Seven days later,
Inside the Education Committee Hall of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy,
Meng Shenji, Bai Baoshan, and Zhi Lin, the three Education Committee members, sat behind a long table, watching Ye Han, who had reappeared before them after many days apart. Their thoughts were chaotic and complex.
Ye Han stood quietly in the center of the hall, his expression calm.
Dugu Bo leaned sideways in the main seat, maintaining a leisurely and contented appearance.
"The three Education Committee members," Ye Han spoke first, his voice steady and composed. "It was truly for a reason that this student failed to arrive at the academy some time ago."
"The storms in the outside world have not yet settled. Had I rashly shown myself, I fear it would have brought unprovoked disaster to the academy. Only after much deliberation did I decide to temporarily avoid the limelight."
He spoke open and aboveboard, his gaze clear and without a flicker of evasion.
This explanation was, in fact, the advice Dugu Bo had given him.
After returning to Heaven Dou City from Spirit City, Dugu Bo had given him a direct and stern warning that it was best not to show his face in public for the short term.
"You have gone to trouble, Senior Poison Douluo," Meng Shenji said slowly, his tone solemn. "It is Ye Han's fortune to receive senior's care."
Dugu Bo let out a soft snort, his tone remaining cold. "Since this old man has acknowledged this brat as a brother, naturally I will protect him thoroughly."
"What's more, Ye Han is now living in this old man's manor. With me guarding him, those petty villains wouldn't dare make a move lightly."
Meng Shenji did not continue with this topic, his gaze falling back onto Ye Han.
Pondering for a moment, he asked, "Ye Han, what was your purpose in traveling to Spirit City this time? If it involves secrets, it is fine not to speak of it."
Ye Han shook his head gently. "There is nothing unspeakable about this matter. His Holiness the Pope summoned me primarily out of two curiosities."
He paused slightly, sorting through his phrasing.
"First, she wished to know why my cultivation speed is so fierce and rapid; second, it concerned the Fire Qilin."
Ye Han raised a hand, and a flash of red light brought the Fire Qilin into manifestation at his side.
"His Holiness the Pope is extremely interested in the Fire Qilin as an External Beast Martial Soul."
The Fire Qilin let out a low rumble, a pair of qilin eyes sweeping over the three Education Committee members before quietly standing at attention beside Ye Han.
Hearing these words, Meng Shenji and the other two nodded slightly.
The matters Bibi Dong wished to inquire about were already within their expectations.
A brief silence fell within the hall.
A moment later, Meng Shenji slapped his thigh abruptly, full of deep emotion. "Sending you into the Heaven Dou Royal Academy was probably the most correct thing that fellow Xue Sheng has ever done in all his years serving as the head director of the Heaven Dou Intermediate Soul Master Academy!"
Within his words, his appreciation was completely unmasked.
Bai Baoshan and Zhi Lin followed suit with nods, their eyes filled with deep gratification.
Ye Han was only twelve years old this year.
This meant that apart from the advanced-level Soul Master Academy elite tournament two years from now, he would still be eligible to participate in the two subsequent tournaments.
The age limit for the Soul Master Tournament was twenty-five years old, and by the time the third tournament commenced, Ye Han would only be twenty-four.
In other words, he had the opportunity to participate in three consecutive tournaments, and it was extremely likely he could secure three championships for the Heaven Dou Royal Academy!
The three of them dared not even imagine what terrifying level Ye Han's cultivation would reach by the time he turned twenty-four. By then, he would likely be no weaker than veteran Soul Douluos like themselves.
Hearing the praise of the three Education Committee members, Ye Han offered a faint smile, yet he did not pick up the thread.
Things might not turn out as wonderfully as they anticipated.
When the Soul Master Tournament concluded two years later, he would most likely apply to graduate from the Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
Just like back at Notting Academy and the Heaven Dou Intermediate Academy, the present Heaven Dou Royal Academy was already like a child's playground to him.
He would not linger here for long.
The academy's courses and cultivation resources had long since ceased to bring him any enhancement; the things he craved were already beyond the academy's power to supply.
Chatting idly for a while longer, Ye Han retrieved a stack of manuscripts from the Wishful Hundred Treasure Pouch and handed them toward Meng Shenji.
"The three Education Committee members, these are the martial soul cultivation insights I have compiled, along with records of the Fire Qilin's evolution into its adult form," Ye Han said. "Perhaps they can provide a little reference for the academy's subsequent teaching and research."
Meng Shenji took the manuscripts, feeling their substantial weight upon contact.
Opening them to scan a few lines, an expression of shock instantly swept across his eyes.
The manuscript records were extremely detailed, from the screening considerations and personal sensations when absorbing each and every soul ring, down to the detailed comparisons and mutation conjectures before and after each morphological transformation of the Fire Qilin. Every single detail was clearly written down.
This set of records was identical to the one he had handed over to Bibi Dong.
