Yan Shaozhe's Gift, Mu Tianyi Decides to Build His Own Team, Zhou Yi Faces Zhang Lexuan's Revenge

Yan Shaozhe did not give Zhou Yi another chance to speak, waving his hand dismissively.

"That's enough. Go back and reflect on yourself. Go wherever you need to go and stop making a fool of yourself here."

Zhou Yi's face turned ash-gray, her lips trembling, but in the end, she said nothing. Clutching her shoulder, she turned and walked away.

Yan Shaozhe swept a glance over the watching students, his tone cooling.

"Clear out. Go back to class."

The crowd dispersed with a rustle, though no one truly went far; they all stood in the corridors and at the stairwells, stealing glances back at the scene.

Yan Shaozhe turned to face Mu Tianyi and tilted his chin.

"You, come with me."

Mu Tianyi followed, his pace steady and unhurried, his face devoid of expression.

Gongyang Mo stood by the window of Class One, watching Mu Tianyi follow Yan Shaozhe across the plaza, his worry impossible to conceal.

He wanted to follow, his feet shifting, but he pulled them back.

Behind him, Ling Luochen stood by the window, her light blue eyes tracking the moon-white figure from afar, a trace of curiosity in her gaze.

From the fifth-year windows, Zhang Lexuan took in the entire process.

Her fingers gripped the window frame until her knuckles turned white, her expression as dark as an impending storm.

Only when Yan Shaozhe appeared and led Mu Tianyi away did she loosen her grip, let out a cold snort, and turn back toward her classroom.

News traveled faster than the wind.

The claim that "someone in the freshman Class One defeated Teacher Zhou in a single move" spread throughout the entire Outer Court in just one morning.

Yan Shaozhe also had a Dean's office in the Outer Court.

Located on the top floor of the teaching building, it was small but kept neat and orderly.

Once inside, the sternness on Yan Shaozhe's face was like a mask being ripped away, instantly replaced by a beaming smile.

He walked to the coffee table, poured a cup of tea himself, and pushed it toward Mu Tianyi, his tone far softer than it had been downstairs.

"Tianyi, sit. Make yourself at home."

Mu Tianyi glanced at the tea but did not sit, nor did he drink.

Yan Shaozhe didn't mind. He sat in his own chair, took a sip of tea, and began to explain.

Zhou Yi was a woman accustomed to arrogance; relying on Fan Yu's backing, she had been running rampant in the Outer Court for quite some time.

It wasn't that he didn't want to intervene, but it was difficult to do so.

Fan Yu was a man valued by the Soul Guidance Department, with Qian Duoduo and Xian Lin'er keeping a close watch on him. If he were to move against Zhou Yi directly, it would inevitably give others grounds for criticism.

But Mu Tianyi was different. Mu Tianyi was a student, and this was "legitimate self-defense"—if he hit her, he hit her.

Yan Shaozhe could simply go with the flow and replace her, and no one would be able to say a word.

Thinking of this, Yan Shaozhe set down his teacup and took three items from his storage Soul Tool, placing them on the coffee table.

A piece of soul bone, dark red throughout, radiating warm energy fluctuations; judging by its quality, it was at least ten thousand years old.

A medicinal pill, housed in a jade bottle with a label for a Soul Ascension Pill on the seal.

A stalk of herb, silver-white throughout, with a faint halo flowing over its leaves; just by being there, one could feel their mental power being gently stirred.

"Tianyi, this soul bone is ten thousand years old. You recognize the Soul Ascension Pill, and this Silver Light Grass is beneficial for mental power." Yan Shaozhe pushed the three items toward Mu Tianyi. "The Silver Light Grass is for you; you can use the soul bone and the Soul Ascension Pill to win people over."

Mu Tianyi sat down, looking at the items before him, a flash of surprise in his eyes.

What was going on today?

Had the iron tree finally blossomed?

Yan Shaozhe, that stingy miser, was actually willing to pluck his own feathers.

