A New Way to Make Money

What puzzled Wu Feng even more was that whenever she got close to Jiang Yue, her heart seemed to calm down a little. The restless feeling was gradually swept from her mind, as though even her soul had been cleansed.

Wu Feng did not know how to describe it. Being near Jiang Yue simply made her feel very comfortable, as if he were a close friend who understood her. Just seeing him made her relax instinctively. The feeling greatly surprised Wu Feng.

This made Wu Feng unconsciously look Jiang Yue over a few more times, wanting to see whether this guy truly was as genuine as he appeared—whether he was putting on an indifferent front while secretly being just like those men who coveted her young mistress behind her back.

Yet no matter how Wu Feng looked, she found that Jiang Yue's gaze had never once fallen on Ning Tian. He merely looked at Wu Feng with pity and even moved the food a little closer to her. That action made Wu Feng, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, instantly flush red with anger.

"Thanks for the thought, but I'm not some bottomless pit. I'm already full."

Wu Feng gritted her teeth and spoke word by word. If she could not sense that Jiang Yue was genuinely sincere, she might have charged at him and fought him already.

"Is that so? Fine, then."

"Shouldn't you tell me what you came to see me for?"

Jiang Yue did not believe that the young sect mistress of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Ning Tian, had come merely to see what the person who defeated Dai Huabin looked like. Recruitment—that was the real purpose.

Although Ning Tian and Dai Huabin, disciples from major powers such as the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and White Tiger Duke's Manor, had only been at school for a short time, they had already gained considerable fame in the outer courtyard.

Any normal person could guess Ning Tian's purpose.

It was not just the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Rather, the descendants of all the major powers within Shrek Academy had likely set their sights on Jiang Yue by now. An unknown Soul Elder who could defeat someone with the White Tiger Martial Soul possessed talent more than worthy of their attention.

The White Tiger Duke's Manor had indeed lost the throne of the Star Luo Empire, and its overall influence had greatly declined. But no one thought the White Tiger Duke's Manor was finished. The White Tiger Martial Soul alone, a martial soul that could be stably inherited, was enough to secure them a place as a second-rate power on the continent.

As the second young master of such a power, and the only one among Dai Hao's children to possess the Netherworld White Tiger martial soul fusion skill, Dai Huabin had naturally received preferential access to the White Tiger Duke's Manor's resources since childhood.

Yet now, a wild genius had suddenly appeared. Not only had he reached the Soul Elder rank, just like the specially recruited students from the major powers in this year's intake, but his combat strength was very likely the strongest among all the new students.

If he had possessed cultivation resources comparable to theirs since childhood, his cultivation might have risen to an even higher level.

"Don't worry. We merely wanted to get acquainted with you. Let me give you a piece of information: some people among the new students have already begun looking into you. There are four Soul Elders in our year's intake, and you are the only one who entered through Shrek Academy's standard admissions channel."

"You should understand what I mean. In some people's eyes, you're quite the prized catch. Naturally, I wanted to see what kind of person could beat Dai Huabin into that state. If you don't mind me asking, what department are you in?"

"Control Department."

It was only a department classification, nothing worth hiding. Besides, in the early stages, when one had only a few soul skills, soul masters could roughly be divided into battle soul masters and tool soul masters anyway.

Upon hearing that Jiang Yue was from the Control Department, Ning Tian was slightly taken aback. She had originally guessed that someone capable of beating Dai Huabin so badly was most likely from the Assault Department, but the Control Department also made sense and was within her expectations.

So long as Jiang Yue was not from the Support Department or the Agility Department, Ning Tian would not find it too surprising.

"The Control Department, huh? What a pity. If we were in the same class, I'd really like to try teaming up with you. Two Soul Elders working together—the championship of the freshman assessment would be ours for the taking."

"It is a pity indeed. If I really teamed up with you, we might not even need a third person. Still, there's no point talking about it. We'll settle it on the field when the time comes."

A Soul Elder-level Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda could boost a teammate's designated attribute by forty percent. Although none of Ning Tian's soul skills were attributes Jiang Yue needed, with such a boost, Jiang Yue would have no problem sweeping through the freshman assessment alone.

Ning Tian was somewhat relieved that Jiang Yue and Dai Huabin were currently on bad terms and were unlikely to team up. Otherwise, a Control Department Soul Elder, an Assault Department Soul Elder, and perhaps the Netherworld White Tiger—though she did not know whether Dai Huabin truly possessed it—if such a team were formed, there would be no need to hold the freshman assessment at all. They could just hand the championship directly to Jiang Yue.

From the looks of it, even though Jiang Yue and Dai Huabin were classmates, they would not be on the same team. That was good news for everyone else.

This meant that the four Soul Elders among the new students would be spread across four different teams, leading their teammates against one another in the fight for the freshman assessment championship.

