Zhongdu Academy, Agriculture Department.
He Song stood outside a quiet farmhouse, taking several deep breaths before finally summoning enough courage to knock on the door.
“Dean Si, it’s He Song.”
A cold female voice came from inside, “Come in.”
He Song swallowed nervously and gently pushed open the heavy wooden door, carefully walking inside.
What greeted his eyes was a small and exquisite courtyard.
The ancient architecture radiated a sense of history, while the flowers and plants in the garden grew wildly, adding youthful colors to this aged place.
On the left side was a small bridge over a flowing stream, with a bamboo chair where a woman in her thirties was reclining.
She wore a fitted, high-collared cheongsam, her posture languid and relaxed.
In her left hand, she held a slender weed, gently teasing a five-rank Blood-Devouring Lotus in the pond.
When He Song entered, the Blood-Devouring Lotus suddenly sprang up, its large, blood-red mouth opening wide.
However, the weed only lightly tapped it, and the Lotus immediately calmed down, behaving like a little dog, whimpering pitifully.
If He Song had encountered this Blood-Devouring Lotus in the Star Realm, he would likely have been doomed.
His heart was racing, his forehead sweating as he spoke in a dry voice, “Dean Si…”
This was the Agriculture Department’s Dean, Si Kui, one of the great masters at Zhongdu Military Academy.
Si Kui glanced at him from the corner of her eye and said, “Did Old Niu send you?”
The way she addressed him made He Song’s scalp tingle. He answered in a low voice, “Yes, Director Niu asked me… to inquire about your recruitment intentions this year.”
Si Kui scoffed coldly, throwing the weed aside, and said, “Speak up. If you can’t explain yourself, let Old Niu come and talk to me.”
He Song’s forehead quickly became drenched in sweat under the oppressive aura of the eighth-rank master. His legs trembled uncontrollably.
The “Old Niu” she referred to was the Director of the Academic Affairs Department, a peak sixth-rank expert.
He Song had been sent by him.
It wasn’t because Director Niu was making things difficult for He Song, but because He Song’s parents had once been soldiers under Si Kui’s command.
After they died in the Star Realm, it was Si Kui who arranged for the young He Song’s care.
Although many years had passed and He Song hadn’t had much contact with Si Kui, there was still some affection between them.
If it had been anyone else, they would have probably been thrown out of the Agriculture Department by now.
He Song was truly terrified. Si Kui was infamous for her eccentric temper.
Anyone who had stayed in the academy for a few years knew there were a few people who were best avoided.
Si Kui was one of them.
“Dean Si…” He Song tried his best to keep his voice steady and said seriously, “Director Niu’s point is that the military academy is a place for nurturing outstanding students. The Agriculture Department hasn’t produced any research results in the past twenty years, nor has it produced any top 100 students. So…”
Si Kui coldly interrupted, “What? Does Zhongdu Military Academy not want me anymore?”
He Song’s throat tightened as he whispered, “Director Niu’s point is that you, as a master of both spirit and star law, could easily take on the position of vice dean of either the Mental or Star Methods departments, as long as you give up the Agriculture Department…”
Before he could finish speaking, Si Kui shouted harshly, “Shut up!”
He Song had already started speaking, so he continued, “Dean Si, you’re just wasting time here, wasting the school’s resources…”
“Enough, He Song!” Si Kui stood up, her presence overwhelming.
The invisible pressure spread, turning the entire courtyard into a place of thunder.
Her voice carried the weight of a thousand pounds: “I’m letting you in because of your parents. If you say one more word, don’t blame me for disregarding our old friendship!”
He Song quickly looked up. “Dean Si, it’s been over twenty years, they…”
“Get out!” With this roar, He Song felt dizzy and disoriented.
When he regained his senses, he was already thrown hundreds of meters away, crashing onto the main road of Zhongdu Military Academy.
At that moment, an old voice sounded in his spiritual sea. It was Director Niu from the Academic Affairs Department: “Xiao He, thank you for your hard work. Let’s leave it at that.”
He Song froze for a moment, unable to resist asking, “Director, is Zhongdu really planning to eliminate the Agriculture Department?”
Director Niu sighed lightly and said, “There’s nothing we can do. Si Kui has been stubborn for over twenty years. She’s consumed a lot of resources and hasn’t produced any results… But it’s fine. Major research projects are always hard to yield results, but she hasn’t even produced a single outstanding student. It’s… it’s a shame. She was never suited to be a teacher in the first place.”
