The moment Lin Xinyan saw Shi Ji, her eyes widened on instinct. At first, she could hardly believe what she was seeing, but after taking a closer look, there was no doubt—it was him.

The girl wondered what kind of luck this was. How had she run into him here? And, come to think of it, what was he doing here?

Her brief train of thought was interrupted by a string of curses.

“You bastard! Stop right there, or I’ll dock your credits!”

How could Lin Xinyan possibly not recognize that voice? She noticed Jing Xin behind Shi Ji, carrying a greatsword and chasing after him while cursing him out.

Seeing Jing Xin, remembering what she’d said about that new student, and then looking at Shi Ji sprinting past her, Lin Xinyan couldn’t help forming a far-fetched—but somehow plausible—guess.

“That guy… could he be…?”

Shi Ji was already close. He ran right past her.

By the time she turned to look, Shi Ji had already left the gates and sprinted out of the academy. He rounded a corner, vaulted into the bushes nearby, and vanished.

Jing Xin spotted Lin Xinyan but didn’t stop. She chased Shi Ji all the way out of the academy. But after looking around, she realized he was nowhere to be seen. She knew he was nearby, but finding him was going to be a pain.

Panting hard, the young girl still didn’t forget to curse him out.

“Damn you! Once the practical mission is over, I’m docking every last one of your credits! How does that guy run so fast?”

As soon as she finished speaking, a head popped out of the bushes nearby.

“Obviously. My legs are longer than yours.”

The speaker was none other than Shi Ji.

Hearing Shi Ji poke fun at her again made Jing Xin furious. She swung her greatsword sideways, sending a blade of light slicing through the air with a gale behind it. In moments, the area was left in ruins.

“You little pest! Just you wait! I’m not letting you get away with this!”

Lin Xinyan had followed them out, and she’d seen Jing Xin attack. She stared at the wreckage before her.

“Instructor, that guy just now…”

Jing Xin still looked thoroughly annoyed, but facing Lin Xinyan, she calmed down a little, and her tone softened. “Don’t worry. That bastard runs faster than a rabbit, so he’s fine. He’s the new student I told you about. He’ll come out on his own in a bit. I’ll leave him to you. I’m heading off.”

After giving her those few instructions, Jing Xin had no desire to stick around. Just seeing Shi Ji made her furious. Still, as she turned to leave with her greatsword in hand, she couldn’t resist giving the woods one more sweep with her eyes, hoping she might spot him. Sure enough, Jing Xin wasn’t ready to give up.

At last, she left with a little pout.

Jing Xin had just confirmed it: that guy really was the new student.

A new student? Lin Xinyan could barely bring herself to say the words. She was absolutely certain she hadn’t mistaken him. That guy was the one who’d effortlessly dealt with a Spirit Rank aberrant yesterday.

So he was the student who’d been expelled from General Star Hero Academy. With that kind of strength, he’d been expelled? What on earth had happened? And why had Instructor Jing Xin been chasing him with a sword? She’d never seen Jing Xin look that angry before.

At that moment, Lin Xinyan was even more curious about Shi Ji. There was definitely more to him than met the eye.

The bushes nearby rustled twice, then a head poked out.

Shi Ji looked around, but Jing Xin was nowhere in sight.

Lin Xinyan said warmly to Shi Ji, “Instructor Jing Xin’s gone. You can come out now.”

Shi Ji trusted Lin Xinyan. Without hesitation, he jumped straight out of the bushes.

“Man, that girl’s like a tigress—so scary! No, wait. What’s a flat-chested girl got to be so fierce about?”

After hearing that, Lin Xinyan thought she understood why Jing Xin had been so angry.

…