Grand Return System

Chapter 129: The Weight of a Teacher’s Choice

The Weight of a Teacher’s Choice

"Hmph. Don’t be too smug. This is only the beginning."

Frost edged Shera’s whisper, each syllable forced through gritted jaws. Eyes like steel pins held Leon fast. The air between them turned thin.

A brief pause hung in the air, as if more might come - maybe sharper phrases or some raw spill of pride wounded moments before.

Still, Leon gave no glance his way.

A stillness hung around him as he stayed seated, strands of dark hair drifting with each breeze. Quietly, those violet eyes remained fixed on the arena, showing neither interest nor concern. The moment passed without a shift in his expression.

Floating there, Shera’s voice found no landing place among the others.

What hit Shera wasn’t words, but the ease of it. A flick of indifference landed heavier than a shout.

A shadow crossed his features, deepening the frown already set in place.

"Hmph!"

A sudden flick of his arm sent fabric snapping through the air as he pivoted sharply, boots hitting stone with purpose. His path cut straight for where the Secret Sword Summit members stood, silence trailing behind him like dust after thunder.

Right away, tension filled the room as soon as he walked in. Students stiffened without a sound.

Head down, the losing student from Secret Sword Summit approached at a slow pace.

"Tea- Teacher... I’m sorry."

Fear cracked his words apart.

"I’ve embarrassed you."

Shera’s eyes turned cold.

"Trash."

The word fell like a hammer.

"I told you to cultivate very diligently," Shera continued sharply. "But none of you took it seriously. Look at the situation now. Do you understand how humiliating this is?"

Each phrase he spoke carried a sharper edge than the one before.

"The reputation of Secret Sword Summit has been completely ruined by you."

A sudden stillness passed through him as eyes moved from one face to another. The air tightened around each figure standing near. Not a word broke the quiet, only motion - slow, searching. Every shift of light caught tension beneath skin.

"Now the entire academy is watching us make fools of ourselves."

"Do you think you haven’t embarrassed yourselves enough?"

Not a single person stepped forward to speak.

The surrounding students lowered their heads silently.

They all knew Shera’s temper.

Anyone who dared argue with him would be courting disaster.

The defeated student stood there trembling, fists clenched tightly, unable to say another word.

The silence felt suffocating.

Then—

A calm voice suddenly broke it.

"Teacher."

A figure in green moved ahead of the others. The robe hung loose on his frame as he came closer. Quiet steps broke the stillness behind murmured voices. His face showed little, yet something urged him onward. Not waiting mattered more than speaking just then.

Standing tall, he carried himself with quiet certainty. A steady look settled on his face.

"Please don’t be angry."

His eyes met hers when she turned her head his way.

"This was only the first round," the young man continued calmly. "You’ll see how I restore the dignity of Secret Sword Summit in the next match."

A spark lit up his gaze, fixed on what came next.

"The dignity of Secret Sword Summit... is not something anyone can trample."

Shera studied him carefully.

A trace of relief finally appeared in his expression.

"Very good."

His tone softened slightly.

"Yes... the next round will depend on you."

"I’ve always thought highly of you."

His voice lowered, but the pressure inside it remained heavy.

"You must restore the dignity of our division."

"Do not disappoint me."

The green-robed young man smiled confidently.

"Don’t worry, Teacher."

"I will not disappoint you."

He was extremely confident.

Among Shera’s students, he ranked second only to Shan, the strongest disciple of Secret Sword Summit.

His cultivation had already reached three stars of the Astral Realm.

His opponent in the next round—

Was Selena.

The silver-haired girl from Amethyst Summit Division.

In his eyes, she was still just a girl who had entered the academy three months ago.

Even if she possessed talent...

There was no way she could defeat someone at the third star of the Astral Realm.

Shera’s mood improved significantly when he saw his student’s confidence.

The frustration from earlier slowly faded.

Good.

At least this one still has some dignity.

He took a deep breath, calming his emotions.

Then his gaze drifted back toward Leon.

Laugh while you can.

Shera’s thoughts darkened.

Let’s see how long that smile lasts.

He snorted coldly in his heart.

You were lucky to win earlier.

Do you really think Secret Sword Summit has no one capable of fighting?

With his composure restored, Shera returned to his seat.

-----------

Meanwhile, Leon was still chatting calmly with Cultivator Tobias.

Shera arrived just in time to hear Tobias speaking with a sigh of admiration.

"Haha, Fellow Cultivator Leon, your student truly surprised me."

His eyes still carried traces of amazement.

"Not only does she wield the strongest flame in the world..."

"But her cultivation has already reached the Astral Realm at such a young age."

He shook his head slowly.

"I truly cannot imagine how far she will go in the future."

Tobias paused before looking at Leon with curiosity.

"There is one thing I’m very curious about."

"How exactly did you raise her cultivation to the Astral Realm within a single month?"

The question immediately attracted everyone’s attention.

Even the elders nearby turned their heads.

This was something they had all been wondering about.

The arena grew unusually quiet.

Leon smiled faintly.

"It’s nothing special."

He spoke casually.

"She simply refined a precious bone from a King Realms Inferno Kong."

Silence.

Then—

"What?!"

A collective cry erupted from the crowd.

"A King Realms descendant’s precious bone?!"

Shock spread instantly across the arena.

Even Mike’s expression changed slightly.

He had originally believed that Leon himself had absorbed that precious bone.

After all—

Such a treasure was priceless.

Anyone who obtained it would naturally use it to strengthen themselves.

But now...

Leon revealed that he had given it away.

To his student.

Mike’s eyes widened slightly.

This...

He couldn’t help thinking.

Was Leon too generous?

Everyone present had heard the story.

They all knew Leon had once defeated two powerful enemies with a single strike and taken the King Realms Inferno Kong precious bone.

But no one knew what he had done with it afterward.

Most people assumed he had refined it personally.

After all—

That treasure was capable of helping someone break through to the Sage Realm.

Yet Leon had done the opposite.

He didn’t absorb it.

He gave it to his student.

At that moment—

Even Shera was stunned.

His brows furrowed deeply.

How...

How could someone give away such a treasure?

No matter how hard he tried to understand it—

He simply couldn’t.

Around the arena, whispers began spreading again.

"Oh my god..."

"Where can I find a Teacher like that?"

"I want one too."