A special thank you to all my patrons.
The List of My "Wandering Reader":
-[ ]
-Cain
-Goha21
-Jacob Mooe
-Varun Madhu
-Mp Gaming
-Paul Panzer
-Austin Levy
-Aziz Makda
-TylerD
You can read 30 chapters ahead of everyone on p@treon.
P@TREON - [email protected]/lessaservantofcosmos
(just replace the "@" with "a")
ps: Please support me on P@treon. I can really use your help!
-------------------------------------------------------------
"You actually cultivated all night? Don't you feel physically and mentally exhausted?" Gu Yue woke up in the morning and saw Bai Xu still sitting cross-legged. He had finally withdrawn from his cultivation state and switched to meditation for rest, yet he didn't even take a short nap.
"I slept for a while in between. It's enough." Bai Xu's time was indeed tight—while focusing on physical training, he also had to balance soul power cultivation.
"Then keep cultivating. I'll go take on more missions to earn contribution points. Do you want me to bring you breakfast?" Gu Yue asked.
Bai Xu frowned. "More missions? Why?"
"Working students have to pay 300 contribution points per month as tuition. If you don't have enough points to support your studies, you'll be expelled from the academy."
"That's so harsh! Forget it, I'll go with you. Cultivation isn't urgent right now." Bai Xu stood up and followed Gu Yue.
As they walked side by side, she asked, "Why didn't you take up a second profession? You scored zero in the entrance exam for that."
Bai Xu spread his hands helplessly. "I've been way too busy. Just balancing soul power cultivation already takes a lot of focus. If I added something like blacksmithing, I'd be swamped to death."
"True. You're not interested in human world technology anyway." Gu Yue chuckled lightly. "Then you'll have to sweet-talk me more in the future. I can pay your tuition for you."
She waved her student card teasingly, hinting that she would "sponsor" him.
"Sure thing, little sugar mama." Bai Xu laughed too.
Soon, the two arrived at the academic affairs office and saw the mission board. All the tasks were related to secondary professions—mecha-related, battle armor-related, and so on.
For Bai Xu, these might as well have been written in an alien language. Watching Gu Yue accept a mecha-related mission, he sighed. "I really can't take these. Looks like I'll have to beg for help in the future. Ah~"
"Heh, it's fine. I've got you."
Gu Yue patted Bai Xu lightly before leaving. She needed to find a specialized workstation to complete her mecha task. Bai Xu shook his head helplessly and returned to the dorm to continue cultivating. Fortunately, Shrek Academy distributed a fixed amount of contribution points every month, so he wouldn't be unable to pay tuition.
The day passed quickly. It seemed like new residents had moved into the first floor, as occasional noises could be heard from the hallway.
Bai Xu had a hunch but still got up to check. Sure enough, he saw Tang Wulin and his group—Xie Xie and Xu Xiaoyan were complaining about the shabby dorm conditions. Both came from prominent families in Eastsea City and had never lived in such a run-down place.
"Gu Yue?!"
A surprised shout rang out. Tang Wulin spotted the graceful figure returning from outside. She was just as he remembered, though she seemed a little colder.
"Oh, it's you guys!" Gu Yue responded.
"Gu Yue!" Xie Xie and Xu Xiaoyan echoed.
Xu Xiaoyan rushed forward and hugged Gu Yue tightly, burying her face in her chest. "Why did you leave without saying anything back then? We even went to the Spirit Pagoda to look for you!"
Gu Yue felt a little awkward with Xu Xiaoyan clinging to her like this. She gently pushed her upright and explained, "Back then, the Spirit Pagoda required me to leave Eastsea City. I didn't tell you because it was too sudden."
After two and a half years apart, Gu Yue had become much more talkative.
Xie Xie eyed her strangely. "You weren't possessed or something, were you? How have you changed so much? Back at Eastsea Academy, you always had a cold face toward everyone except Wulin, like they owed you millions of federal coins."
Gu Yue's lips twitched. "You're still as punchable as ever, Xie Xie."
"Heh, I've got my boss to protect me!" Xie Xie hid behind Tang Wulin and pushed him forward a step, knowing there was some unspoken tension between him and Gu Yue. A little nudge wouldn't hurt.
Tang Wulin took the opportunity to step forward, extending his hand with a smile. "Then let's work hard together at Shrek from now on, Gu Yue."
Looking at Tang Wulin's outstretched hand and the smiling faces of the other two, Gu Yue didn't take it. "I'm afraid I won't be able to join your team in the future. But we can still be friends. Since we've met now, let me introduce you to a friend I made at the Spirit Pagoda."
Light footsteps echoed from the depths of the hallway as Bai Xu slowly emerged, his demeanor carrying an otherworldly grace that stood out even more amid the shabby surroundings.
Gu Yue walked past Tang Wulin and took Bai Xu's hand, startling him. "Actually, you've all met before. This is Bai Xu—my partner."
Their palms touched. This was the first time Bai Xu had held Gu Yue's hand. It was slightly cold.
The three of them froze, their eyes locked onto Gu Yue's hand. It was the first time they'd seen her take the initiative like this.
"Hello. As she said, we've met before." Bai Xu broke the awkward silence.
"Hi..."
The three exchanged glances before Tang Wulin finally stepped forward. "Let's introduce ourselves properly. I'm Tang Wulin, this is Xu Xiaoyan, and he's Xie Xie. We'll be classmates from now on, so let's help each other out."
Tang Wulin shook Bai Xu's hand as a gesture of goodwill.
"Of course. How about we go get dinner together?" Bai Xu suggested.
"Sorry, we haven't finished cleaning our rooms yet. We should take care of that first."
"Ah, then we won't disturb you."
Bai Xu and Gu Yue left. Tang Wulin stared at their retreating figures, lost in thought. He felt like he was beginning to understand something in his heart.
Xie Xie sighed dramatically beside him. "Boss, you're in trouble. Gu Yue's moved on—she doesn't like you anymore."
"Xie Xie, do you want a beating? Should I use my Golden Dragon Claw this time?"
"No! No! Boss, I was wrong!"
Xu Xiaoyan watched their antics and said, "Don't you think Gu Yue has changed a lot? She seems much more cheerful now!"
Hearing this, the two paused. There was some truth to that.
"Did Bai Xu cause this change in her?" Tang Wulin wondered inwardly.
------
Dining Hall.
Gu Yue and Bai Xu sat across from each other, eating dinner.
Gu Yue asked, "Did you know they were coming?"
"Yeah, I had a feeling." He didn't hide it.
"You don't seem hostile toward Tang Wulin, even though he might become our enemy in the future."
Bai Xu replied calmly, "That's just how I am. If others don't betray me, I won't betray them. Strictly speaking, I don't have any deep grudges against you or them. There's no reason to be hostile from the start."
Bai Xu didn't have any deep-seated hatred for Tang San either—he just occasionally complained about him. Without established karma, why create conflict out of thin air? But his instincts told him that major conflicts might arise in the future, possibly even life-or-death struggles.
"But what if he turns against you later?"
"Then so be it. Being able to let go is true strength of character."
Gu Yue smiled. "I love listening to you talk about these principles. It feels very enlightening—something indispensable for us to integrate into human society."
"Then I'm truly honored, Miss Gu Yue. I've got endless wisdom in me. The night is long—how about I share some more when we get back?"
"Sure!"