The Principal Arrives

"Jiang Lin, haven't I told you? I'm very strong."

Little Dragon Girl brushed back the loose strands of hair before her brow, her eyes brimming with confidence.

Just as Jiang Lin was about to say something, the two middle-aged teachers who had been following Xiao Yan hurried over as well.

The moment they saw Xiao Yan's miserable state, their faces turned livid, their eyes filled with fury.

"Jiang Lin, as a student of Notting Academy, how dare you conspire with outsiders to harm an academy teacher! Do you know what crime you have committed?"

Jiang Lin turned around with a faint smile on his face.

"It seems the two teachers are getting old and have gone a little blind. Xiao Yan was the one who struck first, and Sister Long merely fought back to protect me."

"Xiao Yan ended up like this entirely because he brought it upon himself!"

"What, judging by the looks on your faces, do you two teachers want to make a move against me too?"

As soon as he said that, Little Dragon Girl's gaze toward the two instantly turned hostile.

An icy aura immediately rose from her body and swept toward them.

"Not good!"

Feeling that extreme chill, the fury in their eyes instantly vanished, replaced by lingering fear and terror.

After a brief silence, one of them was the first to yield, looking somewhat awkward.

"Ahem, Jiang Lin, although Xiao Yan was indeed at fault first, he is still an academy teacher. Wasn't your attack a little too heavy?"

Damn it, Qian Feng, did you have to surrender so fast?

The other man cursed inwardly, but an ingratiating smile appeared on his face as he hurriedly said,

"Qian Feng, what are you talking about? Xiao Yan dared to attack student Jiang Lin without knowing his place. No matter how badly he was hurt, he deserved it!"

"Besides, if the principal finds out about this, his punishment for Xiao Yan will probably be even harsher!"

Seeing their attitudes change so quickly, Jiang Lin was somewhat surprised at first, but he soon understood.

The two had far less talent than Xiao Yan. Though they were already over forty, their cultivation remained stuck at level 39 Soul Venerable, with no hope of advancing in sight.

"Since the two teachers are sensible people, I won't make things difficult for you anymore. How about this? For the principal's sake, take Xiao Yan away. Oh, and when you leave, clean up the guardroom too. That smell is rather suffocating."

At those words, the two immediately breathed sighs of relief. Thankfully, it seemed Jiang Lin had no intention of killing Xiao Yan. Otherwise, if the principal and city lord questioned them, things would become serious.

Afterward, they efficiently dragged Xiao Yan out of the pit. One carried him to the infirmary while the other went to clean the guardroom.

Naturally, Jiang Lin did not know what they were thinking. Even if he did, he would not have cared. Xiao Yan's meridians had already been completely invaded by frost energy. Even if he barely survived, he would never be able to use a trace of soul power again. He would be no different from a cripple.

"Sister Long, Sister Tian Yan, let's go too."

The three did not linger. Before long, they arrived at the cafeteria.

"Huh? Jiang Lin?"

Suddenly, a sweet, soft voice sounded from afar.

Following the voice, Jiang Lin saw a sweet-looking girl in a student uniform walking toward him.

Little Dragon Girl: "Jiang Lin, who is she?"

Tian Yan: "Kid, it seems you're quite popular with girls."

"Ahem—"

Jiang Lin smiled awkwardly. "She's Xiao Wu. We met when we enrolled yesterday, so she's my classmate, I suppose."

"Just a classmate?"

A teasing look appeared on Tian Yan's face.

Before Jiang Lin could answer, Xiao Wu had already reached his side and noticed the two women beside him.

"Jiang Lin, who are these two sisters? They're so pretty!"

"Xiao Wu, these are Sister Long and Sister Tian Yan. They're both my cousins. They were worried about me, so they came to take a look around the academy."

"Oh, is that so?"

Xiao Wu did not think much of it and warmly extended her hands to the two.

"Hello, sisters. My name is Xiao Wu. It's nice to meet you."

"Xiao Wu? That's such a lovely name."

Little Dragon Girl was not calculating by nature. Since Xiao Wu treated her warmly, she responded with equal warmth.

As for Tian Yan, after giving Xiao Wu a deep look, she fell silent. Clearly, she had become suspicious of Xiao Wu's identity.

After getting several portions of breakfast from the serving window, the four sat around and began eating.

But before long, an elderly man in a dark blue robe appeared at the cafeteria entrance. He had a gentle expression and graying hair.

For a moment, the previously noisy cafeteria fell completely silent, and everyone tacitly shut their mouths.

"Hm?"

Jiang Lin raised his head in confusion and happened to meet the old man's eyes.

It's him? The principal of Notting Academy!

He actually comes to the cafeteria to eat too?

A hint of surprise appeared on Jiang Lin's face, but there was not the slightest fear in his eyes. After exchanging a few looks, he calmly looked away and lowered his head to continue eating.

"This boy truly is extraordinary. No wonder he dared to offend the Xiao Clan so thoroughly."

The old principal murmured softly, then walked directly toward Jiang Lin and the others.

"P-Principal?"

Xiao Wu was the first to stand, a perfectly measured trace of panic appearing on her face.

"Greetings, Principal. May I ask why you have come?"

With Little Dragon Girl and Tian Yan present, Jiang Lin naturally could not be bothered to stand. After taking a bite of the bun in his hand, he casually raised his head.

"Jiang Lin, your identity should be far from ordinary, should it not? Why have you concealed your identity and entered my Notting Academy?"

Apparently, the two teachers had already told him about Xiao Yan. Thus, he did not beat around the bush and got straight to the point.

"Huh? Jiang Lin, you have another identity?"

Xiao Wu looked at Jiang Lin in confusion.

Jiang Lin smiled faintly and did not deny it.

With two powerful experts like Little Dragon Girl and Tian Yan at his side, the principal probably would not believe him no matter what he said.

So Jiang Lin simply went along with the principal's words.

"That's right. I didn't expect you to discover it, Principal. I come from a secluded clan, and I only came out this time to gain experience."

"But what I did not expect was for a mere guard to dare provoke me, and then for Teacher Xiao Yan of your academy to show up as well. Helplessly, I had no choice but to teach them a lesson on your behalf. I trust you won't mind, Principal?"

At those words, the old principal narrowed his eyes. After a brief silence, he said, "Jiang Lin, as far as I know, there should be no secluded Jiang Clan on the continent, correct?"

"Heh—"

Jiang Lin laughed.

"Principal, your cultivation is merely that of a Soul Ancestor. How could someone at your level possibly know of such secrets? It seems you still have doubts about my identity."

Seeing Jiang Lin's seemingly genuine expression, doubt appeared in the old principal's eyes.