From Yan Bo's perspective, Yan Junyu's decision was clearly unwise. He couldn't fathom what spell Qi Ze had cast over him to agree to such an excessive request. While reporting the situation to Old Master Yan, Yan Bo also arranged a private meeting with Qi Ze, attempting to persuade him to withdraw the notion of transferring departments.
The two met in a floating restaurant, seated opposite each other.
"You probably don't realize what it means for Junyu to vouch for you," Yan Bo clasped his fingers and placed them on the table, his tone and expression serious, "Before graduation, students from the Mecha Manufacturing Department must bind themselves to a mecha pilot, specifically to repair or maintain the mecha for them. This is to accumulate experience for future employment. Mecha constructors are incredibly scarce talents in the empire; their work is of paramount significance to the mecha pilots and the empire as a whole. If a mecha malfunctions and the mecha constructor fails to identify and rectify the issue in time, it can lead to irreparable disasters. They have the power to control someone's life, even the outcome of a war. A 3S-class mecha constructor can determine a country's standing in the entire Galaxy. Our empire's prosperity is due to the contributions of Master Mu Feixing. He single-handedly produced six super mechas, significantly enhancing the empire's military strength."
Yan Bo stared intently at the young man, delivering each word carefully, "After saying all this, I merely want to convey that the empire places high importance on the training of mecha constructors. In many ways, their status surpasses that of psychics. It's understandable that you, with your developed mental power, want to transfer to the Mecha Manufacturing Department for a better future. But have you thought about Junyu? Considering your current health condition, how long do you have left? Once you enroll, you have to bind yourself to a pilot, and I've heard that Ouyang Ye never applied to the Mecha Combat Department. Who can you find to be your partner? I know Junyu well; since he's promised you, he'll take responsibility for everything about you. But besides being your mentor, he is also the heir of the Yan family. By breaking his promise to Mu Ran and choosing you instead, it's like forcing him to renounce his right to the family inheritance. Perhaps the situation isn't as severe as I've described, perhaps Mu Ran is magnanimous and will not hold it against him, but Junyu's enemies won't miss this opportunity. They might sow discord between him and Mu Ran, leaving him completely deprived of the Mu family's support."
Yan Bo paused, counter-asking, "How much do you know about the Mu family and Mu Ran?"
Qi Ze lounged on the sofa with legs crossed and chin propped up in one hand, his lazy demeanor evident. He didn't even lift his eyelids, responding without much sincerity, "You tell me."
Yan Bo was infuriated by the youth's indifferent attitude, cursing him in his heart for being heartless while explaining, "Mu Ran is another super genius following Master Mu Feixing. His mental power has already reached the 2S level, and in a few years, he'll surely become a 3S-level master, meaning he's capable of producing new super mechas. He holds all the precious data left by Master Mu Feixing, making him a talent coveted by major forces across the Galaxy. His value alone is equivalent to that of a top-tier cruiser fleet. To retain him and Master Mu Feixing's invaluable legacy, the Mu family's status far exceeds that of the six great families, even the royal family. The Mus never engage in politics, yet their influence is unparalleled, not just in the empire, but throughout the Galaxy. Junyu is very fortunate; they've been great friends since childhood, and they had already agreed to be partners. Mu Ran will be Junyu's exclusive mecha constructor, the primary reason Junyu is the heir."
He leaned forward slightly, making a serious request, "If you still have any feelings for Junyu, please retract your previous request. I can help you find a guarantor; they may not have a high position, but they should be enough to take care of you."
Qi Ze burst out laughing, shaking his head, "After listening to you, my impression of Yan Junyu has instantly crumbled. I thought everything he has now is due to his own capabilities. He's powerful, resilient, upright, almost the perfect heir. But in your words, he's a freeloader who's only gotten where he is by clinging to others. To put it bluntly, he's just a gold-digger. Without Mu Ran, he's nothing, right? Without Mu Ran, his existence has no meaning, right? Everything he has is reliant on Mu Ran, so he has to grovel and please Mu Ran, not even daring to disagree?"
Qi Ze shook his head with a sigh, "I thought Yan Junyu was impressive, but it turns out he's just like this. There's no need for you to say more; I'll retract my previous request and find someone else as a guarantor. I, Qi Ze, won't settle for just anyone. To be my partner, one must first control their own destiny, not cling to others, relying on someone else's protection to gain power and status, a pitiful wretch."
Yan Bo was stunned, not expecting the youth to respond not with guilt but with such insulting words. Although his goal was achieved, he felt neither joy nor satisfaction, only awkwardness and anger. Junyu was certainly no wretch; his relationship with Mu Ran wasn't one of master and servant. But upon reviewing their conversation, he realized that what he had inadvertently conveyed was precisely that.
