Chapter Forty-Five: The Master (Part One)

In the early morning, Ye Ran arrived at the shoe store ahead of time to unlock the door. After changing into his work clothes, he stood behind the counter.

There were hardly any customers this early, so he took out a book from under the counter and opened it.

“Dual Flow of Qi”—this was the book Young Master Luo had given him yesterday. It wasn’t until after she’d left that he noticed it. After work, he idly flipped through it and discovered that its contents were even more abstruse and profound than before; it was an advanced method of qi cultivation.

At first, he was delighted, but soon after, a sense of gloom crept in. Cultivation demanded diligence, yet now he had less than two hours each day to practice physical techniques and control his qi. Ordinary students had at least four hours daily—twice as much as he did. Practicing so sporadically as he was now, it might have been better not to practice at all.

Still, with an advanced method of qi cultivation right in front of him, he couldn’t help but read on. Page after page, he became absorbed, only snapping out of it when Xu Xin cleared his throat.

“Good morning, Boss…”

Seeing Xu Xin enter the store, Ye Ran greeted him, quickly tucking away “Dual Flow of Qi.” Despite his composure, he felt a little uneasy inside.

“Morning, Ye,” Xu Xin had clearly noticed his little maneuver, but paid it no mind. With a cheerful smile, he said, “You’re quite studious. It’s good for young people to read more, as long as it doesn’t interfere with work.”

This was tacit approval, and Ye Ran felt grateful.

“Ye, there’s something I’d like to ask you to do,” Xu Xin placed a bag on the counter, then went to fetch the account books from the back.

“Of course, Boss, what is it?”

“There are some clothes and snacks in this bag. Would you deliver them to my daughter? She lives at the school and seldom comes home. Xiao Zhang isn’t in today, and I’ll have to go to the branch store later, so I’ll have to trouble you. Xiao Liu can mind the store for a while.”

Xiao Liu was another clerk, who covered for Zhang Nuo’s position from Monday to Friday.

Ye Ran replied, “You’re too polite, Boss. What’s your daughter’s name? Which class is she in?”

“Her name is Xu Nan, in the Advanced Class at Taiding Academy.”

…

Xu Xin was Xu Nan’s father, and this shoe store belonged to Xu Nan’s family.

Carrying the bag as he walked through the shabby alley, Ye Ran still found it all a bit strange. No wonder everything had gone so smoothly for him. He couldn’t tell if it was Mars or Xu Nan secretly helping him. Rubbing his forehead, he laughed at himself.

In some respects, he really was slow to catch on.

Remembering how Xu Nan had dressed like a rebellious girl when they first met, he had a vague guess. Xu Nan and Xu Xin likely didn’t get along, which meant Mars was probably the matchmaker behind the scenes.

After winding through a couple turns and a straight path, he arrived at the southern district. In stark contrast to the bustling, elite Lanxie Avenue, the southern district was nestled against mountains and water, its scenery exquisite—a veritable paradise.

Taiding Academy had chosen its campus here, more for academic reasons than Hongye Academy did. Lanxie Avenue was a gathering place for nobles and elites, while the southern district was a retreat for masters and scholars.

Passing through swathes of lawns and gardens, Ye Ran soon arrived at Taiding Academy. With a river in front and mountains behind, it was an impressive sight. He greeted the gatekeeper and entered.

Stepping inside, Ye Ran was filled with emotion. Compared to Hongye Academy, this place was more like a true seat of learning. Lawns, gardens, fountains, and teaching buildings stood harmoniously together. The nearby garden bloomed in a riot of color, with the sound of recitation drifting from within. In the distant square, a group of students practiced controlling their qi; even from afar, he could sense their energy.

In a small eastern pavilion, young men of elegant bearing walked side by side with elven and divine race maidens, conversing politely.

Like Hongye Academy, the students here were not limited to humans—there were elves, dwarves, and even third- and fourth-generation divine race members.

Ye Ran asked a passing staff member, who told him Xu Nan was in the gymnasium for a qi control class. Ye Ran hurried through the gardens and along a path to the gym.

The massive, square gym felt a bit empty. A few students were practicing basic physical arts in the main hall, while most others were in their respective equipment rooms.

Xu Nan’s advanced class was in the training room at the end of the left corridor. The pure white, round doors resembled sliding warehouse doors, blending seamlessly with the silver walls. Ye Ran approached and knocked; the door emitted a dull thud, clearly thick and heavy.

No one responded from inside, though faint sounds could be heard. Perhaps they hadn’t heard the knocking, or perhaps they were ignoring it. After a moment’s thought, he tried the door ring, but the door was heavy and unmoving.

In the office behind him, an elderly man with snow-white hair and a childlike face lowered his newspaper and, seeing this unfamiliar youth wrestling with the special door, watched with mild interest. After the first failed attempt, Ye Ran gripped the handle again and pulled upward with force.

Which class did this blockhead belong to? Didn’t he know the training room doors were sealed with psychic energy? Trying to force it open was sheer foolishness.

Setting aside his newspaper and teacup, the old man stepped out and cleared his throat, saying, “You silly boy, this door is sealed with psychic energy. Only a fool would try brute force…”

Rumble—

Before he could finish, the door thundered as Ye Ran managed to crack it open. With another heave, Ye Ran pushed it halfway open.

Clapping his hands with a touch of schadenfreude, Ye Ran turned to the wide-eyed elder and said leisurely, “Sir, what were you saying just now? I didn’t quite catch it.”

“I…”

Suddenly, a fierce wind roared, followed by a surge of powerful qi bursting through the opening. Ye Ran instinctively took a step back.

But it wasn’t over yet. Before Ye Ran could see the scene inside, a dazzling burst of light blinded him as a shower of multicolored crystal balls rained down, dense as a swarm of locusts.

Startled, Ye Ran spun on his heel, his hands guiding a stream of qi. The crystal balls shot toward him like arrows, but as they neared the current of qi, their speed slowed considerably. Ye Ran pivoted aside, sweeping his hand in a graceful arc. The now sluggish crystal balls spun along his fingertips’ trajectory.

It seemed slow, but in truth, it happened in an instant. All forty-six radiant crystal balls spun around Ye Ran in a brilliant display of color.

He let out a breath and released the stream of qi; the crystal balls clattered to the ground. Looking up, he saw the training room was packed with students, not one of whom spoke, each staring at him in stunned silence.

Beside him, the white-haired elder stood with his hands behind his back, watching with keen interest.

With those few moves, there were likely few in all of Taiding Academy who could match him.

“Um… I’m looking for Xu Nan. Someone asked me to deliver some clothes to her.”

…