Just as Guan Tianyu was being forced back by Zhuo Yifeng’s domineering skill, Rong Tianhai suddenly appeared. Guan Tianyu hurriedly called for help, and the students immediately made way for Rong Tianhai.

“Master Rong, you’re here! These students hurt me and my peers badly, so you have to punish them!” Guan Tianyu’s eyes roamed maliciously over Yun Ruoyan and Zhuo Yifeng.

As soon as Rong Tianhai saw Guan Tianyu and his skinny lackey’s bloodied appearance, his voice turned cold. “Who did this? What did I say about harming your peers?!”

He turned to the crowd. “Are there any students from the northern college here?”

Immediately, a few students walked out.

“Bring these criminals to the hall of penitence!” Rong Tianhai commanded.

“Yes, Master Rong!” the students chorused, then began walking toward Yun Ruoyan and Zhuo Yifeng.

Zhuo Yifeng hurriedly stepped in front of Yun Ruoyan. “I was the one who hurt them; no one else was involved!”

Rong Tianhai glanced at Guan Tianyu. “Who was the one who attacked you?”

Guan Tianyu didn’t immediately answer. After all, Yun Ruoyan’s Master Mo’s disciple. If I accuse Yun Ruoyan and get Master Mo’s attention instead, it’d make matters worse, and I wouldn’t be able to accomplish my objective…

No matter what, Guan Tianyu wanted a spot on the expedition to the other dimension. As long as one other person on the list wasn't able to participate in the upcoming training, he would be able to take over for that person instead. As for those who offended him—well, he had plenty of opportunities in the future to take revenge.

After mulling it over, he exclaimed, “The one who wounded me was indeed this beastkin lad, and it’s unrelated to anyone else.”

Rong Tianhai nodded and motioned to the northern college’s students, two of whom walked out of the crowd to detain Zhuo Yifeng.

“Hold it!” Yun Ruoyan stepped forward. Despite her cool tones, her eyes flashed as she stood before Rong Tianhai. “Master Rong, as the head of the hall of penitence, surely you wouldn’t pass judgment without listening to both sides of the story, would you?”

The hall of penitence was where Kongming Academy would deal with heavenly tribulations and those students who had committed grave crimes. Students were rarely sent to the hall of penitence, but whenever they were, they would be punished harshly. As a result, the students were quite fearful of the place.

Lin Qingxue and Lin Qingchen also stepped forward to defend Zhuo Yifeng. “Guan Tianyu was the one who tried to severely harm Yun Ruoyan, and he was even attacking innocent bystanders! It was only Sister Ruoyan and Brother Zhuo’s timely defense that prevented more people from being hurt.”

“Right! It was that tyrant who tried to attack them first!”

“We’re just defending ourselves!”

“If we’re to be punished, then they should be too! It wouldn’t be fair otherwise!”

The southern college’s students erupted in protest, and even students from the other three colleges sided with them.

“Master Rong’s an instructor from the northern college—he’s not planning on being partial to his own college’s students, is he?”

“Well, Guan Tianyu’s related to the second elder, and the second elder’s the person in charge of the hall of penitence. It wouldn’t be unusual if Master Rong really were to favor Guan Tianyu…”

“Right, it’d be unusual if Master Rong didn’t favor him! If not for the second elder, Guan Tianyu’s regular behavior would have been more than sufficient to have him thrown into the hall of penitence!”

Except for the silent northern college students, the remaining students all sided with Yun Ruoyan and Zhuo Yifeng.

Rong Tianhai also seemed to be afraid of causing a commotion, because he ultimately declared, “Take both Zhuo Yifeng and Guan Tianyu away!”

“I was also involved, so I should also be detained if Zhuo Yifeng is!” Yun Ruoyan hurriedly added. After all, Guan Tianyu had been targeting her, and Zhuo Yifeng had only ended up at odds with Guan Tianyu because of her. No matter what, Yun Ruoyan couldn’t just let Zhuo Yifeng shoulder her blame.

Rong Tianhai glanced askance at Yun Ruoyan. “Are you certain?”

“Yes!”

“In that case, take them all away.” Rong Tianhai waved a hand, and two more northern college students stepped up and reached out for her.

Yun Ruoyan stepped back and said firmly, “I can walk on my own.”

After arriving at the hall of penitence, Yun Ruoyan and Zhuo Yifeng were each put into a wooden cell while the investigation was underway. They sat opposite each other, separated by a small wooden table. Because of how long it had been since they had last seen each other, they found themselves at a loss for words.

“...have you girls been alright, all this time?” Zhuo Yifeng finally broke the silence.

“Quite well. I heard Qingxue mention that you’re quite a valued student in the central college, but I still didn’t expect your training to progress so rapidly. That technique you used against Guan Tianyu—it was a wood-attuned external technique, wasn’t it?”

In the end, it was Yun Ruoyan’s love for cultivation that lubricated their conversation.

