Heaven Dou Royal Education Committee

"Ah, how could that be?!"

Xu Linjiu was somewhat surprised by Ye Lingling's answer.

"Hehe, Senior Xu Linjiu, you must have something to take care of at the academy this time, right? Let's talk as we walk."

With that, Ye Lingling said to the guards at the gate, "This is Senior Xu Linjiu, who graduated from Heaven Dou Royal Academy. You must be new, so you don't recognize him. Please let him through."

Upon hearing this, the guards hurriedly nodded and let them pass.

"Where are you going, Senior Xu?"

Walking ahead, Ye Lingling spoke up.

"I'm going to meet the three members of the Education Committee. We've communicated before, but I haven't had the chance to visit them in person. I know the way well, so how exactly did you recognize me?"

Hearing that, Ye Lingling could not help covering her mouth and laughing softly. "Senior Xu, have you forgotten how you joined Heaven Dou Royal Academy back then?"

"Well..."

Xu Linjiu smiled awkwardly. "That was so many years ago. How do you all still remember it?"

"Senior Xu's glorious deeds are truly hard to forget!"

Ye Lingling teased, "In order to join Heaven Dou Royal Academy, Senior Xu blocked the academy gates and beat up every single new student that year."

"Beat up every single one?!"

Xiao Wu, following behind Xu Linjiu, widened her eyes. "Uncle, were you really that fierce back then?!"

"Nothing special, nothing special." Xu Linjiu waved a hand modestly.

As the finest academy in the entire Heaven Dou Empire, Heaven Dou Royal Academy had naturally been Xu Linjiu's first choice for an advanced Soul Master Academy.

However, Heaven Dou Royal Academy had one requirement: it only admitted children of nobles.

So, in order to draw the attention of Heaven Dou Royal Academy's upper ranks, Xu Linjiu had directly blocked the academy gates that year, stopping the freshmen who had come to register and provoking them one by one.

How could those young noble children endure such humiliation? They all stepped forward to accept the challenge, and the outcome went without saying.

All that could be said was that although the skill Psychic was a useless, lackluster move in Pokémon games...

In the real world, it was a bug-level skill that reliably inflicted control while also dealing considerable damage.

It was precisely because of that incident that Xu Linjiu successfully joined Heaven Dou Royal Academy, indirectly opening up another path for commoner children to enter the academy.

"So, Senior Xu, what is the purpose of your visit to the academy this time?" Ye Lingling asked curiously.

"I came this time to apply to join Heaven Dou Royal Academy again..."

"Join again? Are you going to lead us in this year's Soul Master Tournament?"

Before Xu Linjiu could finish, Ye Lingling excitedly interrupted him.

"Spirit Hall's team has won the championship for three consecutive years. If you lead our team, we'll definitely have a chance of winning!"

"Uh, I'm not here to be a student this time. I'm here to be a teacher!"

Seeing how excited Ye Lingling was, Xu Linjiu hurriedly explained.

"A teacher?"

Ye Lingling froze. "Then who are these two behind you?"

"Oh, these two? They're my students. If there's a chance to bring glory to the academy, it should be left to them."

Hearing Xu Linjiu's words, Ye Lingling cast a doubtful glance at the two behind him.

"Senior Xu, it's not that I don't believe you, but these two really look far too young!"

"Haha, it's fine."

Xu Linjiu looked back at the two of them. "Once we get to the Education Committee, you'll understand their strength."

The Heaven Dou Royal Academy Education Committee was located in the center of the academy's main campus. All of them were Soul Masters, so they quickly made their way up the white jade steps and arrived before the committee hall.

Knock, knock, knock!

Xu Linjiu stepped forward and lightly rapped on the door.

"Come in."

An aged voice came from within.

Xu Linjiu pushed open the door and entered, with Tang San, Xiao Wu, and Ye Lingling following behind him.

Inside the grand hall of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy Education Committee, three elderly men sat behind their desks.

In the central seat sat an amiable old man with white hair and beard: Meng Shenji, the chief member of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy Education Committee.

His martial soul was Black Demon. He was a control-system level eighty-six, eight-ring Battle Soul Douluo.

To his left was Bai Baoshan, the committee's second-ranking member. His martial soul was the Star Furnace, and he was a defense-system level eighty-five, eight-ring Battle Soul Douluo.

To his right was Zhi Lin, the committee's third-ranking member. His martial soul was the Azure Vine, and he was a control-system level eighty-three, eight-ring Tool Soul Douluo.

The three were examining documents in their hands. When someone pushed open the door and entered, they all looked up at once.

Meng Shenji's gaze landed on Xu Linjiu at the front. He was first slightly startled, then narrowed his eyes and studied him from head to toe for a long while.

"You are... Xu Linjiu?" he slowly asked, his tone carrying a trace of disbelief.

"It's me, Committee Member. Long time no see."

Xu Linjiu cupped his hands in salute. "It has been many years. I hope the three Committee Members have been well."

"Shenji!"

Bai Baoshan slapped the table and rose to his feet. "It really is that brat! I thought I was seeing things!"

"You've been gone for several years now."

Meng Shenji sighed. "That little rascal who blocked the academy gates and beat up every freshman one by one has grown into an adult now."

"You honor me too much, Committee Member."

Meng Shenji was about to say more when his gaze suddenly sharpened, landing on the girl in academy uniform behind Xu Linjiu.

"A girl from the Ye family?"

Meng Shenji frowned slightly. "Why are you here too?"

Upon hearing this, Ye Lingling hurried forward and bowed. "In reply to the Chief, I happened to meet Senior Xu at the gate. Thinking that I could see the famous senior in person, I couldn't help following along to take a look."

"You're quite clever."

Meng Shenji shook his head. "Fine. Since you're here, you may watch as well."

With that, he returned his gaze to Xu Linjiu, his tone carrying a hint of emotion. "But speaking of which, I never expected that after only a few years apart, that troublesome brat making a scene at the gates back then would have already broken through to the Soul King realm."

Soul King!

The moment those words were spoken, Ye Lingling's pupils constricted sharply. She froze where she stood.

This Senior Xu before her was actually a Soul King powerhouse?!

Senior Xu did not look very old. He had probably broken the record for the youngest Soul King on the continent!

"S-Senior Xu, you're actually a Soul King?"

Xu Linjiu merely smiled faintly and said nothing more.

"Fine, since you've returned."

Meng Shenji paused, his gaze passing Xu Linjiu and landing on the two children behind him. "These two little ones behind you are the students you're applying to enroll in Heaven Dou Royal Academy this time?"

"That's right."

Xu Linjiu nodded and stepped aside to reveal the two of them. "Come, greet the three Committee Members."

Tang San and Xiao Wu stepped forward at the same time, cupped their hands, and bowed. "Students Tang San/Xiao Wu, greetings to the three Committee Members."

"Polite little ones."

Meng Shenji nodded and examined the two with interest. "Those personally brought back by Xu Linjiu must be no ordinary people. Show us what you can do."

Xu Linjiu looked toward Xiao Wu and gave a slight nod.

Xiao Wu understood. She stepped forward, Soul Power surging within her as her martial soul was instantly released. Two yellow soul rings slowly rose from beneath her feet and circled her body, their Soul Power fluctuations spreading outward.

"Xiao Wu, level twenty-two Soul Grandmaster, eight years old."