Collecting Medicinal Herbs

Xue Lingyun knocked on the door to the Director of Teaching's office.

The door opened quickly, and Du Weilun stepped out. Compared to the formulaic gentle smile he usually wore, he seemed noticeably more enthusiastic now. "Lingyun classmate, you're here to collect the medicinal herbs, right? Come with me."

"Director Du." Xue Lingyun nodded in greeting, then followed behind him.

The two crossed the quiet corridors of the Office Building. Rather than going downstairs, they climbed two flights of stairs and stopped before a dark wooden door that was broader and more substantial than those of the other offices.

The plaque on the door bore three engraved words: "Dean's Office."

Du Weilun raised a hand and knocked. "Dean, I've brought Lingyun classmate."

"Come in." Yan Shaozhe's voice came from within.

Du Weilun pushed open the door and stepped aside to let Xue Lingyun enter, but showed no intention of following him in. He merely bowed slightly toward the room. "Dean, I'll go handle the matters at hand first."

With that, he turned and left, his footsteps gradually fading down the corridor.

As he entered, Xue Lingyun swept his gaze around the office first—it was still the same office he had visited on his first day at the academy.

A broad rosewood desk, Leather Chairs, and a Floor-to-ceiling Bookshelf that occupied an entire wall, neatly packed with books.

They were all brand-new, their spines crisp and straight, clearly never opened.

The floor was covered with a patterned carpet, the curtains were made of heavy dark brocade, and several pots of unnamed green plants stood by the windows.

The entire office was bright, imposing, and luxurious without a single flaw to pick at.

He had not had time to inspect it closely during his visit a few days ago, but now that he looked around again, everything he had seen before was almost unchanged from last time. It was so new that it resembled a model room.

This esteemed dean only came to the Outer Court a few times a year.

The Outer Court's affairs were usually handled by the Vice Dean and Director Du.

Only when he heard that an exceptionally outstanding student had appeared would he make a special trip to the Outer Court around the time of the Freshman Assessment.

Still, the Outer Court had built this office for him. Director Du had always arranged for people to maintain it regularly, so the dean could use it whenever he came by.

The higher-ups might not use certain things, but that did not mean you could afford not to prepare them.

Yan Shaozhe stood with his hands clasped behind his back, facing the window with his back to the door.

Sunlight edged his white robe in gold, making him look rather imposing.

Xue Lingyun clicked his tongue inwardly.

What a poser. He could practically imagine Yan Shaozhe hearing the knock just now, rising unhurriedly from his chair, strolling to the window, and setting up that pose. For a leader, keeping up appearances was a required course.

"Dean," Xue Lingyun called as well.

Only then did Yan Shaozhe slowly turn around, wearing a perfectly measured benevolent smile as his gaze settled on Xue Lingyun. "Lingyun, you're here."

He walked over and gestured for Xue Lingyun to sit across from the desk, then went around behind it and took his own seat.

Those eyes, always carrying a smile, lingered on Xue Lingyun's face for a moment, as though assessing how the boy had been doing these past few days.

Of course, he knew Xue Lingyun had come to collect medicinal herbs.

In fact, he had made a special trip to the Outer Court today precisely for this matter.

He had actually watched that afternoon's Physical Training Class from the shadows the entire time.

He had seen Xue Lingyun's performance clearly—his strength had crushed the entire field, yet he had not merely sought the spotlight for himself. Instead, within the rules, he had guided and helped the students who lagged behind, even stirring the whole class's refusal to admit defeat in the end.

Was he satisfied? Of course he was.

A genius with Twin Martial Souls, one of them possessing an extreme attribute—so long as he did not shout about blowing up Shrek, anything he did would look better through Yan Shaozhe's eyes.

What was more, this child's leadership talent and temperament truly far surpassed those of his peers.

Yet the more highly he regarded him, the more worried he became. Yan Shaozhe folded his hands on the desk and spoke gently. "Lingyun, I've had Weilun prepare all the medicinal herbs you requested. But..."

He paused and looked into Xue Lingyun's eyes. "I have to ask—are these medicinal herbs all meant to assist your cultivation?"

"Yes, Dean Yan," Xue Lingyun answered candidly.

"Cultivation is a good thing, but you must not rush for quick results." Yan Shaozhe slowed his voice, as if weighing every word. "You possess a Martial Soul with an extreme attribute. After level 30, your cultivation speed will indeed slow considerably compared to before. That is the nature of extreme attributes."

