Xiao Yi was completely baffled as he looked at Yang Ling, "You want me to be the dean?"
Yang Ling gave a light cough, "Accept the decree first!"
Jiang Tai hurried forward, "Jiang Tai accepts the decree with gratitude!"
Yang Ling handed the sacred decree to Jiang Tai, smiling as he said, "Monarch Jiang, my father is aware that you've lost an arm and has specially bestowed upon you a six-star Resurrection Elixir. As long as you consume it, your severed limb will regrow."
"Resurrection Elixir?"
Jiang Tai's face changed, he had never expected the Emperor of the Great Qian Dynasty to bestow upon him such a precious elixir, and he gratefully said, "Jiang Tai deeply thanks Emperor Qian, may His Majesty live forever!"
Yang Ling took out a brocade box and handed it to Jiang Tai, "Try taking it now and see!"
Jiang Tai, fighting back his excitement, opened the brocade box.
Inside lay a pea-sized, emerald green pill, its surface etched with mysterious patterns and the scent of the medicine was intoxicating.
Jiang Tai swallowed the pill in one gulp.
His face went deathly pale as large beads of cold sweat continuously broke out on his forehead, and suddenly, he let out a scream as a spurt of fresh blood sprayed from the stump of his arm. Then, wisps of blood intertwined, and lo and behold, a brand new arm formed at a visible rate. The Resurrection Elixir indeed could regenerate lost limbs. Jiang Tai looked at the newly grown arm, his face full of excitement and gratitude, "Your Highness Yang Ling, I cannot thank you enough!"
"No need for such formalities, Monarch Jiang!"
Yang Ling smiled, looking at Xiao Yi, who was still in a baffled state, and said, "Dean Xiao, it seems you do not wish to become the dean of Xiaoshanhe Institute?"
Xiao Yi rolled his eyes, saying speechlessly, "What is Emperor Qian thinking, actually letting me manage Xiaoshanhe Institute?"
All he wanted was to improve his cultivation as soon as possible.
Only by possessing sufficient strength,
could he prove to everyone that he was stronger than Xiao Tianjiao, disowning him was the Xiao Family's biggest mistake.
What's more important is...
he wanted to return to the Xiao Family to pay homage to his mother openly and honorably.
After settling the grudges with the Xiao Family, the next step would be to go to Baiyu and take back Fang Qingzhu.
He had never thought about being any dean!
Yang Ling had long investigated Xiao Yi's various deeds and also knew that not long ago the Xiao Family had sent people to find him, resulting in two experts of the Tao Tribulation Realm being crippled and the loss of Martial Dao Divine Fruit.
If it weren't for Yang Ling's timely appearance, presenting rewards and simultaneously revealing the news that Xiao Yi would become the dean of Xiaoshanhe Institute,
the Xiao Family's retaliation would have arrived much earlier.
Yang Ling said gravely, "Xiao Yi, do you know what Xiaoshanhe Institute is?"
Xiao Yi frowned, "I've heard of it, it was once one of the top ten sects but was later annexed by the Liyang Sect."
Before he was imprisoned by Xiao Tianjiao, he had some understanding of the Great Qian Dynasty.
Yang Ling nodded, speaking softly, "Xiaoshanhe Institute, unlike the top ten sects, is a sect under the royal family of the Great Qian Dynasty. My father hopes that you can lead Xiaoshanhe Institute, revitalizing its glory and returning it to the ranks of the top ten sects. Even more, to reach a level that can rival Tianjian Sect!"
"Rival Tianjian Sect?"
Xiao Yi was stunned, thoughts racing through his mind; he quickly understood the Emperor's intentions.
Today's royal family wanted to consolidate imperial power, but the top ten sects and the four great clans stood in the way.
They desperately needed a game-changer.
Xiaoshanhe Institute was the perfect choice to disrupt this balance.
Given his relationship with Xiao Tianjiao, it was impossible for him to join forces with the top ten sects, and with the Xiao Family on the verge of becoming the fifth great clan, Xiao Yi could not side with the great clans either.
