Child of Destiny



...

Shin and the others stared at the old man, who shamelessly tried to snatch Cloe from the Auxiliary and Support Department. They did not know how to react to what he just said.

It was even true for Cloe, who could not help but stare blankly at Old Man Lin, not knowing what to do, or what to say.

Not long after, the old man coughed a little to snap the group out of a daze before repeating what he just said. "Little girl, I am asking you if you are willing to become my disciple."

Cloe flashed an awkward smile before saying. "I am sorry to say this, sir. But don't you think it is quite inappropriate? Even though I haven't been in the Auxiliary and Support Department, I am already a part of it. I am already an official member of that department."

Realizing the mistake in his words, Old Man Lin laughed before quickly clarifying. "I am sorry for the misunderstanding. But what I am saying is if you want to be my personal disciple."

"This did not concern your joining that department. You can still go and attend the classes and training in there while studying under my tutelage," he added, further clarifying his intention.

The group became speechless once again, not knowing what to say. Even Shin, who was the fastest to recover himself, did not know how he was going to react. He could only stare at the scene with an astounded look on his face.

Seeing that there was still no reaction from Cloe, Old Man Lin continued. "Little girl, there is nothing to lose if you train under my tutelage. I may not be the strongest within this academy, but I can confidently say that none of those old foxes will dare to fight me."

"Moreover, no one is more suitable to teach you than me," he added before taking a brief pause to look in a certain direction.

After that, he continued. "Within the academy, I am the one who has the greatest understanding when it comes to training people. Why else did they want me to train this class and turn all of you into polished gems."

"I can instantly tell the potential of a certain individual and know the direction of their future. I can immediately make the perfect training regime just by looking at a person."

"Within the academy, there are only two people who can rival me in this area, but since both have responsibilities that they needed to take care of, I am assigned to his job."

"If you want to learn how to use that strength of yours to the fullest, then there is no better master for you than me."

This time, Shin was finally able to open his mouth. "Can I ask Sir why you want to take her as your personal disciple?"

Old Man Lin turned to Shin and gave the latter a meaningful look before answering. "Because I am the perfect master for her, and she is the perfect disciple for me."

"If she became my discipline, she will be able to reach a height that she will never imagine. And of course, I will be able to pass down my legacy to a perfect successor," he added while turning his head back to Cloe, who sheepishly kept her head low.

Lorraine seemed to be not satisfied with the explanation that Old Man Lin had given them and asked. "Can Sir elaborate more?"

Old Man Lin saw the cautiousness in the eyes of everyone and could not help but chuckle a little. He thought for a moment before continuing. "If we are only talking about a specific reason why I want to take her as my personal disciple, then it is because she is not talented enough."

"But she is hardworking enough," he quickly added before the group could even say anything. "In my eyes, being hardworking is more important than being talented."

"If we are only talking about talent alone, then she can be ranked at the bottom of the entire class. And in this class where everyone possesses an amazing background when it comes to Martial Art and Mentalism history, she doesn't have one."

"If you put all of it together, she is very unremarkable. But despite all of that, she manages to bridge the gap produced by the background and lack of talent with her hard work alone."

"She managed to build a foundation much tougher and more solid than the rest of you who already have the head start called talent. In my eyes, she is more amazing than any of you."

Cloe kept her head lowered as she felt her face turn hot for being flattered and plastered by the praises that Old Man Lin was giving her. She was not used to being at the receiving end of such praises.

While the group and the old man were waiting for Cloe to calm herself down, a whooshing sound could be heard as something flew in their direction at an insane speed.

The group heard the loud sound of the wind, making them turn their heads toward that direction. Then they saw a silhouetted rapidly approaching from the distance.

Bang!

Not long after, someone suddenly landed on the ground a few meters away from them, throwing dust and gravel in the air and creating a loud explosion.

The commotion attracted the attention of the other students in the class, making them turn toward that direction and cast curious gazes at the same time.

Then they saw an old woman wearing an ancient and traditional set of clothes. She was standing at the center of a small crater created by her previous actions. With her hands crossed behind her, she walked forward and went straight to Old Man Lin.

This was Professor Luvenia Potter, the head of the Auxiliary and Support Department. She went straight to confront Old Man Lin, who was trying to snatch the little girl that she caught her eye first. "I know that this is going to happen the moment when you see that girl, so I've been keeping an eye on her since the time she entered the academy."

"Forget about it. It is your loss for not attending that selection process. Since you are too lazy to attend, then there is nothing left for you to choose from," she added, clearly saying her intention.

