"Teacher Zhu is here."
Xiao Xiao cried out softly, and immediately both Cao Jinxuan and Zhu Sichen shivered, then quickly returned to their seats and sat up straight. However, whether Xiao Xiao had the ability to predict or not, before she could even mock them, she saw Zhu Yi actually walk in.
Zhu Sichen and Cao Jinxuan looked back at Xiao Xiao in unison, even giving her a thumbs-up.
"This..."
Xiao Xiao had originally intended to tease them, but unexpectedly, it turned out this way, leaving her somewhat between laughter and tears.
Zhu Yi still maintained her cold expression. Her demeanor not only made the students in the class tremble, but even Wang Yan felt a chill.
Zhu Yi quickly glanced at Huo Yuhao, then whispered, "Teacher Wang, what do you plan to do?"
She naturally didn't say that she already knew everything.
Wang Yan frowned and said, "The matter of Huo Yuhao not reporting yesterday has been known by many people. This morning, they even had a fight with Dai Huabin and his group. This matter definitely cannot be suppressed. We can only try our best to protect him. The two of us must unanimously request to keep Huo Yuhao. Although the regulations are strict, Huo Yuhao was still treated as a core disciple before this. If the two of us insist on our request, the academy will definitely consider our opinion."
Hearing Wang Yan's words, a hint of admiration arose in Zhu Yi's heart. Wang Yan completely didn't know why Huo Yuhao was late, and when the two of them met, he didn't even ask why, yet he wholeheartedly helped Huo Yuhao stay without any doubt. This made Zhu Yi feel a little guilty, so she couldn't bear to hide it any longer.
"Teacher Wang, do you know that during his first year, Yuhao insisted on taking extra courses in the Soul Tool Department?"
Wang Yan nodded and said, "I know! But I don't know how he's doing over there?"
Zhu Yi continued, "His grades are very good. He has now acknowledged Fan Yu as his master. Fan Yu has also decided to make him a core disciple of the Soul Tool Department. So you don't need to worry, Yuhao will not be expelled."
"What?"
Wang Yan's voice suddenly grew a few decibels louder. Then he startled and whispered, "How can that be?"
Just now, the two of them were whispering, and although the students below were curious, they couldn't hear anything. Now, Wang Yan carelessly spoke a little louder, immediately attracting the attention of all the students.
Wang Yan also realized his impropriety and immediately continued, "Teacher Zhu, let's go outside and talk."
As he spoke, he hurriedly walked out of the room.
Zhu Yi sighed inwardly, "I'm sorry, Teacher Wang, for my husband, I had no choice but to do this. The last thing I can do is not to deceive you anymore." As she thought, she swept her cold gaze across the room once before following Wang Yan out.
"Teacher Zhu, what's going on? Why have I never known anything about this? I know you are Fan Yu's wife, but don't forget that you are also a teacher of the Martial Soul Department! How can you give such an excellent disciple to the Soul Tool Department? No, absolutely not, I don't agree."
Wang Yan said somewhat agitatedly.
Zhu Yi sighed.
"Teacher Wang, calm down, please listen to me first. Yes, in your eyes and mine, Huo Yuhao is indeed an excellent student, one whose future can be said to be limitless. But, is that how the leaders of our department see him? Whether it's Dean Yan or Director Du, or even Elder Xuan, they all think Huo Yuhao has no prospects. They refuse to let him become a core disciple. Do you remember how Huo Yuhao felt at that time? He worked hard to win the championship in the New Student Assessment, yet he didn't even qualify to be a core disciple? He's just a child, do you think he would be disappointed and dejected because of this?"
Hearing her series of questions, Wang Yan was momentarily stunned. Zhou Yi was not wrong, but Director Du also had his reasons.
Zhou Yi continued, "Since that's the case, let us take care of Yuhao, because we believe that with his talent, he will definitely reveal his true abilities step by step in the future. I believe that after years as a core disciple, he is very likely to become an inner court disciple. And I heard that his performance in the Soul Tool Department can only be described as terrifying. It even alarmed Dean Qian, who personally allowed him to become a core disciple of the Soul Tool Department."
Wang Yan said with some impatience, "That's impossible, how long has he been in the Soul Tool Department? Only about eight months. Usually, core disciples of the Soul Tool Department are only selected in their fourth year. Except for a few specially selected external disciples, there have never been any exceptions before. And Yuhao only goes to study in the Soul Tool Department for a few hours each day after classes, how could he achieve such high results?"
