Era of Mist

Chapter 234 -233: Have to Study After All

‘Heh! You say that without a hint of shame!’

However, looking at Miss Red Skirt’s profile, Shi Tiexin had to admit she really had no reason to blush. She was genuinely beautiful.

“Then, do you have any advice for me?” Shi Tiexin asked sincerely. “If you were me, what would you do?”

“If I were you, I never would have come to Japan. I’d have studied hard, found a job, married a decent woman, and lived a peaceful life. Some might find that sort of life unbearably mundane, but in reality, it’s a treasure that many can only attain after tremendous sacrifice and perseverance.”

CLACK. Miss Red Skirt broke again, not even looking up. “And what do you think?”

“I think… getting married can wait,” Shi Tiexin said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “But as for my studies, that’s something I need to plan out properly.”

That evening, after leaving Smiling Entertainment City and returning to his apartment, Shi Tiexin mulled things over. Finally, he came to a decision. ‘Study! I have to start studying!’

‘Thinking back, I’ve really been slacking off lately. I used violence to seize massive benefits, got lost in the rapid advancement of my False Core, and obsessed over nothing but how to obtain Celestial Golden Light. I’ve completely neglected my studies.’

‘Looking at my own Heart Skills, other than my application-focused ‘Déjà Vu’ technique, which is about to hit its limit, the Six Basic Heart Techniques have remained almost completely stagnant.’

Shi Tiexin engaged in some deep self-reflection. ‘I’ve really become complacent since entering my comfort zone,’ he realized. ‘The way the Champion Scholar Stone has been carrying me has made me dependent. I’d started to feel that studying hard was less important than completing the Fated Tasks. I thought that as long as I finished those tasks, my power would increase even if I just lazed around.’

‘But on second thought, the rewards from completing those Fated Tasks were actually the fruits of my other self’s labor in this world-line—the result of his diligent studies and hard work. They didn’t just materialize out of nowhere.’

‘Back when I had no one to carry me, I still studied and trained diligently. Now that I have it a little easier, have I completely lost my sense of direction? Besides, if I lose that spirit of hard work and struggle, do I even have the right to reap the rewards of my other selves’ efforts from other world-lines?’

‘No. I need to get my head on straight.’

‘I need to snap out of this daze of luxurious indulgence and the fawning praise of the streets.’

‘I can’t take any of this with me. The only thing I can truly keep is my own abilities.’

‘The Fated Tasks still need doing, and the Celestial Golden Light is still worth getting, but I can’t be idle in my downtime. I need to get back to what’s important. So what if there’s no master player to carry me? I’ll just study the same way I did before.’

“Hey, Ah Fei, it’s me.” Shi Tiexin called his subordinate. “I need you to find me some teachers and get me some study materials—no, no, not the kind of ‘private tutors’ you’re thinking of, and definitely not that kind of ‘study material’!”

‘Damn it, can’t Ah Fei’s mind ever get out of the gutter?’

“Listen carefully. What I’m looking for is…”

「One day later.」

On a crowded little street in a rundown residential district, Shi Tiexin and his Four Celestial Kings appeared together.

“This is the place.” Ah Fei glanced at the gift in Mai Ba’s hands, still finding it hard to believe his boss’s decision. “Er, Boss, are you really going to…”

“Ah Fei, remember this. Knowledge is always the most important thing. If you’re asking someone to teach you, you have to show the proper respect. Hold the gift tight. I’m going in to pay a formal visit.”

With that, Shi Tiexin led the way into the cramped and narrow stairwell. There was no elevator, so they had no choice but to climb the stairs one by one.

“Hey, hey!” Mai Ba poked Ah Fei’s rear and whispered, “This guy… is he legit?”

“It’s the Boss’s decision, so just go with it. Besides, the guy I found is definitely the real deal,” Ah Fei explained as they walked. “His name is Sakuragi Kenji. He used to be a street punk, too, but then he switched to teaching. Five years ago, at some third-rate high school, he started a special prep class for Tokyo University. After just over a year of intense training, he actually managed to get a few total washouts admitted!”

