"What did the Dean want to discuss with you?" Martial Heaven asked curiously outside the Dean's office. Could it be reminiscing about old times?
Yet Qin Yang's expression suggested the conversation had been anything but pleasant.
"Are merit points easy to earn?" Qin Yang asked.
Martial Heaven shook his head. "Not at all."
Could the Dean have been paving the way for Qin Yang? Introducing him to the academy's system?
"How many points do you have?" Qin Yang pressed.
Martial Heaven produced his Celestial Ten Directions Token. "About a hundred thousand." He added, "The academy's magical artifacts and pills all require merit points. I've earned plenty over the years, but spent just as much. Why do you ask?"
Qin Yang stared at his own token, the -1,000,000 glaring back like a dagger piercing his heart.
If Martial Heaven had taken years to accumulate a hundred thousand points, how was he supposed to earn a million in a single year?
"Oh, and..." Martial Heaven continued, "Since you're forming a guild, you'll need to pay a thousand points each month."
"What?" Qin Yang's head ached. Was this adding insult to injury?
Martial Heaven smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry. Students have many ways to earn points - running shops, completing missions, contributing to the academy. Plus, new students get a hundred points for free."
Qin Yang clenched his fists tightly. If he hadn't known he couldn't win, he would have fought that damned old man for three hundred rounds.
Even if they scraped together all their classmates' points, it would only amount to ten thousand!
They returned to District 10 in silence, the so-called paradise beyond the world.
The academy branch was much livelier than before. Some students who had joined guilds were being guided by senior members, receiving advice and sharing experiences.
Shop after shop opened, with only senior students passing through.
Soon, the academy branch's streets transformed into a bustling market, everything operating in perfect order.
"You're finally back!" Jin Wanshan said, looking at Qin Yang. "We didn't know we had to rush to claim shops on the street. By the time we realized, all the prime locations were taken."
Lou Mengyu added, "To operate a shop, you need to pay points upfront. We hadn't figured out what to do yet."
Without guidance from senior students, they felt like headless flies.
The mere mention of points made Qin Yang's blood boil. "Never mind," he said, "let's check out our shop first."
Not long after, in a deep alley leading to a dead end, a five-story inn stood quietly.
Qin Yang's face twisted with frustration as he gestured at the surrounding area, devoid of shops and filled with student housing courtyards. "Robbing a place like this?" he demanded angrily.
Jin Wanshan scratched his head. "We need to live somewhere too... Those courtyards require merit points to stay in. This might be an inn, but we can convert the first floor into a shop. As they say, good wine doesn't fear deep alleys."
"But this alley is too deep..." Qin Yang muttered, exasperated.
While Qin Yang's face remained troubled, the others wore expressions of hopeful anticipation, their faces glowing with visions of the future.
The inn's ancient design stood out - its wooden structure crisscrossed with formation lines, making it anything but ordinary. Though unremarkable from the outside, the interior proved far more impressive.
The establishment wasn't small, easily accommodating nearly a hundred people. The second through fifth floors boasted balconies, giving the entire structure the feel of a large villa.
The group gathered around a long table inside the inn. Qin Yang cleared his throat. "Forming a guild might be difficult."
"What's so difficult about it?" Jin Wanshan replied. "It's just a thousand merit points per month. I've looked into it - earning points isn't hard. Apart from the monthly guild tasks, any side quests will do."
Qin Yang sighed. "You guys are fine, but if you add me, it's not enough."
Everyone looked confused, not understanding what he meant.
Lou Mengyu spoke up, "What did the Dean want to talk to you about?"
Qin Yang slammed his hand on the table, his face twisted in anger. "That damned old fool! So unreasonable! Abusing his power as Dean to act recklessly..."
"Why are you glaring at me?" Qin Yang glared at Jin Wanshan.
Jin Wanshan kept making exaggerated facial expressions, but Qin Yang clearly didn't get the message.
The atmosphere at the table turned awkward. Yun Ling'er's cheeks puffed in anger as she glared at Qin Yang.
Wu Xiaoya kept stifling giggles, while Wei Linglong kept frowning.
"You don't know how vile that old fool is!" Qin Yang's pent-up anger needed an outlet. "That damned Dean docked me a million points! And I have to repay it within a year. If I can't, forget the guild—I'll be kicked out myself!"
"What? A million?" Jin Wanshan's mouth dropped open. The number was beyond his wildest calculations. He'd already figured out how many points he could earn in a year, but even that wouldn't cover a fraction of a million.
Everyone else was equally stunned; this was simply an astronomical sum!
"That must mean you did something wrong," Yun Ling'er argued. "Otherwise, the Dean wouldn't treat you like this."
Qin Yang snorted coldly. "So you're defending him just because he's the Dean? If you'd seen him before, you'd know what kind of old bastard he is! Have you ever seen someone down a cup of tea in one gulp? And he pretends to be so refined!"
"Don't drag me into this! What's wrong with speaking the truth? Are you going to deduct more points?" Qin Yang shook off Lou Mengyu's restraining hand. "If my cultivation weren't so low right now, hmph! I'll remember this. When I reach his level, I'll make him..."
"He's my grandfather." Yun Ling'er pouted, glaring at Qin Yang with fury.
The atmosphere froze. Qin Yang's expression was priceless as he glanced around. It seemed everyone knew Yun Ling'er's identity except him...
"I tried to warn you with my eyes," Jin Wanshan said, looking exasperated.
Lou Mengyu also sighed softly.
"Ahem! So..." Qin Yang clapped his hands, skipping past the awkward moment. "Let's drop the guild idea. Sorry, everyone."
"Why?" Lou Mengyu took Qin Yang's hand. "I'll let them leave, but I'm staying. I want to be with you."
Jin Wanshan added, "Maybe the Dean is testing you. Think about it—no new student has ever lost a million points before. They must believe in your capabilities!"
Qin Yang rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right..."
Pats Lou Mengyu's hand, feeling quite pleased with himself, Qin Yang suddenly asked, "Do you think our Qin Family has a grudge against Celestial Academy?"
Lou Mengyu's expression turned serious. "Don't speak such nonsense! Everyone on the continent knows the Qin Family's relationship with Celestial Academy is no worse than with our Lou Clan! In fact..."
"Ah, a million-point debt! If we form a guild, this burden would fall on everyone's shoulders." Qin Yang scratched his head.
If I were refining pills on my own, I couldn't possibly earn this much in a year!
"I'm not leaving either," Qu Qingge declared firmly. If it weren't for Qin Yang, he might already be dead. Moreover, Qin Yang had taught him such powerful cultivation techniques and archery skills.
Wei Linglong snorted coldly. "Don't you think too little of us?"
"Exactly!" Wu Xiaoya looked at Qin Yang with disdain. "Even if we're expelled, so what? The Ten Directions Secret Realm's trials may be difficult, but there are countless secret realms across the continent. There are plenty of ways to gain experience without staying here!"
As everyone expressed their resolve, Qin Yang felt overwhelming emotion. If they're willing to share hardships with me, I must never let them down.
Finally, he turned to Yun Ling'er. Though still harboring reservations, before he could issue an expulsion order, Yun Ling'er spoke first: "I'll stay too!"
"Why?" Qin Yang asked, perplexed.
Yun Ling'er's chin lifted stubbornly. "My grandfather isn't the man you think! I'll prove it with facts—you've misunderstood him!"