Curse Reply: After choosing Nawa, the cursed spirit cursed me for being cruel.

"So this is your plan. That's good." Gojo Satoru pushed his sunglasses up. "What about the Zenin family? The Gojo family is a matter of a word for me, and the Kamo family has this half-cursed spirit. The Zenin family can't rely on those two little girls you adopted, can they?"

“No need.” Duanmu Yan shook his head. “With two families already standing behind us, Zenji Naoki knows how to choose. He’s a smart man, but those in his family who don’t know what’s good for them will probably have to be purged.”

Wu Tiao Wu didn't ask any more questions, and patted Duanmu Yan on the shoulder: "Okay, I'll go home and talk to my father later. If there are any old fogies in the family who don't know any better, I don't mind taking action and showing them what the new era is all about."

Xia Youjie nodded beside him: "Then I'll stay at the college and wait for your good news."

The three of them smiled at each other and clasped their hands together.

Chapter 137 When New Students Enroll

The three of them clasped their hands together heavily.

Duanmu Yan turned his head and looked at Zhang Xiang, who was standing straight next to him, not knowing where to put his hands: "What are you standing there for? As an important part of the mission, you come over here too."

Zhang Xiang paused for a moment, then stepped forward and placed his hands on top.

The four of them pressed down hard for a year, then released.

Then, Duanmu Yan bid farewell to them, carrying Zhang Xiang with him.

Xia Youjie leaned against a pillar in the corridor, watching Duanmu Yan and Zhang Xiang's backs disappear one after the other around the corner of the mountain path.

After this operation, an idea had been lingering in his mind for a long time.

He was considered a Special Grade alongside Duanmu and Wu, but he knew in his heart that the reason he could stand next to these two people was not because his strength had caught up with them, but because of the Curse Spirit Manipulation Technique itself.

Wu has six eyes, and Duanmu has elemental armor; he doesn't need to become them.

He told himself there was no need to chase after him.

He is just Xia Youjie. His sense of duty is too heavy, and he has carried it for too long. Now he wants to let it go.

"Perhaps, I should start living for myself too."

Duanmu once said in the Panxing Sect that some people cannot be called human. At the time, he thought it was just Duanmu saying something in anger.

Now he understands that this wasn't just an angry outburst, but a philosophy of life.

From now on, his path will only be reserved for those who deserve protection.

He wouldn't waste any more of his magical energy on people like Riko or Haibara, as for those clapping in the Panxing Church.

He walked out of the teaching building. The sun was hanging over the playground, not too strong, but warm, turning the roof of the dormitory building opposite into a light gold.

Haibara waved to him from the playground, calling for his senior to eat, while Nanami shook her head helplessly beside her.

He squinted. "What a beautiful day."

On the other side, the main gate of the Kamo family mansion.

The Kamo family was very closed off, but they dared not refuse the visiting card that Duanmu Yan presented.

A top-level sorcerer personally came to the door, accompanied by a strange man. The elders filed out from behind the screen, each sitting upright, their eyes scanning back and forth over the swollen figure.

An old man asked, "And who is this?"

Without a word, Zhang Xiang raised his right hand, and a stream of blood gushed from his palm, congealing in the air into a rapidly spinning arrow.

Upon hearing the Crimson Blood Technique, several elders gasped simultaneously. They exchanged glances, then all looked at Duanmu Yan.

The Kamo family is in a bad situation right now. The Gojo family has Gojo Satoru, and the Zenin family has Naobito and a bunch of first-class mages.

They only have one level-one family head and two quasi-level-one family heads.

So they warmly welcomed the expansionist.

Duanmu Yan picked up his teacup and took a sip.

"The second step of the plan has been successful."

……

2007 9 Month 1 Day.

The enrollment season for vocational colleges has arrived again.

"I am Riko Tenchi! Please take good care of me from now on!"

After finishing her studies with Yuki Tsukumo, Riko was immediately enrolled in a vocational high school.

She is very enthusiastic and is now a qualified Level 3 Spellcaster, although she is not satisfied with this rating.

“Especially the three of you.” Riko stepped down from the podium, passed through the gap between Nanami and Shoko, and stood directly in front of Duanmu Yan and the other two.

Gojo Satoru sat with his legs wide open on the chair, his sunglasses slipped down to the tip of his nose, and he was about to slide off the back of the chair.

"Oh, you actually came."

Riko pointed at him and said, "Hey, don't underestimate me! I've dealt with a lot of cursed spirits before!"

"Yes, yes, I understand, I understand." Gojo Satoru raised his hands, surrendering without any sincerity.

Xia Youjie leaned closer, nudged Duanmu Yan with his elbow, and whispered, "Duanmu, I have a feeling that if these two get together, they might cause even bigger trouble than we have."

