Senior

The Starry Kingdom. On the morning of September 2nd, the Self-Improvement Training Break came to an end. Universities across Jialesi officially commenced the new semester, welcoming a fresh batch of wide-eyed freshmen. Technically, school had started yesterday, but second-year students had no classes on the first day, and their weekly class hours had been reduced to twenty hours—an average of ten classes a week. By the third year, this would drop even further to just three classes a week. Furthermore, as long as a student became a Silver Sorcerer by the end of their third year, it didn't matter if they didn't attend a single class all year. In the fourth year, there were no classes at all; the university merely provided students with inexpensive campus training facilities and cooperative combat clubs, alongside career planning surveys to recommend them directly to corresponding departments for employment based on their preferences—strictly limited to Silver Sorcerers and above, of course. Simply put, if you hadn't become a sorcerer before graduating, you wouldn't be allowed to graduate at all, and once outside, you'd better never claim to be a student of Sword Flower. Conversely, so long as you became a sorcerer before graduation, it hardly mattered whether you attended most of your classes starting from your second year. The university actively encouraged third- and fourth-year students to venture beyond the campus gates. If one had experience exploring the Abyss, it would be a massive boost to their resume, allowing them to be recommended as an outstanding student of Sword Flower University to the House of Nobles, the Throne Hall, or the Lookout Fortress. So when students walked into the tiered lecture hall and caught sight of the splash of crimson seated in the front row, almost every single one froze in surprise. Even those who didn't notice right away were quickly nudged by their companions. Yet no one dared speak loudly, keeping their voices down to muffled whispers until the entire room hummed with suppressed excitement. "That can't be her, can it? How is that possible? Isn't this 'Overview of the Sea of Knowledge'?" "It's definitely her! I've watched the recordings of the Meteor Calamity so many times—it's absolutely her!" "She's so much prettier in person than on the light screen!" "Wasn't it said she was filming in Daidalos's new drama? How does she still have time to come to class?" "Oh no, I think I'm going to betray Daidalos. Is this what true love feels like?" "How are you this drunk so early in the morning? Want to go soak your head in a toilet bowl for a bit?" "Senior Servier!" Although the seats beside Sonia were already occupied, Sword Flower University never lacked rash, arrogant youths; budding spring hearts and reckless infatuation were indispensable parts of youth after all. A handsome, silver-haired boy clutching a large bouquet of tulips stepped up before her and smiled. "A tribute to your beauty." A murmur of surprise rippled through the crowd. Nearly all the freshmen recognized this silver-haired youth, as he was Ricardo, the outstanding freshman who had delivered the welcoming speech at yesterday's matriculation ceremony. Not only was he a Silver Sorcerer, but he was also a sword sorcerer. It was rumored that Truth University had sent him an acceptance letter long ago, yet he had ultimately chosen Sword Flower University. Many had speculated he came for the Sword Princess, but no one had expected this rumor to be confirmed on just the second day. Sonia was a little surprised, but she still accepted them. "Thank you. But I have no plans to join any clubs, endorse any products, take on any students or apprentices, offer any tutoring, or accept challenges of any kind. My Friends Circle is also full, so I can't add anyone new. Your tulips might just go to waste, you know?" "That doesn't matter." Ricardo lightly brushed back his bangs and smiled smoothly. "Even tulips aren't as fragrant as the Sword Princess's bath towel. These tulips should feel honored just to be given to you." *Pfft!* Adele couldn't hold it in and nearly spat out her drink. Lois's eyes widened, and Ingrid froze for quite a while before registering what she had just heard. Although Sonia kept her expression composed, the frantic twitching at the corner of her lips betrayed the storm churning within. Even the student onlookers were stunned. Was this really the aloof, dashing, and charismatic freshman Ricardo from yesterday? How could he utter such a painfully cheesy pickup line? He was from a viscount family, for heaven's sake—had the upbringing of viscount noble families deteriorated this badly, or was Ricardo's taste truly on this level? Yet seeing the crinkle at the corners of the Paw-Stretching Club president's eyes and the faint smile showing there, Ricardo felt his heart melt, immediately convinced his strategy was paying off. He had anticipated this long ago: entering the university two months after the conclusion of the Meteor Calamity, the Sword Princess had surely grown utterly sick of all the shameless suitors swarming her. Yet not a single scandalous rumor had emerged around her, meaning conventional pick-up attempts stood no chance. After extensive research, he had decided to break the mold and launch his offensive with cheesy pickup lines! The Sword Princess had seen all sorts