Tianshui Academy.
Inside the dean's office.
"Lu Yuan, you've already been at our academy for a month."
Dean Han's voice was light, polite, even filled with warmth as she looked across her desk at him. "How do you feel about life here? Do you like it?"
Lu Yuan leaned back lazily in his chair. His gaze wasn't on her—it never strayed from the two beautifully sealed jars of fine wine sitting openly on the desk, gleaming temptingly beneath the light.
"Well… it's fine," he replied casually.
Dean Han's mouth twitched. Fine? Just fine?
This boy had nearly destroyed three walls of the teaching building in training. Students still whispered about his strength in awe. And all he could manage was… fine?
She inhaled deeply, keeping her composure.
"Alright then! Since you're settled in nicely…"
"Dean," Lu Yuan interrupted, finally tearing his gaze away from the wine. "Let's not dance around. Just tell me directly—what do you want me to do?"
From start to finish, his sharp eyes had never left the jars. Honestly, she could have put gold on the table and he'd still only care about the wine.
Dean Han sighed inwardly. This brat really can't hide his love for good liquor…
The Request
"Lu Yuan, our Tianshui Academy has treated you quite well, hasn't it?" Her tone grew more formal. "The All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament will be held very soon. We'd like you to compete on behalf of our academy."
Her fingers tightened slightly as she spoke, but her eyes held confidence. If Lu Yuan agreed to represent Tianshui Academy, then they, who had never even touched the championship, might finally seize the title.
But contrary to her expectations, Lu Yuan slapped the table and jumped to his feet abruptly.
"Dean, I've respected you as a senior until now," he declared solemnly. "But this—this is too much! Tiandou Royal Academy is my alma mater. It is both my duty and my honor to fight under their banner. And now, here you are, trying to steal me away." He pointed at the desk. "Two jars of wine… is not nearly enough."
Dean Han: "…"
For a moment, she almost choked on her own breath. Did he just—did he just demand more bribes instead of refusing outright?
Can't this kid follow normal logic just once?!
Grinding her teeth, she forced her tone steady. "Then how much do you want?"
She would bleed if necessary. Compared to winning the championship, money and wine meant nothing.
"I don't know yet." Lu Yuan spread his hands with bold honesty. "I'll have to compare it with the offer from old man Meng."
Dean Han nearly vomited blood. "What?"
"Obviously," he continued seriously. "He'll try to buy me back. Only fair, right? I'll just see who bids higher."
Dean Han: "…!!!"
This brat wasn't just a student. He was an auction item! And worse, he openly admitted it without even a trace of shame.
A Change of Tactics
Seeing she was on the verge of exploding, she quickly changed the subject.
"Lu Yuan, never mind that for now." She leaned forward. "I'm sure you've heard by now how much Bing'er's cultivation has improved, simply by practicing at your side. The growth rate's astonishing."
Her eyes gleamed. "So… could you allow a few more of our students to cultivate near you as well?"
When Shui Bing'er had first reported it to her, she hadn't believed it. But after convening the teaching committee overnight and confirming her story, they realized what an opportunity it was.
If Lu Yuan wouldn't play for them in the competition, the least they could do was let other students absorb power near him, strengthening their odds as a team.
Pedagogically, it was brilliant. Practically, it was priceless.
And besides—surely, surely he wouldn't refuse the chance to be surrounded by so many beautiful young girls, right?
But Lu Yuan's expression turned dead serious.
"Dean, I'm afraid… that's impossible."
Her face faltered. "Impossible? Why??"
"I'm not close to women," Lu Yuan said, his drunken face full of conviction. "You've seen it yourself these past weeks. So many girls around me, yet I keep my distance."
"…"
Dean Han's entire body stiffened. She wanted to bang her desk. Not close to women? With your reputation?
Lu Yuan continued sincerely, "Girls will only slow down my speed… at drawing my sword!"
The words left his lips like a hero's oath.
Dean Han's hand trembled. Her jaw clenched. Is he serious? With a straight face?
Negotiations Go Off the Rails
"I can't allow it!" Lu Yuan declared proudly. "This noble sword will not be dulled by women—even if it's for cultivation."
"…Take the wine away."
Dean Han had reached her limit. Her patience was crumbling.
"Wait!" Lu Yuan raised his hand quickly. "Alright, fine. Maybe… ten jars of wine could persuade me."
Dean Han's lips twitched violently.
"Fifty," he said instantly as her silence stretched. "Not one less."
"…"
Her chest rose and fell rapidly. For a moment, she thought she truly might lose control and hurl both jars in his face.
But finally, breathing hard, she spat out one word through clenched teeth. "Fine!"
Lu Yuan beamed. "Now that's what I like to hear. Don't worry, Dean—once the girls come, I'll make them all very comfortable cultivating at my side."
She froze. The phrasing was all kinds of wrong.
Before she could respond, he casually unsealed one jar of wine right there, downing half with a sigh of pleasure. The second jar he smoothly slipped into his storage soul guide, as though it had always belonged to him.
"Oh, right!" he added brightly, heading toward the door. "I'll let you know when I get Mengshenji's counter-offer. Then you can decide if you still want to compete."
Dean Han's face was black with suppressed fury. She finally snapped.
"Get out!"
"Immediately! Now!"
Lu Yuan paused mid-step, blinking innocently at her. "Huh? We were getting along so well—why so angry all of a sudden? Is it… menopausal mood swings?"
"…"
Mengshenji Arrives
"Han! You schemed against me!"
Mengshenji, chief of Tiandou Royal Academy, nearly tore the doors off their hinges as he stormed inside less than an hour later. His voice was hoarse with fury as he jabbed a trembling finger at Dean Han. "Lu Yuan, you're actually trying to steal Lu Yuan from us?"
"Chief Meng, don't exaggerate." Dean Han's smile was calm, her tone positively innocent. "During the competition period, Lu Yuan is indeed a member of our academy. If he represents Tianshui, that's only reasonable."
"Reasonable?!" Mengshenji practically exploded on the spot. "He's an exchange student! An exchange student! He belongs to Tiandou Academy!"
"So what? Exchange students are still part of Tianshui while they're here." Dean Han arched her brows. "Don't we also send our students to your school? I don't complain when you use them."
Mengshenji's face turned purple. "Don't bring that up!"
The moment he thought of those exchange students, he wanted to curse.
The group Tianshui had sent him? A bunch of skinny girls who ate almost nothing, while in return—they had tried to dump Tyrone, that big fool of a glutton, onto them. The eating bill of that one boy was enough to bankrupt a dormitory.
"You shameless woman!" Mengshenji roared.
Dean Han only sipped her tea with grace, unbothered. "Chief Meng, think bigger. If Lu Yuan leads Tianshui to the finals, doesn't our empire look even stronger as a whole? Isn't that something you, as chief academy elder, should be proud of?"
Mengshenji almost ground his teeth into powder. His lungs felt like they would burst apart.
"For years, Tianshui has been known only for sending all-girl teams. Now you want to put a man on stage—what about your school's traditions?"
Dean Han's eyes narrowed slightly. "Chief Meng. Times have changed."
The Explosive Ending
The argument dragged on bitterly, an hour of back-and-forth, neither giving an inch. Mengshenji's rage only grew hotter, while Dean Han simply leaned back and countered with shameless logic again and again.
At last, Mengshenji could take no more. His words shook the walls as he stormed out.
"Fine! Then let's settle this with strength. Speak with ability!"
Slamming the doors behind him, he left the office in ruins of silence.
Dean Han sat calmly behind her desk, lips curving faintly. In the end, it doesn't matter whether he rages. As long as Lu Yuan is here, he's already ours to use.
--
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