Within minutes of the news breaking, reporters from across the country flocked to Qingcheng!
Fortunately, Green Mountain Apartments had a secluded location and tight security. Otherwise, reporters would already have packed Yi Tian's apartment.
With their target out of reach, the reporters swarmed the entrance of Qingshan No. 2 Middle School instead. Principal Ji Changlin wore a broad smile as he fielded their questions.
Meanwhile, Bai Qiu Li herself was at the City Lord's Mansion, meeting Jiang Yuan Shuang, renowned as Great Xia's foremost sword saint.
Jiang Yuan Shuang was a sword-class instructor at Huaxing University, a level 74 Cloudflow Sword Saint, and one of Great Xia's top professionals. She was also the instructor Bai Qiu Li had always hoped to study under.
As soon as Bai Qiu Li's first-place finish in East China was confirmed, Jiang Yuan Shuang came over from Central China to interview her personally and take her as a disciple.
As for why her result was first in East China rather than a national ranking, it wasn't because Bai Qiu Li couldn't place nationally...
After the Other Races launched their massive invasion, Great Xia consolidated its scattered territories into five major regions, each responsible for fighting its own enemies. The college entrance examination had likewise been reformed into five separate regional exams. National rankings had long since ceased to exist.
Of course, Great Xia's headquarters might still have one, but it wasn't made public.
First place in East China was already more than enough to satisfy Yi Tian.
His tier 2 advancement quest was finally complete:
[Bai Qiu Li placed first in the East China Region's college entrance examination. Profit Sharing reward: 15 funds, Star-Dipper Essence Guard Formation!] [Tier 2 class quest completed! Your class tier has increased from tier 1 to tier 2!] [All employees you recruit in the future will begin at class tier 2.] [One new employee benefit unlocked!] [Boss-exclusive class skill acquired: Promotion!]
"The college entrance exam really does carry weight. There's a special reward, just as I thought!"
The first thing Yi Tian noticed among his Profit Sharing rewards was the Star-Dipper Essence Guard Formation-a Legendary-quality formation item!
Formations were similar to barriers, a rare and specialized ability. Even the college entrance examination used formations to protect the testing grounds and monitor their safety.
The Star-Dipper Essence Guard Formation could detect hostility and defend against any dangerous attack. Once deployed, it showed no outward signs of anything unusual; its defensive effect would only activate when triggered.
"Nice, very nice. Legendary-quality formations are hard to come by. I can put it at the base later to improve the department's security."
Even the college entrance examination only used Rare-grade formations, yet Yi Tian already had a Legendary one!
He turned his attention to his other rewards.
Advancing to tier 2 had unlocked another employee benefit, but when he read the details, he sucked in a sharp breath:
[Employee benefits-] [1. Insurance: Spend funds equal to 3 × employee count to create a lifesaving shield for every employee. Each shield can block one instance of fatal damage and lasts three days.] [2. Year-end bonus: Spend funds equal to 10 × employee count to give every employee one Legendary-quality equipment mystery box!]
A year-end bonus cost 10 funds per person!
Yi Tian did the math. With his current employee count, handing it out once would cost 50 funds!
"That much..."
After recruiting Ning Jing, he had thought his remaining balance of 109.3 funds was quite substantial.
Now it seemed he still didn't have enough money.
A Legendary-quality mystery box for everyone was certainly valuable and would greatly improve his employees' strength, but he couldn't afford to consider it yet.
"My employees need to keep working hard!"
The final reward, the Boss's tier 2 exclusive skill, was quite practical:
[Promotion: Promote an employee's rank (for example, from ordinary employee to outstanding employee) and gain another special Investment opportunity.] [Currently available promotion slots: Outstanding employee × 2!] [Advancing your class increases the number of promotion slots and unlocks more employee ranks, such as core employee, secretary, and more...]
At present, all his employees, including Bai Qiu Li, were ordinary employees.
Promotion could raise an ordinary employee to an outstanding employee, and he currently had two slots available.
"After promoting them, I get a special Investment opportunity too."
Yi Tian rubbed his chin. He had to admit that every class-exclusive skill was quite useful.
By now, he had already silently settled on his first candidate for promotion:
Bai Qiu Li, without question!
Even among all these talented people, Bai Qiu Li was the hardest worker. Her exceptional talent promised limitless future achievements.
Besides, Bai Qiu Li would soon be entering university, where she would have more chances to win awards and earn him even more Profit Sharing rewards...
"Promote Bai Qiu Li!"
With a thought from Yi Tian, Bai Qiu Li's title on the employee panel instantly changed:
[Outstanding employee - Bai Qiu Li]
Immediately afterward, a new special Investment panel popped up:
[Outstanding employee Investment opportunity-] [1. Class advancement: Advance a Legendary Class to a God-Tier Class! (20 funds)] [2. Exclusive weapon: Obtain the Frostmoon Sword Immortal's exclusive weapon! (5 funds)] [3. Promote only, without investing.]
