"Dean, there's something I'd like to discuss with you."
In the Shrek lounge,
Flender spoke, looking exhausted:
"Go ahead."
Qin Ming took a deep breath and said gravely:
"I'm sure you saw today's Soul Fighting match against Omphalos Academy, Dean. That Caesar toyed with all seven members of Imperial Fighting Academy single-handedly."
"To be honest, our Imperial Fighting Academy can't withstand them in the short term."
To Qin Ming's surprise, Flender only gave a quiet "Mm," showing no reaction at all.
Seeing this, Qin Ming's heart tightened, but he continued:
"I assume you've already faced Omphalos Academy yourself, Dean?"
Flender sighed. "Alas, we have. We were completely outmatched. Not only could our students not beat them, but we nearly went under financially because of them, too."
Qin Ming frowned. "What happened?"
Flender briefly told Qin Ming what had happened before.
After hearing him out, Qin Ming clenched his fists.
"They actually did that?"
Flender sighed again.
"If not for the help of the Dragon Duke, I'm afraid I wouldn't have made it through this."
Qin Ming fell silent for a moment, then his expression grew resolute.
"Dean, instead of fighting separately, why don't we join forces?"
"You could bring all of Shrek into Imperial Fighting Academy. We'd share resources and instructors, and train the students together."
"Imperial Fighting Academy has plenty of resources and high-level Soul Masters to guide them. Shrek has a foundation built on practical experience and trials of life and death. We each have our strengths, and if we complement each other, we might just be able to go toe-to-toe with Omphalos."
Flender jerked his head up, looking at him in disbelief.
"What did you say? You want me to hand Shrek over to Imperial Fighting Academy? And go work for you as some kind of lackey?"
Qin Ming remained composed and explained patiently:
"This isn't handing it over. It's a partnership. Shrek will still be Shrek; it'll just come under Imperial Fighting Academy's name. What you lack is resources and a proper environment, while Imperial Fighting Academy lacks your practical experience. By combining our strengths, the kids can go further."
Flender stood and slammed his fist onto the table.
"I've spent my whole life running an academy, and the thing I hate most is your rigid hierarchy and rotten rules! Back then, I'd rather pay out of my own pocket to put up a shack in a village than put up with that. And now you want me to send my students to you myself?"
Qin Ming sighed.
"I know."
"You know, and you're still trying to talk me into it?"
The atmosphere in the lounge immediately turned tense.
Flender was about to say more, but Yu Xiaogang stepped forward.
He went to Flender's side and pressed a hand to his shoulder.
"Boss Flender, come outside for a moment."
Once the door had closed, Yu Xiaogang led Flender to the end of the corridor before letting go.
"Boss Flender, don't get worked up yet."
Flender panted heavily.
"How can I not? He wants me to bring the kids into a place like Imperial Fighting Academy!"
"Just hear me out."
Yu Xiaogang cut him off at once.
"Imperial Fighting Academy was founded by the royal family of the Heaven Dou Empire. It has plenty of rules, sure, but think about it: who controls the best resources and the highest-grade training grounds in Heaven Dou City?"
Flender fell silent.
"You're worried about your pride, but Xiao San and the others don't need pride."
"If they join Imperial Fighting Academy, they'll have more comfortable surroundings and better training. How could that be a bad thing?"
"Besides, we're only putting our name under theirs. It's not as if we'll stop existing."
Flender was already struggling with the idea, but he still stubbornly objected:
"I'm afraid those people will lead Xiao San and the others astray."
"Lead them astray?"
Yu Xiaogang shook his head.
"You know Xiao San and the others' personalities. It's anyone's guess who'll lead whom astray." (That's exactly right. Well said, Yu Xiaogang.)
"For the kids' sake, we can set our pride aside for now. We can borrow a chicken to lay eggs; there's no harm in that."
The corridor fell quiet for a few moments.
Flender looked Yu Xiaogang deeply in the eyes, then finally broke into a faint smile.
"Fine. If we're borrowing a chicken to lay eggs, then let's do it."
The two exchanged smiles, then pushed open the door and returned to the lounge.
Flender went back to his seat and looked across at Qin Ming.
"We'll do as you suggested."
At that, Qin Ming's face broke into a delighted smile.
"Then congratulations, Dean. I look forward to working together."
That night, in Ye Qiong's room at Omphalos Academy,
Ye Qiong lifted Mimi out of his arms and set her down on the edge of the bed.
Mimi sat there, her long tail swishing behind her as she blinked her round eyes at Ye Qiong.
"Mi, mi?"
Ye Qiong rubbed her fluffy head.
"Be good and stay here. I'm going to do some pulls. You can go to sleep."
"Mimi!" Mimi nodded at once and obediently lay down.
Ye Qiong opened the system inventory.
[Star Jade balance: 21700]
Looking at the mountain of Star Jade he'd saved up over time, Ye Qiong's grin nearly stretched all the way to the M78 nebula.
He hurriedly opened the Warp screen.
Mimi lay on the bed, her breathing gradually evening out.
"Mi... mi..."
Ye Qiong rubbed his hands together and started pulling, one ten-pull after another.
One ten-pull, two ten-pulls, three ten-pulls...
Ye Qiong stared at the screen, tapping rapidly as golden light burst forth again and again.
At last, after spending all his Star Jade in one go, he slowly let out a breath.
Pulling cards was like doing crafts.
Doing it every day got tedious,
but leave it alone, then suddenly do it all at once, and it was much more satisfying.
After finishing his pulls, Ye Qiong opened his inventory and saw a row of golden cards neatly arranged.
His gaze swept over them, and his mood brightened.
Three Chrysos Heirs and two Soul Bones.
He looked closely at the three Chrysos Heirs and realized that one of them was in Heaven Dou City.
The other two were somewhere in Suotuo City at that moment.
"Then I'll wait for the two of them to arrive before heading to Heaven Dou City."
Ye Qiong turned his attention to the two Soul Bones.
"One wing bone, one leg bone..."
One was a ten-thousand-year External Soul Bone, and the other was a hundred-thousand-year leg bone.
Both were adaptable, universal Soul Bones that could merge with any Martial Soul without needing a match.
"Holy crap, these are incredible!"
Ye Qiong closed his inventory, tamping down his excitement.
He planned to reward these two Soul Bones to whoever performed the best.
At some point, Mimi had woken up.
"Can't sleep?" Ye Qiong asked with a smile.
She flew up in front of him and glared at him, looking displeased.
"Mi, mimi."
Ye Qiong smiled and gathered her into his arms.
"Fine, fine. I'll hold you while you sleep."
Early the next morning, outside the gates of Omphalos Academy,
Two carriages stopped at the entrance at the same time.
The curtains on both carriages were pulled back one after the other.
A golden-haired girl stepped out first. She wore an exquisite white dress, and her jade-green eyes shone brightly in the morning light.
She stood there with elegant poise, like a noble golden peony.
Then a pink-haired girl climbed down from the other carriage. A red hat sat atop her head, and two slightly curled ponytails fell behind her.
She wore a red dress, white stockings, and a pair of dainty little red shoes.
Ye Qiong had already been waiting at the entrance for quite some time.
Seeing the two of them, his face lit up with a delighted smile.
"Welcome to Omphalos Academy."
Before you continue