of high-and-mighty noble scions; like feasting on mountain delicacies and seafood every day, she was bound to be tired of it. If an earthy, rustic treat suddenly appeared before her, might it not stir a nostalgic longing in her? Besides, as long as the Sword Princess smiled, it was a victory! Ricardo firmly believed he was already a massive step ahead of the other suitors—at the very least, she would remember him! Striking while the iron was hot, he pressed on. "This class is far too rudimentary for you, Senior. If you have some free time, why not join me for a drink at the Secret Garden, where we can chat about my family's ancestral Induction Swordplay?" "Induction Swordplay? You're from the Feiming clan?" Sonia was somewhat surprised. In the circle of sword sorcerers, Induction Swordplay was as famous as Wave Swordplay, both being ancestral legacy arts of their respective families. She was indeed quite interested. However, she smiled and said, "Still, you're a first-year student, aren't you? This class is mandatory. Is it really all right for you to skip it?" "The professor isn't here yet, is she?" Ricardo chuckled playfully. "I'm hardly a model student anyway." "That puts me in a tough spot," Sonia said with mock distress. "Because I really want to attend this class." "Senior, you're already exploring the Distant Sky Realm. Why would you still pay attention to the Sea of Knowledge?" Ricardo urged. "Discussing Induction Swordplay with me might actually be far more worthwhile." "You make a good point, but..." Sonia rose slowly to her feet and offered a warm smile. "I'm here to substitute teach." *Ding-dong—* The class bell rang, but even its chiming failed to shake Ricardo from his daze. "As a Sanctuary Sorcerer, of course I don't need to pay attention to the Sea of Knowledge, but you're only a Silver Sorcerer. You had better pay close attention to the lecture." Sonia smiled faintly as she set the bouquet of tulips down. "I'll accept your kind gesture on behalf of Professor Trozan and deliver them to her office later. As for that line about how 'even tulips aren't as fragrant as the Sword Princess's bath towel,' I will be sure to convey it verbatim... Take your seat and get ready for class." With that, she walked up to the podium and addressed the buzzing freshmen. "Quiet down, everyone. Due to certain circumstances, Professor Trozan is unable to teach today. In her place, I, Sonia Servier, second-year student of the Swordplay Department, will be delivering today's lecture. If anyone has objections, feel free to send a complaint to the principal's inbox." "No objections!" the freshmen shouted in near unison. While Professor Trozan was indeed a Sanctuary Sorcerer as well, the Sword Princess was the talk of all Jialesi—a legendary senior just one year older than them, who spoke so delightfully. Naturally, they were far more thrilled to have the Sword Princess teach them! "Be that as it may, some of you might not know that I'm already a Sanctuary Sorcerer exploring the Distant Sky Realm. While my personal experience and the textbook would certainly be enough to teach this class, what you're truly eager to learn about right now is probably the Lake Light Angel Inheritance in the Sea of Knowledge, right?" "And the Ghost Inheritance and Time Inheritance!" a student piped up excitedly. Sonia chuckled. "By the time you become Second-Winged Sorcerers or Sanctuary Sorcerers, those two inheritances will probably have ended long ago. But as for the Lake Light Inheritance, if you work hard enough, you might still make it in time." Adele chimed in from below with mock solemnity, "Indeed, so long as you can summon a sorcery spirit on your very first day of practicing swordsmanship, you'll definitely make it." "Students aren't allowed to interrupt the professor!" Sonia promptly hurled a piece of chalk down at her, but Adele actually dodged it. "Wait, is that a real fact and not just a rumor?" an astonished freshman asked. "Senior, did you really breakthrough to the Silver realm and summon a sorcery spirit on your first day of training in swordsmanship?" "That can't be right. She must have had some prior experience with swordsmanship, right? Didn't the forums say Senior practiced swordsmanship for a month beforehand?" "Then again, it took Senior barely a hundred days to advance from an ordinary sorcerer to the Sanctuary realm. Reaching Silver in a single day doesn't sound that crazy in comparison." Seeing that the lecture was turning into her personal press conference, Sonia snapped her fingers. A sharp whistle of Sword Qi rang out through the hall, instantly silencing the room. "In any case, this lecture will be led by Student Lois, who has crossed past three hundred meters in the Lake Light Inheritance." Sonia gestured toward Lois with a smile. "Currently, the record in Starry is 410 meters, and Student Lois has reached 310 meters, placing her among the trial's top tier." Feeling the expectant, shocked stares of hundreds of freshmen, Lois felt her feet grow heavy. As she brushed past Sonia, she couldn't help muttering, "Substituting for a substitute teacher... really?" "What can I say? I'm a Sanctuary Sorcerer," the country girl shrugged, offering a sweet, utterly infuriating smile that shattered who knew how many young hearts. In all fairness, Sonia wasn't throwing her roommate under the bus just for