The rest of the advancement exam proceeded smoothly after Huo Yuhao defrosted the Flaming Lion King, which was left barely alive, and they were all about to return back to their classes when...
"Class One, Huo Yuhao. May I speak with you?"
Yan Shaozhe lightly smiled as he approached him, Du Weilun dutifully followed beside him.
"Hello teachers."
Huo Yuhao and the whole class one students greeted the two. The students then excitedly murmured to each other.
"Oh my Sea God, it's both the dean and the vice-dean of the Martial Soul Department! Eee! I'm so nervous..."
"What are you nervous about? He's looking for the class prez, not some nobody like you."
"HUH?! Says the no-name background character!"
Zhou Yi stepped forward, a frown on her wrinkled old face. "I'm sorry, elder Yan and vice-dean Du. But the students needs some rest after the advancement exam, and I'm sure after his exceptional performance, Huo Yuhao must be exhausted as well. Can this wait until tomorrow?"
Yan Shaozhe lightly smiled and replied. "Ah, but no worries. I just want to speak with him, that's all. It wouldn't take too long."
Zhou Yi's face hardened, feeling hesitant. She knew why Yan Shaozhe was trying to talk to Huo Yuhao, he wanted to recruit him into the Martial Soul Department.
But she also knew that Huo Yuhao is extremely important to the Soul Engineering Department, especially with that special project her husband was working on. They couldn't afford to lose him, especially with his inconceivable talent in Soul Engineering as well.
But alas, they were higher ranked than her. With how much she already pissed off the school management with her handling with a previous batch of students last year, if they spoke up about her, it was likely that she'd be replaced and be sent to teach a different group of students.
Just as she was contemplating her next move, a familiar voice was heard from behind the group.
"You sly old fox, what the hell do you think you're doing?!"
Qian Duodou came striding towards Yan Shaozhe, like a bull seeing something red. Following up behind him was Fan Yu, who nodded at Zhou Yi, reassuring her that everything was going to be all right.
Yan Shaozhe's face twitched, his smile fading slightly as he turned to face Qian Duodou. "Ah, Old Qian, what brings you here?"
Qian Duodou's expression was stern. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. Trying to poach our talented student, are we?"
Yan Shaozhe chuckled. "Poach? I'm merely offering him an opportunity to further his martial soul cultivation. After all, the Martial Soul Department can provide resources and guidance that the Soul Engineering Department might not be able to provide him with."
Qian Duodou coldly snorted. "Bullshit. Because, correct me if I'm wrong, during the last meeting in the Sea God Pavilion, the Martial Soul Department was... begging the elders to provide them for more funds."
"Tch. Because unlike your costly projects that has only brought minimal returns, our department invests in students like Huo Yuhao, who have the potential to become pillars of strength for our academy," Yan Shaozhe retorted, his tone laced with arrogance. "Moreover, the sort of support we can provide for him far outstrips your department's capabilities."
"What the fuck are you-"
Yan Shaozhe waved his hand, cutting him off and turned towards Huo Yuhao with a serious expression.
"Huo Yuhao, I will be blunt and honest with you. I have heard some of your capabilities from my disciple, Xiaotao. And please, don't blame her, I pressured the lass plus she refused to divulge any further information. What I know about you is that you have awakened your second martial soul, the rare Ice Jade Scorpion, an Ultimate martial soul of the ice element. You understand what the Ultimate is, right? Great. Then you must understand, if you were to specialize in soul tools whilst being the owner of an Ultimate martial soul... I can only say that it would be a huge waste."
He outstretched his right hand at Huo Yuhao and said. "I dare say that, throughout the entirety Douluo Continent, the only soul masters capable of providing the proper guidance to someone with an Ultimate martial soul are those of our Martial Soul Department. If you're willing, from today onwards you'll become a disciple of the inner courtyard of the Martial Soul Department. I'll teach you personally, and will become your academic advisor. Given your innate talent and effort... I'm confident that you'll become a Titled Douluo in less than 20, no, perhaps even 10 years under my tutelage. A Titled Douluo with an Ultimate martial soul, do you know what that means?"
