Four-Eyed Cat-Eagle Prepares to Build a School

Douluo Continent, Balak Kingdom, south of Suotuo City—a somewhat run-down little village.

Night was silent, with only a bright moon in the sky slowly casting its clear glow upon the ground.

A gentle breeze drifted through, rustling the leaves and gradually carrying away the lingering heat of summer.

Outside one of the better-preserved houses in the village, a massive vortex slowly formed until it enveloped the entire building.

Flender was meditating and cultivating within, his vast Soul Power steadily and resolutely gathering.

Green light flickered.

A huge Cat-Eagle phantom emerged behind Flender and gradually solidified.

No one knew how much time passed.

Then, a fierce gale suddenly arose. The solid Cat-Eagle burst through the door, spread its wings, and soared into the sky, followed by a deep cry.

Screech!

The loud cry startled the entire village.

At the same time, an irritable roar, as violent as a savage bear, rang out.

"Flender, you bastard! What the hell are you doing now? It's the middle of the night! Are you going to let anyone sleep or not?!"

A middle-aged, burly man sprang up, shoved open his door, then leaped high into the air and roared.

The man had an ordinary face and average height, yet he exuded an overwhelming sense of strength.

Even in his pajamas, he could not conceal the steel-forged muscles beneath them.

"I was merely cultivating. I happened to want to put some pressure on you, Immoveable Bright King."

Riding the gale in midair, Flender spoke calmly.

However, the delight in his eyes was impossible to hide.

"What? Pressure? You old bastard... Wait, you broke through to Spirit Saint!"

Zhao Wuji had initially been furious, but after sensing Flender's aura, he immediately brightened with surprise.

A grin burst across his face.

"Hahahaha! You old thing! You actually got ahead of me! There's no justice in this world!"

Zhao Wuji mocked him, but the smile on his face was completely genuine. He was happy for his old friend.

"Flender! You broke through?"

"Wonderful! With a Spirit Saint as our headmaster, our plan to build a school is much more certain now!"

"Congratulations, you damned bastard!"

As Zhao Wuji offered his congratulations, Shao Xin, Lu Qibin, and Li Yusong, his other three old friends, also arrived, their faces likewise filled with heartfelt smiles.

The five of them had been Flender's old brothers-in-arms for many years.

They had traveled the world together, and in their five-man team, Flender had always been the leader. Now that their eldest had grown stronger, their team would be able to go even farther.

"Teacher, you broke through?! That's wonderful!"

At that moment, a somewhat younger voice suddenly rang out, drawing Flender's gaze.

A pleased look appeared in his eyes.

"Yes, Qin Ming. I broke through. From now on, you can be a little more arrogant—you're now the disciple of a Spirit Saint!"

Flender was immensely proud of and protective toward their only disciple at present.

He had always been someone who protected his own.

"Teacher, you're joking. I won't go looking for trouble. That would be foolish."

Qin Ming smiled and shook his head.

His refined and courteous face carried a strong sense of reason, making Flender smile even more broadly.

"You brat, you're just too rational."

"Is that a bad thing, Teacher?"

Flender teased him, but Qin Ming immediately retorted.

"How could it be? That's a very good quality."

Flender nodded in praise.

Those who dared not cause trouble were mediocre? What a stupid teaching philosophy!

"Alright, go get some rest. I still have things to discuss with Zhao Wuji and the others. Sleep is very important for young people."

After chatting for a while, Flender suddenly waved Qin Ming away.

This was now a topic for the five middle-aged men.

But Flender immediately thought of something else and hurriedly added,

"Oh, right! Before you rest, help me apologize to the villagers here. Disturbing them tonight was truly improper."

"Yes, Teacher."

After replying respectfully, Qin Ming politely took his leave and obediently went to comfort the villagers who had been awakened.

Disturbing people's dreams invited divine punishment.

Flender did not want to do such a thing either, but he truly could not hold himself back.

Watching Qin Ming's retreating figure, even the unruly Zhao Wuji could not help smacking his lips.

"That kid is really likable."

"So my idea isn't wrong, Zhao. We should do these things."

Flender spoke seriously.

He had successfully advanced to Spirit Saint, meaning he now possessed the most basic qualification for his next dream.