Three options. Choose one.
Yi Tian immediately ruled out the third. Giving someone a title without anything to back it up was no different from making empty promises!
After spending his previous life as an overworked salesman, empty promises were what he hated most.
Advancing her class to God-Tier would undoubtedly provide the greatest improvement.
He hadn't even imagined there would be an ability to upgrade a class's quality... but it also cost a lot of funds-20!
Fortunately, Yi Tian still had a fairly comfortable balance:
"Invest in class advancement... wait!"
He had almost forgotten. The phenomena accompanying the emergence of a God-Tier Class were far too spectacular and might attract trouble. He should ask Wei Yuan to help first.
In a meeting room at the City Lord's Mansion, Bai Qiu Li was having a pleasant conversation with a beautiful woman.
The woman wore a moon-white gown over her tall figure. A flowing-cloud hairpin held up her long hair, and her gentle features carried an edge of sharpness.
She was none other than Jiang Yuan Shuang, renowned as Great Xia's foremost sword saint.
Seeing Bai Qiu Li's extraordinary talent for the sword, Jiang Yuan Shuang decided to take her as a personal disciple:
"Qiu Li, in that case, become my disciple and come with me to Huaxing University!"
Bai Qiu Li readily agreed, but then an apologetic look crossed her face. "Senior Yuan Shuang, I still need to tell someone else..."
She thought she ought to at least let her boss know before leaving Qingcheng for university.
To her surprise, Jiang Yuan Shuang gave her a knowing look and teased with a smile:
"Your little boyfriend?"
Before coming, she had already learned about Bai Qiu Li's performance during the examination from Huaxing's admissions instructor, including her apparently intimate relationship with Yi Tian.
Bai Qiu Li froze, then hurriedly waved her hands. "No, he's... my boss."
"Your boss?" Jiang Yuan Shuang immediately frowned, sounding displeased:
"Qiu Li, you have a Legendary Class. You're destined to reach the pinnacle of Great Xia. How can you remain someone's subordinate..."
A romantic relationship would have been one thing, but how could someone with a Legendary Class work under another person?
Before Bai Qiu Li could explain, Wei Yuan pushed open the meeting room door.
Dressed in blue, Wei Yuan walked in and swept both hands through the air, channeling astral spirit power. In an instant, he placed three starry barriers around Bai Qiu Li.
As the barriers appeared, Jiang Yuan Shuang smiled. "What's this?"
"The esteemed Director Wei can't bear to let Qiu Li leave with me?"
Bai Qiu Li looked puzzled too. She knew her results were good, but Yi Tian had plenty of talented people working for him. Surely Wei Yuan wouldn't stop her from leaving.
A smile tugged at Wei Yuan's lips as he spread his hands:
"Being a director isn't such a big deal. I still get called in to do the work."
Jiang Yuan Shuang looked surprised. Though Wei Yuan was speaking somewhat jokingly, he had still made it clear that someone had summoned him to carry out a task. "Could it be headquarters..."
Yet Wei Yuan turned to Bai Qiu Li with an odd expression:
"Your boss said he wanted to promote you..."
Bai Qiu Li and Jiang Yuan Shuang both looked baffled. "Promote her? What on earth?"
But the next moment, dazzling Illusionary Radiance suddenly burst from Bai Qiu Li!
A brilliant pillar of light shot into the heavens, reflected in Jiang Yuan Shuang's utterly stunned eyes.
A clear sword chime rang out from within the pillar. Bai Qiu Li's robes fluttered as the sword intent within her rose ceaselessly, growing stronger and sharper!
[You have been promoted to 'outstanding employee.' Your current class has advanced from Frostmoon Sword Envoy to the God-Tier 'Frostmoon Sword Venerable'!] [Your ultimate class has advanced from Frostmoon Sword Immortal to 'Frostmoon Sword God'!] [You have acquired the God-Tier class skill: Heaven-Rending Sword Domain!]
Bai Qiu Li's face flushed with excitement... her class had advanced to God-Tier!!
"My boss promoted me..."
Beside her, Wei Yuan was filled with emotion after personally witnessing the emergence of a second God-Tier Class.
Jiang Yuan Shuang's mouth fell open involuntarily. Her usually dignified expression was now completely beyond her control.
"Is this that boss's ability?"
She turned toward Wei Yuan in disbelief, and he raised an index finger to his lips, signaling her to keep it secret.
"No wonder..."
Jiang Yuan Shuang's chest rose and fell. "No wonder Bai Qiu Li was willing to work under that boss..."
If it were her, she would be tempted to join his staff too!
A single word of promotion had brought a God-Tier Class into being!!
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