Heaven Dou Imperial Academy

"Brother Xue—no, I swear to serve His Highness the Crown Prince until death!" Shi An sprang to his feet, filled with fighting spirit.

Zhu Zhuqing's small mouth fell slightly open as she stared blankly at Shi An, feeling that... something was off.

Yet she could not put her finger on it.

The corners of Qian Renxue's lips curled up as she smiled warmly and brightly. "Brother Shi, sit down quickly. You should still call me Brother Xue from now on. It feels more familiar that way."

"I am truly delighted to have met you two today. I have arranged a meal at the inn next door. Why don't we talk while we eat?"

"Sounds good."

After several rounds of wine and countless dishes.

Outside the window, everything had fallen silent, with only the faint cries of the night watchman drifting through the darkness.

Shi An drunkenly stared at Qian Renxue's shoulder, his face flushed red and his eyes unfocused.

"Brother... Brother Xue, do you know what kind of miserable life I've lived these past years?"

"No, tonight we have to talk all night long! Come to my house. The two of us brothers will share a bed tonight!"

Shi An staggered as he walked, looking no different from a truly drunken sot.

Qian Renxue smiled on the surface, but inside, she was cursing furiously.

Though she looked like a man, she was not actually one.

She had never even been touched by another man, yet this little brat before her had not only touched her—he even wanted to spend the night talking and share a bed with her!

Her body stiffened slightly. Suppressing the urge to split Shi An in two with a single sword strike, she forced out an awkward laugh.

"Brother Shi, it is not that Brother Xue wishes to spoil your fun. I simply still have matters to handle. I have not treated you properly this time; next time, Brother Xue will toast you a cup as an apology."

"You're right. As the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, Brother Xue must be busy with countless affairs. I was being rash."

"Sister Zhu, he is drunk, so I'll leave it to you to take him home. I still have matters to attend to, so I'll be leaving first."

"Your... Brother Xue, take care." Zhu Zhuqing nodded and reached out to support Shi An, whose body was half slumped against hers.

Once Qian Renxue's figure had vanished into the distance and Shi An could sense no other living presences nearby, he straightened up at once. The drunkenness vanished completely from his face.

Zhu Zhuqing stared at him in astonishment. "You weren't drunk."

She had taken a small sip herself just now. Her cheeks were rosy, her little mouth slightly parted, and she looked rather dazed.

Shi An glanced at her, reached out to rub her smooth long hair, and said, "Why would I drink myself senseless with someone I had only met once?"

"Then you..."

"That person wanted to put on an act, so I merely played along."

"She wanted to manipulate me, but why wouldn't I want to manipulate her?"

"Zhuqing, remember this: life is like a play—it all depends on your acting skills."

With that, he clasped his hands behind his back and staggered toward home.

Zhu Zhuqing only felt that her head was itchy, as though her brain were about to grow. Seeing Shi An getting farther and farther away, she hurried after him.

The next morning.

A guard in golden armor knocked on the door of their home.

Zhu Zhuqing took a look and asked softly, "Is something the matter?"

"His Highness the Crown Prince sent me to deliver something." The golden-armored guard handed the box in his hands to Zhu Zhuqing. Then he bowed slightly, turned, and left without another word.

Zhu Zhuqing brought the box to the backyard, where Shi An sat by the stone table. He had already witnessed the scene through his senses and said, "It should be the admission notice from Heaven Dou Imperial Academy. Pack up. We're going to register today."

Zhu Zhuqing nodded without saying anything.

In truth, she had also wanted to join an academy. After all, staying cooped up at home to cultivate could never compare to the speed of cultivating in an academy's simulated training grounds.

She had simply always stayed by Shi An's side and had never mentioned such things.

That afternoon, the two left Heaven Dou City and arrived before Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, which was situated atop a mountain outside the city.

There was no mindless, melodramatic trouble. Since Qian Renxue had given advance notice, an academy teacher was already waiting at the entrance.

The teacher showed the two around Heaven Dou Imperial Academy before bringing them to the Academic Affairs Office at the center of the academy.

Registration and enrollment were completed in one go.

Not long afterward, Qin Ming hurried over.

He had initially assumed that His Highness the Crown Prince intended to arrange for a few spoiled young masters to join the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy Team. He had planned to make things difficult for them and force them to quit on their own.

But when he saw the two standing outside the Academic Affairs Office, Qin Ming's eyes immediately lit up.

"You two... are the new students recommended by His Highness the Crown Prince to join the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy Team?"

He asked with no excessive warmth on his face. It was part of maintaining his dignity as an instructor.

"Yes." Shi An nodded, without the slightest hint of respect or polite pleasantries.

Of course, he knew who the man before him was.

Qin Ming, a former student of Shrek Academy.

Sometimes, Shi An truly could not understand how someone who could be considered a minor genius could be so stupid as to let Flender brainwash him into this state.

"Mm..." Qin Ming examined Shi An and Zhu Zhuqing before saying, "Since you were recommended by His Highness the Crown Prince, follow me."

A short while later, they arrived at a vast training ground.

The field was completely empty, save for several young men and women training inside.

Shi An took one look, and the corner of his eye twitched.

Running while carrying stones?

Fuck!

Would that help soul power growth or combat in any way?

Zhu Zhuqing was likewise thoroughly stunned by this unconventional training method.

What kind of soul master trained by running while carrying stones?

Was this even a proper teacher?

Zhu Zhuqing tugged at the corner of Shi An's clothes, and he gave her a reassuring look in return.

If he did not want to run, he had plenty of ways to deal with Qin Ming.

No wonder Yu Tianheng, Dugu Yan, and the others were clearly so talented, yet their soul power levels were so low.

So this was why.

Fucking Qin Ming was behind it.

After running with stones for half the day, they would be tired as dogs. Even if Ye Lingling treated them, the exhaustion in their bodies would not disappear.

In that state, being able to absorb and circulate soul power at even half their usual efficiency would already be impressive.

Ruining his students.

Shi An had finally seen the meaning of those four words made flesh.

"Everyone, stop for a moment." Qin Ming clapped his hands and called over the people who were running.

Seven or eight of them walked over, their foreheads drenched in sweat and their steps heavy.

Every face was filled with exhaustion, and they panted for breath.

"Instructor Qin Ming, are they being physically punished?" Shi An knowingly asked.

Qin Ming's expression stiffened slightly before he spoke with some displeasure.

"Hmph! This is not physical punishment. This is the training method that the dean taught us back when I was at the academy."

"It was precisely this training method that allowed me to break through to Soul Emperor in my thirties."

Shi An glanced at him, the corner of his mouth twitching faintly.

A Soul Emperor in his thirties.

Trash.