Chapter 52: The Beautiful Lady Xian Lin'er's Invitation, Testing Talent
After Ye Chen left Zhang Lexuan's small courtyard, he noticed that it was still early.
So he planned to visit Ma Xiaotao and the others to see how they were training.
After all, he had already joined the inner court, though he hadn't been assigned any courses yet. Notifications and schedules would surely come later.
Taking a look in advance wasn't a bad idea.
However, before Ye Chen could find Ma Xiaotao, he unexpectedly ran into a teacher—the one and only Xian Lin'er.
Yet, judging from Xian Lin'er's gaze, Ye Chen guessed that this might not have been a coincidence.
It seemed she had been waiting for him here for quite some time...
"Good day, Dean Xian."
When Ye Chen saw her, he immediately bowed respectfully.
After all, she was the dean, and proper manners were necessary.
"Oh? You know me?" Xian Lin'er raised her brow slightly in surprise, since she had never introduced herself to him.
"Yes, Sister Xiaotao told me about you. You're Shrek Academy's strongest soul engineer, and also the dean of the Soul Tool Department."
Ye Chen nodded as he explained.
"Oh, that girl Xiaotao..." Xian Lin'er replied with a faint smile, nodding lightly.
She knew Ye Chen and Ma Xiaotao had a good relationship, so it made sense that Ma Xiaotao would have mentioned her.
"Dean Xian, is there something you need from me?"
Although Ye Chen had a guess, he still asked politely.
"Well, since you know who I am, I suppose you've already guessed my purpose..."
Xian Lin'er looked at him with a teasing smile. "I think you have a lot of potential in the field of soul engineering. Would you be interested in testing your talent?"
"Uh... Dean Xian, where did you see that I might have any talent for soul tools?"
Ye Chen's lips twitched slightly.
"Of course from your fa—uh, I mean, from instinct! I'm a Super Douluo after all; my judgment wouldn't be wrong."
A faint blush flashed across Xian Lin'er's face—she had almost said too much.
Truthfully, she didn't see any special aptitude at all. She had simply found Ye Chen handsome and wanted to see if she could lure him into her department.
If by chance he really did have an extraordinary gift for crafting soul tools, she would be getting a huge win!
And even if he didn't, she still lost nothing. Getting closer to Ye Chen could be beneficial; if he ever needed help, she could lend a hand.
The next time the Soul Tool Department recruited new students, she could even invite Ye Chen to appear and attract more girls to join.
Connections like this had to be cultivated early.
Besides, Ye Chen's future was limitless—he might one day surpass everyone and even take over as dean of the Martial Soul Department instead of Zhang Lexuan.
No matter how she looked at it, befriending Ye Chen was a sure profit.
Actually, Xian Lin'er really did guess right.
Ye Chen possessed the talent of "Heaven-Defying Comprehension," essentially making him a prodigy—whatever he learned, he mastered quickly.
Creating soul tools didn't require innate conditions, and once Ye Chen further refined his spiritual power and cultivation, becoming a Rank Ten Soul Engineer would be effortless.
So Xian Lin'er hadn't truly misjudged him.
"Well, alright then. I'm also curious to see if I have any talent in the Soul Tool field~"
After a moment of thought, Ye Chen nodded.
He'd long been interested in soul tools. With his comprehension, learning a bit could be useful in the future.
He had planned to explore the department after the freshman exam, but Xian Lin'er seemed even more eager than he was.
"Hehe~ such a good child."
Xian Lin'er let out a charming laugh, looking at Ye Chen with genuine fondness and appreciation.
If only he were her disciple...
Yan Shaozhe, that lucky bastard, really had all the luck.
Soon, Ye Chen followed Xian Lin'er out of the inner court.
Although the Soul Tool Department had a few inner court members, they trained and took missions similar to those in the Martial Soul Department.
Essentially, it was entirely based in the outer court, where all the teaching facilities were located.
This was because soul tools required a larger, more complex, and more specialized environment for study.
The Soul Tool Department was like a futuristic research park in Ye Chen's previous life, covering vast grounds, filled with high-end equipment, and requiring enormous investment.
However, it was an extremely profitable field. Ever since the department's creation, most of Shrek Academy's revenue—around eighty percent—came from it.
Many times, the Martial Soul Department had to ask the Soul Tool Department for funding.
If Ye Chen could build a good relationship with Xian Lin'er, he would practically have the biggest benefactor on his side—richer than even Ning Tian.
No matter how wealthy Ning Tian was, her money was pocket change compared to Xian Lin'er.
Xian Lin'er had the authority to control all the department's finances—a completely different level of wealth.
As Ye Chen followed behind, thinking about all this, he obediently kept half a step back. The air carried Xian Lin'er's light fragrance.
He subconsciously glanced at her, taking in the sight.
Women with high cultivation and status always cared deeply about their appearance.
Whatever secret technique Xian Lin'er used to maintain her looks, it worked—her face had not a single wrinkle. Only her deep, intelligent eyes bore traces of time, adding a calm and mature grace.
Her ebon hair was loosely tied into a low bun, a few stray strands falling against her pale neck.
Her face was smooth and elegant, with a porcelain glow from years spent indoors.
She wore a fitted moon-white instructor's robe that outlined her graceful figure. The fabric flowed like water, cinched at the waist, and split high at both sides, revealing glimpses of her long, silk-covered thighs as she walked.
Though she was only about 170 cm tall, her ten-centimeter heels gave her a tall and dignified aura.
Combined with her mature, poised temperament, Ye Chen found her quietly mesmerizing...
"What are you looking at?"
Xian Lin'er seemed to have noticed his gaze, slowing down slightly to glance his way.
"Dean Xian, you're just too beautiful. I couldn't help but take a few extra looks~"
Ye Chen scratched his head with a shy smile.
Though she dressed modestly, her figure was impossible to hide.
Truly, she was a woman of great stature—in more ways than one.
"Mischievous~"
Xian Lin'er blushed faintly, giving him a playful glare as she reached out to rub his hair.
Yet, she wasn't angry at all. In fact, his straightforwardness pleased her.
When others complimented her, it always felt hollow.
But when Ye Chen said it, she could feel the sincerity behind his words...
All women loved hearing sweet things—especially when they came from the heart.
Even though Ye Chen's gaze carried a hint of youthful heat, she didn't mind it in the least.
He was young and full of energy. If he didn't react this way, she might actually worry something was wrong.
Mainly, Ye Chen's handsome face made it easy to interpret his look as one of admiration rather than desire.
"I'm only speaking the truth, Dean Xian. You really are as beautiful as a goddess descended to earth~" Ye Chen said with genuine admiration.
(END CHAPTER)
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