Chapter Twenty-Six: We Will Give You an Allowance

A piercing scream exploded amidst the crowd.

“What is that?!”

“So many bodies! So many corpses!”

“There’s been a murder!!”

A rain of blood dyed the streets crimson. The terrified paladins scattered like an explosion, fleeing into the surrounding shops, plunging Snow City into chaos.

Young nuns fainted at the sight of the macabre drizzle, and even some adult elves looked ready to collapse. Only the city guards, responsible for maintaining order, kept their composure, loudly assuring everyone that the falling figures were not real corpses and urging calm.

Handsome and dignified, Wang Daxiang abandoned his plan to deliver lunch to his younger sister, leading dozens of paladins at a swift pace toward the castle to investigate. But their path was blocked by a group of people.

“Principal Winnie has ordered this area sealed off. No one is allowed to approach.”

By the silvery lakeside, Winnie dodged the falling doll-fruits from the sky, rubbing her temples in frustration. “That child causes more trouble than the entire royal palace!”

She had thought that, with money in hand, Linley would be content to spend it quietly, or at most stir up a minor incident. She had grossly underestimated him. They’d only been apart a few hours, and he had already caused such a commotion that she had no choice but to intervene.

“That’s not my jurisdiction; I can’t delay for long.” Winnie looked toward the castle. She had immediately used her authority as principal to seal off the area and prevent the guards from troubling Linley. But since it wasn’t her region, such a drastic move would require her to explain herself to the other principals.

“…Let’s hope they don’t pick a fight with the child.” Winnie turned to call the other principals for a meeting.

Within the castle, Linley lay sprawled on the ground, utterly exhausted.

“Finally, it’s clean… But I overdid it. So tired…”

The leopard looked at the castle. Indeed, it had been thoroughly cleaned—but perhaps too thoroughly. Only the walls remained.

“I need to lie down,” Linley said, fatigued. He took a quilt out from his earring, spread it on the floor, and promptly fell sound asleep.

His complete lack of vigilance made the leopard’s eyes flicker; this would be the perfect chance for revenge or escape. Yet it dared not act—it could smell another presence nearby, someone sent by the queen to protect Linley.

“Better endure a bit longer,” it thought, settling down beside Linley as a bodyguard.

Linley slept for several hours. At noon, he opened his eyes.

“Xiaobai, is it lunchtime yet?!”

He would never miss a meal. But as he spoke, he noticed four elderly people, each dressed differently, standing around him.

“Whoa, so many old men!” Linley jumped up, instantly on guard. “What do you want?”

He had a natural wariness toward the elderly.

The elders burst out laughing. “What a delightful reaction!”

“Winnie, he’s exactly like you were as a child!”

“That’s just his unruly nature, please don’t mind him,” Winnie said, standing nearby. Linley relaxed, and with a glance at his mother, instantly deduced their identities.

“You’re the principals of Snow City?”

“That’s right, little prince.” The elderly lady in green robes approached. “Was that tornado just now a cultivator’s power?”

“Tornado? What tornado?” Linley was puzzled.

The leopard answered coolly, “You were cleaning up, and whipped up a tornado over the castle.”

“Cleaning?” The principals were astonished. That tremendous tornado was a byproduct of the little prince’s cleaning?

Cultivation was truly formidable! Such power—there was no one of his age in the kingdom, perhaps the world, who could compare.

“That’s the Boundless Sea,” Linley replied, understanding. “My own invented supreme technique. Impressive, isn’t it?”

He puffed out his chest, not mentioning that the move’s core was really just a basic explosive spell.

“Oooh!” The principals, unaware of the truth, applauded heartily. As expected!

“Seeing is believing. Who would have thought you were already cultivating, little prince!”

“And already so powerful.”

They looked at Linley with admiration. The whole kingdom pinned high hopes on cultivation, but outside the palace, nobody knew Linley had succeeded—let alone reached such an advanced stage.

Elves live long lives; the principals had expected Linley, even if he discovered cultivation, to need decades before showing results. Now, their eyes were opened.

“Remarkable!”

“Cultivation is truly extraordinary!”

“The little prince is the kingdom’s blessing!”

The principals were delighted. Perhaps because of their profession, their gazes were far gentler than those of the royal mages, and Linley found himself warming to them.

Suddenly, the elder in black robes asked, “Little prince, would you like to establish a cultivation academy here in Snow City?”

“A cultivation academy?”

“Yes. Snow City is managed jointly by our six schools. We can authorize the founding of a new academy,” the elder explained. “If you establish a cultivation school here, you’ll have access to all of Snow City’s academic resources, and we’ll assist your research.”

The other principals nodded their agreement.

“An excellent idea.”

“Snow City’s environment is no less than the palace’s.”

Linley had no one to reference in cultivation, forced to explore alone. Snow City was the educational heart of the forest elves, with a nurturing environment and atmosphere. The principals were eager to dedicate themselves to this new discipline.

Besides, they found Linley lively and endearing, certain that he would bring joy to Snow City.

“But I don’t know how to teach,” Linley admitted, scratching his head. “I just stumbled into cultivation by messing around.”

“No need to worry about that.”

“Every beginning is difficult. You’ve already taken the first step—students can come later. Someday, you’ll bring others into cultivation as well…”

The principals gazed at Linley with enthusiasm—if he agreed, Snow City would surely develop a cultivation academy in time.

“I see…” Linley was tempted. “Can I use this castle as the school?”

The old lady glanced around. “Did you buy this castle?”

Linley nodded.

She smiled. “Then use it for now. I don’t think Lady White would mind. If you gain more students, we’ll build you a new campus nearby.”

Winnie added her support: “We’ll keep the castle sealed off for now; no other students will enter.”

If they didn’t, Linley was bound to cause more trouble—so thought Winnie. The four principals agreed at once. Having witnessed the tornado’s power, they had no desire to let students stumble into its path.

Linley thought for a moment and agreed. His earring wanted him to stay; his mother suggested the same. So he might as well remain and cultivate here.

As for teaching—no chance. He’d never be interested. But those royal mages would surely be the first batch to learn cultivation—he could just recruit them as instructors.

But he certainly wouldn’t refuse the title of principal—his reasons matched Winnie’s.

“How much is the principal’s salary?”

“None—absolutely none!” Winnie had guessed her son’s intention and replied tartly, “You’re a bachelor principal, what do you need a salary for!”

“Well… at least there must be some pocket money…”

The four principals paused, then burst out laughing, realizing this child was as cheeky as his mother.

“No problem—we’ll give you pocket money!”

At least, they thought, he wouldn’t be as outrageous as Winnie had been. Their naïveté made the leopard and the earring, both of whom saw through everything, regard them with sympathetic pity.