"Ah-hem, Tang San, you can go back to class now."
At the sound of Du Weilun's voice, Tang San instinctively glanced at Yan Shaozhe, whose face had turned so dark it looked like it could drip water. Though his fists clenched slightly, he maintained a compliant expression and nodded.
"Understood."
As the door opened and closed, silence settled over the office.
After a moment of hesitation, Du Weilun bowed his head, speaking in a weary tone.
"I'm sorry, Headmaster. This was entirely my oversight. I failed to investigate Huo Yuhao and Gu Yuena's situation thoroughly, causing the Martial Soul Department to lose two talented individuals."
"No, it's not your fault."
Looking down at the documents on his desk, Yan Shaozhe took a deep breath, his voice laced with helplessness.
Who could have anticipated this?
Even if Huo Yuhao and Gu Yuena were inseparable, the way they reacted just now defied reason.
By all accounts, he'd offered Tang San highly generous conditions. Why wouldn't the other two wait to hear what benefits they might receive?
Or could it be that Xian Lin'er had already approached them in private, offering something better than what he'd proposed to Tang San? That would explain why the two seemed indifferent to his offer after hearing Tang San's terms.
The thought gripped his mind, growing more plausible the more he considered it. Yan Shaozhe's expression became increasingly frosty.
Just a while ago, Xian Lin'er had put on a display of shock in front of him, yet she might have secretly taken action.
Xian Lin'er, oh, you crafty fox!
To think that, after decades as the head of the Soul Tool Department, that once-blunt personality of yours has grown so shrewd and calculating.
She'd claimed fair competition and skill-based rivalry, only to sneak ahead behind his back.
He trusted her, and yet here he was, completely blindsided.
The more he tried to calm himself, the angrier he got.
Yan Shaozhe, who'd headed the Martial Soul Department for years, had never been played like this.
Even after offering a hundred-thousand-year spirit ring, Huo Yuhao and Gu Yuena chose the Soul Tool Department without hesitation. Clearly, Xian Lin'er's conditions outshone his own.
Wasting academy resources for personal gain—this behavior had to be stopped!
His resolve hardened, and he slammed his hand on the desk, startling Du Weilun.
"This won't end here. Old Du, stay here. I'm going to find Elder Xuan."
Anything else would have been bearable, but recruiting these three talents was a task given directly by his teacher, Mu En, as a way to assess both him and Xian Lin'er. He had no choice but to take this seriously.
Without another word, he left the office under Du Weilun's curious gaze.
"What?"
Elder Xuan's chicken leg froze mid-air as he processed Yan Shaozhe's account. His disheveled hair and muddled eyes suddenly gleamed with excitement.
"You're saying Huo Yuhao joined the Soul Tool Department? That's great news!"
"...?"
Yan Shaozhe, who'd been pouring his heart out moments ago, suddenly froze, eyeing Elder Xuan with a mix of confusion and irritation.
Did you hear what you just said? Whose side are you on?
Are you sure you're not a mole sent by the enemy?
"Ahem, that's not what I meant."
Catching Yan Shaozhe's strange look, Elder Xuan realized he'd slipped up. He waved his hand, wiping the smile off his face and adopted a serious tone.
"What I mean is, Shaozhe, you're overreacting. If those two chose the Soul Tool Department, so be it. We still have Tang San, the most gifted of the three, don't we?"
Yan Shaozhe hesitated, "But, Elder Xuan, Teacher said that night—"
"That's exactly what I'm getting at. You completely misunderstood Mu Lao's intentions."
Before Yan Shaozhe could finish, Elder Xuan interrupted, his expression calm as he explained.
"Do you think Mu Lao's assessment was simply about recruiting the most talents? Certainly not!"
"If that were the case, then this whole evaluation would just come down to who could offer the best incentives. You might as well hand over the head of the Martial Soul Department to the highest bidder."
"And that would be pointless, don't you agree?"
Seeing Yan Shaozhe settle down, Elder Xuan continued.
"Shaozhe, let me ask you, what is Shrek's educational philosophy?"
Without hesitation, Yan Shaozhe answered, "To cultivate monsters."
"Exactly—to cultivate monsters. The emphasis is on cultivation."
