Chapter 111: All Goes Well
The second year of admissions at Tianxing Academy arrived as scheduled, and thanks to the recent Tianxing Douluo incident, many influential groups sent respected representatives bearing gifts to attend the ceremony. While these individuals subtly probed for information on Tianxing Douluo, Ye Wen whose combined years across lifetimes exceeded forty had no intention of revealing anything. After all, this mysterious figure was his greatest trump card.
As expected, admissions this year were highly competitive, with scores of noble born soul masters vying for entry. Even if they couldn't become Ye Wen's disciple, having a connection to a Title Douluo's organization was a dream for many.
Following the structure of last year's admissions, the academy saw plenty of 16 year old soul masters from noble families who had already reached the Great Soul Master rank. These students were talented, though not without flaws. Ye Wen, however, was slightly disappointed in the outcome of the Potential Dragon Tournament. Only a handful of contestants from neighboring provinces could afford to participate, as many impoverished soul masters with mutated martial souls couldn't make the journey, even though Ye Wen had openly welcomed them.
To test these aspiring soul masters, Ye Wen decided to implement a test inspired by the "target badge hunt" in Hunter x Hunter. This approach would assess each contestant's focus, adaptability, and various other skills. Anyone lacking these qualities would likely struggle to surpass the limitations of an ordinary soul master.
Recognizing that some participants lacked strong combat abilities, Ye Wen introduced a "second chance" revival test focused on endurance and resilience. Naturally, a marathon was the perfect choice. Observing the participants, Ye Wen kept an eye on those with unusual potential or a remarkable will, despite some initial shortcomings. He decided to admit these students provisionally and evaluate their progress further before making a final decision.
For the first round, candidates who remained were pitted against each other in one on one matches, giving Ye Wen a chance to judge each student's strengths and weaknesses. The top ten participants were accepted as Ye Wen's registered disciples. However, if someone caught his eye but didn't make the top ten, he allowed them to join a group of revived contestants to continue studying at the academy.
The early ranks of a soul master, especially below level 20, rely heavily on natural talent, allowing their potential to shine. Ye Wen encountered a number of promising students, and he readily invited them to the academy. Weak martial soul? Poor physical constitution? Ye Wen dismissed these as minor issues. With access to the mystical essence of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, Ye Wen could cultivate talents rivaling innate geniuses whenever he wished.
Once the new term began, Ye Wen was visited by an unexpected guest: the current chief of the mermaid clan. While Ye Wen had considered forming a trade relationship with them, he wasn't certain they would come due to the mermaids' unique nature.
"So, you must be the Principal Ye Wen whom young Mishal mentioned," the chief said in greeting. "I am Hait, the leader of the mermaid clan."
Chief Hait was a towering figure, with chiseled muscles reminiscent of an ancient Greek statue. His short, ocean blue hair and full beard gave him an air of formidable authority.
Ye Wen bowed slightly, saying, "It is an honor to meet you, Your Eminence."
Although Hait was a half human, half soul beast, Ye Wen sensed he would prefer to be addressed as a human; after all, most soul beasts were rather simple minded. As a member of the mermaid clan, Hait possessed an innate power of extraordinary spiritual strength, and a unique gift for mind reading. Yet, to his surprise, he couldn't decipher Ye Wen's thoughts at all. Either Ye Wen was of singular purity, or his spiritual power was equivalent to Hait's.
After some pleasantries, they quickly moved to the business at hand.
"Your Eminence, I'd like to discuss a trade partnership with your clan. How would you prefer to go about it?" Ye Wen inquired.
"That depends on the types of goods you wish to exchange, but I assure you, we will be fair," Hait responded.
After a productive conversation, Chief Hait was satisfied with the contract they formed. Ye Wen took the opportunity to request a Title Douluo from the mermaid clan to remain at the academy as a liaison.
This request was necessary due to Tianxing Academy's rapid growth, which had attracted a diverse array of people. To ensure a reliable core group, Ye Wen needed a way to identify any who harbored ulterior motives, and the mermaids' mind reading ability was perfect for this task.
Though few in number, each member of the mermaid clan possessed remarkable potential. Besides Sea Maiden Douluo, who resided at Sea God Island, the clan boasted five other Title Douluo level warriors. In the ocean, where the presence of 100,000 year old beasts was commonplace, their strength was nothing short of astonishing.
Hait readily agreed to send a Title Douluo as a representative, appreciating Ye Wen's sincerity and the unique opportunity this partnership presented. A Title Douluo ally would indeed bolster the academy's defenses, filling a vital need, as the Douluo Continent lacked reliable methods for restricting soul masters. While one could use poison to control them, this would only lead to distrust and discord.
Chief Hait was also motivated by rumors of Tianxing Academy's supposed guardian, a 98th level Title Douluo with an unusual soul ring configuration. Though the mermaid clan was largely unknown on the continent, they were devoted followers of Sea God Poseidon, who was known for his generosity. Through divine trials, members gained benefits such as enhanced soul ring capabilities.
If Tianxing Douluo was aligned with a god, as Hait suspected, it would be unwise to provoke him. Instead, he recognized the value of establishing a strong connection. Moreover, since Ye Wen himself had shown interest in a cooperative relationship, Chief Hait didn't hesitate to agree. Securing the friendship of a divine power wasn't an opportunity to be taken lightly.
With the influx of new students, the spacious grounds of Tianxing Academy quickly became overcrowded, forcing Ye Wen to begin a second phase of expansion. He opened new training grounds in three directions from the main campus to accommodate the growing number of soul masters.
Ye Wen also arranged special accommodations for his newly registered disciples, allowing them to reside and train closer to the academy's core area as a mark of distinction. Despite their humble backgrounds, these disciples showed impressive dedication, training so diligently that Ye Wen felt a surge of pride.
With all affairs running smoothly, Ye Wen turned his attention to the academy's internal developments.
During this time, Dugu Bo also broke through to the rank of Soul Douluo, which prompted Ye Wen to organize a large scale soul hunting expedition. He led the team himself, accompanied by Ah Yin, Lu Feng, Dugu Bo, and another teacher who had recently advanced to Soul Sage, Ironhide Rhinoceros Iron Man.
(End of Chapter)
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