He clenched his hand, and spoke with a firm tone. "It means that you'd be invincible and unmatched in the world!"
Everyone was shocked at his bold claim, to the point that most of the students' mouths were hanging open in disbelief. The idea of becoming invincible and unmatched in the world was beyond anything they had ever imagined.
Especially by his words, "become a Titled Douluo in less than 20 or 10 years", which was an astonishingly short time frame for such a lofty goal! After all, unless they're an Evil Soul Master, cultivating to Titled Douluo would normally take someone a few decades. Right now, of their public knowledge of the soul master world, the youngest Titled Douluo is at 40 years old!
The only ones they could think of that were Titled Douluos below the age of 30, were the original legendary Shrek Seven Monsters!
"Join my department and I can promise you three things." Yan Shaozhe continued, raising his fingers. "Firstly, your friends; Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao, Wu Feng, Ning Tian and... Tang Ya. I can guarantee that they'll definitely become inner courtyard disciples of the Martial Soul Department like you in the future. You need to realize that core disciples and inner courtyard disciples are entirely different. Not all core disciples can definitely enter the inner courtyard. Furthermore, you'd get more resources from the academy if you become an inner courtyard disciple ahead of time."
"Secondly, with my position as Dean of the Martial Soul Department, I can assure you that the academy will do everything in its power to give you a complete set of soul bones. I'll do my best to give you soul bones of the highest quality to ensure that you have the highest possible fusion rate with the soul bones. I can also guarantee that there will be at least one soul bone from a hundred thousand year old soul beast included within this set. Thirdly, I can guarantee that you'll be given a hundred thousand year old soul ring, at the very least."
"...."
Everyone was stunned into silence by Yan Shaozhe's offer. The prospect of such incredible benefits and opportunities was almost too much to comprehend.
Guaranteed place into the inner courtyard for himself and his friends? A complete set of soul bones? Hundred thousand year old soul bone and soul ring?
This was an offer that could change the course of anyone's life forever! It could make a fearsome bird into a glorious phoenix!
"D-Dean, that-!" Du Weilun's face paled, cold sweat pervading his forehead as he heard Yan Shaozhe's promise to Huo Yuhao.
Even though Shrek Academy was extraordinarily wealthy, the three things that Yan Shaozhe had promised Huo Yuhao were all similarly extraordinary things! A hundred thousand year soul ring and a hundred thousand year soul bone meant that the powerhouses from Shrek Academy would have to set out to kill a hundred thousand year soul beast just for Huo Yuhao! These rewards were unprecedented in the history of the academy.
Yan Shaozhe was especially cunning however, as he'd also proposed letting Wang Dong'er, Xiao Xiao, Wu Feng, Ning Tian and Tang Ya enter the inner courtyard together with him. They were his best friends, with this condition present, Yan Shozhe was certain that Huo Yuhao wouldn't reject him without a good reason.
"You sly old fucker...!" Qian Duodou gnashed his teeth, similarly dumbfounded as Du Weilun and the students that heard Yan Shaozhe's words.
He hate to admit it, but the Soul Engineering Department was at a disadvantage compared to the Martial Soul Department when it came to offering such extravagant benefits.
While they're wealthy and could provide top quality soul tools, but they couldn't find a top-quality soul bone and hunt down a hundred thousand year old soul beast. It was impossible for them!
Even he would be tempted by such promises.
Huo Yuhao, however, remained composed but didn't say anything.
Not because he was hesitant on accepting Yan Shaozhe's offer, but because he needed to think of how to politely reject him and not piss him off.
Truthfully speaking, the offer that Yan Shaozhe gave wasn't tempting enough for him. Guaranteed acceptance into the inner courtyard? Huo Yuhao was confident in his friends' abilities and get accepted into the inner courtyard. Complete set of soul bones? It'll take some time and effort but he could find them on his own. And a hundred thousand year soul bone and soul ring?
He already promised Skydream that he would help avenge him for the torture he endured for so many years, and his enemies were at least a hundred thousand years old. He can just get it from them!
