"This..." Director Su took a sip of tea, set down the cup, and put on a suitably puzzled expression. "Deacon, as you know, Notting Academy is only a junior Soul Master Academy. Most of our students are children who have only just awakened their Martial Souls. Children that age have rich imaginations and often say all sorts of wild things."
He paused before continuing, "As for the things you mentioned... I'm afraid they're merely jokes among children."
Su Yuntao's gaze lingered on Director Su's face for a moment, as though assessing whether he was telling the truth.
As the Deacon of Nuoding City's Spirit Branch Hall, he had seen far too many Soul Masters and dealt with all kinds of strange rumors.
Most of the time, those rumors simply came to nothing.
But this time was somewhat unusual.
The information had come from several commoner parents who had brought their children to Spirit Hall to register as Soul Masters.
Though they had spoken vaguely, all of them had mentioned that "there was a child around Nuoding City who knew many secrets."
Ordinarily, such absurd claims would not have drawn Spirit Hall's attention. However, the higher-ups had recently seemed particularly concerned with unusual occurrences in various places.
They had no choice but to come and investigate.
"Jokes?" Su Yuntao lightly tapped his fingers against the table. "Director Su, are you certain no student with any special talent has appeared in the academy? For instance, someone with exceptionally sharp intuition, or an extraordinary understanding of certain matters?"
Director Su sighed inwardly. Isn't that exactly Lin Yi?
The information revealed through that child's Heart Voice went far beyond extraordinary understanding. It was as if he had witnessed it firsthand.
But he could not admit it.
If he did, not only would Lin Yi be placed in danger, but all of Notting Academy would be dragged into an unnecessary vortex.
Though Spirit Hall appeared to maintain order in the Soul Master world, its internal factions were complicated. Who knew what reaction this information would provoke once it was reported upward?
After all, they were merely an utterly ordinary junior Soul Master Academy. They did not want to attract excessive attention from Spirit Hall or any major power.
Of course, the most important thing was that they wanted to keep Lin Yi as well.
With him around, they could mooch off even more Martial Soul knowledge. It was like having a free commentator—wasn't that better than handing him over to Spirit Hall?
"A student with special talent..." Director Su put on a thoughtful expression. "Our academy recruits some fairly gifted children every year. For example, Tang San this year has Innate Full Soul Power. Although his Martial Soul is Blue Silver Grass, his cultivation speed is very fast."
He deliberately steered the topic toward students with obvious talent, avoiding Lin Yi, the true anomaly.
Su Yuntao nodded at that. "Tang San... he is indeed a fairly gifted child."
Seeming to feel that he had strayed from the subject, he asked again, "Other than Tang San, is there anyone else? For example... Twin Martial Souls, or Soul Beast Transformation?"
The question came so suddenly that Director Su's heart skipped a beat.
Almost no one knew about Tang San's Twin Martial Souls and Xiao Wu's Soul Beast Transformation—or at least, that should have been the case.
But now, it seemed Lin Yi's Heart Voice had allowed far too many people to learn that secret.
"Twin Martial Souls?" Director Su forced a calm smile. "Deacon, you must be joking. Twin Martial Souls are a talent seen perhaps once in a century. How could they appear in a small place like ours?"
"As for Soul Beast Transformation, that is even more impossible."
Yet as he said it, he felt somewhat guilty.
Because he had personally heard information from Lin Yi's Heart Voice about Tang San's Twin Martial Souls and Xiao Wu's Soul Beast Transformation.
Clear Sky Hammer and Blue Silver Emperor.
A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast...
If secrets of that magnitude became known to Spirit Hall, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Su Yuntao stared at Director Su for quite some time before finally nodding. "True. Twin Martial Souls are indeed rare, and Soul Beast Transformation is even less likely."
Then he changed the subject. "However, I heard your academy has a theoretical Grandmaster, Mr. Yu Xiaogang. He has conducted considerable research into Martial Soul Mutation. Has he recently discovered any unusual cases?"
At the mention of Yu Xiaogang, Director Su's nerves tightened once more.
In Lin Yi's Heart Voice, Yu Xiaogang's Martial Soul, Luo Sanpao, had been described as the juvenile form of a Golden Sacred Dragon. That information was equally astonishing.
If Yu Xiaogang truly managed to complete the mutation and evolve Luo Sanpao into a Golden Sacred Dragon, his value would become completely different.
"Grandmaster Yu is indeed researching Martial Soul Mutation." Director Su chose his words carefully. "But his recent research has not made any groundbreaking progress."
After a pause, Director Su revealed an awkward expression. "And as you know, his theories... are not particularly accepted in the Soul Master world."
Su Yuntao and his assistant exchanged a glance.
They had not obtained any useful information from Director Su's answers.
Every question had been skillfully avoided or denied. Such a reaction either meant he truly knew nothing, or that he was deliberately concealing something.
Yet given Notting Academy's size and status, it seemed unnecessary for it to offend Spirit Hall over a single student.
"Director Su." Su Yuntao rose to his feet and straightened his uniform. "We are only conducting a routine inquiry. There is no need for you to be nervous. Recently, strange rumors have emerged in many places, and the Hall has instructed us to verify them."
Director Su hurriedly stood as well. "I understand, I understand. Spirit Hall maintains order in the Soul Master world. You have all worked hard."
"However," Su Yuntao said as he reached the door, suddenly turning back, "if any truly unusual student appears in the academy, I hope you will promptly report it to Spirit Hall. As you know, some talents can cause trouble if not guided properly."
There was a faint warning in his words.
Director Su quickly nodded. "Of course, of course."
After seeing Su Yuntao and his companion off, Director Su returned to his office and let out a long breath.
He walked to the window and watched their retreating figures, his brow tightly furrowed.
"Looks like the information still got out..." he muttered. "Fortunately, they aren't certain yet."
At that moment, Teacher Li pushed open the door and entered with concern on his face. "Director, have the people from Spirit Hall left?"
"They have." Director Su turned around. "But they have already caught wind of something. That child Lin Yi... is too unusual."
Teacher Li walked to the desk and lowered his voice. "I saw Lin Yi and Xiao Wu just now. They had originally come here, but for some reason, they left again."
Director Su's eyes lit up. "They left again? When?"
"Just now. I suppose they heard something."
"Good, good." Director Su said the word twice in succession. "It's good that they left. We can talk after the people from Spirit Hall have completely departed."
Teacher Li hesitated. "Director, are we really all right hiding this from Spirit Hall? What if they find out?"
"That is why Lin Yi needs to avoid them first," Director Su said gravely. "You heard that child's Heart Voice too. He knows far too much. If Spirit Hall gains control of him, who knows what the outcome will be?"
"But how long can we keep it hidden?" Teacher Li said worriedly. "So many people in the academy know. It is hard to guarantee that no one will let something slip."
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