The New Recruit Is Actually...

Ti Bao stepped out from the portal first, her skirt hem fluttering as it caught the wind before settling back down.

After standing still, she gave a slight nod to Ye Qiong, then stepped aside to clear the path.

Immediately following, Wang Sheng strode out.

"Hahaha! I'm back, baby!" The moment Wang Sheng cleared the portal, he let out an excited roar at the top of his lungs.

However, when he noticed the gazes of Ye Qiong, Bai E, and the others from across the plaza, he awkwardly scratched his head and let out a sheepish laugh: "Dean, Xiao Bai, you're all here."

Jiang Zhu walked out behind him, clutching a cloth bundle in her arms, and bowed slightly to Ye Qiong: "Teacher, we have returned."

The others stepped out through the door as well.

The five of them stood in the plaza, each wearing a different expression.

Nakesha had been standing quietly by the fountain; he closed the booklet he had been holding in his hand.

His gaze landed on Ti Bao, a faint glint flashing through his single eye.

So this must be Teacher Ti Bao, whom the Dean mentioned earlier? She certainly looks extraordinary.

Ye Qiong did not speak immediately, instead opening his system and scanning the information of the five individuals one by one:

[Name: Wang Sheng. Martial Soul: Fire-Pattern War Tiger. Power Attack System. Level: 31.]

[Name: Jiang Zhu. Martial Soul: Healing Scepter (Enhanced). Support System. Level: 32.]

[Name: Jing Ling. Martial Soul: Skeleton (Mutated: White Bone Spirit Pupil). Agility Attack System. Level: 32.]

[Name: Huang Yuan. Martial Soul: Berserk Wolf. Power Attack System. Level: 32.]

[Name: Bai Chenxiang. Martial Soul: Sharp-Tailed Swift (Mutated). Agility Attack System. Level: 34.]

After reviewing the data, Ye Qiong smiled faintly, closed the panel, and nodded at the group: "Not bad. It seems this trip to the Star Dou Great Forest was not in vain."

Wang Sheng puffed out his chest: "Teacher, you have no idea how fierce the fighting was over there."

Jiang Zhu gave him a light tap: "It was all thanks to Teacher Ti Bao."

"Right, right," Wang Sheng nodded repeatedly.

"There were a few times we almost wiped, and it was Teacher Ti Bao who pulled us out of the fire."

Bai Chenxiang added: "But we managed to kill two soul beasts ourselves, too."

Ye Qiong waved his hand: "Did you all absorb your soul rings successfully?"

"We all did, Teacher," Huang Yuan replied.

"My third soul ring came from a two-thousand-year-old Shadow Wolf, a speed-type."

Ye Qiong hummed in acknowledgment, his gaze sweeping across their faces:

"Very good. You've all worked hard. Go back and rest for now; gather at the plaza this afternoon. I have new arrangements."

The group acknowledged the order and headed toward the dormitory building in twos and threes.

Bai E remained where he was, glancing at Nakesha by the fountain and then at Ti Bao, not moving.

Ye Qiong beckoned to Nakesha at this moment.

Nakesha walked over with a steady, measured pace, his single eye sweeping over Ti Bao and lingering for a brief moment.

Ye Qiong turned to the side and introduced him to the others:

"This is Nakesha, a student who just enrolled a couple of days ago."

Nakesha gave a slight nod without speaking.

Wang Sheng turned around and looked him up and down: "Hey there, I'm Wang Sheng."

Nakesha merely nodded, his gaze already shifting away from Wang Sheng's face.

Wang Sheng froze for a second, retracting his outstretched hand, and glanced at Jiang Zhu.

Jiang Zhu pursed her lips, saying nothing.

Huang Yuan, however, boldly leaned in: "Nakesha, right? What's your Martial Soul? What level are you?"

Nakesha tilted his head and gave him a cold look: "You'll find out in time."

With that, Nakesha turned away.

Huang Yuan was choked up by the remark, scratching his head with a stiff smile.

Seeing this, Ye Qiong quickly interjected: "Nakesha's personality is just like that. He only cares about things that interest him; don't take it to heart."

"Is that so?" Wang Sheng scratched his head.

Ye Qiong then changed the subject:

"Alright, go back and tidy up. Come back this afternoon for training."

"Yes!"

As if granted an amnesty, Wang Sheng and the others hurried toward the dormitory area.

Nakesha stood where he was, his gaze remaining fixed on Ti Bao.

Ye Qiong noticed this and turned his head to look at Ti Bao:

"Teacher Ti Bao, I have a favor to ask of you."

Ti Bao nodded slightly:

"Please speak, Dean."

Ye Qiong pointed at Nakesha:

"He wants to pursue the path of research. For this reason, I have specifically cleared out an empty room in the academy to serve as a laboratory for him and you. You can take him to see it, and as for how to teach him, you may arrange that as you see fit."

Upon hearing this, a flash of surprise crossed Ti Bao's eyes, and she immediately nodded: "Very well."

Nakesha's single eye lit up instantly.

"A laboratory?" He took half a step forward, "Are there devices?"

Ti Bao glanced at him and smiled:

"Since the Dean calls it a laboratory, I expect everything is already prepared."

Nakesha was silent for two seconds, then suddenly raised his hand and pushed the black eyepatch over his left eye up a notch, revealing a pale green eye.

"I have been thinking about a question."

Ti Bao watched him patiently.

Nakesha's tone was slow and solemn:

"What exactly is soul power? Why does it only exist within the bodies of living beings, yet can resonate with the power of heaven and earth in the outside world? Is its essence a form of energy that can be quantified and deconstructed? Or perhaps, is it the underlying law of this world?"

Ti Bao blinked, and the curve of her lips deepened:

"That is a very interesting question."

"Let's go. I will take you to the laboratory so we can discuss this topic together."

After saying this, Ti Bao turned and took a few steps.

Nakesha followed without a word, his pace twice as fast as before.

Ti Bao walked a few steps, then looked back at Ye Qiong:

"By the way, Dean, that training plan..."

Hearing this, Ye Qiong slapped his forehead, only then remembering this matter, so he looked at Ti Bao:

"It's all written down. You can distribute it to the students later and have them execute it according to the plan."

He finished speaking and tossed a ring over.

Ti Bao circulated her soul power, caught the ring, and tucked it into her pocket:

"Understood, I will look it over when I return."

Afterward, Ti Bao called for Nakesha and headed to the laboratory.

As the two departed, Ye Qiong looked up at the sky and, seeing that it was nearly noon, turned and walked toward the office building.

Pushing open the office door, Ye Qiong took off his coat and walked to the window, Preparing to replace a pot of withered flowers on the windowsill.

But when he looked at the scene outside the window, he froze immediately.

He saw that, at some point, a carriage had stopped outside the academy gate.

Pulling the carriage was a snow-white Horned Horse.

There were no guards beside the carriage.

Ye Qiong narrowed his eyes, his gaze locked firmly on the vehicle.

Just as he was observing it, the carriage curtain was suddenly lifted at one corner from the inside.

Immediately following, two purple-haired young women stepped down from the carriage.

And upon seeing these two, Ye Qiong's breath hitched, "Damn, it's actually them..."