“A Level 3 Courtyard Card… Well, it’s still better than a Level 2 one.”
Yan Zhen let out a sigh. He had hoped to pull some strings with Elder Great-Aunt, but she had just smiled and said, “Good children should rely on their own efforts, not always look for backdoors.” And yet the Yu Family was the academy’s biggest insider connection. Hmph.
Still, the Level 3 Courtyard Card came loaded with a thousand points—enough for him to cultivate in the Firmament Nine-Story Tower for ten days. Elder Great-Aunt wasn’t treating him badly after all.
Higher-level cards held points of greater value. One thousand points on a Level 3 card could be exchanged for two thousand on a Level 2 card, or the equivalent of four thousand on a Level 1 card. Exchanges usually went from lower to higher levels only, not the other way around.
Yan Zhen pocketed the card and stepped out of the small building. Huangfu Wenqing was already waiting for him at the roadside, holding a small dark-green parcel in her hand.
“Good morning, Yan Zhen.”
“Morning. What’s that you’re holding?”
“Some pies. I had them sent over from the dining hall. We can eat them on the way.”
“Sounds good~”
Huangfu Wenqing unwrapped the parcel, revealing over a dozen pies. From the look of them, there were both savory and sweet varieties.
Yan Zhen picked up a sweet one and took a bite. The filling was red bean paste, infused with a faint trace of mystic qi—it certainly wasn’t the ordinary kind.
“The dining hall’s got some solid skills. Nom nom nom~”
Huangfu Wenqing chose one with a meat filling and nibbled at it delicately. Truth be told, she was more accustomed to fasting pills. One could keep her going for three to five days, while a better one might last half a month or even longer. But that wouldn’t let her share a meal like this with Yan Zhen.
Watching him polish off a pie in just two or three bites, his cheeks puffing out round and full like a little hamster’s, she found it utterly adorable. She wanted nothing more than to keep feeding him.
“I’ll learn to cook someday,” she said. “Whatever you want to eat, I’ll make it for you.”
That cooking trait overlapped a bit with Meng’er and Mentor Yu Xuan… But Yan Zhen encouraged her anyway.
“Keep at it. I’ll be waiting to taste your homemade cooking.”
By the time they were halfway to their destination, the pies were gone. Huangfu Wenqing had only eaten one; Yan Zhen had devoured the rest. She had even thoughtfully prepared some high-grade floral tea to wash it down, leaving a lingering fragrance on their lips and tongues.
Full and satisfied, the two of them arrived at the small hill leading to the Firmament Nine-Story Tower. A crowd had already gathered in line, and when they spotted Yan Zhen and Huangfu Wenqing, the onlookers shot them strange looks.
Someone in the crowd shouted, “They’re here!” Suddenly, over a dozen students wearing White Fang badges on their chests—both men and women—emerged and surrounded Yan Zhen and Huangfu Wenqing.
【Ding! Key Plot Activation】
System-chan’s alert chimed in his mind. Yan Zhen quickly locked onto the target for this mission: Fu Cheng, a One-Star Mystic General from White Fang, ranked near the bottom of the General Star List—third from last, apparently promoted right at the start of the semester.
Fu Cheng’s eyes flashed with admiration at the sight of Huangfu Wenqing, but he quickly masked it and spoke in the tone of a big brother laying down the law.
“I heard you two new students cut in front of our White Fang line yesterday?”
Time for some trash talk again… Yan Zhen replied coolly.
“If you’re not as skilled, why not train harder instead of blocking the road and picking fights? Is that all White Fang’s got? No wonder you’re just third-rate.”
The Seven-Star Mystic Master who had gotten beaten yesterday immediately shot back.
“What nonsense are you spouting? White Fang is a top-tier club!”
Fu Cheng raised a hand to silence him and sneered.
“Got a sharp tongue on you, kid. But your strength doesn’t match it. A mere Four-Star Mystic Master like you, daring to critique White Fang?”
Yan Zhen opened his mouth to retort, but a sharp gust of wind whipped up beside him. A flash of cyan sword light followed, and without warning, Fu Cheng went flying backward, crashing into the crowd behind him.
“???”
Not just White Fang’s members and the onlookers—even Yan Zhen was stunned. He turned to see that Huangfu Wenqing had already drawn her sword.
“No need to waste words on trash like this. Just fight.”
—Uh, yeah… I want to, but we have to follow the script.
Yan Zhen realized things were going south. Fu Cheng was his mission target—he couldn’t let Huangfu Wenqing one-shot him.
—And speaking of which, instant-casting another King Xuan Skill? Something’s definitely off with her.
“Big Brother Fu Cheng!”
White Fang’s members rushed over. Fu Cheng crawled up from the crowd, glaring daggers at Huangfu Wenqing as he snarled.
“You damn woman, you dare ambush me?”
Huangfu Wenqing replied coldly.
“You brought a mob to surround us. Were you expecting me to wait for you to strike first? Idiot. That sword was just a warning. Get lost now, or the next one won’t be so gentle.”
“You’re dead!”
Fu Cheng kicked aside a White Fang member in front of him and unleashed his Mystic General cultivation. A layer of wind Mystic power coated his body like armor.
With a flicker of his finger, a silver-white spear appeared in Fu Cheng’s hand. In his rage, he unleashed a General Mystic Technique, condensing his mystic power into a hunting falcon that dove toward Huangfu Wenqing.
As Mystic Generals could perform Mystic Force Condensation, their techniques weren’t just more powerful—they were far more versatile and flexible in application.
Huangfu Wenqing let out a soft humph. She channeled wind Mystic power into her Tier 5 Azure Mist Sword and thrust forward.
“Wind Piercing Thrust!”
Though she struck second, her sword light pierced the falcon’s body with blinding speed and precision, shattering it entirely.
The exchange looked even—at least on the surface.
Fu Cheng’s expression darkened. He couldn’t fathom how a Six-Star Mystic Master like Huangfu Wenqing wielded such prowess. After a moment’s thought, he shifted his gaze to Yan Zhen.
“Kid, is all you do hide behind a woman?”
—Clearly, the Four-Star Mystic Master seemed like easier prey. Time to save face first.
But Yan Zhen’s eyes lit up. He quickly pulled Huangfu Wenqing behind him and said.
“If you want to fight, I’ll humor you. But not here. If we’re fighting, let’s go to the duel arena.”
Fu Cheng burst into laughter, as if he’d heard the joke of the century.
“Hahaha! You think you can challenge me in the duel arena?”
“The bet is all the points in the loser’s card.”
“Fine! You’re on! I don’t even care about your measly points, but as a senior, I should go easy on a junior! Heh.”
“If I may ask… how many points do you have?”
“Three thousand on a Level 4 Courtyard Card!”
Yan Zhen’s eyes lit up like lightbulbs. He fought back a grin and said coolly.
“Let’s go, then. To the duel arena.”
Huangfu Wenqing had no objections and obediently followed behind Yan Zhen.
“Move out!”
Fu Cheng stowed his spear and waved his hand, leading White Fang’s members toward the duel arena.
A bunch of curious students trailed after them.
The new student who took first place in the Special Exam, Yan Zhen, challenging the freshly ranked General Star List expert Fu Cheng? This was going to be a show!
