Yan Zhen had a dream again.
It wasn’t Meng’er’s dream, but his original one.
In the dream, he was climbing a snow-capped mountain once more. After successfully reaching the summit, he admired the cherry blossoms falling amid the snow and drank from the Holy Spring sealed atop the cherry tree.
The Holy Spring soothed the unease in his heart and provided the energy his body needed, allowing him to wake from the dream.
As always, he awoke on the bed in his room, with an ordinary pillow beneath his head rather than the beautiful master’s supreme lap pillow.
Yan Zhen sat up, yawning as he stretched lazily. Suddenly, he noticed something off about his breath.
It carried a fragrance.
A milky scent mingled with the faint aroma of a hundred herbs, along with a subtle sweetness.
He suddenly remembered the beautiful master’s comforting touch from the night before and vaguely understood what had happened. He also recalled what Good Big Sister had said about his XP System being “like a child who won’t grow up.” His face instantly flushed red.
Why had the beautiful master…? Had he acted too spoiled last night? It felt so embarrassing!
Yan Zhen shook his head to clear away the jumbled thoughts. Then he summoned the System Interface and claimed the reward for killing Lan Ke.
【Special Trump Card: I Can Counter-Kill: Can only be activated when the host is at a disadvantage. Upon activation, it reveals the opponent’s flaws, allowing for a counter-kill.】
“Subtly useful.”
Yan Zhen casually stored the card away, only to discover there was actually another one.
【Special Trump Card: I Can Counter-Kill (Illusion): Upon activation, it causes the disadvantaged target to experience the illusion that ‘I Can Counter-Kill.’】
“…No wonder it came in a pair.”
After composing himself, Yan Zhen washed up and changed into his academy uniform before stepping out of the room.
He had taken out Lan Ke last night, so today he would have to face the Silver Moon City Lord’s fury.
He still had his Trump Card (First Order) unused, so he wasn’t too panicked. He was just a bit worried about Mentor Yu Xuan.
In the script, with the dean away, Mentor Yu Xuan had tried to stop the enraged Silver Moon City Lord. She forcibly elevated her cultivation realm using a secret art and fought him in a fierce battle, sustaining serious injuries that left Yan Zhen wracked with guilt.
When he reached the dining hall, he found the four girls sitting there neatly. As he approached, their eyes lit up with anticipation, as if they were waiting for gifts.
“Where’s Mentor Yu Xuan?”
“She went to the academy.”
“So early…?”
“Cousin~”
Yan Meng’er fidgeted shyly, rubbing her small hands together as her big, watery eyes blinked at him.
Yan Zhen cleared his throat and promptly produced the small gifts he had prepared.
Four Message Stones.
Unlike Communication Stones, which allowed real-time conversations, Message Stones could only transmit a single message with some delay.
These were commonplace at Holy Land Academy but rare treasures in the Garo Kingdom, unavailable for normal purchase. He had “acquired” them at last night’s auction.
The set contained seven in total. By infusing them with their individual true qi and recording their unique fluctuations, they could message one another.
One for each of the four girls, one for Mentor Yu Xuan, one kept for himself, and the last one taken by Good Big Sister.
Excluding Good Big Sister, it was like creating a little group chat for their shared living quarters.
“Now everyone can chat anytime, anywhere.”
The girls’ eyes sparkled, especially Yan Meng’er’s and Mi Xue’er’s.
Message Stones had been the first Mystic artifacts they exchanged for with academy credits after arriving at Holy Land Academy. They had set up a small sisters’ group that proved handy during field training and a fun way to pass the time when bored.
With Yan Zhen about to leave for a while, this would let them chat with him occasionally.
All four happily accepted their stones.
Next, Yan Zhen produced four Crystal Cards and settled his debts to each of them.
Finally, he no longer had to pretend to be poor!
After all, he had saved the Golden Jade Chamber of Commerce’s Chief Manager. It was only natural for him to come into some money, right?