But he still needed Yan Shaozhe's support, as the Dean of the Martial Soul Department, he knows about numerous geniuses or above average soul masters; students or graduates. He needed subordinates to run an organization, and Shrek students are the cream of top over normal soul masters. And the Soul Engineering Department would help provide his organization materials and weapons.
The Akatsuki would become an official organization and run as a legitimate sect within at least a decade or two, with Huo Yuhao as its leader. This was his vision, his legacy, and he couldn't let go of it.
Just as Huo Yuhao was fretting over his words, a clear and melodious voice rang out.
"Yan Shaozhe, shouldn't you ask me first before stealing one of my students?"
The rage on Qian Duoduo's face immediately dissipated the moment he saw this person. "Lin'er, I'm glad you finally came! Otherwise, I'd die from anger due to this old bastard."
The newcomer was a woman, about 1.7m tall. She looked like she was in her early fifties. Her skin was white, her black hair was neatly bundled up, and her gilded clothes made her look extremely experienced. Though she was aged, one could still tell that she was definitely an absolute beauty in her youth.
Zhou Yi bent down to Huo Yuhao's ear and whispered, "This is the Soul Engineering Department's Dean, Xian Lin'er."
Huo Yuhao silently nodded. He knew that remaining silent at this moment was for the best.
'A Titled Douluo... If the deans are Titled Douluos, and there's still the elders in the inner courtyard that holds similar or higher power as them, then just how many Titled Douluos do they have? And that's not even counting the alma maters from the inner courtyard. No wonder every nation in the world are scared of pissing off the school.'
It made him scared of what organization would dare challenge the might of Shrek Academy, with its array of powerful Titled Douluos and extraordinary resources. They're either incredibly foolish, or freakishly strong.
Yan Shaozhe furrowed his brows upon seeing Xian Lin'er, "Lin'er, you're..."
Xian Lin'er said icily, "When we were young, you'd be a childish jerk. Now that we're over eighty years old, you're still the same. You're bullying my men to their breaking point. Didn't you say that you were very good at fighting? Come on, I'll duel you right now. We're already in an arena."
Yan Shaozhe, who previously had a clear advantage over Qian Duoduo and Fan Yu, had an embarrassed look on his face now. "Lin'er," he said, "why are you doing this? I truly regret what I've done regarding this matter. However, you should understand what an Ultimate soul master means for the future of our academy. I'm sorry, but I've already talked it over with the teachers from the inner courtyard; Huo Yuhao must stay in my Martial Soul Department."
Xian Lin'er crossed her arms and said icily, "And what are you relying on in order to pull this off? Is it just because your Martial Soul Department is the top-ranked one in the continent? Does that mean that our Soul Tool Department has to give you our core disciples? How do you know that this child won't become someone outstanding by staying in our Soul Tool Department?"
She stepped up to him, her eyes glaring at his. "I admit that what you've said isn't wrong; if your Martial Soul Department nurtures him well, it's very likely that he'll become your department's future pillar, and in turn will allow you to maintain your position as the number one martial soul department on the continent. However, you haven't thought about what happens if our Soul Tool Department manages to nurture him well, he might be able to bring our Soul Tool Department to the number one spot in the entire continent, allowing us to be free from the suppression of the Sun Moon Empire? I've explicitly stated that you won't be able to snatch any student from my department."
She took a step back and arrogantly proclaimed, "You don't need to force this child either; he belongs to my Soul Tool Department. You were talking about a hundred thousand year soul beast? When the time comes, I'll help him hunt one. If worst comes to worst, I'll just hand my life over to the Great Star Dou Forest. Then, I'll have been forced to death by you."
"Lin'er, you...!" Yan Shaozhe's gritted his teeth.
Qian Duoduo's expression became somewhat blank, rubbing the back of his head in slight embarrassment.
The students, Fan Yu and Zhou Yi quietly watched the seniors arguing with growing intrigue.
It's not everyday they get to witness deans arguing, it's way better than dramas between students.
.....
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