All the enviable perks at St. Freya Academy stemmed from Lu Jingming's proposal.
Back in his previous life as a student, Lu Jingming had had his fill of eight people crammed into a tiny dorm, sweltering summers without air conditioning, and nothing to do but endure the heat and sweat. The bathrooms meant queues, and the cafeteria food was hard to stomach—memories etched deep.
That experience taught him how crucial a good learning and living environment is for students.
So for his own St. Freya Academy, he pushed every amenity to the limit.
With his current wealth, such investments were hardly difficult.
He understood well: treat students well, let them spend rich, comfortable years at the academy, and once they graduate, they'll remember that kindness—and be more likely to choose to serve him in the future.
And Lu Jingming had always been lavish, never stingy, toward those willing to risk their lives for him.
Only by treating others sincerely can one earn their loyalty and devotion.
In cultivating students, he spared no expense, elevating every condition—study, cultivation, combat, daily life, and the environment—to the extreme.
This series of measures became one of the key reasons St. Freya Academy rose to the ranks of the continent's top academies in less than ten years.
Of course, back-to-back championships in the All-Continent Advanced Academies' Soul Dueling Tournament were powerful proof of St. Freya's strength and a major reason it drew so much attention.
After all, in a world where martial-soul strength reigns supreme, what soul masters value most is the raw power an academy can display.
Backed by the mighty Haiyuan City and possessing formidable strength, St. Freya naturally became the dream destination for countless soul master students.
At this moment, in the academy's vast live-combat training field, a fierce battle was in full swing.
Hundreds of students ringed the arena, eyes locked on the center, utterly drawn in.
Frost-white sword aura crisscrossed, etching the ground with traces like blooming ice-flowers.
A petite, black-haired, fox-eared girl wielded a tachi, her movements light and agile, flickering into afterimages.
The tachi in her hands carved gorgeous arcs through the air. Exquisite sword arts flowed from her as naturally as drifting clouds and running water.
Windblossom, Frostmoon, Deepsnow, Flightsnow—she unleashed them without reserve, each move packed with power and masterful technique.
Because the opponent before her warranted her full strength—there was no room for the slightest laxity.
Watching from the side, Ji Juechen's eyes were round, unblinking, fixed on the girl in the arena, brimming with awe.
Her exquisite swordplay shook him to the core.
Though her weapon differed from his, he could clearly feel it was indeed a form of swordsmanship—one unlike any he had seen before, utterly different from the style Jingliu had taught him.
Even so, there was no doubt: the girl's attainment in the sword was above his. Perhaps she fell short of Jingliu, but on the entire Douluo Continent she would absolutely count as ceiling-tier.
Her opponent was likewise a formidable, tall, blonde girl.
She held a white knight's lance whose tip flashed coldly. Faced with the black-haired girl's fierce, frost-white sword aura, she showed no fear, breaking it all without missing a strand.
In her hands the lance seemed weightless; each sweep raised a biting airflow that whirled like a cyclone.
The two girls were not only powerful but stunning, each with her own unique charm.
The black-haired, fox-eared girl exuded a cold, mysterious air, while the tall blonde radiated valiant heroism. Their thrilling duel captured most of the students' attention, drawing more and more onlookers by the minute.
Just then, drawn by the lively scene, Lu Jingming strolled to the edge of the training field.
Seeing the two girls locked in combat, he wore an unsurprised expression.
These two had engaged in high-intensity sparring more than once.
"Meng!" Lu Jingming walked straight over to Meng Hongchen, who was also present, casually letting his gaze flick to the Command Seals on her hand.
"Xiao Ming, you're here too!" Meng Hongchen turned in delight, looking at Lu Jingming with joy shining in her eyes.
She unhesitatingly wrapped both hands around his arm, a display of affection that drew envious looks from many students nearby.
No one dared intrude, however.
Meng Hongchen's beauty ranked among the very best in the academy and naturally drew attention from many students.
But the veteran students knew she had long since been spoken for: she was the academy's number-one genius and the girlfriend of Haiyuan City's lord, Lu Jingming.
New students might be fearless, but they would have to get past Xiao Hongchen first—never mind the gauntlet of Lu Jingming's loyal underlings.
After all, St. Freya Academy had reserve members of the Golden Guard and the Fatui.
They had all undergone stringent loyalty testing and fusion surgeries, their loyalty to Lu Jingming absolutely unshakeable.
In their eyes, Meng Hongchen was Lu Jingming's untouchable; others had no right to approach her—female students excepted.
Besides Meng Hongchen, Wang Qiu'er, Ye Guyi, and also Lan Susu and Lan Luoluo enjoyed the same treatment.
Because they were very close to Lu Jingming, the Golden Guard and Fatui reserves didn't care what their actual relationships were—only that they were close—so they would instinctively protect them.
"How are you getting along with Miss Miyabi?" Lu Jingming affectionately pinched Meng Hongchen's cheek, a gentle smile on his face as he asked softly.
"Miyabi's great—she just loves doing weird kinds of training. Like right now: a full-power fight with Durandal!"
Meng Hongchen pouted slightly, a little vexed.
After becoming a Master, the Servant she summoned—Hoshimi Miyabi—was powerful, easy to get along with, and highly compatible with her.
It was just that Hoshimi Miyabi was especially enthusiastic about all sorts of odd training regimens, which sometimes left Meng Hongchen at her wits' end.
Lu Jingming chuckled. Hoshimi Miyabi did indeed relish all kinds of strange training, which had a great deal to do with her childhood experiences.