Hidden Weapons and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect

The Education Committee was located at the very center of Heaven Dou Royal Academy. It was a three-story stone building, its exterior simple, ancient, and imposing, with two stone pillars carved with dragon patterns standing before the entrance, giving it a rather dignified air.

When Fang Xuan walked up, a middle-aged man in a gray robe was already waiting at the door. Upon seeing him, the man bowed slightly.

"May I ask if you are Mr. Fang Xuan? I am an attendant of the Education Committee. The three committee members have been waiting in the hall for some time."

Fang Xuan nodded and followed the man through the main doors.

After passing through a corridor laid with a dark red carpet, they arrived at a spacious reception hall.

Three old men sat inside the hall, all dressed in plain yet elegant robes, each with an extraordinary bearing.

The one seated in the center had white hair and beard, a thin face, and though his eyes were somewhat clouded with age, they still held a trace of sharp light. He was Meng Shenji, the chief of Heaven Dou Royal Academy's Education Committee.

Seated to his left was a slightly plump, ruddy-faced old man, Bai Baoshan, one of the committee members.

On the right sat a thin old man with keen eyes, named Zhilin.

When the three saw Fang Xuan enter, they all nodded slightly.

Meng Shenji spoke first, his voice steady and gentle.

"Young friend Fang Xuan, His Highness the Crown Prince has already sent word to us, saying that a Soul Tool Department is to be established at our academy and placed entirely under your authority. We are already aware of this matter. May I ask how you intend to begin?"

Fang Xuan did not stand on ceremony. He stepped forward and sat down on the chair opposite the three men, then cupped his hands and said, "Three senior committee members, this junior has arrived rather abruptly. If I have disturbed you in any way, please forgive me."

"As for the path of Soul Tools, it is indeed not prominent on the continent today, but in this junior's opinion, the potential hidden within it cannot be underestimated. Since His Highness the Crown Prince has such an intention, this junior will naturally devote himself fully to it and would not dare slack off."

Meng Shenji stroked his beard, a thoughtful look flashing through his eyes.

Bai Baoshan, however, was more straightforward. He laughed heartily and said, "Young friend, you speak boldly. But it's not as though we have never seen Soul Tools before. Most of them are flashy but impractical. If they are truly to be used for teaching and instruction, I fear that may not be quite appropriate."

"Senior Bai's words are absolutely correct." Fang Xuan answered neither humbly nor arrogantly.

"The Soul Tools on the continent today are indeed mostly superficial, and those that are truly usable are few and far between. But precisely because of that, they are even more worth studying. This junior would not dare say that I can produce something earth-shaking overnight. I only feel that someone ought to do this."

Zhilin had remained silent all this time. Only now did he lift his eyes slightly, his voice carrying a touch of coldness.

"I hear that you studied under Dugu Douluo, and also hold the post of the Crown Prince's adviser. To have such opportunities at such a young age is rare indeed.

"However, the affairs of the academy concern the futures of countless students. If you are using the Soul Tool Department as a pretense to do something else, that would be unacceptable."

His words were somewhat sharp, and the atmosphere in the reception hall instantly grew faintly tense.

Fang Xuan, however, did not panic in the slightest. Instead, he gave a laugh, took the dark-gold token from his chest, and placed it on the table. When the token struck the tabletop, it made a crisp metallic sound, and the characters "Heaven" and "Xue" gleamed with a cold, faint luster under the light.

"Please look, seniors. This is His Highness the Crown Prince's personal token. His Highness once said that the Soul Tool Department is independent from all other departments. Personnel recruitment, curriculum arrangements, and funding expenditures are all to be decided by this junior alone. If there are any questions, it may be said to be a research institution specially approved by the imperial family."

As soon as these words were spoken, the gazes of the three committee members all fell in unison upon that token.

A complicated look swept through Meng Shenji's eyes. Bai Baoshan opened his mouth, but in the end said nothing. Zhilin narrowed his eyes slightly.

After a brief silence, Meng Shenji gave a soft sigh and slowly spoke.

