Chapter 11 Teacher, your heart is beating a little fast.
Top floor of the office building, the Principal's Office.
A faint tea fragrance filled the air, but the elegant scent could not mask the heavy atmosphere in the room at this moment.
A white-haired but spirited old man sat behind a large mahogany desk, his eyes sharp as he sized up Jiang Chen, who was slumped on a leather sofa. The old man was the principal of Jianghai Third Middle School, a retired veteran Grandmaster, Li Changfeng.
Beside Li Changfeng, Mu Qingxue sat upright with a complex expression.
"So..." Li Changfeng set down the teacup in his hand, the bottom clinking crisply against the table. "You mean to say the reason you could swat Zhao Feng into the wall on the stage was because you were dreaming about swatting a mosquito?"
Jiang Chen shifted into a more comfortable position, almost sinking into the soft sofa. His eyelids were drooping slightly. "Principal, you know that when a person is sleeping, their subconscious is at its most active. That mosquito was buzzing and trying to bite me. My instinctive reaction being a bit large is quite reasonable, right?"
Li Changfeng's lips twitched.
Reasonable?
That was the heir the Zhao Family had poured all their resources into, whose strength approached the Bone Forging Realm after swallowing a Blood Burst Pill! You call that a mosquito?
"Ahem." Mu Qingxue couldn't watch any longer and spoke up, "Principal, Jiang Chen's situation is indeed a bit... special. I've examined his body before; his blood Qi is abnormally abundant, and his Mental Energy fluctuations are different from ordinary people."
Li Changfeng gave Jiang Chen a deep look, as if trying to see through the youth's Soul. But all he saw was a pair of eyes that were excessively clear, even carrying a hint of sleepiness.
"Forget it." Li Changfeng sighed and took a document from his drawer. "No matter how you've been practicing, since you have this strength, it's time you knew some things. The rules for this year's College Entrance Exam have changed."
"Changed?" Jiang Chen yawned and asked nonchalantly, "As long as it doesn't interfere with my sleep, it's fine."
"It's no longer just a simple arena match." Li Changfeng's expression was serious. "To deal with the increasingly severe situation in the catacombs, the higher-ups have decided that this year's Martial Exam will use a 'real-combat survival' mode. The location is set at—Abandoned City No. 03."
Hearing "No. 03," Mu Qingxue's expression changed slightly. "Hasn't that place already been designated as a Level 2 Danger Zone? It's said there are strange movements underground..."
"It's precisely because it's dangerous that we can select true talent," Li Changfeng said deeply, then looked at Jiang Chen with a meaningful tone. "Jiang Chen, Teacher Mu's background isn't simple. She might not stay for long; her Family in the capital is urging her to return. If you want better resources, or even want to catch up to her footsteps, you must go to the Imperial Capital Martial Arts University in this exam."
Jiang Chen's heart stirred.
The Imperial Capital? I heard the mattresses there are all constant temperature and adaptive...
"As long as you place in the top ten of the city in the Martial Exam, the school will reward you with one million Federal Credits, plus a Profound Rank Medium Grade Martial Skill!"
At the mention of money, Jiang Chen finally opened his eyes. "One million? That's enough to buy that 'Deep Sea Agarwood' bed I've had my eye on for a long time. Deal."
Li Changfeng: "..."
"Alright, you head out first. Qingxue, take him to do a detailed body data collection. I want to see his limits."
...
Ten minutes later, inside Mu Qingxue's private office.
The curtains were drawn, and the room was dimly lit, save for the faint blue light emitted by various instruments.
Jiang Chen lay on the single bed in Mu Qingxue's office used for afternoon naps, his body covered in data patches from various testing instruments.
Meanwhile, Mu Qingxue stood by the bed, leaning over to check the readings on the instruments.
Because they were so close, Jiang Chen could even smell the pleasant, cold fragrance on her, like a snow lotus from a snowy mountain.
But beneath this fragrance, Jiang Chen keenly sensed a bone-chilling cold—it was the "Nine Yin Cold Poison" that had been suppressed within Mu Qingxue for a long time.
[Ding! Detected a high-quality member of the opposite sex (Mu Qingxue) at very close range (< 0.5 meters).]
