Wang Sheng recalled the imposing aura Zhu Shen had released when he summoned his Martial Soul. He shook his head. "Senior, you're so powerful. You definitely wouldn't be afraid of him. But you're a Grandmaster, here to teach at the academy. If you get into a fight with a student's parent, it'll damage your reputation."
Zhu Shen glanced at Wang Sheng. The boy's concern was reasonable. But he wasn't Yu Xiaogang, and he didn't care about his reputation.
"Wang Sheng, come here." Zhu Shen beckoned.
Wang Sheng stepped forward. Zhu Shen placed a hand on his shoulder and sent a thread of Soul Power into his body. A moment later, Zhu Shen withdrew it and nodded.
"Your War Tiger Martial Soul is a Beast Martial Soul, leaning toward strength and speed. Fifteen levels of Soul Power is pretty good for your age, but your foundation is poor. There are several blockages in your meridians. Your cultivation method must be the problem."
Wang Sheng's eyes widened. "Senior, how did you know?"
"I could tell." Zhu Shen said, "Starting tomorrow, cultivate with Xiao San. I'll teach you both the proper way to circulate Soul Power."
Wang Sheng stood frozen. It took him a long while to react. Then he dropped to his knees with a thump. "Senior! You... you're really willing to teach me?"
"Get up, get up. Don't go kneeling at the drop of a hat." Zhu Shen helped him to his feet. "But let me make one thing clear: my training is strict. If you can't take the hardship, you'd better quit now."
"I can take it!" Wang Sheng thumped his chest in assurance. "If it makes me stronger, I can handle any hardship!"
Zhu Shen smiled.
"All right. First, take Xiao San and get his dormitory arranged. I'm going to speak with the dean."
"Yes, Senior!"
Zhu Shen turned and headed for the teaching building. After a few steps, he looked back. "By the way, Wang Sheng."
"Is there anything else, Senior?"
"Don't call me Senior anymore. Call me Teacher."
Wang Sheng's eyes reddened. He nodded firmly. "Yes, Teacher!"
Zhu Shen waved a hand and strode away.
Top floor of the teaching building, dean's office.
Su Nuo sat behind his desk, a file in his hands and his brow furrowed. A dark-red metal insignia lay on the desk in front of him.
"Yu Xiaogang..." Su Nuo murmured. "Martial Soul Evolution, a breakthrough in Soul Power, a changed appearance... What exactly happened to you?"
He opened the file before him. It recorded Yu Xiaogang's life: level twenty-nine, Martial Soul Luo Sanpao, cast-off of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, master of theory, useless in actual combat. That was the Soul Master World's consensus on Yu Xiaogang.
But the person he had seen today had completely overturned that impression.
A Soul Ring Configuration of two purple and two black rings, a Golden Dragon Martial Soul he had never seen before, and that heart-stirring dragon might.
"Knock, knock, knock."
Someone rapped on the door.
Su Nuo quickly tucked the metal insignia into a drawer and composed himself. "Come in."
Zhu Shen pushed open the door and sat down across from Su Nuo.
"Dean, I'd like to talk to you about Tang San."
Su Nuo nodded. "Go ahead."
"Tang San is my new disciple. His Martial Soul is Blue Silver Grass, he has Innate Full Soul Power, and he's already absorbed one Soul Ring. I'd like him to study at Notting Academy. I'd also like to teach here."
"Teach?" Su Nuo raised an eyebrow. "What would the Grandmaster teach?"
"Soul Master theory and combat training." Zhu Shen said, "I looked over the academy's curriculum. There are too few theory classes, and the combat classes are even more perfunctory. The students' foundations are poor. At this rate, it'll be hard for them to make any major breakthroughs."
Su Nuo fell silent for a moment. "The Grandmaster does have a point. But the academy's funds and staff are limited. The improvements you've proposed would all require money."
Zhu Shen smiled. "Are you worried I'll cause trouble, Dean?"
