"Worthy younger brother, how is the scenery?" Inside the carriage bound for the academy, the corners of Xue Qinghe's lips lifted slightly.
"The mountains are spirited and graceful; the waters are full of charm and clear." Ling Yu trotted out a line he had read in his previous life.
"Oh? Your literary talent is so refined as well, worthy younger brother. What a surprise." Xue Qinghe's eyes lit up. He had not expected such elegant words from Ling Yu.
"I read it in a book. Please don't laugh, Brother Xue."
"That still speaks to your learning, worthy younger brother. You have my admiration!"
"Not at all, not at all. It's hardly worth mentioning."
"By the way, Brother Xue, there's something I'd like to ask of you, but I don't know whether the rules allow it."
"Oh? Speak freely." Xue Qinghe narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Could I have a private dormitory room and a research laboratory at the academy? Although I have the residence you gave me, Brother Xue, it's still some distance away. If it goes against academy rules, then never mind."
"It would naturally be difficult for anyone else, but with you making the request, worthy younger brother, how could I say no as your elder brother? Rest assured. I'll ask the three committee members to arrange it shortly."
"Then thank you, Brother Xue!"
"Think nothing of it. But if you really do develop something, worthy younger brother, I hope you won't hold back. The empire will naturally reward you."
"Of course. With the empire treating me so well, I ought to repay it." Ling Yu immediately nodded in response, silently thinking, Does this count as producing results for her?
"Good, then."
Before long, the carriage stopped at the academy gates. Although it could have continued inside, Xue Qinghe always stopped at the entrance and proceeded on foot to show his respect for the academy.
They soon reached the Education Committee's entrance on the main campus. From a distance, they saw three people standing there. Though ordinary in appearance, their black robes embroidered with gold thread proclaimed their status as Soul Douluos. The confidence born of their formidable strength seemed to make them the center of the area.
"Greetings, seniors!" Xue Qinghe bowed first, and Ling Yu hurriedly followed suit.
"There's no need for such courtesy, Your Highness the Crown Prince. This must be Ling Yu, the young genius who used the Heaven Dou Secret Medicine to obtain a thousand-year second ring!" The elderly man in the center immediately stepped forward.
In truth, all three knew there was no Heaven Dou Secret Medicine. They were so familiar with the imperial family, yet had never heard of it. Clearly, it had come from the young man before them. Still, they would not reveal it. After all, their allegiance had long since belonged to the Heaven Dou Empire.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Meng Shenji, chief of the Education Committee. This is Committee Member Bai Baoshan, and this is Committee Member Zhi Lin." Meng Shenji introduced them one by one.
"Greetings, committee members!" Ling Yu bowed.
"Please, come inside and sit!"
"Yes!" Xue Qinghe and Ling Yu answered and followed them.
They had barely entered when Committee Member Zhi Lin could wait no longer. "Quick, let us see that thousand-year second ring."
With a thought from Ling Yu, his Soul Rings appeared. Looking at the purple second ring, all three committee members wore rather complicated expressions.
It was as though the great wheel of the age had rolled past, leaving them behind.
"Heroes truly do emerge from the young," Committee Member Bai Baoshan sighed. The other two immediately echoed his sentiment.
"Chief Meng Shenji, regarding the arrangements for Ling Yu..." Seeing that the moment was right, Xue Qinghe promptly brought up their main purpose for coming that day.
"Rest assured, Your Highness. His enrollment paperwork is complete, and our young friend Ling can begin attending classes at any time. As for his level, he will provisionally be placed at the Heavenly Subtle Level. Once he breaks through rank twenty-five, he can immediately advance to become a Heavenly Supreme Level student," Meng Shenji explained.
Xue Qinghe nodded, then added, "Worthy Younger Brother Ling hopes to have a private dormitory room and a research laboratory. Might the three of you permit it?"
"Well... the dormitory room is easily arranged, but..." The three were somewhat surprised. The academy was not without its unconventional individuals, but under their management, basic order had been maintained, and no students had stepped too far out of line.
If they agreed to this condition, there was no guarantee the other students would not object.
The corner of Xue Qinghe's mouth lifted. He had known all along that the three committee members would not agree. After all, establishing the rules had taken them a long time. He had been waiting for them to look troubled so Ling Yu would understand the weight of this favor.
