The next morning, sunlight filtered through the curtains of a hotel room, landing on Ye Chen's face.
He stretched lazily and opened his eyes. Compared to the hard training grounds or forest floors he had become used to, this hotel bed felt like paradise.
"It's been a long time since I've had a good night's sleep," he muttered.
Today was an important day. Ye Chen planned to return to school not for academic knowledge, but in search of Yin energy.
According to his cultivation path, Yin energy naturally radiated from virgin women. For dual cultivation purposes, a woman's first time yielded the most profound benefits. Subsequent encounters were less potent.
Of course, he had no intention of doing anything reckless. Absorbing Yin through proximity or special techniques was possible. But first, he had to blend in.
Ye Chen pulled out a human-skin mask crafted using spiritual materials that made him look like his old self. Although damaged, it would suffice to hide his current, more striking appearance.
The events of the previous day had made it clear: his current appearance was a magnet for attention and trouble.
Arriving at Hexing Academy, Ye Chen paused for a moment at the gate. Students streamed in from all directions. Laughter, chatter, and the sound of school life buzzed around him. It had been over a year and a half since he last saw such a scene.
He walked quietly through the hallways and soon arrived at the teacher's office. Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door.
"Come in," came a voice from within.
Pushing the door open, Ye Chen stepped inside. A middle-aged woman sat at a desk sorting through documents. When she looked up and saw Ye Chen, her eyes widened.
"Ye Chen? You still have the audacity to come back after vanishing for over a month?" she said sternly, rising from her seat.
Ye Chen bowed slightly. "I'm sorry, teacher. I had personal matters to attend to… I couldn't return sooner."
The teacher sighed, clearly irritated. "Excuses won't help you now. This isn't a place where students can come and go as they please. The rules are clear. It's not up to me anymore it's up to the Dean whether you stay or go."
"I understand," Ye Chen said. "What should I do now?"
"Go see the Dean immediately. He'll decide your fate."
Without arguing, Ye Chen turned and left for the Dean's office. When he knocked, a gruff voice called from inside.
"Who is it?"
"I'm Ye Chen, second-year student from Class B," he answered respectfully.
"Oh… so you're the one who's been absent for more than a month," the Dean said, squinting at him. "This school has rules, and you've clearly violated them."
"Am I going to be expelled?" Ye Chen asked flatly. He wasn't particularly worried. If he was expelled, he'd simply find another school.
"No," the Dean replied. "But from this moment forward, you're being transferred to Class J."
"Class J?" Ye Chen frowned.
"That's where we send all the… problematic students," the Dean said with a sigh. "You can head there now."
Ye Chen left the office and headed toward Class J. As he approached the door, a ruckus inside caught his attention loud laughter and shouting. Just as he was about to enter, he noticed a trap: a bucket of water balanced above the door.
Clearly, it wasn't meant for him.
A gloomy-looking boy walked toward the door, unaware. Ye Chen stepped forward and gently pulled the boy back by the shoulder.
Crash! The bucket tipped over, splashing water and crashing onto the floor.
Inside the classroom, students who had been waiting for the prank to succeed let out disappointed groans. A few of them got up with mops to clean up the mess.
The gloomy boy didn't even acknowledge Ye Chen and simply walked to his seat. Ye Chen just shook his head.
"So this… is Class J, huh?"
He stepped inside, already preparing himself for the chaos ahead.
Ye Chen stepped into the classroom and scanned the room.
Toward the back, he found an empty seat and quietly made his way over. Pulling out the chair, he sat down, keeping a low profile.
Thanks to the human-skin mask he wore, Ye Chen's face looked ordinary his real appearance was completely hidden. As a result, no one paid him any special attention.
A moment later, the boy sitting in front of him turned around. "Hey, are you a new transfer student?"
"Yes," Ye Chen replied calmly. "Starting today, I'll be joining this class."
"Oh, I see. I'm Zhang Liao. You can just call me Zhan Liao," the boy said with a grin, extending his hand.
Ye Chen shook it politely. "Ye Chen. Nice to meet you."
Zhang Liao leaned closer and lowered his voice. "Hey, if I were you, I'd move from that seat right now."
"Huh? Why?" Ye Chen asked curiously.
Before Zhang Liao could answer, the classroom door creaked open again.
All the idle chatter in the room came to a halt.
A girl stepped in around 17 or 18 years old, with smooth, porcelain skin and long straight hair that shimmered under the fluorescent lights.
A butterfly-shaped clip adorned the side of her hair, and her white blouse clung gently to her graceful figure.
As she walked in, the sound of her shoes against the floor echoed with elegance. Every male student's gaze immediately locked on her.
She didn't even look around. With effortless confidence, she walked straight to the back of the class… and took the seat right next to Ye Chen.
Ye Chen blinked in surprise. He hadn't expected to sit beside someone like her on his very first day.
Even more shocking was the aura she carried. Calm, intelligent, elegant completely out of place in this rowdy, chaotic class.
Trying to be polite, Ye Chen offered a small smile. "Hello, I'm Ye Chen. May I know your name?"
The girl turned to him and smiled faintly. "Zhao Yanyan. Nice to meet you."
She shook his hand gently.