Su Nuo didn't deny it. "You'd only just arrived today, and you injured Teacher Wang and scared off Councilor Xiao's young master. Councilor Xiao is a local power in Nuoding City. If he complains to the city lord, I, as the dean, will have a hard time explaining myself."
"And what do you suggest, Dean?"
"My suggestion is that you stay at the academy for now. There's no problem with enrolling Tang San. As for your teaching, we can discuss it once things have settled down."
Zhu Shen looked into Su Nuo's eyes.
He could hear the evasion in the old man's words, along with a hint of probing.
There was something wrong with this dean.
"If it would put you in a difficult position, I won't press the matter." Zhu Shen stood up. "Please arrange Tang San's enrollment for me."
"Of course, of course." Su Nuo beamed. "Don't worry, Grandmaster. I'll have someone take care of it right away."
Zhu Shen nodded and turned to leave the office.
Once he was outside the teaching building, his expression darkened.
Something about Su Nuo felt very wrong. A Five-Ring Soul King holed up as the dean of a small academy in Nuoding City was suspicious enough. And just now, Zhu Shen had sensed a faint, sinister aura within Su Nuo's Soul Power.
It was somewhat like the aura of the three Evil Soul Masters he had encountered earlier in the Soul Hunting Forest.
"System, is Su Nuo an Evil Soul Master?"
[Checking... Check complete. Target: Su Nuo. Soul Power Level: 51. Martial Soul: Shadow Bat. Evil aura present within the body.]
Zhu Shen narrowed his eyes.
So there really was something wrong.
But now wasn't the time to show his hand. Su Nuo was a Five-Ring Soul King. Though Zhu Shen could fight above his level and take on a Soul Ancestor, facing a Soul King would still be difficult. Besides, Tang San was still young. He couldn't drag him into this.
He had to stay calm for now and wait until he grew stronger.
Zhu Shen returned to the work-study students' dormitory area. From a distance, he saw Tang San and Wang Sheng talking by the entrance. Tang San still wore his usual unruffled expression, while Wang Sheng was beaming with excitement, gesturing wildly as he spoke.
"Teacher!" Seeing Zhu Shen return, Wang Sheng hurried over. "The dormitory's ready. It's the room at the very end of the second floor. It's a little small, but it's clean enough."
"Thanks for your hard work." Zhu Shen nodded. "Tomorrow morning at six, you two will meet me in the clearing behind the dorms. That's when training begins."
"Yes!" Wang Sheng answered loudly.
Tang San nodded too. "Understood, Master."
Zhu Shen turned to Wang Sheng again. "Wang Sheng, go get the other work-study students. Anyone who wants to come can join us. My training is free, but it's strict. Anyone who can't handle it can quit at any time."
Wang Sheng's eyes lit up. "Teacher, you're going to teach all the work-study students?"
"That's right." Zhu Shen said, "If the academy won't pay attention to you, then I will."
Wang Sheng was so excited he nearly jumped. He agreed over and over, then turned and ran off to find the other work-study students.
Watching Wang Sheng's retreating figure, Tang San asked softly, "Master, do you think there's something wrong with this academy?"
Zhu Shen glanced at Tang San.
"I've noticed a few things, but it's too early to say." Zhu Shen patted his shoulder. "Your job is to focus on cultivating. Leave everything else to me."
Tang San nodded and didn't ask any more questions.
Night fell, and Nuoding City gradually grew quiet.
Zhu Shen sat in his room, turning over the reward the system had just given him in his hands.
[Congratulations, host, on completing the new environment mission: Establish a foothold at the academy. Reward: one ten-year Solitary Bamboo trunk Soul Bone.]
Along with the three he already had, Tang San now had four Solitary Bamboo Soul Bones. He only needed three more to complete the Lone Bamboo Set.
Zhu Shen put the Soul Bone away, closed his eyes, and began circulating his Soul Power.
Today, in Su Nuo's office, he had faintly sensed that trace of evil aura within the other man's body. It meant the Evil God Temple had infiltrated more deeply than he had imagined. Even a small place like Nuoding City had their spies.