It was most suitable for him to take charge of Xiaoshanhe Institute.
What's more important is...
Xiao Yi was certainly heading to the Great Qian Dynasty.
Whether it was for cultivation resources or a stronger environment, the Great Qian Dynasty was undoubtedly more expansive than the Tianqing Kingdom.
But with the influence of Xiao Tianjiao and the Xiao Family,
The ten major sects would never accept him, and even if they did, they would give him endless trouble and make things difficult at every turn.
But if Xiao Yi were to take up the position of head of the Xiaoshanhe Institute, first of all, the Xiao Family and Xiao Tianjiao would hesitate to make a move against him, at least not overtly, as that would be a public slap in the face of the royal family. Secondly, backed by the royal family, the Institute would have access to a multitude of resources, which would be a huge advantage, whether for his personal cultivation or for building his own power base.
This is a mutually beneficial cooperation!
Seeing Xiao Yi showing interest, Yang Ling continued, "In fact, my father had other options, but in the end, he still chose you, primarily because we value your character!"
Xiao Yi looked at him, puzzled.
Yang Ling spoke earnestly, "We have investigated everything about you; you are a partner we can trust!"
This point genuinely came from Yang Ling's own feelings.
If it were someone else...
After Jiang Tianchen's fall, they probably would have already taken the opportunity to seize the position of Monarch.
Where would they have gone to such lengths to assist Jiang Tai?
Xiao Yi fell silent for a moment, then gave a wry smile, "It seems I don't have a better option... However, if I am to become the head of the Xiaoshanhe Institute, there is one condition that you must agree to!"
"Speak!" said Yang Ling.
Xiao Yi said in a deep voice, "The royal family must not interfere in the management of the Xiaoshanhe Institute!"
Yang Ling frowned; Emperor's Mind Art is about balance, and his original idea was to place another royal expert as the deputy head of the Institute.
He hadn't expected Xiao Yi to cut off this possibility directly.
Xiao Yi said indifferently, "This is my only demand. If you can't agree, then there's no need to discuss further!"
After pondering for a moment, Yang Ling responded, "Alright, I agree!"
"Pleasure doing business!"
"Congratulations, Director Xiao!"
Yang Ling smiled, looked around, then lowered his voice, "To be honest with you, I really dislike Xiao Tianjiao too!"
Xiao Yi simply smiled non-committally.
The mouth of a prince is a lying ghost!
I trust you -- as if!
Jiang Tai held a grand feast in the palace, with toasts and laughter all around.
It wasn't until noon the next day that everyone gradually awoke.
Jiang Tai handed a storage ring to Xiao Yi, "You'll find many ways to spend money in the capital. Inside is fifty billion silver, and if this isn't enough, I can send more!"
Brothers don't need to thank each other, Xiao Yi accepted it naturally.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
In the sky above, a massive shadow swept down. It was a Sixth-Layer High-Grade Fiend, Liyang Jade Sculpture, a being comparable to a Tao Tribulation Realm Peak. With a wingspan of a hundred meters, it could carry a hundred people on its back, and could travel tens of thousands of miles a day. It was the flying fiend that the Great Qian Dynasty's delegation was riding. Yang Ling boarded the back of the Liyang Jade Sculpture and looked towards Xiao Yi and the others, "Xiao Yi, we can set off now!"
Xiao Yi looked at Jiang Tai and said, "Take care!"
"Take care!" Jiang Tai said solemnly.
Jiang Tai, Yu Huaxian, Yan Mingli, Lin Bingxin, and Xue Bufan all boarded the Liyang Jade Sculpture, the people Xiao Yi was taking to the Xiaoshanhe Institute as instructors.
The Liyang Jade Sculpture spread its wings and soared into the sky.
Watching the Liyang Jade Sculpture disappear from sight, Jiang Tai took a deep breath and muttered to himself, "I will make Tianqing Kingdom stronger and become the strongest support for you!"