Instructor Neal fumed in anger inwardly, seeing that Damien dared to talk back at him. Not even the disciples from the Gold batch would behave brazenly with him. Although he was an instructor who taught Bronze Batch disciples, it doesn't mean that one wouldn't dare to give him face.
He inwardly knew Cedric was the one who was in the wrong, and what Damien said was justified. But circumstances were not in his favor, and he felt tongue-tied as Damien forced him to a corner.
If he let Damien leave then, that would also mean the Xeton Ethereal Foundation would lose two extremely genius practitioners as Valentina also would follow suit.
The other proctors didn't butt in as they also didn't want to get involved in a messy situation and already got orders to stay put.
Fynn said anxiously, "Brother Damien, don't say like that. Getting into Bronze Batch is not bad, and you can later jump up to higher batches once you are in. Don't throw away this chance because of my dispute with Cedric."
"Don't worry. I know what I am doing." Damien said with a faint smile.
"Instructor Neal, I will take it from here." A mild voice came from outside of the crowd. The voice was very calm and gentle but completely buried the crowd's jabber as each of his words resounded in the ears of everyone present there.
The crowd split apart, and even all the proctors deeply bowed as they saw an old man in simple azure robes descending from the skies.
His body carried a sage-like disposition and naturally exhibited an elegant demeanor. He looked kind with a faint smile on his face, and his gaze was steady as a calm ocean.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})"Headmaster L-Leon!"
Just as they all saw the azure robed old man descending on the platform, everyone got restless as they all knew that he was not only the headmaster of the Xeton Ethereal Foundation but also the Guildmaster of the Rising Sun Trading Guild!
Of course, the most awe-inspiring fact was that he was one of the very few supreme existences in the Xeton Empire.
'Guildmaster Leon?' Damien was surprised that Leon Xeton was also the headmaster of the Xeton Ethereal Foundation.
He wondered how knowledgeable and skilled he must be to manage two of the most important establishments in the empire.
Instructor Neal didn't dare to make eye contact with Leon Xeton and kept on bowing in reverence even though Leon Xeton had gestured everyone to rise.
"Forgive me, headmaster. I-I—"
"It's fine." Leon Xeton interjected calmly and continued, "Just remember to meet me later after this assessment."
Fear and trepidation cloaked his soul, and beads of sweat flowed down his face as he saw Leon Xeton say those words without any change in his expression. He knew that things wouldn't end well for him today.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})He quietly moved back without letting out a single word.
Cedric gulped, seeing that things were not going as he wanted. He wanted to say something but couldn't let a single sound from his throat as he felt Leon Xeton's gaze on him for a brief moment.
He knew that the headmaster was not someone who would entertain his tricks and schemes.
Leon Xeton looked at Valentina and greeted her with a gentle smile. Valentina also greeted him back with a faint smile.
He then looked at Damien as he scrutinized him while stroking his long white beard.
"Damien Godwin, is it?" He asked in an amiable voice.
Damien gave a respectful bow as he said, "Yes, Headmaster Leon."
"Hmmm, without anyone telling me, I already know what happened here exactly. Without further ado, I will personally decide who all qualified from Team 1. I assume everyone here doesn't have any objections." Leon Xeton said in an unmoving voice as he again glanced at Cedric.
Cedric stumbled backward and didn't dare to raise his head. He still looked down with his eyes staring at the ground as his teeth chattered.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})No one from the crowd, including the proctors, let out any sound, and they felt as if they were trapped inside an ocean feeling his gaze flow over them. Why would they say anything when they knew that he simply asked for the sake of it. He had every right to make the final decisions if he wanted to.
Damien also kept quiet to see how things were going to unfold.
The whole plaza was now as silent as a grave as they waited in anticipation of how things were going to end up.
Seeing that he had their complete attention, he continued, "Good. What Damien did was heavy-handed and is not something we encourage our disciples to do. But...helping your fellow teammate when they are down is a value we encourage and try to instill in our disciples. Despite having the most powerful cultivation in the team, Cedric Clive didn't display any qualities of a good leader. Instead, he tried to force your decisions on others in an ill-mannered way.
"An example of good teamwork is what we saw between Damien and Fynn. It was a good decision on Damien's part to send someone with the lowest cultivation towards the farthest flag. At least he would have been able to scout information for his team. And despite knowing that the flag was in the hands of an Earth Ethereal Realm cultivator, Fynn didn't retreat, showing how determined and courageous he was.
"Courage and determination are some of the most important values that even some geniuses lack and take for granted, preventing them from achieving great things. Even if your cultivation seems weak now doesn't mean you will forever stay at the bottom. At Fynn's age, I was even weaker than him in cultivation. It was not because I had heavenly talent nor the backing of a wealthy family but my perseverance and dedication that carried me this far. If we don't have talent, we create our own through sheer hard work. No one has the right to decide the height of our growth, but ourselves."
Damien was astounded hearing that Leon Xeton was weaker than Fynn when he was the same age as his. He didn't expect that Leon Xeton was coming from humble origins and speculated that he must have been bestowed with the surname 'Xeton' by the emperor for his exemplary achievements.
However, he had faintly guessed that before seeing how Leon Xeton didn't have sky blue hair like the imperial family of the Xeton Empire.
Fynn felt deeply motivated hearing Leon Xeton's words and his reverence for him increased seeing how he reached such an exalted position from nothing. He couldn't imagine how hard Leon Xeton must have worked during his time as a youngster.
Leon Xeton's gaze landed on Cedric as he continued, "Sheer arrogance and your family's resources can only carry you so far. To continue the rest of your journey, pursuing the Ethereal Way depends on your own hands. I won't waste any more time lecturing you all as what I said was something you all already know but forget time and time again. I hereby admit Damien Godwin into the Elite Batch for his stellar performance. Fynn Clayton won't be disqualified, but instead, he will join the Bronze Batch this year for the promising potential he had shown.
"As for Cedric Clive, he would have to undergo another assessment that would be conducted by an instructor privately post, which he would be admitted into the Bronze Batch if he passes. But he wouldn't step a foot inside the gates of my Xeton Ethereal Foundation without submitting a written apology to Fynn Clayton for viciously beating him up and providing suitable compensation to him. And if he does any transgressions after joining, he would be immediately expelled no matter what." Leon Xeton said in a blunt tone as his voice traveled to every corner of the plaza.
Damien was impressed seeing how Leon Xeton handled the whole matter elegantly without leaving out any loose corners.
Leon Xeton looked at the proctors standing in a reverential pose before him. He said with a smile, "I believe I am done here. You all can carry on with the assessments. I apologize for the interruption."
"Not at all, headmaster!" They cried out as if they were kids under the admonishing gaze of an adult.
"We are the ones who should apologize for making your esteemed self come all over here for such futile matters. We promise to make sure our incompetency is not repeated."
Leon Xeton chuckled, "Good, good."
Within just a moment, a gentle aura swept across the whole plaza as his figure disappeared into thin air.
Cedric Clive slumped on his knees as his clothes were already drenched with sweat thinking about the shame he had brought upon his family and how his father was going to bash him up. Unlike his elder brother, who was very fond of him, his father had only disdain for him.
He viciously looked at Damien and then at Valentina as he mumbled to himself in a macabre tone, "Hmph...my elder brother will make you both pay…"
