The squads that had come to the Golden Saber Shop seeking to join it already believed Qin Yuan could bring them a steady stream of commissions and protect them when necessary.
Anyone who had spent years in the Soul Hunting Squad business had seen every kind of employer.
Employers failing to pay the balance was commonplace. Some even tried to kill them!
Qin Yuan could not only recover the money they were owed but also offer their members a measure of safety. That stability was exactly what they needed.
The man stirring up trouble was plainly acting against the squads' interests.
No one joined in. Afraid he would draw attention to himself if he continued, the troublemaker slunk away.
But the Golden Saber Shop was just getting started. Yu Luomian's scheming had delayed its business, and it had yet to build a steady customer base.
For now, the shop could not support too many squads, so it expanded to just five.
The remaining squads would have to wait until business stabilized before applying again.
Qin Yuan held considerable standing among Heaven Dou City's nobles. He subsequently bought the Golden Saber Shop's premises from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
He also bought several nearby shops to expand the business.
In addition, Qin Yuan purchased a newly developed plot of land in the city to serve as a base for the squads under the shop's banner.
On the surface, those moves required a hefty upfront investment.
But with a stable place to live, squad members would feel a stronger sense of belonging and be more willing to accept the shop's direction.
That night, Qin Yuan called Chen Ze to his room.
Looking at his childhood friend, Qin Yuan felt a tangle of emotions.
Years after leaving their village, he had finally fulfilled his old promise and built a stable business.
"Chen Ze, I'll leave most matters concerning future commissions to you. Most members of those squads are Soul Ancestors, and a few are even Soul Kings. Your strength is a little lacking. Some of the new arrivals are bound to question your authority."
Chen Ze spread his hands with a rueful smile.
He had indeed grown lax in his cultivation.
The shop now brought in more money than he had ever earned before, and he no longer wanted to drive himself so hard.
Neither of them had exceptional talent, but Qin Yuan had broken through to Soul King at thirty—a testament to how hard he had worked! Chen Ze was far less gifted than Qin Yuan. Everything he had achieved had been forced out of him by the need to survive.
Now that life was comfortable, how could he have the same drive as before?
Qin Yuan did not blame him for that.
He had promised Chen Ze that once they made money, he could enjoy life.
Still, he needed a certain level of strength.
Soul Power Level was like a foot in the door.
Take Dugu Bo. Whatever he said, people would believe him! It was hardly because they trusted him as a person. They trusted his cultivation as a Titled Douluo.
Qin Yuan took an Immortal Herb from his Soul Tool and placed it in Chen Ze's hand. "The shop will be our security from now on, but I have more important tasks to carry out. Managing it will still fall to you."
"This is a Heavenly Treasure I got from Senior Dugu. Refine and absorb it with your Soul Power. It'll do you good."
He deliberately avoided calling it an "Immortal Herb."
The Golden Saber Shop would inevitably deal in intelligence one day.
If Chen Ze knew about Immortal Herbs and let it slip someday, Qin Yuan's life could be at risk.
"Brother, this is too precious. If you absorbed a Heavenly Treasure like this, your strength..."
Qin Yuan shook his head. "I've already absorbed one. Bite off more than you can chew, and you'll choke. Besides, this is a gift from Senior Dugu. Take it, but don't tell anyone. We shouldn't bring him trouble."
After absorbing the Immortal Herb, Chen Ze officially reached the Soul King realm. His talent improved as well, giving him a chance to break through to even higher levels.
Over the next two days, Qin Yuan personally helped him obtain a suitable Fifth Soul Ring.
After that, he finished dealing with the shop's odds and ends just as the three days Meng Shenji had given him came to an end.
Early that morning, Qin Yuan arrived at the foot of the academy's mountain carrying the token that marked him as a teacher at Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
The gatekeeper had been notified in advance. He welcomed Qin Yuan warmly and passed along a message. "The Three Education Commissioners have gone out on business for the next couple of days. Teacher Qin can report directly to the Battle Team's Training Room. All the formalities are done."
Qin Yuan nodded.
In fact, the Fighting Team had no supervising teacher for this year's tournament.
With Lei Meng's former unruly temperament, no teacher had been able to keep him in check. The academy had been unable to assign the team one.
Yet Lei Meng held Qin Yuan in high regard. Without question, Qin Yuan was the best choice.
When they learned he was coming, the Fighting Team lined up outside the Training Room under Lei Meng's lead and held a brief welcome ceremony.
"Welcome, Teacher Qin! We look forward to your guidance!"
Qin Yuan swept his gaze over them. Without a word, he beckoned them into the Training Room.
He had always acted swiftly and decisively.
Besides, after two years of training, the Fighting Team had long since practiced the coordination they needed. He did not have to worry about that.
The team also had a "brain trust" of several teachers behind it. Once the tournament began, those teachers could devise the most suitable tactics.
Meng Shenji's main reason for sending Qin Yuan was to rein in this band of arrogant fighters and straighten out the Battle Team's discipline!
"Lei Meng, step forward!"
Lei Meng's face lit up, and he quickly took a step forward.
He had caused no end of commotion at home trying to become Qin Yuan's disciple.
Qin Yuan had not formally accepted him, but he was willing to teach him everything he knew about blade techniques. How could Lei Meng not be delighted?
He had made up his mind: whether Qin Yuan acknowledged him as a disciple or not, Qin Yuan would be the master who passed on his knowledge and skills!
As far as Qin Yuan was concerned, the blade techniques he had received as System Rewards were his to teach.
For one thing, they were not a family inheritance, so he felt no qualms about passing them on. For another, even stronger blade techniques might appear among future System Rewards!
Having accepted the assignment, he would do his utmost to keep the Battle Team in line.
As captain of the Battle Team, Lei Meng commanded enormous respect. If Qin Yuan started with him, wouldn't everyone else fall into line?
Qin Yuan had gained a new understanding of the Five-Star Mission.
For one thing, he had never gone through the process of learning a blade technique from scratch and perfecting it. He did not know how long that would take.
According to the information he had, the Fighting Team's performance fluctuated wildly. The gap between their best and worst was glaring.
In that state, they might soar straight into the sky—or be eliminated in the first round.
A Five-Star Mission was bound to be difficult, but that difficulty did not necessarily lie solely in life-or-death battles.
Getting Lei Meng to grasp the essence of the blade technique would be a long-term test.
After all, it depended as much on Lei Meng's comprehension as on Qin Yuan's teaching.
If either fell short, teaching Lei Meng the blade technique could take years, perhaps even more than a decade.
Then there was the team's performance. If they failed to make the top three, his mission would fail outright.
He would gain nothing, and all his effort would go to waste.
So, for his own sake and to make the most of the System Reward, he had to take the next two-odd months seriously. He could not let up for a moment.
Before you continue