Chapter 475: Enrollment Quota (Healthy Year of the Ox!)

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The number of Rose Holy Sanctuary's disciples had actually been at an awkward level for decades. Compared to top-tier Holy Sanctuaries like Zenith, not to mention those ranked like Mount Fire God, which easily have over 5,000 disciples—all rigorously selected—Rose's situation was starkly different.

Karida's enrollment expansion policy imposed no restrictions on applicants. Any Soul Cultivator above Wolf-rank, as long as they had no criminal record, were within age limits, and could pay the tuition, could join Rose. Yet even with such low barriers, the highest number of disciples Rose had in the first half of the year barely approached 2,000. For a Holy Sanctuary spanning over 4,000 *mu* (approximately 660 acres), this was embarrassingly low compared to others.

The reason? Rose wasn't famous! Even with lowered standards, the impact of this expansion only spread to a few towns around Aurora City. People elsewhere had no idea Rose had such low entry requirements.

But after the Eightfold Battle, Rose's reputation exploded from the east to the west of the League. Now, no one in the League of Blades was unaware of Rose Holy Sanctuary, and its low entry threshold became known throughout the realm. Countless working-class families, desperate to lift their children out of poverty, liquidated their assets to send them here, just to have a Holy Sanctuary disciple in the family!

Beyond that, many noble families also selectively sent their younger members to Rose. Due to concerns about the Holy City, these were mostly from lesser branches, but they were still family members. With Rose defeating even Zenith and now launching the Ghost Level Class, its teaching quality was undeniable. Who needed further proof?

High-quality education, connections with factions like the Li Family, Eight Tribes, Dragon Moon, and Ice Spirit—if not for fears of the Holy City and Rose's enemies, they would have sent their core heirs here without hesitation!

The influx of both wealthy and impoverished applicants nearly overwhelmed Rose's gates, especially since the Holy Sanctuary maintained its open enrollment policy. Incomplete statistics showed that just one morning of admissions saw Rose's disciple count surpass 10,000. Even Old Wang and Hawkland hadn’t anticipated such overwhelming demand, far exceeding their original plan of 8,000.

The sheer numbers, including many desperate, kneeling applicants from ordinary families, made outright refusal impossible. After a quick consultation, Old Wang and Hawkland raised the enrollment cap to 12,000 on the spot.

They expedited construction of new classrooms and dormitories, converted vacant buildings in the Rune Institute, and even rented all nearby hotels and guesthouses as temporary housing. Without these measures, new disciples might have ended up sleeping on the streets.

Even so, many failed to secure spots, leaving those who had traveled far in despair—much to the benefit of neighboring Judgment.

Perhaps inspired by Rose’s success, Judgment seemed ready to abandon its elite-only approach. Through Anbolin’s mediation, it partnered with Rose for an experimental exchange program, adopting similar enrollment standards. Though less appealing than Rose, its low entry barriers and affordable tuition offered a lifeline to those rejected. Judgment’s enrollment surged, with over 2,000 "overflow" applicants from Rose.

Amid this frenzy, the hottest topic remained Rose’s Ghost Level Class!

Nine Gods Empire, Port City of Fenggen

Train Station

A black wall divided the platform. On the noble side, imperial guards armed with halberds and swords patrolled a pristine white marble surface, cleaned hourly by slaves. The commoners' side, paved with gray bricks, had only a few attendants.

As a maglev train pulled in, the conductor precisely aligned the noble carriages with their designated area.

In the first carriage, Fu Liye gazed calmly at the immaculate noble world outside, his cards shimmering in his hand.

The entire carriage had been reserved under Duke of Sutton’s name.

The unfortunate Duke was a trophy from their last mission. The Child Emperor had hunted his soul in a dream, replacing it with a "Shikigami"—a fragment of his own soul forged through dark Witchcraft. This was how the Child Emperor controlled his Puppets, like a cuckoo usurping a nest.

A Ghost-tier peak Puppet, and with the Duke’s identity, they indirectly controlled Sutton City. More importantly, this mission required the Duke’s cover.

By imperial law, the moment the Duke stepped aboard, this carriage became his temporary fief. Here, he could act as freely as in his own domain. Over half the empire’s laws held no sway, and the rest—save treason—were his to interpret. Such was the Nine Gods Empire. Even other nobles had to request entry like visiting his lands, unless they outranked him—a rarity, given the Duke’s status.

"Your Grace, Duke of Sutton, we’ve arrived at Fenggen."

The conductor announced at the threshold, careful not to step inside without permission. Until the Duke disembarked safely, no one else—nobles included—could leave.

The Child Emperor snapped his fingers. The Duke’s vacant eyes lit up with aristocratic vigor under the *Shikigami*'s control. Two other Puppets—a man and a woman—stirred. The attractive female Puppet opened the door and instructed the conductor: "Prepare the red carpet. His Grace will rest in the VIP lounge."

