Tai Xuanzi was reluctant but complied.
She thought, ‘Zhuge should be handling this. Let these two “coal briquettes” fight over cleverness.’
Kong Ying leaned against the window frame and looked at Tai Xuanzi and asked, “You’ve been out suppressing trouble again recently?”
Tai Xuanzi paused, shocked, “You could tell?”
Kong Ying smiled faintly, “I just blasted you a bit—I didn’t expect it to be true.”
Tai Xuanzi: “……”
Kong Ying’s tone lowered, brows furrowed as she said, “You’ve been going less often lately. Don’t listen to the Dawn Aid Group so much.”
“And Zhuge…” She hesitated, a bit angry.
“Is he just eating rice? Can’t he think to refuse?”
Tai Xuanzi was stunned—she hadn’t expected such words.
For a moment, she was speechless.
After a silence, she quietly said, “It will be over soon.”
Kong Ying fixed her with a steady gaze.
“Your ‘soon’ is a year?”
“This is ‘soon’?”
They had known each other for years and understood each other too well.
Tai Xuanzi instinctively dropped her eyes, avoiding Kong Ying’s gaze.
Kong Ying sighed, voice softening, “Anyway, don’t push yourself so hard. Especially stay away from that place… it’s too dangerous.”
Tai Xuanzi nodded awkwardly, “I know.”
She wasn’t foolish, just at a critical point in her plan and couldn’t stop.
Sensing the mood shift, she awkwardly changed the subject, “What do you think Su Fu will choose in the end?”
Kong Ying raised an eyebrow, half-smiling, “That’s easy—Heavenly Road.”
Tai Xuanzi was surprised, “You’re that sure?”
Kong Ying explained, “Although Xiao Lingxi has sharp insight, Guanghui Zhihuan’s situation… isn’t great. Those with real power won’t bet on Su Fu—they prefer to reserve resources for Second Star Ring noble families.”
She paused, expression complex.
“Otherwise, they wouldn’t have admitted you and me back then.”
Just as she finished, Xiao Lingxi glanced down at her holographic display, her face darkening.
Clearly, bad news had come in.
Her expression grew uglier and eventually grim.
Meanwhile, Luo Qiu’s smile blossomed.
The outcome was clear.
Luo Qiu looked at Xiao Lingxi.
“I personally admire Director Xiao Lingxi, but Guanghui Zhihuan… Clearly, Su Fu is better suited for our Heavenly Road.”
Xiao Lingxi sighed helplessly.
Losing Su Fu was a huge blow.
But… there was nothing she could do.
Luo Qiu stood and extended her hand to Su Fu.
“Then, Su Fu, welcome to Heavenly Road. I believe that with the joint training of Kunlun Academy and Heavenly Road, your future will be dazzling. And I hope your university life will be joyful.”
Su Fu stood and shook Luo Qiu’s hand.
“Thank you sincerely, Teacher Luo, for all your hard work.” She finally exhaled deeply.
The final step of school selection was over.
The decision: joint enrollment at Kunlun as the main academy and Heavenly Road as the branch.
With the choice made, the atmosphere lightened, and the group exchanged a few more pleasantries.
Soon, the admissions officers prepared to leave.
Although the top scorer had found her place, they still had other excellent students to pursue and recruitment work to continue.
As Education Minister, Kong Ying also had her duties.
Before leaving, she looked at Tai Xuanzi and said, “Remember what I said.”
Tai Xuanzi barely nodded.
Su Fu was curious—what had they been talking about?
But she kept the thought to herself and didn’t ask.
“Dean,” Su Fu asked the question she cared about most.
“So, can I go to Kunlun Academy?”
To the Kunlun Celestial Palace, the Chinese Sanctum!
Tai Xuanzi came back to herself and smiled, “Of course. I’ve already booked your ticket. We depart in three days.”
She explained, “Your current physical strength can’t yet withstand direct spatial jumps, so we have to take the conventional route. But don’t worry, the Xunhuan Ship is fast.”
She softened her gaze.
“In the meantime, you can say your goodbyes to your friends.”
“Goodbyes?”
Su Fu thought, ‘yes, it was time to say goodbye.’
***
“Cheers!”
Everyone stood together, clinking glasses with crisp sounds.
They were in the most popular restaurant near Perseus High School.
