Chapter 16: The Radish Remedy

Having finished breakfast, Ji Suyuan departed for work, leaving Zhang Liang to make his way to Saint Spirit Academy for registration.

Heng Naixin accompanied him, a fact Zhang Liang readily understood, given that she, too, needed to register.

However, Ying and Lin Na trailed silently in their wake, a presence Zhang Liang found utterly perplexing.

Upon inquiring, he discovered that Ying was an international student at Saint Spirit Academy, possessing a recommendation letter that granted her direct entry into the advanced class, bypassing the need for an examination.

Her reporting day was today, and Lin Na was simply accompanying her.

Lin Na, meanwhile, trailed wordlessly behind Zhang Liang, an unspoken question lingering on her lips, yet she seemed to grapple with how to voice it, appearing visibly conflicted.

Her naturally aloof and striking countenance, fixed upon him, made Zhang Liang profoundly uneasy. ‘Is she going to stab me in the kidney?’ he wondered.

Ying, too, observed Lin Na’s subtle expressions. With her hands clasped behind her back, she leaned in, her gaze meeting Lin Na’s, a knowing smile playing on her lips.

The previous evening, Ying and Lin Na had conversed at length, during which Ying learned of Lin Na’s current predicament.

Ever since receiving a hint from the Sword Demon Lord, Lin Na had dedicated herself to cultivation, yet she found herself unable to dispel the persistent, distracting thoughts.

She confessed that whenever she attempted to clear her mind, the idle chatter and gossip of others would spontaneously arise, stubbornly refusing to fade.

Lin Na was convinced that her inability to comprehend the true essence of purging these distracting thoughts was the very reason her power had stagnated.

Yet, today, their benefactor had faced an even graver misunderstanding than her own, and strikingly, he appeared utterly unbothered.

Lin Na must undoubtedly be consumed by curiosity, wondering how her benefactor managed to deal with such distracting thoughts.

Ying understood Lin Na’s character well: beneath her seemingly aloof exterior lay a deep yearning for connection and a remarkable capacity for empathy.

Nevertheless, Lin Na possessed an unyielding stubbornness, a one-track mind, and an unwavering belief in repaying both grudges and kindness.

Having just moments ago not only misunderstood her benefactor but also drawn her blade against him—only for him to then free her from the villains’ surveillance—she must surely feel unworthy of asking him any questions now.

Ying sighed inwardly, then turned her gaze to Zhang Liang. He was indeed far from ordinary; had she been in his shoes, facing such widespread misunderstanding would have left her heartbroken for a considerable time, perhaps even utterly defeated.

Yet he, with his face alight with cheer, remained entirely unperturbed—surely the very embodiment of the broad-minded and magnanimous individual described in ancient texts.

In Ying’s estimation, Zhang Liang’s standing had once again risen considerably.

Lin Na was slated to become a teacher at Saint Spirit, while their benefactor would be a student. If Lin Na could offer him some insight into the exams, thereby extending a favor, her reservations might just vanish.

“Benefactor,” Ying chirped, “Lin Na is going to be an advanced class teacher at Saint Spirit! You can ask her anything you might want to know.”

“What?!” Zhang Liang exclaimed, “She’s a teacher?!”

Zhang Liang’s eyes widened in astonishment at Ying’s revelation. ‘How incredibly coincidental!’ he thought. ‘Just moments ago, I was pondering how to get closer to Lin Na in the future, and now, we’re practically bound together.’

Saint Spirit Academy was now unequivocally his destination.

“Um… Ying,” Lin Na murmured softly, “I don’t actually know the exam content.”

This admission utterly flummoxed Ying. ‘I can’t carry this!’ she cried inwardly. ‘How can a teacher not know the exam content?’

Reflecting on it, Ying realized it made perfect sense. Lin Na had indeed mentioned yesterday that she had been solely focused on cultivation and had forgotten to attend the regular teachers’ meeting.

With no other recourse, Ying swiftly changed the subject.

Once Ying had successfully broken the silence, Lin Na began to inform Zhang Liang about various school regulations, including the specific rules governing both male and female dormitories.

She explained that students in the advanced class, provided they were willing to pay, could even secure an entire house for themselves.

This news utterly thrilled Zhang Liang; possessing his own house had been an unfulfilled wish from his life two incarnations ago.

Zhang Liang hadn’t previously given much thought to the matter of accommodation, but he knew for certain he would be unwilling to share a dormitory with others.

Such an arrangement would be far too perilous; should someone stab him in his sleep, he wouldn’t even comprehend how he met his end.

Living alone was undeniably the best option; at the very least, he wouldn’t be forced to sleep with his sword clutched to his chest every night.

The advanced class was now his unquestionable goal.

Prompted by Lin Na’s information, Zhang Liang offered her such an exaggerated display of gratitude that it nearly bewildered her.

She simply couldn’t fathom what warranted such profuse thanks.

Ying sensed the opportune moment had arrived to pivot the conversation.

“Benefactor,” Ying began, “you were so widely misunderstood, yet why did you not mind in the slightest?”