Anyway, Bibi Dong would definitely hand the materials over to Yu Xiaogang in the end.
For Ye Han to copy a set and leave it behind for the Heaven Dou Royal Academy could also be considered a return of the long-standing care shown by the three Education Committee members.
As for whether Yu Xiaogang, after reading them, would be disdainful or shamelessly append the contents into his own "Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul" and rename them the eleven core competencies, that had nothing to do with Ye Han.
The three took turns leafing through the manuscripts, exchanging glances with excitement deep in their hearts.
It would be difficult to replicate Ye Han's path exactly, but the underlying trains of thought and experience contained within were priceless treasures for any soul master.
Dugu Bo watched quietly from the side, his evaluation of Ye Han in his heart rising by another notch.
Knowing how to repay kindness with gratitude-this brat's character was truly rare.
Ye Han looked toward the three Education Committee members, speaking up, "Coming here today, apart from reporting my safety to the three of you, is also to give you notice. For a very long time following this, I likely will not come to the academy again."
Meng Shenji nodded slowly, indicating his understanding.
"Your current situation is special; too many people covet you." He said in a deep voice, "Just rest assured and cultivate at Senior Poison Douluo's place. We will handle all matters here at the academy properly for you."
"Your student status and various treatments will not change at all," Bai Baoshan added. "Whenever you want to come back, you can do so at any time."
Zhi Lin also spoke up, "If you encounter difficulties in your cultivation, you can also come find us. The three of us old fellows are inferior in cultivation to Poison Douluo, but discussing things together, we can always give you some reference."
Ye Han bowed in salute. "Many thanks to the three Education Committee members."
Following this, Ye Han quietly departed in the company of Dugu Bo.
Whether arriving or leaving, the two of them did not alert the remaining teachers and students of the academy.
Meng Shenji had long since issued orders in advance that no idlers were permitted near the Education Committee.
Stepping out of the academy gates, Ye Han paused his steps, turning back to gaze at this familiar academy with a swirling vortex of emotions in his heart.
For a long stretch of days ahead, he would remain in the Dugu Manor in closed-door seclusion for cultivation and would not return to the school.
The Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng was already in his possession.
He had a feeling that the martial soul within his body seemed to want to devour this ginseng.
Logically speaking, his Qilin Bloodline should not have been compatible with dragon blood at all.
Just as Ye Han prepared to initiate a long-term closed-door seclusion,
On the other side, Yu Xiaogang finally set aside that trace of awkwardness in his heart.
Bidding farewell to Notting Academy and abandoning a guest elder status he had held for over ten years, he set off for Shrek Academy for the sake of his disciple Tang San, going to reunite with his former sworn brother Flender.
Yu Xiaogang abruptly stood up from his seat, his movement of such magnitude that it directly swept the teacup off the table. The porcelain cup smashed and shattered against the floor, yet even the crisp sound failed to pull his attention back. His eyes widened into a stare as he locked them onto Flender before him, his lips trembling unceasingly while for a long while he failed to force out a sound.
The intelligence Flender had just told him exploded in his mind like a thunderclap-Ye Han had already broken through to a Five-Ring Soul King, and his martial soul had furthermore completed two consecutive beneficial mutations.
Any single one of these things alone was enough to subvert the cognition he had established over a long period.
A twelve-year-old soul king, and an External Beast Martial Soul capable of continuous beneficial mutations.
How could this be possible?
Yu Xiaogang's mind repeatedly revolved around these two sentences, his chest stifled and even his breathing growing sluggish. Having studied martial soul theory for decades, he understood better than anyone just how heavy the weight of these two achievements was.
The Soul King realm represented a cultivation speed for Ye Han that shattered every recorded limit in the history of Douluo Continent since ancient times.
As for continuous beneficial mutations, it was a miracle never once recorded in the ancient texts.
"This is impossible..." Yu Xiaogang muttered under his breath, filled with utter disbelief.
Though his mouth still resisted, his heart had long since recognized reality.
Not long ago, the Heaven Dou Imperial Family had high-profiledly commended Notting Academy, honoring the institution for cultivating a genius of peerless generation; Spirit Hall had likewise broken precedent, issuing generous rewards down to Notting Academy.
The simultaneous action of two great factions was the most powerful corroboration.
Had Ye Han not produced talent capable of shaking the continent, the imperial family and Spirit Hall would never have made such a move.
Yu Xiaogang's complexion turned bit by bit paler.
Flender watched his old brother's bereft and desolate appearance, sighing inwardly to himself.
He stepped forward two steps, reaching out to lightly pat Yu Xiaogang on the shoulder.
"Xiaogang, let go of this matter for now."
Flender's voice hauled Yu Xiaogang back from his dazed state.
Yu Xiaogang raised his eyes to look at him, shock still lingering deep within his gaze.
"As for Tang San's side, go take a look." Flender spoke in a deep voice. "This soul hunting trip... something went wrong."
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