89: Digging up corners in the middle of the night

Today, a different kind of wind blew through Lingnan Academy.

Two Genius students had turned down the solicitations of many excellent mentors to join Yan Ruyu's class.

This news spread like the wind, traveling much faster than people.

Xie Ning and a short boy named Su Qin hadn't even reached their dormitory before they heard the rumors from the conversations of students passing by on their left and right.

"It seems Teacher Yan is quite unpopular at school..." Su Qin muttered.

Xie Ning smiled and asked back, "Do you regret it?"

"I don't regret it," Su Qin shook his head with a serious face. "Since I've chosen a mentor, I won't regret it. I believe Teacher Yan has her strengths. These guys who dare to speak ill of her—once I get stronger in the future, I'll definitely give them all a beating."

"Haha~ Then you'll be quite busy." Xie Ning laughed loudly, but his heart was not at ease.

The news he heard along the way gave him a more direct understanding of Yan Ruyu's situation in the academy.

But this understanding also left him deeply confused.

As a powerful Platinum Rank expert, she could easily become a top-ranking Garrison Commander in any secondary city if she wanted to. Why did she need to endure this treatment?

What on earth was the reason that made her willing to suffer discrimination just to stay cooped up in Lingnan Academy?

Amidst Xie Ning's confusion and Su Qin's silence, the two arrived at the dormitory.

Their dormitory was located in District A, which was said to be a newly built residential area this year.

Unlike traditional bunk-bed dorms, they were staying in a small courtyard house.

Entering the courtyard, there was a newly transplanted parasol tree on the left, and on the right was a table made of granite, plus four sturdy stone stools.

The two stepped onto the bluestone slabs and followed the guidance of the green grass on both sides into the interior.

The living room that met their eyes wasn't large, with a room on each side. Although there were only a few simple pieces of essential furniture, it was already very good for a dormitory.

Looking around, Xie Ning nodded with satisfaction.

It was just a pity for White Fang, who would have to sleep on the grass from now on.

Su Qin, on the other hand, looked at everything around him with a face full of excitement.

"Let's re-introduce ourselves. I'm Su Qin, from Peng City, sixteen years old."

Xie Ning reached out and shook his hand. "Xie Ning, from Flower City, eighteen years old."

"Heehee~ You're older and stronger than me, so I'll call you Big Brother Xie from now on." Su Qin laughed happily and took off his baseball cap, revealing thick short hair soaked in sweat. He had delicate features and was not tall, appearing somewhat thin and gaunt. Coupled with his faded clothes, his past life didn't seem to have been wealthy.

Xie Ning smiled. "Sure, we're roommates from now on; we'll help each other out."

...Nighttime, outside the small courtyard where Xie Ning lived.

A middle-aged man of medium build with a full beard appeared. Half a step behind him followed a Girl wearing heavy makeup and sexy clothing.

"Remember, find a way to charm him later! We have to pull him over no matter what, do you understand?" the bearded man whispered.

Knock, knock, knock~

The heavily made-up Girl nodded, her eyes filled with bitterness. She gritted her teeth and undid a button, adding a touch of half-hidden allure.

A strange light flashed in the bearded man's eyes, and he nodded with satisfaction.

Hearing footsteps approaching, he quickly tidied his clothes.

Inside the courtyard.

Xie Ning walked out of the house, looked at the gate, and asked with a frown, "Who is it?"

A rough voice came from outside the door:

"Student, I am the mentor of Class 13, Yan Chengze. I am from the same family as your mentor, Yan Ruyu. I have something important to discuss with you."

The Yan Family?

He signaled with his eyes toward the air, and then the voice of the Rift Blade War Mantis rang in his mind: "Only a man and a woman; the man is very strong."

"It's already late. If the mentor has business, please come back tomorrow."

A thin door couldn't stop anyone, but at this moment, it served a great purpose.

"Student, what I want to talk about concerns your mentor. If we wait until tomorrow, it might be too late."

By now, Su Qin had also been woken up. Forcing himself to stay alert, he hid a short iron rod in the hand behind his back, while the Light Cat beside him bared its teeth in vigilance.

Xie Ning exchanged a look with him and then opened the door.

"I wonder what this mentor wishes to say?" Xie Ning looked at the two of them, his frown deepening.

