MTLNOVEL Chapter 17: CAUTIOUS
"Sneeze..."
Hua Yichen sneezed and instinctively frowned.
Who's talking about him?
"Lord Pagoda Master? Pagoda Master?"
"Oh, I'm sorry, I got distracted. Please continue, Principal Yu."
Hua Yichen looked at the old man in front of him.
Medium in stature, unremarkable, with gray hair, glasses, and a bookish demeanor.
Yu Zhen, the dean of East Sea Academy, was also an old acquaintance of his.
"What do you think? Can we have Huo Yuhao join East Sea Academy? He has reached the age of admission, and if he doesn't plan to leave the East Sea City for the time being, our East Sea Academy would be a good choice."
Yu Zhen gazed at Hua Yichen with expectant eyes.
Ever since a teacher from the academy encountered Huo Yuhao on the way to the ascension platform and reported it to him, Yu Zhen had been eagerly awaiting this day.
A master of the Body martial soul, typically found only in top-tier academies, and a native of East Sea City no less, if he joined their academy, he might help turn the tide in the Skysea Alliance competition three years later and elevate the academy's reputation!
He couldn't help but envy the academies in the major cities that could recruit students from across the league...
"..."
An old man staring at him like this, even though Hua Yichen was technically older, still made him feel a bit awkward. He couldn't help but cough lightly.
"Ahem, I will respect Yuhao's choice. If he is willing to join East Sea Academy, I won't stop him."
"This..." Yu Zhen was momentarily at a loss for words.
Huo Yuhao was a core disciple of the Spirit Pagoda, lacking neither resources, teachers, nor money.
What could their academy possibly offer to attract him?
Or rather, what could they even give to someone like him?
Yu Zhen sighed. He knew it was wishful thinking, but he couldn't help saying:
"There's a teacher from the inner courtyard of Shrek Academy at our Academy. Due to some conflicts, he's being transferred from the Advanced department to the intermediate department. He won't hold Huo Yuhao back with his teaching..."
A knock on the door interrupted Yu Zhen's words.
"Master Hua, I'm back."
The corners of Hua Yichen's lips lifted slightly.
"Come in."
Huo Yuhao opened the door and entered. Seeing Hua Yichen and Yu Zhen seated across from each other, his eyes flickered.
He smiled and nodded at the latter, then looked at Hua Yichen as if asking if he had interrupted their conversation.
"It's fine. I asked the staff to call you back for this trip. After all, this matter concerns you."
Hua Yichen nodded at Huo Yuhao, then turned to Yu Zhen with a smile.
"The person is here, President Yu. Don't say I didn't give you a chance."
"Thank you, Lord Branch Pagoda Master!"
Yu Zhen stood up solemnly and looked at Huo Yuhao. "Huo Yuhao, may I ask if you have any plans to enroll in East Sea Academy?"
"Our academy will provide you with the best resources and environment, and assign our finest faculty to teach you..."
Yu Zhen listed many of the academy's advantages, though he knew that compared to the Spirit Pagoda, East Sea Academy had little to offer.
Huo Yuhao pondered for a moment upon hearing this, then shook his head, causing Yu Zhen's heart to sink.
But then Huo Yuhao said, "I will join East Sea Academy, but I don't need special treatment. Just treat me like any other student."
"This..." Yu Zhen was struck by surprise, his face lighting up with excitement.
"But you're different from the other students..."
"What's the difference? Special admissions?"
Huo Yuhao chuckled and shook his head. "Dean, if you give me special treatment, it will only stir up dissatisfaction among other students and their parents. I don't want to be cornered right after joining the academy, forced to explain whether I got in through the back door."
Yu Zhen: "..."
Hua Yichen: "..."
With your current soul power cultivation, who in your grade would dare to corner you?
In the end, Yu Zhen left, brimming with joy and excitement.
After he left, Hua Yichen looked at Huo Yuhao and asked, "Are you sure about this? East Sea Academy isn't exactly top-tier among the intermediate colleges of the Federation."
Huo Yuhao shook his head. "If you didn't want me to go, you wouldn't have called me here."
"Fair point."
Hua Yichen smiled and shared his thoughts. "I've already told you about the headquarters, and now isn't the right time to go there. Studying at an intermediate academy in other first-tier cities, relying on the resources of the Spirit Pagoda while having to deal with others' attitudes, isn't ideal."
"Going to East Sea Academy, at least this branch of the Spirit Pagoda will be your foundation, your support. You won't have to put up with anyone's attitude here! I've got your back!"
