"Next, let's congratulate the four youngest recipients of the Purple Record Medal on coming up to the stage, where the Dean will personally bestow the honor upon them!"

After the host's impassioned words faded, a wave of enthusiastic applause rose and fell.

The trainees gathered in the No. 1 training ground looked up at the four people who came up from the left side of the platform one by one, as if they were looking at four insurmountable mountains.

The teachers in charge, standing in front of each class, looked at their four rising stars from the Spirit Hall Academy with approval and satisfaction.

"Congratulations, Wei Ming, on teaching four such outstanding students."

His colleague, who was in charge of teaching another elite class, clapped and congratulated Wei Ming.

Wei Ming smiled gently as he looked at the four elegant figures.

"It's all thanks to the children's own hard work that they have achieved this glory today."

Over five years, he witnessed the rapid growth of these children.

The moment Xie Yue and Hu Liena, who were only Soul Kings, defeated him, a Soul Douluo, with their Martial Soul Fusion Skill, he knew that the children had grown to a point where he could let go and allow them to roam freely on a wider stage.

"Congratulations on becoming the youngest recipients of the Purple Record Medal in the history of the Spirit Hall Academy."

The dean carefully pinned the Purple Record Medal on the last student, who had short, fiery red hair, and spoke with a smile.

The boy standing in front of him was even a head taller than the still-vigorous dean.

Five years have passed, and Yan has grown to over 1.8 meters tall. The arrogance of five years ago has matured considerably with increased strength and experience. Faced with the dean's praise, he merely smiled slightly, concealing his arrogance beneath a much more composed voice:

"Thank you, Dean."

Beside him, Xie Yue, who was nearly 1.9 meters tall, had a calm expression. His long, powerful hands hung at his sides, and his short white hair stood up like steel needles. His aura was more composed and restrained than Yan's.

Like a hidden sword, all its sharpness is temporarily concealed within an inconspicuous black scabbard. But once drawn, its cold light will surely pierce the void.

"Thank you for your blessing, Dean."

Xie Yue nodded slightly.

Beside her, Hu Liena, who had grown to over 1.7 meters tall, turned her head and smiled sweetly. Her wheat-yellow hair, which was draped behind her, was slightly blown by the wind, and her smiling eyes reflected another figure.

Her long hair reached past her waist, like scattered silver moonlight, obediently draped behind her.

Her face was exquisite, her skin was porcelain white, and her crystal-clear light purple eyes reflected a glass-like brilliance in the sunlight.

Although she was wearing the same school uniform as Hu Liena and the others, when Qian Yuelong, who was nearly 1.7 meters tall, wore it, she looked more like a noble lady in a gorgeous gown at a royal banquet. Even if she just stood there quietly, she was a beautiful sight that could not be ignored.

Five years ago, after returning from Sunset Forest with a full harvest, Qian Yuelong went into seclusion after finishing the elite class sparring match at the academy. She then wrote the second batch of cultivation techniques suitable for Soul Masters and ordinary people who already had a foundation in cultivation. She made two copies, one for the Spirit Hall and one for the Evolution Hall.

The seeds she retrieved from the Yin-Yang Well of Ice and Fire were used by Qian Yuelong in conjunction with the A-grade set [Myriad Life], which can catalyze the rapid growth of plants, and further catalyzed by the Spirit Gathering Acceleration Array, to cultivate two batches of top-quality immortal herbs that were no less valuable than those she failed to retrieve.

She gave each of the first batch of top-quality immortal herbs she cultivated to Hu Liena and the others, one of which was suitable for them.

There's also Xue Qinghe, who's far away in Tiandou; Yue Guan, who visits the academy from time to time; and... Bibi Dong, whose attitude has been lukewarm for the past few years.

Yu Yongsi, who was an inside agent in the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, was flattered to receive one of the second batch of top-grade immortal herbs. Guan Feng, who had been promoted from a paladin knight in the Knights Camp to a purple-robed bishop, took seven more herbs with him, leaving two immortal herbs with her.

After thinking about it, Qian Yuelong decided to keep them.

As for why they weren't given to Qian Daoliu, it's because the various rare and precious materials were of little benefit to Qian Daoliu at his current level of strength.

The third batch of miraculous herbs is already being cultivated.

These immortal herbs were cultivated by her and Qian Daoliu specifically for the elders of the Spirit Hall.

Below the stage, his colleague patted him on the shoulder with a smile, his tone expectant: "Speaking of which, the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament is in three months, right? I heard that Sun Chuantao from your class has reached level 50 in soul power cultivation. After receiving your medals, you'll be taking the kids hunting for soul rings again, won't you?"

Wei Ming smiled and said, "We will be hunting for spirit rings, but I'm not leading the team this time. Elder Ju and Elder Gui are leading these children to obtain Chuan Tao's fifth spirit ring."

His colleague looked surprised: "What? Those two officials are leading the team?"

Wei Ming nodded.

Thinking of something, his colleague widened his eyes slightly and lowered his voice, saying, "This must be His Holiness the Pope's intention, right?"

“Exactly.” Wei Ming uttered two breathy sounds.

His colleague, with a knowing look on his face, patted Wei Ming on the shoulder and said with a sigh, "You've had a tough time these past few years. Being caught between the High Priest and the Pope is tough."

Wei Ming's gaze deepened slightly, and he only smiled without saying a word.

Is it not easy?

Actually, it's not too bad.

He had heard a bit about the troublesome past of his disciple Qian Renxue and her current student Qian Yuelong when he was personally guiding Qian Renxue in her cultivation.

Bibidon, who was not yet the Pope at the time, was much more rude.

People eventually grow up, and all the restlessness and contradictions seem to settle down with time, becoming calm, and allowing us to treat the world with a different, more rational attitude.

So to say that the current pope harbors any hatred towards Xiaoxue and her sisters is absolutely untrue.

There may be concern, but it's definitely not concern mixed with any familial affection; it's more like a silent indulgence.

When Bibi Dong came to the academy to find Hu Liena, Wei Ming accidentally bumped into Bibi Dong, who was standing behind a tree quietly watching Qian Yuelong and her partner spar.

Bibi Dong's eyes were calm; he saw no trace of "motherly love" in them.

She would come to visit Qian Yuelong, and Wei Ming felt that this was more like a responsibility.

Just as he is the homeroom teacher of the elite Class 3, he also has the responsibility to take care of all the children in the class.

After the award ceremony, Qian Yuelong and her friends walked out of the academy chatting and laughing, and unsurprisingly saw two tall figures.

"Did you receive the medal?"

A soft, feminine voice spilled from her parted, thin lips.

Qian Yuelong met Yue Guan's smiling gaze and smiled, "I've received it."

"Then let's set off." Yue Guan nodded in satisfaction, put his hands behind his back and said, "This time, Yue Long, you are in charge of all the arrangements. Let me see just how much your strength has grown in the past six months."

—A side note—

Thankfully, I switched to a different word processing software, otherwise I almost lost my phone again today when the power went out due to the heavy rain.

Lately, my home circuit breaker keeps tripping, sometimes causing power outages along with the rest of the building, probably because the wiring is a bit old. (orz)