Zhao Deyun smiled faintly and cupped his fists in thanks.
"Of course there is, but if I say it, I'll need Minister Xie to lend a hand."
Xie Hong's heart tightened.
Old fox.
Did he really think Xie Hong did not know what Zhao Deyun was planning?
"Go ahead, Principal Zhao. As the head of Cloud Water City's Martial Arts Ministry of Education, I never dared forget my duties."
Zhao Deyun paused in surprise.
"Our Martial Arts High Schools and the Martial Arts Ministry of Education exist to discover more outstanding martial artists for Great Xia!"
The two exchanged a glance and smiled at each other.
Xie Hong lightly tapped his fingers against the wooden table, making a thump, thump, thump sound.
"I can't afford to provoke the Qiu Family head."
Zhao Deyun nodded. "Neither can I."
Xie Hong gave Zhao Deyun a deep look but said nothing.
"Matters between young people should be handled by young people themselves."
"Principal Zhao, I don't object to you poaching Xu Zhiming for your school."
"One mountain cannot contain two tigers, especially two tigers with a grudge between them. Separating them for now is the best solution."
"Xu Zhiming is not his opponent for the moment. Let him develop for a while longer."
"You submit the application, and I'll approve it."
Zhao Deyun nodded heavily.
He had not expected this matter to go so smoothly.
He had originally thought he would need to negotiate with Xie Hong for quite some time.
Xie Hong had agreed so readily that none of Zhao Deyun's prepared arguments had even been used.
Xie Hong watched Zhao Deyun leave and let out a long breath.
Getting on good terms early with a Prodigy who had reached the sixth level of Wind Thunder Fist was certainly the right move.
If Xu Zhiming grew stronger, it would no longer be Xie Hong's turn to befriend him.
Xu Zhiming's aptitude might not have been exceptional, but his persistence and diligence beyond ordinary people were the greatest cheat a person could possess.
On the path of martial arts, aptitude merely raised one's upper limit.
"Perhaps Xu Zhiming will become the next True King Wind Thunder and change the saying that poor families rarely produce noble sons?"
"No, Xu Zhiming does not count as being from a poor family. Judging from the records, his ancestors do not seem to have ever been wealthy either."
Xie Hong continued handling his work.
First, he needed to send Xu Zhiming's video to the higher-ups.
Vitality and blood: 18.78. Wind Thunder Fist: sixth level.
He had met the qualifications for Great Xia's Prodigy Selection.
They would need to be more careful during this period.
The Wheel Turning Cult loved assassinating Prodigies before they had fully grown.
Zhao Deyun would probably remind Xu Zhiming to be cautious.
After Zhao Deyun left,
he immediately found Zhang Wei.
It was simple: poach Zhang Wei to Yunshui Second High School.
Zhang Wei looked at the principal before him, someone who could be called a household name in Cloud Water City.
It would have been a lie to say he was not nervous.
"Principal Zhao, may I ask what you came to see me about?"
Zhao Deyun waved his hand, signaling Zhang Wei not to be so tense.
"I came to see you because there is an important matter I may need your help with."
Zhang Wei raised his brows, not daring to agree right away.
He was just an ordinary little teacher. Other than luckily breaking through to Level Ten,
and teaching Xu Zhiming, what could he possibly help Zhao Deyun with?
If a principal could not solve the problem, how could an ordinary little teacher like him solve it?
The hot blood that had initially surged through him cooled down.
He had thought he might be able to build some ties with Zhao Deyun, making things easier when he applied and interviewed for Yunshui Second High School later.
Still, the proper courtesies had to be observed. He opened a drawer and poured tea leaves into a paper cup.
"Please go ahead, Principal Zhao. If I can help, I'll certainly do my utmost. Have some tea and take your time."
Zhao Deyun waved his hand.
"No tea. Can you help me contact Xu Zhiming? I want to poach him to our school."
Rustle, rustle...
The tea leaves quickly filled an entire cup.
"Teacher Zhang, you've poured all the tea leaves out for the table to drink."
After reminding him, Zhao Deyun continued.
"Of course, I won't ask you to help for nothing. You offended Peng Sixiong, so you can no longer stay at Yunshui First High School."
"You have also reached Yunshui Second High School's minimum vitality and blood standard. As a Level Ten Martial Artist, you can teach at our school."
"But you must bring Xu Zhiming with you."
Zhang Wei did not even have time to care about the scattered tea leaves on the table.
Was this riding on Xu Zhiming's coattails? He could go to Yunshui Second High School without even taking an exam?
Zhang Wei took a deep breath and pushed up his black-rimmed glasses.
If he could become a teacher at Yunshui Second High School, his girlfriend would definitely be able to marry him this year.
Zhao Deyun looked at Zhang Wei.
"Principal Zhao, I know Yunshui Second High School has a better academic atmosphere, and becoming a teacher there has always been a goal I've worked toward."
"But I still respect Xu Zhiming's wishes. If he does not want to go, I will not force him."
Zhao Deyun's favorable impression of this delicate-looking teacher increased considerably.
This was what a teacher with true professional ethics looked like.
If it had been an ordinary teacher, he would probably have called Xu Zhiming already, going on about how wonderful Yunshui Second High School was.
He could resist temptation and had not gone along with Peng Sixiong.
Even if Xu Zhiming did not go to Yunshui Second High School, Zhao Deyun could not afford to overlook Zhang Wei when he applied there later.
"Alright."
"Contact Xu Zhiming. I'll discuss it with him."
Zhang Wei nodded.
He picked up his phone and sent Xu Zhiming a message.
Zhao Deyun took the phone, calculating in his heart how many resources it would take to move Xu Zhiming.
"Hello, Xu Zhiming."
"I'm Zhao Dezhu, principal of Yunshui Second High School. I want to poach you to study at Yunshui Second High School."
