Stepping on the Demoness to become the strongest

After handing over the Soul Summoning Banner and the old man to the military cultivators, Yan Yu and the others took a ride back to Longquan Prefecture.

The journey there was sweet with ice cream and filled with laughter and cheers; the return trip, however, was dead silent… not for any particular reason, it was mainly because the girls had fought in the Mysterious Realm and performed out-of-bounds duties today, and they were all a bit sleepy.

Lin Ning leaned on Su Yunjin's shoulder with her eyes tightly closed, sleeping in a daze. Su Yunjin also rested her head against her, closing her eyes to rest. The two girls looked like a pair of orchids in spring and chrysanthemums in autumn, their auras vastly different yet each excelling in their own way.

Chen Lingyun was playing with her phone, clearly in a very good mood—think about it, who wouldn't be happy after getting a suitable magical treasure?

Zhao Yuanzhen sat beside her, yawning incessantly, her bored expression contrasting sharply with Chen Lingyun's pleasure.

Yan Yu received another message, this time from instructor Qi Changping:

You're awarded another first-class merit, and each person receives 6 million as a reward for conquering the Longquan Mountain Secret Realm.

The Wuyi Mountain Secret Realm is used for cultivating medicinal herbs for making Immortal Pills, and is almost suitable for all cultivators, so the reward is a bit higher; the Longquan Mountain Secret Realm is mainly for sword forging, and at this stage, Sword Control Technique hasn't been developed yet, so it's understandable that the reward is relatively less.

However, regardless, the per capita funds of Yan Yu's Team have now reached 14 million, and everyone is a millionaire!

Yan Yu was originally thinking that after returning, he would have Chen Lingyun use her connections to move out from the school and find a house to live in outside... but now he could already buy a house in Jinling in full cash—how delightful.

First, buy a big villa!

Having a Demonic Sect Enchantress at home means needing a good hiding place, so buying a small villa with two floors, a basement, a garden, and a swimming pool, and with over ten rooms, is quite normal, right?

"By the way, there's another thing," Qi Changping continued to send messages, "The second edition of the textbook is entering the final draft stage now, they want you to take a look and offer some suggestions."

"The second edition of the textbook?" Yan Yu was stunned for a moment and then calculated the time; it seems about right...

In the previous life, it should have been around the end of July or beginning of August when the Sword Control Technique started to become widely popular among Rikoku Cultivators.

Of course, it wasn't Sword Flight, nor were there any Sword techniques or movements involved, merely the method of using True Yuan to drive the Immortal Sword for attack, using it as the regular equipment for a cultivator, similar to a soldier equipped with a military rifle.

Now it seems that the Sword Control Technique must be printed in the second edition of the textbook, to be forcibly taught to all Rikoku Cultivators.

"Will you send it to me online, or should I wait till I get back?" Yan Yu texted back.

"What are you thinking? It's a confidential document." Qi Changping replied, "Of course, we'll talk when you get back."

————————

The next day, the group returned to the Zhendong Cultivator's Academy in Jinling Prefecture.

Unlike the last time when they returned in obscurity, this time the entire academy held a grand recognition ceremony for Yan Yu's Team, with all faculty and students present at the meeting.

Clearly, the higher-ups had also realized that just giving money to the meritorious cultivators is not enough.

Giving out several million at a time, people simply can't spend it all; eventually, it just becomes a number, completely intangible... to put it bluntly, even a billion may become a small goal.

The so-called "bundling of fame and fortune" requires not just profit but, more importantly, fame. In this regard, Mitchi Country is the best teacher for Rikoku.

Their Superhero League championship team is advertised as "nationally adored," aiming to deeply bind the elite Transcendents with the Mitchi populace.

If one day you decide to betray your country, you would hurt those countless fans who adore you. Even if other countries could offer a higher price to poach you, could they force their own people to support you and be your loyal fans for ten years? Impossible.

If one were to delve deeper into this matter, it actually targets everyone's psychological need to be "needed and recognized" by society.

No matter how ignorant Rikoku is of these principles, they still know how to copy Mitchi's homework…

Standing on the stage lost in thought, Yan Yu was contemplating while the host on stage had already finished promoting the merits of Yan Yu's Team, which were:

Fiercely claiming first place in the Four Academies Exchange Competition.

