Encirclement (1)

"Sister Wanyu, bring your jade token over. I'll share the spirit stones we just got with you." They had robbed the Blazing Team earlier. Although the haul was smaller than what they had taken from the Bloodthirsty Team, it was still substantial.

Dongfang Wanyu did not refuse. With a ding, the count on her jade token jumped to five hundred.

Seeing her accept, Mu Sheng felt much more at ease.

The two headed south, encountering many dejected students whose spirit stones had been stolen by senior students.

"How can they act like bandits, beating us up as soon as they arrive and stealing all our spirit stones?" One boy was so furious that he plopped down on the ground and refused to move.

"They're our seniors. They've been at the academy for over a year. With just a few of us, how could we beat them?" Another student was injured too, but still crouched down to comfort his companion.

The others sighed, their faces full of despair.

Everyone seethed with indignation, but they could do nothing about the seniors. It seemed they could only swallow their bad luck and endure the bullying.

"Sister Wanyu, what are you looking at?"

Noticing Dongfang Wanyu had stopped, Mu Sheng leaned over to look. Three or four boys sat on the ground. Judging by their dejected expressions, they had probably just been robbed.

"They must have been robbed," Mu Sheng muttered. "Hmm, Sister Wanyu, it looks like fifteen groups of new students have already been eliminated."

After counting carefully, Mu Sheng realized how pitifully few remained. Two hundred students had dwindled to barely over a hundred in no time. He slapped his forehead and cried, "Sister Wanyu, I think I've spotted a little problem."

Dongfang Wanyu glanced at him. He had finally noticed; his mind was fairly quick.

The seniors robbed the new students at an astonishing pace. Once robbed, students who wanted to avoid elimination had no choice but to rob other new students. Within an hour, everyone would be at one another's throats like dogs. Whoever had the stronger fists or better luck would survive for the time being.

But once they encountered senior students, they were helpless.

This was probably the trap the examiners had set for them.

Dongfang Wanyu had stopped precisely because she had noticed this pitfall, one that could get every last one of them eliminated. If all the new students were eliminated, what could she and Mu Sheng use to fight so many seniors?

"We need to change our battle plan."

Mu Sheng blinked. "Sister Wanyu, you noticed too, right?"

Dongfang Wanyu nodded. "This isn't an individual battle. It's a team battle."

New students against senior students.

The four were still debating whether to rob other new students when Dongfang Wanyu and Mu Sheng suddenly appeared before them.

"Do you want to get back the spirit stones the seniors stole from you?"

Dongfang Wanyu looked at them calmly.

The four exchanged glances at her words. One stood and asked, "Who are you?"

Mu Sheng rolled his eyes at him. "Sister Wanyu means she can help you take your spirit stones back from the seniors. Do you want them or not?"

"Of course we do."

They stood up one after another. "But we can't beat those seniors."

"Even with you two, the six of us wouldn't be a match for them."

Bah! Boosting someone else's morale while crushing your own.

Mu Sheng could not help saying, "Haven't you heard about new students defeating seniors? That was us. We've already robbed two teams of seniors."

The four looked stunned. They had thought the rumors were false.

"What, you don't believe us?"

The four looked at one another, astonishment written across their faces. One said, "I heard the seniors who robbed us mention two people like that, but I never imagined it was you. How did you do it?"

Seeing that they were still doubtful, Dongfang Wanyu said, "Do you want your spirit stones back?"

All four nodded hastily. Never mind whether the rumors were true or false. Since she said she could help recover their spirit stones, they would trust her for now. They only had an hour left anyway.

With everyone in agreement, the six set off together.

"Look, seniors!" With six pairs of ears and eyes alert in every direction, they soon spotted a team of new students being robbed by seniors.

"Third, hurry up! Why waste words on them?" Thunder shouted at him.

One of the four said, "These aren't the seniors who robbed us."

Dongfang Wanyu told them to stay calm. "We can't rob our own people anymore. We have to unite against outsiders, or we'll all be eliminated."