Huo Yuhao's expression shifted slightly, but he said nothing, simply nodding in acknowledgment.
God King Tang, take note, this is how a normal person supports their junior, not through endless trials and tribulations!
...
After spending some time in the library of the Spirit Pagoda, Huo Yuhao returned home, entered his cultivation room, and began to reflect.
"In the Mecha Master Association I have caught President Li's attention, so it's up to him to follow up... Still, do I really want to join East Sea Academy?"
Huo Yuhao's eyes flickered slightly.
East Sea Academy ranks in the middle to lower tier among major soul master academies.
It has always sought to improve its reputation, so it's no surprise they'd try to recruit a local genius like him to boost their standing.
As for him, as long as he has a quiet place to cultivate, it doesn't really matter where he is.
It's just that, based on the information from the Spirit Pagoda, Huo Yuhao has confirmed that Tang Wulin will be admitted to East Sea Academy, just as he was in the original timeline.
If Huo Yuhao were to appear in front of Tang Wulin now, he might risk exposing himself to Tang San's divine sense.
In Tang San's eyes, what is Huo Yuhao?
The Child of Fortune from 10,000 years ago, a target Tang San wanted to either eliminate or subjugate.
But 10,000 years ago, Huo Yuhao had managed to evade Tang San's schemes.
Back then, it could be explained by Huo Yuhao's traumatic upbringing and his tendency to avoid conflict.
But what about now?
Huo Yuhao, who should have been dead, has reappeared after the disappearance of the God Realm.
If Tang San were to see him, wouldn't he start to wonder?
Tang San: Do you, kid, know something about the Divine Realm? Do you have a grudge against me? Do you want to rebel? You really have a death wish!
It wouldn't be surprising if Tang San had such thoughts upon seeing him.
Therefore, Huo Yuhao appearing in front of Tang Wulin now is actually a risky move.
But since Huo Yuhao agreed to Hua Yichen's suggestion, he naturally has a plan.
In the original timeline, Tang San's divine consciousness went through roughly three stages.
In the first stage, because the Divine Realm was far away, Tang San's divine consciousness lacked a steady supply of energy and was mostly dormant, unaware of the outside world.
It relied on Tang Wulin to provide information.
In the second stage, Tang Wulin obtained the Sea God's Trident, and Tang San's divine consciousness reconnected with the Divine Realm through him, replenishing its energy.
Tang San even managed to bring Tang Wulin's adoptive parents to the Divine Realm across an infinite distance.
In the third stage, Tang San left behind three chances, the so-called "Three Strikes of the God King."
The strongest of these strikes could kill the Abyssal Sage Monarch, a first-level god.
The second stage is the most dangerous, while the first stage is the least risky.
With some preparation, it might even be possible to destroy that wisp of divine consciousness.
But after careful consideration, Huo Yuhao decided against it. If he were to provoke Tang San, Tang Hao might not intervene, but the risks would outweigh the benefits.
Huo Yuhao has too much at stake, carrying the hopes of many.
This kind of gamble isn't worth it. Until he has the ability to deal with Tang Hao, it's best not to tamper with that wisp of divine consciousness.
"In that case, the best course of action is to seize the Sea God's Trident and prevent Tang San's divine consciousness from reconnecting with the Divine Realm..."
Thinking this, Huo Yuhao suddenly chuckled and shook his head.
"Am I being too cautious? Choosing the lesser of two evils, and now someone else is taking the lead for me."
The Abyssal Sage Monarch, before making his move, forced the God King's divine consciousness to remain dormant and made the Lord of the Plane retreat into self-preservation. Truly, a first-class god!
So, it feels good to have someone else taking the heat.
Thinking this, Huo Yuhao recalled another person who, in a sense, was also taking the lead, and his expression turned slightly complicated.
He had already heard from Hua Yichen that Gu Yuena was now in the Spirit Pagoda and hadn't fled to Glorybound City.
The Silver Dragon King, finally thinking straight? No amnesia to experience human life?
Well... if you think about it, maybe it wasn't necessary?
The reason the Silver Dragon King sealed her memories and powers to live among humans was to understand human life.
Huo Yuhao didn't even want to comment on how absurd that reasoning was.
Now, after nearly 10,000 years of soul beasts integrating into human society, with Di Tian's image published in newspapers and books, can anyone really claim that soul beasts don't understand human life? That's a joke.
There's no need for her to enter human society, soul beasts can help her integrate!
So why did she join the Spirit Pagoda this time?
Huo Yuhao frowned.
Is it the same as in the original timeline?
Or does she have another plan?