I Want to Be the Boss?

The originally clamorous crowd fell silent in an instant.

This was Qinglan Academy—Teacher Mu's intimidating authority.

Although Li Yubai was the academy's dean, as the city lord, he was occupied with countless affairs every day and had no time to manage it. In truth, Teacher Mu was Qinglan Academy's real leader.

It was said that he had once been a super expert at Nascent Soul Perfection. Though no one knew why his cultivation had now fallen to Nascent Soul Realm Beginner, no one could question his strength.

Over the years, under Teacher Mu's management, Qinglan Academy had steadily grown stronger. More than a dozen Core Formation Realm students had graduated in succession, and it had faintly become capable of standing toe-to-toe with Cangyun Academy. Thus, everyone trusted this Teacher Mu who was not the dean.

"All newly enrolled students, follow me. Everyone else is strictly forbidden from entering the academy."

Teacher Mu swept his gaze across the crowd and spoke coldly.

Meanwhile, Li Mu was secretly wondering whether the system mission had been completed. Strictly speaking, Hao Meng and he could at most be considered evenly matched.

Mission complete. Mission reward issued.

A crisp electronic prompt rang out. The system still acknowledged Li Mu's victory. Seliya, the young girl in a Western-style dress, appeared in his mind once more, smiling sweetly at him.

"Looks like Senior Hao took the initiative to admit defeat, so the system still judged that I won."

Li Mu secretly rejoiced. Then, following the girl in his mind, he entered a tree hollow. To his surprise, there was a whole other world inside: colored glass curtain walls and a soft purple carpet. Wasn't this the bedroom of the goddess Seliya from that ancient game? Sure enough, just like in the game, Li Mu quickly discovered this mission's reward in a corner—a huge iron treasure chest.

The treasure chest looked as though it had weathered the passage of time. It was covered in rust, and even its lock had been damaged.

"It really is a Shabby Iron Vault."

Remembering the description of this mission reward, Li Mu found the name remarkably fitting. He then opened the chest and directly placed the Shadowless Sword in his hand inside it before withdrawing his consciousness back into reality.

He discovered that the Shadowless Sword that had been in his hand had truly vanished, leaving Li Mu utterly astonished.

"This really is spatial storage. The power of space is profound beyond measure. Legend has it that only supreme Powerful Beings of the Tribulation Crossing Realm can glimpse even a trace of its mysteries, so the emergence of every Spatial Magical Treasure causes storms of blood and wind. Yet I've obtained this ability directly. This Simulation System is far too overpowered."

Li Mu was ecstatic. Just imagine it: if he obtained any treasures in the future, he could directly put them into the chest. They would be absolutely safe.

Moreover, in the original game, this chest could be upgraded. Perhaps the warehouse function in the Simulation System could also be improved. That would be even more beneficial to him.

At that thought, a somewhat lecherous smile involuntarily appeared on Li Mu's face.

"Ahem, Junior Li, sorry for the trouble, but Teacher Mu doesn't allow companions to enter. Could I ask you to look after my little sister? She's still young, so please don't let her cause any trouble."

Seeing Li Mu drooling again, Hao Meng truly wondered for a moment what this powerful Junior Li was thinking about. He kept revealing strange expressions at every turn, making Hao Meng's hand—originally intending to send Hao Xiaomeng over to Li Mu—stretch out and pull back, then stretch out and pull back again. It was unbearably awkward.

"Hahaha, Senior Hao, no need to be so polite. I'll definitely take good care of Xiaomeng."

Pulled out of his fantasies by Hao Meng, Li Mu hurriedly grabbed Hao Xiaomeng's hand and pulled her to his side. He affectionately rubbed her head and readily agreed to Hao Meng's request.

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Junior Li. Earlier, I heard from Senior Sister Qingzhu that you also enrolled in the Profound Tier Class I'm in. Xiaomeng is as well, so we should be seeing each other again soon."

Hao Meng cupped his hands toward Li Mu once more, then turned and entered the academy alone through the side gate.

After Li Mu exchanged a few more words with Lin Qingzhu, he led Hao Xiaomeng along with the new students and crossed through Qinglan Academy's gates.

Qinglan Academy had a total of forty-five new students this time. Five entered the Heaven Tier Class, ten entered the Earth Tier Class, and all the rest entered the Profound Tier Class.

The academy's current students were distributed roughly the same way. The Heaven Tier Class had the fewest students, only a little over twenty, while the Profound Tier Class had the most, approaching two hundred.

On the path of cultivation, talent, diligence, and resources were all indispensable. Those who passed the selection and successfully enrolled in the academy were already one in a hundred, while those able to enter the Heaven Tier Class were even dragons and phoenixes among men. The academy would naturally nurture them with all its strength. After all, once one stepped into the Core Formation Realm, one gained the qualifications to join a true cultivation sect. Only then would the immortal path truly unfold, offering a chance to strike at even higher realms. And any Nascent Soul Realm cultivator could bring prosperity to their Lineage and shelter blessings over an entire region.

