Life is unpredictable. Ling learned early in life that there were two forces in the world one should never provoke: the Mingming Army and the Su Shu Army.
These two ancient cultivator fan groups were far more terrifying than any modern Chinese celebrity's fan base.
Each group boasted approximately a million members, all of whom were genuine cultivators. Rumor had it that their moderators were among the most powerful beings in existence.
In recent years, the Chinese government had repeatedly attempted to suppress these two fan groups, even issuing public safety measures restricting teachers from joining. To the Chinese management team, allowing them to spiral out of control would cause immense damage.
But none of this mattered to Ling Xian...
As the saying goes, "If you don't bother me, I won't bother you."
As long as they didn't disrupt his peaceful life, he saw no reason to concern himself with them. Besides, if he ever truly needed to act, he could annihilate millions of lives with a mere flick of his finger...
...
The bus ride lasted a full two and a half hours, but Hao Zhen's chatter never waned. From current political affairs to trending game news and the latest media updates, his conversation never grew dull.
As the bus sped toward its destination, traffic congestion slowed their progress.
Twenty minutes later, the bus finally came to a stop. "We've arrived, students! Prepare to disembark," Elder Gossip announced, turning to face the group.
"Finally!" Zhao Ming stretched and stood up.
The students quickly gathered their belongings, ready to exit.
"What time is it, Teacher?"
The Gossip Teacher glanced at his wristwatch. "It's 11:20 AM. We'll head to Ziyang High School to register first, then confirm the afternoon schedule at 3:00 PM."
After the students disembarked, the bus sped away. At that speed, it might just snatch the last bag of potato chips off the local supermarket shelves.
They were dropped off directly on the street in front of Ziyang High School's Gate 74.
The students' eyes, alight with excitement, swept over the school buildings.
"Wow! Is this really Ziyang High School No. 74?! It looked completely different when I passed by last time..." Xu Yutong said, puzzled.
"They probably struck gold," Zhao Ming frowned. "Last year, they produced a Golden Core Stage student, instantly qualifying them for the Tianxu annual inter-school rankings. Though their application is still under review, they secured investment from a mysterious benefactor, catapulting them into a direct pathway to provincial-level high schools..."
The Gossip Elder nodded in agreement. Zhao Ming had already articulated everything he wanted to say. After all, Zhao Ming had visited countless schools as a sports representative during middle school—this was nothing new to him.
Lianhua: "A mysterious investor? Why remain anonymous?"
"Rumor has it they're from a secret facility called the Yaoyang Institution! It's our local hospital, but the exact source of funding remains unknown."
Given Ziyang High School No. 74's current resources, outsiders might assume they're already a provincial key high school, but they're still in the application process.
"..." Imagine someone actually spending money on a high school to promote a hospital's medical capabilities!
"Do they offer free circumcisions upon graduation?" Hao Zhen mused, stroking his chin. "If we could borrow a graduate, we might get this done quickly."
"..." Ling Xian thought this group was getting a little too bold!
Lianhua, Xu Yutong, and Su Xinyi's faces flushed crimson at Hao Zhen's remark. The topic was far too sensitive!
"If Student Hao provides me with an address, I might share my Five Great Models," the Gossip Elder chuckled.
"Ha! You don't even need to ask!"
Ling Xian hesitated nearby. He knew the Gossip Elder's methods all too well.
Truth be told, he didn't need a surgeon at all. For him, a blade was enough.
...
...
Though they envied the brand-new facilities of Ziyang High School's No. 74 campus, Phoenix Ridge High School's No. 73 campus had secured funding from the Qionghua Galaxy Corporation, so their jealousy wasn't absolute.
The elder led the group to the main gate, where a guard stopped them. "Halt! Who are you looking for?"
The Gossip Elder produced the event notice and identification documents. After a quick glance, the guard's eyes widened in recognition.
"Oh! My sincerest apologies. You must be the Phoenix Ridge team the chairman mentioned? The director has instructed you to proceed to the second teaching building on the 979th floor." The guard bowed respectfully.
"Very well, thank you," the elder replied with a smile, leading the group through the gate.
To be honest, Ziyang High School No. 74 and Phoenix Ridge High School No. 73 had never been particularly close. The guard's unexpectedly respectful welcome was quite surprising.
Moreover, the elder noticed another detail: their arrival time.
Ziyang High School No. 74 hadn't informed any of its students about their visit.
If that were truly the case, given Su Xinyi's influence, the tree-lined avenue leading to the main campus should have been swarming with students by now.
...
The school's security measures typically involved deploying large, invisible Spirit Sealing Talismans to block Spirit Power perception, but these were completely ineffective against Ling Xian. Even from a distance, his senses pierced through the barrier. The guard watched the group of figures gradually recede into the distance and quietly spoke into his communicator: "Yes. Uh, Director Xie... they've arrived. Three male students and three female students, plus an owl? The leading teacher is slightly muscular, but poses no threat to us..."
"Guard Jiangs, thank you for the intel. I've already checked the teacher's background—nothing remarkable," a cold voice replied from the other end of the line.
As soon as the words were spoken, Director Xie hung up the phone, his gaze settling on the Chairman, who stood before his desk with his hands clasped behind his back. His tone carried a hint of amusement as he said, "Zunhao... they've arrived. Don't make things too difficult for them, alright?"
...