The first lesson in the Thug Academy began on such a plain day. This was a day destined to be extraordinary. No one knew, because of this lesson, how many Heavenly Talents the Thug Academy would produce in the endless years to come.
Xiao Zhan, who had just come out of poverty, was like a different person compared to the gentle uncle who was peddling Bull Conch when they first met.
Xiao Zhan walked down the stairs step by step and looked at everyone coldly. “I know you must be eager to go to class and the fishery to improve your strength, but I want to ask you a question first: have you ever thought, why you should become a fishing master? Why should you become stronger? Can anyone tell me…”
Xiao Zhan roared out his last sentence, which stunned the five people who were still feeling lazy. Is this still that gentle uncle they remembered?
Luo Xiaobai took a step forward. “I don’t need a reason to become stronger. I want to become stronger just because I want it.”
Xiao Zhan asked again, “Is there any other answer?”
Zhang Xuanyu answered, “This is a world where power talks. If you don’t want to be bullied, want to stand out, and want to live the life you want, you have to become stronger. Only in this way will you avoid being trampled on by others.”
Xiao Zhan turned his eyes to Xia Xiaochan. “Xia Xiaochan, how about you?”
Xia Xiaochan smiled. “For freedom.”
Xiao Zhan snorted coldly. “For freedom? Then Le Renkuang, what about you? Are you for food?”
Le Renkuang smiled embarrassedly. Then Xiao Zhan turned his eyes to Han Fei.
Han Fei blinked. “The world is so big. I want to see it.”
“Huh?”
The others all looked at Han Fei. This reason is strange yet justified. They couldn’t rebut it.
Xiao Zhan sneered. “You don’t know anything. You think you are geniuses, so you are so proud of yourselves. You don’t even know that you are as small as ants. This world is never lacking in talent. Maybe you will rank among the top 100, top 10 strong masters, or even become the strongest in the Blue Sea Town if you transfer from the Thug Academy to any other academy, but so what? Even if you become the strongest, you’re still an ant. You know nothing about this world,” Xiao Zhan said seriously and his voice was majestic.
He looked at everyone. “No matter what you do it for, but first of all, it is because of responsibility. Everyone wants to cultivate successfully, to win a care-free life, but who can do it? I hope you can remember the word responsibility over the next few years.”
Xiao Zhan pointed to the sky. “Once, the Thug Academy won a lot of fame and glory… Once, the Thug Academy had countless students in the Thousand Star City… Once, the Thug Academy swept the surrounding 36 towns and was invincible in the Thousand Star City… The Thug Academy used to be a symbol of strength and a cradle from geniuses, but do you know why the academy declined in the end?”
Han Fei widened his eyes. What? The Fourth Academy used to be so strong? Swept the 36 towns and was invincible in the Thousand Star City? He must be bragging!
Xiao Zhan snorted coldly. “Before, I was as naive as you. I was arrogant and thought the Thug Academy was invincible. However, when we were strong enough to know some secrets, my companions who were as bright as stars all died or disappeared. No one could stop it! We were so vulnerable that we couldn’t even withstand a single blow.”
Xiao Zhan’s voice suddenly fell deep. “At that time, the Thug Academy declined and we almost lost all our teachers and students and the past glory was long gone. At that time, I was thinking about a question: why should we become fishing masters? Why were we fishing? What was the point of fishing?”
Han Fei and others all looked stern and listened carefully. What was the secret that destroyed a school that used to be so powerful?
Xiao Zhan’s eyes turned red. “The infinite ocean below gives you strength, with which you are becoming stronger. But you don’t know why you want to be stronger… I will tell you this answer, not now but… When you can sweep the surrounding 36 towns again.”
“Hiss…”
For the first time, Han Fei and the four others felt huge pressure. Sweep the 36 towns? Han Fei didn’t know until today that there were other towns around. He knew he was strong, but he wouldn’t be strong enough to overcome all of his peers. Especially after meeting Xia Xiaochan and the other three, he became more humble.
