Tai Long and the others stood outside the Martial Soul Department's office building, utterly despondent.
Just moments ago, they had confirmed that Zhou Yi had not been joking with them. She really had expelled them.
They did not understand where things had gone wrong.
A few days ago, they had still been the pride of their families, something their parents could boast about to others.
Now, however, they had become stray dogs, expelled on their very first day of school.
Where were they supposed to go from here?
They were lost.
Lin Xi came before them as they stood there.
"Hey, good afternoon. Do you guys have nowhere to go?"
They abruptly looked up. Once they saw that it was Lin Xi, their expressions turned hostile.
Tai Long stepped forward. "Well, if it isn't the level-37 genius. What are you doing here? Come to laugh at us?"
A warrior could be killed, but not humiliated. If Lin Xi really had come to mock them, Tai Long would bite a chunk of flesh off him even if it cost him his life.
"Calm down." Lin Xi waved his hands with a wry smile and handed each of them a business card. "I just thought it was a shame and wanted to recommend somewhere you could go after leaving Shrek."
These students merely liked cutting corners and slacking off. Getting into Shrek proved that they had at least some basic talent.
Zhou Yi did not want them, and Shrek did not value them either, so he would take them in instead.
That was also one reason he had not interfered with Zhou Yi's outrageous conduct that morning. It was a win-win, so why interfere?
They took the business cards somewhat hesitantly and began reading. Soon, one student from a prominent family cried out in surprise.
"No way! Unlimited Blade Works? You're from Unlimited Blade Works?!"
"Mm." Lin Xi nodded lightly. "Unlimited Blade Works is my private business, more or less. We're short of young talent like you right now. Why not give it a try?"
Tai Long looked at the student who had just spoken.
"Xiaopiao, what's Unlimited Blade Works?"
Yun Xiaopiao sounded rather excited.
"Unlimited Blade Works is a merchant association that's emerged over the past two years..."
He briefly explained the situation with Unlimited Blade Works to Tai Long and the others.
After hearing him out, they looked at Lin Xi differently once again.
A merchant association that had emerged over the past two years, coupled with Lin Xi's own words about it being his private business-did that mean Lin Xi had founded Unlimited Blade Works single-handedly?
What kind of joke was this?! They had been expelled and could not even stay in school, while Lin Xi possessed extraordinary strength and had also founded a rising-star organization that drew everyone's attention? Who would believe that?
Yet the facts lay before them, leaving them no choice but to believe.
Tai Long was tempted. After thinking for a while, he asked on everyone's behalf:
"We can join you, but what benefits can you offer us?"
Unlimited Blade Works differed from Shrek Academy, not only in the size of the organization, but also in how it operated.
However arrogant Shrek might be, it was still an academy on the surface, at least. Peripheral members like Tai Long also saw themselves as students who had come there to learn.
Unlimited Blade Works, however, was a merchant association, closer in nature to a sect. Joining it meant working for that organization.
Naturally, they had to ask about the benefits. They could hardly join without getting anything in return. They were not running a charity.
Lin Xi chuckled.
He had anticipated Tai Long's question.
He took a small bottle from his pocket and removed a pill.
It was a deep-blue pill the size of a cherry, covered in white markings of varying shades. After being poured out of the porcelain bottle, it was surrounded by a faint layer of mist. A trace of refreshing fragrance lingered in the air, its scent already soothing the heart and lungs.
"...No way. A Mystic Water Pill?!"
It was Yun Xiaopiao again. He had recognized the pill at a glance.
At his words, fervor flashed through the students' eyes.
Even if they had never eaten pork, surely they had seen pigs run? Though they had never seen a Mystic Water Pill, they had all heard of it.
This was a supreme pill capable of changing a person's talent, a treasure that could only be encountered by chance, not sought out. Why was Lin Xi bringing it out now?
Could it be...
Their hearts could not help beating faster.
Seeing how they wanted to ask but did not dare, Lin Xi laughed.
"Just as you're thinking, this is one of Unlimited Blade Works' benefits."
"-!"
Despite their suspicions, actually hearing it still left them dizzy.
This was far too extravagant!
Lin Xi shrugged slightly.
"Ah, but only core members can receive one, and to become a core member, you'll have to work diligently with us for at least six months. So, what do you think?"
"I'm in." Yun Xiaopiao agreed without hesitation. Then, with a flattering smile, he asked, "Boss Lin, can I have members of my family join too?"
Lin Xi smiled faintly.
"They can, but they won't necessarily receive the same treatment as you. We can discuss the details later."
With Yun Xiaopiao taking the lead, Tai Long and the others stopped putting on airs and agreed one after another.
There was no helping it. They had wanted to refuse, but Lin Xi was simply offering too much.
They could not begin to understand how Lin Xi could afford to be so extravagant.
In truth, it was only natural that they could not understand.
They could never have imagined that something called Projection Magecraft existed in this world, capable of projecting items one had seen and understood the structure of.
Sometimes, one did not even need to have seen them.
As a divine skill that could project anything from the Jeweled Sword to fishing rods and other everyday items, Projection Magecraft could easily project a pill.
After all, the ingredients that made up pills were nothing more than various metals and medicines.
This was also one reason Lin Xi had been so eager to befriend Xu Sanshi.
After receiving the Mystic Water Pill Xu Sanshi had sent someone to deliver two days earlier, Lin Xi had called Emiya over and asked whether he could project it.
The answer had been yes. Though the magical power consumption was not insignificant, once he understood its structure, mass-producing several dozen at a time would be no problem at all.
That quantity was more than enough to use as employee benefits.
Just like that, they happily settled their subsequent arrangements.
After watching them leave, Lin Xi turned and walked into a nearby patch of shade, where Huo Yutong was waiting for him.
"So, Yutong? How did it feel?"
"Mm..." Huo Yutong frowned and said hesitantly, "They all felt genuinely happy... at least, that's what I thought."
"That's good, then. I trust you."
Lin Xi rubbed her little head.
Because of the protagonist's traits, Douluo II differed from the other Douluo installments in one respect: the power in this installment had a certain mind-over-matter element.
Controlling one's emotions really could make one stronger.
Otherwise, Yuhao could not have instantly killed an eight-ring Evil Soul Master while only on the verge of reaching six rings.
Previously, Huo Yutong's spiritual power had been too low, so Lin Xi had left it alone.
But ever since she had obtained the Eye of Destiny a while ago, the rate at which her spiritual power grew had clearly increased dramatically, so Lin Xi needed to start teaching her how to use emotions.
The sooner this cheat was activated, the better.
The first step was to start sensing other people's emotions.
Happily, as the wielder of Spiritual Detection, Huo Yutong perceived emotions in far finer detail than ordinary people, and her progress in this area was visible to the naked eye.
Lin Xi smiled in satisfaction and asked:
"What would you like for lunch today? Your choice."
"Mm... I want lunch made by you, Brother Lin Xi."
"My cooking isn't even as good as yours."
"What does that matter? I just like the food you make, Brother Lin Xi. It has nothing to do with whether it tastes good."
Chatting idly, the two walked out of the shade and strolled beneath the brilliant midday sun.