Chapter 5221 Not Raising Loafers
“But we...”
Even though the battle was over, the terrifying killing intent outside the barrier made their bones feel cold. They knew that if they stepped out, the lingering Emperor might could obliterate their souls and crush their wills.
“No buts. If you don’t go out and clean up the battlefield, you can stay here. But from now on, the academy’s resources will no longer be available to you. The academy doesn’t raise loafers. We won’t drive you away. You can choose to stay here and reproduce. That would be the only way you could provide value to the academy,” said Long Chen coldly.
These disciples hadn’t experienced the bloodshed of battle. They were terrified and cowardly, and Long Chen could understand that. After all, experts aren’t made overnight.
While others fought to the death, they cowered here. That was all understandable. After all, with their power, they weren’t fit to set foot onto the battlefield. But now the battle was over, and if they didn’t even have the courage to help with the aftermath, instead trying to make excuses about their weakness and leaving the work to the strong, that was unacceptable.
Seeing Long Chen’s expression, those disciples knew Long Chen wasn’t scaring them. Thinking of how they would never get any more resources, becoming useless people who just ate and slept while waiting for death, they ultimately summoned their guts and walked onto the battlefield.
“It’s pointless. Those people lack the will to grow stronger. You can’t expect them to be useful on the battlefield,” said Yue Zifeng as the Dragonblood Legion returned to the barrier. He eyed the reluctant expressions of the disciples and shook his head.
“I’m not expecting them to join the battle. But that doesn’t mean they can waste the academy’s resources for nothing. At the very least, they need to prove some value for us to keep supporting them,” said Long Chen.
“By the way, Zifeng, how are your injuries?” asked Long Chen.
After all, Yue Zifeng was a sword cultivator. While his offensive prowess was absolutely terrifying, his defense was extremely weak. To save Yu Qingxuan, he had received an attack from a half-step Human Emperor. Although it was not a full-power attack, it was still potentially fatal for someone like Yue Zifeng.
Despite his injuries, he kept fighting. Although his face was pale, his aura weak, and his body trembling, he wasn’t in a rush to heal.
“I’m fine. I like this kind of weakened state. It lets me sense things I normally can’t when I’m at full strength,” Yue Zifeng replied.
Long Chen nodded, impressed. Yue Zifeng’s talent was truly astonishing, and he was always cultivating and comprehending new things.
“Those people are really irritating. Quite a few of them insulted us back then. I haven’t forgotten their faces,” said Long Ziwei[1], leading a group over, including mercenaries from the Heavenly Desolation Domain. They had fought alongside the Starry River Sect’s disciples, contributing significantly to the battle.
When Qin Feng brought them back, Bai Letian directly accepted them into the academy as inner disciples, a gesture that deeply moved the mercenaries. It was the first time they had felt warmth from someone other than Long Chen.
Later on, although the branch academy’s disciples rejected them and often insulted them as trash that the head academy had picked up, they didn’t really mind. Such insults were common things they had to endure from the Long clan.
Seeing Long Ziwei, Yu Ying, Wu Song, and other familiar faces, Long Chen felt a sense of closeness and immediately approached them.
Long Ziwei and the others had become particularly reserved. Long Ziwei carefully said, “Dean...”
“Ziwei, Sister Ying, Brother Song,” Long Chen greeted them warmly, delighting them. Despite everything, Long Chen was still the same person. Instantly, he closed the distance between them.
“Are you used to the academy yet?” asked Long Chen.
“Yes, very much so. This place is much better than the Heavenly Desolation Domain—a thousand times better!” said Yu Ying excitedly. The other mercenaries were also emotional as they were filled with gratitude towards Long Chen.
Compared to the Heavenly Desolation Domain, this place was like heaven. Here, they enjoyed the treatment of inner disciples, receiving a monthly ration of medicinal pills and resources—something they had never even dreamed of before.
Most importantly, aside from the branch academy’s disciples, no one else treated them as outsiders. Others would proactively help with any difficulties they faced. That kind of warmth almost made them cry.
In battle, if not for the Starry River Sect’s disciples holding them back, they would have charged out to join the Dragonblood Legion on the front lines, even if it meant dying. They were determined to protect the High Firmament Academy. This was the only way for them to repay the academy.
Yu Ying said, “Dean Long Chen...”
“You can just call me Long Chen!” Long Chen corrected her immediately.
Yu Ying continued, “The academy has been looking after us all this time. Let us clean up the battlefield. After all, we haven’t been able to do much for the academy.”
“That’s right, let us do this kind of crude work!” The other mercenaries agreed, feeling uneasy about simply consuming the academy’s resources without contributing.
Long Chen smiled. “Who said you haven’t done much? Even if you can’t do a lot now, that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to in the future. Don’t help them; helping them would only harm them. I’m making them do this work as their final chance. If they still don’t step up, they’ll be nothing but trash in the future.”
Long Chen noticed that over eighty percent of the mercenaries had become nine star Heavenly Doyens, with the Jiuli runes in their bodies rapidly awakening. Their potential was immense.
Given enough resources, the powerful Jiuli runes in their bodies would allow them to awaken Heavenly Fate Disks. When that time came, their power would be enough to amaze many top experts.
Most importantly, Long Chen sensed astral fluctuations within their Jiuli runes. It seemed the Starry River of the Sky Art was also undergoing a transformation within them.
In the previous battle, Long Chen had seen that their power was not inferior to that of the Starry River Sect’s disciples. As time passed, a gap would grow between them. Perhaps the Starry River of the Sky Art would shine through them.
Those who had fought on the battlefield returned to the barrier, leaving the cowardly disciples to clean up. Now, only true warriors remained within the barrier.
At this moment, the first academy’s disciples looked toward Long Chen with pure reverence. In this battle, they had witnessed the greatness of a peerless heavenly genius, and they felt honored to have such a dean.
“Brothers, work hard on recovering. We’re moving out in one day!” said Long Chen.
Ye Ziwen couldn’t help but ask, “Dean Long Chen—”
“Ah yes, since we’ve fought on the same battlefield, we are brothers-in-arms. I’d rather you call me senior apprentice-brother than dean,” Long Chen interrupted.
Hearing that, all the disciples felt their blood boil with excitement, their eyes moist with emotion. They couldn’t believe they had the privilege to call someone like Long Chen their senior apprentice-brother.
Ye Ziwen was so moved that he forgot what he was going to say. His jaw just hung there, his mouth open.
“We’re moving out tomorrow to kill the fish that slipped through the net. Anyone who stands in our way, even gods, will be slain,” Long Chen directly answered Ye Ziwen’s unasked question, igniting the disciples’ fighting spirit. They were ready to follow Long Chen in his next campaign.
1. He was always compared to Long Chen in his own clan, former rank 10 in Long Clan’s Heavenly Rankings ☜