After everyone had left the conference room, even Wen Fen had gone.
Only Xu Chuyao, Long Jun, and the woman he had introduced remained.
Of course, the latter two weren’t physically in the room but were watching through video.
“Hello, Xu Xu Chuyao,” the woman took the initiative to speak. “My name is Wang Li.”
Her hair was tied back neatly, and she wore a modest coat—not flashy, but looking both composed and reliable.
Her age didn’t seem very advanced.
Judging by her position, Wang Li was in her early thirties, which was considered fairly young for someone in her role.
By contrast, Wen Fen was still living in a small town.
“Hello, Ms. Wang Li,” Xu Chuyao greeted her politely.
However, that introduction felt a bit too brief. Long Jun really had no idea about her background or identity.
Fortunately, Wang Li paused thoughtfully before speaking again:
“The terrain at Shengling Academy is quite high, and compared to the village where my family is from, the Academy’s annual average temperature is a bit lower. My mother is always worried about me catching a cold and often sends a few warm clothes now and then.”
She spoke with a faint hint of helplessness.
Xu Chuyao could understand her feelings. Indeed, Shengling Academy was no place to fuss over such trivial things since all the teachers and students were spirit power users. Their physical fitness was outstanding, and they weren’t afraid of the cold. Still, mothers always worry.
“They laugh at me for my family being too old-fashioned and force me to wear those thick padded coats in public. It feels like being wrapped up in a cocoon,” she said.
“That’s terrible, Wen Fen,” Xu Chuyao immediately responded, “she deserves it!”
“Heh, I should be thanking you,” Wang Li said with a smile. “If it weren’t for Xu discovering her identity in time, she might have caused a bigger crisis. And I was one of the sources.” She shook her head. “Fortunately, it was all stopped before things escalated.”
How considerate of Wang Li to praise Xu like that.
Xu Chuyao spread her hands: “Luckily, yes. But I think her problems weren’t completely her own fault, so I don’t blame you.”
She said it mainly to acknowledge the other’s words, not really thinking about it, but Wang Li started laughing.
“You’re right, Xu Chuyao. That’s just how the world works. Just like back when I was at Academy, they had the advantage of being more numerous and physically more developed to bully me. I never complained about the unfairness of the world.”
“Exactly.”
Long Jun coughed from the other side of the screen: “Ms. Wang Li, Xu is still in school, only in third grade.”
Don’t pass on such pessimistic ideas to kids. Naturally, kids will figure things out on their own, but it’s respectful to honor the moral teachings of the school’s instructors.
Wang Li seemed to smile knowingly, expressed her thanks once again, then took her leave.
With that, only two people remained in the conference room.
From Long Jun’s mouth, Xu Chuyao learned the woman’s strength level:
Fourth Defensive Rank.
“No wonder Wen Fen got bullied. That’s a bit excessive.”
A 32-year-old Fourth Defensive Rank expert is considered among the greatest talents in the world.
Only two female students from Shengling Academy have ever surpassed that number, or else Wang Li could compete for the title of the strongest talent of this generation.
“Besides, she works for the Conquest Department,” Long Jun said. “You know what the Conquest Department is, right?”
Xu Chuyao frowned.
The so-called Conquest Department was the counterpart to the Security Department.
The latter, by its name, handles security issues, while the Conquest Department is more proactive.
One focuses inward, the other outward.
The Conquest Department manages border defense and related affairs.
But only under normal defensive conditions; if a major incident occurs, like a defense line being breached, then a full mobilization would be triggered.
“That’s enough. Good work today. But we need to ease up on hunting down insiders for now. I want you ready at all times,” Long Jun said.
Xu Chuyao nodded seriously. “Any news on the Clown Gang? Are they going to act soon?”
“They stole so many Soulstones. Surely they aren’t just collecting them for fun.”
“That Benjett guy.”
Xu Chuyao still remembered this fellow. When she participated in the entrance trial, he followed and caused trouble, even pulling her into the mix.
Compared to that temporarily dormant insider, Xu was more worried about this guy, who seemed to stir up trouble at every turn.
“I don’t know. Since the incident at the chapel, he’s disappeared without a trace.”
Damn.
After a few more words, Long Jun closed the screen and announced the end of today’s session.
As a member of the Supreme Society, Wen Fen hadn’t even done anything yet, but she was already locked away, isolated from the world.
A few days later, she was to be sent to the prison in the City of Honor, where she would be incarcerated alongside the captured Professor Swina.
Regarding her tragic fate, some members of the Supreme Society showed her a degree of leniency, as well as…
“See? I told you, you can’t get too close to Xu Chuyao. I knew something would happen,”
Morris, hundreds of kilometers away from Shuangkun Town, sat in a late-night bar with the Clown Gang leader.
They were discussing the recent capture of a Supreme Society elite snake.
The meeting’s purpose was to share the news of this Supreme Society member’s arrest.
