CSMCDB - Chapter 46

Chapter 46

In Wen Yuncheng's second week of school, the new students enrolled and began preparing for the entrance placement battles.

However, for Wen Yuncheng, who was already in S-Class, the placement battles were practically nonexistent. Rather than looking forward to that, she might as well look forward to the Beast Tide in October. At the very least, there was no way a giant dragon would appear in this Beast Tide, and since she was in S-Class, she could team up with Lin Jinyu.

Speaking of which, ever since accepting Yan Ling's hellish training, Wen Yuncheng was busy every day from afternoon until evening. After soaking in a medicinal bath, she would go to the Fire Tempering Bath, feeling like she was about to be pickled. However, the power of the Star Stones was also quite apparent. Wen Yuncheng's current physical fitness was now roughly equivalent to that of a cultivator at the second layer of the Star Practitioner realm.

Wen Yuncheng was actually quite satisfied with this result, but Yan Ling was not. Wen Yuncheng reflected on it seriously and concluded that it was probably because it wasn't her money being spent, so she was very easily satisfied. If she had spent millions of Star Stones herself only to have her physical fitness improve from the third layer of Star Apostle to the second layer of Star Practitioner… Wen Yuncheng would probably want to vomit blood. No, she would never do something like that in the first place!

Constrained by the cost of Star Stones, Wen Yuncheng worked exceptionally hard. The only time she could relax was during morning classes with Lin Jinyu; even at night, she would practice her punches and then collapse into bed. She had never gone to sleep so early before.

Thanks to Yan Ling, Wen Yuncheng had developed the good habit of sleeping early and waking up early.

Because Yan Ling had taken over her training, her sparring partners were hired Star Masters of the first and second layers. Wen Yuncheng's experience gain fluctuated very little, and she could only earn experience by going to the Dueling Arena on weekends. Fortunately, the training was extremely effective. Wen Yuncheng's win rate at the Dueling Arena skyrocketed; even third-layer Star Warriors were no match for her.

"Wen Yuncheng, let's go check out the pretty new female students!" a day after the new student placement battles began, her buddy Zhou Xuan extended an invitation. "Several pretty junior girls got into A-Class this year!"

Wen Yuncheng thought to herself, No matter how pretty they are, can they be prettier than my Little Ice Mountain? She glanced at the time. "But I have to go to the Dueling Arena with my teacher for combat practice this afternoon…"

"Come in the morning! There are no classes in the morning during the placement battles!"

Wen Yuncheng, who had wanted to study with Lin Jinyu: …

"F-fine, I'll go, alright?" She had been so busy lately that she hadn't eaten with Zhou Xuan and the others in a long time. Since Zhou Xuan had invited her like this, Wen Yuncheng thought about it and agreed. "I'll find some time to buy some snacks outside. We can eat while we watch tomorrow morning."

"Deal! We'll be waiting for you then!"

This year's new students were indeed very good-looking. There were fair and handsome young boys, as well as cute and sweet junior girls. Wen Yuncheng sat in the audience with Zhou Xuan and the others, eating snacks while watching the new students compete. The second day of competition began with challenges from C-Class.

Wen Yuncheng watched a fair-skinned young man, who was trying his best to act cool, spout harsh words at his opponent on the stage. She couldn't help but laugh out loud. 1947, look. The posturing you like so much is just this ridiculous in the eyes of the audience.

[That's because he's a scrub.]

Wen Yuncheng watched as the young man started fighting after his trash talk, only to end up losing? It was a crushing defeat. She saw the boy's fair face flush red as he actually started wiping away tears. 1947, see! Failing at showing off is so humiliating. Don't give me missions like that in the future!

[What about double experience and double points?]

Wen Yuncheng: …Since you're the system, you can issue whatever missions you want.

"Wen Yuncheng, did you know? Yesterday, some kid tried to copy you." Zhou Xuan, watching a new group of people take the stage, suddenly remembered something and started gossiping with Wen Yuncheng. "He was also from G-Class. He randomly challenged one person from F-Class, one from E-Class, and one from D-Class."

"He failed?" After all, Wen Yuncheng hadn't heard anyone mention challenging someone from C-Class. If he had succeeded, he should have been the first to start the random challenges today.

"Yeah, he ran out of Star Power when he challenged D-Class. The five-minute rest wasn't enough at all. Sigh, there were a few others who couldn't even make it past E-Class." Zhou Xuan sighed. "They were probably trying to imitate you. Very few people did that before you. But this year, at least twenty new students have already tried it."

"…They'd be better off finding a target in a class they like and challenging them. This is just a waste of Star Power and it's inefficient," Wen Yuncheng couldn't help but complain. She had challenged people that way back then because she had a mission and needed the experience to level up. These new students didn't have a system, so what were they blindly copying her for?

Succeeding in the challenge would certainly be cool and impressive, and would even make one a legend. But failing was just too embarrassing, and they would lose the chance to get into the class most suited for them.

"Exactly. That's why you've got a new nickname among the freshmen."

"Hm?"

"They all call you a pervert."

"?" Wen Yuncheng was utterly shocked. "On what grounds? I didn't even do anything and now I'm a pervert?"

Wen Yuncheng's reputation was ruined.

In the afternoon, it was time for training at the Dueling Arena with Teacher Yan Ling again.

This time, however, they were stopped right as they left the academy gates. A man Wen Yuncheng didn't recognize blocked their path. He was dressed in a formal suit and wore a top hat, looking every bit the gentleman.

"Sis!" The gentleman ran over as soon as he saw Yan Ling. Wen Yuncheng watched as, before he could even grab Yan Ling's hand, he was sent flying by her kick. The gentleman even rolled a couple of times before getting up. He wasn't angry at all; instead, he ran over again, whimpering, "Sister, sister! I'm begging you, please stop cultivating!"

"What nonsense are you spouting now?" Yan Ling looked disgusted, pulling Wen Yuncheng back a couple of steps. "Stay one meter away from me."

"Okay, okay. One meter, one meter." The gentleman stood fixed at a distance of one meter, but his expression remained pitiful and teary. He said, "Sis, I'm really not cut out for inheriting the auction house. I'm going crazy reading all those books! Sis, I'm begging you, please… As long as you tell Father you don't like cultivating and want to manage the auction house instead of being a teacher… I won't take a single Star Stone. I'll leave with nothing, travel far away, pursue my freedom, I…"

"You're dreaming," Yan Ling said, raising an eyebrow. "We signed a contract. Whoever has the higher cultivation doesn't have to manage the auction house and gets a 10% share of the profits every month. Father has been formally training you for three years, and now you're telling me this? By the way, how did you get out? Shouldn't you be at home studying?" Yan Ling suddenly realized and immediately took out a communication stone to activate it.

"Sis! You're my biological sister!"

"Father, Yan Ci came to find me at Star Academy. He wants to break the contract… Oh, he snuck out on his own? He's so old yet so immature. You should discipline him more strictly. Yes, Father. Mm, I'm enjoying being a teacher very much. I've taken on a disciple with good talent. Yes, it's good that you know."

A brief communication completely severed the feigned affection between the siblings.

Wen Yuncheng was dumbfounded, looking at Yan Ci, who seemed about to faint. So this was the legendary "pitiful" younger brother who yearned for poetry and freedom but was shackled by the family business, unable to pursue his dreams.

"Oh, sister, your heart is truly cold."

"You're disgusting. Hurry up and go back to learn management from Father properly."

"Oh, okay. Sob sob sob."

Wen Yuncheng watched as her teacher's fists clenched instantly. Fortunately, Yan Ci didn't say anything else, merely departing with a whimper while singing, "Oh dear Star God, why are you so cruel to me?"

"Aren't you afraid he won't go home obediently?" Wen Yuncheng couldn't help but ask.

"In three minutes, the auction house guards will surround this entire area and then close in and search until they catch him," Yan Ling said flatly. "He has no talent for cultivation and is only at the third layer of Star Lord. He can't escape."

"Why do neither of you want to inherit the auction house?"

"In our family, it's tradition for the one with no cultivation talent to inherit the auction house and earn money. Those with talent focus on cultivating to become the auction house's backing," Yan Ling explained. "He likes poetry, painting, and traveling everywhere… but unfortunately, he is my younger brother."

For a moment, Wen Yuncheng almost misheard that as "He's a scrub." She fell silent. Large families provided superior living and cultivation environments and lacked for nothing material, but… but in a large family, one was inevitably less free.

Lin Jinyu was like that, Yan Ling was like that, and so was Yan Ci.

Perhaps this was the price of money?

"Alright, enough with the questions! Hurry to the Dueling Arena and practice. Can you even defeat Yao Mu yet, with all these questions you're asking!"

"…But what does this have to do with defeating Yao Mu?" The moment Wen Yuncheng asked, Yan Ling smacked the back of her head. Just like before, the light tap made Wen Yuncheng duck her head.

"Well, look at you. Your cultivation hasn't changed, but you've learned to talk back?"

Hearing 1947 cackling like a goose in her mind, Wen Yuncheng shrank her neck and didn't dare to make a sound. Why did she have to ask! She knew Yan Ling's temper…

"You'll be on a team with Lin Jinyu for this year's Beast Tide. I've already discussed it with Qiu Fei. We'll set out early as usual, and I'll prepare everything you need. Spend some time memorizing the map at night during this period." On the way to the Dueling Arena, Yan Ling casually told Wen Yuncheng the plan for this year's Beast Tide. "Any objections?"

"None! That's great! I promise to do it!"

"Cultivate well. When you reach the Star Venerate or Star Emperor realm in the future, remember to repay me properly," Yan Ling said. "And while you're at it, protect my family's auction house."

"Okay! I will! I promise to do it!"

"…You little rascal," Yan Ling was speechless for a moment, but in the end, she said nothing more.

This peaceful life continued until the weekend. Yan Ling wouldn't take her to the Dueling Arena on her days off. Plus, in order to fight more battles and gain more experience, Wen Yuncheng always rushed to the Dueling Arena first thing in the morning.

Then, she discovered that there wasn't a single person on this road today.

[Scanning…]

[Three individuals at the second layer of the Star Lord realm detected ahead.]

Wen Yuncheng instantly sensed that something was wrong. She had just taken out her communication stone and activated it, but before she could say a single word, a faint red barrier instantly spread out, enveloping the entire street! The stone in her hand immediately turned blue.

It was a barrier that blocked communications.

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