Mu Tianyi suspected he hadn't woken up yet.

Yan Shaozhe didn't notice the change in Mu Tianyi's expression and continued on his own.

"That roommate of yours, Gongyang Mo, has a Rainbow Dragon martial soul." Yan Shaozhe picked up his teacup, his tone casual. "I've looked at the list of students for this year. Among them, Gongyang Mo is the strongest support, and he deserves the title. You won't lose out by winning him over."

Mu Tianyi did not decline, stowing the three items into his own storage Soul Tool.

With Yan Shaozhe speaking so plainly, the meaning was clear.

The items were a gift, and the favor was being sold.

By accepting them, Mu Tianyi was accepting the obligation.

Mu Tianyi accepted them readily, not out of greed for these small gains, but because Yan Shaozhe's words had reminded him of something.

He needed his own foundation.

The older generation would eventually grow old.

Mu En could not protect him forever, and the elders of the Sea God Pavilion could not stand behind him for all eternity.

He needed his own team, a group of people who could truly fight side-by-side with him and to whom he could entrust his back.

However, while recruitment was necessary, he wouldn't just take anyone.

Someone like Dai Yueheng, who had the White Tiger Duke Mansion standing behind him and was destined never to be on his side, wasn't worth investing too much energy into.

Mu Tianyi thought for a moment and decided to start by selecting from the Shrek Seven Devils of the Inner Court as depicted in the original work.

Coming back to his senses, he looked up at Yan Shaozhe.

"Old Yan, I want information on a few people."

Yan Shaozhe was slightly taken aback, then became interested: "Who?"

"Gongyang Mo, Ling Luochen, Chen Zifeng, Xixi, and also Yao Haoxuan."

Yan Shaozhe picked up his teacup, pondered for a moment, and nodded: "Fine, I will strive to get it to you by tomorrow."

Mu Tianyi added: "Also, I don't want to see that woman Zhou Yi ever again."

"I recall that the person behind her seems to be from the Soul Guidance Department. Old Yan, if the person behind her doesn't know what's good for them, please handle it on my behalf."

His tone was very flat when he said this, as if he were discussing a trivial matter.

Mu Tianyi was no longer the child he once was.

Through the experiences of these people in the Inner Court and the teachings of Mu En, he had come to understand one thing.

Good people never live long.

As someone in a position of power, he needed to learn to hide his kindness behind his methods.

A dagger hidden behind a smile was never insidious; it was self-preservation. Bestowing both favors and prestige was not hypocrisy; it was checks and balances.

He would not crave fairness; he only calculated gains and losses.

Yan Shaozhe glanced at him and set down his teacup.

Fan Yu was an eighth-rank Soul Engineer, valued by Qian Duoduo and Xian Lin'er; he knew this, and Mu Tianyi was aware of it too.

An eighth-rank Soul Engineer, to the current Mu Tianyi, really didn't amount to much.

This kid was level forty-five at twelve years old. At this rate of cultivation, becoming a Titled Douluo within fifteen years was a certainty, and reaching the level of a Super Douluo was not impossible.

By then, an eighth-rank Soul Engineer wouldn't even be a side dish in front of him.

"I will have a word with Fan Yu," Yan Shaozhe's tone turned indifferent, as if he were speaking of the most ordinary thing, "It is best if he is sensible. If he is not..."

He paused, leaving the sentence unfinished, but the implication was laid out clearly on the table.

Mu Tianyi nodded.

Others might not understand Yan Shaozhe, but Mu Tianyi was absolutely one of the people who understood him best.

Don't let this Dean Yan's usual petty and stingy demeanor fool you.

But when he truly turned ruthless, even Evil Soul Masters were no match for him.

To reach the position of Dean of the Martial Soul Department, he had never relied on being soft-hearted.

Late at night.

Teacher's dormitory.

Zhou Yi lay in bed, tossing and turning.

Her husband, Fan Yu, had recently gone on a business trip, but for some reason, she kept feeling as though someone was watching her from the shadows.