Chapter 5: Are you the instructor

After a brief exchange with his hater of a sister, Grey went straight to bed, exhausted from the day’s chaos, and woke up refreshed the next morning—precisely at 9 AM.

Yesterday, he had been called to Nova-5 High School to discuss his dropout status. School had officially ended, and now every student—whether pseudo-evolver or true evolver—was busy preparing for the entrance exams to the top four universities of Blue Star.

Of course, that would arise the question, Why aim for the universities when they could simply join the Evolvers’ Association like Alissa and become full-time soldiers hunting corruption fields?

Simple. Perks and resources.

An Evolver’s lifeline was resources—the higher one climbed, the more demanding the cost became. And the top universities weren’t just overflowing with techniques and evolutionary paths. They gave their students direct access to cultivation resources, training grounds, mentorship under Rank 3 and Rank 4 experts, and a level of protection ordinary Evolvers could never dream of.

To put it bluntly: universities were stepping stones to greatness. The Association gave you a battlefield. The universities gave you the means to rise beyond it.

The universities were more than just schools—they were research hubs for Evolvers. Countless skills and techniques were being developed there daily, refined to suit nearly every evolutionary path. For most, the only way to access these treasures was either to enroll in a top university… or pay an astronomical sum few could ever afford.

Graduating from one of these prestigious academies directly elevated a person’s Citizen Rank. A common First Rank citizen—like the majority of Blue Star’s population—would rise to second level upon graduation, earning not only higher privileges but also a military title, usually starting at captain.

It was a leap in both status and power. Some graduates even went on to become governors of major cities across Blue Star.

The most renowned universities were: Sun and Moon Academy, Star Constellation Academy, Heaven’s Gate Academy, and Celestial Flame Academy.

Their reputation wasn’t unfounded. Each was backed by a Rank 4 powerhouse, beings so strong their might was said to rival the Federal Master, the sole leader of the Evolvers’ Association and the entirety of blue star.

Rank 4 was an entirely different realm of existence. A single move from such an expert could shake a continent. If one went berserk, legends claimed they could erase a continent altogether with just a snap of their fingers.

These terrifying figures had established the top universities with one goal: to nurture new talents strong enough to push back the Corruption Fields.

Humanity was losing ground every year. More and more habitable lands were devoured by corruption, twisted beyond recovery. The great experts believed that if all corruption fields could one day be cleared, they would never spawn again.

“I should definitely aim for one of those top universities after becoming an Evolver,” Grey thought.

The better the path, the more resources it demanded. And as someone intending to carve out a completely new evolutionary path, what he needed most were resources… and inspiration. Both could be found in abundance at the universities. The further he progressed, the steeper the road ahead would become. That was why, in Grey’s mind, joining a top academy wasn’t just a goal—it was a necessity.

With that aside, Grey got up. Today, he was heading to the Open Training Zone of the Evolvers’ Association in Sector 6.

It was the largest training ground in the sector, always crowded with Evolvers honing their abilities. Grey’s plan was simple—watch, learn, and memorize. If he got lucky, he might spot someone openly practicing with spiritual energy in the public arena. If not… he’d just have to sneak into a private training room and observe a high-level Evolver there.

Worst case scenario, he’d get thrown out. But that was a small price to pay, as long as he could engrave the workings of different energy forms into his mind.

An hour later, Sector 6, Central Plaza.

Skyscrapers curved like blades of glass and steel, their surfaces veined with glowing lines of energy and advertisements. Vertical gardens spilled down their sides, vines and blossoms glowing faintly in neon hues. Suspended walkways crisscrossed high above the streets, connecting tower to tower like luminous threads in the sky.

The lower levels pulsed with life. Holographic billboards painted the air with shifting colors, while streams of pedestrians filled wide avenues beneath canopies of artificial light. Vehicles slid silently along the roads, their sleek frames reflecting the glow of violet and indigo signs.

Above it all, drones floated in orderly patterns, casting faint trails as they cut across the sky. The atmosphere buzzed with a subtle hum—technology and nature woven together into a living rhythm unique to Sector 6.

“The technology of this world… it’s at least a thousand times more advanced than Earth.”

Grey, dressed in a black t-shirt with “I Love Nova City” printed across the back, sighed with emotion as he came to a halt before one of the many skyscrapers in Sector 6.