“Right, a mid-rank wood-attuned spiritual technique,” Zhuo Yifeng replied. “Your fireball technique seemed pretty strong as well.”

They were both surprised by each other’s progress. Lin Qingxue would frequently head toward the central college to find Zhuo Yifeng, and would often report back to her. Similarly, Zhuo Yifeng would learn about Yun Ruoyan’s progress through Lin Qingxue. However, Lin Qingxue wasn’t very familiar with their cultivation, and it restricted the information she was able to provide.

“My fireball technique’s only a low-rank fire-attuned technique, though.” Yun Ruoyan extended a hand, and a small flame emerged on her palm. As she continuously infused spiritual energy into it, the small flame became larger and larger, ultimately transforming into a small fireball. It increased in size until it was the size of a baby’s head, revolving between them and casting their faces in red.

“Incredible!” Zhuo Yifeng marvelled at Yun Ruoyan’s fine control.

Zhuo Yifeng, who was also studying an external technique of his own, clearly knew how difficult it was to exert such fine control. He could manifest his newly learned scattering leaves technique, but controlling it was far harder. In the plaza, Zhuo Yifeng had only intended on using the technique to frighten Guan Tianyu a little, but he lost control over the technique after sending it out. In the end, he hurt both Guan Tianyu and his lackey.

Luckily, he had just learned the technique, and he still couldn’t use it at full power. Otherwise, based on what his mysterious black-robed senior had shown him, those leaves could easily have ravaged their bodies.

Yun Ruoyan clenched her fist, and her fireball was snuffed out. She smiled and glanced at Zhuo Yifeng. “This time, we were both chosen to enter this alternate dimension. I hope we’ll be able to cooperate against any dangerous foes as we did before.”

Yun Ruoyan glanced fervently at Zhuo Yifeng, knowing how difficult it was to find a companion whom she could trust and with whom she had rapport. Despite knowing the enmity between Zhuo Yifeng and Li Mo, she still wanted to bring Zhuo Yifeng with her—being able to team up with him would greatly improve both their chances at surviving.

“I’m used to doing things alone,” Zhuo Yifeng replied, after a momentary silence.

Just like the others, Zhuo Yifeng didn’t know much about this other dimension, and was particularly uninformed about its dangers.

“Zhuo Yifeng, listen to me.” Yun Ruoyan continued trying to persuade him. “This alternate dimension’s filled with treasure, yes, but also with immense danger. If you come with me—”

“Please, don’t try to advise me further,” Zhuo Yifeng interrupted. “My mind is set.”

“You—”

“Yan’er!” Li Mo had appeared out of nowhere outside the cell.

“Li Mo.” Yun Ruoyan stood up and hurriedly walked up to him. “I knew you’d come to save us.”

Li Mo extended a hand into the cell and rapped Yun Ruoyan’s head. “Call me Master!”

Yun Ruoyan rubbed her head as she frowned at Li Mo. Somehow, Li Mo had developed the bad habit of rapping her on the head, and Yun Ruoyan had protested this treatment multiple times before to no effect. Since Li Mo’s expression wasn’t looking too good, Yun Ruoyan relented and addressed him as he desired.

“Open the door,” Li Mo commanded the warden, who immediately bowed and acquiesced. When Yun Ruoyan walked out of the cell and noticed that Zhuo Yifeng was still sitting down resolutely, she immediately beckoned for him to leave with her as well.

Li Mo walked out without sparing him a second glance. “Training starts tonight. All students participating in the expedition must gather at the plaza by evening, and anyone who’s late will be disqualified.

Zhuo Yifeng clenched his fists as he slowly stood up and walked out of the cell.

“Yan’er, follow me.” Li Mo strode out at a rapid pace, and Yun Ruoyan and Zhuo Yifeng followed him outside. Just as they were leaving the hall of penitence, however, three unpopular figures showed up.

“Senior Li Mo.” Rong Tianhai blocked his way. “These two students have violated academy policy. Don’t you think it’s inappropriate to just take them away without informing me, Senior?”

When Li Mo had entered the hall of penitence to take Yun Ruoyan and Zhuo Yifeng away, no one dared to stop him. Instead, they quickly sent word to Rong Tianhai, who rushed to the scene at once.

Li Mo didn’t want to waste time speaking with him. “The training for the expedition to the other dimension starts tonight. If you leave them here, who’s going to take their place? You?”

Rong Tianhai didn’t have the authority to find out much about this alternate dimension, but given his management position and how long he’d been in the academy, he had an inkling of the danger that it posed. As a result, he remained silent.

“If you don’t, then stop standing here and wasting everyone’s time.” Li Mo walked around Rong Tianhai and continued forward, as if he were nothing more than a nuisance.

As Rong Tianhai looked at Li Mo’s back, he muttered resentfully to himself, You think you’re so superior, don’t you? Just wait till the next time you land in my hands!