The path was smooth, encountering no one. It led directly to the location where the signal light apparatus was used.

This place was not large, perhaps the size of a small basketball court. The interior was empty, surrounded by a fence, and next to it stood a warning sign reading, "No Entry."

Angelina looked at Zhong Shenxiu in confusion. She truly couldn't fathom why he would come to such a place. If it were for sightseeing, he should have chosen an elegant location; what was there to see here?

Her inability to grasp the situation didn't mean Zhong Shenxiu shared her perspective. It was strikingly clear that Zhong Shenxiu was suppressing the excitement bubbling within him, his eyes, radiating an unusual light, fixed intently on the area, never wavering.

Zhong Shenxiu appeared to be standing quietly, but in reality, he was scanning his surroundings. Here, the newly discovered energy, the "Spiritual Wave," once again displayed its unparalleled capability. It began with a broad sweep of the area, then narrowed the circle, leaving not an inch of ground unchecked—a truly carpet-bombing search.

Finally, in a spot slightly to the east, Zhong Shenxiu detected something amiss. Overjoyed, he hurriedly intensified the projection of the Spiritual Wave to probe the ground beneath.

As the Spiritual Wave continued its descent, Zhong Shenxiu's initial guess grew more certain. At about fifty meters underground, he finally saw the object he had been seeking: a roughly circular stone.

This stone was what Zhong Shenxiu called the "Void-Absorbing Stone." Its primary function was to draw non-physical entities into itself. This stone was exceedingly rare and precious; Zhong Shenxiu had only ever acquired one, and that was through sheer chance.

It was worth mentioning that Zhong Shenxiu’s extraordinarily potent artifact for array construction, the Divine Calculation Plate, was forged using this very stone.

The "Void-Absorbing Stone" possessed a particular trait: it would draw in natural forces within a certain radius, causing them to erupt into irregular chaos. The collapsed structures were clearly the result of this effect.

At this moment, Zhong Shenxiu was so agitated that he almost cried out!

He had previously researched the "Void-Absorbing Stone" extensively, understanding its properties and functions thoroughly. It could truly be called the treasure of treasures!

The first "Void-Absorbing Stone" he obtained was only palm-sized, and after being crafted into the "Divine Calculation Plate," it was gone. This had forced Zhong Shenxiu to shelve many projects planned around its use.

But now, things were different. The "Void-Absorbing Stone" buried beneath the earth was as large as a small sedan. All the projects he couldn't undertake before could now be restarted!

Though deeply excited, Zhong Shenxiu wasn't completely overcome by emotion. While he was determined to claim this "Void-Absorbing Stone," he couldn't go about digging in such an obvious manner. He needed a way to deflect attention; ideally, he should secure ownership of this piece of land so he could do as he pleased!

Thinking of this, Zhong Shenxiu suddenly cracked a sinister smile, startling Angelina, who was standing guard nearby. She immediately wondered what mischief he was plotting this time.

"Girl, let's go back!" Zhong Shenxiu led the way back along the path they had taken.

Though Angelina had a belly full of questions, she dared not ask, left only to let her imagination speculate.

When they returned, Gandalf and the two headmasters had already been waiting for some time.

Gajuada studied Zhong Shenxiu with keen interest but spoke no immediate word, thinking to himself: Is this the kid they called so terrifyingly capable? He seems perfectly normal, nothing special at all.

Zhong Shenxiu’s expression was one of deep composure, a state he adopted whenever he had an ulterior motive.

"Headmaster!" Angelina called out. She couldn't remain silent like Zhong Shenxiu.

Gajuada nodded to her, finally addressing Zhong Shenxiu first: "Hello, I am Headmaster Gajuada."

Having spoken, he continued to examine Zhong Shenxiu, his expression suggesting he was waiting to see how the boy would respond.

However, Zhong Shenxiu didn't give him a single glance, instead staring directly at Lowry and asking, "Old man, what was the result of your discussion?"

Old man? Gajuada’s expression immediately shifted to one of surprise.

Lowry, as if sensing Gajuada’s thoughts, smiled at him, the look seeming to say: Don't be surprised; he'll be calling you that soon too. Just get used to it!

"We did discuss it just now, but because the school is currently planning the 'Academy Ranking Tournament,' our finances are already allocated. We can only mobilize around three hundred thousand Diamond Coins. Do you think that might be..." Lowry stopped short, observing Zhong Shenxiu’s expression.

Zhong Shenxiu's demeanor remained perfectly placid, making it impossible to guess his true thoughts.

"Of course, we won't let you suffer a loss!" Seeing Zhong Shenxiu remain silent, Lowry quickly added.

