Chapter 50

"Really?" Beck looked at Ji Ran with suspicion.

Ji Ran spread his hands, "I can't just let you guys support me, can I? Anyway, it's a good way to make money, so what's wrong with that? I don't have time to manage these things while I'm in school, and brewing some wine in my spare time is already the limit. So I need some help. I don't trust anyone else, so I can only come to you guys."

"So, you're still asking for my help?" Beck looked at Lai Si.

Lai Si nodded vigorously, "To study without worries, economic security is necessary. We are teammates in the same adventure team, so it's only right to help him."

Looking at Ji Ran and then at Lai Si, Beck sighed dramatically, "Sigh, there's nothing I can do. Who would have thought I'm the kind of person who values righteousness? Since you both put it that way, I'll definitely help you!"

Ji Ran secretly breathed a sigh of relief, finally getting through it...

"Don't think he's a fool." When no one else was around, Ailing walked beside Ji Ran and suddenly said.

Ji Ran looked at her in surprise, what did she mean?

"Beck may seem carefree, but he's very clear-headed. He's just putting on a show in front of you. If you think you've really fooled him, hah..." Ailing's eyes revealed a cold, gloating smile.

"What will happen?" Ji Ran's heart suddenly tightened.

"…He'll remember this as a favor. If anything happens to you in the future, he might even risk his life to repay it." Ailing's next words made Ji Ran's heart skip a beat.

"I don't want him to owe me any favors. After all, his curse is partly my fault…" Ji Ran felt deeply melancholic.

"It's this kind of thinking that makes him feel bad. It's his own choice, not something to blame on others. Don't worry, he'll be very attentive to your affairs, but whether he'll be happy about it, that's another story." Ailing's face remained expressionless—of course, with the mask on, most of her expressions were hidden.

"…This won't do. I can't let him carry this burden… but I don't have a good solution right now…" Ji Ran was at a loss.

"This is none of my business. You know I'm not good at counseling. But if you want to shock him, I'm still up for it." Ailing made it clear she only dealt with killing, not cleaning up after.

Ji Ran was also helpless and could only put the matter aside for now. Beck's issue was indeed difficult to handle. Although he wouldn't show it, Ji Ran couldn't shake off the guilt. He would talk to Beck when the opportunity arose. Of course, the most critical thing was still the curse…

Thinking of the True God Sect, Ji Ran felt a surge of anger. Once he had enough strength, he would definitely get the method to remove the curse from them!

For now, he might as well go to school honestly…

The day of enrollment arrived quickly. The admission ticket showed the acceptance information, and the next step was to bring everything and report in.

On the day of reporting, the entrance of the Azure Wind Academy was crowded with people. However, this time it was much more efficient than the exam. Hand over the admission ticket, verify the information, and the staff would let you choose your accommodation conditions, then give you a room number. You could take your luggage to the room yourself.

Then, the admission ticket would be exchanged for a student ID. If anything special happened, the student ID would display the information. Although the text was limited, it was enough to convey the message.

In this magical world… there were some very convenient things… this thing was just a text message receiver! Although you couldn't make calls or send messages back, it was still better than shouting to communicate.

Ji Ran walked over to a staff member and handed over his admission ticket.

"Number 10372, participated in the swordsmanship exam. The score is… one hundred points!" The staff member was shocked and immediately looked up.

He was a man in his thirties, looking at Ji Ran as if he were a monster. A perfect score in the swordsmanship exam! This was a score no one had achieved in the academy for years! He didn't expect such a prodigy to exist this time!

A student like this would definitely attract attention in various aspects once they entered the academy! The old monsters in the swordsmanship department would probably fight to take him as a disciple! This was the rising star of the academy!

"Student… Ji Ran, right? A unique name… What kind of dormitory do you plan to choose?" The staff member, facing such a genius, naturally didn't put on airs. There were too many stories of geniuses being underestimated and then embarrassing the underestimators… as a staff member, it was better to avoid trouble.

Ji Ran didn't hesitate, smiling at the staff member, "The old dormitory is fine."

"Oh, the old dormitory… Wait! The old dormitory? The conditions there aren't very good, you know that, right?" The staff member looked at Ji Ran in disbelief.

Ji Ran nodded, "I've heard. But I've been told it's more peaceful, and… I'm a bit short on money, so I can't afford the regular dormitory."