At Ying’s words, Lin Na’s attention snapped into sharp focus, her anticipation for Zhang Liang’s answer palpable.

“Huh?” Zhang Liang scoffed. “Why bother caring about such trivialities?”

‘Would you ever concern yourself with the words of ants?’ Zhang Liang mused inwardly.

Should they provoke his displeasure, he would simply retaliate, infuriating them to death, much as he had done moments earlier.

Upon hearing Zhang Liang’s rather sweeping response, Lin Na pressed him eagerly, “You genuinely don’t care about others’ opinions?”

Zhang Liang let out a cold chuckle. “Regardless of what I say or do, I’ll always be met with hostility,” he stated. “If I were to care, I would have thrown myself into the river ages ago.”

Lin Na’s gaze grew somewhat dim. ‘Perhaps this is the fundamental disparity between people,’ she thought. ‘What others achieve with effortless grace, I seem utterly incapable of, no matter how hard I try.’

Her own heart was too narrow, her capacity for endurance too weak, and this particular flaw felt impossibly difficult to conquer through mere training.

The chasm between herself and her adversaries, coupled with the seemingly insurmountable bottleneck she faced, brought a sharp ache to Lin Na’s heart.

In recent days, Lin Na had diligently scoured numerous resources.

She had stumbled upon a peculiar folk remedy, one that purportedly promised infinite endurance through a remarkably simple method: walking naked through the streets for an entire week.

The mere thought of it in her mind sent a flush of crimson across Lin Na’s entire face, right up to her earlobes. In a flash, that folk remedy was relegated to the dustbin of history.

Lin Na resolved not to prioritize this unconventional remedy, yet now, it seemed, she had run out of other options.

“Um…” Lin Na murmured, her gaze fixed on the ground, “I… I might not be able to accompany you to register after all.”

Ying observed Lin Na’s tightly bitten lower lip, instantly understanding the turmoil within her. Lin Na was clearly in great distress and yearned for solitude.

While their benefactor had spoken so casually, Ying knew with certainty that his indifference was far beyond the capability of an ordinary person.

Given his profound knowledge and diverse talents, their benefactor was surely capable of devising a solution to help Lin Na.

“Benefactor,” Ying began, “I have a friend who is deeply troubled by this very issue. Do you perhaps have any method that could assist her?”

“A friend?”

Zhang Liang instantly recalled the ramen shop owner and understood.

‘Ah, a ‘friend,’ is it? Yes, yes, I understand. You mean yourself.’

‘It makes sense,’ he mused. ‘With your striking beauty, you must have been subjected to the vile whispers of perverts, perhaps even spied upon, much like Lin Na.’

‘That’s why you constantly wear a veil, isn’t it? It must be a source of great distress.’

Zhang Liang stroked his chin, a gesture that conveyed profound understanding.

The past was behind them. Her asking in such a manner clearly indicated a desire to shed the burdens of yesterday and forge ahead.

As a former esports professional, Zhang Liang had faced countless audiences, whether during live streams or competitive matches.

Yet, humanity was divided into myriad shades of good and ill. When confronted with keyboard warriors and internet trolls, he possessed a rather ingenious trick.

“Of course I have a method,” Zhang Liang declared, puffing out his chest. “Guaranteed to be effective with a single move.”

Ying was taken aback by his confident reply; she had anticipated their benefactor would ponder for a moment, not respond with such immediate certainty.

Heng Naixin, who had been silently listening to their exchange, found herself unable to interject, yet her curiosity about this ingenious trick was piqued nonetheless.

Lin Na harbored no such hope; she simply couldn’t believe her deeply ingrained issues could be resolved with a single stroke. Had it been so simple, she wouldn’t have agonized for so many days.

Zhang Liang halted his steps, instructing Ying to close her eyes, a command Heng Naixin and Lin Na promptly followed.

“Now, imagine those words that repel you most intensely,” Zhang Liang instructed. After a few minutes, observing their furrowed brows, he continued, “Then, visualize the people who utter those words as mere radishes, or perhaps something even smaller.”

Five minutes elapsed.

“Haha, that’s hilarious!” Even before Ying and Lin Na could fully process the instruction, Heng Naixin was the first to burst into laughter.

“A potato… a potato,” Heng Naixin gasped, clutching her stomach, her laughter leaving her breathless. Then, mimicking an old man’s voice, she added, “Hey! You eat too much! Hahaha.”

Immediately afterward, Ying’s eyes fluttered open. Though her expression remained concealed behind her veil, the slight curve of her exquisite eyes unmistakably indicated a radiant smile.

She turned her expectant gaze toward Lin Na, her elegant eyes widening slightly in surprise.

Lin Na, whose face was typically devoid of overt emotion, now clearly displayed a subtle upward curve of her lovely lips.

“Thank you,” Lin Na uttered, turning to Zhang Liang and conveying her heartfelt gratitude.

****

Zhang Liang and the others had walked for a considerable duration before finally catching sight of the pure white, towering spire that symbolized Saint Spirit Academy.

Rounding a corner, they found their path obstructed by a group of individuals.

“No passage beyond this point!”

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