Qian Renxue: Your Name Is... Qian Chen?!

By the sidelines.

Xue Qinghe walked into the Spirit Arena.

The way she looked at Qian Chen was no longer merely curious.

"I accept this defeat wholeheartedly."

"Skywater Academy is fortunate to have recruited you."

Xue Qinghe stopped in front of Qian Chen.

She studied Qian Chen's features.

"I'm very curious. Who exactly are you?"

Qian Chen answered calmly:

"My name is Qian Chen."

Xue Qinghe's heart trembled.

Qian Chen?

The same surname.

The same exceptional appearance.

And that sense of closeness she had felt upon meeting him for the first time.

Could there really be such a coincidence in this world?

She tried hard to maintain a crown prince's composure, but her fingers slowly tightened within her sleeve.

"Qian Chen..."

Xue Qinghe repeated the name.

Qian Chen looked at her.

Their eyes met once more.

At that moment, the inexplicable sense of familiarity in Xue Qinghe's heart became even clearer.

She suddenly wanted to know.

Where exactly had this person named Qian Chen come from?

Shui Xinrou finally recovered from her shock.

She looked at the Spirit Arena covered in solid ice, then at Qian Chen standing in the middle of the field.

One first soul skill.

Every member of the Imperial Fighting Team had been defeated.

Qian Chen had not even revealed his soul rings, nor had he taken more than a few steps.

Such strength had already far surpassed the level of his peers.

Shui Xinrou finally understood why Shui Xinlian had dared to break the academy's long-standing rules and bring a male student back to Skywater Academy.

Twelve years old.

At least level forty Soul Power.

A top-tier ice-attribute martial soul.

And an extreme chill powerful enough to suppress the entire field.

As long as Qian Chen was willing to remain at Skywater Academy, the academy would surely rise to even greater heights in the future.

The severity on Shui Xinrou's face quickly faded.

She looked toward Shui Xinlian, her eyes carrying a little more approval.

"You did well this time."

Shui Xinlian remained calm.

"Didn't you just say I was being reckless, Dean?"

Shui Xinrou did not answer.

She turned to Xue Qinghe, a proper smile returning to her face.

"Your Highness, the Imperial Fighting Team has just finished a spar. The students should need some rest."

"I have already arranged accommodations."

"If Your Highness is not in a hurry to return to Heaven Dou City, you may rest at the academy for a while first."

The words sounded exceedingly warm.

Yet everyone present understood the intention to see them off.

Xue Qinghe had indeed planned to leave after the sparring match.

She still needed to visit other elemental academies, so there was no need to linger at Skywater Academy for too long.

But Qian Chen's appearance had changed her plans.

The same surname.

A similar age.

And that familiarity originating deep within her bloodline.

Xue Qinghe was unwilling to leave just like that.

She looked at Qian Chen.

"Dean Shui has considered everything very thoroughly."

"The Imperial Fighting Team has just gone through a spar and truly needs time to recover."

"Qinghe will trouble you for one night, then leave tomorrow."

The smile on Shui Xinrou's face froze for an instant.

She had merely been polite.

Yet Xue Qinghe had actually agreed.

With the status of the Heaven Dou crown prince, poaching a student who had just joined Skywater Academy would be far too easy.

Yet Shui Xinrou could not directly send her away.

"Your Highness's willingness to stay is Skywater Academy's honor."

Xue Qinghe gave a slight nod.

She glanced at Qian Chen once more before leaving the Spirit Arena with the Imperial Fighting Team.

As Yu Tianheng passed by Qian Chen, his steps paused slightly.

He looked at the solid ice covering the field.

"I lost today."

"The next time we meet, I will challenge you again."

Qian Chen said calmly, "Anytime."

Yu Tianheng nodded.

The Imperial Fighting Team soon left with Xue Qinghe.

Several instructors also took the injured Skywater students away for treatment.

The Spirit Arena gradually fell quiet.

Shui Xinrou immediately came before Qian Chen.

She had held some doubts about Qian Chen before.

Now, all those doubts had vanished.

"Qian Chen."

"Since you have agreed to join Skywater Academy, from today onward, you are an official student of Skywater Academy."

"All of the academy's cultivation grounds will be open to you."

"The simulated cultivation environments, the library, Soul Beast records, and the ice-attribute cultivation resources collected by the academy—you may use them as you wish."

Shui Xinrou paused briefly.

"If you need soul rings, the academy can also send instructors to accompany you."

"As long as Skywater Academy can provide it, I will do my utmost to satisfy your needs."

Shui Xinlian stood nearby, her brows rising slightly.

"Who was it that said the academy had never recruited male students since its founding?"

"And that I was acting on my own and being utterly reckless?"

Shui Xinrou turned her head.

She wore a long aqua-blue dress, a silver-white sash cinching her slender waist.

Her light-blue hair fell behind her shoulders, and her lovely face carried a mature, dignified air.

As she turned, her long dress swayed lightly along the curves of her legs.

That once gentle face had now darkened.

"Shui Xinlian."

"Have you been too idle lately?"

"The training grounds north of the academy are short one supervising instructor."

"If you are willing, I will transfer you there tomorrow."

Shui Xinlian immediately shut her mouth.

She shifted her gaze elsewhere, putting on the appearance of someone who had said nothing at all.

Shui Yue'er could not help pursing her lips.

The other students lowered their heads as well, their shoulders trembling slightly.

Shui Bing'er stood beside Qian Chen.

She wore a smile as well.

Much of the exhaustion had faded from her delicate face. Her aqua-blue hair rested against her fair cheeks, and her eyes were brighter than usual.

Shui Xinrou noticed the change in her.

As the dean, she understood Shui Bing'er very well.

Shui Bing'er rarely took the initiative to approach others in her daily life.

Even with companions at the academy whom she was close to, she always maintained an appropriate distance.

But today was different.

Shui Bing'er had first personally invited Qian Chen to join the academy.

After the spar began, she had also voluntarily let Qian Chen take a team member's place on the field.

Now that she stood beside Qian Chen, the joy on her face could not be concealed at all.

Shui Xinrou quickly reached a conclusion.

"Bing'er."

Shui Bing'er raised her head.

"Dean."

Shui Xinrou said, "Qian Chen has only just arrived at Skywater Academy and does not understand the academy's circumstances."

"Starting today, you will remain by his side."

"Whether it is his cultivation arrangements or everyday academy matters, you will be responsible for them."

Shui Bing'er froze slightly.

She tilted her head toward Qian Chen, and a faint blush quickly spread across her fair cheeks.

"I am to stay with him all the time?"

"Wouldn't that be inappropriate?"

Shui Xinrou's expression was serious.

"There is nothing inappropriate about it."

"You were the one who invited Qian Chen here, so naturally you must see it through to the end."

"You must do your best to accommodate any needs he has."

"As long as it does not violate academy rules, you must unconditionally obey his arrangements."

Shui Bing'er's ears reddened further.

She lowered her eyes, her slender fingers lightly pinching the hem of her aqua-blue skirt.

"Unconditionally obey..."

Shui Xinlian, standing nearby, perked up again.

"Any arrangement is allowed?"

Shui Bing'er immediately looked at her.

Shui Xinlian's face was full of teasing.

"The dean said it herself just now."

"If Qian Chen asks Bing'er to cultivate with him every day, eat with him, or take walks with him, Bing'er cannot refuse."

Shui Yue'er blinked.

"Then wouldn't my sister have to spend every day with Qian Chen?"