“You make me sound like a villain.” Qu Weichen couldn’t help but say, but after a brief pause, she laughed.
“But if this is what it means to be a villain, I think it actually feels pretty good.”
He Muman’s expression froze.
She looked at Qu Weichen, and suddenly her anger exploded even more.
“What do you think you are? You’re just her dog! You have no idea what she’s capable of! Chen Qingjue, you’re some nobody who just popped up out of nowhere.
The moment you appeared, you ruined my engagement with His Highness.
He’s changed! He’s like a different person now, and it’s all because of you!”
Silence—
Qu Weichen didn’t know who Chen Qingjue was, but seeing He Muman’s hysterical state, she realized that must be the name of the palace master.
Qu Weichen turned around.
Chen Qingjue was still smiling, not the least bit angry at He Muman’s outburst.
When she saw Qu Weichen looking over, those light brown eyes met hers, and she nodded with a sweet smile.
“You just want to humiliate me, to do to me what I wanted to do to you, right?” He Muman clenched her fists and stepped onto the stage.
Just as Qu Weichen instinctively gripped her dagger, ready to fight, He Muman shouted, “I concede!”
Qu Weichen stumbled, completely caught off guard by this turn of events.
“Kids always like to joke around.” Chen Qingjue chuckled.
“You call this humiliation? You all made the first move, remember~”
“But then again, the attack was your brother’s idea.
If someone’s going to suffer, it should be him.” Chen Qingjue looked up at the stage.
“Qu Weichen, do you want to beat her up?”
Qu Weichen walked up to He Muman.
He Muman instinctively wanted to back away, but forced herself to stay put, glaring at Qu Weichen.
“I’m not anyone’s dog, and I don’t want to get dragged into this.
But you all think I’m easy to bully, so I’m just telling you—you’re wrong.” Qu Weichen’s voice was soft and quiet.
She leaned in to whisper to He Muman, but she knew that after today, after what Chen Qingjue had done at the academy, even if it wasn’t about gratitude, she was now fully part of the Prison Sanctuary.
There were so many guards in the Prison Sanctuary, and Chen Qingjue had picked up and helped plenty of people.
The only reason these people targeted her was because she had no background, was an orphan, came to Uweino like a refugee, and was weak.
“Smack!” A slap sent He Muman’s head to the side.
It took her a moment to realize what had happened.
Her eyes instantly reddened, and she raised a trembling finger to point at Qu Weichen’s nose.
“You actually hit me? You—”
Before she could finish cursing, Qu Weichen slapped her again.
She stared at He Muman, spinning her dagger around her fingers, and He Muman fell silent.
No one stopped her this time.
He Muman ran off the stage and left the place altogether.
“Let’s get started.” Chen Qingjue watched He Muman leave, said nothing more, just smiled and signaled for the rest to get on stage.
Qu Weichen wasn’t afraid of the hired second-rank warriors, so how could she lose to these second-rankers from the academy? After each fight, the instructors would cast a healing spell on her, and also on the opponents she knocked out.
Qu Weichen never used her dagger to stab anyone’s vital points; if she needed to knock someone out, she just used her fists.
But during the fights, Qu Weichen realized she didn’t feel the same rush as when she was ambushed.
Back then, it was like her whole body was on fire, her senses were heightened, and her reflexes were on another level.
Now, though, something was missing.
[It’s not a life-or-death situation, so it’s not that easy to trigger.] Number Nine searched and pulled up a picture of Qu Weichen covered in blood, red markings all over her body.
But most of the red markings were hidden by blood, so it was hard to see.
[Look, this state seems related to the Ninefold Tempering, probably a sign of potential being unleashed?]
The students brought over wore black, red, blue, and white uniforms, but none were fifth-years.
Qu Weichen fought them one by one, and with the instructors’ healing and buffs, it wasn’t hard at all.
Maybe those students weren’t going all out either.
After the fights, Qu Weichen went back to class for theory.
The palace master left with the principal after saying a few words.
From today on, her academy life would probably be a lot more peaceful.
In this situation, no one would be dumb enough to mess with her again.
Of course, if trouble did come, it would probably be another big mess, like that ambush.
While guessing at Chen Qingjue’s motives, Qu Weichen couldn’t help but think about what He Muman had said—
“Qu Weichen, Qu Weichen? Are you okay?” She had just walked into the classroom and sat down when Tu Weierxi propped up her textbook and turned to whisper to her.
“I’m fine.
The palace master came with me today, what could possibly happen?” Qu Weichen stopped thinking about it and smiled at Tu Weierxi.
“As for the ambush, look, I’m sitting here just fine, aren’t I?”
“Those people are way too bold, doing something like that right on the streets of Uweino…” Tu Weierxi was indignant.
She asked, “Did you go fight on the stage this morning?”
“Yeah, the palace master was there and let me beat up all the people who kept bothering me.” Qu Weichen grinned.
Some of them hadn’t even had a chance to mess with her yet, but since everyone had picked sides, there was no point holding back now.
It was just an academy, and none of the students were adults, yet they couldn’t even grow up in peace.