After sending He Song away, Si Kui’s anger subsided somewhat.
Director Niu had made things clear.
Even though Si Kui hadn’t produced any results in the Agriculture Department for twenty years, as long as she could nurture one top 100 student, the department could still be supported.
The problem was…
Si Kui pushed open the courtyard door and looked at the three slacking individuals in the wheat field…
The first was a master of deception, the second was a lazybones, and the third was a trickster.
With these three people, even if Si Kui became a saint, she couldn’t lift them up!
Bang! Si Kui slammed the courtyard door shut, out of sight, out of mind.
Cultivating students?
What a joke!
If she couldn’t get the “Ninth-Rank Lotus Heart” this year, she’d go back to the Star Realm and cause a major upheaval!
In the wheat field, the Agriculture Department’s boss, Feng Yiqiao, glanced at the small courtyard and said, “Who made our teacher angry again?”
The second person, Lü Shunshun, lazily basked in the sun and said, “Who cares, it wasn’t me.”
The third, Xia Putao, was tapping on his phone.
“Brother, can’t we put more merit points in? One merit point is too little. We can’t attract people with that.”
Feng Yiqiao shot him a glare.
“You think I don’t want to? This needs real merit points to be added. Otherwise, you put some in.”
The third person immediately said, “I don’t have any! I’m out of money!”
Feng Yiqiao rolled his eyes. “Then stop talking. Just get whoever you can. We’re relying on this wheat to survive!”
Lü Shunshun had already started snoring.
Feng Yiqiao kicked him and said, “All you do is sleep! Do something for once!”
Lü Shunshun didn’t mind and flipped over, continuing to sleep. “What’s the rush? We can harvest it in a few days.”
“I’ll be damned…” The third person exclaimed, “Someone’s taken the task!”
Feng Yiqiao grabbed the phone.
“So quick? Did you mess up? Did the task fail to post… Oh, wow, there’s really a fool…” He cleared his throat.
“Good kid, taking the task.”
The third person stood up straight.
“Brother, let me handle this. I want to show off a bit.”
“Go away.”
Feng Yiqiao straightened his collar.
“Don’t scare them off. These new students are getting harder to fool. If no one takes the task, we’ll have to go out to harvest wheat ourselves.”
The third person didn’t want to do hard work, and Lü Shunshun kept on sleeping.
Feng Yiqiao adjusted his collar, put on his signature smile, and prepared to greet this good… uh, kid.
Li Yang ran as fast as she could.
She dashed out of the task hall, opened the navigation, and headed straight for the Agriculture Department.
Ten kilometers?
When she ran seriously, she was as fast as a car!
In about ten minutes, Li Yang finally saw the golden sea of wheat she had longed for.
Oh my god!
So much wheat!
So many ripe, golden wheat ears, waiting for someone to harvest them!
Li Yang fought the urge to start harvesting right away, reminding herself she needed to check in with Dean Si first.
Feng Yiqiao saw the new student from a distance and was somewhat disappointed.
She didn’t look very strong or sturdy. He wasn’t sure how her endurance would be…
Please don’t be like the last one, who cried out after working for just one day and ruined the Agriculture Department’s reputation.
Hmm… thinking about that, Feng Yiqiao decided to be more cautious.
He couldn’t overwork her and needed to coax her into working for a few more days.
“Are you here for the task?” Feng Yiqiao asked gently.
Li Yang stepped forward and saw the middle-aged man standing in the wheat field. He looked to be at least forty, tall but a little chubby, with a kind face.
He was dressed simply and looked like someone who could handle farm work.
Could this be the Dean of the Agriculture Department?
Li Yang respectfully said, “Yes, teacher!”
Feng Yiqiao: “???”
Forget it, at his age, he did look like an assistant professor.
Feng Yiqiao smiled and nodded. “The task is simple. Just take a sickle and harvest the wheat.”
Li Yang asked seriously, “Are there any precautions I should know about when harvesting the wheat?”
Feng Yiqiao replied, “No, just make sure to cut the wheat heads off.”
Li Yang noted this carefully and asked again, “Teacher, should I start now?”
Feng Yiqiao quickly replied, “Tomorrow! Tomorrow you…” He intended to say “come at six in the morning,” but then thought he should be gentler with the new student to avoid her running off.
He changed his words, “Seven… uh, eight o’clock. Start at eight and finish by six p.m.”