However, Instructor Ruo Lin's happiness didn't last long. Xiao Tian promptly doused it with a bucket of cold water.
"Instructor Ruo Lin, I'm afraid I can't go with you to register at Jia Nan Academy." Xiao Tian shrugged and smiled faintly.
At his words, the smile on Instructor Ruo Lin's face froze. Her beautiful eyes flickered with undisguised disappointment as she asked,
"Why?"
If Xiao Tian couldn't accompany her to Jia Nan Academy, it would be a tremendous loss both for her and for the academy.
Xiao Tian had no choice but to explain again, politely declining on the grounds that he had something important to take care of.
Seeing how firmly Xiao Tian refused to go to Jia Nan Academy, the disappointment on Instructor Ruo Lin's face deepened.
A moment later, however, she bit her soft lips and suddenly said,
"Xiao Tian, how about this? With my authority, I can get you a leave of up to a year. You must report to Jia Nan Academy within a year at the latest. What do you say?"
After speaking, Instructor Ruo Lin fixed her beautiful eyes on Xiao Tian, her gentle, lovely face full of pleading.
Even Xiao Yu, Xun'er, and the others looked at him imploringly, hoping he would agree to Instructor Ruo Lin's request.
Seeing this, Xiao Tian could only nod and reluctantly agree. A year would be more than enough time for him.
"Then it's settled. I'll take care of the academy's paperwork for you. You'll still be my student during this year, and I'll be waiting for you to return and report to the academy!" Seeing that Xiao Tian had finally agreed, Instructor Ruo Lin immediately breathed a sigh of relief. A gratified smile appeared on her pretty face.
"Instructor Ruo Lin, once you've finished recruiting, why don't you stay with us at the Xiao Family for a few days?" Xiao Yu said with a sweet smile, taking Instructor Ruo Lin by the arm.
"Um... wouldn't that be inconvenient? Jia Nan Academy has arranged a place for us to stay in Wutan City during recruitment." Instructor Ruo Lin furrowed her delicate brows, hesitating.
"Oh, there's no problem at all! Come with me. Besides, don't you want to learn more about this monstrous student of yours, who's taking a year off?" Xiao Yu pouted and wheedled.
Instructor Ruo Lin couldn't resist Xiao Yu, so she agreed. Besides, she really did want to learn more about Xiao Tian.
Time slipped by. The next morning, a ray of sunlight streamed through the window and fell across Xiao Tian's sharply defined profile, slowly rousing him.
"It's time to leave." Muttering to himself, Xiao Tian got up and walked out of the room.
As soon as he stepped outside, he saw Instructor Ruo Lin and Xiao Yu standing there, chatting and laughing. When they saw him, both women brightened and waved at him with smiles.
Xiao Tian walked over and smiled. "Good morning, Instructor Ruo Lin. I have to leave."
With that, he smiled and turned to go.
"You bastard, remember to come back and see me!"
Just as he turned around, Xiao Yu suddenly hugged him from behind, wrapped her arms around his waist, and pressed her head against his back as she chided him softly.
At her words, Xiao Tian couldn't help shivering. He could only smile wryly.
"Let go already. I really have to go. Say goodbye to Xun'er for me." Xiao Tian smiled helplessly, then gently pried Xiao Yu's pale arms apart and hurried away.
"Hey, you bastard! Take good care of yourself out there!" Xiao Yu stomped her feet angrily as she watched Xiao Tian's figure gradually disappear, tears welling in her eyes.
She had finally managed to come back for once, but Xiao Tian was leaving. She had no idea when they would see each other again.
The night sky was pitch-black and strewn with stars. The bright moon hung overhead, spilling a hazy silver glow over the night and making all of Qingshan Town seem cloaked in holiness.
Xiao Tian sat on the grass, gazing up at the starry sky with an easygoing expression.
He planned to travel from Qingshan Town through the eastern part of the Monster Beast Mountain Range, then head to the Tagor Desert. It was the most suitable route.
The night passed quietly.
Early the next morning, just as the sky began to brighten, Xiao Tian heard a burst of excited exclamations nearby.
"Wow, look, look! It's Xiao Yi Xian!"
"Ah, she's gorgeous—more beautiful than a fairy in a dream! That skin, that slender waist... tsk, tsk!"
