Dragons begin with courage

Seeing the change in Lu Mingfei's eyes, Chu Zihang continued, "Professor Guderian should have explained the academy's mission to you—to slay dragons. We hybrids, with our dragon blood, can awaken and use a supernatural power called 'Word of Power.' You haven't yet experienced 'Spiritual Vision' and the 3E exam, so you don't know what your Word of Power is."

He paused slightly, his gaze sharp as he looked at Lu Mingfei: "But today, in the final moments of 'A Day of Freedom,' the state you felt—your blood warming up, your senses sharpening, your mind becoming cold and clear, your physical strength, speed, and coordination far exceeding normal—that was the manifestation of the temporary activation of your dragon genes under specific stimuli. The higher your bloodline rating, the greater the potential and intensity of this activation."

Lu Mingfei held his breath, memories flooding back. That feeling of being in control of everything was wonderful yet terrifying.

"In the Lionheart Society," Chu Zihang lowered his voice even further, as if mentioning some ancient taboo, "they preserve and research a dangerous technology. It is not the power of words, but a... forbidden method that artificially pries open the boundaries of bloodlines."

His fingers unconsciously tapped lightly on his knee. "We call it—'Bloodlust'."

"Bloodlust?" Lu Mingfei murmured repeatedly.

"As the name suggests, through special willpower guidance and psychological suggestion, one actively weakens the suppression of one's own human consciousness, thereby forcibly increasing the activity level of dragon genes, greatly enhancing bloodline purity in a short period of time, and obtaining supernormal power, speed, reaction, and even the power of words." Chu Zihang's speech was steady, but every word carried immense weight. "You can understand it as a double-edged key that can unlock the shackles of power within the body, but at the cost of burning one's life."

Lu Mingfei was horrified. Wasn't this just like those berserk skills in games that inflict massive damage on the enemy while also harming yourself? This world is truly fantastical!

Chu Zihang's gaze, as if it were tangible, landed on Lu Mingfei's face: "The world of the Dragon Clan, or rather, the 'reality' faced when carrying out missions at Kassel College, is a thousand times more cruel than the game you experienced in 'A Day of Freedom' today. Without sufficient power, death is the norm."

He leaned forward slightly, a gesture Lu Mingfei rarely saw with such obvious emotional intensity. "So, if you decide to stay here and face that world," Chu Zihang's voice was clear and solemn, "I can teach you the techniques of 'Bloodlust.' It may not guarantee your victory, but it might give you a glimmer of hope at the most crucial moment."

A strong surge of warmth instantly dispelled Lu Mingfei's tension and unease. So that's how it is! His senior brother summoned him not to test him, not to establish his authority, but... because he was worried he would die in this cruel "underworld," so he wanted to give him a "weapon" that might save his life in advance.

Moved, Lu Mingfei also noticed the heavy tone in Chu Zihang's words.

"However," Chu Zihang's golden eyes flashed with a cold warning, "'Bloodlust' is a taboo that overdraws one's life force. Each use irreversibly erodes the 'human' part of you. The side effects include, but are not limited to: the golden eyes gradually hardening and becoming difficult to conceal; severe physical and mental exhaustion with a long recovery period; and most dangerously... the risk of bloodline loss of control. Every use of 'Bloodlust' is walking on a knife's edge, pushing oneself to the brink of complete dragonification."

He looked directly into Lu Mingfei's eyes and asked, word by word, "Even so, do you still want to learn?"

The office fell silent, with only the faint sound of the wind, unique to Kassel College, that seemed to never stop, coming from outside the window.

"study!"

Lu Mingfei spoke almost without hesitation, his voice resolute and unwavering. The timidity and confusion in his eyes were replaced by a fierce determination, his jawline tightening involuntarily, as if he had returned to the lion he was many years ago, cornered and baring his tender fangs to protect his parents' last shred of dignity. He didn't need to weigh the pros and cons; in this hellish place, every bit of strength he gained was a chance to survive. If his senior was willing to teach, he had to learn.

Chu Zihang looked at the sudden, wild flame that ignited in Lu Mingfei's eyes and nodded almost imperceptibly, as if confirming something. But he immediately poured cold water on it with rationality.

"But the time is not right." Chu Zihang's voice returned to absolute calm. "You have not yet experienced 'spiritual vision,' nor have you passed the 3E exam. What your Word of Power is is unknown; the 'S' rank on your school records is only a preliminary assessment. The bloodline resonance map from the 3E exam is the final benchmark that determines the density of your bloodline. Before all of this is determined, your bloodline is like an uncalibrated weapon. Guiding 'Bloodlust' is impossible, and forcibly attempting it will only lead to uncontrollable consequences."

He paused, as if organizing his thoughts into more easily understandable language: "'Bloodlust' is essentially about guiding and amplifying the dragon blood power you already possess. If you don't even know the 'switch' and 'shape' of this power, blindly trying to activate it might result in wasted energy, or it might... explode."

Lu Mingfei felt as if he had been doused with cold water, his feverish mind cooling down. Yes, he was now like a miser who possessed a treasure mountain but didn't know how to access it.

"As for the specific details of the 'Spiritual Vision' and the 3E exam," Chu Zihang changed the subject slightly, a glint of something unreadable flashing in his eyes, "your roommate, Fingel, will be a good 'guide.' The school's arrangement for him to live with you is not arbitrary."

Lu Mingfei understood immediately. That seemingly slovenly and unreliable senior who had managed to get to the eighth grade must have a lot of useful "survival experience" hidden within him. He nodded vigorously: "I understand, senior."

"Go ahead. Familiarize yourself with the environment before the exam." Chu Zihang dismissed him, leaning back in his chair and resuming his icy, statue-like posture.

Lu Mingfei stood up, respectfully said goodbye, and turned to walk towards the door. His hand had just touched the doorknob—

"Wait a minute." Chu Zihang's voice rang out again, as if he had remembered something trivial.

Lu Mingfei turned around in confusion.

"Regarding the prize for 'A Day of Freedom'," Chu Zihang said calmly, as if discussing tomorrow's schedule, "Although the student council hasn't released an official announcement yet, based on my understanding of Caesar Gattuso, his 'sense of honor,' built on arrogance, won't allow him to deny any established outcome—even if he's defeated by an 'outsider.' He'll accept it anyway."

Lu Mingfei scratched his head a little embarrassedly: "Senior brother, that was purely... a lucky break, a sneak attack in the chaos. It wasn't a fair victory. I don't want the prize, you can have it. It was supposed to be a duel between you and him."

Upon hearing this, a very faint, almost helpless smile flickered across Chu Zihang's face, a rare occurrence for him. "My private bet with Caesar doesn't involve any public stakes," he explained, his tone carrying a rare, subtle amusement. "The public stakes are a year's use of Norton Hall, and some privileges within the academy. But between him and me, there's another bet."

He paused, seemingly considering his words, before finally choosing the most direct expression: "He won, my 'Muramasa' is his. I won..."

Chu Zihang raised his eyes, his golden pupils calmly fixed on Lu Mingfei, and clearly uttered:

"His Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport commemorative edition will belong to the winner."

Lu Mingfei blinked. Bugatti Veyron? It sounds expensive, but the specific concept is vague.

Chu Zihang seemed to see through his confusion and added, his tone still calm and even: "The market valuation is about forty million RMB."

"Forty million?!!!!!"