Word of Zhao Lingxi's victory in the Trials spread through the Academy like wildfire.
By the next morning, everyone knew. The girl with three shattered spirit roots and a fourth level cultivation base had beaten students twice her level. She had collected more tokens than anyone in a decade. And she had done it while looking like she barely broke a sweat.
The reactions were... mixed.
Some students stared at her with open admiration. Others avoided her entirely, as if losing to her might be contagious. And a small, stubborn group led by Shen Zhiran continued to mutter about "connections" and "favoritism" whenever she walked past.
Zhao Lingxi ignored all of it.
Lan Yue, on the other hand, kept a mental list of every person who talked badly about her mistress. Just in case.
"You're glaring again," Liu Ruyan said as they walked through the Academy corridors.
"I'm observing."
"You've been 'observing' that boy for five minutes. He looks like he might cry."