The six bowed their heads and listened to her instructions. Dongfang Wanyu and the four would step out first to attract attention and stall, giving Little White time to release the mist.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Dongfang Wanyu emerged with the others, looking like a five-person team.

The Thunder Team had already heard that two freakishly talented new students had appeared this year. Working as a pair, they had robbed two senior teams and stripped them of every spirit stone.

When the Bloodthirsty Team had been robbed, they had mocked them for quite some time. Who would have thought the Blazing Team would suffer the same fate right afterward? Two teams had been eliminated in rapid succession.

With this happening repeatedly, it clearly was no coincidence.

"Run! They're stealing spirit stones!" The new students being robbed immediately shouted when they saw them.

The one Thunder had called Third snickered. "How loyal of you. But the question is, do they have our permission to leave?"

Dongfang Wanyu gave a mocking laugh and advanced step by step with the four. "Which team are you? Give us your name."

She knew all ten teams had names.

For the first time, Thunder had encountered a new student who did not fear them. Instantly interested in Dongfang Wanyu, he smiled and said, "Thunder."

Dongfang Wanyu drew a sword from her storage space and challenged Thunder. "I challenge you."

The other four followed her lead, swallowing hard and puffing out their chests. "We challenge you."

Five against five.

A perfectly fair showdown.

The five trapped students stared in disbelief. They had never expected anyone to go this far for them. In truth, they had no idea this was all part of Dongfang Wanyu's plan.

Thunder and his companions snickered. They clearly had not expected such hot-blooded new students, and each brought out a weapon.

"Come!"

We'll beat you until you submit, heart and soul.

Elsewhere, Ye Feng and Ji Ye had likewise realized the examiners' sinister intentions. Each leading a five-person team, they sought each other out.

"I heard one team has already robbed two senior teams. Why don't we set aside our grudges for now and work together? What do you think?" Ye Feng suggested with a smile.

Ji Ye snorted. "You'd be that kind?"

Ye Feng nodded. "Let's eliminate those seniors first, then settle who's better."

Ji Ye thought that made sense. They could not let those seniors reap the benefits. "Deal."

The two teams recruited others along the way, gathering five or six scattered teams. Altogether, they numbered fifty or sixty, and they robbed two senior teams on the way.

New students robbing seniors was no longer anything novel. Five of the ten teams had already been eliminated, and the remaining students had all gone into hiding.

"Boss, we can't let the newcomers walk all over us. According to Mad Blade, the people who robbed them had gathered most of the new students' strength. Their leaders are Ye Feng and Ji Ye. Those two can really fight. They were evenly matched with our people, fighting them to a standstill. But the other side had strength in numbers, so they..."

"The Bloodthirsty Team and Thunder said a young girl robbed them. They don't know her name, but she's gathered a dozen or so people around her too."

Clearly, the new students had realized the true purpose of this contest.

Under those three leaders, the new students scattered across the area had all gathered together.

"Boss, we need to think of something. Otherwise, once all three of them join up, we'll face encirclement by a hundred-person team."

Qingtian tapped a finger lightly. "Encirclement. Yes, encirclement indeed. Go bring Storm, Bloodblade, Frost, and Shadow here."

Soon, the five teams assembled.

"Jing Qingtian, why have you called us here?" Frost spoke first, her tone mocking. "Don't tell me those new students scared you out of your wits."

"I called everyone here to combine our five teams' strength and surround one team."

Qingtian signaled for one of his subordinates to explain the current situation. "Here's what happened. Three people have emerged among the new students: Ji Ye, Ye Feng, and a young girl. They've gathered all the new students' forces between them. The boss wants us to destroy this girl's team before she joins up with Ye Feng and the others."

The Frost Team was the only all-female team among the ten.

She sneered. "One little girl, and you actually plan to send all five teams to surround her? Qingtian, you're getting more pathetic with every passing year. Since you're so afraid, I'll take my team to meet her myself."