But now Xiao Zhan set them a target. This target was extremely difficult to achieve in their view. Overcome the 36 towns? Would there be such a genius in the town?
After the lecture, Xiao Zhan pointed to the library and then to the campus. “The Thug Academy has no requirement for its student’s origin. Whether you come from the city or from the countryside, even if you are a fish, as long as you dare to come, we dare to teach… Provided that you won’t betray the Thug Academy. If you dare to betray, we will try our best to kill you.”
Xiao Zhan took six brocade sachets from his arms and looked at the students with a sneer. “I have six brocade sachets in my hand, and the sixth one has the first secret about the world. The first five are the goals you need to accomplish now. If you can’t open the first five brocade sachets, you don’t have to think about becoming stronger. Because it doesn’t make sense. You will never have real strength.”
Luo Xiaobai reached out and looked solemn. “Please give us the five brocade sachets.”
Xiao Zhangao smiled ferociously. “You want the brocade sachets? No, you’re not even qualified to get the first brocade sachet. The first lesson today is to make you understand that you are very ignorant and weak and have no qualifications to be arrogant.”
Everyone: “…”
Xiao Zhan turned around and walked up the stairs, while Old Bai slowly walked down. He glanced at everyone and said, “Xiao Zhan is finished. You will train for these 6 brocade sachets in the next three years, up to exactly four years. When you are qualified to get these 6 brocade sachets, you can graduate.”
At this moment, everyone looked at Xiao Zhan. It would take them four years to uncover a secret about this world, which sounded worthwhile. For some reason, everyone felt that it was a secret worth four years to learn.
Old Bai said with a smile, “You are all Heavenly Talents. Let me make a long story short. Do you know why are the five of you respectively engaged in one of the five major professions? That’s because we developed such a perfect combination through countless attempts and sacrifices in the long history of fighting with the ocean. In the future, you will be the best companions. You can safely leave your back to your companions. Therefore, you must be very familiar with each other, so familiar that there are almost no secrets between you… Of course, everyone has secrets in fighting techniques, spiritual beasts, and contractual spiritual beasts, and so forth, but try not to have any secrets. Because that may affect the cooperation among you.”
With that said, the old man looked at Xia Xiaochan. “Xia Xiaochan, every time you fight, you only use Shadow Shrimp, but where is your Giant Arowana?”
Then, the old man looked at Han Fei. “Han Fei, you have been trying to hide the secret that you have an exotic Spirit Swallowing Fish. In combat, you only use your contractual spiritual beast. But did you know, throughout history, there were many others who had Yin-Yang eyes?”
Han Fei was shocked. Damn! Has he found out about it? It seems that this Thug Academy is more mysterious than I thought!
The old man turned to Luo Xiaobai. “Luo Xiaobai, have you told others that your Blue Cannibal Flower can devour spiritual energy?”
“Le Renkuang, do they know that you have an exotic spiritual heritage, Madness Spiritual Heritage?”
“Zhang Xuanyu, have you ever shown that your Bloodthirsty Shark can attack a soul?”
Everyone changed their faces. Their long-hidden secrets were all exposed. Their hearts welled up with shock and horror. So their secrets have already been seen through?
At the same time, they looked at each other. All had secrets, all had their own chances, and all were sly jerks…
Old Bai continued, “From today, within half a month, I will not arrange any study tasks for you. All you need to do is to get familiar with each other, familiar with each other’s secrets, familiar with each other’s combat skills… After this half a month, what I need to see is a team that cooperates perfectly, a team that knows one another’s intentions from the wink of an eye.”
Luo Xiaobai said proudly, “Yes, President.”
The others all bowed their heads as if thinking about something, including Han Fei. Do they know I’m practicing the Indestructible Body Art? Ren Tianfei said that I would be doomed if it was found out by others!