Chapter 22: Teacher, I Want to Improve

Outside the door.

A gentle young girl with dark red hair stood timidly. When she saw Zhou Sheng'an open the door, she shrank back half a step like a startled rabbit, biting her lower lip as she looked at him.

"You are... Jiang Zhu?" Zhou Sheng'an had memorized the names of all the students at Blue Tyrant Academy.

Hearing that he recognized her, Jiang Zhu's face lit up with joy, and she blurted out, "Teacher, I want to improve!"

"Hmm?" Zhou Sheng'an was momentarily stunned. Wait, what? In the middle of the night? Isn't this a bit out of place?

Jiang Zhu pointed inside the room and looked at him cautiously, her voice soft and delicate. "Teacher, may I come in?"

Zhou Sheng'an stepped aside. "Come in."

As the girl passed by, a faint fragrance wafted through the air. Zhou Sheng'an raised an eyebrow slightly, watching her slender figure. At sixteen, she already had the curves where they should be.

And in the world of Douluo, it wasn't uncommon for people to experience relationships as early as eleven or twelve.

A young girl visiting so late at night—it was hard for Zhou Sheng'an not to be suspicious of her intentions.

Pouring her a cup of tea, he gestured for her to sit across from him.

"You said you want to improve. What do you mean by that?" he asked curiously.

Now that she was actually facing him, Jiang Zhu's delicate face turned red.

She lowered her head, staring at the floor as she spoke hesitantly, "Teacher, your teaching is amazing. I admire you... I want to become your disciple and learn from you..."

She fidgeted with the hem of her dress, her eyes flickering with emotion.

Listening to Zhou Sheng'an's lectures had made her realize that he was a rare genius.

If she could study under such a master, her achievements would undoubtedly surpass what she could attain on her own.

If she missed this opportunity, given her background, she might never get a better one.

Watching the nervous young girl, Zhou Sheng'an scratched his cheek, a trace of embarrassment flashing in his eyes.

So he had misunderstood her.

She wasn't here to offer herself—she genuinely wanted to improve!

After a moment of contemplation, Zhou Sheng'an shook his head. "I have no plans to take on disciples. However, I will be staying at Blue Tyrant Academy for quite some time, and I will do my best to teach all of you."

Jiang Zhu's body trembled at his words, her face showing disappointment.

Without becoming his disciple, how could she receive his full guidance?

There were hundreds of students at Blue Tyrant Academy. The amount of attention she would get would be minimal.

"Teacher Zhou, I... I don't have any powerful background, but I will work hard to learn from you. I'm currently a Level 29 Grand Soul Master. My martial soul is a Healing Staff, and my innate soul power was—"

Jiang Zhu stood up anxiously, her voice trembling.

But Zhou Sheng'an still shook his head. The teacher-student bond wasn't something he could promise lightly.

"Don't worry. My guidance will be more than enough to support your future cultivation..." He had another reason for being here, one he didn't mention—he needed data from these students.

"Teacher Zhou, I..."

Jiang Zhu looked even more panicked, her pupils trembling. She couldn't afford to miss this chance!

Biting her lip, she suddenly reached for the string at the collar of her dress and pulled it loose. The fabric slipped apart, revealing her fair, delicate skin. The cool night air made her body shiver, a soft pink flush rising on her exposed skin.

"!!!"

Zhou Sheng'an was startled and quickly turned his head away.

"Put your clothes back on! What are you doing?!"

"Teacher Zhou, I admire you. Your talent and knowledge are my guiding light. Please give me a chance—I'm willing to do anything, even... even be your lover..."

Jiang Zhu's voice was barely above a whisper, tears streaming down her face.

Zhou Sheng'an was speechless. He immediately grabbed a cloak from the sofa and tossed it over her, covering her exposed skin.

So she didn't just want to improve—she wanted to get closer to her teacher!

The fact that his lectures had impressed her so much that she was willing to go this far at least proved his teaching quality.

"Put it on! I'll say this one last time—I will plan a proper cultivation path for all of you. But if you keep pushing this, I'll have Dean Liu expel you."

His voice was cold.

Jiang Zhu's face turned pale. She hurriedly pulled her clothes back on, her hands trembling. "I'm sorry, Teacher Zhou... I just really, really want to learn from you. Studying under you is my greatest dream..."

"I shouldn't have done that. Please forgive me..."

In her desperation, she knelt down, trembling.

Zhou Sheng'an rubbed his temples, sighing. "Get up. I won't hold this against you."

His tone was calm—he didn't blame the girl for tempting him into making a mistake. He himself had come from a commoner background, so he understood how difficult the path was for ordinary soul masters.

Look at those from Shrek Academy—Soul Emperors and Soul Sages, yet they struggled because they refused to sell themselves.

For a beauty like Jiang Zhu, rising to prominence in this world would be even harder.

Perhaps, offering herself to him seemed like the best option.

Back then, hadn't many noblewomen tried to seduce him the same way?

Zhou Sheng'an patted her shoulder, speaking sincerely. "Jiang Zhu, don't overthink it. Just stay in the academy and train well. I'll personally tailor a cultivation plan for you. That was already part of my plan."

"Thank you... Thank you, Teacher Zhou..." Jiang Zhu sobbed softly, her shoulders shaking.

Hearing his reassuring words, her emotions gradually settled, and her gaze toward him became even more filled with admiration.

Teacher Zhou had resisted her temptation.

She had already admired him before, but now, he had completely won her heart.

Her body remained untouched, but her heart was already deeply attached to him.

"Knock, knock, knock..."

At that moment, a knock sounded at the door.

Zhou Sheng'an turned to Jiang Zhu. "Did you bring someone else?"

Jiang Zhu's face turned pale. "No, Teacher Zhou... Did I cause you trouble?"

"You didn't." He shook his head.

Given how much his lecture had inspired the students, it was inevitable that some would come looking for him—even if a late-night visit wasn't entirely appropriate.

Zhou Sheng'an opened the door. Outside stood Liu Erlong and Yin Shu.

"Teacher Zhou, there's a group of students gathered outside your room. They all admire you and want to be your disciples. Your lecture today was a huge success—I had to come see you again. And, I have a small request..."

Liu Erlong smiled slightly as she explained.

Yin Shu, standing behind her, stepped forward and added, "It's only natural for the students to admire Teacher Zhou's brilliance. Hmm? Someone's already been here?"

Zhou Sheng'an froze. Jiang Zhu was still in the room!

He turned back—only to find that Jiang Zhu was nowhere to be seen.

She had hidden herself?

Wasn't that just making things look worse?

Nothing had happened, but now it seemed like something had!

"What's wrong, Teacher Zhou?" Liu Erlong asked curiously, taking a seat as if she owned the place.

Zhou Sheng'an shook his head slightly. "It's nothing. Please, have a seat."