Storm disagreed. "The Bloodthirsty Team ranked third among us in overall strength. Frost, why do you think they were eliminated first? Because they ran into this girl while robbing new students. At the time, she only had one person with her. With just two people, she eliminated the Bloodthirsty, Thunder, and Blazing Teams. I think Qingtian has good reason to be cautious."

Shadow nodded. "When Thunder was eliminated, he said this girl was a master schemer. She knew how to strike at people's minds and make excellent use of others. The people around her look like a motley rabble to me, but look how well she's used them."

Bloodblade glanced at them. "If she's so dangerous, let's meet her and see just what three heads and six arms she has."

The five teams set out and soon found traces of Dongfang Wanyu's group.

Everyone sat on the ground resting. Dongfang Wanyu already knew Ye Feng and Ji Ye had joined forces. A large crowd of new students sat around her, chattering over one another, looking exceptionally happy.

Seeing her burdened with worries, Mu Sheng moved closer and said, "Sister Wanyu, ever since you said you'd help the new students recover their spirit stones, no one on our side has been eliminated. But it looks like five senior teams have already been knocked out."

Mu Sheng was delighted too. As far back as he could remember, he had never dreamed of doing anything earthshaking. Without Sister Wanyu, he probably would not have lasted even two hours in this round, much less trampled those arrogant seniors underfoot.

Dongfang Wanyu was not as optimistic as the others. With all the commotion they had caused, the seniors should have taken action by now. She just did not know whether they would target Ye Feng and Ji Ye or her.

"Get everyone up. We're leaving immediately." Dongfang Wanyu intended to join Ye Feng and Ji Ye as quickly as possible and unite all the new students' strength.

Mu Sheng looked surprised. "Sister Wanyu, they've only just started resting."

"The sooner we find Ye Feng and Ji Ye, the lower their chances of being eliminated." Dongfang Wanyu could not put the unease in her heart into words.

With a rustle, everyone got to their feet. They had developed some faith in Dongfang Wanyu.

"Not one of you is leaving." Frost suddenly descended from the sky. She swept an indifferent gaze over the new students before settling on Dongfang Wanyu's icy face. "You're the girl who eliminated the Bloodthirsty, Thunder, and Blazing Teams."

Dongfang Wanyu stood and stepped in front of everyone. "Yes."

"I'm Frost, leader of the Frost Team. What's your name?"

As soon as she finished speaking, the other four members of the Frost Team descended from the sky. Qingtian, Storm, Bloodblade, and Shadow followed. Twenty-five seniors landed before them in perfect unison.

The sight brought considerable pressure and shock to the new students. Some even fell into despair. Against one senior team, they could still put up a fight.

But five entire senior teams had gathered, clearly poised to surround and wipe them out.

Dongfang Wanyu lifted her eyelids and sneered. The seniors had certainly spared no expense to deal with her. "I'm Qian Wanyu."

The new students swallowed. "These people seem to be on the Wind and Cloud Rankings. What do we do?"

Mu Sheng's heart pounded too. He knew Sister Wanyu could fight and had plenty of life-saving treasures, but against five Great Spirit Masters alone, they would probably suffer a crushing defeat. Still, he rallied his courage, puffed out his little chest, and moved beside Dongfang Wanyu. "Sister Wanyu, what do we do next?"

Dongfang Wanyu took her sword from her storage space. "Do what I taught you before. Keep everyone steady and stall until Ye Feng and Ji Ye join us."

Mu Sheng was bewildered. "But how will they know we're here?"

"Go. I'll let them know where we are."

"Are you coming one at a time, or all together?"

Dongfang Wanyu took a great step forward, her fighting spirit fierce and spiritual energy raging around her.

What arrogance.

"I'll fight you." Leng Bingshuang stepped forward too. She had long wanted to challenge the girl they had praised as though she possessed miraculous powers.

"She's a third-level Great Spirit Master with both water and ice attributes. Be careful," Qing Mo warned in her mind.

