Chapter One: You Have No Talent for Summoning

A jade-green lake shimmered under the sunlight, its surface calm and untroubled, radiating an ethereal aura. A circle of young scholars gathered before the lake, at the forefront two elderly men. In front of them stood a long table: one elder, dressed in a green robe, had a round, white jade stone before him, while the blue-robed elder had a booklet and, at his left hand, a stack of wooden tokens, a brush poised in his right.

“Form an orderly line. Only those who can summon a spirit beast from Clear Moon Lake are eligible to enter Phoenix Perch Academy.”

An array was drawn before the lake. A drop of blood placed within it, then activated with one’s own spiritual power, was all it took to begin the summoning.

A girl of fifteen or sixteen approached. Her features were delicate, her bearing cool and aloof, her plain white robe unadorned but for a single jade pendant at her waist, carved with an orchid motif—no ornament else, she seemed a celestial maiden untouched by the mortal world.

She produced a dagger, drew a line across her fingertip, and let the blood drip into the formation. At once, the array glowed, the lake’s surface began to bubble, and the onlookers gasped. “Heavens, as expected of Su Yunqi, the prodigy of the Moonlight Kingdom!”

“I wonder what kind of spirit beast she’ll summon?” The crowd’s anticipation was palpable, for more than a dozen had failed before her.

Suddenly, the water churned and swirled into a vortex. A crane’s cry pierced the air, and from the whirlpool emerged a snow-white crane, not yet two months old. It fluttered awkwardly to Su Yunqi’s side, whereupon two contract arrays appeared between them, and the atmosphere subtly transformed.

Even the previously indifferent green-robed elder could not contain his excitement. “A Windfeather Crane! Could this child possess a mutated Wind Spirit Root?”

Seeing the contract sealed, the elder hurriedly called her over. “Quick, quick! Test her spirit root!”

The crowd widened their eyes in amazement. After all, this man was none other than Lü Yuanliang, Vice Dean of Phoenix Perch Academy. For him to be so elated, the summoned beast must be extraordinary.

Only one girl, dressed in a coarse, ashen robe, clenched her fists at her side, her eyes a tempest of emotion—if one looked closely, they would see hatred flicker there.

Su Yunqi placed her hand on the jade stone. A streak of blue-green appeared, then faded, replaced by a string of numbers.

“A Wind Spirit Root, and a value of seventy-six! Quickly, go register your information and collect your wooden token. Report to the academy in three days.” The elder was overjoyed. A mutated spirit root—such fortune!

“Heavens, it’s truly Su Yunqi—she’s entered Phoenix Perch Academy! No wonder she comes from the Su family,” someone sighed in envy.

“Tsk tsk, but how could such a distinguished family produce such a useless good-for-nothing?” sneered another, disdain written in his eyes.

“It’s worse than uselessness—she’s a disgrace! A young lady with not a shred of propriety, chasing the Third Prince through the streets! Even if he’s her fiancé, there’s no cause for such a public scene—it’s indecent!”

“Hush! Do you want to die? If the Third Prince or the Su family hears you, you won’t live to regret it!”

Amidst the lively gossip, only one youth in a blue brocade robe wore a dark, sullen expression, his eyes shadowed with malice.

“Master, calm yourself. Gaining entry to Phoenix Perch Academy is most important,” his attendant urged quietly.

“After this is over, find a way to kill her,” the youth replied coldly, eyes only contemptuous.

Once, he endured the shameful engagement to secure his position, but now, as long as he entered Phoenix Perch Academy, that burden would be gone.

He hadn’t expected to meet that stubborn, unyielding gaze—yet now, when she looked at him, the adoration was gone.

He scoffed inwardly. Playing hard to get? Did she really think he would be taken in?

With a dismissive glance, he waited for the person ahead to finish summoning, then strode to the lake, let his blood fall into the array, and soon, the waters roiled again. A tiger’s roar echoed out, and a golden tiger emerged from the vortex, causing the trees around to tremble.

“A Golden Sun Tiger! Come here!” Lü Yuanliang’s delight reached its peak.

The crowd erupted in astonishment, no less than when Su Yunqi had tested. Someone whispered, “As expected of the Third Prince—aside from that engagement, is there anything he’s not remarkable at?”

And it was true. The Third Prince, Xiao Jinghuai, was a rare genius. While most children only drew spiritual energy into their bodies at seven, he had succeeded at five. If his mother’s family had been more influential, the position of Crown Prince would have been his for the taking.

Hearing the crowd’s admiration, Xiao Jinghuai clenched his fists, suppressing his excitement, and strode to the testing stone.

A flash of golden light appeared, just as brilliant as Su Yunqi’s, and his spirit root value reached seventy-nine—just shy of breaking eighty.

Lü Yuanliang stroked his beard with satisfaction, smiling. “Excellent. You, too, are accepted to Phoenix Perch Academy. Register over there.”

Joy flickered in Xiao Jinghuai’s eyes, but he merely nodded, forcing himself to act composed as he went to register.

As the line moved forward, a frail young girl approached the lake, drawing a chorus of contempt.

“Tch! What’s that good-for-nothing doing here? Isn’t she afraid of embarrassing herself?”

“Who knows? It’s not our reputation at stake. She can’t even draw spiritual energy—summon a beast? Ridiculous!”

“Pity the Third Prince, saddled with such a fiancée—it’s mortifying just to mention it!”

“Enough. The Third Prince not only summoned a Golden Sun Tiger but also entered Phoenix Perch Academy. With such prospects, His Majesty won’t let this engagement hold back his talented son.”

While they whispered, the girl at the water’s edge, dressed in faded yellowed clothes, quietly bit her finger, squeezing out a drop of blood into the array. She raised her hand, straining to inject spiritual power, her face flushing red with effort—but there was not the slightest response.

Lü Yuanliang shook his head. “Next.”

Still, the girl remained, unmoving, her pose unchanged. Silence fell, broken by a sudden derisive laugh—sharp, mocking—from a yellow-robed girl beside Su Yunqi. Yet, when she caught Su Yunqi’s gaze, she whispered, “Sister, I didn’t mean it. I just didn’t expect Su Yunqing to make a fool of herself again!”

Su Yunqi frowned slightly. “Xiaoyue, remember, she represents the Su family too. Her humiliation is ours. As a member of the Su family, you shouldn’t act this way. Do you understand?”

“You have no talent for summoning. Don’t hold up those behind you. Leave!” Lü Yuanliang’s brow furrowed as he addressed Su Yunqing, who stood in the array, still struggling to summon.