The wonderful night at the museum came to a successful end, and they didn't receive any complaints from the neighbors. The people around here probably didn't care about a mere snowfall anyway.
...You mentioned before that the mark has lost its effect.
Before parting ways, Su Cheng suddenly remembered their unfinished conversation and couldn't help but ask for the reason.
Ian glanced at her shoulder. The person who left the mark on you is dead.
Su Cheng: ?
That guy was just clamoring about killing her and replacing her identity, and now he was just gone?
The blond young man tilted his head slightly and reached out to rub her slightly reddened cheek. So, until we meet again.
He paused for a moment. Next time we should be meeting in the Holy City, right? Perhaps you'd like to train together with those Blessed Ones?
Su Cheng hadn't forgotten about this training program either. I heard it starts in the summer?
Soran's summer is very long, not to mention that there is the selection for the Holy Crown Ceremony this year, so it will be pushed back a bit.
Ian said casually, You can enjoy a relaxed school life in the imperial capital first.
Su Cheng knew he was referring to the selection of the Holy Son and Holy Maiden. ...I hope things go as well as you say, and no more random situations pop up.
They parted ways in the Upper City district.
Beating the final deadline, Su Cheng returned to school to submit her course selection form and proceeded to buy all her textbooks and various supplies. This process was quite lengthy because there were hundreds of books in total, and that wasn't even all of them—after she passed each semester's exams, even more courses and reading lists would be successively added to this deluxe package.
Of course, this was only in theory. She knew very well that she wouldn't be able to devote much time to studying, as a lot of messy things were bound to happen next.
Rowan helped her carry some books. Have you been in the imperial capital these past few days? Oh, did you go to the banquet at the Marigold Palace? I'm guessing they definitely invited you, right?
Su Cheng, holding a stack of heavy textbooks that almost reached the ceiling, asked, What?
Ahem, I know you're a Blessed One now, the red-haired young man said in a low voice. Quite a few people in the school know too. Of course, they haven't been able to match the rumors to your actual person yet. Anyway, I figured Duke Aulu would have given you an invitation?
He did give me one, but I was at the hotel at the time...
Ah, you didn't go? Rowan was a bit disappointed. If it were me, I probably would have wanted to join in the fun, even though I don't have anything I want to buy.
I considered it, but, sigh, I was a bit tired. I felt that if I went to the Marigold Palace, I would definitely have to face a lot of people trying to cozy up to me—
Su Cheng was trying to play the part of an exhausted, newly minted public figure.
A sneer came from nearby.
Sorry, sister, I just think you're too funny.
Two students passing by in the corridor were carrying books and toolboxes in their arms.
One of them had a mocking expression. Anyone who can receive an invitation to the Marigold Palace has some serious backing. They're all busy trying to curry favor with the great nobles or wealthier patrons—
His gaze fell on Su Cheng's clothes. As for you, you look like an ordinary rich person at best.
Su Cheng poked her head out from behind the towering textbooks. Huh?
When the person saw her face, his gaze suddenly froze. Staring at the young woman's jet-black hair and amber eyes, his expression quickly turned solemn.
You couldn't be that Blessed One, could you?
He stammered, I, I heard them say that person is very beautiful, with black hair and light-colored eyes. Uh, I'm sorry, I thought you were just one of those people talking big. I just ran into a bunch of braggarts this morning...
Su Cheng, however, was no longer paying attention to him.
Because on the other side of the long corridor, a tall figure had quietly appeared.
A red-haired man strode over with a cold face, his handsome, wild, and deep features full of impatience. His gaze shifted and caught sight of the two women holding books ahead of him.
Su Cheng: ...
She saw him at the exact same time.
He wore a dark brown trench coat, the collar of his shirt unbuttoned. Beneath the thin fabric, the outline of his bulging pectoral muscles and lean waist and abdomen could faintly be seen.
That bright and magnificent red hair made his skin look even paler. Beneath his prominent brow bone, his iron-gray eyes appeared even colder in the light.
The shape of his pupils subtly elongated in the light.
Su Cheng blinked. Good day, Your Highness the Prince—
Although they had only met once, she had been caught in the blast of a misplaced crystal and accidentally saw this prince bathing. In a way, the scene was still vivid in her mind.
The atmosphere in the corridor instantly grew tense.
The two students looked back and immediately scurried away.
Rowan also sensed the eerie atmosphere, but he merely thought the prince was wary of the Blessed One, and couldn't help but take a step in front of his neighbor.
Su Cheng, however, was pondering something else.
—Duke Aulu wouldn't have sold her out, would he?