The other four stood aside to enjoy the show, in no hurry to deal with the new students. In their minds, perhaps nobody in this team posed a threat except Qian Wanyu.

While their attention was entirely absorbed by Sister Wanyu's fight with Leng Bingshuang, Mu Sheng whispered to the new students for quite some time.

Their hesitant expressions gradually became utterly resolute, and their formation shifted without anyone noticing.

"You're a Spirit Master, and my rank is higher than yours. I'll give you ten moves," Frost said.

Dongfang Wanyu's smile turned strange. "Thank you for showing mercy, senior sister."

"Thunder Heaven Seal."

She tossed her sword into the air. Leng Bingshuang's gaze followed it, unable to understand why her opponent had thrown away her weapon.

"Watch out!" Qingtian shouted, but he was not fast enough to stop Dongfang Wanyu. Her long whip flew out too, its other end wrapping tightly around Leng Bingshuang's wrist.

"First Thunder Heaven Seal, Rolling Heavenly Thunder."

Dongfang Wanyu flew into the air. Five palm seals lit up half the sky like a bolt of heavenly thunder. Surging lightning struck the Water-Thunder Whip and traveled straight through it into Frost's hand.

"Ice Shards and Snowflakes." Sensing something was wrong, Frost instinctively released her ice spiritual energy. The wrist bound by the Water-Thunder Whip instantly froze into a block of ice.

But she was still a moment too late. Lightning blasted the frozen shards apart, while thunderbolts rolled through the sky in successive rings, bombarding the area with her at its center.

Frost's scalp prickled. She had underestimated her.

"Captain!"

"What vicious methods."

"Wind God's Decree, heed my summons."

Gales roared, and a storm sprang up in an instant, clashing head-on with Dongfang Wanyu's heavenly thunder. One raging whirlwind and one rolling thunderbolt slammed violently together, their spiritual energies lighting half the sky as bright as day.

"Second Thunder Heaven Seal, Heaven-Crushing Earth-Splitting."

Dongfang Wanyu sneered.

Winds raged and lightning flashed, shrouding heaven and earth in darkness, as though the black clouds and lightning would devour the world in the next instant.

"Ah! The sky... the ground seems to be shaking!" The new students were terrified. They had never witnessed anything on such a tremendous scale.

The heavens crumbled, the earth split, and the mountains shook.

Bloodblade sent a Bloodblade Sword flying straight at Dongfang Wanyu, trying to stop her from forming more hand seals. She dodged, but the spirit sword wheeled back and grazed her arm. Blood trickled from her wrist. Unmoved by the pain, Dongfang Wanyu looked at them contemptuously and laughed wildly. "Come on! All of you, together!"

A hundred li away, Ye Feng suddenly frowned. He watched the sky change abruptly as a heavenly thunderbolt rolled down, followed by the earth shaking and mountains trembling.

"Someone's fighting."

Among the new students, there seemed to be only one person left who could cause such a commotion.

Ji Ye and Ye Feng exchanged looks, both guessing what she must have encountered. "Quick! Everyone, hurry and join Qian Wanyu!"

The seniors must have planned to divide their strength first. Once they dealt with Qian Wanyu, it would be their turn. They absolutely could not let the seniors succeed.

When they arrived, the fierce scene was even more brutal than they had imagined. A large crowd of new students had been beaten to the ground by the seniors, their cries of pain rising everywhere. They sat back to back, and the sight of the arrivals brought unmistakable joy to their faces. Hope sprang from despair.

"Whirlwind Slash."

Wind rose, and an illusory great blade slashed viciously toward Dongfang Wanyu.

Ye Feng and Ji Ye watched as Dongfang Wanyu stubbornly held her ground for those new students, pinned beneath the great blade and unable to move.

"Bloodblade Sword."

A blood-red sword flew toward Dongfang Wanyu. She sneered. They thought this would make her submit? Dream on.

"Third Thunder Heaven Seal."