The five new Heaven Tier Class students naturally took the lead, following closely behind Teacher Mu at the very front of the group. All five came from Aristocratic Clans, and each of their ancestors had produced Nascent Soul Realm cultivators. Both their talent and their family foundations gave them a greater chance to continue along this immortal path.

Behind them came the ten Earth Tier Class students. Most came from wealthy families, and because they possessed considerable cultivation talent, their elders had sent them to the academy. If fortune favored them and they could step into the Core Formation Realm, it would also be a tremendous help to their families' development.

The crowd at the back was the largest. Aside from Li Mu and Hao Xiaomeng, they were all commoner children. They carried the hopes of their entire households. Their parents had smashed pots and sold iron to send them to Qinglan Academy to study, all in hopes that one day they could change their families' fates. Though the odds were exceedingly, exceedingly low, so long as there was even the slightest possibility, every parent would give their all.

This reminded Li Mu of the educational system in his original world. There were only so many prestigious universities, yet tens of thousands of students competed for them. Many families knew perfectly well that they could not squeeze onto that single-plank bridge, yet they still waited with eager anticipation, because they knew that once they succeeded, a crow would become a phoenix and their lives would change forever.

"Xiaomeng, why did you enroll in the Profound Tier Class? With your Hao Family's foundation and your talent, you should have gone to the Heaven Tier Class."

At that moment, Hao Xiaomeng, beside him, was blinking her big eyes and looking all around, as though everything here was fresh and new.

"Mm, because my brother is there, so I want to go too."

Hao Meng had originally studied in the Heaven Tier Class, but after five whole years of failing to advance, he felt too ashamed to keep consuming the academy's resources. Thus, two years earlier, he had voluntarily transferred to the Profound Tier Class.

Hao Xiaomeng's answer was so straightforward, and so resolute. The road to seeking immortality was as difficult as ascending to heaven. Every day, brothers turned against brothers and siblings slaughtered one another over a thread of illusory possibility. Seeing such affection between the Hao siblings moved even Li Mu.

Along the way, Teacher Mu led everyone on a tour of the academy's various facilities and explained its basic teaching principles. At the same time, considering the circumstances of the Profound Tier Class freshmen, he offered suggestions on how they could obtain the resources needed for cultivation through their own efforts.

The academy supported students of commoner origins and poor family circumstances in earning income through learning secondary professions, then exchanging that income for the resources they needed to cultivate.

Secondary professions such as forging and alchemy were popular elective courses among the students. They could sell the pills, weapons, and other products of these professions to the academy in exchange for money to continue supporting their cultivation.

"I didn't expect the academy to be so humane. Although Qinglan Academy doesn't charge any tuition, daily expenses alone are enough to crush many commoner households."

As Li Mu marveled at the academy's sensible system, he wondered whether his simulation shop, aside from purchasing goods, also had a function for recycling items. He would definitely have to test it when he had the chance.

"This is the Profound Tier Class classroom. Students of this class may enter on their own. Your seniors will tell you what to do next."

After the brief academy tour ended, Teacher Mu brought everyone to the appropriate classrooms for their respective classes. After giving a few instructions to the class monitors, he left.

The Profound Tier Class classroom was extremely large. Rather than a classroom, it was more like an auditorium, with more than enough room for two hundred students.

The Profound Tier Class monitor was none other than Hao Meng. Before Li Mu even reached the classroom entrance, Hao Xiaomeng was already bouncing toward her brother. She was still only a ten-year-old little girl, and Li Mu found her actions exceptionally adorable.

After greeting Hao Meng, Li Mu directly took a seat in the last row. Looking at the bustling, lively scene inside the classroom, he could not help but sigh. He had never expected that one day he would return to campus again. Memories of his past life intertwined with the scene before him, making it feel as though a lifetime had passed.

"Everyone, quiet down. I have a few words to say."

A voice pulled Li Mu back from his thoughts. It was Hao Meng, standing at the podium and signaling everyone to be quiet.

This Senior Hao was not only the strongest in the Profound Tier Class, but he also often helped classmates in need. Thus, the moment he spoke, the classroom immediately fell silent.

Following custom, Hao Meng first welcomed the new students, and the freshmen introduced themselves one by one. But after Li Mu finished speaking, the students clearly began whispering among themselves, casting rather meaningful looks in his direction.

"This damned reputation."

Li Mu knew that everyone was discussing nothing more than his former romantic exploits. But the facts were what they were, and there was nothing he could do about it.

"Today, I have another matter to announce. Starting today, I will no longer serve as class monitor. I nominate student Li Mu to succeed me."

However, Hao Meng's next sentence startled Li Mu so badly that his jaw nearly dropped, and it also provoked an uproar among the other students.

"Why? Class monitor, we don't agree."

"That's right. We've all seen your strength, and you've always treated us wonderfully. If you're the class monitor, I accept it. But anyone else? Hmph."

"Class monitor, did someone force you to do this? Just say the word. We absolutely won't stand for it."

A single stone stirred a thousand waves. Hao Meng's words ignited the entire classroom, and the looks everyone gave Li Mu began to turn hostile.