank as soon as possible!
Relying solely on his Tough Silk during combat was still too inconvenient.
Moreover, he was having difficulty using the Force Projection technique from the Hegemon's Formation-Breaking Halberd.
After washing up, Zhao Mu changed into sportswear and left his dormitory for a morning run.
The morning air was fresh, and the cheerful chirping of birds filled the surroundings.
After running for a while, Mo Guanguan arrived as well.
She was dressed in red sportswear, her long hair tied into two neat ponytails that reached down to her waist.
Her appearance was both sharp and energetic.
"Good morning, Young Miss Mo."
Zhao Mu greeted her with a smile.
"Good morning, Mr. Zhao!"
Mo Guanguan gave him a playful glare before replying.
The two began jogging side by side along the wide road.
After a while, Mo Guanguan glanced at him.
"Why do you seem a little restless today?"
The events of the previous night had clearly affected Zhao Mu's mood and expressions.
Unexpectedly, even Mo Guanguan had noticed.
"You really are observant."
Zhao Mu smiled.
"It's because of something that happened last night."
He briefly explained what had happened.
After listening, Mo Guanguan's heart began pounding.
"After fighting Tian Hu, who was at Combat Level 28, you actually killed another Intermediate Camp Cadet Soldier who was at Combat Level 22?"
Zhao Mu shook his fingers.
"With the support of the Ember Remains, it was mostly luck."
Mo Guanguan curled her lips.
"Stop pretending! Even if an ordinary person obtained that many Ember Remains, they wouldn't necessarily be able to control them."
"They could even be overwhelmed and suffer a backlash."
She raised her left hand.
Two vermilion rings could be seen on her little finger.
"Like me. I can only control two Ember Remains simultaneously right now."
Zhao Mu looked at her meaningfully.
"But your Ember Remains are extremely high-grade."
He had personally witnessed the power of her Twin Tigers Shaking Heaven Bow.
Based on what he had seen, he could now conclude that it was at least a Tier 3 Jinhai.
Even powerhouses like Kong Ruhai, the Garrison Commander of Lujiang City, and Principal Liu Weiguo only barely possessed the qualifications to use a Tier 3 Jinhai.
The Twin Tigers Shaking Heaven Bow alone was worth more than all the Ember Remains Zhao Mu currently possessed combined.
Mo Guanguan smiled and skillfully avoided the topic.
"By the way, you've already completed a mission."
"Would you like to consider working with me in the future?"
Zhao Mu looked at her.
"How are things going for you? Have you completed any missions yet?"
Mo Guanguan proudly raised three fingers.
"Three!"
"And I completed them through cooperation. I didn't have someone carry me through them, okay?"
Mo Guanguan's Combat Level had already reached 15.
While keeping up with her basic courses, she had also continued cultivating, increasing her Combat Level by three levels in just two months.
Both she and Lu Yan possessed astonishing cultivation speeds.
Because of his upbringing, Lu Yan's foundation wasn't particularly solid.
However, under Zhao Mu's guidance, he had still managed to reach Combat Level 14.
Only then did Zhao Mu truly understand what the word genius meant.
No wonder Qingfeng Camp spared no effort to support those A-Rank and B-Rank Cadet Soldiers.
Even if their performance during Boot Camp or regular classes wasn't particularly outstanding, the camp still invested heavily in them.
After all, their potential was far greater than that of ordinary students.
"As expected of an A-Rank genius."
Zhao Mu sincerely praised her.
"Guan Guan, you're really amazing."
The two were already familiar with each other, so Zhao Mu didn't feel that calling her by her name was inappropriate.
Mo Guanguan, however, felt her ears suddenly itch.
The strange sensation spread from her pink earlobes down to her neck, followed by an indescribable warmth across her back.
"Give me a break!"
She glared fiercely at Zhao Mu.
"You went from Battle Rank 1 to Combat Level 7 in just two months!"
"You're the real monster here!"
"I seriously suspect that your Talent Rank was measured incorrectly during your Spirit Awakening Ceremony."
Zhao Mu simply smiled.
According to Bu Yanhuan, his Demon Clown ability had a very unusual characteristic.
It was weak at the beginning but would become increasingly powerful as he progressed.
In terms of initial strength, it had only been at the E-Rank level when it awakened.
But in terms of future potential, even S-Rank might not be enough to describe its true limits.
Mo Guanguan continued.
"If we want to grow quickly, we have to form our own teams and complete missions."
"If we always stay beside our Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters and rely on their protection, it will be difficult to obtain real combat experience."
Zhao Mu laughed.
"You have top-tier Ember Remains and practice an Advanced Battle Tactic, so of course you have the confidence to say that."
"For ordinary people, everything has to start from the basics. We have to improve step by step."
Mo Guanguan hummed softly.
She looked up at him.
"Just tell me whether you're coming or not."
"Anyway, I've already given you the opportunity."
Zhao Mu pondered for a moment before answering.
"For now, we can start with some simple capture missions."
"As for truly difficult missions, I'd prefer to wait until I reach Private Rank."
Mo Guanguan nodded.
"Alright."
"At the rate you're improving, it shouldn't take long."
Zhao Mu smiled bitterly.
Did she really think his Combat Level was increasing so quickly because of his talent?
Every time he meditated, his Combat Level would rise.
But that was entirely because of the Spirit Source he had purchased with money.
And there was a problem with that method.
Zhao Mu's total Spiritual Ability was several times greater than that of an ordinary person.
As a result, the amount of Spirit Source he needed for every subsequent Combat Level breakthrough was also several times higher than what ordinary people required.
Without enough money to support his cultivation…
He might not even be able to reach Private Rank within a year.
________________________________________
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