He raised his head, staring at the towering structure with awe. This was the branch building of the Evolvers’ Association—and also where the Open Training Zone was located.

Even from outside, he could feel an oppressive aura emanating from the building. There were undoubtedly powerful evolvers inside.

There was a total of three branch buildings in Nova City: one in Sector 6, another in Sector 3, and the last in Sector 1.

Because of that, the majority of Nova City’s evolvers could usually be found in one of these three branches—either training, preparing, or gathering before heading out to clear Corruption Fields.

With that thought in mind, Grey stepped forward and entered.

A bald man in a black suit stood with professional poise, one hand steady as he held an umbrella overhead. His sharp demeanor made it clear he was no ordinary attendant.

“Miss Lia, would you like some refreshments?” he asked politely.

Beneath the umbrella stood a woman of breathtaking beauty. Her presence was so striking that even standing idly made the entire scene feel elevated.

Passersby couldn’t help but glance at her with awe as they walked past.

She wore black sunglasses and a loose oversized t-shirt, the cut slipping slightly on one side to reveal the strap of a sports bra beneath. The casual dress swayed gently with her movements.

Despite her elegance, her expression was slightly speechless.

Turning slightly toward the bald man beside her, her face looked as though she was about to cry. “Albert, we’re inside the Association’s training zone. There’s no sun here. Why are you even holding an umbrella over my head?”

She seriously wondered if her bodyguard had something wrong with his head. Perhaps she should have a doctor examine him later.

Hearing Miss Lia’s complaint, the bald man, Albert, maintained an expressionless face. After a brief pause, he silently lowered the umbrella.

“…” Miss Lia shook her head and took out her phone.

Today she was here to find a senior evolver she had hired as an instructor to study a special set of sword techniques called Zenith Sword Art. It was a technique known to be extremely hard to cultivate, and she wanted to master it to increase her overall combat capabilities.

She was now just an inch away from mastering the technique and entering the basic entry mastery level. But she believed she was lacking something and decided to get expert advice. Hence, she had hired an instructor who claimed to have advanced mastery over the sword technique.

Technique mastery was divided into six stages: basic entry, intermediate, advanced, master, grandmaster, and finally completion.

This sword technique was said to be one of the hardest to comprehend, with fewer than a hundred people across Nova City having succeeded.

And now, she had been standing here for an hour, waiting for her instructor.

She checked her messages; her instructor, Daniel Carter, was supposed to arrive an hour ago.

[Daniel Carter: Sorry Miss Lia, something came up. My wife got angry at me… She’s a demon when she’s angry, and the only way to calm her down is by buying her ice cream. I’m currently on the run to the grocery store to buy some. Please understand my situation. I promise I’ll be there in an hour.]

[Lia: Fine, I understand, Mr. Carter. I will wait for you here…]

[Daniel Carter: Thank you, thank you, thank you, Miss Lia!]

[Daniel Carter: To identify me in the crowd, I’ll be wearing a black t-shirt with the print “I Love Nova City.” I’ve got an average face and slightly long hair, so you should be able to spot me quickly.]

[Lia: Alright.]

And that was the last message she had received from him. So far, she hadn’t seen anyone wearing a black t-shirt with the print “I Love Nova City.”

However, just as that thought crossed her mind, the door to the training zone opened. A young man with long black hair and an average face stepped inside, dressed in a black t-shirt with the words “I Love Nova City” printed on it.

“This is Instructor Daniel Carter?” Lia’s expression changed slightly.

She hadn’t expected the instructor to be so young. He looked to be about her age!

But then she dismissed the thought. Evolvers had long lifespans, and they practically stopped aging physically once they reached Rank 2. She believed Daniel Carter must be a powerful Rank 2 cultivator.

Still, finding an average-looking Rank 2 was unusual. After all, once evolvers reached Rank 2, they underwent their second metamorphosis, transforming into a more refined and perfected version of themselves. That process usually made them more striking in appearance.

Of course, she didn’t dwell on this. Instead, she walked straight toward the unsuspecting young man, who was gazing curiously at the evolvers training around the room.

She stopped in front of the clueless Grey, the bald man following a step behind her, and bowed slightly.

“I greet the instructor,” she said softly with a smile.

“Huh?” Grey blinked in confusion, glancing to his left, then to his right, and even behind him. After confirming there was no one else nearby, he pointed at himself.

“Me?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep