Chapter Eight: The Lecture

The little white kitten in Su Yunqing’s arms was licking her palm, looking utterly dependent. Meanwhile, the small crow perched on her shoulder was gently pecking at her, its movements soft and affectionate.

This was the first time he had ever seen summoned spirit pets show such devotion to their master. Looking around, he noticed that the other students' spirit pets all appeared arrogant, barely acknowledging their own masters even when spoken to. The ones that were slightly better behaved, like those belonging to Su Yunqi and Xiao Jinghuai, merely offered a response rather than the intimate attachment displayed by Su Yunqing’s pets.

"How did you do it?" he wondered aloud. He himself had spent three months just to get his own spirit pet to warm up to him, yet this girl had achieved it in a mere three days.

"I didn't do anything special. They are naturally well-behaved. Elder Zhang, you still haven't told me how to feed them?" If possible, she also wanted to ask how to help them grow and become stronger.

"Elder Zhang, even though she has two, they are no different from ordinary animals; there is no need to pay them any mind. Besides, she only got into the academy through sheer luck—she can’t even channel spiritual energy into her body!" The speaker’s words were laced with mockery and schadenfreude.

Zhang Zheng’s expression darkened. He swept a cold glance over the student and said, "I was not asking you. Shut your mouth, or you need not attend my lectures again."

Although he was surprised that Su Yunqing could not cultivate, he did not look down on her or her pets. After all, it was the first time he had ever seen someone summon two spirit pets and successfully form a contract with both; it suggested that her mental strength was far beyond that of an ordinary person.

Facing the elder’s reprimand, the student fearfully clamped his mouth shut. Thinking he had offended Elder Zhang, he tried his best to stay out of the spotlight, hoping to avoid leaving a lasting negative impression.

"For a summoner, the spirit pet and the master are complementary. As the master’s cultivation increases, the pet’s strength rises accordingly. Conversely, if the pet’s cultivation grows, it can drive the master’s progress as well, though to a lesser extent. That is one method. The other is to seek out various spiritual fruits to enhance their strength; high-quality spiritual fruits can help them grow rapidly." Seeing that there was no disdain or contempt in his eyes—and that he was genuinely answering her questions—Su Yunqing’s impression of the elder improved significantly.

She memorized his advice, though her brow furrowed slightly. The second method was quite difficult; the Yuehua Kingdom was notoriously lacking in spiritual energy, making it nearly impossible to nurture spiritual fruits. Even the Imperial Palace had to purchase them from other countries at exorbitant prices.

She remembered that the Academy Grand Competition would take place in six months. If she could reach the top ten, she would receive a letter of recommendation, allowing her to take the entrance examination for a major sect. It was an opportunity she did not want to miss—whether for her two little ones or for herself, she wanted to try.

Because major sects only held recruitment drives every five years, and this was exactly the fifth year, Fengqi Academy would be hosting a qualifying competition. There were no restrictions on how long a student had been enrolled; anyone with ability could participate.

In her past life, it was Su Yunqi who had secured a recommendation letter thanks to her contracted white crane—a fact Su Yunyue had constantly flaunted in front of her.

"Thank you for the information, Elder Zhang. However, there is one more thing I would like to ask." She had made up her mind: for the next six months, she would cultivate diligently, spending every waking moment not dedicated to eating on her training.

"Speak," he said, feeling a touch of curiosity.

"What is wrong with this one, and is there any way to treat it?" She pointed to the little white kitten in her arms. Seeing that he wanted to examine it, she held it out so he could take a closer look.

"Judging by its condition, it seems to be suffering from premature birth. It will require many spiritual herbs and fruits that nourish vitality and blood. This will not be easy. I heard that you cannot channel spiritual energy; otherwise, you could use your energy to nurture it. While the process would be slow, it would certainly help." Zhang Zheng could see that she genuinely cherished her pet, which was why he was so patient with her.

Currently, her cultivation was only at the Qi Refining stage. Unless a Golden Core cultivator inspected her, no one could pierce through her current level as long as she did not display her power. Thus, Zhang Zheng was unaware that she could actually cultivate. After a moment of thought, he said, "If you have enough silver, I can keep an eye out for suitable spiritual herbs for you."

Spiritual herbs were easier to come by than fruits here; if he kept a watchful eye, he might just encounter some.

"Although I don't have the money right now, I would be grateful if you could keep an eye out, Elder Zhang. If I can afford them, I will buy them!" She realized that earning money was also a top priority. It seemed she needed to speed up the annulment of her engagement; it would be best if she could squeeze a bit more out of Xiao Jinghuai in the process.

"Very well, I will keep an eye out for you." Looking at her frail, bone-thin frame, he assumed her status at home was low, and he could sympathize with her situation.

As she questioned the elder, the class drew to a close. Realizing time was running out, Zhang Zheng hurriedly repeated the basics of feeding to the other students before departing.

Once he had left, Xiao Jinghuai strode over. His gaze fell upon the two pets in her arms and on her shoulder, filled with undisguised disdain. "Su Yunqing, don't think that just because you managed to exchange a few words with the elder, I will look at you with any favor. Do you have any idea how much I despise opportunists? And what did you do yesterday? Why did Zhu Shishi come running to pester me?"

Thinking of how Zhu Shishi had been clinging to him like a piece of chewing gum, acting even worse than Su Yunqing used to, he was convinced that she must have been the one to teach her.

Su Yunqing raised an eyebrow, masking the sharpness in her eyes so well that he failed to notice. "Your Highness, she simply saw me acting this way and chose to imitate me. After all, I am your fiancée."

The word "fiancée" sounded incredibly ironic to his ears. It was a source of humiliation for him, so he gritted his teeth and spat, "Don't worry, that won't be for much longer."

"No, as long as I do not agree, I will always be your fiancée, unless..." She intentionally paused.

"Unless what?" Xiao Jinghuai frowned. He wondered if his intent to kill her had been detected. The incident with Zhu Shishi had caused quite a stir; would this make it difficult for him to strike later? The thought made him restless. The idea of marrying someone who was a laughingstock to the whole city—no, the whole country—made him feel like he couldn't hold his head up.

He also feared that this connection would prevent him from marrying the woman he truly longed for. Killing intent flared in his eyes, but he suppressed it; this was Fengqi Academy, and he could not kill her in public without inviting a world of trouble.

Su Yunqing, standing right in front of him, did not miss the flash of murderous intent in his eyes. At that moment, her own desire to kill him reached its peak.

But she couldn't. She had to endure. She was no match for him yet, and as long as they were in the capital of the Yuehua Kingdom, even if she had the strength to kill him, she would never make it out alive.

Suppressing her urge to strike, she smiled and said, "Unless I choose to annul the engagement myself. I am willing to give you a chance, Your Highness—but it will cost you five million gold coins!"