3.7 million Star Coins. The figure took Fang Yu's breath away.
Over the past month or so, his expenses had been substantial, making hundreds of thousands seem like nothing. But there was a reason for that.
Fang Ping'an had emptied the family coffers to purchase treasures that supported Fang Yu's final sprint for the Junior-College-to-Undergraduate Upgrade assessment. The Fang family was already considered relatively well-off compared to most.
As for the one million Star Coins provided by Wuling Martial Junior College, it was inherently the school's way of offering encouragement. In a sense, the value of nurturing a student who managed to test out of junior college into an undergraduate program exceeded that of ordinary martial undergraduate students. The school hoped that once these elite students grew powerful in the future, they would give back to their alma mater.
Fang Yu was actually very strapped for cash right now; his bank card held less than a hundred thousand Star Coins. Before this, his grueling year as a teaching assistant—excluding the final severance pay—had earned him barely over a hundred thousand in total.
For martial artists, if they did not go to fight on the Primordial Star and relied solely on normal salaries, earning money was not particularly efficient. After all, order within the Blue Moon Alliance was stable, and the immense martial power of a martial artist was not of much practical use in daily life. Most Advanced Martial Artists earned around a million a year in normal jobs.
Of course, the primary reason Fang Yu had spent five hundred thousand Star Coins over the past year was that he couldn't absorb star force. If he could awaken a Star Aspect, absorb star force to temper his body, and maintain the same rate of progress, his expenses would be far lower.
3.7 million Star Coins was a staggering fortune, enough to grant an ordinary person basic financial freedom. It would more than cover Fang Yu's upcoming cultivation needs, and could even support his family to some degree.
Yet Fang Yu did not let the excitement go to his head.
"Associate Professor Tang," Fang Yu said, "could I take a look at the contract?"
A female teacher nearby was about to speak up to remind him. A standard template contract was largely the same whether one read it or not.
"Sure, take a look first." Associate Professor Tang didn't mind in the slightest.
Fang Yu stepped forward and flipped through it quickly. There were not many clauses, and nothing ambiguous. A few of the terms caught his attention:
*During their enrollment, absent major force majeure events, students must participate in the annual 'Primordial Star actual combat' and meet the minimum requirements (see Appendix). All civilization points earned must be credited to Huguang Martial University. Failure to meet the minimum requirements will necessitate the refund of training funds...*
*During enrollment, any student who awakens an Upper-Rank Star Aspect will be unconditionally promoted to an 'Earth Contract' and enter the Earth Academy to cultivate.*
*Prior to the conclusion of the fourth-year final assessments, ranking among the top fifty in any quarterly assessment while fulfilling the Primordial Star actual combat requirements entitles the student to promotion to an 'Earth Contract' and entry into the Earth Academy to cultivate.*
*Prior to the conclusion of the fourth-year final assessments, if a student ranks below five-hundredth in the final quarterly assessment, the Elite Contract shall be terminated...*
*During enrollment, if a student accepts an invitation to join another martial university, they must pay liquidated damages of fifty million.*
*During enrollment, passing the 'Undergraduate-to-Postgraduate Upgrade' assessment and gaining admission as a postgraduate student to New Moon Martial University or any of the ten key martial universities shall result in unconditional termination of the contract.*
There were benefits: annual training funds, access to the university's superior faculty, and more.
There were obligations: mandatory participation in actual combat assessments.
The penalty for breach of contract was also exorbitant.
Yet by the same token, if Fang Yu performed well enough, the contract would be upgraded. From his perspective, it was an exceedingly fair agreement.
Fang Yu looked up.
"Associate Professor Tang, the upcoming actual combat mission starts on August 20, right?" Fang Yu asked. "Do I have to participate as well? Many of these courses aren't offered at junior colleges."
"You do," Associate Professor Tang replied calmly. "Not just you—every new Junior-College-to-Undergraduate student who signs an Elite Contract must take part. If you're afraid of actual combat, you don't have to sign this contract. You can simply enroll as a regular student. Whenever Huguang Martial University invites any student, it is strictly on the basis of mutual fairness and voluntary consent."
Fang Yu noted this internally.
Though Associate Professor Tang's words sounded cold, they carried a compelling sincerity. Fang Yu believed she had no reason to deceive him. Still, he felt a measure of hesitation.
Actual combat on the Primordial Star was extraordinarily perilous. In his original cultivation plan, he had never imagined encountering real combat so soon.
"Associate Professor Tang," the middle-aged teacher, Jiang Wei, spoke up, smiling as though sensing Fang Yu's hesitation. "Why don't you let me speak with Fang Yu in private for a moment?"
Associate Professor Tang glanced at Jiang Wei and nodded. "All right, but we only have fifteen minutes. In fifteen minutes, we need to head to the next junior college."
"Understood." Teacher Jiang Wei nodded and looked at Fang Yu. "Fang Yu, come with me."
Fang Yu immediately followed him out of the office.
The two arrived at another empty martial arts training room some distance away and closed the door behind them.
