Chapter 189: Money Can't Buy Happiness!

"I'm sorry, but I'll have to decline your offer."

Ling Feng shook his head, showing almost no hesitation as he firmly refused.

"This..." Liang Huanzhi furrowed his brows. He had never expected that even after mentioning the relationship between Zhenlong Academy and the imperial family, Ling Feng would remain unmoved.

"Young friend, you should reconsider."

After some thought, Liang Huanzhi suggested, "Perhaps you're not aware, but the Empire's number one legendary genius, Yan Jinghong, is our pride at Zhenlong Academy. With your talent, if you were to receive our academy's cultivation, you might just become the next Yan Jinghong."

"Oh? Is that so?" Ling Feng, who had been hesitating slightly, immediately made up his mind upon hearing the name Yan Jinghong.

Becoming the next Yan Jinghong?

Become your dad!

Ling Feng's demeanor grew frosty as he asserted firmly, "Academician Liang, you may leave. I will absolutely not go!"

"Why?" Liang Huanzhi had no idea what he had said wrong to trigger Ling Feng, and why Ling Feng had suddenly turned hostile.

"Why?" Ling Feng took a deep breath, clearing his throat before stating, "Because I'm happy! Money can't buy happiness!"

Liang Huanzhi's mouth twitched at the phrase "money can't buy happiness," and was finally rendered speechless.

"Fine, fine, fine! I hope you don't regret this in the future!"

With a disdainful snort, Liang Huanzhi flung his sleeves and left.

This was Tianwei Academy's territory, and openly snatching someone away was out of the question. As a matter of fact, attempting to recruit from Tianwei Academy in this manner was already unethical.

Meanwhile, a hundred meters away, under the shade of a tree, Academician Ye Guichen stood alongside another elderly man dressed in golden robes while witnessing everything unfold.

Around them, faint elemental qi circulated, isolating all presence. Thus, neither Ling Feng nor Liang Huanzhi noticed their presence.

"This young man is quite intriguing," Ye Guichen chuckled, feeling somewhat restrained in the presence of the elderly man in the golden robe.

In Tianwei Academy, only those above the rank of vice-director could wear golden robes.

"Yes, and he's someone worth nurturing."

The elderly man in the golden robe smiled with narrowed eyes. "Regarding Liang Huanzhi, while his remarks may be somewhat exaggerated, considering the boy's talent in true qi, his future achievements might indeed rival those of Yan Jinghong. However... the future Yan Jinghong may reach an entirely different level."

"Yan Jinghong is, without a doubt, the most formidable genius in the Tianbai Empire within a thousand years. With his innate sacred body, such talent... it's regrettable that this young man possesses only a human spiritual body, squandering his sacred-tier true qi talent. As far as I know, Yan Jinghong excels in physique, comprehension, and true qi talent, all at the sacred-tier," Ye Guichen sighed softly.

"Our academy also discovered a peculiar bloodline this year, didn't we? Fortunately, we found her in time and can ensure her protection. Hehe, with a few years of nurturing, that girl will undoubtedly leave the other academies astonished!"

Ye Guichen nodded in agreement. "Yes, quite so. The girl, along with the black cat she carries, appear to possess a mutated sacred beast bloodline. Her background is likely quite mysterious."

The elderly man in the golden robe smiled faintly as he said, "I do know a bit about her background, but unfortunately, her memory seems somewhat fragmented. However, if we cultivate her well and have her establish a good relationship with that mysterious family in the future, it would be beneficial for our Tianwei Academy and even for the entire Tianbai Empire, with no harm whatsoever."

"Vice-director, are you referring to that family?" Ye Guichen's eyes widened as if he had grasped something.

"I cannot say, I cannot say," the elderly man in the golden robe replied with a mysterious smile, his gaze shifting to Ling Feng. Suddenly, he saw an unkempt old man heading towards Ling Feng's direction and was startled, "Wh-why is that old madman going over there?"

"Who?" Ye Guichen turned to look and was instantly horrified, "It can't be, is Ling Feng being targeted by that old lunatic?"

The elderly man in the golden robe and Ye Guichen exchanged a glance, both showing a hint of sympathy.

Those targeted by that old man often end up...

"This is bad! Finally, a promising talent appears, and now he's caught the attention of that old lunatic!" Ye Guichen clenched his fist but lacked the courage to step forward and intervene.

"Let fate decide. Let's hope that this Ling Feng's luck turns out to be better than the rest," the elderly man in the golden robe sighed softly.

The individual they referred to as the "old lunatic" was named Yan Cangtian!

True to his name, he was a remarkably formidable figure, boasting credentials even higher than those of the director.

His prowess within Tianwei Academy was unparalleled!

However, this guy was obsessed with alchemy, often refining all sorts of messy pills and then finding people to test them on.

Out of every one-hundred subjects he experimented on, perhaps only one or two would reap some benefits, enhancing their cultivation or refining their talent. However, the vast majority of the subjects were essentially ruined.

Many geniuses have fallen victim to this old lunatic.

Gradually, the students of Tianwei Academy became extremely fearful of this old lunatic, afraid of being ruined by him.

Later on, he even started testing the pills on himself, resulting in fluctuations in his cultivation, and his mind seemed to become somewhat erratic. This made the students in the academy feel somewhat "safer."

Nevertheless, owing to his seniority and formidable cultivation recovery, both the director and vice-director of the academy were compelled to turn a blind eye to his actions.

...

Seeing as how Ling Feng successfully drove away Liang Huanzhi from Zhenlong Academy in a fit of anger, he returned to his original seat and began to meditate quietly.

On the side, Ouyang Jing, though feeling somewhat regretful, believed that as long as he could hang around with Ling Feng, his future prospects would surely not be worse off than attending Zhenlong Academy.

Just then, an unkempt old man with a tattered cloth bag slung over his shoulder, clutching a yellowed ancient tome, locked his wild, darting eyes onto Ling Feng.

This person was none other than the "old lunatic" mentioned by Ye Guichen, Yan Cangtian.

Stomp, stomp, stomp!

Yan Cangtian strode over to Ling Feng, reached out to tousle his hair, and grumbled, "Brat, move your ass!"

Before Ling Feng could wrap his head around the old man’s words, his gaze fell upon the ancient book held by Yan Cangtian. His eyes twitched as he exclaimed, "Senior, could it be that your medical skills are derived from the lost

Classic Formula of the Medicine King

?"

"Hmm?" Yan Cangtian scrutinized Ling Feng incredulously. "You, at such a young age, are familiar with the

Classic Formula of the Medicine King

?"

"I have some knowledge of it," Ling Feng replied, detecting the rich herbal scent emanating from Yan Cangtian and feeling greatly astonished as he already regarded him as a remarkable medical expert.

"You're quite the clever lad!" Yan Cangtian praised momentarily, but his expression quickly changed as he furrowed his brows, saying, "You brat, I said to move your ass!"

Ling Feng's mouth twitched slightly, but knowing that esteemed seniors often had peculiar habits, he and Ouyang Jing quickly shuffled aside, courteously addressing, "Senior, may I ask..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Ling Feng watched as Yan Cangtian dug up the spot where he had been sitting moments ago, and then pulled out a wild grass root while laughing heartily. "How fortunate! Today is truly my lucky day. I never expected to dig up a stalk of Golden Velvet Flower Stem here!"