Chapter Four: Drawing In

Yang Fan walked down the street, dragging his suitcase behind him, feeling a bit lost. Where should he go now? He needed to find a place to stay, but he didn't have much money—his entire fortune amounted to just over three thousand, saved up over the past two years from part-time jobs, working as a waiter in restaurants or carrying luggage at the station. Because he was so young, the wages he received were always limited, and as a growing boy, his appetite was considerable. The orphanage could only ensure he had enough to eat, but whenever he managed to earn a little extra, he would treat himself to something special, and he’d always bring a portion back for the headmistress as well.

The headmistress had always been kind to Yang Fan; after all, he was the oldest child in the orphanage and had spent the most time with her. She treated him like her own grandson, and so, whenever Yang Fan could earn any money, she was the first person he thought of.

At that very moment, in the office on the top floor of the Bureau of Cultivator Affairs, a well-fed middle-aged man could be heard roaring in anger.

"What is this? First-class aptitude? Where is he? Bring him in immediately!"

"He's already left, just now. The staff downstairs just reported it to me, so I came straight to you," replied a man dressed in the bureau's official uniform.

"Report? What are you reporting for? You let someone with first-class aptitude slip away? Go after him! If you don't bring him back, you're out of a job! What does the government even pay you for? You detected a first-class aptitude right under your nose and didn't keep him here, just let him walk out? Are you all just loafers? What are you standing there for? Go after him, now!"

The middle-aged man slammed his hand on the desk as he shouted. The staff member immediately bolted downstairs without daring to delay, fully aware that if this first-class candidate wasn't brought back, he was finished.

Inwardly, he cursed his subordinates for their incompetence—why hadn't they reported this immediately? Someone claimed they’d gotten food poisoning and had to rush to the bathroom first; he’d never dare give such an excuse to his own superior, or he'd be out on his ear for sure.

Meanwhile, Yang Fan strolled down the street, still preoccupied with finding a place to stay for the night.

"Maybe I should just go to a hotel? There aren’t many days left anyway—once the admission letter arrives, I’ll head to the academy. It shouldn’t cost that much."

As he pondered this, a shout came from behind him.

"Yang Fan! Yang Fan! Wait, don't go!"

A man in the same kind of uniform as the staff from the bureau came running toward Yang Fan, panting heavily as he called out.

Yang Fan looked back and, realizing he was being called, stopped and waited, a little confused.

When the man finally reached him, still catching his breath, Yang Fan asked, "Hello! Are you calling me?"

"Who else? You walk pretty fast! As soon as I heard the report, I rushed to find you, but you'd already left, so I had to chase after you. I'm lucky you hadn't gone far, or I'd really be in trouble!"

"Chase after me? I know I have first-class aptitude, but why are you chasing me?"

Yang Fan was still puzzled. He didn't quite understand what it meant to have first-class aptitude. If he had, he wouldn’t have asked.

"Why am I chasing you? Why do you think? Never mind—come back with me. The director wants to see you. Don’t worry, it's absolutely a good thing."

Yang Fan hesitated, unable to fathom why the director of the Bureau of Cultivator Affairs wanted to see him. His mind was spinning from the day's events. Just that morning, he was an orphan fresh out of the orphanage, ready to face the world alone, and now, the director of the city's cultivation bureau wanted to meet him. He was at a complete loss.

Seeing his confusion, the man spoke again, "Yang Fan, don’t worry, it’s nothing bad. If the director wants to see you because of your first-class aptitude, it can only be a good thing—probably wants to discuss your choice of cultivation academy or something like that. I don’t know the specifics. Come on, let’s go, the director is waiting for you!"

Now that he’d caught his breath, the man looked at Yang Fan expectantly.

Yang Fan started to see the situation clearly—he was being courted. With his exceptional aptitude, the director surely wanted to win him over, perhaps even recommend an academy to him.

Having thought it through, Yang Fan decided to go back and meet the director.

"Alright, I understand. I’ll go with you."

"Good, good! Here, let me carry that for you," the man said, reaching for Yang Fan's suitcase. Yang Fan handed it over without hesitation.

Together, they retraced their steps toward the bureau. This time, the man led Yang Fan straight upstairs, leaving his backpack and suitcase at the security post by the entrance.

"Knock, knock, knock. Director, I’ve brought him," the man called as he led Yang Fan into an office.

