Director Su's Clever Maneuvering

"Well, about that..." Director Su took a sip of tea, set the cup down, and wore an expression of perfectly measured confusion. "As you know, Deacon, our Notting Academy is merely a primary soul master academy. Most of our students are children who have just awakened their martial souls. At this age, children have vivid imaginations and often say things that are completely untethered from reality."

He paused, then continued, "As for what you mentioned... I'm afraid those are likely just children's tall tales."

Su Yuntao's gaze lingered on Director Su's face for a moment, as if judging the truth of his words.

As a deacon of the Martial Soul Hall branch in Nuoding City, he had seen too many soul masters and handled all manner of bizarre rumors.

Most of the time, these rumors simply faded away into nothingness.

But this time, the situation was somewhat special.

The information had come from several civilian parents who had brought their children to the Martial Soul Hall to register as soul masters.

Although they spoke vaguely, they all mentioned a claim that "there is a child in Nuoding City who knows many secrets."

Logically, such nonsense shouldn't have caught the attention of the Martial Soul Hall, but recently, the higher-ups seemed exceptionally concerned about abnormal occurrences appearing across various regions.

They had no choice but to come down and investigate.

"Tall tales, you say?" Su Yuntao tapped his fingers lightly against the tabletop. "Director Su, are you certain there are no students in the academy with special talents? For instance, someone with particularly keen intuition or an extraordinary understanding of certain matters?"

Director Su sighed inwardly. Wasn't he describing Lin Yi?

The information revealed in that child's inner voice was far more than just "extraordinary understanding"—it was as if he had seen these things with his own eyes.

But he could not admit it.

Once admitted, not only would Lin Yi be in danger, but the entire Notting Academy would be dragged into an unnecessary vortex.

Although the Martial Soul Hall ostensibly maintained order in the soul master world, its internal factions were complex. Who knew what kind of reaction this information would trigger if it reached the top?

After all, they were just a primary soul master academy, as ordinary as could be, and they did not want to attract too much attention from the Martial Soul Hall or any other major power.

Of course, the most crucial reason was that they wanted to keep Lin Yi.

With him around, they could "freeload" on more martial soul knowledge; it was like having a free commentator. Surely that was better than handing him over to the Martial Soul Hall?

"Students with special talents..." Director Su put on a look of deep thought. "We recruit children with good talent every year. For example, there is Tang San this year. He has Innate Full Soul Power, and although his martial soul is Blue Silver Grass, his cultivation speed is very fast."

He deliberately steered the topic toward students with superficially outstanding talent, avoiding Lin Yi, the true anomaly.

Su Yuntao nodded upon hearing this. "Tang San... he is indeed a child with good talent."

Seeming to realize he had strayed from the subject, he asked again, "Besides Tang San, are there others? For instance... Twin Martial Souls or a soul beast in human form?"

The question came so suddenly that Director Su's heart skipped a beat.

Tang San's Twin Martial Souls and Xiao Wu's identity as a soul beast in human form were secrets almost no one knew—at least, that was how it should have been.

But now, it seemed Lin Yi's inner voice had already let too many people in on these secrets.

"Twin Martial Souls?" Director Su forced a calm laugh. "You joke, Deacon. Twin Martial Souls are a talent seen once in a century. How could such a thing appear in a small place like ours?"

"As for that 'soul beast in human form,' that is even more impossible."

He felt a bit hollow inside as he said this.

Because he had heard the information regarding Tang San's Twin Martial Souls and Xiao Wu's nature as a soul beast directly from Lin Yi's inner voice.

Clear Sky Hammer and Blue Silver Emperor.

Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast...

If the Martial Soul Hall learned of secrets at this level, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Su Yuntao stared at Director Su for a long while before finally nodding. "That is true. Twin Martial Souls are indeed rare, and a soul beast in human form is even more impossible."

He changed the subject. "However, I have heard that your academy has a master of theory, Mr. Yu Xiaogang. He has done quite a bit of research on martial soul mutation. I wonder if he has discovered any special cases recently?"

At the mention of Yu Xiaogang, Director Su's nerves tightened once more.

Yu Xiaogang's martial soul, Luo Sanpao, was described in Lin Yi's inner voice as a juvenile Golden Sacred Dragon—this information was equally shocking.

If Yu Xiaogang could truly complete the mutation and allow Luo Sanpao to evolve into a Golden Sacred Dragon, his value would be entirely different.

"Master Yu is indeed researching martial soul mutation," Director Su said, choosing his words carefully. "But his recent research has not yielded any breakthrough progress."

He paused, then added with a troubled expression, "And as you know, his theories in the soul master world... are not very well-regarded."

Su Yuntao exchanged a glance with his assistant.

They had not obtained any useful information from Director Su's answers.

Every question had been skillfully evaded or denied. Such a reaction meant either he was truly ignorant, or he was deliberately concealing something.

But given the scale and status of Notting Academy, there seemed to be no reason for them to offend the Martial Soul Hall for the sake of a single student.

"Director Su." Su Yuntao stood up and straightened his uniform. "We are just making routine inquiries; you need not be nervous. There have been strange rumors in various places lately, and the Hall has requested that we verify them."

Director Su stood up quickly as well. "Understood, understood. The Martial Soul Hall works hard to maintain order in the soul master world; thank you for your efforts."

"However," Su Yuntao said, turning back as he reached the door, "if any truly special students appear in the academy, I hope you will report it to the Martial Soul Hall in a timely manner. You know as well as I do that if certain talents are guided improperly, they can lead to trouble."

There was a faint note of warning in his words.

Director Su nodded quickly. "Certainly, certainly."

After seeing Su Yuntao and his assistant off, Director Su returned to his office and let out a long sigh of relief.

He walked to the window, watching the two figures receding into the distance, his brows knitted tightly together.

"It seems the message still got out..." he muttered to himself, "but fortunately, they aren't certain yet."

At this moment, Teacher Li pushed the door open and entered, his face etched with worry: "Director, have the people from Martial Soul Hall left?"

"They have." Director Su turned around. "But they have already caught wind of something. That child, Lin Yi... he is too special."

Teacher Li walked to the table and lowered his voice: "I just saw Lin Yi and Xiao Wu. They had already arrived, but for some reason, they left again."

Director Su's eyes lit up: "They left again? When?"

"Just now. I suspect they must have heard some rumors."

"Good, good." Director Su repeated the word twice. "It is better that they left. We will wait until the people from Martial Soul Hall have completely departed before doing anything else."

Teacher Li hesitated for a moment: "Director, is it really okay for us to keep this from Martial Soul Hall? What if we are discovered?"

"That is why Lin Yi must avoid them for now." Director Su said in a deep voice. "You heard the inner thoughts of that child as well; he knows far too much. If he were to be controlled by Martial Soul Hall, there is no telling what the consequences might be."

"But how long can we keep this hidden?" Teacher Li said worriedly. "So many people in the academy know about this; it is hard to guarantee that someone won't let something slip."