Spirit Hall, Pope City.
When Hu Liena entered the hall, Bibi Dong was still seated upon the lofty throne.
Her purple-and-gold papal robes shimmered coldly in the dim light, making her seem like a sacred statue in a temple, one that none could profane.
"Teacher." Hu Liena knelt on one knee, her voice respectful.
"Nana, you heard about the Diary System's rewards, didn't you?"
"Yes. Dugu Yan broke through five levels, and Ning Rongrong received a secret technique. The rewards were far more generous than before."
She paused, a barely perceptible heat in her voice. "When I received the reward that guaranteed my First Soul Skill would hit, I already thought it was incredible. Now it seems that was only the beginning."
Bibi Dong gave a slight nod. "What do you think?"
"There are two ways to receive a reward: being randomly selected, or being mentioned frequently. The first depends entirely on luck and can't be controlled. But the second leaves room for us to act."
"The last time I received a reward, my First Soul Skill became a guaranteed hit. Now the rewards are growing more generous, and the rewards in the future will only get better."
"Yu Tiancheng is the only one writing the diary. As long as we appear before him more often and create events 'worth writing about,' our names are sure to appear in the diary."
"Good." Bibi Dong slowly rose to her feet, her papal robes dragging across the floor with a faint rustle. "Waiting passively has never been Spirit Hall's style. If the rewards are this tempting, then we'll go and claim them."
"Nana, I want you to go to Heaven Dou City and enter Blue Tyrant Academy as an exchange student."
Hu Liena's heart jolted, but her expression remained composed. "Understood."
"Remember." Bibi Dong lowered her voice. "Your foremost task is to make the names 'Hu Liena' and 'Bibi Dong' appear frequently in the diary. You may use any resources necessary—"
She leaned forward slightly, her breath cold. "Including the deepest undercover agent in Heaven Dou City."
The undercover agent in Heaven Dou City.
Hu Liena's pupils contracted. She immediately understood her teacher's meaning.
The agent in Heaven Dou City was Qian Renxue, who had infiltrated the heart of the Heaven Dou Empire's power and now held the title of Crown Prince.
"I obey."
Heaven Dou Empire palace, Crown Prince's study.
Xue Qinghe put down his cinnabar brush. A flash of icy blue glimmered in the depths of his light-brown eyes.
The attendants had already been dismissed. At that moment, Qian Renxue was alone.
The system's words still echoed in her mind.
"Power bestowed directly. A top-tier secret technique granted outright."
She murmured to herself, her fingertips absently tracing the edge of a memorial.
As the Successor of the Angel God, she understood better than most the nature of power and how difficult it was to obtain.
Accumulating Soul Power required years of arduous cultivation, while a top-tier secret technique demanded talent and opportunity. Yet the Diary System could make all of it seem like child's play.
"If I could obtain this reward..."
The thought surfaced despite herself. Even five levels of Soul Power would be a considerable boost at her current stage, enough to bring her closer to the threshold of godhood.
And that was nothing compared to receiving a secret technique or insight suited to her Angel Martial Soul.
Unfortunately, she hadn't received the opportunity to define the diary's theme this time.
How could she get Yu Tiancheng to mention her more often in the diary?
She recalled the "Blue Tyrant Academy" mentioned in the diary, as well as "Heaven Dou Royal Academy" from last week's entry.
It seemed she had no choice but to go.
"Someone come." Qian Renxue resumed her usual gentle, steady tone.
A palace attendant appeared soundlessly and bowed to await her orders.
"Make preparations. In three days, I will leave the palace to inspect Heaven Dou Royal Academy and Blue Tyrant Academy, ostensibly to encourage the young Spirit Masters and assess the academies' teaching."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Blazing Fire Academy, training grounds.
Huo Wu stood alone atop the platform, her fiery red hair whipping wildly in the wind.
She clenched her fists until her knuckles turned white.
She had heard the system's announcement loud and clear.
"That Dugu Yan actually gained five levels of Soul Power."
She muttered under her breath, undisguised longing burning in her eyes.
"She got that much just from having her name mentioned a few more times."
A phantom image of the Diary Copy appeared before her. The opportunity to "customize the theme" was flashing.
She had considered countless possible themes before—the weaknesses of Skywater Academy, or even how to defeat Shrek Academy.
But now, she rejected each idea in turn.
Those things were too far off. Huo Wu's eyes blazed. "Power. I want the most direct kind of power!"
Without further hesitation, she gathered Soul Power at her fingertips and forcefully wrote two characters in midair:
[Huo Wu]
"Now, next week's diary..." Her lips curved into a confident smile. "You'll have no choice but to write about me alone."
Blue Tyrant Academy, Dean's Office.
Liu Erlong stood by the window, watching the students sweat through their training on the grounds, her brow faintly furrowed.
"This week's diary didn't mention me at all."
She turned and walked back to her desk, tapping her fingers absently against its surface.
"Was this week just too uneventful?"
"True. Apart from giving routine cultivation guidance and handling ordinary matters, I've hardly had any special interactions with that kid, Tiancheng."
The diary's rewards were too tempting. Dugu Yan had gained five levels, and Ning Rongrong had received a top-tier secret technique.
Whether as a Spirit Master who wanted to grow stronger or as someone who wanted to protect her family, she needed that power. She needed the diary's rewards.
"If I want to be mentioned more often and receive a reward, I probably can't rely only on ordinary teacher-student interactions."
A thoughtful look flashed across Liu Erlong's eyes.
"I'll have to create an event worth writing about."
But what kind of event could she create?
Just as she was racking her brain, someone knocked on the office door.
"Come in."
The door opened, and Yu Tiancheng stood in the doorway, looking somewhat hesitant.
"Aunt, there's something I'd like to discuss with you."
Liu Erlong's eyes lit up—an opportunity had come.
She quickly adjusted her expression and smiled warmly. "What is it? Come in and tell me."
"Aunt, I'd like to request a few days away from the academy."
"Leave the academy?" Liu Erlong's heart stirred, though she kept her expression neutral. "Where are you going? What for?"
"I want to spend a few days training in Sunset Forest."
"My cultivation has hit a plateau lately. I feel like I need some real combat to break through. I'm also interested in some medicinal herbs and want to look for them in the forest."
Yu Tiancheng hadn't planned to go so soon.
But the Diary System had given him a cheat. He had fully understood the contents of this book, Myriad Poisons True Explanation, and was now absolutely confident he could cure Dugu Bo's poison and obtain the Immortal Herbs.
He wanted to use the Immortal Herbs to improve his constitution, so he could obtain a higher-year Spirit Ring when he acquired his third one.
"No." Liu Erlong stood up, her expression turning stern. "Sunset Forest is too dangerous, especially the depths, where high-level Spirit Beasts roam. I won't let you go alone."
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