Guyue's Suspicions

"This is your new classmate."

Wu Zhangkong's words were already as concise as could be. He said only that, then fell silent.

But with that one sentence, Lin Xiuran understood. Wu Zhangkong intended for him to join Zero Class.

Zero Class was established with Eastsea Academy pouring all its resources into it; ordinary people simply could not enter. But since Wu Zhangkong had brought him here, it meant he had already informed the academy and Ye Yingluo. With that, Lin Xiuran was relieved.

Besides, it would let him get close to Guyue. That could be considered fulfilling his promise to Gu Yuena.

There was no formal introduction. Lin Xiuran was directly assigned a seat. Zero Class had originally had five sets of desks and chairs, but two people had left, leaving just enough empty space.

Lin Xiuran sat in the far-left seat. Guyue was next to him, followed by Tang Wulin and Xie Xie.

"The final exams will be tomorrow."

Wu Zhangkong said nothing more. Leaving behind only those words, he departed the room again.

Xie Xie's expression was somewhat strange. "Teacher Wu hasn't been at the academy for several days, and now that he's back, we suddenly have exams?"

Tang Wulin smiled. "That's just Teacher Wu's style. Don't overthink it. Teacher Wu's arrangements always have a reason."

"That's true." As a student, Xie Xie naturally approved of Wu Zhangkong's teaching methods. After all, the special training in Zero Class had greatly improved him over this period.

"Hey, new guy, what's your name? How did you suddenly end up in our class?" Xie Xie looked at Lin Xiuran with a curious expression.

For a transfer student to be placed directly into Zero Class, he clearly had to be someone special. Otherwise, there was no way he could have gotten in.

Lin Xiuran looked at Xie Xie and nodded faintly. "Lin Xiuran. Teacher Wu recruited me."

"Oh, then what's your Martial Soul?"

"Wind Bird."

After some thought, Lin Xiuran only revealed that Martial Soul. Phoenix was far too conspicuous, and even if he said it now, no one would likely believe him.

Like an endlessly curious child, Xie Xie kept asking Lin Xiuran one question after another.

Meanwhile, Guyue was also studying the boy before her. This was not the first time she had seen him, but for some reason, she felt an extremely familiar aura coming from him this time.

She had clearly not sensed that aura before, yet now she could unmistakably feel it.

It made it impossible for her to feel any dislike toward the person before her. Instead, she felt remarkably close to him.

Even she was startled by that feeling. There were far too few auras that could make her feel close to someone. Other than the Dragon God, there was only the Golden Dragon King.

They did not talk for long. Xie Xie still knew where to draw the line, after all. This was his first time meeting Lin Xiuran, so he felt somewhat embarrassed to keep chatting like that. After asking a few basic questions, he warmly offered to take Lin Xiuran to the dormitory.

That was indeed necessary. Since he had joined Zero Class, his dormitory naturally had to change as well. Zero Class had separate dormitories, distinct from those of ordinary students.

Zero Class's dormitories were exceptionally good. Each room had only one bed, clearly making it a private room. Daily necessities were all provided, and there was even a private bathroom.

This room was the same as the dormitories where ordinary teachers lived. Clearly, Zero Class members received treatment nearly equal to that of teachers.

It completely outclassed the four-person room he had lived in before. It was far better than that storage room at the Xu Family.

Over the course of the afternoon, Lin Xiuran moved all his belongings from his old dormitory here. He also went to see Ye Yingluo, who naturally encouraged him to study hard and the like.

After finishing the basic cleanup of his dormitory, Lin Xiuran had originally planned to rest for a while before entering meditation. But at that moment, a voice rang out in his mind.

"You've met her?"

The cool voice made Lin Xiuran pause slightly before he realized who it was and replied inwardly, "I have."

"When did you wake up? Weren't you asleep?"

He did not receive an immediate response. Instead, he heard a yawn tinged with laziness before her voice sounded again.

"You were by her side. Her aura replenished me, so I woke up."

Lin Xiuran nodded before continuing, "Then what else do you need me to do?"

"Nothing. Just maintain your current state..."

After seeming to ponder for a moment, she continued, "Next, I will help you master elemental power. Although you possess these two elements, your control over them is far too poor."

Lin Xiuran did not immediately agree. Instead, he asked, "Logically speaking, someone like you shouldn't be this concerned about me. Why is that?"

Gu Yuena in the Sea of Consciousness was slightly stunned before she said, "You don't need to understand that yet. You only need to know that I am helping you now, and your strength is closely tied to my survival. It is only natural for me to help you."

After a pause, she added, "If you insist on getting an answer, then I can only tell you that you will need to help me with something in the future. When the time comes, you will naturally understand."

Lin Xiuran did not continue asking. After all, the current arrangement was indeed quite good. Having guidance from an existence once at the level of a first-class god would bring him enormous benefits.

Even if he was to be used as a chess piece, that would be a matter for the future. At the very least, she could help him now.

That night, Gu Yuena began teaching Lin Xiuran within the Sea of Consciousness.

Her instruction regarding elemental attributes was extremely detailed and earnest. Lin Xiuran listened attentively as well, and the session was quite fulfilling.

In the neighboring room, the window was open, and the cool night breeze kept blowing in. A girl leaned beside it—Guyue.

Her hair drifted in the night breeze, while her eyes gradually changed. They were no longer their original black, but radiated a faint purple glow.

Today, she was no longer concerned with Tang Wulin. Instead, she gazed through the window toward the balcony of the neighboring room.

That feeling from earlier today remained vivid in her mind, and her intense curiosity toward Lin Xiuran made it difficult for her to sleep.

"What exactly do you have?"

She narrowed her eyes and quietly pondered for a while. Then she gently extended her hand and spread open her palm. Clusters of light sprang forth. Blue was water, yellow was earth, red was fire, green was wind, silver was space, and gold was light. Then, a streak of deep-purple radiance leaped up last before vanishing in a flash.

She sensed her own elemental powers, then recalled the aura on Lin Xiuran's body. Gradually, she felt that they matched remarkably well.

But in the end, she still shook her head, lightly pressing a hand to her forehead as hesitation filled her eyes. "How could that be possible?"

It won't follow the plot too closely; there will only be some transitional content.