He opened his mouth but didn't know how to explain himself, fearing that more words might change the youth's mind, leading him to continue pestering his friend. When he was at a loss, Qi Ze tossed down several star coins and strolled around the sofa to leave. Just a few steps away, he paused and greeted with a grin, "Oh, you're here too."
Yan Junyu stood behind the lush potted plants, his face ashen, it was unclear how long he had been there and how much he had heard. When the youth brushed past him, he gripped his wrist tightly, emphasizing each word, "I'm not someone else's appendage, nor am I a wretch. I just want you to know that I'm willing to take responsibility for everything."
Qi Ze found the words somewhat odd; he pulled out his arm and waved his hand, "You can't even choose your own life, so what right do you have to be responsible for others? Forget it, I don't need you to vouch for me, Li Yu will handle it."
He stuffed his hands in his pockets and meandered out of the restaurant, leaving Yan Bo and Yan Junyu staring at each other.
Yan Bo spoke hesitantly and fearfully, "Junyu, I didn't mean to belittle you. It was that Qi Ze kid twisting my words. You and Mu Ran are partners; how could I suggest breaking up for him? I've already told Old Master about this. He won't agree either. Mu Ran is so arrogant. If he finds out you're breaking your relationship with him for a carbon-based lifeform, won't he be furious? You have a lot of brothers waiting for the two of you to fall out. Losing Mu Ran's support, you won't be able to keep your position as heir."
But the more he explained, the more embarrassed and uncomfortable Yan Junyu felt. Having lived over thirty years, he realized for the first time that everything he had was simply due to Mu Ran's protection. Whoever Mu Ran chose became the heir of the Yan family. So what was the Yan family? What was the Mecha Vanguard? What was the meaning of his own existence? Wasn't he allowed to live for himself?
If he hadn't met Qi Ze and heard those words, he might never have understood how pitiful and pitiable he was. Recalling his grandfather's indirect request to betroth him to Mu Ran, Yan Junyu suddenly began to chuckle, his laughter filled with ridicule and helplessness.
"Grandfather, if my partner isn't Mu Ran, would you still allow me to be the heir?" He dialed Old Master's number.
Old Master Yan, who had already been informed, stated decisively, "Whoever gains Mu Ran's recognition will be the next patriarch. Junyu, you must learn to cherish it."
Yan Junyu pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a fierce drag, equally determined as he replied, "Then you can start looking for the next heir. I'm sorry to have disappointed you, but I, Yan Junyu, am not anyone's accessory." With that, he abruptly ended the call and landed a heavy punch on Yan Bo, "You can go back; following Mu Ran is the safest bet."ââ
After leaving the floating restaurant, Qi Ze couldn't resist checking the information about the Mu family and Mu Ran, taken aback by the hundreds of pages of glorious deeds. He didn't have the patience to read it all, so he closed the webpage and returned to school by flying car. There were two acting classes in the afternoon, rather boring, but the instructor was the department head. Qi Ze had to obtain his approval for the department transfer, so he reluctantly mustered the energy to confront him.
When he walked into the classroom, his classmates had already learned about his intention to transfer to the Mecha Manufacturing Department. Some offered blessings, others paid no attention, while some sneered, "Qi Ze, is your mental power really as high as A-grade? Oh, that means we'll be attending your funeral in a few years?"
"I think you should just forget about transferring departments and school altogether. Just find a place to wait for death."
"Even if you submit the application, it's all in vain. No one will vouch for you, and the department transfer exam is so difficult, can you pass it? You should stay here obediently. Although your acting isn't great, Young Master Ouyang is willing to support you. It's easier for you to sell your ass than for us to struggle for ten years, why make things difficult for yourself?" After saying this, many people exchanged knowing smiles.
Qi Ze ignored their remarks, walking straight to the lectern and passing the department transfer approval form to the department head. The department head seemed to have something to say, but seeing his determination, he could only sigh as he signed.
After confirming there were no issues with the approval form, Qi Ze sincerely thanked him and left the classroom. At the door, he paused for a moment, saying with a half-smile, "Those who don't strive for progress and ridicule others for having ideals, what kind of lowlife are they?"
The department head was stunned. The classmates looked at each other, severely doubting they had misheard. Was this really that timid, weak, introverted, and gloomy Qi Ze? He must have taken the wrong medicine!
A loud laughter echoed outside the classroom; Ouyang Ye had one hand on the door frame and the other rubbing his belly, struggling, "Honey, I've come to pick you up. Let's go, don't take these Lowlifes seriously."
Qi Ze raised his chin, leading the way out. From a distance, angry curses echoed from the classroom. The department head was dumbfounded for a while before shaking his head regretfully, "I didn't expect Qi Ze to be this kind of person. He must have been acting all this time. What a pity, if this level of acting were in entertainment, he wouldn't have to worry about making a name for himself."
