Reserve Team

"Reserve team?"

Meng Shenji frowned slightly and repeated the words instinctively.

"Miss Ye, you're currently in the reserve team, aren't you?"

Hearing Meng Shenji's question, Ye Lingling nodded slightly. "Yes, Senior. I am indeed in the reserve team now."

"Then is there anything unusual in the reserve team at present that deserves attention?" Meng Shenji continued.

After a brief moment of thought, Ye Lingling bowed and replied, "Everything in the reserve team is normal at the moment. Compared with the teams from previous years, there is nothing particularly noteworthy."

Meng Shenji nodded, then looked at Xu Linjiu. "There shouldn't be anything in this year's reserve team worth your attention either, Xiaojiu. Then why did you want to arrange for these two children to enter it?"

Xu Linjiu shook his head. "Council Chairman, what I want is not actually a place in the reserve team. That is merely an excuse."

Meng Shenji raised a brow. "Then you mean...?"

"My true purpose is for Tang San and Xiao Wu to receive the same treatment as the academy's regular team members."

"Oh?"

Meng Shenji considered this. "The same treatment? You mean mimetic cultivation grounds, guidance from renowned teachers, and Soul Beast hunting quotas?"

"Precisely."

Xu Linjiu nodded. "These two children possess talent rarely seen in a hundred years. Though I believe that even on my own, I could nurture them into capable individuals, one person ultimately cannot compare to the resources of the finest academy in an entire nation."

"However!"

At this point, Xu Linjiu changed his tone. "You also know that Heaven Dou Royal Academy has the word 'Royal' in its name. That means the academy is filled with those narrow-minded nobles!"

Meng Shenji fell silent. He too loathed the parasitic nobles within the academy, but this was, after all, a royal academy. There was nothing he could do.

Xu Linjiu continued, "In those nobles' eyes, allowing commoner children to enroll is already an act of charity. If they want additional resources for cultivation, they can forget about it!"

"That is indeed the case. Ah..."

Meng Shenji held his forehead and sighed. How could he not know about these problems?

"That is why I chose the next best option and planned to let these two children enter the reserve team first."

Xu Linjiu smiled. "This way, it will not harm their interests too greatly. It will be equivalent to working for them, while Tang San and Xiao Wu can remain in the academy with proper justification. Once they bring glory to the academy in the future, no one will be able to say a word against it."

The moment Meng Shenji heard this, his eyes lit up.

What a Xu Linjiu!

He had thought Xu Linjiu had merely mentioned it casually, but he had not expected that this seemingly yielding step concealed such careful foresight.

It would avoid the nobles' suspicion, preserve the treatment the two children deserved, and accumulate strength for the academy's future tournaments. Killing three birds with one stone.

"Xiaojiu, Xiaojiu."

Meng Shenji could not help shaking his head with a laugh. "I thought you were still that reckless brat from back then who blocked the entrance and beat up freshmen. I never expected your thoughts to have become so meticulous."

Bai Baoshan behind him could not help adding, "Old Meng, you have misunderstood him there. If he could beat people up at the academy gates back then, he must have planned it in advance too."

"You flatter me, Council Chairman."

Xu Linjiu cupped his hands in salute. "I am merely setting an example as a teacher and thinking a few steps ahead for my students."

Meng Shenji nodded. After pondering for a moment, he finally said solemnly, "Very well, I agree to this. Tang San and Xiao Wu will enter the reserve team, and all their treatment will follow the standards of regular team members. Mimetic cultivation grounds, Soul Beast hunting quotas, cultivation resource allocations—nothing will be lacking."

"There is one more matter, Council Chairman," Xu Linjiu said.

"Go ahead." Meng Shenji waved a hand, sounding very agreeable.

"I hope to take up the position of reserve team leader. Tang San and Xiao Wu should be enough to prove my teaching ability, shouldn't they?"

"Oh?" Meng Shenji raised a brow and turned to Ye Lingling. "Who is currently coaching your reserve team?"

Ye Lingling hurriedly replied, "Chief, our reserve team leader left only two days ago, so the position is temporarily vacant. However, a newly arrived teacher is preparing to take over."

"A newly arrived teacher?"

Meng Shenji thought for a moment. "Oh, you mean Teacher Qin, whose martial soul is the Blazing Wolf?"

Blazing Wolf? Teacher Qin?

Xu Linjiu's heart stirred. Put those together, and there could only be one person.

Shrek Academy's finest graduate, the future youngest Soul Emperor on the continent—Qin Ming.

"Since he has not formally taken office yet, it does not count. I will speak with him personally tomorrow," Meng Shenji said.

"Chief, there is no need for that."

Xu Linjiu shook his head. "There is no need to favor me so openly. That would only give others something to talk about. Since I am competing with him, it would be better to do so fairly."

"You mean..."

"Yes. In that case, why not have a simple match?"

"Good, good, good!"

Meng Shenji stroked his beard and laughed heartily. "It seems that after all these years apart, you remain extremely confident in your strength! Don't worry—even if you lose, what I promised you will not change!"

Xu Linjiu bowed in salute. "Then I thank you, Chief!"

Meng Shenji waved his hand, then looked at Ye Lingling again. "Lingling, these two children will be in your care from now on. You are also a member of the reserve team, so look after them more."

Ye Lingling readily agreed. As she looked at Tang San and Xiao Wu, her gaze held a little more curiosity and anticipation. "Rest assured, Chief. I will do my utmost."

Xiao Wu's eyes shone as she listened. She leaned close to Tang San's ear and whispered, "Little San, this academy sounds pretty good!"

The corners of Tang San's lips lifted slightly. He said nothing, merely clenched his fists in secret.

Once the arrangements had been made, Ye Lingling volunteered to lead Tang San and Xiao Wu around so they could familiarize themselves with the academy.

Xu Linjiu remained with the council and discussed further details concerning their enrollment with the three council chairmen.

After leaving the council hall, Ye Lingling walked ahead and pointed out the various buildings to them. "The teaching buildings for the junior division are over here. The road on the left leads to the mimetic cultivation area. I'll take you to see it later. Our reserve team's training grounds are on the eastern side of the mountainside, about the time it takes to burn an incense stick from here."

Xiao Wu followed behind, looking around everywhere. From time to time, she tugged Tang San's sleeve and pointed out facilities in the distance that she had never seen before.

Tang San nodded slightly. "Senior Ye, have you met Teacher Qin, the one who is coming to take over?"

Ye Lingling thought for a moment. "I saw him once from afar. He is quite young, and I heard he is very strong. He became a Soul King in his twenties, and the academy specifically recruited him."

"A Soul King?"

Xiao Wu curled her lips and leaned close to Tang San's ear, lowering her voice. "Uncle is a Soul King too, and he's even a Soul King who can beat up Shrek Academy's dean."

Tang San gently shook his head, signaling for her not to talk too much.

Ye Lingling did not hear her and continued leading them deeper into the training grounds.

"This is the mimetic cultivation ground. Every member of our reserve team has a dedicated cultivation room, and we can cultivate here for two hours every day."

"Mimetic cultivation ground? What is that?" Xiao Wu asked curiously.

Ye Lingling explained, "A mimetic cultivation ground enhances the efficiency of absorbing and converting Soul Power by simulating an environment highly compatible with a Soul Master's martial soul attributes, thereby accelerating cultivation."

"Oh, right. Since you two receive the treatment of regular team members, you can cultivate here for four hours every day."