Although Ellie’s expression was somewhat strange, she did not refute him.
After all, she had indeed made a mistake earlier, but asking her to apologize was something she found difficult to do.
If a little help could settle the matter, she naturally had no objections.
“This…” Li Xian smiled bitterly, unsure what to say.
‘Were they really here to help? It felt more like they were making things worse…’
But seeing Karinya’s unwavering and resolute expression that brooked no refusal, Li Xian helplessly shrugged.
If he said no, this girl probably wouldn’t stop nagging and would keep pestering him.
Fine, fine—when they encountered that High-rank Magical Beast, he would just hold back a bit when acting.
Seeing Li Xian nod in agreement, Karinya finally relaxed her brows and breathed a sigh of relief, though she soon grew nervous again.
After all, they might soon face a High-rank Magical Beast… she had never dealt with one before.
Li Xian, however, was focused on quickly finding that High-rank Magical Beast, resolving the matter, and then returning without worry.
He headed steadily toward the agreed meeting point.
With two more people added, the atmosphere in the group noticeably grew more subdued.
Sara, who was originally shy, stopped speaking entirely, clutching onto Li Xian’s clothes as she followed him silently.
The awkward experience between Karinya, Ellie, and Li Xian had left a tense air among them.
Coupled with the nervousness of possibly facing a High-rank Magical Beast, none of them spoke—just quietly followed behind Li Xian.
This silence lasted for quite a while until Li Xian finally couldn’t take it anymore.
If it went on like this, he would lose his mind.
So, he finally spoke up in a casual tone, “By the way, when did you two meet? You seem pretty close… well.”
As he finished, Li Xian realized his words sounded a bit odd, but it was already out there.
Ellie and Karinya both seemed to recall that day’s events, their faces instantly flushing red.
“You mean, me and Ellie?” Karinya answered him, perhaps feeling the mood was too tense.
She pointed at her chin with a finger.
“We did meet when we were very young. Come to think of it, back then Ellie…”
“Karinya-nee!” Ellie suddenly shouted, her face burning bright red, looking like she might burst into flames.
“All right, all right, I won’t say more,” Karinya laughed as she looked at the flustered Ellie.
“I think the first time Ellie and I met was at a banquet. My father took me there. It was all adults talking about things we didn’t understand, but somehow we found each other… It just felt natural, and we started playing together.”
“I see,” Li Xian replied, the atmosphere finally loosening.
“Speaking of which, what exactly is this Class Division the uncle mentioned earlier?”
“Oh…” Karinya’s expression suddenly grew somewhat gloomy.
“Every year, the Academy admits many students—all elite youths from across the Empire. Even among elites, there are differences. For example, you two—your talents and abilities far surpass most students. So the Academy sorts students into different classes based on talent and strength. The better the class, the stronger the mentors, with more resources and even special privileges.”
“I see…” Li Xian nodded, overall matching what he had expected.
“In previous years, the division was strictly by talent and ability. This year’s division seems a bit different, but… basically the same.”
The awkward feeling faded as Karinya gradually returned to her usual self—graceful, poised, and speaking at a comfortable pace.
Her soft and warm voice lifted Li Xian’s mood considerably.
But was this “perfect” facade truly her real self?
Having gone through that incident, Li Xian couldn’t help but wonder.
People who smile through pain and pressure inevitably have cracks in their smiles…
No, better not dwell on this for now.
These matters could be dealt with slowly later.
After moving forward some more, Li Xian’s eyes finally caught sight of what he had been looking for.
Identical to the magical beast claw marks he had seen earlier—and very fresh, as if made moments ago.
“Found it!” Li Xian said excitedly, quickly following the claw marks forward.
The three behind him hurried to catch up.
After a short run, a cave appeared ahead.
“This must be it.” Li Xian smiled and headed straight toward the cave.
“Mr. Li Xian, be careful,” Karinya warned from behind.
“I know,” Li Xian replied without turning, not taking it seriously.
It was just a High-rank Magical Beast—how much trouble could it really cause?
He stepped inside.
From the mouth of the cave, all was pitch black, nothing visible, the atmosphere eerie.
Still, Li Xian didn’t hesitate and ventured in.
The next moment, his pupils suddenly constricted, and his body instinctively dodged to the side.
“Whoosh—!”
A blade sliced through the air, embedding itself in a tree behind Li Xian, passing dangerously close to his cheek.
‘A dagger? Not a magical beast—but a person?!’
Instantly alert, Li Xian wondered how someone could be here.
Before he could think further, a black figure dashed out from the cave.
Clad in tight black clothing, face covered by a mask, wielding a short sword, the figure’s face was unreadable.
Without a word or sound, the figure swung the short sword rapidly at Li Xian.
Li Xian’s eyes darkened.
He quickly drew his longsword and met the attack without hesitation.
Remembering Ellie and Karinya behind him, Li Xian held back—he did not use any Dou Qi or magic, only a pure sword strike.
Strangely, the opponent also did not use Dou Qi or magic.
For some reason, Li Xian felt something was off about this assassin, though he couldn’t pinpoint what exactly.
It was a subtle, unsettling feeling.
Lost in thought, the two officially clashed.
Short sword met longsword.
The next second, both showed expressions of shock.
The black-clad figure stared hard at Li Xian, his aura growing even more dangerous.
Li Xian was equally shocked—though he hadn’t used Dou Qi or magic, this strike had still used some force.
Yet, the black-clad man had caught it.
‘To have such strength, he must be at least a transcendent-level expert!’
As Li Xian thought this, his vision blurred, his mind suddenly went blank.
Then, a shadow flickered swiftly across his sight…
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