Let me keep Ding Yumian by my side? There's such a good thing?

Ding Yumian woke from her dazed slumber.

Her vision was blurry, her head heavy and groggy, and a dull ache pulsed through it whenever she moved.

"Where is this..."

She moistened her dry lips, struggling to recall the events before she had passed out.

All she remembered was her roommate breaking the bracelet her grandmother had left her... then her magic spiraled out of control, and after that, a boy rushed in...

"You're awake?"

The voice by her ear sharpened Ding Yumian's hazy sight.

"It's you."

She spoke weakly. "Did you save me?"

"Save you?"

Dongfang Chen's puzzled voice rang out.

"I only contained your magic when it went out of control—how is that saving you? Even without me, you wouldn't have been in danger."

Just that others would have been.

Dongfang Chen thought to himself.

"No..."

Ding Yumian shook her head, saying nothing more.

If her magic had killed an entire dormitory of students, she would have been trapped in endless regret.

He had restrained her, prevented the deaths of those students, and spared her from bearing that sin—wasn't that a form of salvation?

"This is Mingzhu Academy's infirmary. How are you feeling?"

Dongfang Chen asked patiently.

After all, she was the "Xiao Yi Xian" the system had identified.

Though the task to control the Calamity Poison Body was complete, the encounter task with "Xiao Yi Xian" was not yet finished.

The prerequisite for completing the encounter task was for them to exchange names.

If not for that condition, Dongfang Chen wouldn't have waited patiently in the infirmary until Ding Yumian woke up.

After all, Xin Xia was still waiting for him to go look at apartments together.

So Dongfang Chen spoke.

"My name is Dongfang Chen. And you?"

"I... I'm Ding Yumian."

Ding Yumian looked at Dongfang Chen's handsome face, and her cheeks suddenly flushed red.

When she was about to lose control and erupt, he had rushed in and saved her, preventing her from bearing the guilt of killing an entire dormitory of teachers and students.

It felt to Ding Yumian like a fairy tale, where a prince rescues a princess.

Though she wasn't really a princess...

Dongfang Chen had no idea what Ding Yumian was thinking.

But he was thinking about the system.

Just now, he had completed the encounter task with "Xiao Yi Xian," and the system had granted him the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture.

The Seven-Colored Poison Scripture from Battle Through the Heavens wasn't just a simple Cultivation Method.

It was more like an encyclopedia of poisons.

It recorded not only the cultivation method for the Calamity Poison Body, but also special knowledge like poison formulas and toxicological principles.

Though Dongfang Chen didn't have the Calamity Poison Body, he did have Poison Magic.

With the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture paired with his Poison Magic, Dongfang Chen was confident he could surpass Ye Chang from the Original Work in using poison!

Even though his poison magic was still one step away from Intermediate Level, combined with the deadly toxins and poisoning techniques recorded in the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture, even High-Tier Mages would fall for it!

Just then.

Dean Xiao and Dean Fu walked into the infirmary.

"Yumian, how are you feeling? Any discomfort?"

Dean Fu asked with concern.

Setting aside his status as an Archmage, he was a very kind old man at heart.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have taken Ding Yumian in and brought her back to the academy when he saw she was all alone.

"Yumian, it's my fault. I shouldn't have placed you in the dormitory."

Dean Fu sighed.

He and Dean Xiao had just investigated the incident thoroughly.

It was nothing more than a dormitory bullying incident.

Ding Yumian had just arrived, and at this time, she was thin and frail, not looking like someone with money or influence.

In the dormitory, she naturally became the target of bullying.

During the bullying, her roommate deliberately smashed the bracelet left to Ding Yumian by her grandmother.

Overwhelmed by immense grief, Ding Yumian's Calamity Talent spiraled out of control.

"Yumian, the school has issued an expulsion for those who bullied you, and they will also pursue further accountability. Rest assured, the school will see that you get justice."

Dean Fu spoke with righteous indignation.

Ding Yumian nodded weakly.

She wasn't some saint, nor did she say anything about not holding them accountable.

Seeing that the matter was settled, Dongfang Chen said quietly to Dean Xiao, "Dean Xiao, my challenge was cut short because of this. What about my holiday..."

"The holiday is easy to arrange."

Dean Xiao looked at Dongfang Chen, a sly smile spreading across his face.

"If it weren't for you, Ding's situation could have caused a lot of trouble, so the school will credit you for it."

Dongfang Chen also smiled.

"So, about my holiday..."

"Thus, the school is granting you a Three Step Tower Training Opportunity."

"What?"

Dongfang Chen froze.

Three Step Tower? What did he need a Three Step Tower Training Opportunity for? He wanted a year-long holiday!

The Three Step Tower was a very special magical structure on the Main Campus of Mingzhu Academy.

It was filled with vast amounts of Elemental Energy, and if a Mage trained inside, it could accelerate their cultivation.

A single day of training inside was equivalent to a month of training outside!

But that wasn't what Dongfang Chen wanted.

What he wanted was a holiday—a full year off from school!

Without that holiday, he couldn't complete the task assigned by the Crazy System.

So Dongfang Chen scowled and asked Dean Xiao, "Dean Xiao, can I exchange the Three Step Tower Training Opportunity for a year-long holiday?"

At these words, not only Dean Xiao but even Dean Fu was stunned.

Was there a student willing to give up a Three Step Tower Training Opportunity just for a holiday?

Dean Fu quickly interjected, "Dongfang Chen, you might not fully understand the function of the Three Step Tower. Actually..."

"No!" Dongfang Chen waved his hand. "I know, but compared to the Three Step Tower Training Opportunity, I'd still rather have a year-long holiday."

Dean Fu had nothing left to say. Why was this student so stubborn?

He'd rather forgo the Three Step Tower Training Opportunity for a year off—did he have School Phobia?

No, that didn't make sense. If he had School Phobia, why bother taking the Magic University entrance exam?

Dean Xiao took a deep breath and said, "I'll approve your year-long holiday too, but you need to do the school a favor."

"What favor?"

Dean Xiao glanced at Dean Fu, then at Ding Yumian.

"You need to help take care of Ding Yumian."

"Easy. If Ding Yumian loses control again, I can help suppress it, and I can even teach her how to control her Mental Power."

"No." Dean Xiao shook his head. "What I mean is, you need to keep Ding Yumian by your side at all times."

Dongfang Chen: "???"

Dongfang Chen looked at Ding Yumian. She appeared frail and delicate, with long-term malnutrition leaving her thin and slender, like Xi Zi Peng Xin.

Nothing like the Original Work, where she was a campus goddess with a perfect figure and face.

He was supposed to keep Ding Yumian by his side and take care of her?

Was there really such a good deal?