Clearly, not everyone was fazed by Jiang Fengfeng’s threat. Some may be bundles of nerves but not everybody cared.
Just like this young student who seemed to be the son of a pauper. He was so determined to partake in Lin Jin’s lecture that he even retorted back at Jiang Fengfeng, “We attend this academy to increase our knowledge and hone our skills. Also, how could Lecturer Yang Ming be as petty as you described? You worry too much.”
What a powerful display of righteousness.
Jiang Fengfeng flared up in anger.
However, she refrained from persuading him, since she now recognized who he was. Famous throughout the academy, that bookworm’s name was Fan Yuan. His brain was filled with nothing but studying and books. He was naive, and frankly a little childish, given how he only spoke of the great principles he comes across in the books he read. He had a stubborn personality, and would never budge on matters which he considered was right.
Once, this bookworm even argued with a Rank 3 assistant lecturer on the accuracy of something, showing no regard for the lecturer’s dignity.
For this exact reason, Fan Yuan was widely regarded as an asocial oddball.
A person like him could never be persuaded.
“This Fan Yuan isn’t worth anything anyway. Just let him be.” Jiang Fengfeng scoffed, musing that they were all a bunch of bumpkins. As the saying went, ‘birds of a feather flock together’.
At this thought, she broke into a cheeky grin.
‘So, doesn’t this mean that Tan Lin and Fan Yuan are the same?
‘Great, that would be best.’
To her surprise, another group of students approached her intending to enter the hall. Jiang Fengfeng eagerly intercepted them by blocking their way and providing the same excuse from before.
However, these students were visibly scions of prominent families so they ignored Jiang Fengfeng and entered the hall.
This stunned Jiang Fengfeng.
She could forget about that bookworm, Fan Yuan, but why did a bunch of rich kids show up too?
A few of them were members of the aristocracy in Heavenly Spiral City, so it went without saying that they were fairly influential. Some were even offspring of royal officials. While they couldn’t be compared to the heirs of their own respective families, they were all still one tier higher compared to commoners. Inside the academy, they may be only Rank 1 and 2 beast appraisers, but outside the gates in Heavenly Spiral City, they were upper-class scions.
Even the dignitaries of Heavenly Spiral City were divided into multiple tiers. Jiang Fengfeng’s family may be influential, but since not a lot of them were royal officials, they belonged to the lowest rung of their social circle. In other words, the students who brushed past her were above Jiang Fengfeng in the pecking order. Though, this was rather odd. Why would these rich kids lend their support to a fresh-faced lecturer?
This didn’t make sense.
Jiang Fengfeng had run a background check on Lecturer Lin before this. He was a hometown friend of Tan Lin’s, hailing from Jade Dragon Kingdom. However, no matter how prestigious he was in Jade Dragon Kingdom, this was Heavenly Spiral City. He couldn’t possibly have much influence here.
Subsequently, a couple more descendants of distinguished families continued to show up before the lecture hall. By now, Jiang Fengfeng was too appalled to even stop them.
That was because they had a higher status compared to her. On most days, she was required to salute them respectfully, and instead of being friends, she could only admire them from afar. This baffled Jiang Fengfeng to no end.
Anyway, she didn’t try stopping them anymore. She was even too afraid to continue lingering around here.
Jiang Fengfeng grew somewhat fearful of the new lecturer, Lin Jin. All else aside, to have the support of so many dignitaries and scions on his first class was something no other lecturers could achieve.
After all, most of these students were here in the academy on the orders of their families so they didn’t actually care for beast appraising. Although they weren’t exactly unaccomplished, they usually lacked the level of respect average students would show to their teachers. Besides the compulsory apprenticeship classes, unless it was Mr. Zhong’s class, they would never attend public lectures. This was why it was odd to see them attending a public class en masse.
Jiang Fengfeng was sensible enough to stay out of their way.
Lin Jin observed the students in the lecture hall. Truth be told, it was less than he initially anticipated. Only less than one-third of this spacious hall was occupied.
They certainly weren’t running short on empty seats.
However, Lin Jin didn’t mind it. As this was his first lecture, it was good enough that this many showed up.
Besides Tan Lin and Li Xinqi, there was another student who had a solemn expression. It was likely that he was another bookworm.
Meanwhile, the other students looked like they were here for a picnic instead. Aside from their extravagant get-ups, all of them were whispering to each other; their attention was not entirely focused on today’s lecturer.
These students obviously came from distinguished families.
And it didn’t take much for Lin Jin to figure out what happened.
