“Excuse me, do you know where I can find Intern Jiang from Class C9?” Bai Ru asked anxiously, pulling aside a passing student near the main courtyard of Azure Academy.
The student stopped and pointed toward the eastern corridor.
“Intern Jiang?
He should be heading to Class C9 right now—it’s almost time for morning instruction.” “Thank you!” Bai Ru called out, hastening her steps toward the eastern wing.
Ever since Jiang WuShang’s record-shattering six-hour Sudden Enlightenment, his name had spread to every corner of the academy.
Finding his location was as easy as asking anyone on the path.
Over in the intern quarters, Jiang WuShang sat up on his bed, rubbing his temples as a sharp headache throbbed through his head.
Concocting that elemental flame in one go took a toll on my body, he thought with a dry smile, examining his inner meridian channels.
I burned through a quarter of my total Qi reserves just to ignite that Mortal High-Rank flame, causing me to pass out overnight.
But now it’s morning…
time for classes.
After instruction, I still need to find a way to meet Grand Master Bai.
Dressed in his standard instructor robes, Jiang WuShang stepped out of his quarters and walked down the cobblestone path toward Class C9.
As he approached the classroom entrance, a frantic voice called out behind him.
“Intern Jiang!
Please, wait!” Jiang WuShang stopped, turning to see the same arrogant girl from yesterday running toward him, her face flushed and eyes red.
“It’s you,” Jiang WuShang noted neutrally.
“What are you doing here?” Bai Ru stopped before him, bowing deeply, tears welling up in her eyes.
“Intern Jiang!
My name is Bai Ru…
I am so deeply sorry for my atrocious behavior yesterday!
I shouldn’t have turned you away or acted so arrogantly!
Please forgive me…
My grandfather told me that if I fail to earn your forgiveness, he will disown me!” Jiang WuShang raised an eyebrow, picking up on a specific detail.
“Bai Ru?
You share the same surname…
Are you by any chance related to Bai Lu?” Bai Ru gasped softly, looking up in shock.
“Bai Lu?
You…
you know my cousin, Bai Lu?!
She’s my distant cousin; we grew up together, though we haven’t seen much of each other recently!” How does he know my cousin?
Bai Ru wondered frantically in her mind.
Are they close?!
Jiang WuShang’s cold demeanor relaxed slightly.
“She is your cousin?
Fine.
For her sake, I won’t pursue yesterday’s matter any further.
You may go back.
My class is starting shortly; I will visit the Alchemy Hall afterward.” Relief washed over Bai Ru, but as Jiang WuShang turned to enter the classroom, she quickly called out, “Intern Jiang!
You came to the Alchemy Hall yesterday…
did you need medicinal herbs or finished spiritual pills?
I can arrange anything you need right away!” “It was nothing major,” Jiang WuShang replied calmly.
“I simply needed batch materials for Vitality Pills and Qi Gathering Pills, and I wished to inquire about a few rare ingredients with Grand Master Bai.” “How many batches do you need?!” Bai Ru offered hurriedly.
“I can have our hall deliver them to your quarters completely free of charge!” “No need.
I already purchased the necessary materials from the city market yesterday,” Jiang WuShang shook his head.
Bai Ru pressed on, eager to make up for her mistake.
“Do you need an Alchemy Apprentice to refine the pills for you?
I am a certified Alchemy Apprentice—I can refine them for you!” Jiang WuShang offered a faint, mysterious smile.
“That won’t be necessary either.
I can refine my own pills.
Now, if there’s nothing else, I must prepare my disciples for the upcoming tournament.” “Wait!
My grandfather wants to meet you personally!” Bai Ru blurted out.
“He said if you’re too busy, he is more than willing to walk over to your quarters himself!” “Your grandfather?
Who is he?” “Grand Master Bai!” she answered with a tinge of pride.
“He’s the one who sent me here to ask for your forgiveness.” Jiang WuShang nodded.
“Grand Master Bai…
Very well.
Wait outside then.
I will complete my instruction first.
If you prefer not to wait, you can return to the Alchemy Hall, and I will meet him after class.” Bai Ru fidgeted slightly, then looked into the classroom with curiosity.
“Could…
could I sit in on your class?
I’ll just sit quietly in the back corner!” Jiang WuShang shrugged.
“If you wish.” Stepping inside Class C9, Jiang WuShang looked over his four personal disciples—Qin Fan, Long Chen, Su Lurong, and Lu Ruie—who were already seated, meditating in deep concentration.
Jiang WuShang’s eyes lit up with satisfaction.
“Good!
Every single one of you has successfully broken through to the 3rd Level of the Qi Gathering Realm.
I can see your hard work paying off.” Sitting in the back corner, Bai Ru’s jaw dropped in absolute disbelief.
What?!
3rd Level of Qi Gathering Realm?!
she screamed internally.
Even the elite geniuses in Class A1 only reached the 2nd Level with the academy’s abundant resources!
How can a discarded class with zero official resource allocation reach the 3rd Level in just a few days?!
Did Intern Jiang pour his own life savings into them?!
“Master, who is she?” Lu Ruie asked, glancing back at Bai Ru with curiosity.
“Is she a new personal disciple?” “She is an Alchemy Apprentice visiting for today’s session,” Jiang WuShang explained briefly before turning back to the four.
“Alright, everyone…
release your attack aura!