Hearing this, Yan Shaozhe seemed to grasp something, his eyes lighting up.
"Elder Xuan, you mean…"
"Looks like you're starting to get it."
Elder Xuan took a bite of his greasy chicken leg, nodding with a look of satisfaction.
"Mu Lao's assessment isn't about which of you can pull in the most talent, but about who can truly nurture these talents into strong individuals who can contribute to Shrek's growth."
"From this perspective, we actually have the upper hand. The most gifted of the three, Tang San, is with us. Though it's a pity to lose Gu Yuena, we can focus all our efforts on cultivating Tang San."
"In contrast, the Soul Tool Department will have to split their attention between two talents. At first, it might seem negligible, but over time, the gap between Tang San and the other two will become clear."
Yan Shaozhe hesitated, "But Elder Xuan, those two have spirit rings starting at a thousand years. Shouldn't we at least try to win them back…?"
"Don't place too much importance on their thousand-year spirit rings. It's rare, yes, but all it means is they have a higher starting point."
Elder Xuan shook his head and took a swig from his flask.
"These kinds of talents excel early on, but later, real powerhouses start comparing hundred-thousand-year spirit rings. A Titled Douluo with one hundred-thousand-year ring is stronger than one without, and those with multiple hundred-thousand-year rings stand head and shoulders above the rest. By that stage, whether the first and second rings are hundred-, thousand-, or even ten-thousand-year rings doesn't matter as much."
"The Body Sect is a perfect example. Even if they have thousand- or even ten-thousand-year first spirit rings, we at Shrek still keep them in check."
"Consider this: Mu Lao's first and second rings were only hundred-year rings. Look at where he is now. Do you think anyone from the Body Sect could match him? Early strength is just that—early. To become a true powerhouse, luck and insight later on matter just as much."
"And in terms of insight, Tang San, who's already mastered the Tang Sect's techniques and the Clear Sky Sect's Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer Technique at his age, is far beyond the other two. And as for luck…Tang San has his own share of it."
"Elder Xuan, I understand now!"
Yan Shaozhe's tone was filled with excitement, yet he couldn't help but feel respect.
Though Elder Xuan appeared unkempt and laid-back, he could always see the bigger picture in critical moments.
It's true—experience is the best teacher!
"You're right. I let myself be blinded by those thousand-year rings and missed the treasure we already had in Tang San."
"We aren't the ones who'll regret this—Huo Yuhao and Gu Yuena are. When they see the gap between them and Tang San widen over time, they'll come to regret their choice!"
Seeing Yan Shaozhe catch on quickly, Elder Xuan smiled approvingly and nodded.
"That's right. Shrek's foundation ultimately lies within the Martial Soul Department. As its head, focus on cultivating Tang San and proving your worth."
He gave Yan Shaozhe's shoulder a pat, a hint of mischief in his voice.
"I'll give Tang San a bit of guidance myself. No way am I letting that Huo Yuhao kid get ahead."
"Thank you in advance, Elder Xuan! Seems like Huo Yuhao's left a bit of a grudge, huh?"
Yan Shaozhe chuckled knowingly, understanding Elder Xuan's motivation. Wasn't it because of that Star Dou Forest incident?
Elder Xuan's earlier enthusiasm over Huo Yuhao choosing the Soul Tool Department was probably related to that.
"Hmph, I'm not petty enough to hold a grudge against a kid with just two rings."
Elder Xuan snorted with disdain.
"He just needs to learn there are stronger people out there. That'll take him down a peg. All right, since you've got it now, start preparing. The freshmen assessments in three months will be the first chance to showcase results, so make the most of it."
"Understood!"
Three months later.
In the Freshman Class 5 classroom.
Zhang Lexuan cast a calm gaze across the room, pausing briefly on Huo Yuhao before speaking loudly.
"I'm sure most of you have heard by now—the three-month adaptation period for new students is ending, and tomorrow marks your first assessment as outer court freshmen. Only those who pass the assessment will be allowed to continue their studies at the academy this year."
"The assessment is combat-based. You'll team up with two other classmates from your class to face teams from other classes in three-on-three battles. The requirements are simple: no more than one of your team members can be an assault-type soul master. Based on the results, teams will be scored, and those who pass will advance."
(End of Chapter)