fun. As a Silver Sorcerer who had only recently entered the Void Realm, Lois's ability to rank among the top tier in the Lake Light Inheritance proved both her natural talent and her sharp insight into the trial. She was more than qualified to lecture on the subject. Facing several hundred freshmen, Lois naturally relaxed instead, showing not the slightest hint of stage fright. Skipping quickly through her introduction, she got straight to the point. "The primary requirement for entering the Lake Light Inheritance is possessing a water sorcery spirit. Afterward, dive into the Sea of Knowledge and grasp the golden chain beneath the surface to reach the Great Road..." "The difficulty of the Lake Light Inheritance scales with the distance traveled. If you encounter danger and cannot press on, dive into the surrounding sea immediately. The seawater will wash you off the Great Road automatically, but doing so will eject you from the inheritance, preventing you from re-entering for twenty-four hours." "The Lake Light Inheritance features several common challenges..." Her lecture lasted the entire period. Not only the freshmen, but even Sonia listened with keen interest. After all, Sonia couldn't enter the Lake Light Inheritance herself, Lois used herself as an example throughout, and watching one's own roommate give a lecture was inherently amusing—not to mention Adele was constantly causing mischief from the seats below. They had come here precisely to stir up fun. Next came the open Q&A session. Questions about the Lake Light Inheritance flew from every corner until someone suddenly asked, "The Lake Light Inheritance might be out of reach for us in time, but could Senior Servier share some insights on exploring the Void Realm based on your own experiences in the Sea of Knowledge?" Sonia paused, thought for a moment, then stood up. "The most important thing is definitely never staying in one place for too long. That behavior is extremely dangerous—don't ask me why it's dangerous." "As for the rest, my advice is pretty much the same as what's in your textbooks. But if you want a more personal takeaway, or perhaps regrets I have looking back..." "First, locate your target's softest spot." The freshmen nodded eagerly. "Uh-huh, uh-huh!" "Second, strike when their guard is down." Freshmen: "Uh-huh!" "Third, when the time comes to claim them, do so decisively. If you hesitate, rivals will appear!" Oblivious to the strange looks Senior Lois and the others were casting her way, the freshmen diligently took notes—surely this was Senior Sword Princess teaching them how to deal with Fishcleaver Dragons, right? When the bell rang marking the end of class, Sonia wanted to slip away immediately, but how could the underclassmen miss this chance to swarm Senior Sword Princess? They surged forward asking for autographs, photos, and hugs. Basked in the adoration and pursuit of her junior peers, Sonia, as a vain female college student, found it troublesome yet couldn't help feeling a tinge of smug satisfaction. Knowing this was also an opportunity to expand the Paw-Stretching Club, she selectively indulged some of her fans' requests. Just as she was pondering an escape route, her eye caught a young junior girl standing beyond the crowd. Generally speaking, Sword Flower students who cared about fashion either skipped wearing the school uniform or tailored it to their own liking, making it distinct and flattering. Yet this junior girl was not only wearing the unaltered standard uniform, but she also wore hopelessly unfashionable glasses and had her hair cut short for easy maintenance rather than style. Standing outside the crowd, timid and hesitant to push forward, she radiated from head to toe the unmistakable aura of a country bumpkin newly arrived in the city. Sonia looked closely and spotted the name written on the girl's notebook: Norlin. *Just as ordinary a name as Linda...* *How familiar,* the country girl thought to herself. "Norlin!" The crowd fell quiet. They watched as Senior Servier parted the crowd and walked straight up to the inconspicuous Norlin. Reaching out, Senior straightened the girl's collar, gently slipped off her glasses, and smiled. "Look, aren't you cute?" "When you have time, go get vision correction surgery at Perfect Starlight. Sword Flower students get thirty-two percent off with their student ID—it isn't expensive. Then grow your hair out to medium length; tying it into a ponytail is easy to manage, and it'll suit you much better. Are you listening?" Norlin froze for a long moment before nodding vigorously. "Open your mouth." "Ah." Sonia unwrapped a lollipop and popped it into the girl's mouth. "If you don't like lip balm, a lollipop keeps your lips moisturized. Plus, one can carry you through an entire morning, helping keep your weight in check. I used to do it all the time—though if you plan to train in physical arts, it's better to eat your fill." "Keep at it. You're going to have a rose-colored college life." With that, Sonia turned and waved. "Goodbye, everyone! Study hard, and don't skip your next class!" Only after Sonia and her three companions left the classroom did the freshmen snap out of their stupor and surround Norlin. Subjected to such unprecedented attention, Norlin didn't say a word. She merely held the lollipop in her mouth, gazing blankly at the classroom doorway.