Chapter 72: The Salted Fish Nest
“Isn’t that a bit too much? If neither side can win, then it’s a draw. Shouldn’t the score be calculated as a draw?”
Si Er felt that this scoring standard was problematic. Wasn’t Black Tortoise Academy always ranked last because of this ridiculous system?
Si Yi shook his head. “In theory, it makes sense.”
“What the Four Great Academies aim to cultivate are talents capable of fighting fiend beasts.”
“But the students of Black Tortoise Academy are generally rather… lazy. In competitions, what they demonstrate is self-preservation ability, not the offensive power to fight fiend beasts.”
“In that case, others giving low scores isn’t unreasonable. So Black Tortoise Academy has no objections to the scoring standards.”
“Our academy has no objections either?”
Si Er instantly beamed.
Sure enough, choosing Black Tortoise Academy was the right decision. This is a whole courtyard of salted fish!
I, a little salted fish, have finally found my nest!
Si Yi found Si Er’s grin amusing. “Why are you so happy? Black Tortoise Academy is only ‘salted fish’ internally. When facing outsiders, they still kill when necessary.”
“Every year, quite a few students are assigned to the Four Great Cities to help eliminate fiend beasts. The better your grades, the more likely you’ll be sent.”
Si Er’s grin immediately disappeared. He had a bad feeling he would definitely be one of those sent out.
Before school started, he had planned to keep a low profile. But after arriving, he realized he couldn’t stay low-key at all.
There were all kinds of detection instruments here—even Guagua’s identity had been discovered. What could he possibly hide?
Si Yi continued smiling. “But Black Tortoise Academy is mainly responsible for defense and delivering medicine.”
“Their primary task is reinforcing the defensive barriers of the Four Great Cities. Secondly, they run around putting shields on people and handing out medicine.”
“If someone’s about to die, they slap a shield on to preserve that little life.”
“If the injuries aren’t serious, they don’t bother.”
After thinking for a moment, he added, “Killing fiend beasts is physically exhausting. Sometimes people get fatigued even without injuries.”
“Some want to rest for a bit but don’t want to retreat back to the city and waste time. In those situations, they’ll ask your academy’s students to put a shield on them.”
“But that kind of shield isn’t within your official duties. You’re allowed to charge soul stones for it.”
“What?” Si Er was stunned. “You can do that?”
Si Yi nodded with a smile. “Of course. That’s why students from the other three academies generally don’t dare offend yours.”
“Except for a few arrogant hotheads, of course.”
“In any case, when the time comes—if you like someone, give them a free shield. If you don’t, confidently ask for soul stones. If they refuse, you can simply ignore them.”
Si Er thought it over carefully and decided that wasn’t bad at all.
So overall, our academy’s main function is support. Vermilion Bird Academy focuses on refining potions and weapons. Azure Dragon and White Tiger Academies handle most of the fighting and killing.
Compared to the other three, we actually seem more relaxed?
Though running all over the battlefield delivering medicine sounds dangerous too. That turtle-shell shield isn’t invincible, after all.
As Si Yi explained the dynamics among the Four Great Academies, Si Er happily munched on roasted rabbit. Yu Beixuan occasionally passed him a few spirit fruits.
Normally, Si Er enjoyed pure spirit fruits of various flavors. But the rabbit roasted by his eldest brother was just too fragrant. It was so delicious that he nearly bit his own tongue several times, leaving no room in his mind for fruit.
Wuwuwu, this is too good!
With Big Brother’s cooking skills, if he opened a barbecue restaurant, customers would line up around the block.
Yu Beixuan, chewing on stored spirit fruits, watched Si Er eat and grew more and more curious about the roasted rabbit.
The smell alone was incredible. From Si Er’s expression, he could guess how good it tasted.
Yu Beixuan wanted a bite too—but with Si Yi glaring nearby like a tiger watching its prey, he didn’t dare speak.
Si Er wanted to give him a rabbit leg, but he was afraid his brother might be unhappy.
Si Yi directly tore off a rabbit leg and handed it to Yu Beixuan. Glancing at Si Er, he chuckled. “If you want to give it, just give it. It’s only a rabbit leg. I’m not that stingy.”
Si Er immediately beamed. “Big Brother is the best!”
Yu Beixuan smiled brightly, showing a row of white teeth. “Thank you, Big Brother Si!”
After thanking him, he even presented Si Yi with a large gift pack of spirit fruits he had purified of fiendish energy.
Si Yi looked at Yu Beixuan’s conspicuous little tiger tooth, then at the unusually clean spirit fruits, and thought: perhaps what Yu Beimo said was… possibly… maybe… somewhat true?
The youngest son of the Yu family did seem rather cute.
Of course, still nowhere near as cute as his two younger brothers.
Yu Beixuan hadn’t expected Si Yi’s barbecue skills to be this good—far better than his own father, who only knew how to blow up kitchens.
His eldest brother only made icy desserts. Though they tasted fine, who besides those with ice-attribute constitutions could eat ice every day?
His second brother couldn’t cook at all—he could practically survive on water.
As for Yu Beixuan himself, his grilling skills were average at best. He had once thought he was decent, but compared to Si Yi, there was no comparison.
Thinking this, Yu Beixuan’s eyes sparkled with a hint of admiration toward Si Yi.
Si Yi felt a twinge of guilt under that gaze. All this excitement over a single rabbit leg? He looked like quite a simple child.
So maybe following Er’er out really was just concern for a classmate?
Si Yi found that explanation reasonable—but something still felt slightly off. He decided he would ask Yu Beimo later what kind of temperament his third brother actually had.
“Alright, it’s about time. Hurry back to class.”
“Er’er, what do you want to eat tonight? I’ll go hunt it.”
Si Er shook his head. “I don’t know what’s good. Big Brother can decide.”
With Big Brother’s skills, anything he roasts will be delicious!
Seeing Si Er so supportive, Si Yi was very satisfied. “Alright then. You go on. I’ll prepare something this afternoon.”
After speaking, he glanced at Yu Beixuan. The boy didn’t seem as annoying anymore—but constantly tagging along with Si Er wasn’t ideal either.
“You, kid. Don’t come over tonight, alright? We brothers need some private time.”
Yu Beixuan actually looked a bit embarrassed.
And whenever he felt embarrassed, he reached for his storage ring.
This time, he took out an enormous thousand-year Fire Cloud Lingzi. It was so large that it left Si Yi stunned.
“Big Brother Si, I was too worried about Er’er before and lost my sense of proportion. I apologize.”
“Please accept this as compensation.”
Si Yi very much wanted it. Fire Cloud Lingzi was already high-grade to begin with, and this one was of excellent quality and great age—extremely valuable.
But he felt awkward accepting such a thing for free.
After thinking for a moment, Si Yi also took out a storage pouch and handed it to Yu Beixuan.
“This is a type of black ore I obtained by chance. Its aura doesn’t feel like fiendish energy, but it carries an ominous presence.”
“I was worried leaving it there would affect others, so I collected it all.”
Si Yi had a Golden Crow by his side, which could temporarily suppress that power.
“Take a look. If you can use it, keep it.”