The spacious private room was laden with sumptuous food.
Though she didn’t know many people well, all her familiar friends had somehow gathered in one day.
Pi Chu Xi sat opposite Su Fu, animatedly recounting his thrilling Dungeon adventures.
Lin Mingxi was an enthusiastic audience, making exaggerated expressions now and then.
Fang Bo Han helplessly rubbed his forehead, clearly unable to watch.
Jiang Qingyu stared blankly at her wine glass, then sighed and looked at Su Fu with a distant expression.
Softly, she said, “You’re sure? Choosing Heavenly Road?”
Su Fu nodded and asked, “And you? Perseus University?”
Jiang Qingyu lowered her eyes and replied, “Yes. Their Divine Aspect research is renowned, plus the conditions they offered are good.”
Lin Mingxi jumped in excitedly, “Boss, I actually got into Tianqin University, hehe!”
Su Fu didn’t hesitate to praise.
“That’s great. Tianqin and Perseus are the most famous Third Star Ring universities—each with their strengths.”
She glanced at the still gesturing Pi Chu Xi and asked, “What about you and Fang Bo Han? Decided?”
Pi Chu Xi stopped and replied, “Not completely yet. Several schools are competing; we’re weighing options.”
His expression suddenly grew serious.
“Honestly, Boss, without you, I never dreamed I’d get into a Third Star Ring university.”
“Boss, I have to toast you!”
Fang Bo Han raised his glass, “Then I’ll join in!”
Lin Mingxi excitedly said, “Thanks for taking me up, Boss!”
“Boss, if you ever need me, I won’t hesitate.”
Pi Chu Xi also lifted his glass.
“Congratulations on breaking into the Second Star Ring, Boss. Though it means we’ll part ways, this is worth celebrating.”
Jiang Qingyu added her toast, “Not just conquering the Second Star Ring, but aiming for the Central Star System.”
“I wish everyone a happy university life and unstoppable success!” Su Fu smiled.
“Cheers!”
Glasses clinked and laughter filled the air.
They feasted until past midnight before dispersing.
Suddenly, Su Fu felt a rush of reality.
After so many years, she was once again experiencing the feeling of parting ways after exams, going their separate paths.
But no matter the choices, as friends, they could only wish each other well.
A good night’s rest.
***
Morning, Third Star Ring Spaceport.
Su Fu boarded the Xunhuan Ship with Tai Xuanzi.
The massive engines hummed deeply.
With a long horn blast, the starship slowly left the port and accelerated toward deep space.
Su Fu pressed against the observation window, watching Perseus High School fade away on the Third Star Ring.
Eventually, the entire planet shrank to a tiny speck in the vast star sea.
Then, her vision suddenly opened wide.
Four gigantic galactic arms stretched out in space, forming a magnificent spiral structure.
Countless stars glittered brilliantly in the sea of stars, just like the scene she saw when she first arrived.
No matter how many times she looked, it was always breathtakingly spectacular.
Su Fu suddenly realized that she seemed to have never stayed in one place for long, always drifting.
From the remote Fourth Star Ring, to entering the human civilization core at the Third Star Ring, and now heading toward the even more central Second Star Ring.
Just then, Tai Xuanzi’s voice sounded beside her, “What’s wrong? Feeling reluctant to leave?”
“Not really,” Su Fu shook her head, “I just suddenly feel like I’ve been climbing upwards all along, but also drifting all along.”
Tai Xuanzi was momentarily taken aback by this, “You won’t have to drift anymore next. You’ll be studying in the Second Ring for a long time.”
She paused for a moment and added, “I can’t speak for other places, but Kunlun, you can treat it as—”
The voice suddenly softened to a whisper, as if it could be swallowed by the silence of the star sea at any moment, yet it came through so clearly to Su Fu’s ears: “Home.”
Su Fu was instantly shaken.
But it was just her illusion.
When she turned around, she saw that Tai Xuanzi had already turned her face away, looking out the porthole at the vast star river, as if the previous words had never been spoken.
Su Fu was stunned for a moment, then her lips curved up, “Alright. Then Dean, you haven’t forgotten the big promise you made to me earlier, right?”
Tai Xuanzi was taken aback, turning back to her with a puzzled frown, “Hmm? What promise? I’m not someone who makes empty promises. When I say something, I make sure it happens.”
