C28 The First Meeting with the Principal

"No! I don't recognize it! You've mistaken me for someone else!"

Zhou Mu's head shook like a bobblehead, leaving Goldie completely baffled.

What happened to the deep bond between master and servant?

What about the love and affection?

In just a few minutes, he's pretending not to know her?

"Boss..."

Goldie almost called out instinctively, but then a light bulb went off in his head.

Could this woman... possibly be too formidable even for the boss to handle?

"Boss, what's with the act? You look ridiculous!"

Goldie didn't hold back his mockery, acting as though he truly didn't recognize Zhou Mu.

"And you?"

The woman turned her gaze to Hai Ming and inquired.

"I'm an orphan!"

Hai Ming declared with conviction. After a brief pause, he added, "And so is he!"

Zhou Mu: "..."

"Enough with the charade. Your stories are already legendary across the university. The sole heir of the Zhou family, with elders wielding absolute influence over both the military and commerce in Ambergrasp province. A prodigy of this generation, having bonded with two lordly spirit animals, the dragon and phoenix species. As long as you don't meet an untimely end, you're destined for greatness."

The woman's laughter was light and airy, and as she moved, the atmosphere seemed to shift. "You're not too shabby either. A support spirit animal with such a rare skill—if nurtured properly, you'll have the elite vying for your allegiance."

"Thank you for the vote of confidence."

Zhou Mu nodded, shooting Goldie a knowing look, prompting him to leap from the woman's embrace.

"Heh, such a dull man. But I'm in no rush; our paths will cross again."

The woman sent a flirtatious look Zhou Mu's way before sashaying off.

"Tsk tsk, Uncle Zhou's going to be one lucky man with her..."

Watching the woman's retreating figure, Hai Ming quickly wiped the drool from his lips.

Caught between frustration at unmet expectations and the envy of wishing to be in another's shoes!

"You're overthinking it. I won't be going home for a whole year."

Zhou Mu rolled his eyes and turned his attention to Goldie on the table, asking, "So, what have you discovered?"

Goldie might have seemed cheap, but it was far from foolish. In fact, Zhou Mu suspected its intelligence might even surpass Hai Ming's by a fraction. Its proactive approach toward that woman likely meant it had discovered something significant.

"Boss, that woman is quite unique. She carries a blend of auras from various special spirit animals. It's faint, yet distinctly pure. I sense an aura that resonates with my own bloodline," Goldie explained, prompting an epiphany in Zhou Mu.

The woman bore a mix of spirit animal auras, one of which resonated with Goldie's bloodline—undoubtedly phoenix blood.

"How intriguing," Zhou Mu mused, a smirk playing on his lips. "I was just fretting over where to find phoenix bloodline, and here it is, delivered right to me."

He had a new plan now—to engage with this Demolishor and uncover her capabilities.

Shortly after the woman departed, the eccentric boss served up three portions of fish. Despite his oddities, the boss's cooking was exceptional.

The aroma was so enticing it even drew in a small, greedy cat. Zhou Mu, being the generous sort, didn't hesitate to share, giving the cat the fish bones while he, Goldie, and Gator devoured the flesh and soup.

Satiated, Zhou Mu casually wiped his mouth with the cat and headed to the principal's office. Fong Ju, the recruitment director, had called him for an important discussion with the principal.

Recalling Zheng Hao's troubled look when mentioning the principal, Zhou Mu felt a twinge of apprehension. His gut feeling was that the principal might be difficult to deal with.

But Zhou Mu walked with confidence, his conscience clear. After all, the principal couldn't just concoct a reason to punish him without cause.

Arriving at the principal's office with a composed pace, he encountered a man exiting the room. The man, in his early twenties and slender, locked eyes with Zhou Mu, a flash of murderous intent briefly crossing his gaze.

Zhou Mu maintained a stoic expression, suppressing the impulse to strike as he sidestepped to avoid confrontation.

He was in the dark about this person's identity and the nature of their feud, but the sheer murderous intent directed at him gave Zhou Mu ample justification to retaliate with lethal force.

Knock, knock, knock!

"Come in!"

After Zhou Mu knocked, a gentle female voice beckoned from within.

He entered, and the principal looked up.

Recognizing the face before him, Zhou Mu exclaimed in surprise.

"Second Aunt?"