"Whatever. You're the boss, so I'll listen to you."

Zhao Wuji said it casually, but deep in his eyes was intense interest.

Nurturing people could become addictive.

"Let's go, everyone."

Flender turned to the other three.

After receiving affirmative replies, the five gathered and departed.

The breeze swirled behind them, making them even faster.

Half an hour later.

"In short, that's the plan. Once I obtain a Spirit Ring in the Star Dou Forest and become a true Spirit Saint, we'll establish an academy."

"An academy open to everyone, whether noble or commoner."

Flender's gaze blazed.

This was the dream he would spend his entire life pursuing.

"I'll say it again: you're the boss, and I'll listen to you. But... do commoners truly have the resources to become outstanding Spirit Masters?"

Zhao Wuji asked in return.

He himself had been born a commoner, so he knew just how difficult it was for a commoner to become an outstanding Spirit Master.

Ever since he had set foot on the path of a Spirit Master, many people around him had left.

If he had not met Flender, another genius like himself, he might still have been wandering alone.

"Why must they succeed?" Flender asked.

"If they don't succeed, are we supposed to let them get killed?"

Zhao Wuji curled his lips.

Once someone stepped onto the path of a Spirit Master, there was no turning back.

Even with the fame of the Immoveable Bright King, had he not still been chased like a dog by the Strength Clan and Spirit Hall?

Commoners were even more isolated and helpless than he was.

They might also have countless ties holding them back, making success even more difficult.

"Zhao, there's a serious problem with your way of thinking."

Flender shook his head, somewhat speechless toward this fellow whose head seemed full of muscles.

"First, we were all born commoners, yet we've reached this point. Doesn't that count as success?"

"Second, heroes rise from humble streets, and warriors emerge from the ranks. Commoners have the most geniuses—Qin Ming is a fine example."

"Lastly, for most commoners, simply crossing the boundary of their status and becoming a Spirit Master already counts as a kind of success."

"And once our academy is established, we will be their resources."

That long speech made Zhao Wuji frown.

But after thinking it over, he found no fault with it and could only say,

"Fine. You're the boss. I'll listen to you."

Seeing this, Flender could only sigh helplessly at this brute.

Zhao, use your brain a little.

"No problem. As long as you're prepared, Flender."

"You've got a good head on your shoulders. We brothers trust you—you won't lead us into a ditch."

"Give the order. What do we need to do?"

Shao Xin and the other two had no objections either.

Flender's words had long been treated as doctrine by them. After all, this was how they had lived all these years.

"As usual, go to the nearby villages and awaken the villagers' martial souls for free. That has always been part of our routine while staying nearby. But now, we can finally see whether there are any children suited to become Spirit Masters. So long as the children and their parents agree, we'll take them in."

"Don't worry about money. I've saved quite a bit over the years. It's enough to cover the initial expenses."

An academy could not have teachers alone; students were the main body.

And there could not possibly be fewer students than teachers, could there? Tailoring everything according to talent was already a thing of the past.

Shao Xin and the other two were unsurprised.

Ever since settling in this small village, they had basically awakened the martial souls of commoner children in the surrounding area every month.

This had been Flender's arrangement.

It was both to spread their reputation and to see whether they could find a few promising seedlings.

"Zhao, I'll have to trouble you to come with me. The Star Dou Forest has some good soul beasts."

After Flender laid out the arrangements, no one objected as usual.

After discussing a few more details, the five dispersed to prepare for the next day.

Midnight arrived.

Flender lay on his bed, and with a thought, a translucent panel appeared.

[Unlock prerequisite: Spirit Saint]

[Achieved]

[Open the Educating People Chat Group?]

"Yes."

Flender answered with his thoughts. He was already familiar with operating this sort of panel.

[Educating People Chat Group unlocked]

[Inviting members]

[Ding!]

[Ding! Cat-Eagle Eager to Educate has joined the Chat Group!

Ding! Pallet Town Champion Turned Professor has joined the Chat Group!

Ding! Fading Navy Veteran has joined the Chat Group!

Ding! Evil Eldest Disciple and Filial Second Disciple has joined the Chat Group!

Ding! Old Honeybee Who Isn't Afraid of Cavities from Eating Candy has joined the Chat Group!]