The staff member looked at Ji Ran suspiciously. This student was indeed not dressed well, just ordinary adventurer gear. He looked good, with a hint of elven features, but not like a half-elf. He didn't seem like a rich person… Wait! That weapon!

Damn, that's a magical weapon! Carrying a magical weapon and pretending to be poor? Are geniuses all this unique now? That magical weapon is worth at least a thousand gold coins, yet he won't even stay in a regular dormitory that costs five gold coins a month!

"Are you sure? Although our old dormitory is of good quality, it's in a remote location and lacks a magic array to enhance cultivation…" The staff member tried hard to change Ji Ran's mind. A swordsmanship prodigy with a perfect score living in the old dormitory was just too bizarre!

"Um, I'm sure. Actually, when I saw the introductions of the various dormitories, I fell in love with the old dormitory. It's quiet and peaceful, and won't be noisy. Although it lacks a magic array, it blends better with nature, which suits my sword path. And I hear the old dormitory is more free, and I don't like being too constrained…" Ji Ran tried to give a reasonable explanation for his choice.

The staff member recalled the dormitory brochures the academy had issued and remembered that the old dormitory was indeed surrounded by green trees, so it was understandable why students would like it. But the old dormitory… didn't seem to fit the identity of a swordsmanship prodigy at all!

"I think you should reconsider. If it's a financial issue, I believe the academy's policies can help…" The staff member made one last effort.

"No need, I can adapt. If I need money, I can earn it myself. Maybe I'll change my mind and switch dormitories later. For now, I'll stay in the old dormitory." Ji Ran smiled and politely declined the staff member's offer. After all, the regular dormitory didn't allow cooking.

Seeing Ji Ran's determination, the staff member had no choice but to give up. He operated the student ID for a while and then handed Ji Ran a map of the old dormitory area.

"The old dormitory area is in the northwest corner of the campus. Choose a room you like; there are plenty of empty ones. Remember, if you change your mind, take your student ID to the administration building to apply for a room change…"

Ji Ran smiled, chose a room on the map, took back his student ID, and nodded before leaving. He was fine, but he was more concerned about Lydia's dormitory.

Parents were not allowed to accompany students during formal enrollment, so Lai Si and the others could only let the two come alone. Lydia was right behind Ji Ran. After he stepped aside, it was her turn to register. Her process was simpler because she was staying in a regular dormitory, with no other complications. After completing the procedures, Ji Ran prepared to take Lydia to her dormitory first.

The boys' and girls' dormitories were naturally separate, and there were rules that boys were not allowed to enter the girls' dormitory casually, while the opposite was less strict. This rule made Ji Ran feel like he was back in school… He hadn't expected that after leaving school for two years, he would now have to return to such a life after crossing over.

At the bottom of the regular girls' dormitory, Ji Ran watched Lydia go upstairs before turning to leave. After days of encouragement, Lydia had gained some confidence and was no longer as depressed. For a girl who had wandered from a small village to a big city on her own, this dormitory life should not be a problem for her.

Now, he needed to find the old dormitory.

The old dormitory was indeed in the northwest corner of the campus, but it wasn't next to the campus wall. Behind the dormitory was a small hill, completely isolating it from the noise outside the campus.

The environment of the old dormitory was indeed very quiet. Surrounded by large trees at least two people could hug, the rustling of leaves in the wind and the chirping of unknown birds in the trees made the place feel like a paradise of birds and flowers.

Following a dim path, Ji Ran wound his way through the forest and saw the old student dormitory. The dormitory consisted of five-story buildings, looking quite elegant. The old walls were covered with lush vines, making the buildings look ancient and full of history.

Although called small buildings, they were just shorter in height. Each building was only five stories tall, looking quite refined. Thinking of the room he had chosen, Ji Ran walked toward one of the buildings.

This place was truly quiet, and he hadn't encountered a single classmate after walking for a long time. But this was normal, as the old dormitory was for students who couldn't afford the regular dormitory. How many people would come to stay? After all, the tuition was one hundred gold coins… someone who could afford one hundred gold coins for tuition wouldn't be stingy about the accommodation fees.

Building 2, third floor, room 1… Following the signs, Ji Ran found the room he had chosen.

Seeing the room, Ji Ran was very satisfied. Not to mention anything else, having such a large room to himself was incredibly convenient.