Chapter 3: Talk Not of Repaying Favors

How could Gu Chen’s name be missing from the family genealogy?

Gu Qingfeng was slightly taken aback, his expression turning complex. He had been so preoccupied with the ongoing wars these past years that he had forgotten to record his son’s name in the family records.

Well, no rush. The matter of the genealogy could wait until that unfilial son confessed his mistake and apologized in a few days.

Little did Gu Qingfeng know that at this very moment, Gu Chen was already seated on the train leaving Gubei City.

He was heading back to Lin City because he was a senior at Lin City No. 1 High School.

The empire’s career transition ceremony would conclude by the end of today. Starting from 7 a.m. tomorrow, the novice dungeons across all cities would open simultaneously.

For those born into the lower strata, becoming a professional was only the first step to changing their fate.

The real turning point lay in the assessments of prestigious institutions.

If one could be admitted to the empire’s top academy in the capital, the future achievements would be boundless.

To succeed in the academy’s entrance exams, one must first enter the novice dungeon, gain experience by slaying beasts, and level up.

However, the novice dungeon was only open for ten days; missing even a single day would be an irreparable loss for Gu Chen.

Therefore, the most urgent task now was to return to Lin City No. 1 High School before 7 a.m. tomorrow.

The Gu family’s hometown, Gubei City, was the center of the seven northern border cities.

The distance from Gubei City to the frontier Lin City spanned over ten thousand kilometers. In the previous world, even a high-speed train running at full speed would take two to three days to arrive.

“Fortunately, trains in this world are powered by high-concentration energy crystals. If nothing goes wrong, I should be back in Lin City by the early hours of the morning.”

Inside the empty train carriage, Gu Chen gazed out the window. The sunset blazed like blood, tinting half the sky crimson.

In this world, ferocious beasts roamed freely, and wars raged endlessly. Most of the land where humans lived was in ruins; only the strongest could control their own destinies.

Career transition was the only path to becoming one of the supreme.

“System, I want to change careers,” Gu Chen silently whispered in his mind.

Among the options provided, he chose the third one: a random ordinary profession.

At last, his journey as a professional could begin.

[Processing career change]

[You have become a Summoner]

“Why a Summoner?” Gu Chen frowned slightly.

It was well known that the Summoner was the most resource-consuming profession, bar none.

If Gu Chen hadn’t fallen out with the Gu family, given Gu Qingfeng’s status as the Northern Border War King, he could have easily secured abundant resources to train him into a top-tier Summoner.

Even achieving unrivaled strength at the same level wouldn’t be impossible.

After all, a Summoner’s greatest reliance was on their summoned beasts.

Only by acquiring top-tier summoned beasts or the highest-grade summoning skill books could one unleash the profession’s full combat potential.

Both came at an enormous cost.

For commoners, choosing the Summoner path was essentially a dead end.

Take the most basic summoning skill book as an example: after learning it, one could summon ordinary beasts, which typically cost at least twenty thousand coins on the market.

Summoned beasts could be classified by quality: Ordinary, Fine, Excellent, Rare, Epic, and Legendary.

The higher the quality, the rarer and more powerful the beast.

Though the cheapest summoning skill book started at twenty thousand coins—something a commoner could barely afford—what combat power could an ordinary summoned beast truly offer?

If one couldn’t even conquer the novice dungeon, what future was there?

Half of Gu Chen’s hope waned.

The reason it was only half was because he possessed a god-level talent.

[Activated God-level Talent—Dark Scion’s First Blood]

[Dark Scion’s First Blood: Gains one Dark Bloodline per level, capable of transforming ordinary creatures into dark creatures]

To date, the highest known talent rank was SSS, held by only one person—the Supreme Commander of the Zhenyuan Army, Xiao Nanfeng, famed as the Asura War God.

Below that were SS, S, A, B, C, D, and E ranks.

God-level talent was unprecedented.

“Dark Scion’s First Blood grants one Dark Bloodline per level?”

“If only I had a summoned beast to try it on.”

The Dark Bloodline could turn ordinary creatures into dark ones. Though Gu Chen had become a Summoner, without learning any summoning skills, he couldn’t summon yet.

“Once I arrive in Lin City, I have to find a way to buy a summoning skill book. But I only have a bit over two hundred coins left…”

Two hundred coins weren’t nearly enough to buy even the cheapest summoning skill book.

Leaning back in his seat, Gu Chen frowned deeply.

By the time he reached Lin City, it was already late at night. He went straight to Lin City No. 1 High School and slipped into the teachers’ apartments.

After knocking, a refined middle-aged man opened the door—it was Gu Chen’s homeroom teacher.

“Gu Chen, is that you? Where have you been for the past month?” Jiang Songhua hadn’t gone to bed yet, his face showing surprise and confusion.

“Teacher, I’ve become a Summoner. I’m going to participate in the novice dungeon,” Gu Chen said straightforwardly.

“A Summoner?” Jiang Songhua was initially taken aback, then wore a look of regret. “Why choose Summoner?”

Usually, students had two or three professions to choose from during their career transition ceremony.

Gu Chen’s failure to awaken any profession in Gubei City was precisely why Gu Qingfeng had been so furious.

“Though a powerful Summoner is like a whole combat squad, that strength is built on money and resources!”

“With no funds or resources, you’ll only get the lowest-level summoned beasts—barely able to survive the novice dungeon.”

“I’ve explained this many times in class. Didn’t you listen?” Jiang Songhua sounded disappointed.

The resource demands for a Summoner were an endless abyss. Except for some major powers, ordinary people never chose this profession.

“I have no other choice,” Gu Chen replied evenly.

“Alright then,” Jiang Songhua clicked his tongue with regret. “I’ll report your career change. The novice dungeon opens at 7 a.m. tomorrow—just don’t be late.”

“Thank you, teacher,” Gu Chen nodded and turned to leave.

“Wait.”

Jiang Songhua called him back and handed over a skill book from his personal space.

“This is a Fine-grade summoning skill book. Because of its poor quality, it hasn’t sold for a long time. I’m letting you have it at a discount.”

Poor quality? Unsold for a long time?

Gu Chen glanced at it indifferently.

A Fine-grade summoning skill book usually started at fifty thousand coins on the market—how could it possibly remain unsold?

His eyes flickered with emotion as he gratefully looked at Jiang Songhua.

Fifty thousand coins, just given to him?

The teacher must have said that to protect his pride.

Gu Chen felt a wave of bittersweet gratitude. Having chosen Summoner, he thought the teacher had already given up on him—but unexpectedly…

“Teacher, I will repay your kindness someday.”

“Don’t mention repayment. If you’re fortunate enough to enter a prestigious academy, just study hard in class,” Jiang Songhua said with a shrug.

“I’ve told the class before: those who choose to become Summoners are mostly nobles.”

“In their eyes, Fine-grade summoned beasts are worthless, so this skill book just won’t sell.”

“I’m not lying,” Jiang Songhua emphasized the last two words.