Flash Step, Three-Stage Instant Blink—one stage used to dive underwater and grab Cluru, the other two used to put distance between us.
Drenched, Cluru and I lay together on the grass.
I was still trembling with lingering fear.
“This is the first time I’ve seen you lose your composure like this,” Cluru said with a smile. “You really don’t have to be like that… I’m strong underwater.”
“What if you’re not?!” I suddenly raised my voice. “What if something happens to you, then… then our revenge plan!”
Cluru flipped over.
She grabbed my collar and pinned me down on the lawn, looking seriously into my eyes.
“You’re worried about me, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, right,” I sneered.
“Didn’t you say you wouldn’t save me even if I was about to be drowned?”
“If you were already drowned, why would I save you? I’d act before that happens!”
I argued with full confidence.
Wuzhiqi seemed unable to tolerate our blatant disrespect any longer; his mouth opened, and a high-pressure jet of water gathered inside.
Then it sprayed toward us!
“I’m not taking a bath in your saliva.”
I kicked Cluru away and got out of the water jet’s range, then used a fourth stage of Flash Step.
This time, the target was the back of Wuzhiqi’s neck.
“Heaven Has Roads but you won’t take them, forcing me to get angry. Water Monkey, you brought this on yourself—Seven-Star Radiance, Sun and Moon Darkened, Tidal Surge, Divine Wind!”
Huang Lei: Beheading!
The lightning transformed mid-air into a Divine Sword, which instantly struck down without leaving any chance of resistance, piercing through the fourth cervical vertebra of Wuzhiqi’s neck.
His massive body shuddered violently, then stiffened into a rigid form.
One by one, half-cooked dead fish floated up in the river.
The lightning sword severed Wuzhiqi’s fourth neck vertebra; whether he was still alive or not was unknown, but there was no chance he could move anytime soon.
“Boom—”
With the giant monkey’s body falling backwards into the river, a task completion notification popped up on my watch.
[Your performance is truly… indescribable.]
The voice of the Xuanwu Instructor came through the watch.
Huh?!
Tortoise Teacher’s not dead??
To the shocked eyes of the students, the Xuanwu Instructor walked out from a nearby alley.
She immediately gave me a sharp knock on the head.
“You hit my face with your abacus beads!” the Xuanwu Instructor said, headache evident as she looked at me. “After the ‘Instructor’s death,’ you’re the only student who stayed clear-headed and kept commanding. But how did you command, huh? I’m almost too embarrassed to expose your little schemes.”
Had she seen through my using other classmates as cannon fodder…? Uh-oh~
“Teacher, you didn’t die and didn’t even say a word,” I muttered quietly.
“How else would I know how bad you all are if I didn’t? This whole batch is so terrible… I’m thinking of resigning!”
“Then resign… and help me submit my withdrawal application while you’re at it.”
“Bap.”
Another knock on the head.
Ouch, that really hurts!
I held my head, eyes watery.
Cluru blew gently on my injury beside me. “Puff~ puff~ Blow, it doesn’t hurt anymore.”
*
The Xuanwu Instructor looked utterly helpless.
Though this pair of little brats in front of her was truly entertaining, it was obviously very bad for the Academy’s mission.
Yun Luo Xian was far too selfish, only caring about herself and those she valued, indifferent to the fate of other students.
She showed no mercy for life, let alone universal moral values.
Most people at least pretend to have morals, but she wouldn’t even bother pretending.
Forget about the “Sage” demeanor that Qilins serve; if she didn’t turn into a Great Villain, the world had just been incredibly lucky.
Of course, the Xuanwu Instructor didn’t think Yun Luo Xian was “immorally bad,” only that the kid was far too clever.
She saw through the world too early and knew exactly how to protect herself.
For such a clever little one, trying to brainwash her with “morality” or “honor” would definitely fail… the only way was to give her enough rewards.
“No more using other classmates as cannon fodder, and no more deliberately slacking off or hiding your skills. If by the end of this semester you rank first in your grade, I’ll introduce you to Senior Xinyue Hu from Qinglong College. You two can have a meal together, and you can freely ask her all your tail-related questions.”
