[Current Enrollment Progress: 4/5.]
Ye Qiong stared at the panel only he could see.
As long as I recruit one more person, I'll find out whether this system has what I think it does.
Thinking this, Ye Qiong turned to look at Ning Rongrong, and his brow immediately furrowed.
Though Ning Rongrong's appearance here surprised him a little, it also made perfect sense.
He had set up a recruitment booth across from Shrek Academy and caused quite a stir.
It was only natural that Ning Rongrong would be drawn over by all the commotion.
He could recruit anyone present—but it absolutely could not be Ning Rongrong.
It wasn't because of some plot or anything like that,
but because the system had already told him that he would only receive rewards for tasks he completed personally.
If he recruited Ning Rongrong into the academy, he would be breaking the rules.
After all, Ning Rongrong was the young miss of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and he was from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect too.
Sure enough, the next second, Ye Qiong saw Ning Rongrong summon her Martial Soul.
In her hands, a seven-tiered glazed pagoda slowly revolved, its light shimmering and drawing the attention of many people present.
"My name is Ning Rongrong. My Martial Soul is the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda. I'm twelve years old, and I'm level twenty-six."
As she spoke, Ning Rongrong raised her chin proudly,
waiting for Ye Qiong to invite her to join, so she could reject him to his face.
At the name of her Martial Soul, everyone present was stunned.
The Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda—wasn't that...
Jiang Zhu was stunned too, and almost dropped the pen in her hand.
Ye Qiong glanced back at Jiang Zhu.
"Jiang Zhu, write that down."
"Huh? Oh, right. Yes, teacher."
Jiang Zhu immediately came back to her senses and hurriedly lowered her head to take notes.
But Ning Rongrong wasn't having it.
"Hey, hey, Academy Dean! I have the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda! Do you know what that means?"
Ye Qiong remained perfectly calm.
"I do. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."
"If you know that, then why are you still—"
"Why am I what? Are you going to ask why I don't just recruit you?"
Ye Qiong pointed behind Ning Rongrong.
"Take a look behind you. There are so many people waiting to register. I can't make an exception for you. That wouldn't be fair to them."
Ning Rongrong swept a disdainful glance over the people behind her.
"Hmph, why bother looking? Do you really think these country bumpkins can match my talent?"
The moment she said that, everyone's expressions changed.
A few hot-tempered people clenched their fists until their knuckles cracked.
If not for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's reputation, someone might have charged at her right then and there.
Looking at Ning Rongrong, Ye Qiong couldn't help shaking his head.
"I'm sorry, but this is my academy, and these are the recruitment rules I've set."
"If you don't like it, you can leave right now. We have no room here for someone as important as you."
A few bold people in the crowd heard Ye Qiong's words and immediately cast aside the last of their fear of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
They stepped forward and shouted:
"Exactly! I'm with the academy dean! So what if you're from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?"
"That's right! The academy dean said everyone has to follow the rules. What makes you so special?"
"Get in line and wait for the results! Why are you throwing your weight around?"
As the voices around her grew louder, Ning Rongrong's face flushed red.
She bit her lip and glared at Ye Qiong.
When had anyone ever treated her like this?
In the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, everyone fawned over her and indulged her.
Even Sword Grandpa and the others had never spoken a harsh word to her.
Though they doted on Ye Qiong more than they did on her.
But this guy actually dared to humiliate her in front of so many people?
Ning Rongrong took a deep breath and turned a cold gaze on Ye Qiong.
"Ye Qiong! Don't forget, you're a disciple of our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect too!"
At those words, everyone present was stunned.
What?
The dean of Omphalos Academy was actually a disciple of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?
Then this young woman must be...
A terrifying thought immediately came to mind.
At that, the crowd scattered like birds and beasts.
What a joke. Why wouldn't they run? Were they supposed to wait around and get minced by the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?
After all, just now, they had all said a thing or two that might have offended her.
In the blink of an eye, only Ye Qiong, Ning Rongrong, and a few others remained.
Looking at the crowd that had fled, Ye Qiong's brow furrowed more and more.
He hadn't expected Ning Rongrong to be so loose-tongued that one sentence would ruin his recruitment drive.
So Ye Qiong's gaze gradually turned cold as he looked at Ning Rongrong.
"Ning Rongrong, don't be so full of yourself. This academy has nothing to do with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."
"If you don't believe me, you can write to Sword Grandpa and the others and see what they say."
"As for whether I recruit you, I'm sorry, but Omphalos Academy only accepts people of upright character who are eager to improve."
"And you don't meet those requirements."
Hearing this, Ning Rongrong shook with rage.
She pointed at Ye Qiong's nose and cursed loudly.
"Ye Qiong, who do you think you are?!"
"You're nothing but a dog raised by my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and you actually think you're somebody?"
"Without riding on the coattails of our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, you wouldn't even be worthy of putting on my shoes!"
Her words immediately drew the attention of Ye Qiong's four students.
Jiang Zhu opened her mouth, wanting to stand up for Ye Qiong, but he pressed her down with one hand.
The next second, an immense pressure erupted from Ye Qiong, instantly leaving Ning Rongrong unable to breathe.
"Ye Qiong, you..."
"Ning Rongrong, watch your words, or else..."
Faced with Ye Qiong's warning, Ning Rongrong immediately shut her mouth in fright.
Seeing this, Ye Qiong shifted his thoughts and slowly withdrew the pressure.
"For Uncle Ning's sake, I won't hold this against you. Get lost."
Ning Rongrong shot Ye Qiong a resentful look and turned to leave. Before she went, she tossed out one last threat.
"Ye Qiong, I hope your academy never recruits another student."
Ye Qiong stood where he was, unmoving. He paid no attention to Ning Rongrong's threat.
He had never cared much for Ning Rongrong. Even though she was his fiancée, that made no difference.
And he understood perfectly well that, given the personality Ning Rongrong had grown up with, she would never have any affection for a fiancé like him.
Even though he was a sixteen-year-old Soul Emperor, unmatched among the younger generation, she wouldn't spare him a glance.
So he was happy to keep his distance. In the ten years he spent cultivating in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, he had barely seen Ning Rongrong.
It was only when he was about to leave the sect that Ning Fengzhi handed him that marriage contract.
"Qiong'er, you and Rongrong have both grown up. This is the marriage agreement arranged when you were children. I know your ambitions are great, and that you and that girl Rongrong are not of the same mind. So I'm giving you this agreement now. You may do whatever you wish with it."
"I only hope that, if you're ever left with no other choice, you'll spare her life for our sake."
Thinking of this, Ye Qiong couldn't help sighing.
Ning Rongrong had driven everyone away. Now he would have to recruit somewhere else.
"Tsk, what a hassle."
Ye Qiong clicked his tongue.
Well, he'd just take things one step at a time.
Jiang Zhu cautiously came over.
"Teacher... should we keep recruiting?"
Ye Qiong glanced at the empty little square and shook his head.
"Let's wait a little longer. If no one else comes, we'll go somewhere else."
A burly student walked over.
"Teacher, I don't think anyone's coming."
Hearing this, Jiang Zhu glared at him in annoyance.
"Wang Sheng, if you can't say anything useful, don't say anything at all."
Ning Rongrong was on her way to Shrek, so she walked quickly.
But she hadn't gone far before she passed a woman going the other way.
She instinctively looked back at the woman,
but the next second, something utterly unexpected happened.
The woman walked straight up to Ye Qiong.
"Excuse me, may I enroll at Omphalos Academy?"
Ye Qiong raised his head. The moment he saw the woman, he was startled.
"It's you?"
Before you continue