“So, even the Supreme Society is human; they fail sometimes and get swept away,” Lilith said, smiling with us all wearing the same expression, clapping others on the back. “Don’t be discouraged by past failures. We will succeed eventually.”
This time, his speech had an effect.
Several Clown Gang leaders seemed to have a change of heart.
Not because they suddenly empathized with their own fate, but because just a few days ago, they held a gathering at the Twin Star Mines, where Lilith used some strange reason to forcibly take them away.
If they hadn’t left, the whole group might have been exposed by Xu Chuyao.
So after this incident, they realized this new boss seemed to have a couple of tricks up his sleeve.
At least better than the Supreme Society letting Swina control them.
“All right, enough smiling. After all, she was our friend. Let’s take three seconds to mourn Prada Lady’s departure. One, two, three… OK, the past can’t be changed. Now let’s look forward and prepare for our grand operations!”
Zilis pulled out a piece of dark blue Soulstone from his pocket. “At least, unlike her, we haven’t just left without doing anything.”
The interrogation was over, but Xu Chuyao’s day wasn’t finished.
Principal Lü was quite efficient.
Since it concerned a matter of national security, today they invited television reporters.
Unlike last time when Wang Ke made a big fuss, this time the event was held in the auditorium, arranged like a news conference.
Xu Chuyao wore a pristine white dress, looking pure and cute—like a high-scoring schoolgirl from a bygone era.
“Xu Chuyao, we finally have an interview with you today. What everyone is concerned about is that this time it wasn’t a fluke but due to your innate spirit power talent,”
said the Central Daily’s reporter, holding a microphone.
The camera beside him symbolically panned to Principal Lü, and then all the spotlight shifted to the young lady.
Xu Chuyao smiled sweetly. “Actually, my talent has always been very strong. It’s just been overshadowed by my achievements in strategy. Just like today, you pay attention to my rank but overlook what else I’ve accomplished.”
The reporter blinked. Luckily, an assistant passed him a piece of paper with some notes.
“Right. Recently, Xu Chuyao apprehended an insider in the Security Department. It turns out this person belongs to the same organization responsible for the chapel tragedy. This is truly an inspiring feat. But today, we focus on Xu Chuyao’s ascension to the Third Rank, the second historical record breaker after Wei Shenlin.”
The reporter was somewhat skilled, briefly acknowledging all sides.
“So, Xu Chuyao, what’s your secret to cultivation?”
“Mainly hard work,” the young lady said seriously. “You reap what you sow.”
“How about the Way of Heaven’s blessing? Do you have anyone special to thank?”
“My girlfriend. Without her, I wouldn’t be who I am today.”
Without any female lead stereotype or villainous value, Xu Chuyao smoothly ascended to Third Rank.
“Wow, a sincere answer like Shen Shu’s last time,” said the reporter. “By the way, Xu Chuyao and Shen Shu are the Academy’s young couple, both setting new historical records in a short time. People can’t help but wonder if you two practice any special cultivation methods together.”
“Gosh, you’re really funny.”
The auditorium could only hold so many. Unlike last time when the entire school came, this time only third-year students attended, enough to fill the venue.
Xu Chuyao sat in the back row, her seat in the classroom was the same.
“This is a personal interview,” the scene reminded someone with curly hair of past experiences. “Our past investigations into that person were conducted just like this.”
In other words, if anyone wants to investigate Xu Chuyao’s past from now on, this interview will be an important document.
Of course, it wouldn’t end up as badly as Swina or Wen Fen.
Little Snow recalled recent rumors about various transfers, from her initial curiosity-driven search for an old teacher, to Luo Kangsheng who helped Shen Lin, and later various people reporting for different reasons.
“Speaking of which, when I first searched for these things, I realized what was taught at the Academy didn’t align with the world’s development, so I wanted to find real clues behind the words,” she said tearfully.
The school always taught equality, that spirit users should protect ordinary people, but her father clearly said the family was poor. Since her birth, everyone in the country was sucking up to the rich, even her father who ran a newspaper and did business.
That was not equality.
“But when I worked for Xu Fenyao, seeing more of the inside, I realized the truth is even darker.”
Compared to that, the spy theories she had read at the Academy were just fairy tales.
Shen Shu responded softly, showing she was listening but actually wasn’t very focused.
Because her heart was elsewhere.
“Today, you must go up,” a voice whispered in her ear, “If you don’t kiss, it means you’re scared she’ll electrify you.”
To be honest, Shen Shu really thought that way.
So to prove she wasn’t afraid, she was determined to kiss today.
On stage, besides Xu Chuyao, the TV station also interviewed Principal Lü.
“As the Principal of Shengling Academy, your school has produced two record-breaking Third Rank students. What do you attribute your school’s success to?”
“Mainly encouraging free-form love,” Principal Lü said with a radiant smile.