Although there were some rumors about the identity of the redhead in front of her, nominally he was also the emperor's son and the younger brother of Prince Aquila.
Su Cheng knew that Peier had a poor relationship with his other siblings.
However, among the emperor's children, most were hostile to each other due to conflicts of interest or alienated because they looked down on each other's personalities.
But if Prince Peier held a grudge against her, even if he didn't want to avenge his sister, it would be troublesome if he really got wind of any information.
...Hmph.
The red-haired man looked at her coldly and let out a cold snort, making it unclear whether it was a mockery or a response.
Then he turned and walked away.
What the hell? Rowan's eyes widened. You actually took the initiative to greet him. Do you know him?
Su Cheng felt that meeting once in a bathhouse shouldn't count as knowing him. Well, I thought everyone would offer some sort of greeting when seeing a member of the royal family in a place like this...?
Theoretically, yes, but look at the way he was acting. He clearly didn't want to talk to anyone, nor did he want anyone to talk to him.
Su Cheng soon received her class schedule.
It looked fairly relaxed—she had at most half a day of classes each day, and there weren't classes every day. The school obviously gave people plenty of time to do their own research or training.
She bought some daily necessities, simply decorated her dorm room, laid a few layers of thick cushions on the bay window, and then curled up comfortably in front of the window to read.
—She still hadn't finished reading those books of secretive and dangerous spells she bought earlier.
So after flipping through the textbooks she would need for next week's classes, she began to pore over this profound yet not overly obscure set of forbidden books.
Until her neighbor came knocking on the door.
...Did you eat today? The red-haired young man poked his head in. It's time for a late-night snack now. There's a pastry tower and steaks on the table in the lounge.
Su Cheng had been reading obsessively in her room for the past few days, leaving her room only a handful of times. Right now, her mind was stuffed with all sorts of weird and wonderful knowledge about forbidden arts.
No, she closed the door. Thanks for the reminder, I'll go get something to eat.
By the way, tomorrow is the first public lecture for the General Theory of Elements, right? Are you going to attend?
Most courses at the academy didn't take attendance, especially these types of public lectures.
The admitted students all possessed top-tier talent, but their ranks varied, so their curriculum wasn't exactly the same.
Of course, there were all sorts of self-taught mages here, and quite a few of them wanted to build a solid foundation and study theoretical knowledge from scratch.
In the early morning, after breakfast, Su Cheng and her neighbor went to attend a lecture. They struggled to squeeze into the elevator, almost getting squashed into pancakes.
...Unbelievable.
Su Cheng emerged from the elevator's prison, tugging at her wrinkled clothes. Maybe I should have just flown up from the outside—
Before she could finish her sentence, an earth-shattering roar suddenly echoed outside the corridor window!
A massive dark red shadow swept past outside. Its sky-obscuring wings spread wide, kicking up howling gusts of wind.
Gasps and exclamations filled the corridor.
...Looks like someone had the same idea as you, Rowan hugged the books in her arms tightly. His Highness the Prince came riding a dragon.
I think that's just because he might have been at the royal palace last night, or at least not on campus.
They walked down the long corridor and found a tiered circular classroom.
Obsidian paved the walls and floor, the cold and smooth stones as clear as mirrors, and the air was filled with the scent of ink and parchment.
In the center of the classroom was a sunken curved platform. Right in the middle sat a stone basin covered in intricate runes, occasionally flashing with the faint glow of a magic array.
Because there were students from more than just the Academy of Mysteries, there were at least twenty or thirty people sitting in the classroom.
Su Cheng quietly chose an aisle seat in the middle rows, and Rowan, completely indifferent, sat down next to her.
A professor in a magic robe stood on the stage. On her chest was an emblem of a long staff and an unrolled scroll, the symbol of an eighth-tier mage, a Grand Magus.
Only at our school would you have this caliber of an expert teaching an introductory theory class...
Indeed, many schools would be lucky to have even one.
Why are there so many people? Are they all freshmen?
...Not quite. Some clearly aren't, but they want to get on familiar terms with Professor Li, so they always come to her big lectures.
Huh?
People were whispering all around them.
The professor looked very young. If it weren't for her composed demeanor and the eighth-tier emblem, people might have believed she was a student.
Standing next to her was another young man, his jet-black hair half-tied up. His handsome side profile was all the more striking under the lights.
His features were extremely exquisite, deep but not rugged. Every line seemed meticulously sculpted. His raven lashes drooped heavily, hiding his blue-purple eyes.
The young man had a tall and slender figure, a slightly lean build, and a straight back. Even though his expression was quite calm, he still exuded an aura of cold arrogance.