"Wanyu, don't be rash. Your spiritual energy still can't properly control the third seal. Using it is very likely to cause a backlash and damage your foundation." Qing Mo suddenly appeared to stop her.

"Four men bullying one woman. I'm ashamed for you."

Without another word, Ye Feng brought out his Spiral Blade and blocked the Bloodblade Sword's attack for Dongfang Wanyu. "Go!"

"Qingtian, I'll fight you." Ji Ye flew into the air and knocked Qingtian's weapon back as well. He sneered. "So this is how a famous figure on the Wind and Cloud Rankings gangs up on a junior sister? If it weren't for this contest, I really wouldn't want to challenge an opponent like you."

Seeing that everyone had arrived, Qingtian knew their stalling plan had succeeded. He said, "Then fight. Today's battle will decide the victor."

Ye Feng could not resist a taunt either. "Bloodblade, let me see whether your Bloodblade Sword is faster than my Spiral Blade."

Leng Bingshuang had already been beaten to the ground by Dongfang Wanyu, her body covered in injuries. Residual lightning still lingered inside her. Whenever she used her spiritual energy, it triggered the lightning lurking within, instantly shocking her. That exquisitely agonizing sensation was more than enough.

"Qian Wanyu."

Covered in wounds, Dongfang Wanyu climbed back to her feet.

"Storm, again."

Seeing how desperately she fought, Storm shook his head. "There's no need to fight anymore. I lost."

Shadow immediately appeared before her too, asking curiously, "Why can you dodge my sneak attacks every time?"

Expressionless, Dongfang Wanyu displayed the jade token in her hand. "Since you've both admitted defeat, come on. Give me all your spirit stones."

The two of them: "..."

From then on, besides her reputation as a daredevil, Dongfang Wanyu also earned a reputation as a money-grubber.

Ye Feng and Ji Ye fought from dawn until dusk, battling for an entire day and night before finally reaching a draw. However, Dongfang Wanyu had subdued all his companions.

Leng Bingshuang glared furiously. "Qian Wanyu, once my injuries heal, we'll fight again. This time, I won't go easy on you."

"As you wish."

Underestimating an opponent was, after all, one of the greatest taboos in battle.

After three days, the battle between the new students and the senior students finally came to an end.

The examiner suddenly appeared and used a teleportation array to bring them all out of the secret realm. "First, congratulations on passing the second assessment."

Every new student's eyes shone. They could hardly believe they had passed.

Seeing them jumping about with excitement, Instructor Ouyang couldn't help smiling. "I forgot to tell you earlier: the top three in this assessment may each choose one skill from the Library Pavilion. First place may choose two. Now, I'll announce the results. First place goes to Qian Wanyu of the Thunder Hall. Tied for second and third are Ye Feng of the Wind Hall and Ji Ye of the Ice Hall. Congratulations."

Instructor Ouyang asked the three of them to stay behind. "Go back and rest properly for three days. Afterward, someone assigned to the task will take you to the Library Pavilion to make your selections."

Their battle had blotted out the sun and moon, shaking heaven and earth. Naturally, all three had gained considerable insights from it. They returned to their respective lodgings and began another round of secluded meditation.

Dongfang Wanyu had gained the most. When she returned to the courtyard, Dongfang Minghui apparently wasn't back yet. She wrote a note, stuck it outside her door, then closed the door and sank into deep meditation.

Through the Mystic Light Mirror, she had made her name in a single battle, becoming a model and standard for all the new students. Everyone began asking about her.

Dongfang Wanyu mingled with the crowd, listening to them heap praise on Seventh Sister. Her little face bloomed like a flower, and she felt happier than if they had praised her. Some even said they wanted to visit the heroine's lodgings and ask her to take them under her wing.

She secretly thought, See? I was the clever one, coaxing the heroine into my courtyard first. Otherwise, Seventh Sister would definitely be pestered.

Guessing that Seventh Sister must have returned to the courtyard, Dongfang Minghui hurried back.