“!!!”
If that’s the case, then I’m not going to pretend anymore.
“Looks like ‘Yun·the multi-billionaire behind the Xianlu Magic Potion Shop·the much-admired little fox spirit loli·Qilins Master·full marks on the college entrance exam·Nobel Prize grand slam·Luo Xian’ isn’t completely without desires after all.”
The Xuanwu Instructor sighed in relief, thinking she finally found a way to manage this little demon.
“Teacher, how many days left this semester? When do the scores come out?” I asked eagerly.
“Seventy-two days.”
Seventy-two days… that’s too far away…
Tsk, maybe I should find a way to travel back to the cultivation world, get the Heavenly Law of Time, and then fast forward seventy-two days?
Sounds doable.
I’ll study it when I get back today.
“No matter what, today you’re again the MVP who solved a major sudden group incident,” the Xuanwu Instructor said reluctantly. “You’ve earned yourself half a day off.”
Yay!
*
[Since last night’s press conference, magic potion shops worldwide have declared bankruptcy. We bought most of the abandoned stores at low prices, planning to convert them into Xianlu Magic Potion Shop branches.]
Master Lu’s voice was a little tired but excited over the phone.
He never dreamed he’d witness the rise and fall of a dynasty firsthand and personally assist a new king’s enthronement.
Now, he had become the General Manager of this global chain of potion shops.
“What about the Mu Family Pharmacy?”
[Per your instructions, we’re not taking the Mu Family Pharmacy’s stock or stores. They’ll have to sell their inventory at a discount to scrap dealers and herbal merchants.]
“Have the Lancelot Family contacted you?”
[No. They said the business negotiations are handled by the family’s Little Princess.]
“Oh.”
Joanna.
Thinking back to last month’s True Dragon Witness Exchange Meeting, that arrogant Little Princess had even sent Yun Xian a trial mission—to keep Xianlu Magic Potion Shop alive for a month.
But in the blink of an eye, one month later, only one Xianlu Magic Potion Shop remained worldwide.
At this point, it was no longer Xianlu Magic Potion Shop begging the Lancelot Family to do business.
It was the other way around. They had no choice but Xianlu Magic Potion Shop.
Negotiations with Joanna didn’t need to be rushed… I glanced at the time on my phone.
It was noon.
“A rare afternoon off. I’ll get Nobel to give me an award—still have class tomorrow though.”
[?]
Though I couldn’t see Master Lu’s face, I knew a question mark popped above his head.
[I don’t quite understand, but… the Nobel Prize ceremony is every December 10th, the anniversary of Nobel’s death. It’s only September now.]
“Then today’s his resurrection anniversary. Does he have a corpse?”
[No, cremated.]
“Oh, forget it then.”
I hung up and rolled around in bed, wrapped in my blanket.
“Hungry.”
My stomach suddenly growled.
Cultivators can fast and not starve to death, but there’s no need to.
Life’s little pleasures are so few; why deny myself the joy of good food?
“Stinky octopus, what do you want for lunch?”
“Anything.”
“Then fried chicken.”
“Okay.”
So, I ordered a huge takeout!
A giant bucket of fried chicken!
[Payment successful]
Now came the long wait.
I kept rolling in bed, Cluru beside me rolling too.
We occasionally bumped into each other, then separated again.
Our stomachs kept growling nonstop.
“I can’t anymore, I’m too hungry to move.” I crawled out from under the sweaty blanket.
Glanced at my phone.
[Order delivered and placed at the school gate pick-up point.]
Already here!
I hurriedly Flash Stepped over.
Searching through the pile of takeout for my fried chicken…
Searching…
Searching…
Huh?
This can’t be right. I ordered such a huge bucket of fried chicken; it should be very noticeable.
I called the delivery rider; they said “It was delivered,” and even sent a photo showing the order at the gate.
That’s strange…
Wait.
No way.
No freaking way this is happening to me, Yun·the multi-billionaire (etc.)… Luo Xian?!
After searching multiple times and confirming absolutely nothing was there, I had to admit one fact.
The delivery to the honored Yun Xian… had been stolen!!