The thugs exchanged glances, imagining themselves getting into Peking University. They were suddenly in awe of this Sakuragi Kenji they had yet to meet, viewing him as some kind of demigod.

“But the guy’s a Jap, right? Can he even speak Chinese? You think he can actually teach?”

“We’ll have to let him try and see if he’s any good. Besides, what teacher from back home is gonna come all the way out here? We’re lucky to find a Jap at all. And hey, this guy might just be the best teacher there is among them.”

As they were talking, they arrived at their destination: a small, dilapidated door.

Ah Fei stepped forward and started banging on the door. BANG! BANG! Silence from within. He hammered on it again, BANG! BANG! BANG! for what felt like an eternity before Shi Tiexin finally heard a faint groan. It was followed by a chaotic CLATTERING, as if a whole shelf of bottles and cans had been knocked over.

After a good while, the shabby little door creaked open. Standing before them was a middle-aged man in a tank top and shorts. With bleary eyes, a face full of stubble, and reeking of alcohol, he was the classic image of a total wreck—the kind of guy who looked like he could sprout mushrooms from his head.

Staring at the five men outside, the middle-aged man used the toenails of his left foot to scratch his right leg, looking like he still wasn’t fully awake. “What’s up?”

The man was naturally speaking Japanese, but Shi Tiexin understood him and mentally translated the words.

Shi Tiexin spoke up. “Are you Mr. Sakuragi Kenji?”

The middle-aged man looked them up and down, apparently figuring out what kind of people they were. He switched to surprisingly fluent Chinese. “Oh, a Biker Gang, is that it? Whatever you’re here for, it has nothing to do with me. I quit coaching a long time ago.”

Saying this, the man tried to close the door.

WHAM! Shi Tiexin’s hand shot out and held the door open. “Mr. Sakuragi Kenji, I’m not here looking for a coach. I’m here to be your student.”

“A student?” The man looked baffled. “Learn what?”

“Physics, chemistry, biology, math. Whatever you can teach, I’ll learn.”

“Heh heh, what a joke. Go find someone else.” The man put more force into his arm, trying to slam the door. “I told you, I don’t teach anymore.”

“You don’t teach?” Shi Tiexin snapped his fingers. Mai Ba stepped forward with a small briefcase, set it on the ground with a THUD, and flipped the latches open. CLICK. The inside was filled with a sea of red.

It was the color of money.

The middle-aged man’s eyes instantly bulged.

“So you’ve really quit teaching. That’s a real shame.” Shi Tiexin turned to Ah Fei. “Alright, let’s move on to the next house. What was that other teacher’s name?”

“Onizuka Hideyoshi.”

“Then let’s go find this Onizuka Hideyoshi.” At another snap of Shi Tiexin’s fingers, Mai Ba clicked the case shut. The glorious light of wealth disappeared instantly.

Shi Tiexin gave the man a polite nod. “Then we won’t disturb your seclusion any longer. Goodbye.”

“Wait!” The man seemed to snap wide awake, his eyes bulging and bloodshot. “I think… I think I can still be of some use!”

“Just being ‘of some use’ probably isn’t enough. I’m looking for a real elite-level teacher.”

“I am an elite teacher! Onizuka Hideyoshi is basically a guidance counselor; all he does is scare delinquents straight. When it comes to actual academic instruction, I’m far superior! Plus, while I only teach math myself, I know other incredibly talented teachers. You absolutely can’t go wrong if you choose me!”

“Since you’re so confident, I’ll hold you to that.” Shi Tiexin shoved the briefcase into the man’s arms. “A small token of our sincerity.”

The man was stunned. “You’re just… giving me the money? Aren’t you afraid I’ll take it and run?”

“I’m not that stingy. This is just the welcome gift; tuition will be calculated separately. Besides,” Shi Tiexin broke into a benevolent smile, “I’m really not worried about you taking the money and running.”