Then.
Mu Jin exhaled and said, "What's your academy called? And if you don't have any students yet, why have you already started looking for teachers? Also, why did you come straight to me?"
As she spoke, Mu Jin fixed her gaze on Huo Yuhao and asked again, "One last question: why did you happen to show up just when I was in danger?"
Huo Yuhao replied, "Teacher Mu, my academy is called Jia Nan Academy."
"As for why I came to you..."
Huo Yuhao paused, gritting his teeth. He couldn't exactly say it was because of a system quest, so he decided to make something up for now.
"Teacher Mu, when I first met you, I felt an immediate connection. Perhaps it was fate."
Huo Yuhao paused briefly, his expression turning nonchalant, then continued.
"Of course, if you're unwilling, I can ask Teacher Zhou. She's already agreed to join the academy."
"But I still wanted to ask you first. You were the first person I approached, so if you really don't want to come, I'll have to make other arrangements..."
"Fine, I'm in." Mu Jin agreed before Huo Yuhao could finish.
When Mu Jin heard Huo Yuhao mention that Teacher Zhou had already agreed, she instinctively refused to be outdone, driven by her rivalry with her love rival.
In her view, love rivals didn't need much of a reason.
Hearing her response, Huo Yuhao finally relaxed. Using a love rival to spur someone on really did seem remarkably effective.
Mu Jin then asked, "So why did you happen to be here and save me?"
Huo Yuhao answered without much hesitation. "I was planning to go to class this morning, but I ran into you on the way."
He paused slightly, then changed tack. "At first, I wasn't planning to follow you. But I noticed that the student you brought along kept staring at your backside."
"He looked pretty lecherous, too. So I thought you might be in danger. Besides, we're students of Shrek Academy. We should have a big heart. We need to be united and kind, right?"
"So my sincere heart wouldn't let anything happen to you. I skipped class this morning to keep an eye on you. I never expected something really would happen, so I stepped in to help."
At Huo Yuhao's words, Mu Jin's lips twitched almost imperceptibly.
Huo Yuhao continued, "And, Teacher Mu..."
"Don't dwell on why I happened to run into you. Maybe it was fate."
"Whatever the case, I mean you no harm. I didn't summon that giant ape, and I even saved you. Please don't think I have ulterior motives."
Mu Jin took a deep breath and replied, "I'm not as narrow-minded as you think."
Then.
Mu Jin answered briskly, "Fine, I agree. From now on, I'm a teacher at Jia Nan Academy."
Huo Yuhao finally relaxed.
At the same time, the system's voice rang out.
[Ding! Congratulations, host. You have obtained 30,000 points.] [Ding! Congratulations, host. Your Soul Power has increased by two levels.] [Ding! Congratulations, host. You have obtained the Amethyst Winged Lion King's blood essence.]
Huo Yuhao's eyes lit up at the system's announcement.
At the same time, he could sense a jade bottle made from some unknown material in his system storage.
Inside it was, of course, the Amethyst Winged Lion King's blood essence.
The points had been deposited directly into the system interface, bringing his total to more than 81,000.
He had actually had a lot more points before, but he had spent quite a few to upgrade Liu Erlong.
With Mu Jin right beside him, a sudden two-level increase in Soul Power would inevitably draw too much attention.
So Huo Yuhao decided to put off increasing his Soul Power for the time being.
Seeing the delight on Huo Yuhao's face, Mu Jin looked puzzled.
"Hey, Huo Yuhao, what's wrong?"
Huo Yuhao came back to himself. "Nothing. I just thought of something that made me happy."
Mu Jin thought it over, then waved a hand. "I'm going back to the academy now. I'm still weak and need to rest properly."
Huo Yuhao considered this, then suddenly produced a small bottle of diluted Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid.
"Teacher Mu, take this. It should help you recover."
Mu Jin accepted it and slowly pulled out the stopper.
In an instant,
an extraordinarily pure medicinal energy wafted out. She had never encountered such a unique medicinal energy before, and she blurted out, "Top grade. This is definitely top grade."
Mu Jin could even sense that if she absorbed all of it, it would noticeably help repair the damage to her foundation from the forbidden drug she had taken earlier. She looked at Huo Yuhao in surprise.
"Hey, you're just giving this to me?"
Huo Yuhao nodded. "Why wouldn't I?"
Mu Jin took a deep breath. "This is a precious treasure, and one you can't even buy."
Huo Yuhao replied as if it were only natural, "Right. It's a good thing, but you've already joined Jia Nan Academy, haven't you? Of course I should help. We're all on the same side now."
There had been complicated emotions in Mu Jin's eyes, but after a moment, she shook her head. "You really are just a kid."
Huo Yuhao's mouth twitched. "Teacher Mu, isn't it a little... inappropriate to call me a kid?"
Mu Jin looked at Huo Yuhao. "What, you don't like being called a kid?"
Huo Yuhao took a deep breath and silently decided not to argue with Mu Jin. He would just assume she was acting strangely because of her romantic setbacks, with early menopause and a hormonal imbalance.
After saying that, Mu Jin put the jade bottle away. She looked at Huo Yuhao, her expression complicated.
After a moment, she smiled.
"Huo Yuhao, you're a good one. I'll remember what you've done for me, and I'll remember Jia Nan Academy, too."
Mu Jin spoke with a serious look.
Huo Yuhao nodded again.
Mu Jin then said she was going back to the academy.
Huo Yuhao, meanwhile, was going back to his own place to rest. First, he needed to go into seclusion and raise his Soul Power.
As for the Amethyst Winged Lion King's blood essence, it was even more precious than the Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid, so he would increase his Soul Power first.
That would naturally strengthen his body, too, and help him avoid any mishaps.
When Mu Jin heard that Huo Yuhao wasn't returning to Shrek Academy, she thought about it and nodded.
Before long, Huo Yuhao and Mu Jin reached a fork in the road.
One path led to Shrek Academy, and the other led to Shrek City.
Mu Jin looked at Huo Yuhao and said, "Huo Yuhao, once your academy is built, I'll come over."
"If anything comes up at the academy, just come to me. Zhou Yi can be a little cold sometimes. You can talk to me."
Mu Jin spoke with a very serious expression.
Huo Yuhao smiled and nodded. Then, as if he had thought of something, he began, "..."
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