After breakfast, the group headed out to school. Upon arriving at Mystic Academy, they split into three groups.
Yan Meng’er headed to the Intermediate Class, while Yan Ruyu, Mi Xue’er, and Xiao Xinyan went to the Advanced Class. Yan Zhen made his way to Mentor Yu Xuan’s office to find her.
The office was empty, save for a note on the desk directing him to the Dean’s Office.
So Yan Zhen hurried there. Sure enough, the dean was absent. Mentor Yu Xuan was rummaging through a wall cabinet, while the vice dean stood rigidly nearby, drenched in cold sweat.
“What are you looking for, Mentor?”
Just then, Mentor Yu Xuan pulled an octagonal disk from the cabinet—something like a compass.
“What’s that?”
“The Array Disk for the Academy Grand Array,” Mentor Yu Xuan replied calmly. “With this, we can activate the academy’s grand array and block the City Guard Army.”
Yan Zhen was stunned, then realized she must have sensed what he had done the night before and prepared accordingly.
“You already know everything, Mentor?”
“Lan Ke struck first, didn’t he?”
“Yes. He brought men to surround and kill me. I counter-killed him and recorded evidence with the Image-Sound Box.”
“Hand it over.”
“Ah? Oh.”
The vice dean’s cold sweat poured even harder. What had they just said? Block the City Guard Army? Killed Lan Ke? What the hell had happened?
At that moment, a terrifying aura streaked through the sky from afar, coming to a halt above Mystic Academy. It perched atop the academy gate’s pillar, accompanied by a thunderous roar of rage:
“Yan Zhen of Martial Tang City! Get out here right now and pay for my son’s life!”
Mentor Yu Xuan’s expression shifted slightly.
“Stay put here for the time being. Don’t go anywhere—Vice Dean, keep an eye on him.”
With that, she gripped the Array Disk and strode out. Yan Zhen moved to follow but was blocked by the vice dean.
“Student Yan Zhen, Mentor Yu Xuan told you to stay. Please don’t make things difficult for this old man.”
“I’m not staying!”
Yan Zhen shoved the vice dean aside and hurried after Mentor Yu Xuan.
The vice dean stood there dumbfounded. Where was his dignity?
The Silver Moon City Lord had arrived in a fury, and he hadn’t come alone. He had brought the City Guard Army with him, their ranks sealing off the academy gates in layers.
The arrival startled every student and mentor in Mystic Academy.
Though most couldn’t identify the voice as the Silver Moon City Lord’s, the overwhelming aura and the weight of those words left them all shocked and baffled.
“What’s going on?” came the chorus from the crowd.
Soon, someone recognized it. That was the City Lord himself!
The City Lord had only one son…
Lan Ke!
—Holy shit! Yan Zhen killed Lan Ke?
Everyone who heard the news was left gaping in disbelief.
By the time Mentor Yu Xuan reached the academy gates, a crowd of students and mentors had already gathered. She vaulted over them to the front, confronting the Silver Moon City Lord from afar.
“Isn’t it going too far for City Lord to bring troops and surround Mystic Academy like this?”
The Silver Moon City Lord replied coldly:
“Mentor Yu Xuan, Yan Zhen murdered my son Lan Ke—a heinous crime! Have him come out and surrender at once. Once he’s captured, this City Lord will withdraw his forces. Or does Mentor Yu Xuan intend to shield her own disciple?”
Mentor Yu Xuan’s face remained impassive.
“City Lord, I’ve already looked into the full story. Lan Ke brought his death upon himself. Jealous of Yan Zhen’s accomplishments and coveting his treasures, he led men to assassinate him. That’s why Yan Zhen killed him in turn.”
Naturally, the Silver Moon City Lord refused to admit it:
“My son is dead. How can we trust Yan Zhen’s one-sided account?”
Mentor Yu Xuan held up the Image-Sound Box.
“There’s evidence right here in this Image-Sound Box.”
