Flanders' tone was stern, but Yuan Longxuan remained unmoved.
He could sense the dean's fury, but he also saw the reasoning behind it.
Dai Mubai had been badly hurt, yet Yuan Longxuan wasn't here to argue about the past. He had other matters in mind.
Just then, cheerful voices echoed down the staircase.
"Brother Yuan, so you're awake!"
It was Xiao Wu and Wu Ling. Xiao Wu's bright smile suggested she had slept well, while Wu Ling clutched Xiao Wu's hand, her expression slightly worried.
"I want a hug!" Wu Ling shouted, rushing into Yuan Longxuan's arms without hesitation.
Yuan Longxuan smiled softly. He bent down and held his little disciple close.
Xiao Wu chuckled at the scene, clearly amused by her apprentice's sudden display of affection.
Yuan Longxuan placed Wu Ling gently down and glanced at Xiao Wu, who was already smirking with mischief.
"Master," Wu Ling murmured, "Xiao Wu is teasing me!"
Yuan Longxuan shook his head. His disciples had always been mischievous, but their innocence made it impossible to stay angry.
Xiao Wu, especially, seemed to take delight in small pranks that were harmless yet slightly annoying.
He caught sight of the small plum blossom marks on Wu Ling's neck....Xiao Wu had clearly planted them during the night.
Yuan Longxuan raised an eyebrow, half-amused, half-exasperated.
"Xiao Wu," he said lightly, "what are you planning this time?"
"Hehe," Xiao Wu replied, grinning, "just a little fun. Don't worry, Master."
Meanwhile, Flanders' sharp gaze followed the entire scene, his black eyes narrowing.
He had come with a purpose, yet watching Yuan Longxuan interact with the girls, he felt something he hadn't anticipated...a mixture of admiration and irritation.
"Enough," Flanders finally said, his voice cold. "If you have nothing else to do, make way. We're leaving."
Yuan Longxuan remained calm, ignoring the dean. Flanders, however, stepped directly into his path.
"What do you mean, sir? Do you think I'm naive?" Yuan Longxuan asked, his tone sharp.
Flanders did not back down. "Boy," he said, "you've achieved the level of a Soul King at such a young age.
You may be proud of it, but in my eyes, you are still inexperienced."
Xiao Wu and Wu Ling exchanged glances, covering their mouths to stifle giggles.
The sight of this "old, stern man" scolding Yuan Longxuan seemed almost comical to them.
"I don't have time for this," Yuan Longxuan said firmly.
He was used to dealing with overconfident people, and Flanders' insistence irritated him.
"I am Flanders, dean of Shrek Academy," Flanders announced, his tone authoritative. "I can forgive you for injuring my student, but there's one condition. That girl...your disciple.....must join Shrek Academy immediately."
Yuan Longxuan's eyes narrowed. Shrek Academy? He had heard of its reputation, but he knew its flaws better than most.
"Do you really think I'll let my apprentice join your school?" Yuan Longxuan asked coldly.
You're asking her to leave a place she belongs to, where she's safe and thriving."
Flanders ignored the challenge. "Our faculty is unmatched.
We have three Soul Sage-level teachers and one Soul Emperor. Our instruction is flawless!"
Yuan Longxuan remained skeptical. "Do you have proper training facilities? Places for mimicry exercises?"
Flanders hesitated. "Well… not exactly, but our faculty is strong."
"And food? Every student receives nutritious meals?" Yuan Longxuan pressed further.
"No, we cannot guarantee that either. But our teaching is the best."
Yuan Longxuan's lips pressed into a thin line.
He realized that Shrek Academy, despite its powerful teachers, had serious gaps in basic student care and resources.
Two of the instructors were even wanted by the Spirit Hall. The so-called 'perfect academy' was far from it.
"So this is your academy," Yuan Longxuan muttered.
He looked Flanders straight in the eyes. "You are threatening me with my own disciple for nothing more than personal pride and ambition."
Flanders' face darkened. "No! She will join today, willingly or not! You don't understand her potential.
Left under a Soul King-level youth, she will waste her talent. We must ensure she becomes a peerless genius!"
Yuan Longxuan shook his head. "Talent is nothing without freedom. You can't force her path."
Flanders' sharp eyes flicked around, seeing the seriousness in Yuan Longxuan's expression.
He realized that this young Soul King-level cultivator was not someone to be easily intimidated.
Yet the dean's pride would not allow him to back down.
"This girl's potential… she must be guided. She is capable of greatness!" Flanders insisted, his voice firm, as if speaking for the future itself.
Yuan Longxuan's expression was calm but icy. "I am her master. She chooses her path. Not you.
Not even the dean of a so-called prestigious academy."
The tension between them crackled in the quiet morning air.
Xiao Wu and Wu Ling clung to Yuan Longxuan's sides, their eyes wide with concern but also trust in their master.
Flanders clenched his fists. He had recruited dozens of top talents over the years, yet here, faced with a Soul King-level youth who valued freedom over obedience, he felt powerless for the first time.
Finally, Yuan Longxuan stepped forward, his gaze unwavering.
"If you wish to challenge me or my disciple, prepare yourself.
But know this.....no amount of authority or prestige will make me bow."
Flanders' eyes narrowed, the glint of a Soul Sage flashing briefly. For a moment, the air seemed to still.
Then, with a final glare, he stepped back, though he didn't speak further.
Yuan Longxuan turned toward Xiao Wu and Wu Ling, taking their hands. "Let's go," he said.
"We have more important matters than wasting time with fools who overestimate their own power."
The two girls nodded, their trust in their master absolute.
As they left the building together, Flanders' stern figure remained in the doorway, watching them go.
He knew the battle of wills had not ended, but for now, Yuan Longxuan had the upper hand.
And thus, the morning ended with a quiet, unspoken agreement: talent must be nurtured with care, not coerced by authority.
The true strength of a master lies not in enforcing rules, but in guiding those under their protection toward freedom and growth.
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