After Xu Yanli returned to Shrek City, he didn't rush to report that his leave was over. Instead, he went back to Xiaoyao Pavilion first to settle Gu Yuena in. The timing wasn't right for anything else.
Xu Yanli actually thought that starting a school of his own wouldn't be a bad idea. After all, once he unified the world in the future, he would definitely need a force to take Shrek Academy's place.
So why shouldn't the school that replaced Shrek Academy be one he had founded himself?
Sitting at his desk, Xu Yanli tapped his fingers against the tabletop, his thoughts sinking deeper and deeper.
After thinking it over for a while, though, Xu Yanli went to the inner room, took a bath, and changed his clothes. He came back out looking completely fresh.
But after giving it some more thought, he realized that establishing a school really was necessary. He couldn't guarantee that students poached from elsewhere in the future would be loyal to his Xiaoyao Pavilion.
The best way was to start with the children.
Xu Yanli tapped his fingers against the tabletop. Suddenly, he thought of something and gestured for the person waiting in his room to come over.
"Go. Write down everything I say, then send it to our branch in the Heaven Dou Empire," Xu Yanli said calmly.
The waiting man instantly produced a pen and paper, then gave Xu Yanli a look to signal him to continue.
Xu Yanli watched his practiced movements and paused. "Actually, there isn't much to write down. Just have the Xiaoyao Pavilion branch in the Heaven Dou Empire awaken Martial Souls for ordinary people free of charge. There's one condition: once someone awakens a Martial Soul, they must join Xiaoyao Pavilion."
"Isn't that a little too forceful? And won't the local nobles object?" Kong Deming came out from the side and asked in confusion.
Xu Yanli shook his head. "Also, have the Xuanming Sect and the Body Sect cover for us—especially the Body Sect. Tell them that anyone who awakens a Body Martial Soul must be sent to the Body Sect immediately."
"So you're planning to ride on the Body Sect's coattails," Kong Deming said knowingly.
Xu Yanli nodded, then continued with a smile. "Also, have Xiaoyao Pavilion start setting up primary and junior high schools: elementary schools and middle schools, for children aged six to twelve and twelve to eighteen, respectively."
"Of course, if any of them want to apply to other schools, they can. But I have only one requirement: every one of them must sign an agreement that they'll join Xiaoyao Pavilion after graduating."
Xu Yanli's voice grew colder and colder, until it brimmed with killing intent. "If they take our subsidies but still refuse to join Xiaoyao Pavilion, show no mercy."
Xu Yanli stood up, brushed the dust off his clothes, then went over to the guard and looked at what he'd written. He nodded and patted the man on the shoulder.
Then he headed for the door. At the threshold, he glanced back and said, "I'm going to Shrek Academy to report that my leave is over. I'm off."
As Xu Yanli crossed the hall, he saw Jiang Nannan's mother tending to the flowers in his little garden.
Long Xiaoyao sat in the pavilion, drinking tea, lost in thought.
Xu Yanli returned to Shrek Academy and went to Yan Shaozhe's office.
"You're back. Did you take care of everything?" Yan Shaozhe asked, looking gentle.
"It's taken care of. I'm back to report that my leave is over," Xu Yanli said calmly.
"All right. Just go back to your class and check in. Oh, the new student assessment is coming up soon," Yan Shaozhe said calmly. "Make sure you prepare."
Xu Yanli nodded and thanked him, then headed toward the dormitory. When he saw Mu En, he bowed, then went straight to his room.
"Big brother, I've been keeping your room clean the whole time. Hehe." Tang Ling gave a simple, honest smile.
Xu Yanli glanced at him, then without hesitation took a Jinghun coin from his Storage Soul Tool and put it in Tang Ling's hand.
"Thanks for your help these past few days." After saying that, Xu Yanli nodded to him, pulled out a chair, and took out a book to read quietly.
Time passed peacefully, one day at a time. About another month went by.
During that time, Xu Yanli gradually suppressed Ma Xiaotao's Evil Fire once. He also left some soul-control techniques in her Martial Soul.
There was naturally no need to show mercy to enemies who couldn't be turned to their side. Mercy to one's enemies was cruelty to oneself.
At the same time, Xu Yanli's cultivation broke through to Soul Power level 58, and his Soul Power quickly reached the middle stage of level 58.
Xu Yanli made a point of arriving early to class that day.
"Class monitor, put this slip on every student's desk. Today everyone needs to choose their cultivation path," Mu Jin said softly.
Xu Yanli nodded and took the stack of papers. He quickly handed one to each student, then returned to his seat.
"Everyone, listen up. The new student assessment is a team event, and the teams won't be very large—about three people each. After all, we can't have a support-type student fighting alongside a power attack-type student, right?" Mu Jin said with a smile as she wrote four categories on the blackboard: Power Attack System, Support System, Control System, and Defense System.
"None of our classmates have been eliminated, so we still have all one hundred students. That means we'll have one extra. Song Qinghan, you'll go to the Soul Tool Department." Mu Jin hesitated for a moment before speaking.
Then she gestured for them to fill in their slips. Once they were finished, Xu Yanli collected them.
As Xu Yanli was filling out his slip, he noticed that Xiao Xiao seemed to keep glancing at it.
After he finished, Xu Yanli collected the slips from the whole class and handed them to Mu Jin. Some time later, she lightly tapped on the desk and said, "All right, everyone. I'll announce the teams now."
"Team One: Xu Yanli, Xiao Xiao, Tang Ling."
"Team Two: Wang Dong, ..."
Mu Jin's team assignments were undeniably fair. As for Xu Yanli's team, Xu Yanli had chosen its members himself.
"All right, that's it for today's class. Xiao Xiao, Xu Yanli, and Wang Dong—oh, and Tang Ling too. You four, stay behind."
Mu Jin slowly took out their slips and had them come up to look at them.
"Support System, Support System, ..." Mu Jin looked at the four of them helplessly. "Tell me, why did you choose the Support System?"
Xu Yanli was silent for a moment, then said, "Teacher, my Martial Soul is healing-type. Isn't that part of the Support System?"
Mu Jin's mouth twitched. She had clearly remembered how, right at the start of the school year, Xu Yanli had defeated Xu Sanshi, the third-year student hailed as Eternal Defense...
And he still called himself healing-type???
"All right, I'll let yours slide. What about you, Wang Dong?" Mu Jin asked helplessly.
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