If his instinct was correct, they must have come here on Feng Ziqian’s orders to support Lin Jin’s class. However, since they were used to being spoiled, these students remained undisciplined even inside a lecture hall.
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They weren’t deliberately doing this to humiliate the lecturer. Rather, it was likely out of habit.
Lin Jin reckoned they wouldn’t even attend public lectures regularly.
But a class was a class. And it should look like one.
“Silence!”
Lin Jin stood with his hands behind his back. He did not scream, but because his voice was infused with mana, it struck like a pelt of thunder.
His voice resounded clearly in everyone’s ears, so for a moment there, silence engulfed the noisy lecture hall.
Most of them were dumbstruck.
Just as Lin Jin had guessed, these rich kids were summoned here but most of them had no idea that the instigator was the royal family’s third prince, Feng Ziqian. Only a handful of scions who led their own groups were aware of that fact. Indeed, they had received instructions from Feng Ziqian himself. Hence, the instant they heard that Lecturer Lin’s class might be canceled due to Lecturer Yang Ming, they summoned their peers without hesitation to lend him their support.
They meant well, but dandies were dandies. Towards teachers they had sought mentorship under, they maintained a certain degree of respect. But in public classes, they were the ones who were to be respected. At the very least, that was what they thought.
It went without saying that Lin Jin’s order ticked off some of them.
Subsequently, the chattering grew louder.
Of course, those who were aware of the truth tried to advise their friends against doing so, but that didn’t seem to have much effect.
Without an expression on his face, Lin Jin repeated the command.
This time, he paired it with his Advanced Beast Deterrence.
Most if not all scions of Heavenly Spiral Kingdom cultivated the Beastmaster Scroll so they usually traveled with their pet beasts as one. Slapped with Lin Jin’s intimidation, none of their pet beasts had the means to fight back, so they submitted to his dominance.
Due to the connections of their blood pact and Beastmaster Scroll, the scions were influenced too. All of a sudden, they found themselves paralyzed as an indescribable fear began bubbling inside them.
Maintaining his posture, Lin Jin scanned the room before saying, “Discipline is expected of those who attend my classes. Making noise is prohibited in this classroom so whoever that violates this rule again, please leave.”
He spoke calmly, but his dominance and murderous intent were clear as day.
Having said that, Lin Jin retracted his pressuring aura.
This time, none of the scions spoke again because most of them had yet to recover from Lin Jin’s silent blow.
Even Lin Jin did not realize that this was his first time using the Advanced Beast Deterrence. This ability may not be highly effective against Rank 5 pet beasts since it did not work all the time.
However, against creatures below Rank 5, traumatizing intimidation was almost guaranteed every time. Even after retracting this influence, his victims would always find it difficult to regain their courage immediately.
Hence, even the scions felt weak in their knees and temporarily found it difficult to stand up.
Thus, a scene that comforted Lin Jin unfolded. No one stood up to leave.
“Wonderful. Looks like you all have fundamentally great character,” Lin Jin praised.
In fact, many of them wanted to leave, but it was a pity their legs were as weak as jelly.
Although reluctant, these scions stopped making noise and behaved themselves. On the surface, the class looked harmonious and very disciplined.
Lin Jin began his lecture.
He talked earnestly but it wasn’t on purpose. Lin Jin just tended to be serious when it came to such business. Apart from that, this was his first time giving a lecture in Heavenly Spiral Academy, the sacred ground for all beast appraisers in United Continent and the best beast appraisal institution. It was only natural for Lin Jin to show competency or he might end up a laughing stock.
Tan Lin and Li Xinqi didn’t need much explanation as they were already aware of Lin Jin’s capabilities. It was why they paid great attention to his class. The more they listened to him, the more excited they got. Both girls recognized quality and although Lin Jin’s class was on basic skills, he presented it from a novel perspective. It was an enlightening process once they fully absorbed the information he conveyed.
The bookworm Fan Yuan widened his eyes. He wasn’t qualified enough to gain apprenticeship under any teachers so he could only attend public lectures. He could now safely declare that this was the best class he had ever attended since he enrolled in Heavenly Spiral Academy. No other lecturer could top Lin Jin.
As startled as he was, he could not compare to the scions.
Although most of them were speechless from fear and weak in their knees, they couldn’t be bothered with such lectures. That soon changed the moment Lin Jin started his lecture. Gradually, their reluctance and irritation dissipated.
One of them was so absorbed that he started taking notes with his brush.
“This Lecturer Lin’s class isn’t bad at all!”