The national first-clear of Wuyi Mountain Secret Realm.

Two successive victories in Longquan Mountain Secret Realm.

The students below, although not understanding what the "Four Academies Exchange Competition" or "Secret Realm" was, could still grasp the significance of "first place," "national," and "consecutive victories," and promptly joined the instructors in applauding.

Yan Yu glanced around again with the corner of his eye. Chen Lingyun and Su Yunjin both seemed indifferent. Being a woman of the Demonic Sect meant not easily showing emotions, and Secretary Su genuinely didn't care about fame or obscurity.

Lin Ning and Zhao Yuanzhen were much more excited. Ningning was competitive and cared about results; the Demonic Sect Enchantress merely loved to be the center of attention—otherwise, she wouldn't have made a documentary to boast about herself in her previous life.

"Next, please let team captain Yan Yu say a few words." The host smiled at last, handing the microphone to Yan Yu.

Yan Yu: ?

You guys didn't notify me beforehand that I had to speak!

He silently took the microphone, looking down at the hundred or so spectators.

Should I just spout nonsense?

"Hello everyone, I am team captain Yan Yu." Yan Yu began spouting nonsense, "When I founded this team, it elicited many inexplicable doubts, such as why, except for me, my team is entirely female. Some even questioned whether I was trying to create a harem..."

The audience immediately burst into laughter. Instructor Qi Changping kept a straight face, thinking, I seem to recall only doubting that in my mind. I didn't actually say it out loud, did I?

"Now, our team has responded to those doubters with a solid punch through our actions," Yan Yu continued aloud, "Our team, although composed entirely of girls aside from myself, is not just some vase team, nor a harem team. Instead, we're one of the strongest teams in the whole Lu Country!"

"Good!" The students below immediately cheered enthusiastically, especially the girls who shouted the loudest.

"In the future, we aim to remove that 'one of'!" Yan Yu's voice grew louder with each word, "Our goal is to be the strongest team in the whole Lu Country! Even the strongest team in the whole world! We aim to stand on the summit! To have all our enemies kneel at our feet!"

"Thank you, everyone!"

A surge of thunderous applause rose from below. Wang Changshi, in the front row, was clapping and smiling at the commander-in-chief Li Weiguo:

"This young man Yan Yu sure talks big, huh."

"Young people, you know," Li Weiguo chuckled, clapping his hands, "Having talent and strength, it's normal for them to be sharp and outstanding."

"It's because you have good judgment," Wang Changshi pushed up his glasses, smiling, "If it were another commander-in-chief, they might not have tolerated this kid's showboating."

"Hahaha, Old Wang, you're flattering me again," Li Weiguo was even more pleased, "But it's not entirely boasting. Among the four great commanders, I may not have the greatest merits, but when it comes to being accommodating and generous... they can't compare to me."

"For a steed to perform, it also needs a Bole to recognize its talent," Wang Changshi expressed thoughtfully.

After Yan Yu finished speaking on stage, the host was about to take back the microphone when he passed it to vice-captain Chen Lingyun instead.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

It can't just be me performing on stage!

"Hello everyone, I am vice-captain Chen Lingyun," Chen Lingyun said with a beaming smile.

"Chen Lingyun, I love you!" Somewhere in the crowd, a male student hollered, starting a ruckus. Chen Lingyun didn't bother to look over, simply continuing with a smile, "The team goals and determination have already been laid out by the captain. As the vice-captain, let me just add one thing."

"Right now, we just want to focus on improving our strength. If anyone wants to pursue one of us, please first consider whether you can even compare to our team captain Yan Yu, okay?"

The crowd suddenly fell silent.

After a moment, suddenly a voice from the girls rang out:

"What if someone wants to pursue your captain?"

Zhao Yuanzhen was immediately furious, ready to snatch the microphone from the Demonic Sect Enchantress, when she saw Chen Lingyun flash a dazzling smile and reply:

"Then you would receive our captain's standard answer."

Following that, she handed the microphone to Zhao Yuanzhen.

The Demonic Sect Enchantress paused for a moment, then a wicked sense of humor welled up in her, and holding the microphone, she yelled:

"You wish!"

The crowd erupted into laughter once more.