Duanmu Yan shrugged: "What nonsense are you talking about, Jie? Neither of us has ever caused any trouble, have we?"

The two men locked eyes, nodded simultaneously, and said in unison, "It's all Wu's fault."

Gojo Satoru leaped up from his chair, his sunglasses nearly flying off: "Hey! What kind of agreement did you two reach behind my back? I've been behaving myself lately, okay?!"

Riko chimed in from the side, "When have you ever been well-behaved?"

Xia Youjie added insult to injury: "She's right."

Duanmu Yan nodded: "The eyes of the masses are discerning."

Gojo Satoru adjusted his sunglasses, leaned back in his chair, and decided to confront the world with silence.

Riko wasn't the only new student this year. Next to her stood a handsome young man wearing glasses, who had been standing quietly beside Riko since entering the room, with proper posture and his enrollment materials neatly folded in his hands.

"My name is Ichiji Kiyotaka. It's a pleasure to meet you all. I hope you will give me your guidance."

He bowed, looking quite nervous.

Nanami nodded at him, a rare occurrence for her. The new student in front of her seemed more like a recent graduate who had just started working than a sorcerer.

Nanami may have seen something in common with this person, but Ijichi is a bit more active than him, probably somewhere between Nanami and Haibara, just in the middle.

Gojo Satoru glanced at him, then said expressionlessly, "You don't have the talent to become a sorcerer."

Ichiji was stunned.

“Hey, Wu, what’s wrong with you…” Xia Youjie frowned.

“I’m serious,” Gojo Satoru interrupted him, his expression unusually serious.

He pulled his legs out from under the chair, sat up straight, and stared directly at Ijichi with his blue eyes behind his sunglasses.

"Becoming a sorcerer can lead to death. You never know how strong the next cursed spirit you encounter will be, or whether you have the strength to handle it."

"If you're only here because you have a little more magical power than others, and you're just trying it out, then I advise you to give up as soon as possible."

Iji clenched his fists tightly, gritted his teeth, and pressed his lips into a thin line, unable to utter a single word.

He knew Gojo Satoru was right. He had no techniques. His only fighting ability was physical combat, which put him at a disadvantage from the start.

He knows these things better than anyone else.

"That's enough, Satoru. You've gone too far." Xia Youjie pressed down on Gojo Satoru's shoulder.

“Jay, I’m just stating the facts. The survival rate of someone without the necessary spells who forces themselves to become a sorcerer is less than one percent. That’s a fact, and it won’t change easily.” Gojo Satoru shrugged, his tone calm.

"Don't bully me like that, Wu. Even if you only have physical skills, you can still help others, right?" Duanmu Yan stood up, walked to Yidi Zhi's side, and put a hand on his shoulder.

Ijichi lowered her head. "Please don't try to comfort me, senior. I know my talent isn't outstanding..."

"Raise your head, Kiyotaka Ijichi."

Ijichi suddenly looked up: "Yes!"

Chapter 138 Everyone's Tacit Understanding

"Raise your head!"

"Yes!"

Duanmu Yan took his hand off his shoulder.

He thought about what he was going to say next, and a dull ache appeared in a certain part of his chest.

It's been a year since that encounter, but every time I think of that man, my heart still races.

After all, he and that master of physical skills had truly been completely open and honest with each other.

"Perhaps Wu is right. But a person's future is never determined by the present. So what if you don't have a spell? You can use physical techniques in conjunction with spell tools."

He paused, then said, "I know a guy who beat me and Wu with just physical skills."

Ijichi's pupils dilated suddenly, and he said in disbelief, "I almost... I almost defeated the two seniors?!"

"Yes, that's why the ceiling for physical skills is very high. Our college has no shortage of people who are good at physical skills. Not having a technique doesn't mean there's no path, it just means the path is a little narrower than others."

Duanmu Yan took half a step back, making way for Yi Dizhi to stand in front of everyone, saying, "You walk your own path."

Ijichi stood there, took a deep breath, nodded vigorously, and shouted, "Yes, I will do my best!"

Gojo Satoru tilted his head from his chair to watch this scene, pushed his sunglasses up his nose, and said nothing more.

After all, when you think of that person, he's in pain in at least four places all over his body right now.

Xia Youjie breathed a sigh of relief and covered the corner of his mouth with his sleeve.

"Duanmu is still so eloquent... He's truly worthy of his reputation."

……

After the opening ceremony ended, the group quickly parted ways. Gojo Satoru muttered to himself, "That brat of mine is going to the dorm. I'm leaving the rest of the day to you, Duanmu."

Duanmu Yan: "Really, why else would they make me do the work? Didn't I say I was the one who wanted to stay at the school and take a position?"

Even so, you could tell from his expression that he was having a hard time suppressing his laughter.

Riko stood a few meters away from him, her hands behind her back, her fingers twisting together behind her back.