Douluo: A Century-old Legend I Am the Second Uncle Chenxin

Chapter 1418 I've come to serve the young master

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Inside Elegant Pavilion No. 77, the fragrance of agarwood rose gently from the gilded bronze incense burner, swirling into a thin mist like spring rain.

Chen Xiaojun picked up the purple clay teapot to pour tea for the guest, and gently pushed the celadon cup to Si Baining: "Master Baining's name is known throughout the Five Mausoleums, but it is a pity that we have not met for a long time."

"Today, you spoke out righteously in front of me, and I am deeply grateful."

As he spoke, he tilted the jade pot slightly and poured the amber tea into the teacup in front of Xia Yun.

Si Bai Ning Chun's slender fingers touched the round fan to cover her lips, her eyes sparkling like peach blossoms in March: "Young Master Chen is too kind. My words, 'rootless drifting catkins,' could not possibly shake a towering locust tree. This matter is all thanks to the prestige of your Chen family, Fasino."

Chen Xiaojun raised his eyebrows slightly: "That's not how it works. Tianfeng is renowned in Fasnuo. He spoke out for justice on the martial arts platform, which is enough to represent the voices of all the academies, just like a plum blossom breaking through the snow."

Si Baining suddenly placed the round fan on the armchair with its intertwined branches pattern, her slender fingers smoothing the gold-threaded trim on the shawl: "Famous as Fasnow? That's too much of an honor."

"Tianfeng is eighth this year, which is not as good as seventh last year. Congratulations to Wushan Academy for making it into the top three."

Xia Yun silently raised his cup in a distant toast, and amidst the rising steam, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.

Chen Xiaojun's jade-like fingers, which were holding the teapot, paused slightly, and three ripples appeared in the clear water of the cup: "The Director has invited me to meet today. Do you have any advice to offer?"

Si Bai Ning suddenly leaned forward, her crimson lips parted slightly, and said, "I have come to serve you, young master."

As soon as he spoke, Chen Xiaojun's jade belt swayed slightly with his light laughter, breaking the silence of the room.

Chen Xiaojun raised an eyebrow and tapped his fingertips lightly on the sandalwood table: "Director Si, what do you mean by that?"

Si Bai Ning's eyelashes trembled slightly, and the gilded bracelet on her fair wrist made a crisp sound. "This time, the Five Mountains and Ping An have risen to prominence, while my Tianfeng has been relegated to eighth place. If we don't pledge our allegiance now, we will have no way to survive."

Chen Xiaojun's phoenix eyes sparkled with a gentle smile: "Dean Si, that's what you're saying, but it's puzzling me."

Si Bai Ning's crimson sleeves fluttered like butterfly wings. "The Chen family's plan to control the five southern prefectures is probably aimed at bringing the Five Mausoleums Academy under their control, isn't it?"

"The three academies of Chang'an, Wushan, and Qinglin all have members from your Chen family who have swept the top three spots. Let's leave it at that."

"I don't know if Ping An Academy has any of your people, but Xingyun, Sanshan, and Chaosheng academies have risen unexpectedly and are now in the middle ranks, which is not normal."

Chen Xiaojun chuckled: "Dean Si, my Chen family has some strength and reputation, but you can't blame all the changes on us."

Si Baining smiled and said, "Is that so?"

"But Xingyun Zhu Shizhen and Wushan Zhu Shiyuan are siblings, right? And Zhu Changfeng from Sanshan Academy comes from the Zhu family, the chief steward. Surely you wouldn't deny these people, young master?"

She suddenly leaned in, the cool fragrance of her silk sleeves brushing against the young man's temples. "Even now, Soul Emperor level experts are still hiding their identities. When Soul Saints arrive one day, all the academies in Wuling will probably have to change their names to Chen."

The sky-blue teacup reflected Xia Yun's suddenly furrowed brows. Amidst the swirling tea steam, he saw Si Bai Ning's lips curve into a smile: "So, if I may be so bold as to ask, what I want to ask is, why don't you send any experts to be stationed in our courtyard?"

Chen Xiaojun narrowed his phoenix eyes slightly, holding his cup and chuckling softly: "The Director's information network is quite impressive, but..."

"If I were to say that the meteor shower and the sudden rise of the Three Mountains and other academies are due to the deans of each academy independently comprehending the path of cultivation, would the Director of the Academy believe it?"