"Since His Highness the Crown Prince has already given clear instructions, we shall naturally cooperate. However, young friend Fang Xuan, the academy is crowded and full of watchful eyes, and there are many entanglements between the various departments as well. The Soul Tool Department is newly established, after all, so I fear it will inevitably draw some gossip and criticism. Are you prepared for that?"

Fang Xuan smiled faintly, took the token back into his robes, then rose and cupped his hands toward the three men.

"Senior, rest assured. Since this junior dares to accept this assignment, I am not afraid of such rumors. If anyone is dissatisfied, they may simply come find me."

He said it lightly and calmly, yet his words carried a confidence that allowed no doubt.

The three committee members exchanged glances and said nothing more.

Meng Shenji then summoned an attendant and ordered him to arrange the venue and related paperwork for the Soul Tool Department.

When Fang Xuan came out of the Education Committee, it was already nearly noon.

Fang Xuan stood on the stone steps and stretched lazily. Sunlight spilled over him, drawing his long, slender shadow far across the ground.

He looked back at the ancient, simple building, the corner of his mouth curving into an unreadable arc.

The rest would have to be taken slowly.

Tang San should still be in the academy right now, and Xiao Wu was there too.

Ning Rongrong of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was also a student of this class. With all these people gathered together, it would be convenient for him to catch them all in one net.

But before that, he still had to put up the framework of the Soul Tool Department.

Xue Qinghe had given him such broad authority. If he did not produce something decent, it would probably be hard to justify.

As Fang Xuan was thinking, he suddenly felt a gaze fall upon him.

He turned his head and looked over. Not far away, beneath an old locust tree, a white figure was standing there, quietly watching him.

It was Ye Lingling.

At some point, she had come out from Dugu Yan's side. Now she stood there beneath the shade of the tree, sunlight filtering through the gaps in the branches and leaves to scatter mottled spots of light across her face, making her plain, clean features seem especially gentle.

Seeing Fang Xuan look over, she curved her lips lightly. She said nothing, merely watching him like that.

The calculations in Fang Xuan's mind instantly vanished like smoke. He descended the steps in a few quick strides and walked toward her.

"Why are you waiting here? Didn't I tell you to have Dugu Yan stay with you?"

Ye Lingling let him take her hand and tilted her head up slightly to look at him.

"I guessed you were about due to come out, so I came over to take a look. How did it go? Smoothly?"

"When your husband takes action, what could possibly not get done?"

Fang Xuan squeezed her soft palm, smiling until his eyes curved.

"But I'll be busy next. I'm afraid I'll have to stay at the academy for quite some time."

"Then stay." Ye Lingling's voice was soft. "I'm here too, anyway. It isn't far."

Warmth stirred in Fang Xuan's heart when he heard that. He lowered his head, leaned close to her ear, and said in a low voice, "Then when we go back tonight, you'll have to nourish me properly."

Ye Lingling's cheeks heated. She reached out and gently pinched his waist, scolding him coyly.

"You never act serious."

Fang Xuan laughed out loud and held her hand as they strolled slowly along the academy path.

On both sides were lush trees and courtyards arranged in scattered order. Occasionally, students passed by and looked curiously at this unfamiliar man and woman.

The sunlight was just right, and the breeze was gentle.

Fang Xuan turned his head to look at Ye Lingling, who was walking quietly beside him. The schemes in his heart concerning Tang San, Qian Renxue, and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect were all pressed down to the very bottom by that soft figure.

Whatever. There was plenty of time ahead. He could take it slowly.

Meanwhile, on the other side, inside the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Ning Fengzhi was toying with a metal cylinder in his hand. It looked simple, just like an ordinary metal trinket.

In reality, however, it was a lethal weapon, one of the Tang Sect mechanical concealed weapons he had just obtained from Tang San: Sand-Shooting Shadow.

It contained several armor-piercing spikes coated with a small amount of poison. According to testing, if a Spirit Master below rank forty were struck without prior defense, even if they did not die, they would lose most of their combat ability.

"Such a divine weapon happens to make up for the weakness of my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

"That child Tang San can be of use to me."