My Professions Have Too Much Personality - Chapter 61: A Good Shoot from a Bad Bamboo, [Wise Man]? [Scholar]?
Chapter 61: Chapter 61: A Good Shoot from a Bad Bamboo, [Wise Man]? [Scholar]?
“Du Yu told me you were looking for me.”
His tone was steady and gentle, which struck Su Chen as strangely familiar. After sizing him up for a moment, he figured it out. ’This kid is trying to act like his father.’
After a brief pause, Su Chen suddenly roared, “I refuse!”
The sound echoed through the hall, startling many of the staff. Zhang Hengyu looked completely stunned.
“Why should I have to wait a year!” Su Chen demanded, his eyes locked on Zhang Hengyu.
Zhang Hengyu finally understood. His face flushed red, and he looked like he wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words, completely at a loss.
’Why is he reacting like this?’
Inwardly surprised, Su Chen immediately switched tactics. “Follow me,” he said coldly.
He turned and headed upstairs. The eyes of the numerous Inspector Guards followed him, and a buzz of chatter filled the air.
His face burning with what looked like shame, Zhang Hengyu slowly followed.
They reached the top floor, where the corridor was empty.
Zhang Hengyu hesitated, looking like he wanted to say something, but Su Chen spoke first, his voice low. “I’m already a Tier Two Professional.”
“What?” Zhang Hengyu looked dazed, the words he had been about to say forgotten. His voice was strained. “You… How could you be so fast?”
Su Chen’s tone was cold. “I’m not some pampered young master like you. I’m a refugee. I can’t afford to let a single opportunity slip by.”
He trailed off, then said wistfully, “I can’t even remember the last time I slept for more than three hours. Have you ever seen Southwind City at three in the morning?”
“Of course I have!” The words seemed to provoke Zhang Hengyu. He started off sheepishly, “Okay, I may have been a bit willful as a kid, but once I got older, I was always working toward meeting my profession’s requirements. After I entered Southwind Academy, I worked very hard, too. The effort I’ve put in isn’t necessarily any less than yours!”
’Uh… this guy seems really naive and simple,’ Su Chen found it rather odd.
Zhang Hengyu calmed down a bit, his expression composing itself. His voice dropped. “But I’m truly not your equal. You became a Tier Two Professional incredibly quickly. I understand your anger, but… there’s nothing that can be done about it.”
’He doesn’t seem to be faking it. Does he really think that way?’
Thinking of that smiling tiger, Zhang Hongbo, Su Chen couldn’t help but click his tongue in amazement.
“But no matter what, I’m being held back for a year. The resources in Southwind City can’t compare to Ying Feng,” Su Chen said, his tone still cold.
Zhang Hengyu’s expression shifted. His fists clenched and then relaxed. “I… I can compensate you.”
’Huh? This is taking a really weird turn.’
Su Chen was a little dumbfounded, but he maintained his displeased expression. “Compensate me? How?”
“I have access to a special profession. It’s quite useful,” Zhang Hengyu said in a low voice. “It’s called [Wise Man]. Once you have it, you can control your body with greater precision and circulate various Body Refining Techniques more efficiently.”
’[Wise Man]?’
’More efficient circulation of Body Refining Techniques… doesn’t that just mean a faster increase in skill proficiency?’
’What’s its relationship with [Scholar]?’
While his mind raced, Su Chen’s expression remained suspicious. “You’re really going to give it to me?”
Zhang Hengyu explained, “This profession isn’t really a secret in Ying Feng, it’s just difficult to acquire. But if Minister Yuan can figure something out, it shouldn’t be a problem.”
Su Chen paused, surprised. The coldness in his expression faded, replaced by a softer look. “It seems I’ve misjudged you.”
’I’m more and more surprised. How did a good shoot like this grow from such rotten bamboo?’
As if sensing he’d been forgiven, Zhang Hengyu’s spirits lifted, and he began to explain in a low voice…
[Special Profession Discovered—Wise Man. Can be acquired upon completion of requirements.]
[Wise Man Requirement 1: Possess at least a Red Gold Level Spirit Talent.]
[Wise Man Requirement 2: Obtain information on at least three Top-tier Professions of any tier.]
[Wise Man Requirement 3: Be a person of great wisdom.]
The data appeared on his panel. As Su Chen scanned it, his expression grew increasingly strange.
’The first two requirements were easy enough to understand, but how was he supposed to fulfill ’be a person of great wisdom’?’
’It’s too subjective, and it’s not marked as ’completed’ for me.’
’Fine, so I’m not a person of great wisdom, but Zhang Hengyu is? Is he one of those ’great wisdom appears foolish’ types?’
[The Scholar, currently educating the Black Tuo Followers, senses the arrival of an old friend. It withdraws to engage in a cordial conversation…]
’An old friend?’ Su Chen was surprised and couldn’t help but ask, “You have a Red Gold Level Spirit Talent?”
“No.” Zhang Hengyu shook his head honestly. “My sister helped me. She brought a special item from Ying Feng that can temporarily boost a person’s Spirit Talent to meet the requirement.”