Instead, she found a note outside the door saying that her sister had gone into secluded meditation and asking her not to disturb her. Dongfang Minghui immediately felt crestfallen. Seventh Sister really was a cultivation fanatic. Still, that was good too. As the heroine grew stronger, her own safety would be better assured.

And so, Dongfang Minghui continued her routine between three places: the dean's office, the medicinal plants on the mountain behind the academy, and her courtyard.

"Blue Star Dream, your master doesn't want you anymore," Dongfang Minghui said unhappily, pouting. She had no idea what Situ Hao had been up to lately. He used to visit Blue Star Dream every few days, but now she hadn't seen him for ten days or half a month.

Blue Star Dream shook its tender branches, its leaves drooping to show that it was unhappy too.

Dongfang Minghui sighed. Ever since Little Lecher had swallowed the spiritual energy from Blue Star Dream, it had been cultivating in seclusion for half a month. Suddenly, she felt as though she were the most idle one of them all.

"Little Lecher said I have to find a suitable skill before I can advance again. Blue Star Dream, look, I can barely suppress the spiritual energy stirring inside me anymore." Dongfang Minghui felt utterly miserable. Others wanted to advance but couldn't, while she had to do the exact opposite, suppressing herself with all her might.

Blue Star Dream curled a tender branch around her finger and rubbed against it, offering comfort.

Dongfang Minghui immediately felt the bumps on its tender branch. She remembered that these bumps should eventually grow into sharp thorns. After examining it, she couldn't help smiling. "Wow, Blue Star Dream, you seem to have grown a little."

Blue Star Dream swayed happily.

Dongfang Minghui decided that once Little Lecher woke up, she would ask it how to restore Blue Star Dream to a state where it could speak to her.

"Ninth Sister."

Turning around, she saw Dongfang Wanyu leaning against the doorway, watching her with her arms folded. Clearly, she had emerged from seclusion.

"Seventh Sister, you're out? How are your injuries?" She still remembered how the heroine had been surrounded, fighting four opponents alone and stubbornly enduring all their attacks.

Dongfang Wanyu waved dismissively. "They're nothing. I'm going out in a little while."

"Seventh Sister, sit down." Dongfang Minghui pressed her onto the stone stool, then hurried into her room and brought out a large pile of bottles and jars.

Dongfang Minghui rolled up her sleeves. Seeing the alarming wounds, she couldn't help complaining, "Honestly, that Jing Qingtian doesn't have the slightest tenderness for a beauty. How could he hurt you so badly? I curse him to never find someone he likes!"

Dongfang Wanyu didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but she was also surprised. "Ninth Sister, how did you know Jing Qingtian caused these injuries?"

She broke into a smile. "Seventh Sister, all the senior and junior students in the academy know about your dashing exploits! During your competition, the Mystic Light Mirror showed the important moments. You have no idea how magnificent you looked fighting four opponents alone that day. I'm telling you, all the new students in the academy see you as their goddess now. They worship you!"

Watching her animatedly describe the new students in the square who were utterly infatuated with her, Dongfang Wanyu chuckled. "Ninth Sister, you're exaggerating."

"I'm not!" Dongfang Minghui applied medicine to the wounds on both her arms, then pulled her into the room and immediately began stripping off her clothes.

"Ninth Sister, what are you doing?"

Dongfang Minghui looked bewildered. "Taking off your clothes. You must have plenty of wounds on your body."

Dongfang Wanyu wasn't quite used to her closeness, and she had never undressed in front of anyone. This sudden intimacy made her uncomfortable, and she immediately stopped her. "Turn around. I'll undress myself."

"All right. So even you get embarrassed, Seventh Sister." Dongfang Minghui secretly delighted in this discovery. The heroine gets shy too. Hehe.

Slightly embarrassed, Dongfang Wanyu wrapped a quilt around her chest and turned her bare back toward Dongfang Minghui. "Ready."

Her back was covered in horrifying wounds: sword cuts, wounds from hidden weapons, and cuts inflicted by wind blades. Seeing them, Dongfang Minghui could hardly bear to apply the medicine.

