Chapter 81: A Reluctant Departure

Lu Xingyao lay beside Bai Yu, gazing at her sleeping face.

Despite having been awake all night, the unique properties of her spiritual core left her feeling not the slightest bit weary; in fact, the intensity of her battle with Bai Yu had left her mind somewhat exhilarated.

She glanced at her phone, a pang of sadness hitting her as she remembered she was scheduled to depart Xian City that afternoon.

“Ugh, this is so annoying! Waaah!”

Lu Xingyao clutched the sleeping Bai Yu, tears welling in her eyes, threatening to spill. How could she possibly live without Bai Yu by her side?

Yet, not returning was not an option, as her family would undoubtedly raise issues. She had yet to break through to Tier 4, and this return was specifically to hasten that breakthrough; otherwise, her standing within the family would be jeopardized.

It was not a path she willingly chose, but one dictated by the unrelenting pressures of reality.

Without this advancement, not only would her future with Bai Yu be uncertain, but even their continued safety would become precarious, despite their existing engagement.

These complications stemmed not just from the fact that they were both girls, but from various practical realities.

Now, less than half a year remained until her academy enrollment.

The academy her family insisted she join was rumored to be the most enigmatic, world-class institution, accepting only the elite of the Arcanist world.

Aside from its members, no one knew its location. It belonged to no nation, whispered to exist on a completely isolated island.

Lugos Academy: an academy exclusively for geniuses.

To gain entry, Tier 4 was merely the most basic prerequisite, and the age limit was terrifyingly strict, capped at eighteen.

Such a feat was almost unfathomable. An average Arcanist might spend their entire life oscillating between Tier 2 and Tier 3, often stagnating at the latter.

The transition from Tier 3 to Tier 4, in particular, was exceptionally challenging due to its involvement with the spiritual core’s ascension. A staggering ninety-five percent of all Arcanists found themselves perpetually stalled before the threshold of Tier 4.

This predicament arose partly because ordinary Arcanists lacked both resources and mentors to guide their progress.

Their sole recourse lay in joining the Dragon Summer Investigation Bureau upon awakening, destined to become the most unassuming of investigators, their lives unfolding in a similar, unremarkable fashion.

This was considered the best outcome; many never even had a guide and would never awaken in their lifetime.

Although the Dragon Summer Investigation Bureau continuously sought out newly awakened Arcanists, their efforts yielded consistently lackluster results.

Either the individuals were too old, making the success rate of awakening too low, or they simply couldn’t be found.

After all, while an awakening probability of one in ten thousand might not be considered low in the Dragon Summer Nation, when combined with various other factors, it became a truly formidable hurdle.

Only individuals like Lu Xingyao, endowed with family resources, who had awakened at twelve and continuously received the best resources and education, stood a chance of breaking through to Tier 4 before turning eighteen.

Her current return was intended to accelerate this process, swiftly preparing her for Siamos Academy.

After all, Lu Xingyao had already broken through to Tier 3 at fifteen and had been stuck at that level for over two years.

Her enrollment at Xian City International High had merely been a temporary measure to avoid unwanted attention. While the school was decent, it paled in comparison to the resources her family provided.

Even with her current pace, Lu Xingyao was still regarded as a genius within her family, which was why, thus far, no one had questioned her eventual succession as family head. Yet, Lu Xingyao herself believed her genius was overstated; though her spiritual core was powerful, it remained nascent and immature.

Her powerful innate talent was undeniable, but her advancement speed was far from rapid.

She had, after all, witnessed truly swift progress in others, most notably Cecilia. Lu Xingyao had been sixteen when she first met Cecilia, who had just transferred to the school. Even then, Lu Xingyao realized Cecilia had already reached Tier 4.

‘That realization had dealt a heavy blow to her inner pride, as she had always been the strongest in the entire academy prior to that moment.’

‘Moreover, that girl was incredibly beautiful, possessed a mysterious background, and lately, Lu Xingyao had even felt a sense of impending crisis because of her.’

‘However, there was no need to worry now. Xian City International High, having faced issues with its Principal, had been completely sealed off.’

‘Regular students had been transferred to other schools, while those in their final year, like them, had simply graduated early.’

‘Though it sounds absurd, that’s precisely what happened.’

Therefore, Lu Xingyao had no concerns about Bai Yu forming a connection with Cecilia, as their link had been directly severed.

Bai Yu remained unaware of this development, and Lu Xingyao intended to inform her once she awoke.

Her most pressing concern, however, revolved around Bai Yu’s other issues, as Lu Xingyao believed it was now impossible for Bai Yu to join Siamos Academy.

‘Even if Bai Yu achieved the shortest miracle of advancing from Tier 1 to Tier 2, there was no conceivable way for her to break through to Tier 4 within a mere six months.’

‘Lu Xingyao simply couldn’t believe such a thing was possible. Bai Yu wasn’t a deity… though, she *was* a Divine Favored. Still, even for a Divine Favored, such rapid progress seemed implausible.’

‘Siamos Academy, moreover, had no special admissions. Regardless of one’s identity, even if she were a Divine Favored, she could not take a single step into the academy without meeting its required threshold.’

‘One could only imagine the power backing this academy; even Lu Xingyao’s family, influential in the capital city, lacked the confidence to challenge it, choosing instead to abide by its strict rules.’

Otherwise, she would have already pulled strings for Bai Yu, ensuring her admission no matter what.

Leaving Bai Yu now, and heading to the academy, meant that even seeing each other again would be difficult, let alone spending every day together.

At this thought, Lu Xingyao’s tears welled up again, threatening to spill.

One of them landed directly on Bai Yu’s face, the sudden warmth of the liquid startling Bai Yu and jolting her abruptly from her slumber.

Her Tidal Magic had nearly been unleashed; her powers always reacted so instinctively.

Bai Yu opened her eyes, seeing Lu Xingyao’s tear-streaked face, and reached out to wipe away her tears.

“Xiao Yu, I’m sorry I woke you.”

“It’s alright, I was already awake.”

Bai Yu felt a blush creep up her neck. The mere thought of what Lu Xingyao had done to her last night made her want to burrow into the blankets.

“Really?”

Lu Xingyao feigned disbelief, gently pinched Bai Yu’s cheek, a gesture that nearly sent Bai Yu leaping from the bed.

Her Tidal Magic almost burst forth again, terrifying Lu Xingyao into refraining from touching Bai Yu’s body further.

“Is your body truly this sensitive now?”

“And whose fault do you suppose that is?!”

Bai Yu’s face flushed crimson as she hugged herself tightly, huddling miserably deeper into the blankets.

“Alright, Xiao Yu, I won’t tease you anymore. There, there.”

Lu Xingyao gently coaxed Bai Yu from beneath the covers. She was leaving soon and didn’t want to quarrel with Bai Yu.

“Xiao Yu…”

Lu Xingyao gazed at Bai Yu’s adorable face, and the thought of how long it would be until they met again once she was at the academy brought a painful ache to her heart.