"You must be Student Xie Ning; you're truly extraordinary. Won't you invite the teacher in to sit for a while?" The man calling himself Yan Chengze spoke as he showed his mentor ID to Xie Ning.

"We just arrived today, and the house is too messy. Teacher can just speak here." Xie Ning smiled, tidied his own clothes, and walked over to the stone table.

"Very well, I apologize for the late-night intrusion."

The four of them then took their seats.

Yan Chengze said, "I heard that Student Xie Ning and Student Su Qin have both chosen Yan Ruyu as your mentor, is that right?"

"This matter has probably spread throughout the whole school." Xie Ning nodded.

"True, it seems the news is real... Sigh~ it's harming you again." Yan Chengze sighed with a heavy expression.

Su Qin asked, "Is there something wrong with our Teacher Yan?"

"Student Su doesn't know. If it were any other mentor, you could choose freely; every one of them is highly capable. But Yan Ruyu..."

Yan Chengze paused and said with a look of helplessness:

"Although she is from the same family as me and should call me 'Uncle' based on seniority, and I shouldn't speak ill of her behind her back, I am someone who cannot tolerate injustice. There are some things I must tell you; I can't just stand by and watch you jump into a fire pit!"

Seeing the other man's expression of shame and indignation, Xie Ning felt very surprised.

Su Qin placed the iron rod in his hand onto the grass and looked at Yan Chengze, asking, "I wonder what the teacher wants to tell us?"

"This niece of mine is personally very strong, but she fundamentally lacks the ability to educate students. She uses a 'free-range' method with her students—holding half the classes and canceling the other half—which results in her students progressing slower than anyone else.

Years have passed, and she hasn't won a single award or ranking, nor does she have a master tablet. This has created a vicious cycle: fewer resources, worse students. No matter how much of a Genius someone is, if they go to her class, they will be taught into becoming a waste."

After talking for a while, Yan Chengze was clearly thirsty and asked, "Is there any water to drink?"

"No," Xie Ning answered very bluntly.

"Fine... but that's not important. Teacher heard that both of you have good natural talent and was worried that if you really went to her class, you would end up harming yourselves." After saying this, Yan Chengze swallowed to moisten his throat.

After listening, Xie Ning grinned. "But she's very beautiful, isn't she?"

"Is being beautiful useful? A mentor needs to know how to teach to be useful. Besides, there are plenty of beautiful people." Yan Chengze said, patting the heavily made-up Girl's leg under the stone table. "I believe you should find a mentor who has teaching ability and also has beautiful female students in the class."

The heavily made-up Girl leaned forward slightly and said, "That's right, Juniors. Why don't you come to our mentor's class? The mentor will handle all the procedures for you. You just need to Cultivate and study well with me in class; wouldn't that be better? Our class is quite relaxed."

With this lean, her cleavage became visible. Xie Ning quickly took a breath to steady his mind and smiled. "Teacher makes a good point, but we don't plan on changing mentors."

"And what about this Junior? Do you think my suggestion is good?" The Girl looked at Su Qin again.

Unexpectedly, Su Qin gave her a faint glance and, like an old monk in meditation, said, "Vampy bitch, get lost!"

Xie Ning looked at Su Qin with a face full of surprise.

This Little Brother's heart is as solid as a rock. Impressive, truly impressive!

"You!!!" The Girl was furious.

"Are you two students really not going to reconsider?" Yan Chengze's face gradually darkened.

"What do you think?" Xie Ning asked back instead of answering.

"Fine, very well..."

Saying this, Yan Chengze suddenly stood up. Just as he was about to make a move, he suddenly seemed to sense something. His whole body shook, sweat broke out on his forehead, and without even caring about the Girl, he leaped over the wall and fled as if escaping for his life.

"This..."

Su Qin and the Girl were clearly stunned, but Xie Ning looked up and saw a graceful figure just leaving the rooftop, and he smiled slightly.

"Student, aren't you leaving yet?"

Hearing Xie Ning's words, the Girl also snapped out of it and hurriedly ran off with a red face.

A good while after the Girl left, Xie Ning saw that Su Qin seemed a bit preoccupied, so he patted his shoulder.

"Don't let other people's opinions affect you doing what you think is right. Let's go to sleep."