Don’t hold anything back; I want to evaluate your mastery over your new techniques!” “Yes, Master!” all four responded in unison.
BOOM!
Simultaneously, the four disciples unleashed their inner Qi.
A roaring wave of pressure surged through the room, causing the wooden desks to rattle violently.
The air temperature spiked as raw, unyielding battle aura saturated the space.
Bai Ru’s breath caught in her throat, her eyes widening in pure terror.
This aura…
each of them possesses raw combat power rivaling a cultivator at the 4th Level of the Qi Gathering Realm!
If all four combined their strength, they could easily stand toe-to-toe with an 8th Level Qi Gathering cultivator!
How…
how on earth did he train them?!
[System Notification: Gained +5 Emotion Points!] Before she could process the shock, the atmospheric pressure inside the room spiked again.
Lu Ruie took a deep breath, her eyes flashing with a radiant, five-colored elemental aura.
Her pressure doubled, breaking past the previous boundary and reaching a level that could directly rival a 5th Level Qi Gathering expert!
Monsters!
They are all monsters!
Bai Ru’s heart pounded against her ribs so fast she could barely breathe.
Especially that girl…
her combat aura is terrifying!
[System Notification: Gained +5 Emotion Points!] [Total Emotion Points: 55] A subtle smirk appeared on Jiang WuShang’s lips as he nodded.
“Very good.
You have all mastered the beginner stages of your techniques.
In combat, Qin Fan, Long Chen, and Su Lurong can easily contend with 5th Level Qi Gathering opponents.
As for Ruie…
once you fully master the Five Elements of the Azure Realm, your combat capability will allow you to fight 7th Level Qi Gathering cultivators on equal footing!” A 3rd Level Qi Gathering cultivator fighting a 7th Level expert?!
Bai Ru gripped the edge of her desk, her face pale.
Is he insane?!
That’s a four-stage gap!
She really is a monster among monsters!
Jiang WuShang’s tone turned serious.
“We have less than a month before the Class Assessment.
Focus entirely on refining your technique mastery rather than rushing to break through levels.
Rapid breakthroughs without proper consolidation will destabilize your foundation—a flaw even I cannot easily fix.
I will provide you with specialized pills to solidify your cultivation bases.” “Yes, Master!” the four answered enthusiastically.
[System Notification: Gained +5 Emotion Points!] [System Notification: Gained +5 Emotion Points!] [System Notification: Gained +5 Emotion Points!] [System Notification: Gained +5 Emotion Points!] [Total Emotion Points: 75] “Good.
Practice among yourselves.
I am entering close-door cultivation for a short period—as your master, I cannot allow my own strength to lag behind,” Jiang WuShang said, gesturing to Bai Ru.
“Bai Ru, let’s go.” “Yes, Master—I mean, Intern Jiang!” Bai Ru squeaked, hurriedly standing up.
What am I doing?!
she thought in panic as she followed him out.
If I stay in that classroom any longer, I’ll end up submitting as his disciple too!
But why did listening to his instruction feel even more profound than my grandfather’s lectures?!
Stepping out into the hallway, they bumped into Master Lu and Lu Jun walking toward them.
“Intern Jiang!” Master Lu greeted.
“Did you manage to meet Grand Master Bai yesterday?
He possesses far vaster alchemy knowledge than I do.
Aside from the Dean, he is the best person to help you track down those rare materials.” Bai Ru bowed politely.
“Greetings, Master Lu.” Master Lu nodded warmly.
“Ah, Miss Bai, you’re here as well.” “I didn’t get a chance to speak with him yesterday, but I am heading to the Alchemy Hall to meet him now,” Jiang WuShang explained.
“Would you two like to join us?” Lu Jun grinned.
“Sure!
We don’t have much on our schedule right now anyway.” “Very well, let’s head over together,” Master Lu agreed, and the four walked toward the grand hall.
Along the path, Bai Ru leaned toward Master Lu, asking in a low, curious whisper, “Master Lu…
where did Intern Jiang learn his alchemy?
If his previous mentor was low-ranking, perhaps my grandfather could officially take him in as a personal disciple?” Master Lu shook his head with a wry smile.
“He never learned under any mentor.
In fact, he isn’t even a certified Alchemy Apprentice.” Bai Ru froze, staring in complete astonishment.
“What?!
He isn’t an apprentice?!
Then how can he claim he can refine pills on his own?
Is he lying?!” “He didn’t even know what an ‘Alchemy Apprentice’ was until I explained it to him,” Master Lu chuckled softly.
“However, during his six-hour enlightenment, he completely absorbed every alchemy manual on the ground floor.
His theoretical foundation is beyond solid.” “Even if he memorized the texts…” Bai Ru muttered, bewildered, “…refining pills without hands-on guidance is impossible!
Concocting even a basic Mortal-Rank Flame without a mentor’s protection usually leads to furnace explosions!” “That might be precisely why he’s meeting Grand Master Bai,” Master Lu surmised.
“If Grand Master Bai takes him as a disciple, it would be an incredible blessing for his future.” Does he really want to become my grandfather’s disciple?
Bai Ru wondered, looking at Jiang WuShang’s confident back.
But he sounded so nonchalant earlier…
like he was just dropping by for a casual chat.
Before long, the grand, towering gates of the Alchemy Hall appeared before them.
Jiang WuShang stopped at the base of the steps, looking up at the grand structure with a calm smile.
“We’re here.
Let’s head inside.”