"But you should know that once you break through level 70, both your growth rate and your upper limit will far surpass those of ordinary Soul Masters of the same level. This is a process of building up reserves before making a breakthrough."

He leaned forward slightly, his tone growing more serious. "If, during this process, you become overly reliant on external aids—especially those fierce medicines that forcibly raise Soul Power but may damage your foundation—that would truly be a loss outweighing the gain. If the foundation is unstable, a tall building can easily collapse. I hope you understand this principle."

He was genuinely worried.

Over Shrek's ten thousand years of history, it had encountered only a few students with extreme attributes, let alone one who also possessed a Body Martial Soul.

The more important the body part associated with a Body Martial Soul, the stronger it was, and the heart's importance within the human body needed no explanation.

Moreover, for Twin Martial Souls to emerge, two conditions had to be met at once: the two Martial Souls had to differ in nature, while being comparable in quality.

Then the Body Martial Soul that had appeared alongside Extreme Ice could not possibly be of poor quality either.

If such a precious treasure went wrong under his watch because he was impatient for success, Yan Shaozhe feared he would wake up startled even in the middle of the night.

Xue Lingyun sat quietly and waited for Yan Shaozhe to finish before speaking. "Thank you for the reminder, Dean. I understand all of this."

His tone was calm, carrying a clarity beyond his years. "There are very few ingredients in the list I gave you that increase Soul Power, and they are all mild medicines meant to help with consolidation."

"The vast majority are body-tempering herbs used to strengthen the body, invigorate the blood, and stabilize the meridians. Cultivation is like building a tower—the firmer the foundation, the higher it can be built in the future. Haste makes waste. I understand that principle."

Yan Shaozhe stared at him for several seconds. The youth's gaze was clear, without the slightest flicker or reluctance.

His words had been organized and coherent. Clearly, he was not merely offering a temporary excuse, but had truly given the matter considerable thought.

The taut string in Yan Shaozhe's heart finally relaxed.

Good. He understood.

What he had feared was youthful impulsiveness, that he would be blinded by the temptation of rapid advancement.

Since the boy knew what he was doing, Yan Shaozhe could rest easy.

If Xue Lingyun truly did something reckless in secret, the academy might not be able to watch him at every moment. It was better to lay everything out plainly now.

"Good, good." The smile on Yan Shaozhe's face became far more genuine, and he even leaned back in relief. "With such understanding, I can rest assured. Shrek has never been stingy with its resources toward true talent. Use them well, and cultivate well."

He offered a few more words of encouragement, then asked whether Xue Lingyun had adjusted to his accommodations, whether the Canteen food suited his tastes, and whether he needed anything else.

Xue Lingyun answered each question, respectful but not servile.

At last, Yan Shaozhe took a palm-sized, finely crafted silver ring from a drawer and pushed it toward Xue Lingyun.

"The medicinal herbs are all inside. This Storage Soul Tool has fairly good capacity. Consider it a small bit of support from the academy; it'll be convenient for you in the future as well."

Xue Lingyun took the ring. It felt slightly cool to the touch, and simple cloud patterns were engraved upon it.

He infused a thread of Soul Power into it to inspect it. The interior space was quite ample. Compared with the ring's compact size, its spatial capacity was considered quite good among the Storage Soul Tools he had used.

The medicinal herbs had been sorted and arranged neatly in Jade Boxes.

He gave them a cursory glance. There were Iron Bone Vine and Stone Marrow Grass for tempering the muscles and bones; Crimson Blood Ginseng and Vermilion Fruit for invigorating the blood; Jade Marrow Ganoderma and Warm Vein Flower for nourishing the meridians; as well as several supplementary ingredients for balancing the medicinal properties and promoting absorption.

The quantities were generous, and their quality was clearly superior at a glance.

After examining the medicinal herbs, Xue Lingyun carefully inspected the ring itself. Its design was simple, with silver beneath cloud patterns. It was not ostentatious, and it suited his tastes.

"Thank you, Dean." He put the ring on his finger, and it fit perfectly.

Yan Shaozhe waved a hand. "Go on, cultivate well. The Freshman Assessment is not far off. I look forward to seeing your performance."

Xue Lingyun rose to take his leave, walked out of the Dean's Office, and gently closed the door behind him.