I Want to Stay by Senior Sister's Side!

After racing along for half a day, the carriage finally reached a town near Mount Autumn Name. Everyone checked into the largest inn in town, and after resting for half a day, Cui Yongqin gathered them for a meeting.

The meeting was held in the inn's courtyard. Cui Yongqin had even set up a Soul Power barrier, so under normal circumstances, they did not need to worry about being overheard.

"Let me briefly explain the rules of this operation. As long as you eliminate all the bandits on Mount Autumn Name within a week, this mission will be considered a success."

"As for whether you split into groups, act alone, and how you eliminate them—whether through a frontal assault or a surprise attack—the academy will not interfere. In short, there is only one rule: you may not borrow the power of your families or other forces. Be careful above all else."

After saying that, Cui Yongqin removed the barrier and left the courtyard, leaving the ten of them staring at one another.

Not only was this mission difficult, but it was also the first time the academy had not provided any guidance. The older students felt somewhat unaccustomed to it, even at a loss as to where to begin.

At that moment, the oldest Soul Ancestor stood up and looked at everyone with a somewhat imposing gaze. He cleared his throat and said,

"Everyone, the bandits are extremely powerful. I think it would be best for us to join forces. Under my command, I believe we can definitely—"

"Stop right there. Song Rentou, what gives you the right to talk like that? Why should we listen to you?"

The one who spoke was Yan. He stood up as well, showing no fear whatsoever toward the other party.

Before Ling Chang'an arrived, the Elite Class had always been divided into Yan, Xie Yue, and Hu Liena on one side. Aside from Qian Renxue, everyone else followed Song Rentou.

The reason was simple. Yan and the other two were younger, and whether in talent or in the degree of Bibi Dong's favor, they were far superior to Song Rentou's group. That naturally led to a split.

Of course, Song Rentou's side was not without its advantages. They were generally older, had higher cultivation, and outnumbered the others, so they had held the upper hand in several conflicts.

Ling Chang'an did not care about any of that. The moment Yan called out the name Song Rentou, he nearly laughed so hard he farted. He quietly asked Hu Liena about it and only then understood.

My surname is Song. My parents hoped I would become somebody, so they named me Song Rentou!

Yeah, nothing wrong with that!

Song Rentou frowned at Yan, releasing the pressure of a Soul Ancestor as he cracked his fingers. "Now isn't the time for us to quarrel. If you insist on going your own way, you'll only throw away your lives in the end. So you can only cooperate with us!"

Ling Chang'an was somewhat surprised. He had not expected Song Rentou to actually have some brains. He not only pressured them with his strength, but also analyzed the practical situation. An ordinary person might really have yielded.

But Yan and the others were geniuses as well. In addition, after Ling Chang'an's analysis in the carriage, Yan believed that if they handled things well, they could deal with everyone except the bandit leader. Naturally, he would not follow Song Rentou's arrangements.

"Hmph, Song. Our performance this time will be scored by the teachers according to the actual circumstances. You want us to trail behind you and eat your dust? No chance. We can do it ourselves!"

After Yan spoke, he was the first to rise and leave. Xie Yue followed with an expressionless face, then Hu Liena. Only Ling Chang'an remained seated.

"Uh, Brother Rentou, don't worry. I'm neutral. I won't go against you. I'll be leaving now." Ling Chang'an finally stood and left as well. Just because of that name Song Rentou, he could not possibly stay with them.

After leaving the courtyard, Ling Chang'an found that Hu Liena and the other two were waiting for him. Xie Yue glanced at him. "You're going to stay neutral?"

Ling Chang'an hurriedly waved his hands. "No, no, no. I want to stick close to Senior Sister. That's the only way I'll feel safe."

As he spoke, Ling Chang'an even tossed Hu Liena a flirtatious glance. Hu Liena only regarded him as a little junior brother, so she merely smiled back.

Yan was somewhat jealous, but he would never have imagined that Ling Chang'an wanted to pursue Hu Liena. Besides, they would need to listen to some of Ling Chang'an's suggestions later, so he did not make a scene.

"Alright, let's go back to my room and discuss it. Since we've decided to act separately, then we have to win!" Xie Yue said to the members of their small team, bringing the exchange to an end.

"By the way, Senior Sister, our performance in this operation is tied to points. What can points be used for?" On the way back, Ling Chang'an suddenly thought of a very serious question. What exactly could points be used for?

After hearing that, Hu Liena immediately put a hand to her forehead and looked at Ling Chang'an speechlessly, as though she were looking at an idiot. Xie Yue and Yan were the same.

Was this a joke? Wasn't the most important thing after entering Spirit Hall Academy to read the student handbook first? The handbook clearly contained all the rules and explanations concerning points!

After Hu Liena's brief introduction, Ling Chang'an finally understood. Oh, so points had so many uses.

At Spirit Hall Academy, points could be exchanged for all kinds of things, including lectures from Titled Douluo, heavenly treasures, and even services such as helping you hunt the Soul Beast best suited for you.

In short, as long as you had points, you could get almost anything except sleeping with a teacher. And the more points you had, the more cultivation resources you could obtain!

Interesting!

Ling Chang'an gave the points system a big thumbs-up. He would earn more points later to exchange for things. Hmm, he could exchange them for a teacher lecturing for a full day and night. Yes, the purely lecturing kind.

Upon arriving in Xie Yue's room, the four of them sat around a round table. Hu Liena poured everyone a cup of tea, and only then did the discussion officially begin.

"Chang'an, do you have any specific ideas about us acting on our own this time?" Given what Ling Chang'an had said in the carriage, Xie Yue decided to ask him first.

Holding the fragrant tea in his hands, Ling Chang'an looked at his future brother-in-law, thought for a moment, then casually slapped the map of Mount Autumn Name onto the table.

"Here is Mount Autumn Name, where the bandits gather. Here is the main road, where merchant caravans often pass. And here—the mountains on both sides—are the best places for an ambush!"

As Ling Chang'an pointed out each location, Xie Yue and the others' thoughts followed his lead, and their hearts erupted in astonishment.

Damn, Junior Brother is awesome!

Damn, this potential rival is awesome!

Damn, this handsome guy is awesome!

Ling Chang'an's plan was actually very simple. They could either disguise themselves as a merchant caravan and lure the snake from its hole, or lie in wait near the places where the bandits would set up ambushes—while the mantis stalked the cicada, the oriole waited behind.

To play it safe, Ling Chang'an even offered up his poison and a few small gadgets.