Ouyang Ye placed his hand on Young Master Qi Ze's shoulder, mumbling, "What did Yan Bo want to say when he called you out? He was probably trying to convince you not to trouble Yan Junyu, right? I told you from the beginning that you shouldn't have chosen him. Despite his power, wealth, and status, in terms of freedom, he's not as high as me. I can do whatever I want now, with no one to manage me. Just a slight breeze, and his grandfather in the imperial capital would issue an ultimatum. If you had asked him to vouch for you, he would have to find you a partner. This is a tough ask. Most people wouldn't agree. There are plenty of idiots in the world who don't know what they're missing. It's rare to find someone like me with a discerning eye. Unfortunately, I can't operate a mecha; otherwise, I would have bound myself to you."
To let such a solid gold thigh go unused, Ouyang Ye felt pity for Yan Bo and Yan Junyu's judgement. He had already been welcomed back to his clan but declined the position of heir, only saying he was willing to contribute to the clan, but the clan's resources must be available to him. This was akin to being a lucky charm; the elders immediately agreed. Not being involved in clan affairs but able to bring benefits to the clan, it was appropriate to provide as many resources as necessary.
As they chatted and walked, an alarm sounded from the smartbrain; the registrar's office had notified Qi Ze to take the department transfer exam tomorrow. Yan Junyu had submitted the guarantee document without permission, and Old Master Yan was unable to stop it in time, so the exam that was supposed to be held a month later was advanced to tomorrow. In his mind, as long as Qi Ze couldn't pass the test, the matter would naturally be resolved, and he could conceal it from Mu Ran, avoiding any problems.
Ouyang Ye looked down at Young Master Qi Ze's smartbrain and immediately let out a shriek, "Fucking hell, when did Yan Junyu submit the guarantee document? The exam was supposed to be a month later, why was it advanced? There are forty-six main subjects, involving over a hundred knowledge systems when broken down. How can you learn all that, Young Master Qi Ze? One night isn't enough! They're forcing you to give up indirectly, how fucking underhanded! Yan Junyu is a big troublemaker, purely causing more problems. Uncle can find someone to vouch for you!"
Qi Ze closed the email, his expression unflustered, "It's not causing trouble, it's better for me to finish the exam earlier and set off for the imperial capital sooner. Yan Junyu does have guts, after my words, he's willing to give up the position of heir."
Ouyang Ye pouted but didn't say anything. After walking a long distance, he remembered to ask, "Young Master Qi Ze, I haven't seen you reading. How will you pass the exam?"
Qi Ze smiled but didn't answer, opening his smartbrain and purchasing the entire list of books related to the forty-six courses. The empire had hundreds of affiliated stars, with abundant natural and mineral resources, making the prices of paper items inexpensive. But due to technological advancements, physical books had inevitably faded from the historical stage, while e-books flourished.
In daily life, students mainly used digital textbooks, rarely purchasing paper books, both for reading and carrying convenience. But online, there were specialized stores selling paper books, either for sentiment or for collection. As long as the required books were specified, they could be printed out immediately and delivered to one's doorstep.
So when Ouyang Ye returned to the dormitory, he faced an entire room full of paper books. The forty-six main subjects, though not many at first glance, when broken down, involved well over a hundred knowledge systems, including mechanics, machinery, spatial science, genetics, psychic studies, and more. To achieve high scores, one had to understand, even master, each knowledge system.
Ouyang Ye looked up at the books reaching nearly to the ceiling, experiencing for the first time the fear of being dominated by exams.
"So many books to read in one night, do you think you're the main brain of the Star Network, Young Master Qi Ze?" he rambled incoherently, "I think we should forget it; you can prepare for the exam in three to five years. I won't go to the imperial capital either; I'll stay here and wait for you."
"Get out of here," Qi Ze kicked him, a hint of a smile in his eyes, "Help me move the books to the basement."
As soon as he said this, Yan Junyu's call came in, his expression full of guilt, "You should have received the notification, right? The exam has been rescheduled to tomorrow. I didn't want to hide it from you; this was my grandfather's order. I'm sorry. I wanted to help you, but I didn't expect it to put you in a more difficult situation. If you're willing, you can apply to the Arts Department first, and I'll slowly find other ways to help."
Qi Ze looked at him deeply and said sincerely, "Although I said some harsh words, I didn't mean to insult you. I just couldn't accept Yan Bo belittling you. Although you rejected me, in my heart, you've always been strong. You can reach great heights on your own. Thank you for vouching for me; I'll remember this kindness."