Yang Fan glanced around the office. It wasn’t large, but it was well appointed, with three filing cabinets and a spacious desk. Behind it sat a well-fed, middle-aged man who was also sizing up Yang Fan. He saw nothing remarkable—a plain coat, an ordinary face, though he was tall, perhaps about six foot one. Yet on someone with first-class aptitude, those ordinary features became impossible to ignore.

"Come, take a seat, young man. Little Li, you can go," the director said, waving the man away as he invited Yang Fan to sit.

Yang Fan pulled out a chair and sat down. Before he could speak, the director picked up a piece of paper and began, "Your name is Yang Fan?"

"Yes, I am Yang Fan."

"Heh, your name doesn’t do you justice. ‘Fan’ means ordinary, but you are anything but—first-class cultivation aptitude! There's nothing ordinary about that."

The sudden praise made Yang Fan blush and left him at a loss for words.

"Thank you for your kind words. May I ask why you wanted to see me?"

Yang Fan quickly redirected the conversation to the matter at hand.

The director laughed. "Of course, I called you here for a good reason. Since you’re so direct, I’ll get straight to the point. I’m Zhang Rui, director of the HM City Bureau of Cultivator Affairs. Have you thought about your future? For example, which cultivation academy you’d like to attend?"

"I haven’t decided yet. I don’t know much about the academies, so I wanted to go back and think about it carefully before making a decision."

"That's wise—this is an important matter, and not to be taken lightly. But would you care to hear some personal advice from me?"

"If Director Zhang is willing to offer guidance, I’d be grateful. To be honest, I’m a bit lost right now, so please, share your thoughts."

This was just what Yang Fan needed. He didn’t know much about the various academies and needed advice, and it was clear that since he’d been called here and asked about this right away, the director intended to discuss it—or rather, to recruit him for a particular academy.

Yang Fan wasn’t naïve, though. He’d listen, but he wouldn’t accept everything Zhang Rui said at face value. The director would surely promote an academy he was affiliated with, and perhaps disparage others. Ultimately, it would be up to Yang Fan’s own judgment.

Zhang Rui’s face lit up with a smile. After taking a sip of water, he began, "I believe you have some general understanding of the cultivation academies. There are seventy-two across the country, each established at different times, and their faculty, teaching standards, and cultivation resources all vary. With your aptitude, you’d have no trouble getting into the Capital Cultivation Academy or the Magic City Cultivation Academy. We all know that. But—and here’s the important part—are those two academies really that great? Not necessarily. For example, the Capital Cultivation Academy is in the capital, where the powerful families are deeply entwined. Some of their scions might resent your talent and try to trip you up. Don’t think that just because your aptitude is high, you’re immune. The influence of those families is terrifying, and no matter how gifted you are, you might not be able to stand against them, especially before you’ve truly grown."

Yang Fan considered this—it was true that, as an orphan, going to the capital and cultivating alongside the children of powerful families would require careful thought.

As he pondered, Zhang Rui continued, "Then there’s Magic City, the nation’s commercial hub. Its booming economy is driven by commerce, and while the political situation isn’t as complex as the capital, there are still plenty of business families. Their children have advantages in resources that you don’t. You might have to fight tooth and nail for a single opportunity, while they, thanks to their families, can easily obtain several. And before you’re strong enough, their methods may be beyond your ability to counter."

Zhang Rui paused to take another drink.

Yang Fan weighed the truth of these words. He believed such situations could occur in the capital and Magic City, but he also doubted it was as dire as Zhang Rui made it sound. After all, the academies had their own systems and rules. The powerful families couldn’t simply do as they pleased—this world still respected strength above all, and in the academies, the deans and mentors stood at the very top. If the families overreached, they risked real consequences.

"Director Zhang, by your analysis, are you saying I shouldn’t go to the Capital or Magic City? But those are the best cultivation academies in the country."

Zhang Rui finished his water and set the cup down.

"No, no, I’m not saying you shouldn’t go. I just wanted to lay out the situation for you. There are many prestigious academies besides those two—for instance, the Frontier Cultivation Academy in one of our border provinces. Its faculty is formidable, and as a growing academy, it values its students far more than the established giants. With your first-class aptitude, you’d be a gem in the crown there—they’d give you the best of everything, and the resources would be heavily tilted in your favor."

Yang Fan now understood—Director Zhang was recruiting on behalf of the Frontier Cultivation Academy.