Chapter 94: Travel, Part 2

No matter what you say, I’m going out for a walk anyway. Alone. No one is allowed to follow me.

Yelan’s words only made the three of them oppose him even more.

Alone? Absolutely not. Not a chance. Don’t even think about it.

When the time comes, I’ll slip away on my own, and none of you will be able to stop me, Yelan said with easy confidence.

...

That one sentence left the three of them speechless. They all knew that if Yelan truly wanted to leave, there was no stopping him. His repeated disappearances had already proved that very well.

All right. I’ll agree to let you go, but you must keep in constant contact with us.

In the end, they could only agree helplessly. At least this way they would know something, and not even be left wondering whether he had left on his own or been abducted by someone.

That’s fine, if I remember to, Yelan nodded in agreement, though his promise seemed little different from none at all.

...

Son, where will you go first? Long Anqi suddenly asked him. She had a thought in her heart, and was certain Yelan would go there.

The Tiger Clan settlement, Yelan answered.

... I knew you’d go there. You’re going to see your little tigress... Just as expected, this boy still liked Taia best.

Yelan, about the trial...

A voice as lovely as moonlight rose up.

Trial my foot. Don’t bother me! Anyone who mentions the trial to me is looking for trouble!

Yelan snapped back irritably. These past few days he had been driven nearly mad by that word, so when someone asked him about it, he did not even think before erupting in anger.

After he finished, Zhen Xiaoyan tugged at him from the side.

What?

Yelan frowned at her.

Zhen Xiaoyan pointed forward, motioning for him to look first.

Uh...

Only then did Yelan notice the beautiful teacher on the platform, her expression dark as thunderclouds. The entire classroom was staring at him in stunned silence.

Some looked at him with admiration.

You’re something else. You even dare talk back to her!

Others looked at him with sympathy.

Ha ha, you’re finished!!

This was a classroom, during a lesson, and the person he had just insulted was none other than their class’s beautiful instructor. In front of so many students, Yelan had openly lashed out at the teacher they all respected.

You! Get out!

The beautiful instructor said through clenched teeth.

I’m sorry. I’ve been annoyed by this thing these past few days, but I still need to make one thing clear: I’m not participating in the trial.

After offering his apology, Yelan once again stated his position and then walked out.

The beautiful instructor said nothing. Zhen Xiaoyan had originally wanted to follow him, but after thinking it over, decided against it. Yelan often got dazed and confused and was routinely called out by teachers to stand in punishment.

Others might show Yelan some face, but this beautiful instructor never did. She treated every student equally and would not alter her attitude because of status or background.

After Yelan left, she continued the lesson, though inside she felt stifled and angry. She had only meant to be good to him, hoping he would make something of himself, and in the end he had cursed her...

Hmph. I’m never bothering with him again.

As for Yelan, after he stepped outside and stood by the door for a moment, he thought of a place and immediately set off for it.

The library.

The sea of learning has no end. Even if Yelan had a photographic memory and could remember every book he read, reading them again would still bring new insights. Books are not something memory alone can master.

Naturally, when Yelan read, he only chose what interested him. He was lazy; he would never waste time on books outside his field that held no value to him.

Right now, he needed to consult some books and make plans for his journey.

In truth, if no one had brought it up, Yelan would not have begun preparing until next year. His original plan was to start after next year. Of course, not much had changed now.

He wanted to finish his coming-of-age rite first, then get through this year, and only after that decide when to go wandering about.

And by wandering, he meant travel only, not so-called adventure. He would never do such boring and dangerous things. He only wanted to go around spending money and living it up. Let the dangerous tasks remain for those professionals.

Right now, he wanted to find out which places were fun, where the most famous and representative sights were. In the past he had simply ignored such things, of course because he had never had the time to look.

Thirteen, have you been thrown out by the teacher again?

When Yelan arrived at the library, he ran into an acquaintance: a boy his own age whom he often met there.

Mm. What about you? he asked casually after nodding.

No. I came here of my own free will, the boy said proudly.

I have to say, you’re really shameless. You even volunteered for it, Yelan said mercilessly.

Back at you, the boy replied without so much as blinking.

Go read your books. Oh, right, do you know where the books on continental geography and human affairs are?

