I reign supreme in the Western fantasy world for eternity.

At dawn, six deep, resonant hums echoed between the gray-white stone walls, waking the entire campus from the morning mist.

Ji Tian opened his eyes from his meditation and scanned the corridor of the outer courtyard with his divine sense. The corridor was already crowded with people, and groups of students were rushing in the same direction, their faces full of excitement and anticipation.

At the end of the month, the Inner Court Qualification Challenge will be held, where any student who has completed two years of study and has the ability can take the stage to challenge.

The three final victors who fight to the very last moment will each receive a precious "Anchoring Rune," which will grant them entry into the Inner Academy. No noble background or academy recommendation is required; all that's needed is sheer strength.

The entire college was given a day off, and almost all the students from other colleges flocked over, while very few students from the inner college came.

Ji Tian stood up and pushed open the door.

There were hardly any people left in the corridor; most had headed towards the arena.

He had no interest in the so-called "challenge"—the anchor rune was just an interesting object to him, and whether his fists were strong or not was not for others to see.

He remembered what Elena had said the day before and decided to go see her.

Ji Tian walked through the long corridor of the outer courtyard, past the empty lecture hall and the quiet side door of the library, and followed the bluestone path that Elena had described, into the garden connecting the inner and outer courtyards.

The morning light turned the dewdrops on the trellis golden, and the air was filled with the fragrance of unknown flowers.

In the distance, he saw a dark blue figure walking briskly towards him from the opposite direction, with long hair flowing down and the star patterns on the inner robe shimmering slightly in the morning breeze.

Elena saw him too.

She paused for a moment, then quickened her pace, almost jogging across the gravel path, her skirt brushing against the lavender by the roadside, picking up a few purple petals.

"Why are you here?" She stopped in front of him, her breathing still a little unsteady, her gray-blue eyes shimmering with a light brighter than the morning sun.

Ji Tian countered, "Didn't you say you were just dropping by 'by the way'?"

Elena turned her face away, pretending to straighten non-existent wrinkles on her cuffs. "I meant by the way... I didn't make you come all the way here."

But she couldn't suppress the smile on her face.

She took out a still-warm paper bag from her storage ring and stuffed it into Ji Tian's hand. "These are freshly baked honey breads from the inner courtyard cafeteria. I... took a few extra. If I can't finish them, can you help me finish them?"

Ji Tian looked down at the paper bag, then at her flushed cheeks. "You went to the outer courtyard specifically to find me?"

"I'm just going to the library in the outer courtyard! It's on my way!" Elena glared at him, turned around and walked back, but stopped after a couple of steps, tilting her head to look at him. "...Since you're here, why don't you come with me? The inner courtyard garden is bigger than this, and there's a lake there too."

She reached out and gently tugged at his sleeve, then quickly let go.

Ji Tian was also quite interested in seeing the various furnishings in the inner courtyard, so he nodded and said, "Okay."

The two walked along the corridor through the barrier gate between the outer and inner courtyards. A layer of runic light, like ripples on water, swept over them, and suddenly the view opened up before them.

Unlike the rustic stone walls of the outer courtyard, the buildings in the inner courtyard are mostly constructed of white stone, with simple yet elegant lines.

The roadside is lined with evergreen magical plants, and the air is filled with a faint magical aura.

Elena walked along, introducing the buildings in a light and cheerful voice: "This is the inner courtyard's teaching building, where large classes are held; this is the laboratory building, where senior students conduct magical research; over there is the meditation tower, with individual meditation rooms on each floor..."

After introducing the architecture, she began to recount the strange tales she had heard from her senior the day before: the forbidden library that supposedly turns its pages by itself every full moon, the outer students being electrocuted for touching the magic tower, the mysterious wardrobe in the dean's office...

Occasionally, groups of two or three inner court students would pass by, wearing the same dark blue robes as Elena. Their gazes would fall on Ji Tian's outer court uniform before they looked away.

Ok?

Why isn't this the familiar plot where the character is first mocked and then proves their strength to the point of humiliation?

That's not how it's written in the online novel!

"What's wrong?" Elena's concerned voice came from beside my ear.

Ji Tian shook his head and said, "It's nothing. I thought those inner court students who were staring at us would come over and mock me."

Elena chuckled at this. "What are you thinking? Our academy's students are considered exceptionally gifted outside, while inner-court students are just a bit more talented. Besides, what normal person would do something so thankless?"

"That's true." Ji Tian's words revealed a hint of disappointment.

I'm not planning to play in any exhibition matches, and no one is mocking me like in those online novels, so who's going to fill the void of my "pretending to be weak while actually being strong" plot for me?

The "Academy Arc" is half as fun again.

Seeing Ji Tian's disappointment, Elena, having known him for six years, could roughly guess what he was thinking. She smiled and took his hand. "Isn't there still the foreign affairs competition? You can just go there then, right?"

The two walked hand in hand, and as they passed a rose garden, Elena bent down to smell a blooming pink rose. The petals were still covered with morning dew, which made her profile look soft and bright.

"These flowers were all transplanted from the Elven Royal Court; they bloom all year round." She turned to look at him. "Aren't they beautiful?"

"nice."

Elena was taken aback, seemingly not expecting him to answer so readily.

She stood up, patted her skirt, and said, "Of course the flowers are beautiful. I'm asking if this flowerbed is well-designed."

Ji Tian glanced at her. "You both look good."

Elena's ears turned bright red, and she walked quickly forward, leaving behind a tense back view.

They sat down in the long corridor outside the meditation room, where sunlight slanted in through the pillars, cutting out stripes of light and shadow on the floor.

Elena took out two drinks from her storage ring, handing one to him, "Jujube tea, I brewed it myself this morning, have a taste."

Ji Tian took it, took a sip, and said, "It's slightly sweet but not cloying. It's delicious."

Elena smiled and took small sips from her cup.

Looking at the sun-gilded, pointed school buildings in the distance, she suddenly said softly, "You know, I came here once when I was little. My father brought me here, and back then I thought these buildings were so tall, like giants. Now, they don't seem that tall."

"Because you've grown up."

"No," Elena tilted her head to look at him, "it's because you came."

"..."

The two sat in the corridor for a long time, until the sun began to set.

"Let's go back. The challenge should be in the semifinals by now." Ji Tian stood up.

Elena hummed in agreement and followed behind him. After taking a couple of steps, she asked, "You... you'll participate in the future challenges, right?"

"Maybe."

"Then I'll come and cheer you on."

"it is good."

Ji Tian and Elena arrived at the highest point of the stands and managed to find two empty seats.

In the center of the training ground, the referee is announcing the rules for the semi-finals.

"The strongest third-year student, son of the Earl of the West, Hollen von Kleist. Facing the reigning champion of the sixth year, the commoner god of war, the supplier of 'Anchor Runes,' the undefeated legend, the 'Most Shameless'—Luke! The rules remain the same—no restrictions, defeat upon entering the arena!"

A deafening roar erupted from the stands.

"Horen! Horen! Horen!" A group of lower-grade students wearing blue academic robes waved their fists.

"Luke!! Luke!! Take down that nobleman!" On the other side, a group of senior students shouted at the top of their lungs, looking like they were enjoying the show.