49: run away

Hearing Zhou Jin's words, Feng Jie finally showed some interest, raising his head to look at the two of them.

“Tell me, what's going on? How is it that I didn't know there were any peaches from our school that someone could snatch away?”

Seeing this, Zhou Jin immediately pushed Xu Yan forward.

“Look, it's this Little fellow, Xu Yan. Hurry up and repeat everything you told me to the principal. Professionals like them understand this sort of thing better.”

Listening to Zhou Jin's urging, Xu Yan didn't feel intimidated by Feng Jie's status. He repeated to Feng Jie everything he had previously told Zhou Jin.

Of course, while speaking, Xu Yan didn't forget to add that question at the end.

As Xu Yan's words progressed, Feng Jie's expression transformed from initial indifference to surprise, excitement, and finally, a furrowed brow.

Simultaneously, a sharp aura gradually rose from him, bypassing Xu Yan, who was still “telling the story,” and began to fill the principal's office.

Zhou Jin, who witnessed all of this, felt as though the entire office was rapidly flashing “HP -1.”

It wasn't until Xu Yan mentioned that Zheng Hui requested him to list the Ning City Breeder Association as the primary affiliation on the thesis after completing the research, that the desk under Feng Jie's hands began to emit “crackling” sounds, and a clear fissure started appearing down the middle of the table.

Once Xu Yan finished speaking, the desk finally reached its limit, splitting completely into two halves, causing the documents, pens, and ink on the surface to crash directly onto the floor.

The sudden destruction of the desk startled Xu Yan, and he subconsciously looked toward Feng Jie, who was sitting beside it.

Sensing Xu Yan's gaze, Feng Jie forcefully suppressed the rage in his heart, flashed a very strained smile at Xu Yan, and then spoke to reassure him:

“This desk wasn't very good quality. I was planning to replace it anyway.

You are Xu Yan, right? A sixteen-year-old General Rank Cultivator. Our Ning City First High School has truly produced a top-tier genius this time.

Don't worry, our school won't withhold a single bit of the reward resources you deserve.

Similarly, for research conducted by our own students, the school will naturally provide the corresponding resources. Why would we need outsiders to interfere?

We will communicate with the Breeder Association regarding this matter and take over the funding and resources Xu Yan was responsible for.

Rest assured, the support our school provides will only be more, not less, compared to those outsiders.

How about this: I still have something to discuss with your Teacher Zhou Jin. You should go back and wait for now. We will contact you immediately once we have sorted out these preliminary conditions; we won't make you wait too long.”

Listening to Feng Jie's words and looking at his face—which, despite wearing a gentle smile, made Xu Yan sense an overwhelming, barely contained rage—Xu Yan's instinct told him that this was not a place to linger.

Thinking this, Xu Yan followed his instincts, requested permission to leave from the two men, and then exited the principal's office door.

As he closed the principal's office door, Xu Yan heard a heavy “bang,” and faintly, he could hear words like, “Zheng Hui, you old bastard, I'll kill you,” which made Xu Yan involuntarily quicken his steps.

After leaving school and returning home, he recounted his trip back to school to Xu Du. After confirming he hadn't said anything taboo, Xu Yan began to wait.

And Feng Jie truly did not make Xu Yan wait long; he received news just the day after he returned.

Xu Yan didn't know what Feng Jie and Zheng Hui had discussed, but the final outcome was that Ning City First High School and the Ning City Breeder Association would jointly provide support for Xu Yan's subsequent research, significantly increasing the resources Xu Yan could utilize.

The cost was that upon the success of Xu Yan's research, the primary affiliation on the thesis would be jointly listed by both parties, with Ning City First High School placed first.

As for what exactly transpired between Feng Jie and Zheng Hui during that day of waiting, that remained unknown.

Well, Zhou Jin, who delivered the news, stated that the two big shots had benefited from their in-depth communication and had gone into seclusion, not to emerge anytime soon.

Along with this news came a website address and account for checking the inventory of both organizations, a certificate granting free access to the Secret Realm where the Wind Flame Lion pride resided, and a notice that certain areas of that Secret Realm were temporarily closed.

After receiving these items, Xu Yan packed his luggage, said goodbye to Xu Du, and entered the Secret Realm that very day, shutting off most of his contact methods.

Although he had asked Zheng Hui to keep his identity secret after the assessment, anyone determined enough could still find him with a little effort.

Furthermore, with Ning City First High School getting involved, the cooperation between two behemoths would naturally attract outside attention.

It was estimated that the attention and probing directed toward Xu Yan and the Xu Family Farm would be considerable in the near future.

Rather than dealing with all of this at home, it was better to use the excuse of research to hide directly inside the Secret Realm.

Once he had been “out of contact” for a long time, the outside world's attention and probing would naturally decrease.

In the days immediately following Xu Yan's departure, Xu Du—who had continuously hosted several long-time customers, many of whom brought their good-looking sons and daughters—was simultaneously placating the visiting guests while the little drama playing out in the mind of the irritable old father had fast-forwarded to the process of how to violently beat his rebellious son.

While Xu Du was being forced to “entertain guests,” Xu Yan, guided by the newly evolved form of the Wind Flame Lion King from the previous assessment, returned to its original pride, where they met its King—a Crimson Wind Flame Lion King that had reached the limit of the Wind Flame Lion King bloodline and possessed Commander Rank peak strength.

Upon first seeing the drastically changed Wind Flame Lion King, the pride thought it was an enemy trying to ambush them using the original Wind Flame Lion, and they nearly started fighting Xu Yan and his companion.

It wasn't until the Wind Flame Lion King beside Xu Yan displayed its aura, exchanged a few “roars” with the pride, and Xu Yan presented the certificate in his hand, that its original pride finally believed this Azure Lion was the one that had eaten the wrong thing and been taken away by the Breeder Association for treatment.

After the misunderstanding was resolved, the Azure Male Lion, under the curious, surprised, pitying, and envious gazes of the pride, led Xu Yan to the leader of the pride, left the two of them alone, and then joined the rest of its companions, who had various expressions, engaging in rough play.