57: Young Master Qinglong Society

The five young men and women before him were all recruited by Shen Guyan from various parts of the continent. After they registered at their local Spirit Awakening institutions, the Shen Family's intelligence department learned of them, and then Shen Guyan's people brought them here.

And a very important point was that they came from humble backgrounds, with no backing whatsoever.

“Release your Spirits,” Shen Guyan casually issued his first command.

The five exchanged glances, then obediently released their Spirits one by one.

Their Spirits were all Tool Spirits: jade phoenix zither, Chessboard, Heavenly Book, Paintbrush, and Long Sword. However, their Innate Soul Power was not high; the girl with the jade phoenix zither Spirit, who had the highest Soul Power, only barely reached level three. It could be said that their Aptitude was generally low.

Looking at their Spirits, Shen Guyan couldn't help but feel a little lost in thought, as if he had returned to the era where he was behind the scenes, stirring up trouble.

“You don't need to be so reserved. I sent people to bring you here because I naturally hope you can do things for me. Your families have also been settled by me, so there's no need to worry.”

“Thank you...” The children looked at Shen Guyan timidly. Evidently, the unfamiliar environment and the mysterious person before them made them, at only six years old, a bit nervous.

“From now on, you will all address me as... Young Master,” Shen Guyan said indifferently, adopting the somewhat archaic title his subordinates used for him in his previous life.

“Yes, Young Master...”

“Next, you will be working for me here, which can also be understood as working for me. I will give you compensation, enough to ensure your families don't have to worry about food and drink,” Shen Guyan said with a smile.

Upon hearing this, the five all showed joy on their faces: “Yes!”

“When you reach the age of fifteen, I will grant you your freedom and provide you with excellent admission qualifications to advanced Spirit Master academies,” Shen Guyan dropped another bombshell.

Spirit Masters were always the noblest profession on this continent. Entering a good Spirit Master academy meant a bright future for them. This made the five children inexplicably excited, and even their initial reservations disappeared.

“At that time, you can choose to continue staying by my side and do things for me, or you can leave and choose your own life. I will also give you a generous reward.”

With that, Shen Guyan held up a finger: “A full one hundred million Federation Coins.”

Upon hearing this, the five couldn't help but gape. These conditions were truly too generous, weren't they?

Some individuals with more meticulous minds secretly worried that tasks and rewards were directly proportional, fearing... Shen Guyan looked at the children with their varied expressions before him, already having made a decision in his heart. In the coming years, he would make these children completely submit to him, and what they could gain by his side would far exceed what they would gain by regaining their freedom.

“But... Young Master, our Aptitude...” A shorter child with a Paintbrush Spirit remembered the assessment the Spirit Awakening institution gave them and couldn't help but lower his head.

They asked themselves, each of their Aptitudes was too mediocre, even low. Could they really handle the tasks Shen Guyan assigned them in the future?

“Hehe...” Shen Guyan merely chuckled softly: “Do you know Shrek Academy?”

The five's eyes lit up. Shrek Academy? There was almost no one in this world who didn't know of its existence.

That was the Holy Land that all Spirit Masters on the continent yearned for, a place that had nurtured countless favored Geniuses. It was said that every student who graduated from there was a powerful existence capable of making the current Federation tremble with a stomp of their foot.

However, they also knew their place. Such a place was not somewhere they could go with their Aptitude. Their talent was simply too poor.

Watching their expressions change from excitement to shame, Shen Guyan understood in his heart, merely smiling faintly.

“Everyone knows that Shrek Academy is the number one academy on the continent today, but I can tell you, it is unworthy of its position!”

As soon as these words were uttered, it was earth-shattering! The children's expressions changed drastically in unison.

As if he hadn't seen their expressions, Shen Guyan stood up on his own, clasped his hands behind his back, and paced back and forth before them, speaking eloquently.

“I have heard of Shrek Academy's name. Their motto is to only Cultivate monsters, not ordinary people.”

“So, what's so special about their teaching method that Cultivates monsters into monsters and Geniuses into Geniuses?”

“Only by cultivating ordinary people, mediocrities, and useless people in the eyes of the world into monsters, now that's true skill.”

“Have you ever thought that one day you could be on equal footing with those so-called Geniuses?”

Shen Guyan's words, one could say, completely trampled the continent's number one academy underfoot with contempt. To outsiders, this seemed utterly absurd.

“In my opinion, for tens of thousands of years, the only case that can barely be considered an ordinary person rising to become a powerful figure is one and only one.”

“That is the Sword Obsessive of the Tang Sect ten thousand years ago, Sword Maniac.”

Sword Maniac was not as famous as legendary figures like Sea God Tang San and Spirit Ice Douluo Huo Yuhao, but he was still a renowned figure in the history of the Tang Sect. Anyone with some understanding of the Tang Sect knew of his existence.

Clearly, these five children were not among them.

Seeing their puzzled little expressions, Shen Guyan had no choice but to act as a history teacher, recounting the experiences of this Sword Obsessive.

“According to historical records, his Spirit was a sword, but it was just an ordinary sword, without any powerful abilities. His Innate Soul Power was only level three, barely enough to Cultivate.”

“But ever since his Spirit Awakening at the age of six, Sword Maniac fell in love with his sword. In his eyes, there was nothing else but the sword. He released his Spirit every day to Cultivate diligently, and no one even knew how he increased his Soul Power.”

“When he was eight, his Soul Power reached level ten. Alone with his sword, he entered a Spirit Beast habitat. Three days later, he emerged covered in blood, possessing his first hundred-year spirit ring. His hundred-year spirit ring was obtained by personally hunting it down, granting him a Spirit Ability that boosted Soul Power, much like a Soul Engineer...”

Shen Guyan recounted Sword Maniac's complete story to the five children, listening to which the children became utterly excited.

“But, Young Master, why did you say he could barely be considered one?” A child couldn't help but ask. His Spirit was precisely a Long Sword, and Sword Maniac had now completely become his idol.

“Resources,” Shen Guyan slowly uttered two words.

“He received special approval from the then-Mingde Hall Master and was allowed to enter Mingde Hall. As the chief Disciple of the Soul Tool Department, he even had the right to choose his sparring partners. Later, he also obtained a peerless excellent sword from the then-Tang Sect...”

“Here with me, I will only teach you various Martial Skills and the Dao of living. Before you can provide value to me, I will not provide you with any Cultivation resources for free, including spirit souls. You will need to work for me to earn compensation to acquire them.”

“There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world. All of you remember that,” Shen Guyan's tone suddenly turned cold at the end.

“Yes, Young Master!” The five children couldn't help but tremble, quickly responding.

“From now on, here with me, you will change your names according to your Spirits to Yu Qin, Gu Qi, Tang Shi, Wu Hua, and Xiao Jian, respectively.”

“To outsiders, if anyone asks about your origins, you will say you are from... the Azure Dragon Society.”