"Heh! You haven't taken her as your personal student yet, so there is no need to react this way, right?" replied Old Man Lin smirkingly.

He then pointed at Jillian and Molton, who already stood up to greet their grandmother, before continuing. "Moreover, you already have these two amazing grandchildren, so there is no need for you to take another unpolished gem."

After that, he pointed at Cloe once again before continuing. "And most importantly, this kind is clearly a regular martial artist while you are a mentalist, I think there is no need to discuss who will be the better candidate to teach her."

"My specialty is not only limited to mentalism. And given the characteristic of her Martial Arts and the goal that she has, which is taking on the supporting role in battle, my tutelage is more suitable for her."

Old Man Lin shook his head and flashed a bitter smile before refuting. "You are wrong. The real potential of this little girl will only be realized if she studies under me."

He then turned to Lavenia Potter and continued. "Moreover, she can still study that art of yours since I will not be getting in the way of the arrangements that the academy has made for them."

"Don't get too ahead of yourself, Lin Huang," said Granny Lavenia, accompanied by a threatening tone."

But despite being intimidated, Old Man Lin gave her a mocking smile before saying. "Ah-ah! You just committed a grave mistake."

The mistake was that the old man was talking about his name being mentioned by the other party. And when Granny Lavenia realized what she had done, it was already too late for to take back what she just said.

On the other hand, the entire class could not help but have a different reaction after hearing the name that Granny Lavenia had mentioned.

"Lin Huang? That Lin Huang? That Martial King Lin Huang?"

"Is that old man the legendary Martial King?"

"Holy! We are being taught personally by Martial King Lin Huang? For real?"

"No wonder he is so scary, so he is that legendary figure."

At the same time, the group was also having a similar reaction.

"This old man is Martial King Lin Huang? He is in the same generation as my grandfather," muttered Arthur, whispering to Leonard, who was sitting beside him.

But unlike the Demon Fist General Samuel Springfield, who built up his reputation in leading the military forces and fighting against foreign forces, Martial King Lin Huang was known for being one of the strongest body cultivators of the current era.

Moreover, he built up his reputation by hunting the most powerful monstrous beasts discovered by humans and treating them as a hobby, challenging the strongest Martial Artists and Mentalists known by everyone when he didn't have anything better to do, and slaughtering an underworld organization for fun.

He was like an idol or a model to the younger generation, but for the older generation, he was nothing but a complete madman.

Even if there were a couple of experts who could gain a similar level of respect on the current generation – such as Dragon King Nathan Springfield, Hundred Beast Joaquin Geovanni, Sword Immortal Eugene White, and Warrior Sage Elias Stuart – his reputation was still implanted in the minds of the younger generation.

Though in the eyes of the older generation, Martial King Lin Huang resembled another person when it came to personality and might – Adam, the Heavenly Demon.

Even though the reputation of the Heavenly Demon Adam was currently unknown to most of the people of the current generation, the people of the older generation were too wary of him.

And since this so-called retired expert, who resembles that person very well, was suddenly planning to raise a personal disciple, the older generation would start to worry about an upcoming storm.

Now that the older generation was starting to gain their respective successor, these wise experts would see this as some sort of omen.

It even became more evident when she saw the sudden seriousness in the eyes of Martial King Lin Huang. She could see that the latter felt something was happening in the shadows and he could no longer stay hidden in the walls of the academy.

Understanding the intention of Old Man Lin for taking a personal disciple, Granny Luvenia could only sigh helplessly and purposely forgot about her original purpose for coming here.

In the meantime, Shin suddenly stood in front of Cloe and suddenly said. "Are the seniors forgetting about the most important thing? Can't you hear the decision that she is going to make?"

"As the person who is the center of all of this, can't you hear about her choice," he added while looking at the old experts, who seemed to forget about the existence of everyone.

His words pulled back the old experts to their senses and turned to Shin, who was calmly looking at them despite their statuses and difference in strength.

At that moment, when they simultaneously turn to him, a silhouette of a person seemed to overlap with Shin, making the old experts stare at him blankly for a moment.

Luvenia Potter raised her brows in surprise while Lin Huang lifted the corners of his mouth into a smile. It was at that moment when they were reminded about something that they had almost forgotten.

Martial King Lin Huang could not suppress his laughter and burst out laughing to his heart's content before saying. "It is the same! It is clearly the same!"

'They are really the same!' he added inside his head while giving Shin a meaningful look.

...