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Now, the foundation of the Academy had finally been laid.
Although the facilities and teaching staff were still lacking, Lin Jin was confident he could get everything on the right track.
At dusk, the sun cast a warm glow over campus. The sky, once clear, had slowly gathered clouds, now painted red by the setting sun. It was a beautiful and calming sight.
Lin Jin glanced toward the playground and muttered to himself, "Looks like a lot of them have already left."
There were still some determined children lingering on the field, but fewer than a third remained from the original crowd.
Many hadn't been able to endure the full afternoon of trials and had been mercilessly weeded out by Dai Mubai.
Dai Mubai had no sympathy for those who quit.
After all, when he was only six, the training he endured at home had been far harsher than this.
"Mubai, that's enough. Go ahead and register the ones who lasted," Lin Jin called down from his office window.
Dai Mubai nodded and turned to the remaining children, his fierce expression softening slightly.
"Alright, that's it! You're done for the day!"
At his words, many of the kids collapsed to their knees, their legs weak from exhaustion.
Some tried to move, but the numbness from standing too long made every step a struggle.
Lin Jin hadn't imposed any strict rules about posture, but just standing in one place for hours had been punishment enough for children so full of energy.
That was the point—endurance, discipline, and persistence were the first lessons he wanted to instill at Tianxing Academy.
Lin Jin walked out to the playground and addressed the parents waiting anxiously outside the gates.
Smiling, he said, "Everyone, your children have been officially accepted into Tianxing Spirit Master Academy. I promise you this—no matter what their innate talent may be, as long as I see even the slightest potential, I will do everything in my power to help them progress further on the path of the Spirit Master.
"For now, the school holidays will be set for the 1st, 2nd, 16th, and 17th of each month. If any of you plan to pick up your children, please keep those dates in mind."
"Also, if no one comes to pick them up, the academy won't release any student unless you authorize us ahead of time. If authorized, we'll allow them to leave during holidays, but once outside the academy, we won't be responsible for their safety."
The parents looked surprised but quickly understood the meaning behind his words. Many felt reassured.
Despite its modest appearance, Tianxing Spirit Master Academy already had a solid foundation of rules and structure.
"Now, take this time to speak with your children. In half an hour, you'll need to leave the academy grounds," Lin Jin added.
With that, the parents rushed into the academy, eager to talk to their kids and give final bits of advice.
Meanwhile, Dai Mubai walked up beside Lin Jin and handed him the student register.
The roster contained basic information about each student—name, age, martial spirit, innate spirit power, and home address.
Lin Jin scanned the list. Just over thirty students remained—around twenty boys and a dozen girls.
Compared to the initial turnout, less than half had made it through the first round of trials.
"Thanks, Mubai," Lin Jin said with a nod.
Lin Jin closed the register and looked at Dai Mubai with a warm smile.
But Dai Mubai frowned and fixed his gaze on him.
"I don't think I ever told you my name. How do you know I'm called Dai Mubai?"
Lin Jin froze for a second. Oh no… He had completely overlooked that detail.
He looked at Dai Mubai calmly and smiled again.
"Does it matter?"
There was no pretense in Lin Jin's laughter.
At this point, he no longer cared to fabricate stories or hide the truth. Was it really so important how he knew the boy's name?
To him, it didn't matter anymore.
But for Dai Mubai, it was a different story. The question gnawed at him, filled with a tangle of doubt and unease. Something wasn't adding up, and that made him uncomfortable.
"If you can't figure it out, then don't stress over it," Lin Jin said, patting him lightly on the shoulder.
"Focus instead on how much progress you'll make here at Tianxing Academy."
He smiled knowingly—almost playfully.
Sure, tricking you into joining might've been a little underhanded, he thought, but helping you grow stronger? That part is absolutely real.
If he applied the academy's triple-speed training boost to Dai Mubai, along with other forms of support, the total cultivation efficiency would shoot up to 370%.
That kind of speed would feel like strapping the kid to a rocket.
Dai Mubai was more confused than ever. Where does this guy's confidence even come from?
As Lin Jin strolled back toward the office building, hands clasped behind his back, he suddenly paused as if something had just occurred to him.
He spun around and called out, "Oh! And one more thing—tuition fees! Mubai, you'll handle those later!"
Dai Mubai stood there, stunned. He was starting to feel more like a staff member than a student.
Back in the office, Lin Jin stepped into the darkness.
He flicked on the spirit-guide lamp on his desk, and a soft, steady glow spread throughout the room.
Sitting down, he pulled a blank sheet of paper from the drawer and picked up his quill. At the top, he neatly wrote the title: Timetable.
He tapped the quill against his chin in thought. The monthly course structure should be split into two halves—thirteen days of lessons in each.
"From the 3rd to the 8th will be the first week—six days total. The 9th is a rest day. Then the 10th to the 15th makes up the second week, also six days…"
As the pen moved across the page, Lin Jin grew more and more immersed in the planning.
Daily schedules, weekly blocks, course rotations—it all began taking shape.
After more than ten minutes of focused work, he finally set the pen down and looked at the page, satisfied.
He leaned back with a quiet sigh of relief. The framework for Tianxing Academy's first academic semister was finally coming together.