Si Baining half-covered her lips with a round fan, her slender, spring-onion-like fingertips lightly stroking the fan's surface and bamboo ribs: "I believe it, of course. The cultivation path of the academy, to put it bluntly, is just about clinging to a powerful figure."

Si Bai Ning's jade-like fingers holding the fan paused slightly. "Look, I've come to cling to this powerful figure too." Chen Xiao Jun leaned back lazily into the rosewood armchair, raising an eyebrow. "Oh? In that case, please, Dean Si, speak frankly and don't beat around the bush anymore."

Si Baining placed the fan on the table, a smile playing on her lips, and slowly said, "Firstly, as I just mentioned, the next provincial competition will be held in Chang'an. If Tianfeng Academy wants to break through, it will really miss the opportunity if it doesn't join the Chen Clan's camp, and it will be too late to regret it."

"Secondly, the Chen family has infiltrated all the academies in Wuling, and sooner or later it will affect my Tianfeng Academy. Rather than being forced to respond passively, I might as well take the initiative to serve them and win the honor of serving the entire academy."

"Thirdly, I naturally wanted to meet Young Master Xiaojun and Elder Xia, so that we can have better dealings in the future."

Xia Yun took a sip of tea, her expression indifferent: "See me? What do I have that's worth seeing?"

Si Baining covered her mouth and chuckled: "You're joking."

"The name of the Nine Elders of Zhaowu, though hidden in Fasno in recent years, is like a star in the dark night, widely known in the circle of high-level soul masters."

"Last month, Zhu Yanfeng, the Grand Steward, with the cultivation of a level 89 peak Soul Douluo, represented the Chen family and led the operation to eliminate the Crimson Church, which made him a formidable figure in Fasno for a time."

"Also last month, Elder Cheng Nanxing, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard who oversees the Chen Clan's armed forces and a member of class 88, came to our academy to recruit students. I was fortunate enough to meet him. He was truly outstanding and admirable."

Si Baining fluttered her wide sleeves, her crimson sleeves flowing like fire: "All of you elders hold high positions. With Elder Xia's cultivation of an 88th-level Soul Douluo, you must be more than just an advisor to the Five Mountains Academy."

"If you say that the entire layout of the Chen Clan Academy is not overseen by Elder Xia, I simply don't believe it."

Xia Yun put down her teacup, not following Si Baining's train of thought, but looking at her with piercing eyes: "Tianfeng Academy wants to be brought under the wing of my Chen Clan. Such a big matter, doesn't Dean Si plan to go back and discuss it with Brother Baining?"

Si Bai Ning smiled gently: "What I mean is what my elder brother means."

Xia Yun gave her a deep look: "In that case, what do you want?"

Seeing this, Si Baining stopped beating around the bush and said bluntly, "That's straightforward! I like Elder Xia's straightforwardness."

"First, we need your family to allocate at least one Soul Saint and three Soul Emperor teachers to strengthen the teaching staff of my Tianfeng Academy."

"Secondly, we need several outstanding students with flying-type martial souls to prepare for the next Gaoying Competition. For example, the disciples of Elder Cheng's family would be good candidates."

"Third, my daughter Yijing needs to go to Chang'an Academy for further studies for a period of time, and at the same time serve as a teacher to learn about the advanced teaching experience of Chang'an Academy."

Chen Xiaojun chuckled, "Teacher Si Yijing's tactical skills are unparalleled in Wuling. Does she really need to condescend to learn from her?"

As Si Bai Ning's eyes darted around, it seemed as if a thousand layers of mist and haze were rippling in them: "Young master, you flatter me. Tianfeng Academy is nothing more than a wild pheasant fluttering in a mountain valley. How can it compare to the golden phoenix of Chang'an Academy?"

"This time, we won the provincial competition, and right now, Chang'an is still competing with Yue Si for students."

"With two Title Douluos presiding over the event and nine Soul Douluos teaching, wow, with such a grand setup, it's obvious that Chang'an Academy is about to become a place of great upheaval."

"Wouldn't it be a waste if my Yijing didn't go and broaden her horizons?"

……

Note: Wuling is an abbreviation of the old name of the five southern prefectures;
I actually planned a lot of plot for the last five matches, but since many readers weren't very interested in the provincial competition plot, I skipped it.

In addition to the competition, this year's provincial competition also included an introduction to the Chen family's layout along the Fasnow Academy line.

(End of this chapter)