Yelan had no intention of continuing the conversation, but then he remembered that this boy was practically the authority here in the library, even more familiar with its books than the administrators.

The boy spent almost every day in the library, even during vacations, and called it a noble preparation for his future post. What post? One look would tell you.

Human geography? What do you need that for? Don’t tell me you want to go out and imitate those adventuring types.

The boy immediately guessed Yelan’s meaning.

You’re half right. I’m going out for a carefree stroll, not to go adventuring.

The boy looked at Yelan, then asked suspiciously, Do you mean that because you think there’s no way to squander your fortune here, so you want to set your sights on the whole continent?

Mm. As expected of the library’s top strategist, you got it in one, Yelan said.

I’ve told you countless times: not this library, the empire, no, the future number one strategist of the entire continent! the boy said with great pride, as if declaring the ultimate goal of his life.

You yourself said future. Right now you’re only this library’s strategist. Enough nonsense, just tell me where those books are.

...

Wait and see. I definitely will.

Where?

Over there...

Thanks.

...

Yelan quickly found the books he wanted and sat down quietly to read, preserving the silence of the library, which held only two or three people.

At that moment, he seemed not to notice that someone was sitting across from him, or perhaps he had simply grown used to sharing a table with others here, each minding their own business, and had paid no attention to who it was.

As he read, however, he suddenly felt a gaze as cold as ice, even carrying a trace of killing intent. He lifted his head...

...

Yelan was silent for a moment, then lowered his head and continued reading.

The book in the other person’s hands slipped from her grasp with a thump, as if her fingers had trembled and lost their steadiness.

...

Yelan continued reading without paying any heed.

Hmph. Yelan, I’ll make you regret this, the person did not speak aloud, only cried out fiercely in her heart before continuing to sit across from him, gazing at the book in her hands.

If anyone saw this scene, they would surely find it strange. Why were these two sitting together reading when their feud ran so deep?

Little did they know that one was indifferent, and the other refused to show weakness.

This person was none other than Shalan, the one whose happiness Yelan had single-handedly destroyed. She now rarely appeared in class, devoting herself wholly to the study of alchemy, as if she had abandoned everything else. In her life, there was now only alchemy.

She also possessed a terrifying talent in that field. In the past, although she studied at the Alchemy Academy, her mind had never been fully devoted to alchemy; at most, only thirty or forty percent of it was there. But now, with her mind single-mindedly immersed in it, her gift had finally begun to shine.

Perhaps it was precisely because she studied with such obsessive fervor that this talent emerged. In any case, her future prospects were limitless. If not for someone’s existence, she might well have become the foremost alchemist of the age.

Even if Yelan learned of this later, he would not care much, so naturally he cared even less now.

From that day on, for the next several days, whenever Yelan appeared in the library and sat down, Shalan would appear before him, greeting him with nothing but unfriendly eyes.

Do you have a problem? If you hate me so much, why do you keep sitting with me every day?

Only on the third time did Yelan finally ask outright.

Fool me once, and that’s coincidence. Twice, maybe barely coincidence. But three times? That is definitely not coincidence.

I’m going to defeat you.

Shalan answered a question with a non-answer.

What are you talking about? Yelan did not understand.

I’m going to beat you with alchemy, Shalan said through clenched teeth.

Oh, by all means.

Yelan replied very calmly. Only, I should make one thing clear: I’m very impressive. If you can’t become the empire’s number one alchemist, then don’t waste my time.

I will. Not just the empire, but the entire continent, too, Shalan said, refusing to bow her head or admit defeat.

Another one... Why is everyone in this library so abnormal except me? Yelan said with a sigh as he looked toward the boy.

Yelan! I’ll do it!

The two of them spoke almost at the same time.

Then say it when you can. For now, just stop making noise...

Yelan rubbed his ears and said without concern.

Hmph!

Again, in perfect unison.

One more thing: smile smile is very pure. Only people with twisted minds would think of twisted things! As for what things, smile smile won’t say, lest everyone’s eyes and ears be polluted!

In short, let me say this: smile smile has always been pure. Therefore, smile smile’s books are also pure, and those who read them must surely be pure as well!

Here I thank all our pure readers. Go to bed early tonight and have sweet dreams!