[Sleep-Accompanying Environment Rating: S-rank (Private, Fragrant, Uniform Temptation).]
[Passive skill "Spiritual Resonance" has been automatically activated.]
[Starting to absorb free spiritual energy...]
Jiang Chen originally just wanted to close his eyes and rest, but as soon as this System prompt appeared, he felt a wave of coolness from Mu Qingxue's direction, drilling into his pores like threads.
After this coolness entered his body, it was quickly converted by the System into warm blood Qi energy, nourishing his entire body.
Refreshing!
Ten times better than just sleeping!
For Mu Qingxue, the feeling was even more intense.
The Cold Poison in her body that had tortured her for years and kept her awake at night seemed to have met its nemesis or found an outlet the moment she approached Jiang Chen, surging frantically into his body.
In its place, a warm aura of Pure Yang Qi flowed back into her.
That refreshing feeling, like rain after a long drought, made Mu Qingxue tremble all over. Her legs went weak, and the hand she had used to prop herself up on the bed almost gave way, nearly causing her to collapse onto Jiang Chen.
"This... what's going on?"
Mu Qingxue bit her red lips, suppressing the shameful low moan that was about to escape her throat. Her cheeks quickly flushed crimson, and her ice-beauty mask completely crumbled at this moment.
Just then, Jiang Chen, who was so comfortable he was about to fall asleep, began talking in his sleep.
"Mm... this ice pillow is so soft... don't move, let me hold you for a while..."
As he spoke, his hand unconsciously reached up and grabbed.
"Jiang Chen! You!"
Mu Qingxue was mortified, but her body honestly remained motionless. She found that she actually craved this contact, craved the feeling of being wrapped in warmth. This physiological dependence left her mind blank.
"Could it be... this kid has a Pure Yang Physique? It just happens to counteract my Cold Poison?"
Mu Qingxue looked at Jiang Chen's quiet sleeping face, her heart rate accelerating to the extreme. The instrument emitted urgent "beep beep" alarms, showing that her heart rate had soared to 140.
Just as the atmosphere was about to spiral out of control and reach the edge of the indescribable.
"Knock, knock, knock!"
Urgent knocking on the door rang out abruptly.
"Teacher Mu? Are you in there? The Academic Affairs Office just sent over new Martial Exam documents that need your signature."
The voice of the Director of Academic Affairs came from outside the door.
Mu Qingxue retracted her hand as if she'd received an electric shock, stepping back two paces and bumping into the desk behind her.
She hurriedly tidied her messy hair and collar, taking several deep breaths to try and calm her frantic heartbeat.
"Ahem... wait a moment! I'm giving a student physical therapy!"
Her voice carried a trace of imperceptible trembling and hoarseness.
Lying on the bed, Jiang Chen clicked his tongue in regret and turned over. What a great Cultivation opportunity, interrupted just like that.
A moment later, Mu Qingxue regained her composure, opened the door, and sent the director away.
When she returned to the bedside, her gaze had changed. It was no longer simply a teacher looking at a student, but more like... looking at a medicinal primer? Or rather, looking at a lifesaver.
"Jiang Chen." Mu Qingxue's voice returned to its cold hardness, but the tips of her ears were red as blood. "The examination is over. Your physical condition is... very good. But to deal with the dangers of the abandoned city, starting tomorrow, every day after school... come to me for special training."
When she said the words "special training," she clearly paused, her eyes flickering away.
Jiang Chen sat up from the bed, slowly peeling off the patches from his body, a wicked smirk curving his lips.
He naturally knew what the so-called "special training" was.
"As you command, Teacher Mu." Jiang Chen leaned in closer and whispered, "As long as I can sleep, I don't care how long the special training lasts. Besides... Teacher's heart seemed to be beating a bit fast just now, didn't it?"
"Get out!"
Mu Qingxue grabbed a throw pillow and threw it at him.
Jiang Chen was in a great mood as he walked out of the office.
[Ding! This interaction has ended.]
[Obtained Ice Spiritual Energy Essence.]
[Obtained special trait: Mu Qingxue's Physiological Dependence (Not fully activated).]
Jiang Chen whistled as he walked down the stairs. Life in this high-martial world was much more exciting than he had imagined.