"How about this? I'll donate three soul tool research laboratories to the academy in my own name and authorize Worthy Younger Brother Ling to use them first. Once they're all completed, I'll hand them over to the academy to allocate. How does that sound?"
The key lay in those words, "all completed." As long as Xue Qinghe did not declare them finished, they remained unfinished facilities that Ling Yu could continue using.
The three committee members were shrewd old hands themselves and naturally understood Xue Qinghe's meaning, so they nodded in agreement.
The corner of Xue Qinghe's mouth lifted slightly as he glanced at Ling Yu, only to find him staring blankly back. Hmm? What's wrong with him? Xue Qinghe wondered.
Of course, Ling Yu had not been won over by Xue Qinghe's cleverness. After all, he had long known that he was Qian Renxue and would certainly try to win him over in a private capacity. He was simply surprised that Qian Renxue had actually learned so much political maneuvering. So she's this capable of pulling strings? Ling Yu thought silently.
"Worthy younger brother?" Xue Qinghe called softly.
"Ah, Brother Xue, I'm truly sorry for putting you and the three committee members in such a difficult position. I'll remember this favor." Ling Yu immediately bowed, and his attitude made everyone nod.
"Sorry for the trouble, but send me your requirements for the laboratories later so I can arrange for people to prepare them as soon as possible." Xue Qinghe smiled.
Ling Yu nodded.
"How about this? Come back here next Monday at nine in the morning. I'll take our young friend Ling to meet his teachers, and he can begin attending classes. Spend these next few days preparing the requirements for the laboratories," Committee Member Meng Shenji proposed.
"Then I'm sorry for the trouble, committee members," Xue Qinghe replied, and Ling Yu hurriedly followed suit.
"Think nothing of it." The three committee members smiled.
Afterward, Xue Qinghe took Ling Yu back to his residence. Following lunch, Ling Yu began working on his laboratory requirements.
He spent the next few days coordinating the designs with the imperial construction department and finally finished the work.
On the road leading to the academy's main campus-
A young woman dressed in black, her face covered by a black veil, walked alongside her friend. Dark strands of hair fell beside her temples, leaving only a pair of bright eyes like autumn waters exposed, holding three parts coolness and seven parts mystery. Her steps were light as fireflies beneath the moon.
"Lingling, I heard His Highness the Crown Prince donated three soul tool research laboratories to our academy. Apparently, they're for researching Soul Tools. It sounds interesting. Want to take a look?" The girl with short purple hair that curled slightly at the ends said with a soft laugh.
The veiled girl gently shook her head. The corners of her lips rose slightly, her smile blooming only for the girl beside her.
"All right. Are you going to the library again?"
The veiled girl nodded.
"Then I'll walk you there." The two continued on together.
Nuoding City-
"Old Jack, hurry back! Good news! Wonderful news!" A villager from Holy Soul Village shouted as he ran.
Old Jack, who was weeding in the fields, looked over.
"What is it?"
"Hurry back! Your grandson's been made a viscount! The people from above have come to confer the title. They say our village won't have to pay taxes anymore!" The villager panted, barely able to catch his breath.
"Is that true?"
"Would I lie to you? They're waiting at the village entrance! That boy Yu of yours has really made something of himself. He's become a noble, and he still remembers our village!"
Before he had finished speaking, Old Jack was already running toward the village entrance, dragging his farming tools along.
"Sister Xiao Wu, have you heard? Apparently, our senior Ling Yu has been made Viscount Nuoding! Several people came to deliver things to Director Su and the headmaster today!" A few work-study students ran into the work-study dormitory, all talking at once.
"That's right! I just saw them too. Those two were grinning so wide the corners of their mouths almost reached the sky!"
"Who? Who did you say?" Xiao Wu instantly grew excited. She had finally heard that name again, and he seemed to be doing very well.
"Senior Ling Yu, of course. It hasn't even been a year since he graduated. Don't you remember him, Sister Xiao Wu?" The work-study students were somewhat surprised.
"Of course I remember."
Ling Yu, you're still alive! You succeeded! Xiao Wu murmured inwardly.
"Then...?"
"Never mind!" Xiao Wu left the dormitory, doing everything she could to control her expression and conceal her emotions.