"Teacher Jiang." Fang Yu hesitated, assuming the man had brought him here to persuade him to sign the contract.
"There's no need to call me Teacher Jiang," Jiang Wei said with a faint smile. "Through your mother's connection, you can call me Martial Uncle."
Fang Yu's eyes widened.
*My mother? Martial Uncle?*
"Teacher Jiang, you knew my mother?" Fang Yu couldn't help asking, not entirely daring to believe it.
"I knew her, though we weren't especially close," Jiang Wei said with a chuckle. "It was actually your senior martial brother Dong Xin who called to tell me about your situation. He asked me to check on you during my visit to your school and see if I could look out for you. If you don't believe me, you can call Dong Xin."
At that moment, Fang Yu believed him almost entirely.
Many people knew that he and Dong Xin were acquainted, but very few knew that he addressed Dong Xin as his senior martial brother. A faculty member from Huguang Martial University had no reason to lie about such a thing.
"Fang Yu greets Martial Uncle," Fang Yu said, bowing respectfully. "Thank you for your help, Martial Uncle."
Fang Yu understood now.
It wasn't that the teacher had used his special approval quota purely because he saw Fang Yu's great talent. Without this connection, he never would have become a direct-pass student.
"Haha, I didn't abuse my position. If your saber technique hadn't reached Entering the Minute, I wouldn't have been able to use that quota, and Associate Professor Tang wouldn't have agreed to it either," Jiang Wei remarked with feeling. "Though your mother and I weren't close, she called me her senior martial brother. Since I ran into you, it was only natural to lend a hand."
"I will never forget your kindness, Martial Uncle," Fang Yu said solemnly.
The man made it sound simple, but why hadn't the other teachers argued with Associate Professor Tang? Clearly, Fang Yu's so-called 'talent' fell into the borderline category of candidates who could either be accepted or passed over.
"Mm. Were you hesitating just now because you're worried about actual combat?" Jiang Wei asked.
"Yes," Fang Yu nodded. "I've never been to the Primordial Star."
"It is indeed a concern. Regular martial university students take part in practical combat assessments as soon as they reach Level 15," Jiang Wei said. "Junior college students are certainly weaker in this regard. Even so, I advise you to participate."
Fang Yu listened attentively.
"Participating in actual combat as an undergraduate student comes with special privileges," Jiang Wei explained. "The space base on the Primordial Star has many unique instruments and treasures that exist neither on the Blue Star nor even on the New Moon. Right now, you can try them out at a discount or even for free. Once you graduate, you won't have those benefits anymore."
"Not even on the New Moon?" A trace of doubt flickered through Fang Yu's mind. Hadn't the space base on the Primordial Star been established by the Blue Moon Alliance? How could it possess things not even found on the New Moon?
"In short, the wonders of the Primordial Star exceed your imagination. There are many things that even Earth Martial Artists like Associate Professor Tang might not fully grasp, let alone me," Jiang Wei said. "Going into actual combat carries risks, but in a sense, it is also a tremendous opportunity."
Fang Yu was secretly astonished.
That youthful-looking Associate Professor Tang was actually an Earth Martial Artist? One couldn't tell at all.
"There are still four days left," Jiang Wei said. "Tonight, I'll help enter your information into Huguang Martial University's campus network ahead of time. Then I'll send you several mandatory course files—things like explanations of the space base, an overview of the Primordial Star, an illustrated guide to the myriad beasts, squad coordination, and so forth. Go through them all quickly.
"In addition, I'll arrange to place you into a squad that suits you, which will be much safer," Jiang Wei continued. "When fighting on the Primordial Star, unless one possesses overwhelming personal strength, people generally form small squads and divide responsibilities. For new students, unless special arrangements are made, the university system assigns everyone at random."
"Martial Uncle, I'm willing to sign the contract," Fang Yu said proactively.
The man had already gone to such lengths to help him. If he still refused, it would be sheer ingratitude.
"Haha, don't you want to think it over a bit more? If you're truly worried about actual combat, it's fine not to sign," Jiang Wei said with a smile. "Perhaps discuss it with your father first?"
"There's no need," Fang Yu said firmly. "I trust you, Martial Uncle."
"Good," Jiang Wei smiled. "Here is my Civilization Warrior code. Take it down. Once you set up your Civilization Warrior profile at the space base, send me a friend request, and I'll transfer you two hundred Primordial Points. Consider it a greeting gift from your martial uncle."
Fang Yu quickly committed it to memory, though he was puzzled. What were Civilization Warrior profiles and Primordial Points? Still, judging by Jiang Wei's attitude, those two hundred Primordial Points were likely quite valuable.
Before long, the two returned to the office.
"Associate Professor Tang, I'm willing to sign," Fang Yu volunteered.
"Good." Associate Professor Tang glanced at Jiang Wei, then stepped forward of her own accord for the first time and extended her hand to Fang Yu. "Fang Yu, welcome to Huguang Martial University."
Chapter 23