FVN Chapter 169: Chapter 167: Failing to Recognize a Great Person (Second Update)_1
Chapter 169: Chapter 167: Failing to Recognize a Great Person (Second Update)_1
"I'm sorry, it's all my fault!"
Her face flushed with embarrassment upon hearing the words spoken by the people around her, Bai Qi pulled her hat brim even lower and apologized to Fang Ren in a quiet voice.
"It's okay, don't worry," Fang Ren said.
"I shouldn't have let you come..."
"I wanted to come on my own, this isn't your fault."
Seeing him still trying to comfort her even at this moment, Bai Qi felt a warmth in her heart, and the guilt welting up in her mind grew even stronger.
I'm sorry, Fang Ren. If I had met you earlier, I would have married you without hesitation... I'm sorry.
...
The Seventh Elder, standing in the center of the field, continued with his announcement, "Due to the absence of nearly two schools' worth of competitors today, we will not use this afternoon for testing. Competitors can use this afternoon for pre-competition preparations or choose to explore the local area and settle their accommodations for tonight.
Of course, you also have the option to visit our Orchid Bamboo Special Alchemist Guild to delve into deeper alchemy theory. Lastly, I must go over some important matters that must be heeded..."
The Seventh Elder spoke for about half an hour, but fortunately, it wasn't just idle talk.
"Finally, I will confirm the list of competitors. Those whose names are not called should visit the Guild's reception to collect their results and then come to me to complete registration."
With that, the Seventh Elder took out three lists and began reading, "Westwind University: Liu Zhengfeng."
"Present."
"Xu Huawei."
"Present."
...
"Lingdong University: Jiang Chaoguo."
"Present!"
"Sun Bing."
"Present!"
...
This roll call continued for a while, and as the names from the other six aristocratic universities were almost all called, the Seventh Elder began reading from another list that only had two names on it.
When he saw the name on the list, his entire expression went blank.
Fang Ren?
Why does this name feel like I've heard it a bit too much lately?
What puzzled him even more was that the word "attendant" was written in front of the second name on the list.
He, a Invigilator Alchemist at a Superior Guild, only had two attendants, so why would a mere university student be involved in this? Did he need someone to pass him alchemy ingredients? Or someone to help maintain the peace at the Alchemy Land?
A student causing such a fuss! And there was also talk of cheating earlier, truly low class!
Before he could become indignant, he suddenly saw the two characters written after "attendant," and he was stunned once again.
Bai Qi?
Isn't that the name of the Princess from Tianjiang? Alright, it must be just a coincidence of having the same name and surname.
He was simply reluctant to argue with this group of aristocrats. In the end, it would come down to alchemy to prove his strength. Should he really have to alchemize on the spot to prove himself and then put those snobbish aristocrats in their place?
Isn't having to prove oneself at a single sneer a behavior more suited to a three-year-old child?
The mockery from the sidelines continued unabated, and the invigilator alchemists from afar, silent, continued watching the spectacle. Except for the Seventh Elder, no one could hear the conversation between the two.
"Shut up!"
Just as Fang Ren was looking conflicted, the Seventh Elder, who stood in the center of the field, suddenly roared into the microphone.
Immediately, his voice echoed throughout the thousand-square-meter venue.
It was not hard to sense the anger in his voice.
Following the Seventh Elder's outburst, all noises ceased in an instant, and all the aristocratic students turned their gazes towards him.
The Seventh Elder's expression turned very serious, his brow furrowed, his hand holding the microphone trembling slightly with anger.
Ah Si, not far from the Seventh Elder's side, was stunned. He rarely saw the Seventh Elder with such a rich expression, and even when someone in the guild made a mistake, he would just sternly scold them. A roar like this was almost unprecedented.
"What's gotten into the Seventh Elder all of a sudden? He didn't react this way when we were just chatting," whispered an aristocratic student.
"Maybe... it's not about our chatting. Look, those two low-ability students have been muttering non-stop, and the Seventh Elder, with his Azure Sky Realm mid-stage strength, must have heard what they were saying."
"You mean, those two low-ability students said something that angered the Seventh Elder?"
...
"Silence!" The Seventh Elder turned to the group of aristocrat students and yelled again, "As fellow students, by what right do you mock others? Talent is predetermined from birth, and being talented in alchemy is not something worth showing off, much less a reason for you to ridicule other students! If everything in this world were determined by talent, what would be the point of hard work!
The survival of humankind is at stake at this moment, and as aristocrats, you should have the heart to protect all people, and even more so should you lead by example! The nobility that comes with your birth and talent is meant to shoulder the heavy burden of human survival—not to be a blade that belittles your kin!"
As the Seventh Elder finished his statement without pause, the aristocratic students who were continuing their mockery were all stupefied in silence.
The Seventh Elder's expression was extremely serious, and his voice was angry with a hint of a tremble.
However, only he knew how much cold sweat he was breaking out on his back.
When he was reading the names earlier, he felt something was off. It was understandable for a girl to share the name with the princess, but why would she deliberately wear a baseball cap and hide her face at this event? This made him puzzled.
As he heard the whispers of the group of aristocratic students, everything clicked into place all of a sudden.
Fang Ren?
Bai Qi?
Either name, taken separately, wouldn't have meant much to him, but put together, it was a huge deal!
He suddenly remembered the major event that had been spread internally in Tianjiang not long ago!
Fang Ren? He had just been wondering where he had heard that name before. Wasn't that the name of the Fang Family's great young master, hidden for twenty-two years?
And with the emergence of the Fang Family's great young master, even Princess Bai Xi's marriage arrangement had been exposed—the great young master of the Fang Family was none other than Princess Bai Xi's betrothed! They had been promised to each other since they were children!
If there were many other people on Earth named Bai Qi or Fang Ren, there would only be one pair of 22-year-olds who could put these two names together—this very pair!
He thought back to when Ah Si didn't arrange seats for the two of them in the guild, the Seventh Elder's old heart nearly gave out.
He even had the impulse to perform a 720-degree spinning kneel right then and there.
But because he heard Fang Ren say that Bai Qi's identity could not be exposed, he could only perform with a racing heart, suppressing the urge.
Thinking back, he really felt that he had been completely ignorant of the towering figure right before him!