"Now that's what you call a beauty who could topple a city. She puts the moon to shame and makes flowers blush!"
"Can you idiots stop shouting? Are you trying to get yourselves killed? Most of the mercenaries in Qingshan Town have been treated by Xiao Yi Xian. If they hear you, they'll beat you to death."
"Uh..."
Beside a small road, passersby chattered excitedly. Their faces showed reverence and ardor as they gazed at a white-clad beauty nearby, as though she were the world's most precious treasure.
Hearing the commotion, Xiao Tian walked closer without thinking and peered through the crowd, getting a clear look at the woman.
She wore a pale white dress, and her smiling face was lightly made up. Beneath her slender willow-shaped brows lay a pair of clear, lively eyes like autumn water. Her skin was as smooth and white as mutton-fat jade; she had a graceful nose and cherry-red lips. She looked like a lotus just about to bloom, strikingly beautiful.
What drew Xiao Tian's attention most, though, was her waist. Her long hair fell to her hips, flowing like clouds of smoke, and her slender waist looked as if a single hand could encircle it. It was enough to set anyone's imagination running.
That delicate waist gave her an air of fragility that stirred a feeling of tenderness in anyone who saw her.
"Young man, she's got you staring, hasn't she? Xiao Yi Xian is a healer here in Qingshan Town, and countless people like her. Plenty of mercenaries have been treated by her, so don't go getting any funny ideas!" Just then, a bearded old man patted Xiao Tian on the shoulder and cheerfully warned him.
Xiao Tian shrugged. He certainly appreciated beautiful women, but he wasn't drooling over them.
"Everyone, listen up! Myriad Medicine Pavilion is heading into the Monster Beast Mountain Range to gather medicinal herbs. We urgently need sixty powerful fighters at Three-star Dou Zhe or above. If you want in, hurry up and sign up! Xiao Yi Xian will be joining us this time!" Just then, a middle-aged man in a white robe suddenly called out, stirring the crowd into a commotion.
"Myriad Medicine Pavilion is going into the Monster Beast Mountain Range to gather herbs, and Xiao Yi Xian's going too? Heh heh, I'm in!"
"Getting to meet Xiao Yi Xian up close would be an honor. I'm in too!"
"Heh heh, Xiao Yi Xian is the woman of my dreams. I'm going to take this chance to get to know her!"
After the brief stir, quite a few people stepped forward to sign up, their faces brimming with excitement.
In no time, Myriad Medicine Pavilion's recruitment line had grown considerably. The middle-aged man in white raised the sheepskin scroll in his hand and called out with a laugh,
"Fifty-nine people! There's just one spot left. Anyone else who wants to join the group, sign up now!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the middle-aged man in white scanned the crowd.
"Me!"
Just then, a young man's calm voice rang out from within the crowd.
At the sound of his voice, everyone turned in unison toward a young man standing to the left with a massive sword strapped to his back. That young man was Xiao Tian.
"Hm?" The middle-aged man in white turned his gaze toward him too. When he saw Xiao Tian's face, he paused, then asked with a smile,
"Young man, Myriad Medicine Pavilion requires recruits to be Three-star Dou Zhe or above. Are you qualified?"
As he said this, the middle-aged man put extra emphasis on the words "Three-star Dou Zhe," clearly believing Xiao Tian wasn't qualified to join.
"Kid, get out of the way! This spot is mine!"
"Hmph, where did this brat come from? He hasn't even grown any hair, and he thinks he can compete with me for a spot!"
"Exactly, you little shit! Move it!"
Seeing Xiao Tian take the last spot, several burly mercenaries immediately flew into a rage, yelling angrily.
"Quiet!"
Xiao Tian merely glanced at them. Then, surging Dou Qi burst out of him, and he slammed a punch into the tree beside him.
BOOM!
With a heavy thud, the thick tree exploded and crashed to the ground. Stones flew everywhere, and wood chips sprayed in all directions.
The burly mercenaries were so frightened that they immediately fell silent, staring in shock.
"I think that should be enough, don't you?"
Looking at the middle-aged man in white, who had been stunned speechless, Xiao Tian's lips curved into a faint smile as he asked.
Before you continue