Tang San was aware of their eagerness but simply couldn't let go of Mei Gongzi. With the blessing of fortune, he almost always caught a glimpse of her at Kali Academy, whether intentionally or not. Even just a distant view of her made him feel particularly at ease. Moreover, his plan was still in progress, and although it would take some more time to succeed, it was already halfway there.
Today was the day he worked at Kali Academy. Saying goodbye to Du Bai, Tang San took his leave and soon arrived at the Kali Academy.
Upon entering through the back door, he observed the area for a few moments and noticed no apparent changes in defense. It made sense; though he had used Leopard Flash in front of a student, his ability was only at the fourth order. Kali Academy wouldn't pay much attention to a fourth-order thief. However, students wanting to sneak out at night might face unfortunate consequences.
Once inside Kali Academy, Tang San first went to the small house to fetch some items, then headed to the main academic building's plaza to clean everything as usual.
His recent stint at work had familiarized him with the place, at least with some of the human vassals working there.
Young, sensible, and hardworking, Tang San was well-regarded by the human vassal staff. Old Mao, in particular, was very satisfied with him. Whatever task was assigned to Tang San, he would complete it well, never complaining even if it wasn't his job and simply doing whatever was asked of him.
Frequently cleaning the plaza, Tang San was occasionally noticed by passing students. However, as an unremarkable human vassal youth busy with his chores, he naturally didn't attract much attention.
As Tang San swept the ground, he concentrated on his vision and quietly activated his Discerning Eye of Heaven.
Combining the powerful abilities of the Discerning Heart's Gaze, Falcon Eye, and Celestial Fox Vision, the world before Tang San's eyes immediately became a kaleidoscope of colors.
Various types of natural energies in the air were visible to him, and with the guidance of Tang San's spiritual power, these energies selectively converged toward him.
Just as the Celestial Fox Vision at the fourth level evolved from merely sensing to controlling fortune, the Discerning Eye of Heaven had a similar evolution. Not only could it see more subtle changes and previously invisible energy fluctuations, but it could also attract these energies to a certain extent, either integrating them into his body for cultivation or altering their distribution.
While sweeping, he quietly observed the different energy fluctuations within the academy. He quickly located the array's energy that served as the alarm system for Kali Academy's entire defense system.
This alarm array created an invisible energy barrier that enveloped the academy. Such a barrier would require tremendous energy to defend against strong enemies. However, a thin layer was sufficient for mere warning purposes.
This thin layer of energy was pale red and nearly invisible. Without the Discerning Eye of Heaven, even Tang San's liquid spiritual power would have found it difficult to detect this energy.
Now, not only could he see it, but he could also faintly sense the circulation of the energy and the patterns it formed as it flowed. This was precisely what Tang San hoped to achieve.
As he learned these patterns and flows, he could sense their changes and then try to merge into these energy currents by controlling the energy around his own body. Once successful, when he crossed the alarm barrier, again, he would be treated as a part of it, seamlessly blending in rather than triggering the alarm. If successful, he would not need to use the door; he could simply scale the wall.
Moreover, this alarm system was fundamentally similar to the one at the store, which meant that it greatly aided Tang San's study of the entire system.
Additionally, through his observations, Tang San discovered that apart from the alarm array, another array also covered the entire academy—an energy condensation array.
This array was simpler in structure than the alarm array, but its effect was orders of magnitude greater. It absorbed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into Kali Academy, making the spiritual energy here far richer than in the outside world.
Only two arrays covered the entire academy, both serving important functions. However, in Tang San's view, these arrays were rather rudimentary. If he had the required cultivation and resources, he could easily create arrays far superior to these.
Through his observations with the Discerning Eye of Heaven, he had almost completely figured out the alarm array in just one day. In a few more days, he should achieve his goal.
After a day of sweeping, Tang San was preparing to return to the academy's town, counting the small houses and walking along the familiar route back.
Suddenly, he sensed something and saw two figures approaching from a distance.
When he saw them, Tang San's steps subconsciously halted, his mouth turned downward slightly, and his gaze sharpened.
Mei Gongzi looked beautiful as usual in her school uniform, and the long hair she had tied up revealed her slender, white neck. Sadly, she was accompanied by the Golden Lion Dog, who seemed to be conversing with her.
Tang San lowered his head and continued walking, heading in their direction along the roadside.
"Come with us to the Kali Mountain Range for training this time. Don't worry; with my protection, even if we encounter a ninth-order demon beast, we can handle it. You've missed it several times already, and I think the teachers are starting to notice," said the Golden Lion Dog.
"Oh, I'll think about it," Mei Gongzi responded indifferently.
"What's there to consider? Do you have any concerns? Let's go together, there won't be any accidents. Field training is something all students above the fourth year must experience. Next year, we'll be taking the exams for the sixth year, and the scores from field training count for quite a bit. I'll make sure you get a good share of the gains this time to ensure your training score."
"When do we leave?" asked Mei Gongzi.
"Five days from now. That's the plan. We'll explore the habitat of the Winged Tigers. There was some unrest in their area recently; I am not sure why. So, this training mission is to investigate the Winged Tiger area," the Golden Lion Dog said excitedly.
As Tang San passed them by, Mei Gongzi glanced in his direction but said nothing. Tang San, however, heard every word of their conversation.
Field training in the Winged Tiger habitat?
The Golden Lion Dog clearly had ulterior motives! Field training meant close contact day and night, not to mention outdoor camping. He was definitely seeking a chance to get close to Mei Gongzi.
The audacity! How could this be allowed?
Tang San subconsciously clenched his fists. Training, huh? What a coincidence, Du Bai just asked when we’re going out for training again.
However, there would be a teacher accompanying them. Could he disrupt the Golden Lion Dog's plans under the teacher's supervision?
Perhaps only if the mayor, who was familiar with the details, accompanied them.
Yes, he needed to plan well and accelerate the implementation of his previous plan.
With these thoughts, Tang San made up his mind.