"Um?" Zong Ling and Tong San both looked at Dongbo Xueying, waiting for his decision.
From an emotional standpoint, they actually didn't want to be separated from Xueying. After all, Changfeng Academy was over 30,000 miles away from Xueying's territory. Once they entered the academy, they would have to live there continuously. It usually took more than six years to graduate, and some even spent over a decade in the academy. Such a long separation, how could they bear it?
These two old men had no children, and they had a deep bond with the Dongbo family. In Tong San's heart, Moyang Yu was his most important master. Zong Ling had always harbored a deep affection for Moyang Yu, but it was clear that a six-armed snake demon... Moyang Yu could not accept. In the end, in the original adventure team, Moyang Yu ended up with Dongbo Lie.
Later, when Moyang Yu became pregnant, the two old men were also very happy! They followed along, and when Xueying was born, they watched him grow up! In their hearts, they had already regarded Xueying as their own child.
Really have to be separated for such a long time? They really couldn't bear it.
But 'Changfeng Academy' was the best place in Anyang Province, and it would greatly benefit Dongbo Xueying's growth.
"I've decided not to go," Dongbo Xueying said.
"Why?" Zong Ling asked anxiously.
"Why not? You want to become a powerful knight, and Changfeng Academy is the best place. We can't even go if we want to. After the New Year, when you turn eleven, you won't be able to enter anymore," Tong San also said anxiously.
The weak have no future.
This was a world of the strong! The noble families all had powerful martial forces.
"Do you not want to leave Stone?" Zong Ling suddenly asked.
Dongbo Xueying nodded and said, "I really don't want to leave Stone. He's only four this year, and he's not close to you... He's the closest to me. Even now, he sleeps with me every day. Stone doesn't even have much memory of his parents. He only has me as his brother. I don't want his childhood to lack parents and even a brother!"
Zong Ling and Tong San were silent. They could indeed feel Xueying's love for his younger brother.
"I was at least eight when I still had my parents. My brother is only four, with no parents and no brother... I can't do that," Dongbo Xueying said.
"Moreover—"
"Do you want to save your parents? Will going to Changfeng Academy help?" Dongbo Xueying asked, "I don't think so!"
"Huh?" Zong Ling and Tong San were puzzled.
"Changfeng Academy's training is indeed excellent, producing a large number of Heaven Rank knights, and even some become Meteor Knights. But... even if you become a Meteor Knight, can you save my parents? Hmph, my uncle is a Silver Moon-level Great Mage, and he can't do anything about the Moyang family's rules," Dongbo Xueying said. "To save my parents, I probably need to be stronger than my uncle. I need to become a Title Knight! Even a Transcendent Being!"
Zong Ling and Tong San exchanged glances, somewhat surprised.
They hadn't detailed the specifics of the Moyang family, but Dongbo Xueying had deduced that at least a Title Knight or even a Transcendent Being was needed to have a chance. This child was indeed smart, as this deduction was correct!
"Title Knights are extremely rare."
"Transcendent Knights are even legendary. I've collected many biographies and stories about Transcendent Knights. Some of the storylines are exaggerated and fictional, but their growth trajectories are real," Dongbo Xueying said. "I've organized the growth trajectories of these Transcendent Beings."
"Out of 125 Transcendent Beings in history, 109 of them became Transcendent through self-taught practice and numerous life-and-death trials!"
"As for those from the academy, there are only 16!"
Dongbo Xueying looked at Zong Ling and Tong San, "What does this mean? To become a Transcendent Being, the academy is actually a disadvantage!"
Zong Ling and Tong San were shocked.
They had never thought about this. They only knew that the academies founded by Transcendent Beings were holy places! How great it was, producing a large number of Heaven Rank knights, even Star Rank knights... But the vast majority of the Transcendent Beings recorded in ancient times and celebrated in stories had never entered an academy!
They all practiced and explored on their own!
"How can this be?" Tong San was stunned, unable to believe it.
"The books are in my study, and I even had someone collect books about Transcendent Beings in Yishui City," Dongbo Xueying said. "The facts are like this. Although many talented individuals join the academy, it's ultimately difficult for them to become Transcendent!"
"I've also carefully studied why this is the case."
"Based on the book of Transcendent Knight's spear techniques left by my father, I have a hypothesis," Dongbo Xueying said. "To become Transcendent, one needs to forge their own path! The academy-trained knights, under their teachers' guidance, find it easier to practice in the early stages, constantly breaking through and improving. But when they need to forge their own path, they suddenly lose their teacher's guidance and become blind! They don't know how to move forward!"
"Non-academy trained, without systematic guidance!"
"They need to explore on their own. Every obstacle they encounter requires them to figure out how to overcome it, each step is very difficult. But on this path, they gain their own insights! This path is one they have walked and understood on their own! They may even explore their way into Transcendence!"
Dongbo Xueying's eyes were bright, "Very detailed and systematic guidance is beneficial for mass-producing knights. But to cultivate a true Transcendent Being! Those detailed teachings can become a shackle! It's very difficult to break free from this shackle."
Tong San stared at Dongbo Xueying, dumbfounded, and said, "No wonder you're Master's son, you can talk so convincingly."
Zong Ling smiled, "I didn't expect those biographies to contain such profound truths! I at least think... your hypothesis is very reasonable."
"My hypothesis might be wrong!"
"But the data won't lie!"
"Out of 125 Transcendent Knights in history, 109 never joined an academy! So, I won't join the academy," Dongbo Xueying said.
"Ha ha, that's because your aspirations are high. For many children, becoming a Heaven Rank Knight is already great, and becoming a Star Rank Knight is even more remarkable. How many dare to set their goal as high as 'Transcendent Being'?" Zong Ling laughed, "In terms of cultivating knights below the Transcendent level, the academy still has a significant advantage. After all, a large number of knights are academy-trained."
"Um." Dongbo Xueying nodded.
He agreed with this point.
But his goal was even higher!
"Look at those biographies, they all summarize the data. No wonder you're Ah Yu's son. If you were to become a mage, you would probably have a bright future," Zong Ling praised. Mages needed to analyze and study the mysteries of the world, and this kind of thinking was crucial. Every truly powerful mage was very wise.
"Unfortunately, my mental power is not enough," Dongbo Xueying smiled, "I'm not cut out to be a mage."
Unlike knights.
Knights just need to practice hard, have determination, and anyone, regardless of gender, can strive.
Mages have very high requirements for talent, especially mental power! Without sufficient mental power, one doesn't even have the qualifications to try.
"Stone will be five after the New Year. We can test his mental power now to see how it is," Dongbo Xueying said, "Maybe he can already meet the threshold."
The earlier one reaches the threshold, the higher the talent.
Generally, if one doesn't reach the threshold by the age of ten, there's no hope! His mother reached the threshold at the age of six.