Four Soul Elders—if they all made it into the top four, that would be fine. But whoever failed to make the top four would definitely become the most embarrassed one.

Hearing Jiang Yue's words, Wu Feng immediately became brimming with confidence and leaned a little closer to Ning Tian.

"You'd better watch out. When the time comes, I'll definitely be on the same team as Young Mistress. With me protecting her, even if you're a Control Department Soul Elder, it won't be easy for you to beat us!"

"Mm, then I'll wait and see. Make sure you do your best when the competition begins. I'm quite eager to see what makes your Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect so formidable."

Jiang Yue did not take Wu Feng's confident words too seriously.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's boosts truly were unreasonable. They generally did not overlap with a soul master's own enhancement-type soul skills. With Ning Tian's support, the other two members of her team could practically be considered Soul Elders who lacked only a third soul ring and third soul skill.

It was just a pity that when the freshman assessment came and they truly faced Jiang Yue, it was still uncertain whose forty-percent boost from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda it would be.

Thinking of the wonderful expressions those two would wear at that time, Jiang Yue could not help but want to laugh.

"Alright, I'm done eating. I have something to do this afternoon. See you again if there's a chance."

"Mm, we were the ones who rudely disturbed you. Student Jiang Yue, you should go take care of your own affairs. If you become interested in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's enhancement effects, or in the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, you can come find me anytime."

"Mm, I will. Speaking of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, there is something I'd like to ask. Would I have a chance to learn the Distraction Control Technique from your sect?"

"The Distraction Control Technique? That is a secret art passed down through generations within our sect. Generally, only disciples of our sect who possess the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul learn it. It is not that helpful to soul masters with other martial souls. Still, since Student Jiang Yue is a control-type soul master, it is natural that you would want to learn about this secret art."

"Even I cannot casually spread this secret art outside the sect without reason. If Student Jiang Yue is truly interested in the Distraction Control Technique, I can report it to the sect and give it a try. But I cannot guarantee the result."

"Mm, thank you."

Hearing Ning Tian say this, Wu Feng stared at her in immense surprise. Her expression and the emotions spilling from her made Jiang Yue realize that Wu Feng was shocked by Ning Tian's words.

Whether that shock was caused by Ning Tian's willingness to help Jiang Yue try to obtain the Distraction Control Technique was impossible to say.

Wu Feng was merely surprised and did not question Ning Tian's decision. At least, in front of Jiang Yue, an outsider, she did not speak up to ask Ning Tian about it.

Only after Jiang Yue's figure had completely vanished beyond the cafeteria entrance did Wu Feng turn to Ning Tian in confusion and ask the question in her heart.

"Young Mistress, isn't the Distraction Control Technique practically everywhere in the sect? With a little effort, people outside can find most of the first half of it. Didn't you say before that you wanted to build a good relationship with Jiang Yue? Why not just give him the Distraction Control Technique directly? It wouldn't cost us anything anyway."

"Little Feng, the Distraction Control Technique is indeed not as precious within the sect as outsiders imagine, but I was not wrong either. It truly is a secret art of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Since it is a secret art, it is best to report it before passing it on to an outsider."

"Besides, who would value something that came so easily? Right now, Jiang Yue and I can barely be considered acquainted. We have not even found out what his martial soul is or what abilities he possesses. His specific value has yet to be determined."

"Perhaps his value far exceeds what we imagined. In that case, even if he doesn't join the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, so what if we give him the Distraction Control Technique? It's always good to forge a favorable connection. Perhaps the sect will need his help someday."

"After the freshman assessment, we can just find some pretext and make the process sound a little more difficult and convoluted."

Within the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, the Distraction Control Technique was originally a secret art known by all soul masters with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile martial soul. Even disciples within the sect could obtain it if they wanted to learn it. After all, this secret art merely allowed one to multitask and save some soul power when releasing soul skills; it had a negligible effect on one's combat strength.

Outside the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, there were very few soul masters who needed this secret art. With all those factors combined, the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect did not guard the Distraction Control Technique all that strictly. At the very least, they did not value it as highly as the Clear Sky Sect valued the Clear Sky Nine Absolutes and ring detonation.

Moreover, during the brief time they had been talking, Ning Tian had already felt her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda continuously resonating. It was the treasure-seeking talent unique to soul masters with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile martial soul, and it was also the fundamental reason the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had become the wealthiest sect on the continent.

Yet Jiang Yue had not revealed his martial soul, and there had never been a precedent for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda reacting to a martial soul. That meant Jiang Yue had to be carrying something priceless that he had not put away.

But from his appearance, Jiang Yue seemed no different from the other students. If there was anything unusual, it was the jade-white soul beast hide wrapped around his right hand. But what kind of soul beast hide could make the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda react like this? Perhaps only the hide of a legendary ferocious beast could do so?