“’There’s a way to do that?’ Su Chen marveled inwardly. He then asked, ’What about the other requirements? How did you complete them?’”
“Take the last one, for example—’possessing a wisdom beyond the ken of ordinary people.’ That’s way too vague.”
Zhang Hengyu explained, “I didn’t complete all of them either; it was too difficult. But if you can barely meet one of the requirements, you can force the acquisition. I was lucky enough to succeed.”
“That’s how it usually works in Ying Feng, too. You can get at least some kind of boost.”
’Forced acquisition… So it was just luck.’ Su Chen realized he had subconsciously been using perfect acquisition as the benchmark and had forgotten that forcing it was an option.
’A forced acquisition might only unlock a tenth of the profession’s full power, but something is better than nothing.’
Su Chen sighed. “I understand what you mean now.”
“Honestly, the fact that I’ve made it this far is already incredible. Even if I have to wait until next year to go to Ying Feng… I just came to find you to vent a little resentment, that’s all.”
Zhang Hengyu visibly relaxed, as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He gave a wry smile. “I actually mentioned to my sister that this seemed unfair to you… but I only brought it up once. The truth is, I had my own selfish reasons…”
“’Judge by actions, not intentions.’ Su Chen waved a hand dismissively, his eyes filled with a ’fighting spirit.’ ’Even if you get to go to Ying Feng a year ahead of me, don’t get complacent. I might catch up to you sooner than you think.’”
Zhang Hengyu froze for a second, then nodded firmly. “I’ll definitely work hard to make sure you can’t.”
’Is this… what it feels like to have a worthy rival?’
He’d been raised under strict supervision since he was a child. In all of Southwind City, he had almost no friends his own age—most of them were just sycophants.
“Oh, right,” Su Chen said, his tone a mix of challenge and invitation. “Why don’t you train here with me? See if you can keep up with my pace.”
“Here?” Zhang Hengyu hesitated for a moment, but his expression quickly turned serious as he agreed. “Alright. I’ll train here!”
’He actually agreed?’
A strange look flickered across Su Chen’s face for an instant, while Zhang Hengyu, full of enthusiasm, went back to pack his things.
’Why do I feel a little guilty…?’ Su Chen wondered, surprised at himself. He immediately gave himself a harsh mental scolding and instantly felt the liberating lightness of having no morals.
He opened his panel and considered the [Wise Man] profession. He had the Red Gold Level Spirit Talent. As for the three Top-tier Professions, he already knew of two. But that last requirement was just too strange.
’I wonder what I can get out of my conversation with the [Scholar].’
’His original plan had been to seriously injure Zhang Hengyu and blow the whole thing up.’
’Once Zhang Hengyu showed up here, even a fool like Zhou Xian would connect him to Zhang Hongbo. Realizing it was a trap, he probably wouldn’t act.’
’But this outcome was even better.’
Another day passed, and Zhang Hengyu, true to his word, arrived at the Supervision Branch with his clothes and an assortment of Potions.
He was still a Tier One Professional, so a regular training room was all he needed.
The two chatted briefly. Su Chen learned that Zhang Hengyu’s profession development was already around 60% complete, which was incredibly fast. The [Wise Man] profession must have played a huge part.
“Is there any connection between [Wise Man] and [Scholar]?” Zhang Hengyu gave Su Chen a surprised look when he heard the question, then shook his head. “I don’t know.”
Su Chen left, lost in thought, and returned to his training.
But in the middle of the afternoon, an uninvited guest arrived, kicking open the main door of the Supervision Branch with shocking force.
After a chaotic commotion, Zhang Hengyu hurried over. Bracing himself, he approached the newcomer. “Sis, what are you doing here?”
The newcomer was none other than Zhang Yunqing. A tall, commanding woman, her face was cold as frost. Her gaze swept past her foolish younger brother and landed on Su Chen, who was slowly making his way down the stairs.
“You’re coming with me,” Zhang Yunqing demanded.
“No…” Zhang Hengyu shook his head, insisting, “I’m staying here.”
Looking at Su Chen’s faint smirk, Zhang Yunqing practically ground her teeth. She dragged Zhang Hengyu aside and hissed, “You idiot! He’s playing you, don’t you realize that?”
“Father plans to use him to lure out the Deceitful God Sect! He’s using you as a human shield!”
Zhang Hengyu looked up, his expression blank. Thinking he’d finally gotten through to him, Zhang Yunqing said coldly, “That kid… his plan is actually quite…”
“How could Father do that!?” Zhang Hengyu suddenly shouted, his body trembling with rage.
Zhang Yunqing stared at him, bewildered. Her brother’s face was flushed red. “He… he’s… he’s already had it so hard! Why does he have to be used as bait!”
“Because of you!” Zhang Yunqing shot back, furious. “If you go back to Southwind City, he’ll have Yuan Chenyang’s backing! How are you supposed to succeed Father then…”
“Why do I have to be the successor?!” Like a volcano that had been plugged by a boulder, Zhang Hengyu finally erupted, glaring at his sister. “Can’t I have my own ideas for once?!”
Zhang Yunqing’s expression turned frigid. “Your own ideas? We can talk about that when you actually have the power to have them.”