Zhou Yi sighed and said, "Wang Yan, don't you know my personality? It's true that I lean a little towards Fan Yu, after all, he is my husband. You're not wrong, I am still a teacher in the Martial Soul Department. If the Martial Soul Department had valued Yuhao from the beginning, I would absolutely not have agreed to Fan Yu's request for Yuhao to become a core disciple of the Soul Tool Department. But truly, look at what our Martial Soul Department has done? We've hurt this child. Do you know how hard Yuhao usually works? Besides his classes, regardless of wind, rain, or storm, he consistently goes to study in the Soul Tool Department for two hours every day. I don't want to hide it from you, yes, at the end of his first year, although Huo Yuhao didn't have a second soul ring, he was already a Class Two Soul Engineer. Fan Yu is famously strict, yet he personally acknowledged Huo Yuhao's rank. Eight months, at that age, and he only needed eight months to become a Class Two Soul Engineer. Moreover, with this achievement, he even broke the record in the Soul Tool Department. Do you think, under such circumstances, they wouldn't rush to accept him as a core disciple?"
Hearing this, Wang Yan felt breathless. That's right! It was the Martial Soul Department that refused to accept Huo Yuhao as a core disciple. If he had extraordinary talent in the Soul Tool Department, what reason did he have to obstruct him? He still clearly remembered when it was announced that Huo Yuhao's name was not on the list of core disciples, he felt sympathy for the disappointment clearly visible in Huo Yuhao's eyes, so at this moment, he couldn't refute Zhou Yi's words.
***
At this very moment, on Sea God Island, two cunning old men were also discussing a similar topic.
"Old Yan! You lost a bet to me last time, now fulfill your end of the bargain."
Qian Duoduo sat properly on the sofa, staring at Yan Shaotie, who was behind the desk, and spoke leisurely.
Yan Shaotie placed both hands on the table, leaning slightly forward, and said with a surprised expression:
"What are you talking about? Where's the written proof? Why don't I remember anything?"
"What? What don't you remember?"
Qian Duoduo's eyes widened as he said, "Old Yan, do you have no shame! You thick-skinned fellow, last year you and I bet on the New Student Assessment finals, and you lost in the end. Now you're pretending to forget? Do you believe I'll smash this place to help you recover your memory?"
Yan Shaotie found it a bit amusing, looking at Qian Duoduo's expression, as if his tail had been stepped on.
"Alright, alright, calm down. Is such a small matter enough for you to come here and bother me? I have a hundred things to do, and you're still disrupting me. Tell me, which disciple from my Martial Soul Department has caught your eye? I'll remind you again, you absolutely cannot choose our core disciples. They are all my favored disciples; you can't have them even if you want to."
Seeing that he remembered, Qian Duoduo put away his angry demeanor and sat back down on the sofa:
"It's good that you remember. You greedy, stingy old man, if I said I wanted your core disciples, you'd probably fight me to the death. Don't worry, I just want an ordinary disciple."
Yan Shaotie suddenly felt a bit wary when he heard the old man say that; Qian Duoduo's current demeanor was too dangerous.
"Old Qian, don't use your nickname on me; this old man isn't as easily angered as you. And your Soul Tool Department is already so rich, don't come here to extort me anymore. Tell me, which student has caught your eye?"
Qian Duoduo said with some annoyance:
"What 'caught my eye'! The more I talk, the more annoyed I get. It took me so much effort to win against you once, and yet... hmph, it's all because of your Martial Soul Department... this time I've really suffered a heavy loss."
"What?"
Hearing the old man say that immediately made Yan Shaotie curious:
"What happened?"
Qian Duoduo said, "It's all because of Zhou Yi, that Martial Soul Department teacher who always likes to wear an old mask. That girl is Fan Yu's wife, and this time, one of her students reported late to class, and that student happens to be one she likes. But according to the rules, that student will definitely be expelled. You know that brat Du Weilun; he values the academy's rules more than his father's teachings, so how can we ask him for help? So last night, Zhou Yi told Fan Yu about it. Fan Yu originally didn't intend to interfere, but if he didn't, his wife would kick him out of the house. So in the end, he came to ask me to take that child as a core disciple. You know Fan Yu is the nominated successor for the dean position, so how can I not give him face? And you, that cunning old man, if I don't quickly come to collect my debt, you might just default on it. That's why I had to make this trip."
Yan Shaotie looked at Qian Duoduo with some suspicion.
"Is that late student worth Fan Yu doing all that? What's his name?"
Qian Duoduo said casually, "Huo Yuhao."
Yan Shaotie rolled his eyes and said, "I seem to have a slight impression."