Four-School League

Guan Jinyue glanced at the metal box but didn't reach for it. Instead, she asked again, "Where is the beacon?"

"Beacon... I... I don't know anything about a beacon..." Shadow Rat's eyes darted around, still trying to hide the truth.

Guan Jinyue's eyes turned cold. She brought the index and middle fingers of her empty left hand together like a sword, a starlight-bright golden glow lighting up at her fingertips, and tapped it against Shadow Rat's forehead.

"Soul Search."

These two simple words scared Shadow Rat out of his wits. A soul search technique could at best damage one's memories and turn them into an idiot, and at worst shatter their soul completely.

"No! Don't! I'll talk! I'll talk!"

He screamed in breakdown, "In... in the safe on the third underground level of the East District Abandoned Machinery Factory... the password is... is..." He rattled off a string of numbers.

Having gotten the information she wanted, Guan Jinyue nodded. The golden glow on her fingertips faded. She pulled out her longsword, bringing out a spray of blood.

So easy to fool. She didn't actually know any soul search technique.

Shadow Rat slumped to the ground like a torn sack, his breath weak, heavily injured, and no longer a threat.

Guan Jinyue shook the blood droplets off the tip of her sword and sheathed it. The longsword, which resembled cold moonlight, turned into a streak of light and merged into her body, clearly not an ordinary piece of iron, but a weapon related to her superpower.

Only then did she turn around and look properly at the two of them for the first time.

"You can take this guy back to hand in your mission." She pointed at Shadow Rat on the ground, her tone flat. "The stuff in the metal box is yours. Don't get in my way."

With that, she didn't linger. In a flash, she reached the warehouse door, where a deep spatial portal opened. Just as she was about to step in, Long Ao called out to her.

Long Ao said in a deep voice, "What's the beacon? I need an explanation."

Guan Jinyue paused in her steps, turning half her face back, her silver hair cascading down her shoulder like moonlight.

"An explanation?" Guan Jinyue seemed to be smiling. "The weak don't need explanations."

Her gaze faintly swept over the black iron coffin Chen Guan was carrying on his back. A dark undercurrent seemed to surge deep in her black eyes, but ultimately, she said nothing.

"If you want answers, use your strength to ask for them at the league tournament. Long Ao, I'll be waiting for you at the Four Schools League."

As her voice faded, she stepped into the spatial portal and vanished, leaving behind only a faint, cold fragrance and Long Ao, who felt somewhat embarrassed by the mockery.

Long Ao snorted coldly, "Acting mysterious. That sword strike was powerful, but she's not necessarily invincible. How many times can she use that spatial power?"

Chen Guan heard everything clearly. Space—this was quite a troublesome ability.

His brows furrowed tightly. He first went over to check on Shadow Rat, confirming that he had lost his mobility, and then looked at the metal box.

Upon opening it, he found more than ten crystals the size of pigeon eggs inside. They were dark crystals, a material that had a good supplementary effect on dark spiritual energy and was quite valuable.

Long Ao gave it a nonchalant look. "You take it. I have no use for this stuff. Next time you run into something fire-attribute, just give it to me."

Actually, he wasn't lacking in fire-attribute items either; he only said that so Chen Guan would accept the crystals.

Chen Guan didn't decline. The two quickly left the area of the Academy City and returned to the school grounds.

After handing Shadow Rat over to the association's office stationed at the academy and settling the mission rewards, Long Ao hurried off.

Holding back a surge of energy, he went straight to the training room for extra practice.

Chen Guan returned to his own room, closed the door, and leaned against the black iron coffin.

He opened the system panel.

Popularity Points: 8892

The process of the mission to hunt down Shadow Rat, especially Guan Jinyue's sudden intervention and the overwhelming strength she displayed, had clearly brought another wave of popularity points. Obviously, he was riding the coattails of this hype—first leeching off Long Ao, and now Guan Jinyue.

He didn't use the popularity points right away. Instead, he opened the forum again.

This time, he checked the Plot Discussion section.

NoBetelNut: Sister Guan is so freaking cool, the elegance of that single sword strike.

AAA Building Materials Bro Wang: Is the league going to turn into a clash of gods? Needless to say for Huaqing, North City has the wild card Guan Jinyue, and Shengu and Zero must have their trump cards too.

Chen Guan Fanclub President: Chen Guan's coffin got noticed again. That last look Sister Guan gave definitely had a deeper meaning. I bet fifty cents on it.

An Changqing's Normie GF: "The weak don't need explanations"... Sister Guan's villain aura is maxed out, loving it! She even issued a challenge to Bro Ao, blindly guessing she's Bro Ao's colleague.

Dong Zhuo Loves Lu Bu: Am I the only one worried that something will happen at the league tournament? A world where only the league gets hurt is born.

Please Act Quickly: Nonsense, if nothing happens, what are we supposed to watch?

Chen Guan closed the forum and rubbed his temples.

Sure enough, netizens were just there for the drama and couldn't give him any useful information.

All he could do was seize the time to continue growing stronger.

Looking at the 8892 popularity points, Chen Guan's gaze grew firm. No more saving, time to spend!

"Redeem the advanced version of Mental Meditation Method (Green), Stargazing Meditation Method (Blue)."

"Redeem the advanced version of Basic Taijutsu (Green), Military Combat Arts (Blue)."

Both cost 4000 popularity points. In one go, Chen Guan emptied his balance again, leaving only a fraction behind.

Two massive streams of information flooded his mind. Chen Guan closed his eyes to digest them for a moment, quickly adapting to his new power.

Over the next two days, Chen Guan entered a mode of frantic cultivation.

His strength steadily improved.

Just like that, two days passed in a flash.

Monday morning, Huaqing Academy Plaza.

The massive Cloud-Piercing Shuttle hovered in mid-air. The elite students of the Tianshu Class participating in the Four Schools League boarded the ship one after another.

The atmosphere was passionate, with fighting spirit burning in everyone's eyes, vowing to bring back a good ranking.

Carrying the black iron coffin on his back, Chen Guan stood with An Changqing, Long Ao, and Su Yuehe. He looked toward the north, the direction of North City Academy.

Guan Jinyue...

Whether she was a friend or foe should become clear over the next few days.

The Cloud-Piercing Shuttle slowly lifted off, and Huaqing Academy shrank beneath their feet. Outside the portholes, a sea of clouds churned under the brilliant sunlight.

Inside the cabin, the elite Tianshu Class students participating in the league each occupied a corner, either resting with their eyes closed or conversing in low voices. The atmosphere seemed lively on the surface but was actually fraught with hidden tension.

As the acknowledged leader of the freshmen, An Changqing was naturally surrounded by people. Long Ao sat alone in a corner, still resting with his eyes closed. Su Yuehe seemed a bit nervous, her fingers unconsciously twirling her short flute.

Chen Guan leaned against the cabin wall, the black iron coffin standing by his side.

He appeared to be resting with his eyes closed like Long Ao, but in reality, his consciousness was consolidating the insights from the Stargazing Meditation Method and Military Combat Arts.

These two days of bitter cultivation had brought considerable progress to his mental strength and close-combat skills. His Illusionist superpower, in particular, was much easier to use under the nourishment of the Stargazing Meditation Method, with both the duration and realism of his illusions improved.