Conditions

Xuan Xiao stood with his arms folded across his chest, staring straight at Mu En, his tone resolute.

"Wind, strength, speed, and mental power—those common attributes are all acceptable, but the cultivation must be over forty thousand years."

The moment those words came out, Yan Shaozhe nearly lost his footing.

Over forty thousand years?

This kid really dared to ask for it!

One had to know that soul beasts over forty thousand years old were all minor overlord-level existences. Even Soul Sages and Soul Douluos had to think twice before facing one.

Yet he, a rank thirty-nine Soul Elder, actually dared to demand a soul ring of that level?

Mu En fell silent for a moment before slowly nodding.

"Fine. This old man agrees. However..."

Xuan Xiao had long expected there to be conditions and directly cut him off.

"Just say what your conditions are. After all, this already exceeds the scope of an ordinary academy's responsibilities."

Mu En looked at him, a trace of admiration flashing through his eyes.

Though this kid was arrogant, his mind was clear. He knew there was no such thing as a free lunch.

"Join the Shrek Inspection Corps."

After hearing that, Xuan Xiao turned and left without the slightest hesitation.

"Goodbye forever."

Mu En hurriedly called after him, his voice carrying a touch of helplessness.

"Don't be hasty. Let this old man finish."

Xuan Xiao stopped and turned back to look at him, impatience in his eyes.

"Your condition is fine, but you must remain in the Inspection Corps as an advisor for one year."

Mu En quietly calculated that he only needed to keep the boy around first. He was confident that within a year, he could make this kid's heart turn toward Shrek.

If that really doesn't work, I'll have no choice but to use a beauty trap. Even heroes struggle to resist a beautiful woman.

Shrek lacked nothing in particular, but beautiful female students were plentiful.

When the time came, he could find someone especially gorgeous to linger around him every day. Given enough time, perhaps they really could tie him down at Shrek.

Xuan Xiao considered it. A year was neither too long nor too short—just enough time for him to make his arrangements.

"Fine. A fair trade."

The instant he finished speaking, the office door was kicked open violently.

With a deafening bang, the door slammed heavily into the wall.

Du Weilen rushed in, panting hard, drenched in sweat, his face deathly pale as though ghosts were chasing him.

"Elder Mu, three Deans, something terrible has happened!"

Seeing Zhou Yi in the office as well, he did not stand on ceremony. He immediately recounted everything that had happened in the plaza.

Afterward, he handed that note to Mu En.

Mu En took the note and glanced at it. His brows furrowed slightly, but he said nothing.

After a moment of silence, he turned to Xuan Xiao, that kindly smile returning to his face.

"Little fellow, you should head back first. Focus on reaching rank forty. Once we find a soul beast, we'll notify you."

Xuan Xiao nodded. He knew they would not let him watch the rest of this show, so he turned and left without hesitation.

Just as he stepped out of the office, he heard Mu En's voice behind him.

"Shaozhe."

Mu En's voice was calm, but that very calmness sent a chill down Yan Shaozhe's spine.

He knew his teacher too well. The calmer his teacher was, the angrier he truly was.

"Shaozhe, kneel down. Your teacher has a favor to ask of you."

With a thud, Yan Shaozhe dropped to his knees without the slightest hesitation. His knees struck the floor heavily with a dull sound.

He was afraid that if he was even a second late, his teacher would reward him with his favorite delicacy—a resounding slap across the face.

Du Weilen, Fan Yu, and Zhou Yi stood to one side, scarcely daring to breathe as they inwardly groaned.

All three Deans are your disciples, but the three of us aren't! Couldn't you let us leave before handling your family matters?

Mu En did not look at them. His gaze remained fixed on Yan Shaozhe, his tone as mild as if he were commenting on the pleasant weather.

"Shaozhe, you have truly been terribly negligent as Dean."

"Go. Bring over every student record for all the students Zhou Yi has taught since joining the academy."

Yan Shaozhe hurriedly nodded, scrambled to his feet, and rushed out of the office.

After leaving the Soul Guidance Department, Xuan Xiao headed straight for the commercial street.

He strolled around the street once, his hands filled with all kinds of snacks and treats. He ate as he walked, thoroughly enjoying himself.

Just as he was eating happily, a crisp voice sounded behind him.

"It's you, deskmate."

Xuan Xiao turned and saw that it was the little girl Xiao Xiao.

She wore a white dress and had her hair tied into twin ponytails. Her large eyes blinked brightly, making her look obedient and adorable.

"Why didn't you go running this morning?" Xiao Xiao walked up beside him and asked curiously.

Xuan Xiao took a bite from the meat skewer in his hand and answered indistinctly.

"I went to the Soul Guidance Department with the homeroom teacher. Is there a problem?"

The moment Xiao Xiao heard that, a lingering look of fear appeared on her face.

"Don't even mention it. This morning nearly scared us all to death."

She vividly recounted everything that had happened that morning, reaching the part about the timed bomb.

She even patted her chest dramatically, showing that she was still shaken by it.

Xuan Xiao pretended to be shocked, occasionally letting out exclamations as he went along with her story.

"I know about it. Director Du went over there to find the Dean."

Xiao Xiao nodded, then tilted her head as she looked at him, curiosity gleaming in her eyes.

"By the way, I still don't know your name."

"Xuan Xiao. Xuan as in 'mysterious beyond mystery,' Xiao as in 'beyond the clouds.'"

Xiao Xiao nodded blankly, seeming to savor the meaning of his name.

"Do you... have any plans for this afternoon?"

She asked again.

Xuan Xiao tossed the bamboo skewer in his hand into a roadside trash bin and dusted off his hands.

"I'm going back to cultivate. See you tomorrow."

With that, he waved and turned toward the dormitory building.

Xiao Xiao watched his retreating figure, pouted, and muttered softly, "What a strange person."

When Xuan Xiao returned to the dormitory building and had just stepped into the corridor, he heard a piercing scream from Room 107.

"Ah!"

The sound was so shrill it seemed capable of rupturing eardrums, even causing the sound-activated lights in the corridor to flicker on.

Xuan Xiao knew what had happened.

Huo Yuhao had seen Wang Dong naked.

Sure enough, in the next instant, the door to Room 107 was yanked open. Huo Yuhao rushed out like a gust of wind, a suspicious flush still on his face.

Xuan Xiao looked at him and casually asked, "Where are you going?"

Huo Yuhao froze for a moment. Upon seeing him, a trace of envy flashed through his eyes before he quickly regained his composure.

"I'm going to sell grilled fish and earn some living expenses. Is there a problem?"

Xuan Xiao's eyes lit up at once.

Now that he had come to this world, it would be a real loss if he did not try the legendary succubus grilled fish.

He took out a gold soul coin and handed it to Huo Yuhao.

"Save two fish for me."

Huo Yuhao looked at the gleaming gold soul coin in his hand and said with some difficulty, "This is a little too much. My grilled fish costs five copper soul coins each."

One grilled fish cost five copper soul coins, while one gold soul coin was worth a hundred copper soul coins. That was enough for twenty grilled fish.

Xuan Xiao waved a hand indifferently.

"Keep it as credit, then. There'll be plenty of chances to eat them later."

Huo Yuhao thought it over and felt that it was acceptable. He put away the gold soul coin, then hurriedly ran out of the building.