...Who is that? He's so pretty!
I think he's the top student of our Elemental Department?
...Sister, I'm from the Academy of Blades.
Yin Ning? He's not a freshman, so what is he doing here?
He probably has business with Professor Li. Look, isn't he about to leave now—
Su Cheng calmly listened to the surrounding students' discussions.
Rowan noticed that her neighbor only glanced at the stage once before looking down at her book. You don't like this type?
...He's alright.
Su Cheng didn't know what to say. She couldn't very well admit that she wasn't into the aloof type, and when it came to aura and looks, who in this realm could compare to the God of Purity?
Although that fleeting glimpse she had experienced back then was mostly influenced by the deity's power.
When the bell rang, the classroom quickly returned to silence.
Yin Ning had already left. Only Professor Li stood on the stage, smiling at the nearly full classroom.
Welcome to Cross Star, students of the Academy of Mysteries and the Academy of Blades, and perhaps auditors from the Academy of Valor—
She gave a brief self-introduction. Before coming here, many of you already attained a rank and passed the Magic Guild's assessment. I believe you all have a certain understanding of elemental magic. Whether through someone's guidance, the direction of certain books, or purely through your own exploration, as long as you successfully channeled power and cast a spell, your understanding is correct. The response of the elemental spirits is the best proof. I stand here not to negate your past efforts and knowledge...
Professor Li turned and walked back to the stone basin, casually snapping her fingers.
A stream of blazing golden-red flames immediately erupted from the stone basin. The firelight was fanned higher by a smoky cyan wind. Strands of blue electrical arcs exploded, followed by frost condensing in mid-air, along with dirt, gravel, and water droplets swept up by the wind, and a cluster of rapidly growing green seedlings.
The powers of various natural elements manifested one after another in that small space.
Su Cheng heard the sound of many people gasping.
Is she an omni-elemental mage?
Her emblem is lightning-attribute, but this is clearly...
And they don't conflict with each other? She can maintain it for this long?
Everyone knew that magic was generated by elemental spirits. Spirits of different attributes loved and hated different environments. Gathering them in a confined space usually meant the magic would either cancel each other out or dissipate on its own.
However, the magic in that stone basin continued, maintaining a state where multiple elemental spells coexisted.
However, your understanding of elemental magic might be superficial and fragmented. For example, learning a few words does not mean you have mastered the language. When you want to use a language to read ancient tomes, compose magnificent poetry, or even create new words, using it like your mother tongue... then you must deeply and completely understand its logic.
She paused for a moment, ensuring she had captured everyone's attention, before continuing:
Elemental resonators can sense the existence of elemental spirits, which ordinary people cannot do.
A look of pride appeared on the faces of some students.
But anyone has seen lightning, thunder, storms, flames burning in a fireplace, or snowflakes falling in winter. Yes, weather phenomena are also the mortal manifestations of elemental spirits. Meanwhile, the spiritual traits of elemental spirits are a realm that only resonators are qualified to explore...
The entire classroom only echoed with the professor's words and the various sounds made by the manifesting elements in the stone basin.
The students were thoroughly mesmerized, only remembering to take notes during the professor's pauses.
Some also quietly tried to cast magic under the cover of their desks.
Su Cheng originally felt an itch to try as well, but after seeing that person stopped by the professor, she put away the thought.
The professor ended the class right on time, assigning several practice exercises and a paper with no word limit on the differences and benefits of meditation methods.
After class, Yin Ning appeared again.
He clearly had business with Professor Li and was now standing by the door waiting. Many people looked eager to strike up a conversation with him.
However, he kept a cold face. Seeing the juniors who mustered the courage to approach, he merely gave a polite nod and then stepped aside.
Those people had some sense; seeing this, they did not continue to pester him.
There were still many people crowding around the professor, asking all sorts of questions.
She patiently answered a few of the more complicated ones. For the relatively simple questions, she told them to look for the answers in their books, providing the exact titles and even the chapters.
Not wanting to squeeze through the door with the crowd, Su Cheng intentionally stayed in her seat a little longer. By the time she stood up, more than half of the people in the classroom had already left.
She cast a casual glance toward the podium and happened to see the professor waving.
Su Cheng: "?"
Su Cheng: "She couldn't be calling me, could she?"
Rowan turned around to look. "There are barely any people behind us. Why don't you go over and ask?"
Curious, Su Cheng walked up to the front. "Were you calling for me?"
"Yes," Professor Li said with a smile. "Your Excellency, would you be interested in participating in the Dragon Knight Trials?"