"Seventh Sister, this medicine might hurt a little. Please bear with it." Dongfang Minghui moved closer and lowered her head, carefully cleaning the wounds with alcohol before slowly applying the medicinal liquid.

Unable to see, her other senses became even sharper. Dongfang Wanyu could feel the warm breath of the person behind her brushing her wounds, making them itch.

"Ninth Sister, are you finished?"

Dongfang Minghui's fingers lightly touched those wounds.

She could distinctly feel the warmth of her fingertips.

Dongfang Wanyu turned around and caught her hand. "I'll treat the remaining wounds myself. Let me borrow your room for a moment."

Knowing that she was embarrassed, Dongfang Minghui nodded. "Then make sure you apply it properly, Seventh Sister."

Dongfang Wanyu was almost at her wits' end with her. Since becoming a pharmacist, Ninth Sister had grown so fussy. Still, being cared for and fussed over like this didn't seem so bad.

Dongfang Wanyu quickly applied the medicine, changed her clothes, and walked out.

"Seventh Sister, you're going to the Library Pavilion, right? You'll need another application when you return," Dongfang Minghui reminded her.

"All right."

As soon as Dongfang Wanyu stepped out of the Pharmacy School's gates, she found someone already waiting nearby.

"Are you Miss Qian Wanyu?"

"Yes."

"Please follow me."

When she reached the Library Pavilion, Ye Feng and Ji Ye were already waiting outside. Clearly, they had arrived before her. They smiled and greeted her.

"Before the three of you enter the Library Pavilion, listen carefully to its rules. You'll be placed on different floors according to your levels. Also, take my advice: don't pick up a sesame seed only to lose a watermelon. You have just two hours. If you fail to choose a satisfactory skill scroll, you'll still be sent out. In other words, this opportunity is in your own hands."

Dongfang Wanyu nodded, and all three said in unison, "Thank you."

A flash of white light passed before her eyes. When she opened them again, she found herself in a dreamlike chamber filled with scrolls.

"Wanyu, what that person meant was to follow your heart. Once you've chosen something, don't give it up. You only have two hours. Hurry."

Dongfang Wanyu immediately approached the shelves to search. Ignoring the scrolls on the shelves before her, she followed her instincts all the way to a secluded corner. The scrolls there were tucked away in an obscure spot and covered in dust.

Curious, she wondered what exactly had drawn her attention. She searched up and down until she discovered a pitch-black scroll: Reincarnation Art, an earth-tier skill.

She had a feeling that this was the one.

Dongfang Wanyu was just about to touch it when the scroll unexpectedly flew up on its own, dodging her hand and darting away.

"Don't let it escape."

If Qing Mo said that, the Reincarnation Art must be something extraordinary. Without a second thought, Dongfang Wanyu lashed out with the Water-Thunder Whip. The scroll was as slippery as lightning, darting through the gaps in the whip and escaping.

She tried several times, but it slipped through her grasp each time. Dongfang Wanyu grew ruthless. The more it resisted her, the more determined she was to obtain it.

"The Nine-Turn Cosmos Bag!"

Dongfang Wanyu immediately tossed a bag into the air. It split into nine openings, each sweeping toward the scroll.

This time, it had nowhere to escape and was bound tightly by the Cosmos Bag.

"Behave yourself."

Dongfang Wanyu held the scroll firmly in her hand, then returned to inspect the shelves. She suddenly remembered what Dongfang Minghui had murmured to Blue Star Dream earlier.

Without a skill, she couldn't advance. No wonder her last advancement had only taken her a tiny step forward. So there were all these complications along the way.

"Qing Mo, what sort of skill would be best for Ninth Sister?"

Qing Mo remained silent. From what Dongfang Wanyu said, he could already guess what she intended to do next. This hard-earned opportunity would end up benefiting Dongfang Minghui for nothing. He truly couldn't understand what Wanyu was thinking.

