The four women were still in cultivation, steadying the mystic power from their recent breakthroughs. The dining hall held only Mentor Yu Xuan.
She had changed into a long dress of watery blue, the fabric somewhere between gauze and silk, soft and comfortable in a way that perfectly matched her gentle, water-like demeanor.
Compared to her previous mentor’s robes, it lacked some formality but gained a youthful vibrancy. After all, Mentor Yu Xuan was only twenty-five or twenty-six.
At least in Yan Zhen’s eyes, this outfit looked far better than before. It was a real eye-catcher.
When Yan Zhen entered, Mentor Yu Xuan was setting two steaming bowls of noodles on the table.
“Yan Zhen, you’re back! Come eat some noodles.”
The hot steam carried an intoxicating aroma that set his mouth watering. Yan Zhen sat down beside Mentor Yu Xuan, picked up his chopsticks, and slurped away.
Seeing him enjoy it so much, Mentor Yu Xuan smiled faintly and took small bites of her own.
Yan Zhen polished off his big bowl in just a few gulps, even draining the broth with noisy swallows. He set down his bowl and chopsticks, then let out a contented burp.
Noticing this, Mentor Yu Xuan picked up a piece of dried beast meat from her bowl and held it to his lips.
“Open wide~”
Yan Zhen obediently opened his mouth and accepted the feeding from his mentor-girlfriend. As he chewed, he said, “Mentor, with my current cultivation, staying in the Outer Academy doesn’t seem all that beneficial anymore. Could you apply for the Special Exam for me, so I can enter the Inner Academy sooner?”
Mentor Yu Xuan glanced at him in mild surprise. In her previous life, she had been the one to suggest it. How did a new student like Yan Zhen know the academy’s rules so well?
“It’s possible, but it won’t be that simple.”
“Why not?”
“The Special Exam for the Inner Academy is overseen by the Inner Academy Vice Dean, who’s mortal enemies with my eldest aunt. Once she knows you’re my disciple, she definitely won’t approve your application easily.”
“Is there no other way?”
“Unfortunately, no. The Inner Academy’s selection process is extremely strict. Aside from the annual Dragon Gate Grand Selection, the Special Exam is the only path to promotion.”
Yan Zhen thought for a moment and said, “What if I publicly defeat someone on the General Star List?”
The General Star List ranked the Inner Academy’s elite disciples—only Mystic Generals made the cut. Every name on it belonged to a heaven’s proud son who had advanced to that realm before turning thirty. They were formidable.
Mentor Yu Xuan pondered this. “If you could, it would indeed be grounds for an exception. But no one would fight you. There’s no upside to winning and everything to lose if they do.”
She had a point.
Did that mean he’d have to follow the script and let the paperwork drag on for a month?
But his future wife was urging him on, though he had no idea why.
As Yan Zhen fretted, Mentor Yu Xuan continued, “Don’t worry, Yan Zhen. I’ll have my family step in to make sure you get into the Inner Academy early.”
Yan Zhen blinked. “No issues with that?”
“Of course not. My family has massive influence in the academy. If we really push for your entry, even the Inner Academy Vice Dean wouldn’t dare block it—the key is convincing them to step in.”
“Just tell them I’m already the Yu Family’s live-in son-in-law. Helping me is helping their own. Heh~”
“Dream on.” Mentor Yu Xuan picked up another piece of meat and fed it to him. “We should focus on your own potential to persuade them. In other words, you need to show some results.”
“How?” Yan Zhen chewed the meat in his mouth and swallowed. “The Outer Academy’s level is nothing special. Beating them wouldn’t be anything to brag about.”
“Listen to you. The Outer Academy has its own New Star List, open only to Mystic Masters. Once classes start and your grades go public, you’ll make the list. Then you can legitimately challenge the others on it, prove your strength, and impress everyone—including Little Aunt and Aunt. Naturally, they’ll step up to get you into the Inner Academy early.”
Hmm… Yan Zhen mulled it over.
In the script, he’d attended a few classes before holing up in the cultivation chamber, skipping duels entirely. He only got involved briefly when tensions flared between the East Academy District and West Academy District, keeping a low profile for over a month in the Outer Academy.
It wasn’t until the Inner Academy that he started shining, gradually building his reputation and earning praise from mentors and elders there.
No more playing it low-key. As the protagonist, it was time to shine bright.
Yan Zhen resolved to tweak the script himself.
—System-chan, what do you think?
【Ding! The System approves of the Host’s idea. The Host can give it a try.】
—Yoshi! Time to show my true skills!
But first, he had to deal with Mentor Yu Xuan’s pursuer.
Just as the script described, after finishing their noodles, the two planned to head out and explore, get a feel for the place. They had barely stepped outside when they ran into him.
Bai Yue hailed from a fallen baron’s house in the Black Horn Empire. He was in the same cohort as Mentor Yu Xuan and not yet thirty, but he’d already reached the One-Star Mystic General Realm. Fresh from Inner Academy graduation, he was now an Apprentice Mentor in the Outer Academy.
From Outer to Inner Academy, he’d pursued Mentor Yu Xuan relentlessly, undeterred even by outright rejection. He had a pathetic suitor vibe, but his own excellence made him stand out among the crowd. He’d even made the shortlist as a potential live-in son-in-law for the Yu Family.
Upon hearing of Mentor Yu Xuan’s return, Bai Yue rushed over, dressed to kill, bouquet in hand. A subtle smile played on his lips, giving off white knight vibes that drew admiring glances from female students.
But Yan Zhen and Mentor Yu Xuan knew better. This guy wasn’t some prince on a white horse—he was an upstart from rags, calculating every move.
He chased Mentor Yu Xuan partly out of genuine affection, but mostly to marry into the Yu Family and rewrite his fate.
Jealous to his core, in the script, he’d taken umbrage at Yan Zhen and Mentor Yu Xuan’s perfectly normal mentor-disciple closeness. He’d tripped Yan Zhen up repeatedly, even stirring conflict between the East and West Academy Districts to force the cultivation-focused Yan Zhen into the open, hoping to embarrass him. Instead, it only boosted Yan Zhen’s fame.
Yan Zhen recalled how, in the script, after failing to win Mentor Yu Xuan, Bai Yue defected to the Yu Family’s rivals, causing endless trouble. Undeterred, he showed up shamelessly at the Yu Family’s groom selection, still angling for a climb. In his duel with Yan Zhen, knowing he couldn’t win fair, he played dirty—only for Yan Zhen to crush back, shattering his Dantian and leaving him a cripple.
Even from the text alone, Yan Zhen could tell the guy had issues, pathologically possessive, as if liking her first made her his and no one else could touch her.
Now that Yan Zhen and Mentor Yu Xuan were lovers, he wouldn’t tolerate Bai Yue clinging to her like in the script.
