Another peaceful day slipped by. Today marked the arrival of the Holy Land Academy’s shuttle airship. Yan Zhen packed his belongings into his storage ring, gave the room he’d called home for over half a year one final glance, and shut the door behind him.
He wouldn’t return here until the two-year battle pact was fulfilled. The thought stirred an unexpected pang of reluctance in his chest.
Sigh.
“…”
Mentor Yu Xuan was already waiting for him at the gate.
The issue was that the other four girls were there as well, buzzing with excitement—more eager than Yan Zhen himself.
“Cousin, come on~”
“Little Brother Yan Zhen, stop dawdling! The Holy Land Academy’s shuttle airship will be here any minute.”
Yan Zhen let out a sigh. He’d already learned the plan: all four girls from the residence were tagging along to the Holy Land Academy, and to slip them past scrutiny, he needed to help stage an elaborate performance.
“Coming, coming.”
He hurried over to join them, and together they made their way to Mystic Academy.
En route, a colossal black airship burst through the clouds and descended slowly into the academy grounds.
That was the Holy Land Academy’s Envoy, dedicated to collecting graduates from Mystic Academies across the eastern Jialan Continent.
They picked up the pace and reached the landing square.
A crowd had already gathered, the square teeming with onlookers.
Vacation or not, plenty of students had shown up just to catch a glimpse of the Holy Land Academy’s shuttle airship.
Spotting Yan Zhen and his group, the crowd parted like the sea, clearing a path for them.
At the square’s center, the airship sprawled like a massive beast, radiating overwhelming presence.
Two staircases extended from the deck’s edges, flanked by recruitment mentors. Nearly a hundred graduates queued neatly to board.
An uncanny silence hung in the air.
Mentor Yu Xuan led Yan Zhen and the four girls forward, offering a greeting:
“Mentor Yin, Mentor Du, it’s been a while.”
The two recruitment mentors from the Holy Land Academy straightened at the sight of her, clasping their fists in respect.
“Greetings, Miss Yu Xuan.”
The surrounding students and mentors gaped in shock, whispering among themselves about Mentor Yu Xuan’s astonishing background.
The vice dean nodded in sudden understanding. No wonder the dean treated her like a little ancestor—her origins weren’t merely impressive; they loomed like a mountain. Thank goodness he’d apologized promptly back then.
Oblivious to the stares, Mentor Yu Xuan smiled warmly:
“The family trials are over, and I’m heading back to the academy. Mind giving me a lift?”
Mentor Du, the other woman among them, demurred:
“We wouldn’t dare. The academy head already gave orders. We’ve reserved a private cabin for you aboard, Miss Yu Xuan. Right this way.”
Mentor Yu Xuan smiled softly:
“Let the kids go first. I’m not in a hurry.”
“Then please wait just a moment, Miss Yu Xuan,” Mentor Yin replied. Mentor Yin’s gaze shifted to the four girls trailing behind, admiration flickering in those eyes. “Might these be the students you’ve brought along, Miss Yu Xuan?”
“Exactly. They’re all qualified graduates, but they advanced late and missed the ceremony, so they’re not on the official list. Could you make an exception? We’d hate to squander a full year of their prime cultivation window.”
“All four?”
The two recruitment mentors scrutinized the girls, probing their cultivation levels.
Four Nine-Star Mystic Practitioners.
Well, now…
“Five,” Mentor Yu Xuan corrected, reaching out with a delicate hand to tug Yan Zhen—who’d been lurking behind the girls, trying to fade into obscurity—to her side. “This includes him. He’s my proudest student.”
A male student? The recruiters exchanged surprised glances but held their tongues. Their keen senses swept over Yan Zhen as well, yet they detected nothing.
Surprise deepened into astonishment. Either this youth outstripped them in realm, or he’d mastered the Breath Concealment Technique.
As Two-Star Mystic Generals, they dismissed the first possibility outright. But the second… why would someone so young waste effort on that?
Unless… he wasn’t even a Nine-Star Mystic Practitioner and was using it to conceal weak cultivation for a sneaky boarding.
What a headache.
One or two imposters was one thing, but five?
Clearly, Mentor Yu Xuan was desperate to return and had fabricated tales of prodigy students to fake her trial completion.
If it was just one fake, fine—but five? Why?
Had bonds formed during their time together, prompting her to drag them all to the Holy Land Academy for more “teacher-student bonding”?
If the academy head caught wind, both recruiters would face a scolding!
“Miss Yu Xuan, five seems excessive, doesn’t it? One or two at most?”
“Yes, that’s a tough number to bend.”
Mentor Yu Xuan tittered behind her hand:
“You’ve got it wrong. Every one of these kids meets the graduation criteria; they simply hid their power to avoid attention. Yan Zhen.”
Yan Zhen blinked innocently, then—as planned—deliberately unveiled his cultivation, complete with flashy mystic power effects.
Two-Star Mystic Master!
His mystic power surged with density and gravity, laced with oppressive might that sent shivers through onlookers’ hearts.
The recruiters were thoroughly duped. They’d served the eastern region for years without ever witnessing a Mystic Master among recruits—only legends of such.
The top ten on the Holy Land Academy’s General Star List were precisely that caliber.
And if the “weakest” was a Mystic Master… the other four…
They shuddered to contemplate it.
No wonder the concealment. Demon Domain agents learning of such geniuses crowding one vessel could derail the entire pickup.
“Worth of Miss Yu Xuan indeed, mentoring such standouts. By all means, board.”
The scheme’s architect, Miss Yan Meng’er, chimed in cheekily:
“Thanks, mentors! Here’s to you two tying the knot soon—bliss every day~”
Mi Xue’er, her worries eased, joined the fun:
“You got this! Ignore the sidelong glances~”
The two recruitment mentors flushed crimson, embarrassment washing over them. How did these girls know about their secret romance?! Had they slipped up? Impossible—they always kept at least three meters apart in public!
Mentor Yu Xuan arched a delicate brow in confusion. How had those two uncovered Mentor Yin and Mentor Du’s clandestine relationship? Something felt off, like she’d missed a clue.
The six boarded without issue.
Mentor Yu Xuan claimed the grandest suite. The four girls, to their surprise, crammed into the adjacent room, with Yan Zhen bunked right next door.
“These beds are tiny—four of us will be sardines,” Mi Xue’er griped. “And with all the stops between here and the Holy Land Academy, it’ll drag on three or five days at least!”
Xiao Xinyan shrugged faintly:
“No helping it. No spare rooms.”
Yan Meng’er twirled her eyes thoughtfully, cleared her throat, and proposed:
“Here’s an idea: Xue’er Sis and Xinyan Sis take this cabin. Cousin crashes with Mentor Yu Xuan, and I’ll bunk with Cousin Yan Zhen. Sound good?”
