Lin Jin was lost in thought. Was his questions really that difficult?
"Dean Lin, I really can't do this. I'm leaving!"
One of the spirit masters, clearly overwhelmed, threw a frustrated punch toward Lin Jin—though not at him—and stormed out of the college without looking back.
He seemed unhinged, his steps uneven and frantic.
Seeing this, several other spirit masters who had still been struggling with the exam exchanged uneasy glances.
Then, almost in unison, they stood up and turned toward Lin Jin.
Lin Jin looked at them, slightly bewildered. What now? he thought.
One of them stepped forward, clasped his hands politely, and said with a bitter smile, "Dean Wang, these questions are beyond us. Can anyone really answer them?"
The others nodded in agreement. They had expected a test on basic spirit master knowledge—but every question on the exam paper had felt like deciphering ancient scripture. It was completely overwhelming.
"Why not? Aren't those two still working on it?" Lin Jin replied, a touch of pride in his voice. He gestured for them to look behind him.
Sure enough, Shen Yang and the other young spirit master were still hunched over their papers, deep in thought, occasionally scribbling down answers.
Lin Jin let out a small sigh of relief and grinned. Good thing I asked them to stay, he thought.
Otherwise, I might've lost even the last two theoretical tutor candidates.
Is my test really that hard?
As the remaining spirit masters looked on, stunned, Lin Jin turned his gaze back to the two still working.
"The test is over! You two, hand in your papers!" Lin Jin called out loudly.
The young man jolted in surprise and glanced nervously at the incense stick still burning beside him.
"Dean Wang! The incense hasn't burned out yet!"
Lin Jin chuckled lightly. "Consider yourselves lucky—the others all gave up."
The nearby spirit masters flushed with embarrassment.
But as they reflected on it, they couldn't find a single argument against his decision.
Maybe those two really were better than them.
Even so, a nagging doubt remained:Could they actually solve the questions?
"Hand in your papers," Lin Jin repeated.
Shen Yang and the young man stood and approached, test papers in hand.
Shen Yang's face beamed with joy.
"I thought I wouldn't have a chance this time," he said brightly.
Lin Jin accepted the papers with a smile and stepped over to Hu Yannian.
"Director Hu, care to take a look with me?"
Hu Yannian nodded with a smile, and the two began to review the results.
On Shen Yang's paper, only two or three questions had been answered: the ten core competencies, the development path of Bluegrass, and the highest level of innate spirit power.
But his answers were solid—especially his insights on Bluegrass development, which were thoughtful and well-organized.
Then came the other paper.
"Not bad! He answered seven questions!" Lin Jin exclaimed, visibly surprised.
He looked up at the young man.
"What's your name?"
"N-Name's Lian Yan!" the youth replied nervously.
"Lian Yan? That's a fine name. You and Shen Yang have both been accepted."
As he spoke, Lin Jin handed the paper to the nearby teachers.
"This is Lian Yan's test paper. Have a look for yourselves."
The teachers exchanged glances before gathering around to read.
As their eyes scanned the paper, their expressions shifted from mild curiosity to astonishment.
Some of the knowledge detailed in the answers was entirely unfamiliar to them, yet presented with clarity and depth that left them enlightened.
Finally, Lin Jin turned back to the group of spirit masters who had withdrawn.
"Any objections to my ruling that you all abstained voluntarily?"
"No, no!"
Several people quickly waved their hands in protest. One of them looked down at the exam paper and sighed in realization.
"I thought I understood theoretical knowledge just because I knew some basics. Now I see I was just overconfident."
"Compared to spirit power cultivation, this is an entirely different discipline!"
Lin Jin stood up with a faint smile, nodding in agreement.
"It's like physics," he explained.
"There's theoretical physics and experimental physics. They both fall under the same umbrella, but their directions are completely different—one focuses on practical application, the other on abstract derivation."
"Still," he continued, "the boundaries between them aren't absolute. Theory and practice are closely intertwined."
Right now, the world of spirit masters was stuck in the age of application—with a glaring lack of theory. In terms of theoretical research, the field was practically a blank slate.
And this deficiency severely limited the advancement of spirit masters.
Without a solid theoretical foundation, they could only reach a certain level, unable to break through to higher realms.
In other words—Whoever masters theory… will master the future.
"Since no one has objections," Lin Jin said with finality, "then the decision is made."
[Ding! Congratulations on recruiting two new tutors!]
[Tutor: Shen Yang]
[Age: 27]
[Martial Spirit: Green Scale Tiger]
[Spirit Power: Level 39]
[Management Capability Evaluation: N]
[Teaching Ability Evaluation: SR]
[Combat Ability Evaluation: SR]
[Tutor: Lian Yan]
[Age: 31]
[Martial Spirit: Arrow Grass]
[Spirit Power: Level 23]
[Management Capability Evaluation: N]
[Teaching Ability Evaluation: SR]
[Combat Ability Evaluation: N]
[Theoretical Research Evaluation: SSR]
[Special Skill – Perseverance: The longer he remains focused on an experiment, the more likely he is to discover something valuable.]
Huh?
Lin Jin raised an eyebrow in surprise. Until now, system only revealed basic info—name, martial spirit, and spirit power.
Detailed assessments only became visible after officially onboarding a tutor.
Shen Yang's profile was solid—very respectable stats overall.
But Lian Yan?
Lin Jin was stunned. His theoretical evaluation had reached SSR—a level no one else had come close to.
This man was a prodigy in theoretical research!
Lin Jin's joy was quickly followed by a sigh.
What a pity…Even with a genius like Lian Yan, the current condition of Tianxing Academy didn't allow for advanced experiments.
They lacked resources, materials, even proper facilities.
For now, someone like him could only serve as a theoretical instructor.
But just as quickly, Lin Jin's expression shifted—eyes gleaming with ambition and calm resolve.
Tianxing Academy is still young. But soon… resources, labs, experimental materials—these things will all be within reach.
A bright smile spread across his face.
He turned to the group.
"Esteemed mentors, if any of you have personal matters to settle, you have three days. After that, please report back to the academy and prepare to follow its rules and schedule."