Yuan Tuo looked at Meng Anli with a smile. "You have the final say."
She could really have the final say? Meng Anli seized the chance. "I want Lu Yao to cultivate with me."
Lu Yao was not too surprised. After all, Anli had encountered a fortunate opportunity, so she would certainly lend her a hand.
Still, she was delighted. "Thank you, Anli!"
Yuan Tuo sighed inwardly. Sure enough, just as his master had predicted.
Before he came, his master had said, "She will certainly ask Lu Yao to join her. The headmaster will surely have you take on a few more students to teach. Pick a few suitable ones to keep her company."
Sure enough, the headmaster took the opportunity to say, "Teaching two people is still teaching a class. Why not select a few more gifted students and teach them together?"
Yuan Tuo once again marveled at his master's cleverness and said nothing.
The headmaster took a step back. "Even if they only sit in as auditors, that would be fine."
Yuan Tuo nodded haughtily. "Very well. Since the headmaster has asked, I naturally have to give you some face."
The moment those words fell, all the disciples grew excited.
After all, anyone who could make the headmaster so respectful must surely be highly capable.
Some bowed toward Yuan Tuo, hoping to catch his eye, while others went to speak with Meng Anli.
After all, this man had said he would listen to Anli as well.
Yuan Tuo looked down and saw ten youths standing loosely at the very edge, none of them wearing academy uniforms.
Two youths stood at their head.
The red-haired youth had inky brows pressing down over his eyes. He looked fierce and hard to provoke. When his gaze met Yuan Tuo's, it carried mockery and disdain, and he turned to speak with the white-clothed, black-haired youth.
The curve of that youth's lips remained lifted, and his eyes bent like crescent moons. He looked good-tempered, yet his gaze revealed shrewdness.
Interesting.
Yuan Tuo pointed at that group. "Those ones."
The headmaster followed his finger, and his smile froze on his face. "Th... them?"
Meng Anli looked over as well, somewhat surprised when she saw that group.
They were a group of disciples who refused to strive for improvement. The headmaster worried they would hold back the other disciples, so he had gathered them all into that class.
The ten disciples possessed inner cores of every attribute.
They had no fixed instructor. Whenever an instructor had time, they would go teach them a little; when no one had time, they simply let them make a fuss on their own.
In any case, they were in the small courtyard at the very back, separated from the front courtyard by a training ground, so they would not hinder the other disciples.
Seeing the varied expressions on everyone's faces, Yuan Tuo asked the headmaster, "What is the problem?"
The headmaster said awkwardly, "They are all here merely to muddle through their days."
The red-haired youth called out teasingly, "Hey~ We don't want to study. Pick someone else to serve as study companions for your Princess Anli."
The other disciples in their class laughed without the slightest restraint.
Yuan Tuo was not angered. "Is that so? Then that means you are the most suitable. After all, with you as study companions, our Princess Anli will take first place every time."
The red-haired youth choked on his words. His brows pressed down slightly, making him look even fiercer. "We are unwilling to play second fiddle."
"That is not for you to decide." Yuan Tuo looked at the headmaster. "It is them."
"Then... very well." Still unwilling to give up, the headmaster said, "If you take a fancy to any other disciples, you may tell me at any time."
"Mm."
Meng Anli looked at the red-haired youth. He was cursing under his breath, clearly harboring deep resentment toward her.
Meng Anli then looked at the smiling youth.
The youth nodded to her politely before the red-haired youth dragged him away.
The assembly dispersed.
Yuan Tuo landed beside Meng Anli. "My apologies. I came late."
Meng Anli hurriedly waved her hands. "No, no, it is not late. Why did you come here?"
"We can discuss that later. Shall we go take a look at the new class?"
"Alright."
Meng Anli went to find Lu Yao.
Lu Yao took her hand. "I'll go to my original Shen Class to collect my books first, then I'll come find you in the afternoon."
"Alright."
Meng Anli and Yuan Tuo crossed the martial training ground together and arrived at the small courtyard in the back.
This place looked like an abandoned courtyard. There were no flowers or plants, and the buildings were rather dilapidated.
A peeling wooden plaque hung on the door of the largest room on the first floor. It bore the words: Gui Class.
"Gui..." Yuan Tuo frowned. "The lowest rank among the Ten Heavenly Stems. It refers to all things filthy, impractical, destructive, and prone to burrowing into a dead end."
It seemed the headmaster truly disliked the people in this class. He had never seen any other academy use "Gui" as a class name.
Meng Anli said gently, "But Gui Water is yin in nature—calm, gentle, diligent, and hardworking. It carries a good meaning."
Yuan Tuo was slightly stunned, then chuckled. "You are right. You and I both belong to water. Now that we have come, perhaps this class can become better."
He pushed open the door, and a mass of black mist came hurtling at him. A black water serpent could vaguely be seen within it.
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