"No, that's not right! My Second Aunt has been gone for years, plus she had a tear-shaped mole under her left eye."

His thoughts raced. Now he understood Zheng Hao's troubled look; it wasn't that the principal was difficult—it was about his Second Aunt.

Unless there was some mistake, they were likely sisters.

"You're correct. I am indeed your Second Aunt's sister. You may call me Auntie."

The principal gestured for Zhou Mu to take a seat beside her.

"This time, we owe you a debt of gratitude. Without your intervention, we would have faced serious trouble, risking the loss of numerous outstanding students and falling prey to the Brightsmiths' schemes."

"It was nothing, merely self-preservation on my part."

Zhou Mu remained humble, eschewing any sense of self-importance. "But what exactly happened with this attack? And the Beast Tide—I can't shake the feeling that something's off."

"The Beast Tide was merely a diversion. The Brightsmiths' true target is the Fire Grounds."

"The Fire Grounds?"

Hearing the principal's words, Zhou Mu was puzzled.

It was his first time hearing the name, and his instincts...

Never mind, he thought, dismissing his earlier intuition as incorrect.

"The Fire Grounds is a secret realm under the control of the Ambergrasp area command, rich in molten ore used for crafting armor and weapons. It's the military's vital resource, and a place your Uncle Zhou holds in high regard. These secret realms are scarce, controlled only by powerful entities, such as the Sanctuary for Spiritual Growth at Bayshore School and the Animal Whisperer Union's Ten Thousand Spirit Forest."

The principal fell into a thoughtful silence before continuing, "The Brightsmiths are composed of beings with human souls and beastly bodies, capable of manipulating lower-tier fiend beasts to some extent. While their beast tide seems aimed at attacking various towns, their true target is the Fire Grounds. Should the Fire Grounds fall, the area command of Ambergrasp would be severed, significantly weakening its strength and its ability to maintain stability across the cities. In such a scenario, Ambergrasp would be at a severe disadvantage."

"I see!" Zhou Mu nodded, grasping the situation.

"In this battle, even the elusive Vision of the Ended and Poisongarde made an appearance. Following a fierce conflict, the Brightsmiths were driven back, with a few casualties on their side, marking a victory for us."

The principal paused briefly, then turned to Zhou Mu, "What's your next move?"

"I'm heading to the Sanctuary for Spiritual Growth to boost my strength as quickly as possible. If it weren't for the awakening of my bloodline, I might not have survived the Sinister Six's onslaught. Considering the sheer power of just one Sinister Six, I wouldn't stand a chance against the Vision of the Ended or the Poisongarde."

Zhou Mu looked up, his gaze steely with resolve. The sense of powerlessness he'd felt against the Sinister Six had pierced his heart. He was determined to become the strongest, to gain the power necessary to protect himself.

"That's a wise decision," the principal affirmed, gesturing with a wave of his hand as two white flowers materialized from nowhere. "These are the keys to the Sanctuary for Spiritual Growth. Once you arrive at the entrance, crush them, and you'll be transported inside."

"Thank you, Aunt!" Zhou Mu accepted the keys, then something seemed to cross his mind. "When I stepped out earlier, I encountered someone who appeared to hold a grudge against me."

"The plan was to allocate one of the three spots this year to him, but you slew the Sinister Six and saved hundreds of students. Given the significant advancements at the Sanctuary for Spiritual Growth, I've awarded the spot to you instead."

The principal dismissed the concern with a wave of his hand, "No need to worry, you're in my domain. No one here will dare to challenge that decision."

"I understand!"

The ensuing conversation was filled with the usual parental small talk. The principal inquired extensively about Uncle Zhou, but Zhou Mu had little to offer. His responses were mostly evasive, enough to muddle through.

By the time he stepped out of the office, night had already fallen.

Zhou Mu didn't linger; idleness had nearly driven him to hatch a bird from sheer boredom. He was eager not to waste another minute.

As Zhou Mu disappeared into the evening, the principal pulled out his phone.

"The soul and body are in seamless alignment, with no trace of rejection. There's no scent of rot or decay, not like those half-dead relics. It's almost certain the soul is untampered with. It seems to have encountered some fortuitous event."

"Thanks for your diligence!"

"Words alone? How about showing some gratitude with a meal?"

"The Brightsmiths are getting restless again. Let's discuss this another time when the opportunity arises."

"…"