"I can provide you with these resources. See whether they are enough..."
Wind Thunder Martial Hall.
Meng Tian pricked up his ears. He had thought Xu Zhiming's call would give him a chance to rest.
Crackle...
"Focus. The fifth level of Wind Thunder Fist isn't so easy to practice!"
Xu Zhiming stretched out his right hand and moved the phone slightly farther from his mouth.
"Understood, Brother Xu!"
He sat down to the side, preparing to have a proper talk with Zhao Deyun.
In this era where everyone practiced martial arts to improve their vitality and blood,
gifted students were watched at all times.
Generally speaking, as long as it was not a transfer across provinces, students could transfer schools even the day before the Martial Arts Exam.
This policy had been introduced to unearth more geniuses.
Geniuses born in small places could easily fall behind students with abundant resources if they remained somewhere unable to keep up in resources.
Xu Zhiming was not opposed to transferring to Yunshui Second High School either.
There was an old saying that put it well.
What you took the initiative to ask for was different from what others took the initiative to offer.
Xu Zhiming preferred to keep the initiative in his own hands.
If he took the initiative to approach Zhao Deyun, the initiative would no longer be in his hands. No one would ever complain about having too many resources.
"Tell me the requirements for transferring first."
"Principal Zhao, you should tell me first. What resources can Yunshui Second High School offer me?"
Silence.
On the other end of the call, Zhao Deyun felt as though he had encountered an opponent.
He had originally thought Xu Zhiming would be easy to bring to Yunshui Second High School. Apparently, that was not the case.
Xu Zhiming's tone was calm, as if he had anticipated this long ago.
Moreover, he remained so composed before the principal of Yunshui Second High School. His temperament was quite impressive.
Many students whose cultivation speed was fairly good would become somewhat nervous when speaking with Zhao Deyun.
Then he would use the first move: appeal to emotion and reason.
He would begin by analyzing Xu Zhiming's current situation.
"Xu Zhiming, you have made such a huge mess with Peng Sixiong, and there is also Qiu Yingzong. I hear his vitality and blood has already reached eighty points."
"If you remain at Yunshui First High School, it will be difficult for you to ever rise above the crowd, and not many resources will be allocated to you."
"For what Peng Sixiong did this time, he has been suspended and placed under school probation. He will not be promoted again in the future."
"His path to promotion has been sealed off, so he will definitely suppress you. If you stay at Yunshui First High School, you will not receive many resources."
Listening to the words in his ear, Xu Zhiming could not help nodding.
Zhao Deyun's analysis was correct. That was also one of the reasons Xu Zhiming did not want to remain at Yunshui First High School.
However, Xu Zhiming had one concern about leaving Yunshui First High School.
Since Zhao Deyun had taken the initiative to call him, he could throw that concern to Zhao Deyun to handle.
"Let me first see what resources you can offer me, Principal Zhao. Then I'll state my conditions."
Zhao Deyun lightly rubbed the phone screen with his fingers.
He slowly stated the resources he could offer.
"Two hundred thousand yuan worth of resources each month, along with the qualification to visualize an E-grade Martial Dao Visualization Chart."
"If you become a true Prodigy, I will also reward you with a martial skill."
Xu Zhiming considered it.
Those resources were quite good.
The E-grade Martial Dao Visualization Chart alone was worth more than two million on the market.
Adding three months of cash, that was a reward of more than two million.
For the first time, Xu Zhiming felt what it was like to truly be valued after his strength improved.
"A true Prodigy? Principal Zhao, do you have so little confidence in me?"
Meng Tian pricked up his ears, trying to eavesdrop.
Crackle.
"Hiss, hiss..."
"I'm numb. I'm numb..."
After dealing with Meng Tian,
Xu Zhiming made his demands.
"The qualification to visualize the E-grade Martial Dao Visualization Chart—sell it to someone else for me and exchange it for cash."
"I have a few more requests."
"If Zeng Hao and the others, as well as Zhang Wei and Wang Hu, are willing to come to Yunshui Second High School, I hope Principal Zhao can take them in."
Zhao Deyun paused in surprise.
He turned to look at Zhang Wei beside him.
Zhang Wei's gaze flickered.
He raised a hand and rubbed his eyes.
He had not expected Xu Zhiming to take the initiative to bring up this matter to Zhao Deyun.
Upon hearing Xu Zhiming's request, Zhao Deyun agreed without hesitation.
"Alright, no problem. Give me a list of the students."
Xie Hong had told him to submit the application and approve the forms.
Approving one person's form was a form; approving the forms for more than ten people was also just approving forms.
Zhao Deyun had wanted to ask Xu Zhiming why he wished to sell the E-grade Martial Dao Visualization Chart, but Xu Zhiming's voice came through.
"Principal Zhao, let me speak with my homeroom teacher."
"Brother Wei, leave the matter of those students to you. You'll be their homeroom teacher."
Zhang Wei nodded repeatedly.
He recalled how yesterday, he had brought wine to his girlfriend and asked her to give it to his future father-in-law.
After hearing about his situation, his future father-in-law comforted him.
"First High School has no real prospects for development. You should retake the College Entrance Exam and try for Second High School."
"If you get into Second High School, I'll marry my daughter to you."
He had never imagined that today, he would be able to transfer to Second High School without having to retake the exam.
It seemed that after the College Entrance Exam, he could still have Xu Zhiming attend his wedding.
All of this was thanks to Xu Zhiming.
"No problem."
Zhang Wei looked at Zhao Deyun.
"Principal, Xu Zhiming meant for the dozen or so of us to form one class."
"You're still laughing? Do you know Xu Zhiming didn't want the E-grade Visualization Chart? He wanted to sell that qualification to someone else."
Zhang Wei could no longer laugh.
Before you continue