20: Chapter 20 Sky Wings

In the rented room, Su Chen took the black-gold card handed over by Mayor Jiang, his eyes resolute, his tone firm and decisive: 'Mayor Jiang, rest assured, the national top scholar title—I will take it! When the time comes, I ask that Mayor Jiang fulfills the promise and opens the private treasure vault of a Six-Circle powerhouse.'

His mind was running the calculations clearly: the treasure vault of a Six-Circle powerhouse was sure to contain top-tier skills and mythic-grade materials.

It was the perfect chance to take advantage of the reward for becoming the national top scholar and squeeze out a bit more benefit. An opportunity like this absolutely could not be missed.

Jiang Yu looked at Su Chen's confident demeanor, nodded with a smile: 'Good! As long as you can secure the national top scholar title, forget just the private treasure vault—if Yunlan has it, you can ask for it!'

But inwardly, he harbored concerns. This year, talents were emerging from all over the country. Not only were there many with S-rank talents and legendary professions, there were even monstrous geniuses capable of simultaneously mastering two core abilities—'dual-core' freaks.

For Su Chen to aim for the championship, the difficulty was immense. But he didn't want to dampen Su Chen's confidence, so in the end, he kept these worries to himself.

Beside them, the Old Principal of Yunlan No. 3 High School, a glint flashing in his eyes, stepped forward and spoke: 'Su Chen, you are the pride of our No. 3 High! The school has decided to award an additional 10 million gold coins in scholarship. All your future cultivation resources and equipment needs will be fully met by the school, without any hesitation!'

The Old Principal was already a Five-Circle professional, with a sharp eye. He could see that Su Chen was no ordinary talent; he was destined to grow into an Eight-Circle provincial-level powerhouse in the future.

Investing these resources now might seem like a reward, but in reality, it was a long-term venture capital move.

As long as Su Chen succeeded in the future, No. 3 High would not only enjoy thirty years of prosperity, but he himself could also gain the patronage of an Eight-Circle big shot. This favor was far more valuable than the immediate resources.

Su Chen gave a slight nod: 'Thank you, Principal. I will remember this kindness.'

The Old Principal smiled, taking out a pair of crystal-clear wings from his storage space and handing them to Su Chen: 'This is my personal treasure, the [tianxiang wings]. I bestow them upon you today. They may be of great help in your future battles.'

Su Chen took the tianxiang wings and pulled up the attribute panel to inspect them.

[Treasure: tianxiang wings]

[Quality: Gold-grade (Special)]

[Attributes: Agility +20, Spirit +15]

[Effect: Can activate flight mode, soaring through the skies for 30 minutes. Cooldown: 60 minutes.]

[Note: A rare flight-type treasure. Market value starts at 50 million gold coins, often sought after but rarely available.]

'Flight capability?' Su Chen felt a surge of joy in his heart. Although the basic attribute bonuses were average, flight ability held immense strategic value. Whether for pursuit, retreat, or exploring high-altitude dungeons, it would prove extremely useful.

He stored the tianxiang wings and said earnestly, 'Principal, rest assured. If I achieve anything in the future, I will never forget the nurturing grace of No. 3 High.'

These words effectively completed a deep binding of interests with the school level. The smile on the Old Principal's face grew even brighter.

After the pleasantries were finished, everyone prepared to leave.

Su Chen saw them to the entrance of the apartment building. Unintentionally, he noticed a detail: while all the other school officials boarded the school bus, only his homeroom teacher, Jiang Shuang, did not get on. Instead, she walked straight towards the mayor's private vehicle, and Jiang Yu proactively opened the car door for her.

Su Chen's eyes flickered. Combining the earlier casual mentions during conversation about 'Jiang Shuang having a mysterious family background,' plus the fact that Jiang Yu and Jiang Shuang shared the same surname, and the instinctively respectful attitude of those around her towards Jiang Shuang, he instantly deduced the truth—Jiang Shuang was actually the daughter of the Mayor of Yunlan City.

'So my homeroom teacher is also the mayor's daughter,' Su Chen murmured to himself in amusement, his mind wandering. 'If I could latch onto this connection, maybe I could shave off twenty years of struggle. But then again, relying on oneself is still the most reliable.'

Inside the private vehicle, Jiang Yu looked at Su Chen's figure outside the window and slowly spoke: 'This young man has good bearing. Facing so many of us, he was neither subservient nor arrogant, not showing a hint of stage fright. It's just that his confidence is a bit... outrageous.'

Jiang Shuang, sitting beside him, immediately showed a protective expression upon hearing her father's evaluation of Su Chen: 'Dad, Su Chen isn't blindly confident. He has a legendary-class profession, reached Level 20 in a single day, and can solo a Nightmare-difficulty dungeon in six minutes. His strength is truly formidable. It's not impossible for him to take the national top scholar title.'

Seeing his daughter defending Su Chen like this, a trace of amusement flashed in Jiang Yu's eyes. He probed, 'What's your impression of this young man?'

Jiang Shuang's cheeks flushed slightly. She hurriedly said, 'Dad, why are you asking that? Su Chen is my student. He's very talented and hardworking. I hope he can keep getting better and bring glory to our Yunlan.'

Jiang Yu smiled and didn't press further.

In his heart, he had already positioned Su Chen as a future Eight-Circle powerhouse. If his daughter could develop a closer relationship with Su Chen, it would naturally be a good thing.

But as a father, he wouldn't force it, always respecting his daughter's personal wishes.

'I know he has talent, and I also hope he can deliver on his word. But this year's opponents are strong. Keep an eye on him in your daily interactions. If he has any needs, let me know promptly. We in Yunlan must support him with all our might.'