"I'll do my best," Qian Ran replied, feeling a sudden headache from dealing with Yan Shaozhe and Qian Duoduo.
Perhaps some women enjoyed the adoration of simps, but none truly fell in love with one.
Especially a woman like Xian Lin'er. Qian Duoduo had chosen the wrong approach entirely.
Qian Ran couldn't help but wonder: when Yan Shaozhe and Qian Duoduo eventually realized that the man who had stolen their dream woman was the very one they sought advice from, would they take up arms against him?
"Ruoruo-jie, who's that young guy on the boat? Isn't he too young to be with the Sea God Pavilion elders?"
At the Sea God Fate Festival, the sight of Shrek Academy's top-ranking elders on the boat wasn't unusual. They attended every year to oversee the event. But the youthful face among them stood out like a sore thumb.
"That's Qian Ran," Han Ruoruo replied, her eyes lingering on the young man. Even she, someone known for her calm and composed demeanor, couldn't help but be drawn to him.
Qian Ran stood out not only because of his age but also because of his aura, which made him seem both accessible and untouchable.
He wasn't just exceptional—he was impossibly so.
"Qian Ran? Wasn't he a student at the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy as part of the exchange program?"
Some of the female students exclaimed in surprise.
Qian Ran had spent little time in the inner court. Almost as soon as he was admitted, he had been sent to the Sun Moon Academy. Many inner court girls, curious about him, had never seen him in person.
Despite his physical absence, stories of Qian Ran were legendary within the inner court.
One statistic in particular stood out: every single female student who had passed the inner court's entrance exams over the last two years was one of Qian Ran's close acquaintances or admirers.
Most women were pragmatic, even in matters of the heart. The fact that so many exceptional women were drawn to Qian Ran spoke volumes about his qualities.
"He returned recently," Han Ruoruo explained.
Han Ruoruo's status within the inner court was second only to Zhang Lexuan's. Now that Zhang Lexuan had left Shrek Academy, Han Ruoruo was the unchallenged leader among the inner court girls.
"An eight-ring soul engineer?"
"No wonder girls like Xiaoya and Nan Nan fell for him."
A ripple of admiration swept through the female students as they all turned to look at Qian Ran.
An eight-ring soul engineer at Qian Ran's age was unheard of. Even the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy had no such precedent.
It was almost certain that Qian Ran would become Shrek Academy's first nine-ring soul engineer—and the youngest in the continent's history.
His achievements in the field of soul engineering alone were enough to cement his legacy. But then there was his talent as a soul master, which was equally formidable.
In both professions, Qian Ran was a once-in-a-lifetime prodigy.
His sheer brilliance was dazzling.
A man like that? Who cared if he was a little bit of a playboy?
This sentiment quietly spread among the female students, save for Han Ruoruo, who remained the sole exception.
But even Han Ruoruo found her gaze lingering on Qian Ran for longer than usual.
It was impossible not to be curious about how someone so young had mastered the intricate theories of soul engineering while maintaining such impressive cultivation as a soul master.
Even a steadfast heart like Han Ruoruo's wavered slightly in the face of Qian Ran's brilliance.
"Good thing I didn't provoke him back then," muttered Dai Huabin as he glanced at Qian Ran. He let out a breath of relief.
Little did he know that Qian Ran had only spared him because of Zhu Ying.
If not for Zhu Ying, Dai Huabin might already be dead.
Now, Zhu Ying no longer cared about Dai Huabin, and Qian Ran had no qualms about eliminating him. But it wasn't worth the effort. Qian Ran wasn't the type to seek out trouble without cause.
"You really can't sit still, can you?" Xian Lin'er said, giving Qian Ran a playful glare.
"You're banned from attending future Sea God Fate Festivals," she added.
Even Cai Meier gave Qian Ran an amused glance.
Qian Ran's mere presence had disrupted the entire event.
The inner court girls were too distracted by Qian Ran to focus on anyone else, and the male students were visibly frustrated.
"Honestly, you've already ruined this year's festival," Xian Lin'er teased.
Several elders nodded in agreement.
The Sea God Fate Festival was one of Shrek Academy's most cherished traditions. But with Qian Ran present, the balance was completely thrown off.
Normally, the festival was meant to foster connections among inner court students. Yet Qian Ran, without even participating, had inadvertently overshadowed everyone else.
"Who told you to be this outstanding and this young?" Xian Lin'er continued, grinning.
"Well, excuse me for existing," Qian Ran replied, baffled.
In truth, there were few girls at the festival who caught Qian Ran's eye. Of the inner court women present, only Han Ruoruo truly stood out as someone worthy of pursuit.
The others, while beautiful, didn't quite meet his exacting standards.
"It's your fault for being so perfect," Xian Lin'er teased.
Even Cai Meier nodded in agreement. Qian Ran's combination of talent, youth, and charm was enough to turn the heads of every girl present.
"How are the other female students supposed to focus on the boys in front of them when you're standing right there?"
"Alright, fine. I get it," Qian Ran said, raising his hands in surrender.
He hadn't even signed up for the festival this year. All he'd done was show up, yet his presence had already caused a stir.
"If only Han Ruoruo were so easily swayed," he thought wistfully.
Unlike the other girls, Han Ruoruo was resolute and unyielding, with no tolerance for frivolity. Winning her over would be a long and challenging endeavor.
(End of Chapter)
Notes-You can read advanced chapters in patreon.com/Shadow_D_X