Leander stared blankly at Zhong Shenxiu, then immediately shifted his gaze to Kaine, as if seeking confirmation that this wasn't some kind of joke being played on him!
Yet, Kaine’s expression was utterly serious; there was no hint of jesting whatsoever!
Was this woman insane? Leander even began to suspect Kaine had some sort of mental issue. After all, what normal person would bring two children to apply for a teaching position here?
He surmised that one could search the entirety of the "Winter Moon Empire" and never find another instance like this!
However, after an hour had passed.
Leander escorted Zhong Shenxiu and the other two out of his office with extreme deference, bowing and scraping so thoroughly that his mannerisms mimicked those of a subordinate currying favor with a superior!
At this moment, the look of sheer terror had not completely faded from his face, and his entire body still trembled slightly!
“Mr. Leander, then it’s settled!” Kaine said to Leander with a smile.
“Very well, please take care!” Leander replied respectfully once more.
After Zhong Shenxiu and his group left the office building, Leander stumbled back into his office, collapsing onto his swivel chair. The memory of the few abilities Zhong Shenxiu had demonstrated moments ago made his face turn deathly pale with renewed horror!
Freak, he was simply too much of a freak!
Leander had experienced countless events, but never one that left him so long unable to recover from shock as this day had!
Just what—what kind of child was this?
The more Leander thought, the less he could fathom. He lowered his head to look at the notes he had just taken. On a piece of paper, scrawled messily across the page, were Zhong Shenxiu’s name, the courses he proposed to teach, and some of the special requests Zhong Shenxiu had made!
Leander usually had neat handwriting, but today, due to his shaking hands, the script was so illegible he could barely read it himself!
No, this matter needed to be reported to the Headmaster immediately—preferably by calling an emergency special meeting. This young boy named Zhong Shenxiu, whom he must now address as 'Teacher,' had the potential to bring about earth-shattering changes to their "At-Home Demonic Arts Academy." It might even make qualifying for the "Royal Tournament" no longer a distant dream!
The "Royal Tournament." That was the ultimate goal for every academy. Gaining eligibility to participate would instantly make the institution an object of envy for all others, and its prestige would soar several times over!
If they could achieve a respectable result in the "Royal Tournament," the academy would be immortalized in history and receive significant state support!
The "At-Home Demonic Arts Academy" had nearly a century of history since its founding, yet it had never once managed to qualify for the "Royal Tournament." In this regard, it lagged behind its bitter rival, the "Digging Ground Demonic Arts Academy"—at least the "Digging Ground Demonic Arts Academy" had once qualified for the "Royal Tournament," even if it had since declined!
After witnessing Zhong Shenxiu’s power, Leander felt more than just a tremor of fear; he felt intense excitement, for he now saw a genuine path to the "Royal Tournament" for their academy. If Zhong Shenxiu could impart even a fraction of the abilities he had displayed to the students, achieving excellence in the "Royal Tournament" would be far from wishful thinking!
If all this materialized, the "At-Home Demonic Arts Academy" would finally rise up, while its rival, the "Digging Ground Demonic Arts Academy," would be left sighing in frustration and ultimately forced to submit.
The decades-long struggle between the two academies would finally see a victor decided—how could this not excite Leander, the Director? At that point, he, the Director, would command more prestige than the Headmaster of the "Digging Ground Demonic Arts Academy," and earning credit for this breakthrough might even lead to his swift promotion to Vice-Dean!
Leander was a clever man; he had already raced through a multitude of possibilities in his mind, which was precisely why he had broken precedent to agree to so many of Zhong Shenxiu’s seemingly unreasonable demands!
Of course, this also explained why he had personally escorted Zhong Shenxiu and the others out with such profound reverence!
...
Meanwhile, Zhong Shenxiu felt remarkably pleased. The interview had gone smoother than he had anticipated, and he hadn't expected Leander to agree to every single one of his requirements!
Not only was Zhong Shenxiu now a teacher at the "At-Home Demonic Arts Academy," but he also possessed privileges and benefits that other faculty members wouldn't dare dream of!
For instance, Zhong Shenxiu could decide when to teach and what to teach, with no one authorized to question him.
Furthermore, Robin and Kaine would serve as his assistants, teaching alongside him, receiving identical salaries, and enjoying the same benefits!
Glancing at the sky, Zhong Shenxiu figured the library should be open by now. The group quickly headed towards it.
A minute or two later, Nuowen was trailing them from a distance. He truly possessed remarkable patience; he had waited silently downstairs while Zhong Shenxiu and the others were interviewing!
