Yama Rising

The First Academy of Cultivators’ list of outstanding instructors… Only outstanding instructors were eligible to run for the title of an associate professor. The other benefits and privileges were still a mystery right now, but even the discounts pertaining to spirit stone redemption alone were sufficiently attractive to him!

After all, how could an Emissary of Hell parade in front of Hellguard-class experts and Judge-class experts on a daily basis?

Regardless, the list of outstanding instructors was the first thing he was determined to fight for.

“Do you know just how demonic your achievements are?” Lin Han gritted his teeth, “This is a mission that the academy had expected their instructors to only complete in fifteen days time, and yet you’ve managed to demolish it in the span of a single night?! Are you trying to run us out of business? We’re here especially to consult you and seek your advice.”

Oh foolish mortals…

“You can listen in when I speak with Professor Yu later. By the way, who is this old man anyway?”

Qin Ye gasped and glanced at the old man’s back.

Lin Han added, almost as though he were attempting to give Qin Ye an aneurysm, “As long as you receive his approval, nobody in the academia would dare say otherwise or pick a bone with you! Do you know what kind of support you’re potentially looking at? This is as big a break as it can ever get. Let me tell you something. The promotion of an instructor to associate professorship is based solely on teaching credits. But when it comes to the promotion of an associate professor to a full professor of a faculty, they look beyond mere teaching credits and consider whether the associate professor has a research topic of his own! And whether he’s got any results in that regard as well! Do you think it’s truly that easy to become a full professor of an entire faculty otherwise?”

The SRC was different from the Special Investigations Department.

After all, theories and hypotheses would all have to be first tested out by the First Academy of Cultivators before they could be published. Furthermore, all projects, assessments, papers and theses would be submitted to the SRC for their evaluation rather than to the Special Investigations Department.

If I could be an obedient lapdog that pleased Old Man Yu… then… wouldn’t the process of rising through the ranks from an associate professor to a full professor become far smoother? Wouldn’t I be that much closer to securing all of the resources which I need for deployment in Hell?

Just then, the picture frame shook again, jolting him back from his fantasies of resting in his laurels as a powerful CEO who had married a rich western woman.

“Why the hell are you moving about so much? There are countless cultivators around right now. Are you courting death?!” Qin Ye exploded with rage as soon as he shut himself into a cubicle.

Qin Ye rolled his eyes and breathed heavily through his gritted teeth, “Behave yourself if you don’t want to die.”

“Speak.”

Qin Ye was stunned for three full seconds, before he finally realized that she was speaking of Lin Han.

Su Dongxue responded softly, “My lord, I’ve learnt through Song Jiafang’s eyes that modern day society no longer describes these things as embroidery needles. Rather, they say that it’s a one-inch wonder… By my observations, he’s no embroidery needle. In fact, he would be a pleasing fit. His body is practically perfect.”

Qin Ye: “... Very good… how would you describe something big then?”

……

Arthis scowled at him, “It would be best if the development of the spiritual civilization starts from you. After all, everything flows from the top. Truth be told, I’m sincerely concerned about the future morals and integrity of Hell… But coming back to the topic at hand, there are a multitude of options for you to choose from.”

She carefully explained the characteristics of the nightmare spirit, and how they manifest and appear. Qin Ye closed his eyes and absorbed everything like a sponge before repeating it back to Arthis. Then, he promptly left the washroom.

When he opened his eyes again, he was already at the edge of the second concentric ring of roads around Mount Tai City. It was 4.40 a.m. Even a provincial capital city had begun to reveal traces of weariness.

Old Man Yu got off the car first and led the way to a small, restricted neighbourhood. This neighbourhood was extraordinarily tightly guarded. Even though it was four in the morning, there were still several security guards actively patrolling the perimeter of the neighbourhood.

Qin Ye nodded and followed the group into the development. Su Feng and Lin Han followed behind furtively. Qin Ye could feel the picture frame shifting slightly, but he brutally repressed any traces of movement as soon as they started.

The restricted neighbourhood was fairly green. The streetlights looked new, and the paths were spacious - wide enough for cars to drive about within its premises. Old Man Yu quickly arrived in front of a small, detached building.

“Yes.” Without further ado, Old Man Yu quickly made his way to the second floor.

There were six chairs in front of him. Old Man Yu sat on the chair in the center, and pointed at the chair just beside him, “Please.”

“Amazing tea.” He couldn’t help but exclaim aloud. Simultaneously, he glanced at the man in a suit.

Old Man Yu was barely an Operative-class expert, and yet the person protecting him was a Hunter-class expert. To put things into perspective, Qin Ye hadn’t even seen a single Hunter-class expert from Mount Tai City ever since his arrival at this place. The existence of a Hunter-class expert around Old Man Yu simply spoke volumes about his stature and worth.

Old Man Yu took a sip of tea, shut his eyes and loosened up slightly before he murmured, “Only those who have been credited with the second-class meritorious deed are entitled to purchase the Cloudmist Peak Heart-Cleansing Tea. A gram of it costs 10,000 RMB - the same price as mother plant Da Hong Pao.This tea has the effect of facilitating the gathering of true energy, condensing one’s spirit, and dispelling fatigue. The benefits of this tea are obvious, albeit only useful for cultivators.”

Qin Ye’s pupils constricted slightly. By extension, wouldn’t this mean that the higher one’s stature or merit, the closer he would be to the high-level treasures hidden in the depths of the treasuries of the SRC and the Special Investigations Department?

“All of our conversations here will be recorded. This topic is of paramount importance to me, so I would sincerely ask Mr Qin to spare no details.” Old Man Yu opened his eyes and stretched out his hand, “Yu Guohui. SRC’s honorary researcher, recipient of the national special meritorious deed, and one of the three fellows of the Yin spirit research division. Pleased to meet you.”

They shook hands for a brief moment. Then, Yu Guohui smiled faintly, “You’re hardly insignificant at all. Becoming a Hunter-class expert at the age of eighteen is something completely unprecedented in the history of Cathay… Alright, let’s not digress. Come, tell us what you’ve encountered down under in the pit?”

They spoke for almost an hour. Yu Guohui would interject from time to time to clarify some details. His questions were seemingly simple and trivial, but they all hit the nail on the head.

“Mr Yu…” Qin Ye scrutinized his every appearance as he probed further, “Has this been helpful?”

This is the perfect opportunity to secure a massive potential pillar of support. Why wouldn’t I seize it at all?

“It’s true… there are indeed different kinds of Yin spirits as I’d posited! It’s just like how the study of anthropology helps us understand how the history of mankind across different lands have given rise to different races and types of people… our present study of Yin spirits would allow us to take a more proactive stance against Yin spirits in future!” He took a gulp of his tea excitedly, “Little Qin, do you have any thoughts about the matter of your own?”

Yu Guohui had merely asked this question casually. However, Qin Ye smiled faintly and responded, “I do.”

1. This means the spiritual wealth created in the course of human society’s historical practice, including thought, morality and education, science and culture, and so on.

2. This is the priciest oolong tea that one can find. Wikipedia says that one kg of the same can cost up to USD1.9 million. That’s bonkers.