After leaving the City Lord's Mansion, Zhu Ziyang turned to Qian Lingyi.
"Lingyi, it seems we can't go to your home just yet. I need to return to the Academy first."
"Mhm, I understand!" Qian Lingyi nodded obediently, her voice soft. "Then let's go back to the Academy. Your business is more important."
"Thank you for understanding," Zhu Ziyang said with a smile.
She beamed back at him, saying nothing more.
The two set off on the road back to Shrek Academy.
The so-called Cloud Sky Plan was actually a vast strategy composed of many smaller projects. Among them, the establishment of Tianyuan Academy was the most important.
The academy system of the Douluo Continent was fragmented and incomplete. Apart from Shrek Academy and the four great Royal Academies, every city and town ran its own local institutions—elementary academies in towns, intermediate academies in cities, advanced academies in capitals. Their existence depended entirely on the whims of local nobles and officials.
None of the empires had an official body dedicated to soul master education. Aside from their own Royal Academies and a handful of schools in the capital, the empires had little real control. Without firm imperial oversight, a few powerful academies were able to stand above the political order itself.
Shrek Academy's Tianyuan Academy Plan aimed to change that—beginning with the control of local elementary academies, spreading across the entire continent until all fell under the banner of Shrek's Tianyuan Pavilion. Hence the name, Tianyuan Academy.
Elementary academies were the most neglected soul master institutions. Nobles and sect disciples did not attend them; they went directly to intermediate and advanced academies before entering tournaments to make their names known.
But elementary academies served the children of commoners. Their environments and teaching quality were abysmal. Across the whole continent, schools like Anyang's primary academy could be counted on two hands.
Shrek's plan was to establish Tianyuan Academies in every town, reduce tuition fees, enroll more civilian children, and—by consolidating educational rights—seize control of martial soul awakening itself. This would create a firm foundation among the commoner soul masters, the largest group on the continent. In return, Shrek would provide them with proper education, raise the overall quality of soul masters, and spread its own ideals and goodwill, binding the future of the common people to Shrek Academy.
It was a long-term plan, meant to unfold over thirty or even fifty years—one or two generations for ordinary powers, but nothing for the Elders of Tianyuan Pavilion, for whom time was the least costly resource.
When Zhu Ziyang returned to Shrek Academy, he immediately sought out Xuanzi and reported the preliminary agreement he had reached with Hong Zhen.
Hearing his words, Xuanzi's face broke into a delighted smile.
"Ziyang, you've done us a great service! The elders nearly came to blows over the location of the first Tianyuan Academy. Now it's settled—no place is more suitable than your Anyang Primary Academy, which nurtured you!"
"So it's decided then, Elder Xuan?" Zhu Ziyang asked with a laugh, though still a little surprised.
"Decided, decided!" Xuanzi waved his hand. "I'll convene the Tianyuan Pavilion immediately and begin allocating personnel and resources for the founding of Anyang's Tianyuan Academy!"
"In that case, I'll take my leave," Zhu Ziyang said, bowing slightly before departing.
Xuanzi watched his back as he left and muttered under his breath, "Brat, hurry up and grow stronger. This old man is getting tired…"
Unaware of the elder's grumbling, Zhu Ziyang returned home in Shrek City, telling his parents about his visit to Anyang. Zhu Changhe and Liang Ying could only sigh with mixed feelings before sharing in his dreams for the future. Zhu Ziguang was already five years old—by next year, he would awaken his martial soul.
Back at the Academy, Zhu Ziyang ran into two unexpected figures: Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen.
"You!" Xiao Hongchen was the same as ever, proud and cold. At the sight of Zhu Ziyang, his face flickered with surprise before settling into his usual icy calm.
"Big Brother Ziyang! Long time no see!" Meng Hongchen, however, was unchanged too—her face lit up with starry-eyed delight the moment she saw him.
"So, the Sun Moon Academy's exchange students are you two," Zhu Ziyang said with a smile, unsurprised yet amused.
"Hmph! If not for my grandfather forcing me, I'd never have come!" Xiao Hongchen snorted.
"My brother wanted to improve his martial soul development, so when Grandpa suggested it, he agreed immediately," Meng Hongchen chimed in cheerfully, exposing her brother without hesitation.
"Meng!" Xiao Hongchen's face stiffened, his cold mask slipping as he looked at his sister in disbelief.
"Come on, Brother! Friends should be honest with each other," she said matter-of-factly. Then she turned to Zhu Ziyang with a bright smile. "Big Brother Ziyang, have you eaten yet? Let me treat you to dinner!"
"Tch! Lovestruck fool," Xiao Hongchen muttered, glaring at her.
"Dinner? Sure," Zhu Ziyang chuckled. "But no need for you to treat me. This is my turf—it's only right that I host you."
"Really? That's great!" Meng Hongchen clapped her hands. "So where are we going to eat?"
"The inner court cafeteria, of course. Where else? It's the finest restaurant in Shrek City, everyone agrees on that," Zhu Ziyang said with a laugh.
"Ah…" Meng Hongchen's face showed brief disappointment, but she quickly replaced it with a smile. "That's fine, I like the food there too."
"Funny, you said the opposite yesterday," Xiao Hongchen said in surprise.
"Shut up!" Meng Hongchen stomped on his foot, then beamed at Zhu Ziyang. "Big Brother, let's go!"
"Alright," Zhu Ziyang agreed, leading the way. An excited Meng Hongchen dragged along a sulking Xiao Hongchen behind him.
When they entered the cafeteria, it was bustling with inner court students. Many smiled and greeted Zhu Ziyang warmly, but when they noticed the Hongchen siblings at his side, their expressions cooled.
The Sun Moon Empire had been an enemy for thousands of years. The fact that no one hurled insults was proof of Shrek's progress in tolerance, but genuine friendliness was still beyond reach.
The siblings were used to it. On their first day, they had already fought with several students from the Star Luo Empire. They cared little for others' stares.
"Please, sit," Zhu Ziyang gestured to them as he sat down himself.
Meng Hongchen was just about to take the seat beside him when a golden-haired girl suddenly slid into it first, wrapping her arms around Zhu Ziyang with open possessiveness.
"Hey, newbie. Ever heard of first come, first served?" she challenged.
"And who are you?" Meng Hongchen snapped. "Big Brother invited us here. What business is it of yours? Move, unless you want me to rearrange your face!"
"Ha!" the golden-haired girl—Qian Lingyi—snorted. "You? Do you even have the strength for that?"
"You—!" Meng Hongchen's aura flared, and Zhu Ziyang knew if he didn't intervene, the cafeteria would soon become a battlefield.
He quickly reached out, catching her arm. "Don't be angry. A seat is a seat. Take the one across from me—I'm sure your brother will be pleased."
"O-okay…" Meng Hongchen blushed crimson at his touch, her anger melting instantly.
"You're always fighting over things," Zhu Ziyang scolded Qian Lingyi lightly, flicking her nose.
"Hehe, I just wanted to tease her," Qian Lingyi giggled, perfectly at ease with his affectionate gesture.
Across the table, Meng Hongchen clenched her teeth so hard she nearly cracked them, her heart exploding with jealousy.
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