"Be specific!" Zhong Shenxiu’s tone was flat, even as his mind raced, calculating how to acquire ownership of that land.

"We have formulated several proposals. The first is to give you an IOU, and then..." Lowry barely got the words out before Zhong Shenxiu shook his head, forcing him to abruptly retract his statement.

"If you cannot accept this proposal, we have another," Lowry said with an awkward chuckle, then continued, "We can compensate you for your losses with physical assets!"

"Be specific!" Zhong Shenxiu’s eyes lit up; he seemed to have an idea.

Seeing that Zhong Shenxiu appeared interested in this proposal, Lowry regained his spirit and continued, "Our academy has many unused items in storage, and we also have several properties we are selling off that could be mortgaged to you."

"Does the foundation land count?" Zhong Shenxiu suddenly interjected. Although his expression was still calm, the light in his eyes grew brighter.

Lowry was momentarily stunned, surprised that Zhong Shenxiu was interested in that, but since foundation land hadn't been part of their discussion, he looked to Gajuada for guidance.

Having worked together for so many years, Gajuada and Lowry shared an unspoken understanding; a mere glance conveyed volumes.

Gajuada pondered for a moment, then said, "Foundation land can be included, but any land designated for the future expansion of our school cannot be given to you. I hope you can understand!"

Gajuada certainly did not want a single decision of his to impede the future development of the 'Budzadi Magic and Martial Arts Academy'!

"Then tell me which areas you can give me!" Zhong Shenxiu finally spoke his first words to Gajuada.

"There is a large tract of wasteland west of our academy that we can give you!" Gajuada offered.

"Are there any other places?" Zhong Shenxiu’s primary interest lay elsewhere.

"For now, I still..." Gajuada looked troubled, but Zhong Shenxiu interrupted him mid-sentence!

"That location is too remote. If I were to build a residence, it would be very inconvenient!" Zhong Shenxiu murmured, his words not aimless; he was subtly prompting Gajuada to reveal the location he had set his sights on.

Gajuada fell deep in thought, trying to figure out a solution that would satisfy both parties.

Just then, Lowry approached and whispered something to him. Gajuada's eyes immediately brightened. He gave Lowry an affirmative look—That's a good idea—and then smiled at Zhong Shenxiu, saying, "I just remembered, we do have another piece of idle land on campus. It isn't very large, but it’s enough to construct a courtyard!"

"Oh, tell me where!" Zhong Shenxiu deliberately put on an expression of great interest, though inwardly he thought: Finally, they took the bait!

Gajuada then described the general location to Zhong Shenxiu. To ensure he had a clear understanding, he pointed it out on a map—it was precisely the area Zhong Shenxiu and Angelina had visited earlier.

"What do you think of this place?" Gajuada asked Zhong Shenxiu.

At this moment, Zhong Shenxiu fully exhibited his professional skill in manipulation. Instead of showing elation at Gajuada’s suggestion, he adopted a deeply troubled expression: "This place is a bit too small. I would still be at a significant disadvantage this way."

In reality, he was ecstatic inside. For that "Void-Absorbing Stone," he would have gladly paid extra, but he wasn't foolish enough to reveal his true intentions to these three old men!

After some necessary haggling, Zhong Shenxiu finally agreed to Gajuada and the others' proposal, handing over the magical equipment and that strange circular disk. In return, he received compensation several times greater in value.

Following the necessary paperwork, Zhong Shenxiu finally obtained ownership of that piece of land. Furthermore, he secured the right to take items of equivalent value from the academy's storage! This meant any remaining monetary deficit would be settled with these goods.

As Zhong Shenxiu was leaving, Gajuada called out to Angelina, seemingly wanting to speak with her privately.

Angelina appeared to anticipate what the Headmaster wanted to ask and was already mentally rehearsing her response.

Just then, Zhong Shenxiu spoke up: "Girl, hurry up, what are you dawdling for!"

Angelina was suddenly thrown into confusion. Should she obey her Headmaster or Zhong Shenxiu?

Gajuada also looked at Zhong Shenxiu in astonishment, unsure of his meaning.

Gajuada's original intention was to inquire about Angelina’s recent activities, why she had taken so many days off, and similar matters.

However, what he now most urgently wanted to know was how Angelina had ended up associating with these two youths, and what their relationship truly was!

"Headmaster, I apologize, but I must leave now!" Angelina abruptly told the still-dazed Gajuada.

After a moment's thought, she decided it was safer to follow Zhong Shenxiu's instruction.

Watching Angelina and the others disappear from sight, Gajuada remained standing there foolishly.

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