Chapter 2207

The students below, excluding Zhu Yanyi and her forty-nine teammates, were startled. Since becoming students of the Sage Academy, they had never considered leaving. Yet, in that moment, they realized they were not indispensable. They could be discarded if they failed to strive for excellence or failed to understand the meaning behind Xi Muzheng’s words.

Many among them were quite smart. Upon hearing Xi Muzheng’s explanation, they understood they had made many mistakes. Thus, they willingly accepted his punishment.

"The fifty spots remain for the fifty members of the team that fought for Qixia," Xi Muzheng said, glancing at Zhu Yanyi. "Next time, choose a shorter name. This one is too long; it irritates me to hear it."

Zhu Yanyi shot Xi Muzheng a sidelong look. "I just made it up on the spot. You don’t have to say it."

Ignoring Zhu Yanyi, Xi Muzheng continued, "Alright, this competition ends here. Everyone leave. Go back and reflect on your mistakes. I hope to see a transformed you all in ten years."

The students below had no objections. They glanced at Xi Muzheng, then hurried back to their dormitories to reflect.

Once everyone had left, Xi Muzheng approached Zhu Yanyi and the fifty selected students. Seeing her, Zhu Yanyi asked, "Dean, are we receiving rewards now?"

"What rewards? Points? I recall you already have plenty," Xi Muzheng said deliberately.

Zhu Yanyi glanced at her. "I’ll ask when I decide what I want. But there are fifty of us. If I don’t ask, others will surely ask for their rewards." She then addressed the group, "Tell the Dean what you need. Don’t miss this chance; opportunities like this don’t come often."

"What nonsense is this? What do you mean 'miss the village, miss the shop'?" Xi Muzheng felt speechless, looking at Zhu Yanyi.

Zhu Yanyi giggled. "Dean, I’m praising you. It proves you are capable and can handle anything. Isn’t that right?"

Xi Muzheng glared at Zhu Yanyi for a long moment before saying, "I don’t feel praised. I feel you are tricking me."

Zhu Yanyi raised an eyebrow. "As the Dean of the Sage Academy, you should be more open-minded. Don’t focus on petty gains. Besides, without our fifty members’ efforts, it would be hard for your students to reform. So, as a reward, you should willingly agree to our conditions."

Only Zhu Yanyi dared to bargain with Xi Muzheng like this. Sikong Xuran and others nearby pretended to be invisible. Since Zhu Yanyi had handled things well, they would benefit, so they certainly wouldn’t interfere.

Hearing this, Xi Muzheng sighed helplessly. "Alright, alright. Stop talking. State your requests. I don’t want this girl to say I lack magnanimity."

Zhu Yanyi smiled and made a face at Sikong Xuran and the others. "Hurry up and state your opinions."

"Dean, we are easy to please. We usually lack spirit stones or points. Or, you could let us pick some good medicinal herbs. We have no objections to that," Sikong Xuran said seriously. "Also, I heard the Sage Academy’s weapon vault is excellent. Letting each of us pick a weapon would be nice too."

Listening to their requests, Xi Muzheng looked speechless. "Are you all planning to rob a wealthy household?"

"Dean, don’t say that," Ouyang Tianyun spoke up. "What do you mean 'rob a wealthy household'? We call this fair exchange. Besides, the benefits you gain are far greater than ours."

Everyone present knew that once the Sage Academy was transformed, its future prospects would be immense.

Xi Muzheng understood this too, which is why he half-reluctantly agreed to their conditions. He distributed spirit stones and points, and allowed them to choose weapons from the vault.

Naturally, Zhu Yanyi did not take spirit stones or points; she already had plenty. She distributed these items to her classmates.

However, she did visit the weapon vault. After looking around, she picked an object resembling a jade tablet, but palm-sized.

Since she didn’t know what it was, she chose it. Unknown items might be useful. Conversely, she didn’t need items she already knew about, as she possessed them herself.

The competition for spots had ended. Zhu Yanyi planned to depart for the Dayu Plane again. Of course, she didn’t forget to visit Xi Muzheng.

Seeing Zhu Yanyi arrive, Xi Muzheng seemed startled. "You never visit without a purpose. Speak, what do you want? Don’t tell me you want me to give you something again. My storeroom is empty now."

Zhu Yanyi snorted, looking at Xi Muzheng. "You underestimate me. Am I the type to visit you just for your storeroom? I never covet what isn’t mine. And what is mine, no one can take away." She said this with firm conviction.

"Fine. As long as you aren’t here for things, anything is fine. What do you need?" Xi Muzheng asked curiously.

Zhu Yanyi looked at her and nodded. "Indeed, I have a matter. I am about to depart for the Dayu Plane. Who do you plan to send with me?"

Xi Muzheng then remembered what Zhu Yanyi had mentioned previously. She pondered briefly before saying, "Not too many people. You may take five." She continued seriously, "It’s not that I don’t want to send more. Although the Dayu Plane has spiritual energy, it is still a mortal plane. Cultivators cannot stay there permanently."

Zhu Yanyi smiled slightly. "Dean, you must know that the Dayu Plane is adjacent to our Sage Plane. Why shouldn’t it become our subordinate plane?

We provide protection, allowing them to live in peace. In return, they must give us complete trust. Once the Dayu Plane stabilizes, you can periodically send students to oversee it. In this way, those students will accumulate karmic merit, and the Sage Academy’s fortune will strengthen considerably."

Xi Muzheng naturally understood this principle. Many mortal planes attached themselves to cultivation planes for protection.