7. The Beautiful Mentor

“Hahaha, truly all five elements! I, Mars, never expected to accept such a monstrous disciple in my lifetime.” Mars laughed, his excitement overflowing.

“Hey, old man, aren’t you getting ahead of yourself? Who ever said I wanted to be your disciple?” Mo Fei was clearly displeased by Mars’s presumptuous claim.

“Heh, Mo Fei, was it? Look around the entire Imperial Academy—other than me, who else is qualified to teach you?” Mars tried to persuade Mo Fei, surprised by his resistance.

“I joined the academy, but did I ever say I wanted to become anyone’s disciple? Old man, you really haven’t seen much of the world. Just because I can use all five types of magic, you’re this excited? I don’t see Mona and the others acting like you. How am I supposed to trust you as my teacher?”

Previously, when Mo Fei mentioned he could sense five magical elements, Vivienne and the rest simply saw him as a genius, without grasping the true significance. But now, witnessing the test results with their own eyes, and seeing the usually composed Grand Magus Mars so flustered, they realized that Mo Fei might indeed be a prodigy beyond comprehension. After all, Mars was not one to accept disciples lightly—ordinary geniuses would never catch his eye. Mona and the others seemed calm, not because they were more experienced or had stronger self-control, but simply because they were still in shock, unable to react.

“All right, since I’m qualified to join the academy, assign me to a class. But let me make it clear: I don’t know any magic, so don’t put me in an advanced class!” Mo Fei’s purpose in joining the academy was merely to learn the fundamentals of magic; he had no intention of abandoning his cultivation techniques for this backward magic system.

Mars, helpless, could only assign Mo Fei to the basic class. “Mo Fei, think carefully about my offer!” he reminded him before Mo Fei and the others left.

“Mo Fei, how could you turn down such a great opportunity? Do you know how many magicians across the continent long to become my grandfather’s disciple? It’s nearly impossible to receive his guidance. Even I rarely get lessons from him, yet you refused?” Mona, now understanding the situation, looked regretful at Mo Fei’s decision. Even Vivienne and the others, who knew little of magic, realized how rare it was to receive personal instruction from a Grand Magus, and looked at Mo Fei with curiosity.

“I only came to the academy to better understand this continent, not to specifically study magic. So becoming a disciple isn’t important. By the way, can you show me to my dormitory and classroom?” Mo Fei was unconcerned about refusing Mars. Once he regained his strength, what would Grand Magi or Sword Saints matter? They’d be reduced to dust in an instant. His immediate concern was how to improve the Jade Void Technique.

The dormitory was easy to find—at the back of the academy, in the frontmost building among several rows of dorms. After tidying up his room, Vivienne and the others from the Martial Academy went back to their own campus. Hughes, meanwhile, seemed deeply affected; he had desperately wished to become the dean’s disciple but never had the chance, while the infuriating Mo Fei had rejected it outright. Annoyed, Hughes decided not to stay with Mo Fei—out of sight, out of mind.

In the end, only Mona accompanied Mo Fei to his basic class.

When Mo Fei entered his classroom and saw the situation, he had to admit he regretted his decision. Mona stood beside him, holding back laughter. But his regret wasn’t about refusing Mars as his teacher—it was about insisting on joining the basic class.

A dozen pairs of curious young eyes stared at him. Mo Fei could have wept. Indeed, the so-called basic class was filled with children aged eleven or twelve. “To think, a cultivator at the Golden Core stage, now reduced to studying with a bunch of kids,” he thought in despair.

“Heh, Mona, do you think you could talk to your grandfather about moving me to an advanced class? That way, I could train with you every day. Wouldn’t that be nice?” Mo Fei looked at Mona ingratiatingly.

“Hmph, that old man is petty. You rejected him, and though he’s all smiles, he’s probably gnashing his teeth inside. Besides, you asked to join the basic class—he might be looking forward to your embarrassment. Do you think he’d let you switch classes? Unless you agree to be his disciple, maybe he’d consider it. And anyway, if you want to ask, ask him yourself. Who wants to train with you every day?” Mona retorted, blushing.

With no other option, Mo Fei shook his head and walked to the empty seat at the back of the classroom, laying his head on the desk, ignoring the curious stares around him.

...

Audrey, twenty-four years old, had just graduated from the Imperial Academy that year. Instead of returning to her family, she chose to teach at the academy. As a new graduate with little experience, she was assigned to the basic class.

Today, the dean had suddenly told Audrey he was placing a transfer student in her class. According to Mars, this student was a genius, but Audrey was puzzled—shouldn’t prodigies be assigned to more experienced teachers? Why would the dean place such a student in her care?

Sensing the situation was more complicated than it seemed, Audrey arrived early. Entering the classroom, she found her students in the midst of lively discussion. Following their gazes, she saw Mo Fei slumped over a desk in the corner.

“You there, may I ask why you’re here?” Audrey approached Mo Fei, not connecting this nearly adult-looking young man with the transfer student she’d been told about. After all, basic class students were generally no older than twelve, while Mo Fei looked about twenty.

Nearly asleep at his desk, Mo Fei reluctantly opened his eyes as he heard someone call his name.

In front of him stood a beautiful young woman wearing a pale blue mage’s robe, her golden hair cascading down her back, and her blue eyes regarding him with a pair of delicately arched brows. Unlike Vivienne’s straightforwardness or Mona’s playful charm, she had a gentle air that made one want to protect her. Instantly, Mo Fei was wide awake.

“I’m the new student!” Mo Fei blurted out, the embarrassment of being in a basic class momentarily forgotten under her gaze. As soon as he spoke, he regretted it—how could he admit something so humiliating?

If Mo Fei was embarrassed, Audrey was even more surprised. She’d known the dean’s decision meant something unusual, but seeing Mo Fei, she realized she’d underestimated the situation. This couldn’t be a prodigy transfer student—was he some noble’s foolish son? At his age, just now joining a basic class, could he really be a genius?

With the matter settled, Audrey could only accept reality—she was a new teacher, after all. “Hello, I’m Audrey, your class tutor. You must be the new transfer student. What’s your name?”

“Hello, Teacher Audrey. My name’s Mo Fei, I’m the new transfer student. I’m twenty years old, single, and don’t have a girlfriend. How old are you, teacher? Do you have a boyfriend?” Mo Fei couldn’t resist teasing his young teacher.

“A typical playboy from a powerful family—what kind of student talks to a teacher like that?” Audrey was now certain of her guess, and remained silent at his question.

Seeing her expressionless silence, Mo Fei lost interest and replied more earnestly, “Teacher, I just joined the academy today. I knew nothing about magic before, so I was placed in the basic class. I hope you can guide me in the future.”

Audrey was taken aback by the abrupt change in his attitude, but seeing his current sincerity, she thought perhaps he was telling the truth. Still, for someone to enter the academy at twenty, knowing nothing of magic, it didn’t seem like a noble background. Why had the dean admitted him? Audrey’s curiosity about Mo Fei only deepened.