Yan Junyu's eyes suddenly welled with tears. He never expected that the one who understood him most was the youth he had been trying to push away. In such a frustrated and bewildered moment, the youth's words were like a star, shimmering in his heart. But before he could respond, the other end hung up hastily, leaving him to chuckle helplessly.
His mood inexplicably became very good, incredibly good.
"Again, that big troublemaker Yan Junyu?" Ouyang Ye grumbled while moving the books, "Creating more problems and then calling to take credit, what a thick skin."
"He was apologizing," Qi Ze took out a jade tablet from the Qiankun Bag, laid it on the ground, and quickly carved out a simple conversion formation with a file. On the Qianyuan Continent, cultivators didn't need to read books and memorize them; they only needed to refine a legacy jade talisman. Once the information within the jade talisman was read, a powerful divine sense could help the cultivator slowly understand and digest it, incorporating it into their own use.
Intelligence was never an obstacle; comprehension and perseverance were. Some cultivators might be mentally slow but had high comprehension, and instead, could become a great expert. Some cultivators might be quick-witted but had low comprehension, and despite their entire lives, they might never achieve the Dao.
It was only forty-six exams, thousands of professional books; Qi Ze never viewed this as a difficulty. But although the empire's text resembled the Qianyuan Continent's text, there were still differences. He still needed to convert all the text. Fortunately, when he was recuperating in the hospital, he was bored and created a text comparison table, which came in handy now. So, beside the conversion formation, he carved a translation formation and placed the text comparison table on it.
Seated cross-legged in front of the jade tablet, he raised his right hand and made a spell gesture, causing the books that were piled full in the basement to fly into the center of the formation, one by one, in order from near to far. The pages spread open, turning by themselves without the wind, flipping through one book, then onto the next. White light dots floated out from the pages, one after another, entering the jade tablet held in Qi Ze's left hand.
Ouyang Ye watched with his eyes wide open, moving closer involuntarily. Only then did he discover that what floated out weren't light dots but individual words, seemingly very similar to the empire's text but with more complicated strokes. They continuously filled the jade tablet, causing it to emit light. When the last book was flipped through, the light suddenly burst for a moment before quickly subsiding.
Qi Ze raised the jade tablet, pressed it against his forehead, and then there was no further movement.
Ouyang Ye didn't dare to interrupt him and could only sit by the side and wait, his heart squirming with discomfort. Why were the books flipping automatically? How did the words change and then float into the jade tablet? Is Young Master Qi Ze pressing the jade tablet against his forehead, absorbing those words? Isn't this the equivalent of eating the book and digesting the knowledge within it at the same time?
Damn, this is the daydream I've had since I was a kid! With such a magical artifact, I can turn from a study dummy into a super scholar! Thinking about this, Ouyang Ye suddenly couldn't sit still. Once Young Master Qi Ze wakes up, he must ask him to make a jade tablet for him, stuffing all the professional knowledge inside. This thing is too useful, it's a study dummy's salvation!
No matter how profound scientific knowledge is, it can't compare to Daoist heritage transmission. Qi Ze only spent half an hour to absorb everything, but to fully integrate and understand it, it would take some time. The knowledge was like data stored in a database, quietly residing until a professional term was seen, and then the related knowledge would continuously pour out. Qi Ze could score high just by reciting, not to mention that he was far from being mentally dull.
Ouyang Ye came up from behind, his big head bumping against his shoulder, his tone as sycophantic as it could be, "Young Master Qi Ze? What were you doing just now? Were you eating the books? How much is this board worth? Name your price, I'll buy it! I'm willing to bankrupt myself. You don't know, even those who received the admission notification have to take exams in the Imperial Military Academy, and the classes are assigned based on the exam scores. If I'm in Class F or even Class G, wouldn't I be disgracing you, Young Master Qi Ze? Heh heh..."
Qi Ze ignored him, continuing to meditate and cultivate.
Ouyang Ye wasn't giving up, taunting, "Young Master Qi Ze, it turns out you can make such a useful thing; it seems this great talent of yours is quite superficial!"
"Get out," a simple word, and the world was peaceful againââ
The next day, nearly all the teachers and students in the school had heard that the carbon-based lifeform Qi Ze was going to take the department transfer exam, and what's more, he was transferring to the hardest to pass Mecha Manufacturing Department. Some bet that he couldn't even pass the first mental power test, some bet that he would fail all his exams, and some bet that he would cry as soon as he entered the exam hall. In short, no one believed he would enter the Imperial Military Academy for further study with all A+ scores.
If such a person really existed, they must be a genius with an IQ of 180 and mental power exceeding 3S, not a carbon-based lifeform. They could just wait to see Qi Ze's embarrassment. Who knows, someone spent a lot of money and put up bright red captions on the public holographic screens along the wayââGo fuck yourself, Qi Ze!
Causing everyone to glance over repeatedly.