"At once. Serving Your Grace is an honor..." The conductor hid his disappointment; befriending the Duke could have been a career boost.

The female Puppet handed him an appropriate gratuity, dismissing him.

The red carpet led to a lavish lounge fit for a Duke, spacious enough for ten servants to attend without crowding.

"Tsk!" Fu Liye whistled, smiling faintly at Child Emperor. "Next, the task of enjoying the extravagant noble lifestyle here is all yours."

Child Emperor's face remained as gloomy as ever as he tossed a backpack into Fu Liye's hands. "Give this to Yidian. Tell him... his enhancement furnace was just a little short of strengthening my ghost-level Shikigami."

"Even a little something is still good..." Fu Liye weighed the backpack and grinned at Child Emperor. Beneath his feet, a purple circle had already formed, outlining a transportation circle. Queen Ant stepped in as well, looping her arm through Fu Liye's.

With a sudden flash, the transportation circle activated, and Fu Liye vanished with Queen Ant in an instant.

Child Emperor watched the dissipating remnants of the array. With a casual wave of his hand, the last traces faded into the air.

He walked to the sofa and slowly reclined, sinking into its plush softness, like a woman's ample embrace. His eyes narrowed slightly. Fu Liye wasn’t wrong about one thing... the decadent luxury...

A snap of his fingers, and Duke Sutton immediately strode to the floor-to-ceiling window, pushing it open. From here, the entire station was visible. Through his Shikigami's spiritual link, Child Emperor saw the scenery through the duke’s eyes.

Next step—time to meet the duke’s old friends. Too bad crafting Shikigami suitable for the ghost level was so difficult.

No matter what, the boss’s orders had to be fulfilled. At any cost!

......

Limah Tavern, nestled along the bustling dockside road, was guarded by two burly enforcers who kept most dockworkers at bay. This attracted minor nobles from the nearby wharf district, who came here to unwind. Pirates, too—though no one spoke of it openly. Whenever pirates visited, nearly everyone left with full pockets.

It was also a regular haunt for naval officers. The bar served cocktails and quick bites, with a menu offering Southern-style wok dishes and even freshly bought seafood from the docks, prepared to order.

All this work fell on one man. Everyone who visited Limah Tavern had been served by him, yet no one knew his name. They simply called him the Fat One—maybe out of habit, maybe for convenience. Occasionally, someone would ask, but upon hearing he was a simple-minded fellow the owner had picked up from the docks, they’d drop the subject.

The Fat One mixed excellent drinks, one of the reasons the minor nobles loved the place. His cooking was delicious too. Over time, everyone simply accepted that the Fat One was just a hardworking, capable fool.

But no one expected the Fat One to have friends! And one of them was a ravishing beauty.

The bar’s owner, a burly man with a face like chopped meat squeezed into a badly tailored black suit, eyed Fu Liye warily while casting hungry looks at Queen Ant. He worried they might take the Fat One away. Their attire suggested nobility—troublesome, but not something he feared. Running a high-end bar on the dockside road wasn’t about alcohol sales.

But someone had to do the work. Damn it, aside from one waitress, the Fat One handled almost everything in the bar—saving him so much on labor! If they took him now, where would he find replacements on such short notice? Even if he did, how many? Two? Not enough. Probably three to keep Limah Tavern running smoothly.

Still, that woman... truly a knockout. In all his years, he’d seen plenty of beauties, but none with her allure—innocent yet with a hint of something wild.

A few naval officers whispered among themselves, their gazes burning toward Queen Ant.

"I’d bet even a mermaid couldn’t compare to her."

"Who’s going for it?"

"Me! That guy looks like a total pansy."

Queen Ant smirked at Fu Liye—being called a pansy was a new one. Fu Liye shrugged. They said the Imperial Navy had eyes on the top of their heads. Today, he finally saw it firsthand.

One officer approached, deliberately ignoring Fu Liye as he bowed elegantly to Queen Ant. "My lady, we are officers of the Imperial Navy. You are absolutely stunning. Might I have the honor of inviting you for a drink? I’m sure we’d find much to discuss."

Queen Ant cast a cool glance at Fu Liye. Just as the officer prepared to show off his charms, she suddenly stood. With a smile, she smoothed her hair, her perfume intoxicating, then extended a hand. "Thank you for the invitation. I’ve always wondered... have you ever encountered pirates at sea...?"

"Of course! We’re their bane!" The officer, intoxicated by her scent, eagerly grasped her delicate hand. The smoothness of her skin sent his senses reeling. Lust glazing his eyes, he led her to their table.

The bar fell silent for a moment. Queen Ant had caught more than just the officers’ attention—but no one expected her to be so... easy! Accepting another man’s advances right in front of the one who brought her!

Minor nobles who fancied themselves charmers inwardly cursed. Their status far surpassed those navy men! Yet now, they could only watch, burning with regret.

As the Year of the Ox approaches, wishing everyone health, happiness, and unstoppable momentum in the new year! May you strike it rich every day!

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