Ch73.1 - I miss my alma mater so much

The eerie, multicolored light was a breathtaking sight. The divine priests, who had long lost hope, stood frozen, some staring in disbelief.

An elderly council member stepped forward and picked up the stone. “Is it broken?”

“Impossible. How could a stone break?” A woman with wavy hair and glasses strolled over leisurely. With her slender fingers, she lifted the stone, and almost instantly, the colors faded, restoring it to its original white.

The elder in the long robe stepped forward. With a simple gesture, green light appeared within the stone—the color of his divine power, proving it wasn’t broken.

Once again, the room fell into an eerie silence.

The reason was obvious. If the stone wasn’t broken, then what was happening with Jian Mei? Since when had anyone’s stone ever emitted a colorless light?

The elders and faculty members exchanged glances, all contemplating the same possibility. Throughout history, people with five-colored divine power had not been unheard of.

Everyone vividly remembered the day the current crown prince, Lu Xingwang, enrolled at the academy. The moment he placed his hand on the stone, it radiated a dazzling array of five colors. He was the first to wield divine power over all five elements.

A council member, visibly excited, turned to Jian Mei and asked, “Could you show us your abilities?”

Jian Mei looked confused. “How do I do that?”

A red-haired teacher stood up. With a snap of his fingers, a red flame flared to life at his fingertips. “For example, like this.”

The female teacher with wavy hair removed her glasses and turned to him. A small stream of water materialized out of thin air, instantly extinguishing his fire. She smiled. “Or like this.”

One wielded fire, the other water—together, they were a striking contrast.

The elder in the long robe walked over to an empty potted plant on the table. He held his hand above it, and before long, the still soil began to crack. Delicate green shoots pushed through the gaps, unfurling as they grew. Slowly, vines stretched upward, winding around the elder’s hand in a gentle, almost affectionate embrace.

The elder turned to Jian Mei and said, “For example, like this.”

“……”

Jian Mei fell silent.

He answered honestly, “I don’t know how.”

The room once again sank into an eerie silence. Then, the elder in the long robe stepped forward and asked, “You mean you’ve never used divine power before?”

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The blonde girl’s voice rang out especially loud. “See? I knew it—people without divine power always dream too big.”

Her companions laughed along.

“Do you have a hand card?”

“Of course I do.”

“I have one too.”

Jian Mei cast them a calm glance. Xiao Ban, who had a fiery temper, wanted to rush up and defend him. But when he noticed the expensive clothes of those young masters and ladies, along with the powerful families behind them, he hesitated. Instead, he grabbed Jian Mei and led him away.

Once outside, Xiao Ban grumbled, “Meimei, why should we put up with this? I’m never coming back to this school.”

Jian Mei looked at him. “Put up with what?”

Xiao Ban scoffed. “Put up with them—so full of themselves, looking down on us.” Then he asked, “Doesn’t that bother you?”

Unlike Xiao Ban, who was more emotionally sensitive, Jian Mei had grown up in a privileged environment under the Jian family’s care. His inner world was secure, and he was never easily shaken by ridicule. Even now, despite being poor and looked down upon, he felt no anger. Instead, he remained calm and indifferent.

“Do you think switching schools or moving somewhere else will help you escape?” Jian Mei smiled slightly. “How far can you really run?”

Xiao Ban was momentarily speechless.

Jian Mei had a point. The world was vast, yet even their small, rundown town reeked of decay. Would anywhere else really be any different?

Jian Mei patted Xiao Ban’s shoulder. “Alright, stop overthinking. I’ll go with you to the other school’s interview.”

Xiao Ban nodded. “Alright.”

They were busy shuttling between schools, and the palace was just as bustling.

Ya Wen never imagined that, as a mere broadcaster, she would be summoned by the crown prince. The moment she received the news, she spent the entire evening agonizing over what to wear.

After entering, the grandeur and solemnity of the Great Palace Hall made her feel as if she had stepped into another world.

As she walked through the vast hall, rows of guards stood motionless in cold, imposing armor, their silent presence exuding an oppressive air. Outside the crown prince’s palace, attendants lined up in perfect formation, not making a sound.

Rumor had it that the crown prince was a man of few words yet carried immense authority. He was strict about rules, and whether it was those close to him or high-ranking officials, all treated him with deep respect. Since taking office, he had strengthened the imperial capital’s security significantly.

His iron-fisted leadership had left a lasting impression on Ya Wen. As she stepped inside, anxiety gripped her. She kept replaying past events in her mind, wondering if she had made a mistake at work or accidentally leaked a state secret—anything that might have led to this summons.

Her superior kept reassuring her, “Don’t worry, don’t worry, His Highness just wants to ask you a few questions.”

But Ya Wen wasn’t buying it!

What could possibly be so important that the crown prince had to question her personally? What a joke!

The moment she stepped into the grand palace hall, her eyes landed on a man seated at a desk not far away. He wore a dark robe lined with silver embroidery, and half of his face was concealed behind a mask. The exposed half revealed sharp, striking features, but his cold and distant demeanor exuded an unmistakable air of detachment, as if he kept the entire world at bay.

As she sized him up, Lu Xingwang lifted his gaze, his dark eyes carrying a chilling edge as they met hers.

Ya Wen almost collapsed to her knees, but the last remnants of her rationality kept her standing as she trembled and stammered, “Greetings to Your Highness, the Crown Prince.”

“No need for formalities,” came his steady, commanding voice.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, who was standing nearby, spoke up, “Your Highness, this is the person who broadcasted the message that day.”

Lu Xingwang looked at him.

The minister immediately stepped back, ignoring Ya Wen’s pleading gaze.

Her breath quickened with nervousness. Just as she was trying to figure out how to respond, Lu Xingwang spoke again. “Was it you who broadcasted yesterday’s missing persons announcement?”

Ya Wen had indeed been on duty yesterday, and she quickly replied, “Yes.”

“Hmm,” Lu Xingwang said indifferently. “Who told you to broadcast it?”

He had already reviewed yesterday’s surveillance footage and hadn’t seen Jian Mei anywhere. So how did this broadcaster know about it?

Ya Wen thought for a moment. Since there had only been one missing person’s notice yesterday, she replied, “Someone from my hometown.”

Someone from the same town?

Lu Xingwang raised an eyebrow. “From where, and who?”

“From Golden Town,” Ya Wen said with a slight smile. “He seems to be a servant at the town mayor’s mansion.”

For some reason, the moment she uttered the word “servant,” the crown prince’s expression darkened. A trace of displeasure flickered across his face, as if she had said something inappropriate.

Lu Xingwang’s lips parted. “Anything else?”

“He just asked me to help find someone,” Ya Wen said. “Then he offered me money, but I didn’t take it.”

At that moment, Ya Wen finally realized what the crown prince had been getting at. A thought crossed her mind, and she hesitated before asking, “Your Highness… Do you know Lu Dazhuang?”

“……”

The room fell into an eerie silence.

Then, Lu Xingwang averted his gaze, somewhat suspiciously, and replied coolly, “We’re acquainted.”

Translator Notes:

This is an advanced chapter. It was supposed to be up on Monday, but I’m taking a break this coming weekend.