Nuowen had considered getting closer to clearly overhear their discussion, but he worried about being discovered if he failed to hear anything, so he maintained that distance for the time being!
What he failed to realize was that from the moment he began tailing them, both Zhong Shenxiu and Robin had already noticed him, choosing only to ignore him.
However, being followed constantly like a shadow was irritating. Therefore, Zhong Shenxiu gave Robin an order!
“Huh?” Nuowen suddenly let out a sharp sound of surprise, and his body froze. Just then, the little girl’s figure had vanished into thin air, disappearing with eerie suddenness!
“Where is she?” Nuowen spun around frantically. Then, Robin’s cold voice suddenly sounded from directly behind him, startling Nuowen so badly he nearly jumped out of his skin, as if a phantom had materialized.
“Are you looking for me?” Robin stared intently at Nuowen.
Acting purely on instinct, Nuowen lunged forward several steps before daring to turn around.
“You—how could you?” Nuowen gestured alternately toward the distant spot and then back toward Robin’s current position, his mouth opening and closing as if struggling to articulate something utterly unbelievable.
He could not fathom how a person could traverse such a distance in such a short time, entirely undetected right before his eyes. It was utterly bizarre!
If this person intended him harm, wouldn't that mean...
Nuowen dared not pursue the thought further, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. It instantly brought back the memory of his argument with Robin just yesterday.
What did she want?
This question became Nuowen’s most pressing concern. He fixed his gaze on Robin, mentally bracing himself for any sudden move!
“The Master asks me to tell you that if you follow us again, I will personally send you home!” Robin stated emotionlessly.
That statement was rich with implication, especially the word "home," which carried a particularly heavy weight!
Subdued by Robin’s imposing presence, the usually exemplary student Nuowen dared not utter a single complaint, simply staring at Robin in stunned silence!
Then, another scene of pure terror unfolded for Nuowen: Robin’s figure vanished again right before his eyes, without even leaving a trace or an afterimage!
Almost reflexively, Nuowen whipped his head around toward Zhong Shenxiu’s location. Robin was now walking calmly beside Zhong Shenxiu.
In that moment, Nuowen was utterly dumbfounded, inside and out!
To be honest, before meeting Robin, Nuowen had been quite arrogant, believing his attendance at a school in the "Capital City" made him inherently superior. Yet now, the confidence he had cultivated over years was shattered into dust by Robin’s simple "round trip." This was a blow he wouldn't easily recover from!
...
Inside the “Fengshao Courtyard,” when Xia Luo and the other two discovered Zhong Shenxiu’s group had vanished, they felt only mild confusion, not the slightest anxiety!
“Sister Xia Luo, where did the Master go so early this morning?” Li Si asked out of curiosity. He wasn't expecting Xia Luo to know; he just wanted to hear her perspective.
“Could they have gone to the ‘At-Home Demonic Arts Academy’?” Xia Luo speculated. A woman’s intuition was indeed powerful, undeniable!
“The Master isn’t actually planning to become a teacher, is he?” Li Si asked in disbelief.
This time, Xia Luo only smiled faintly, offering no direct reply!
Angelina stood quietly to the side, not joining the discussion, appearing lost in thought—though it was uncertain if she was still brooding over the “Peeking Door” incident.
After a brief silence, Li Si suddenly lowered his voice and confided mysteriously, “Sister Xia Luo, I’ve had a strange feeling lately.”
“What kind of strange feeling?” Xia Luo asked, struggling to hide her amusement.
“I feel like the Master’s temper is becoming more and more like a child’s. I remember he wasn't like this before!” After saying this, Li Si nervously glanced around as if expecting to be caught spying.
Xia Luo visibly paused. She had, in fact, been feeling the same thing for a while now. Since that time Zhong Shenxiu and Robin returned from their mysterious disappearance, his temperament and nature had clearly shifted! And as the days passed, this change only grew more pronounced!
Yet, simultaneously, Xia Luo harbored another strange sensation: she felt Zhong Shenxiu was becoming increasingly powerful!
Unbeknownst to them, this was the effect of Zhong Shenxiu’s ‘Return to Simplicity’ beginning to take hold. His initial blueprint was not meant to be completed all at once, but rather step-by-step. As time progressed, Zhong Shenxiu’s childlike characteristics would become more apparent, while his strength would simultaneously become even more monstrous!
Within him, the two miraculous worlds were undergoing constant transformation. It was foreseeable that before long, Zhong Shenxiu would achieve complete mastery over these two profound worlds... If you wish to know what happens next, please log in to [website address], for more chapters, to support the author, and for genuine reading!
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