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Blackstone City, Spirit Hall
"Come on, Shen Yang. I've got something good for you."
"Huh? What is it?"
Shen Yang looked up, curiosity flickering in his eyes as he glanced at the item on the table.
Inside a bamboo cup, strange, bubbling liquid shimmered. A layer of paper wrapped around the cup, printed with elegant, minimalistic patterns.
"Tianxing Soda?"
"Yep. It's a new drink that's been gaining popularity here in Blackstone City. The taste is decent, but the bubbles have a unique kick."
The young spirit master across from him raised his glass of soda, took a sip, and let out a contented sigh.
"Is it that good?" Shen Yang narrowed his eyes. This drink looked pretty ordinary.
"Try it and see for yourself," the young spirit master said, offering a sly, knowing smile as he raised his cup slightly.
Shen Yang hesitated. Something felt off.
He picked up the Tianxing Soda slowly, giving it a cautious sniff.
The scent was... strange. Not unpleasant, but odd.
He shot a suspicious look at the other Spirit master before finally taking a small sip.
The young spirit master looked slightly disappointed.
When he'd tried it for the first time, he wasn't nearly so cautious. Maybe he overacted?
"Hmm?"
As the soda hit his tongue, Shen Yang's expression shifted. He paused, then took another sip, this time more curious than cautious.
The young spirit master chuckled. "So? It's not the best-tasting thing ever, but the flavor's unique. It blew up in the city practically overnight."
Shen Yang nodded, examining the drink more closely.
Something on the label caught his eye—a line of fine print near the bottom.
"This product is created by Tianxing Junior Spirit Master Academy. Our academy was newly founded this year and is currently recruiting instructors in the following roles: Combat Instructor, Theoretical Knowledge Instructor, and Administrative Instructor. Competitive salary. Open to all genders. Details to be discussed in person."
[Requirements:]
[No bad habits]
[Strong moral character]
[Spirit Power level 30 or above]
"Tianxing Spirit Master Academy?" Shen Yang read aloud.
The young spirit master assumed Shen Yang was unfamiliar with it and explained, "Yeah, it's a new school that just opened this year. It's in Yon Village, not too far from here."
So it is that academy...
Lin Jin's face suddenly surfaced in Shen Yang's mind. His expression shifted as he looked down at the drink again.
It hadn't been that long ago, yet the academy had already made this much noise?
This method of advertising... it had Lin Jin's flair.
Shen Yang chuckled, shaking his head.
The memory of Lin Jin boldly inviting him to join the Tianxing Spirit Master Academy resurfaced.
In all these years, no one had dared to try and poach talent from Spirit Hall—until now.
"What's so funny?" the young spirit master asked, watching him curiously.
"Nothing," Shen Yang replied with a smirk.
"Just thinking… the dean might have done better as a businessman."
The young master blinked, then glanced at the drink in his hand and laughed.
"You might be right. Who would've thought of advertising like this? However, not everyone can achieve this. He's in a league of his own."
As he spoke, he noticed Shen Yang staring at the label again, a thoughtful look in his eyes.
Seeing this, the young spirit master chuckled.
"What, thinking about becoming a mentor somewhere else?"
Shen Yang looked up at him, thoughtful. After a moment of silence, he sighed.
"Honestly? I've had the impulse. That old guy keeps watching me like a hawk, always looking for trouble. It's exhausting."
"Oh yeah?"
The young spirit master lowered his gaze, lost in thought.
Shenyang hesitated, then glanced toward the door and leaned in slightly.
"Actually... last month, I met the dean of Tianxing Academy. He brought his students for a Spirit power appraisal—and tried to recruit me to his academy."
"What? Seriously? Trying to poach someone from Spirit Hall?"
The young spirit master's eyes widened in disbelief.
"This dean sounded bold."
On this continent, Spirit Hall was the most powerful force. Those who could join were far from ordinary, and the treatment was of the highest caliber.
Usually, it was the Hall doing the recruiting—no one dared to poach from them.
This dean must be something else.
"Something else?" Shen Yang smirked.
"If you met him, you'd probably call him a total weirdo."
"Oh?"
The young spirit master leaned in, intrigued.
"Why's that?"
"What do you think his cultivation level is?"
"Well," the young man began, rubbing his chin, "Most deans at junior Spirit Master academies are at least high-level Spirit masters. Some might even be Spirit Kings. Is he a Spirit King?"
Shen Yang shook his head with a smile.
"Nope. He's just a Spirit Sect. You didn't hear what happened with Ding Sanshi, the director of the Blackstone Junior Spirit Master Academy? He tried to cause trouble for the dean—and ended up backing down."
"I wasn't in Blackstone at the time," the young spirit master said, waving his hand.
"So, what did he do? You've got to tell me."
"All right. First, guess his age."
The young spirit master paused. If Shenyang was asking this, then something had to be unusual.
The guy had to be either too old or too young.
But if he were too old, running a new academy wouldn't make sense.
"Thirty?"
Shenyang raised an eyebrow, then shook his head."Too old."
"Too old?" the young Spirit master echoed, surprised.
He and Shenyang were among the most talented in the Blackstone Spirit Hall.
They were both well on their way to reaching the Spirit Sect before turning thirty.
To be a high-level Spirit Sect by forty would still be considered exceptional.
But... even younger?
He hesitated. "Twenty-five?"
Shenyang grinned. "Still too old."
The young spirit master's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Come on," Shenyang laughed, "I'll just tell you. Based on my judgment, the dean is no older than twenty.
"Twenty? No way! That's impossible!"
The young Spirit master shook his head in shock. A Spirit Sect under twenty? That was terrifying.
If nothing major held him back, someone like that might become a Title Douluo one day.
"Believe it or not, that's the truth. And I think I'm pretty good at judging these things."
The young spirit master stared at him for a moment, then broke into a grin.
"Well then, he is a strange one. I, Su Yun, suddenly find myself quite interested in meeting this dean."