Su Fu’s smile deepened, “Good.”
“So, now I’m… your disciple?”
At these words, Tai Xuanzi was slightly surprised.
That’s right, she had said before that if Su Fu was admitted into Kunlun Academy, then she would be her master.
Now, Su Fu had not only been admitted to Kunlun but was also the top scorer, which showed how hard she had worked.
“Doing… exceptionally well.”
Tai Xuanzi’s lips slowly lifted as she turned away.
“Yes. Master. From now on, a master has to look after her disciple—it’s only natural.”
Su Fu’s eyes lit up.
She said plainly and straightforwardly, “Where my master is, that’s home.”
Tai Xuanzi couldn’t help but smirk, lightly coughing twice, “Ahem, why do you sound just like Zhuge? So sweet with your words, making people happy.”
“Master, I mean it sincerely.” Su Fu deliberately stretched out the tone, face full of earnestness.
“But I’m not sure about Teacher Zhuge.”
Tai Xuanzi looked at her with a smile, “Alright, I’ll pass on your exact words to Teacher Zhuge when we get back.”
Su Fu: “……..Master, I was wrong.”
Teacher Zhuge obviously has a very scheming mind…
Offending him could mean life or death, right?
Just as Tai Xuanzi was about to reply, the AI prompt of the starship suddenly sounded: “Dear travelers, we are about to jump into the Second Star Ring. Please prepare accordingly.”
The two stopped talking and returned to their seats.
As the countdown ended, the world before Su Fu’s eyes completely reshaped.
Thousands upon thousands of stars stretched into dazzling beams of light, and countless dazzling scenes unfolded.
This state seemed to last for an instant, yet also as if a long time had passed.
When she regained consciousness, the scene before her was completely different.
The Second Star Ring, one of the core areas of human civilization.
It was a magnificent star river she had never seen before.
The entire Second Star Ring was divided into the Upper Ring Belt and Lower Ring Belt, like a giant double-layered luminous ring encircling the Central Star System—the dazzling core.
The Upper Ring Belt showed a blue-white tone, filled with countless floating cities and space stations of various shapes, like gems set on the star ring.
The Lower Ring Belt displayed a warm golden-red hue, dominated by grand stellar structures—the color of stars.
Countless light bridges connected the two belts, with countless shuttles traveling back and forth, like flowing rivers of light among the stars.
“This is… the Second Star Ring…” Su Fu murmured, her eyes reflecting the brilliant starlight outside the window.
Far more splendid than the Third Star Ring, and closer to the core of human civilization—the Central Star System.
No light could outshine the Central Star System, like a sun that never extinguished, illuminating the entire core area of human civilization.
She suddenly longed to visit that Central Star System, the core of human civilization.
How dazzling must it be?
At that moment, the starship’s AI voice rang out again: “Dear travelers, we have successfully entered the Second Star Ring airspace and are enroute to the main docking area of the Lower Ring Belt. Estimated travel time: thirty minutes. During the journey, you may enjoy the passing interstellar scenery, sample our special cuisine, or browse travel information of the Second Star Ring on your personal terminals. Skydome Technology Shipping Group wishes you a pleasant journey.”
After the announcement ended, the ship’s holographic screen automatically lit up, beginning to play the latest interstellar news: “There are only three days left until the official start of the 4051 Second Star Ring national college entrance exam. Universities have completed their preparations, with examination venues and proctor appointments finalized.”
Upon hearing the words “college entrance exam,” Su Fu tensed instinctively, then a moment later realized:
Oh, her own college entrance exam was over; this news was about the Second Ring’s exam.
Good, good, nothing to do with her anymore.
According to the interstellar education system’s schedule, it started with the Fourth Star Ring exam, then the Third Star Ring, and finally the Second Star Ring.
Students like her, already admitted early during the Third Ring exam, were similar to what was once called “guaranteed admission.”
Having finished her exam, hearing news about others still struggling in theirs made her mindset instantly different.
The news continued: “It is reported that the number of registrants for this exam is…”
As the report went on, the screen switched to footage of candidates preparing, with representatives from all major Divine Pantheons appearing.
“Tsk, tsk, this news is walking a fine line.”
“…Heirs of the major Core Families will also participate, with the most attention on the Olympus Family…”
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