Seeing that he wouldn't respond, Dongfang Wanyu wasn't annoyed. She browsed the shelves and spotted a skill with a rather lovely name-Heavenly Maiden Scatters Flowers.

Upon closer inspection, she saw that it was a mystic-tier scroll. Since this would be Dongfang Minghui's first encounter with a skill scroll, she thought mystic tier wasn't too low.

"This one, then." Dongfang Wanyu picked it up without hesitation.

This scroll was obedient, lying quietly in her hand.

Once she had selected the two scrolls, Dongfang Wanyu chose to leave voluntarily, without giving anything else another glance.

An old man sat at the entrance to the Library Pavilion. He looked rather surprised when she emerged. "Little girl, that was quick. You're the first one out. Have you made your choices? If so, register them here."

"Thank you, sir."

After filling out the registration, Dongfang Wanyu left.

The old man smiled at her retreating figure, then closed his eyes again and continued rocking.

Dongfang Minghui hadn't gone out. She had recently skipped work and received a scolding from the dean. He had tossed her a prescription for Marrow-Cleansing Pills and ordered her to make them within ten days.

At first, she had been rather pleased with herself, thinking the dean had gone easy on her. But when she began assembling the medicinal plants according to the prescription, she was dumbfounded.

More than twenty medicinal plants.

And that didn't even account for failed attempts. She had repeated the experiments so many times that she was nearly driven mad.

When Dongfang Wanyu entered, she found her scratching her head, her brows tightly furrowed. Medicinal liquid covered her face in green and purple patches, making her look like a little calico kitten.

"Take things slowly. Getting anxious will only make them harder." Dongfang Wanyu sat nearby and placed the scroll on the table.

"You're right, Seventh Sister."

Dongfang Minghui washed her hands and handed her a porcelain bottle she had prepared earlier. "This is what I applied to you today. Apply it again after you bathe."

"All right. I have something for you too."

"Hmph." Qing Mo snorted in her soul sea, expressing his deep displeasure with her unilateral decision.

Somewhat helpless, Dongfang Wanyu smiled at Dongfang Minghui. "It seemed you still hadn't found a suitable skill. I happened to see this at the Library Pavilion today and thought it would suit you very well."

Dongfang Minghui nervously rubbed her fingers together. Oh my, the heroine treats me so well. This almost doesn't feel real. To make sure, she deliberately pinched her cheek. "Ow, ow!"

It really was true.

Dongfang Wanyu smiled with her lips pressed together. Why was her Ninth Sister so silly?

"All right, take a look at this skill first. If you have any questions, come find me next door." Dongfang Wanyu took the medicine and left.

"After opening it, use your soul power to read it." Little Lecher suddenly woke up and instructed Dongfang Minghui.

Heavenly Maiden Scatters Flowers, a mystic-tier skill, was actually more than good enough as Dongfang Wanyu's first foundational skill. Little Lecher suddenly felt that this Seventh Sister of hers treated her a little too well. Of course, it had no time to dwell on that, because she had already opened the scroll.

As soon as Dongfang Minghui opened it, all the words describing the skill flowed into her mind. She sat cross-legged and read through the first essential principle of Heavenly Maiden Scatters Flowers.

"The skill your Seventh Sister found for you is quite good," Little Lecher praised with an appreciative click of its tongue. "You mustn't advance until you've mastered the first essential principle."

Dongfang Minghui couldn't help protesting, "If I keep suppressing it, my body will explode!"

"Then let it explode. With me here, you won't die."

Look at that. Is that something a companion should say? Dongfang Minghui wanted to argue further with Little Lecher, but it gave no response at all, as though it had sunk back into cultivation.

Everyone was cultivating, so Dongfang Minghui felt too embarrassed to keep holding them back, especially since she now had a mystic-tier skill given to her by the heroine. Her skill seemed quite good, with three essential principles in all. If she cultivated the first properly, she would be able to make flower petals swarm like a heavenly maiden scattering flowers