Ning Tian felt that was unlikely. It was probably some other precious item that had caused the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile martial soul to react.

"Come to think of it, Feng, why weren't you like your usual self around Jiang Yue today? Why was your temper so stable?"

"Hmph. It was only because that guy didn't let his eyes wander or entertain any improper thoughts. Otherwise, I definitely would have made him pay the price."

Wu Feng naturally knew she could not defeat Jiang Yue. She already struggled immensely when dealing with Dai Huabin, so there was no way she could defeat Jiang Yue, who had beaten Dai Huabin.

Strength was one reason. The other was that Jiang Yue's attention had been focused more on Wu Feng than on Ning Tian, and Wu Feng could sense the other party's goodwill.

She had clearly thrown a tantrum just now, yet his gaze had remained just as gentle. That feeling made Wu Feng feel like a child yearning for attention who had finally received a response. That was why she had not become as wary of Jiang Yue as she was of other boys.

"Feng, I should have told you many times already. We did not come to Shrek Academy to truly learn anything. We have a mission to carry out. You cannot be so reckless, lest others form a bad impression of us—and even of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

"All right. Remember to observe the freshmen during the assessment. Perhaps we'll find some promising talents who can be brought into the sect for training."

"Yes, Young Mistress."

Wu Feng was still very obedient when it came to Ning Tian's words. As for whether she truly took them to heart, or whether she could really follow them next time, only Wu Feng herself knew.

In Wu Feng's heart, she was the most talented battle soul master among the younger generation of the entire Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. She was also the only one who could remain at Ning Tian's side as her protector.

Seeing Wu Feng like this, Ning Tian slowly sighed, but she did not say anything more. She would let Wu Feng be. Once she grew up, everything would return to normal.

"When is the freshman assessment finally going to start?! Why are these three months passing so slowly?! Just thinking about having to stay under that freakish old hag Zhou Yi for so much longer, thinking about living every day on tenterhooks like this, is enough to make me collapse!"

"Tell me about it. Quite a few people in the class have already been expelled. There's nothing we can do about it—we were unlucky enough to be assigned to that freakish old hag. The classes will be reshuffled after the freshman assessment. I just hope we won't end up under Zhou Yi again!"

"I don't even know whether I can last until the freshman assessment. I feel like I'm already about to break down. Is this really the kind of life us eleven- or twelve-year-old kids are supposed to live?"

On the way out of the cafeteria, several students wearing freshman uniforms, their faces somewhat pale and their bodies drenched in sweat, walked toward the dormitories. Taking advantage of there being no other students nearby, they quietly complained about their homeroom teacher.

Seeing them like that, Jiang Yue briefly wondered whether he had arrived somewhere strange. He could feel the anger and worry of the two people ahead of him, and he could even influence those two emotions.

However, while he could feel other emotions, such as that dense, inescapable fear, he truly had no way of influencing emotions related to fear at present.

Relying on his spiritual power, Jiang Yue could clearly hear the conversation of the two people in front of him even from some distance away. He could also notice the traces of healing that remained on their bodies.

Zhou Yi had probably invited a healing-type soul master from Shrek Academy to treat them. Thus, the two people walking ahead of Jiang Yue had merely suffered severe physical exhaustion and were slightly weak; they had no actual injuries.

Hearing the word "collapse" from those two, Jiang Yue felt that he had seized upon a business opportunity that belonged solely to him!

Psychologist!

In a high-pressure environment like Shrek Academy, some people's mental states would inevitably develop problems. Yet this world had no such thing as psychologists. Healing-type soul masters only treated physical injuries; no one tended to the cracks in one's heart.

Wasn't this a business opportunity? Jiang Yue's martial soul was the Passionate Sword.

As the saying went, saving one life was better than building a seven-story pagoda. The students' psychological issues also needed to be taken seriously. This could be considered an act of boundless merit.

Jiang Yue felt he could firmly establish the title of "Divine Doctor Jiang." As for consultation fees, he would just set them at a slightly expensive price. This was Shrek Academy, after all—there were as many rich people here as hairs on an ox.

Very good. He would do it immediately. Jiang Yue felt the Spirit Devouring Carving Knife calling to him from the not-too-distant future.

Thanks to Zhou Yi, Jiang Yue could be certain that, among the freshmen of his year, the ones who would frequently come to him for psychological treatment would definitely be the students of Freshman Class One.

Shrek Academy's pressure was indeed considerable, but it was generally still within an acceptable range. Only Class One had an atmosphere different from the other freshman classes; if one was not careful, they might be expelled.

During this process, Jiang Yue could also further develop the emotional abilities of the Passionate Sword. It counted as cultivation as well.

Cultivation and earning money at the same time—Jiang Yue was extremely satisfied with this idea. He had to get started quickly.