The undead in the Abyss were still eyeing the Floating Continent, and here they were, already fighting among themselves.
Qu Weichen couldn’t help but wonder: the human side’s passage must be really well guarded, right?
[That palace master of yours might not be human.] Just as Qu Weichen was whispering with Tu Weierxi, Number Nine suddenly chimed in.
Qu Weichen: ?
[Really, think about it.
He Muman said she didn’t know where she came from! And are her methods something a normal person could do? Lowering intelligence? Where on this continent is there a potion that can make someone stupid and then cure them? I checked, there’s no such magic either.] Number Nine said seriously.
[But I don’t know what she is yet.
Maybe you should test her attitude toward necromancers?]
Qu Weichen: Am I crazy or are you? If she were a necromancer, could she really be the palace master of the Prison Sanctuary?
[What if she’s something from the Abyss? Didn’t your book say there are demons in the Abyss?]
Qu Weichen: Then why would she be hunting undead? Demons can enslave lesser undead in the Abyss.
What’s she after on this continent? And she’s made a ton of enemies… But I get what you mean.
Still, she saved me, gave me resources, let me study here, and even established my reputation.
[…]
Qu Weichen: I’m already a necromancer.
What could be scarier than that?
[You make a good point.]
[Yeah, what could she possibly want from you?] Number Nine quickly came around.
Just as it relaxed, a paper ball flew from the podium and hit Tu Weierxi on the back of the head, leaving the little elf stunned.
“Class is starting, stop whispering!” The elf girl in the front row blushed instantly, turned around, and sat up straight, listening intently with her back ramrod straight.
Qu Weichen couldn’t help but laugh, and immediately got a glare from the teacher on the podium.
Qu Weichen: “…”
She lowered her head, opened her textbook, and listened carefully.
…
None of the students who got beaten up dropped out, and neither did He Muman.
Qu Weichen waited a few days, but didn’t hear of anything big happening with General Pingyuan.
She couldn’t help but wonder: didn’t the palace master say there’d be an explanation for the ambush? Was slapping He Muman twice all the explanation there was?
…If she’d known, she would’ve slapped her a couple more times.
A week of peaceful training passed, and then a bombshell of a rumor spread from the imperial capital all the way to Uweino, sweeping across the continent—
A trusted guard of the Third Prince turned out to be a necromancer who had signed a contract with a “demon”!
The Third Prince had poor judgment and was now suspected of colluding with the Abyss.
The emperor had put him under house arrest, not allowed to leave the capital, and his personal guard was taken over and everyone around him investigated…
When the news reached Uweino, General Pingyuan, who hadn’t left his house in days, brought his son to the gates of the Prison Sanctuary.
In front of everyone, he made his son kneel and personally gave him sixty lashes, each one drawing blood.
After this, the Third Prince’s faction went completely silent, keeping a very low profile.
When Qu Weichen heard about it, she thought it was suspicious and guessed this was the palace master’s real response to the ambush.
But it wasn’t something she could ask about, so she just focused on her own warrior training.
No matter how much they fought, what could she do with her first-rank strength? Bully some kids? She needed to grow, to get stronger, that was the only way.
…
Before she knew it, the end of the month arrived, and Qu Weichen’s long-awaited trip to Beastcall Mountain was finally on the schedule.
After school that day, Qu Weichen hadn’t even left the gates when she saw the tall Constance standing guard like a door god.
“Come on, let’s go register at the Warrior Association.” Constance saw Qu Weichen running over, grabbed her by the shoulder, and led her out.
“You can keep the materials from the beasts you kill, or sell them at the Warrior Association.
The Warrior Association doesn’t give monthly stipends like the Mage Association, but if you sell your prey here, it counts as a contribution.
You can use contributions to exchange for forging materials, or ask the association’s smiths to make you weapons and gear.”
Qu Weichen was still a student, so she didn’t really need to register at the Warrior Association yet.
But since she was going to Beastcall Mountain, it was better to get it done.
“Do high-ranking warriors get any perks here?” Qu Weichen asked curiously.
“Perks?” Constance thought for a moment.
“You get discounts when exchanging contributions for stuff.
And maybe hotel discounts at inns partnered with the association? But if you’re a high-ranking warrior, who cares about that.” Of course, in Constance’s eyes, high-ranking meant at least fifth-rank and above.
On the Floating Continent, warriors and mages were generally ranked in ten tiers.
As for power above the tenth tier… that was out of Qu Weichen’s reach.
“Come on, after you register, I’ll buy you a monster guidebook.
There are lots of beast species around the edge of Beastcall Mountain, some with really tasty meat.
Taking you hunting is basically a picnic.” Constance took Qu Weichen to register at the Warrior Association, handled all the paperwork, then bought her a guidebook and handed her a thousand yuanlang as her monthly stipend.
“Here’s your stipend for the month.
You’ll need to buy some supplies for Beastcall Mountain.”
“Okay, thanks, Captain!” Supplies… dry food and water? Maybe a giant water bottle? As for weapons, she had plenty of daggers.
Then a sleeping bag? Spare clothes? Qu Weichen made a mental checklist.
