Volume One: Awakening of the Dragon Soul Chapter 62: How Did I End Up Getting Attacked by Everyone?

“Ling Ke, from now on, you’ll be the class monitor for our group,” announced Mentor Chen Mosi, her words taking everyone by surprise—including Mo Xing.

“Teacher, why me?” Ling Ke asked, clearly puzzled.

“When Mo Xing and Xiaofeng sparred just now, I watched all of your expressions. Ling Ke, you remained the calmest,” Chen Mosi nodded slightly. “Plus, your entrance exam results were outstanding. I believe you’re someone who can command the room.”

“Thank you for your trust, but isn’t this decision a bit hasty?” Ling Ke replied, hesitant. “I hope you don’t mind me saying so.”

“It’s fine. Just take the role for a while,” Chen Mosi smiled. “After some time, I’ll see if anyone else should have a turn.”

With that, Chen Mosi turned her gaze briefly toward Mo Xing.

Panic fluttered in Mo Xing’s heart—why was he suddenly under the spotlight? No wonder Zhang Zhihao, the campus legend, had said that describing this mentor was no easy task; she was a capricious queen through and through! Sometimes warm, sometimes icy, her moods changed more quickly than the weather.

“Mentor Mosi, why not choose me? I’m pretty outstanding too!” Xiaofeng pouted theatrically nearby, pretending to cry. “I think I’d make a great class monitor—”

“Enough. Any other objections?” Chen Mosi ignored Xiaofeng, tossing her hair so that her white earrings swung gently.

“No objections!” one student called out.

“Of course not!” another echoed.

“We support the teacher’s decision!”

“I’m all for it!”

“Support Ling Ke as class monitor!”

“Me too!”

A chorus of agreement rose from the students.

“And what about you, Mo Xing?” Chen Mosi paused. “What’s your view?”

“Me? No objections,” Mo Xing said, waving his hand.

“Good.” Chen Mosi smiled. “Let’s move on with the lesson—challenge Mo Xing.”

“Huh?”

Mo Xing froze. Was he being singled out again?

“Wh-why am I being challenged this time?” Mo Xing asked with a wry smile.

“Because you just said you had no objections,” Chen Mosi replied with a smile.

“I meant I had no objections to Ling Ke being class monitor,” Mo Xing scratched his head.

“Doesn’t matter,” Chen Mosi said coolly. “The majority has spoken.”

Mo Xing was lost for words. What kind of twisted logic was this? Was she really going to set him up like this? Was Mentor Mosi a devil in disguise?

The other students were even more bewildered, unable to grasp the logic of Chen Mosi’s unique teaching style. But none dared voice any doubts—after all, standing before them was one of the ten most popular mentors at St. Void Royal Academy, a young teacher who had produced many outstanding students.

“Something to say?” Chen Mosi asked.

“No, nothing. It just feels oddly familiar,” Mo Xing explained. “Last time, Mentor Tianqi also had the students challenge me one by one…”

“You misunderstand—I’m not having them take you on one at a time, wearing you out in a war of attrition,” Chen Mosi said, her next words making Mo Xing stare in disbelief: “I’m letting them all gang up on you at once.”

“What the—?” Mo Xing was shocked. How could she say something so violent in such a gentle tone?

Was this for real? What had he done to deserve a group beating? Wasn’t this just campus bullying? Was there a complaint hotline? He wanted to file a report!

“Mo Xing, you have one minute to run—no limits on where. When time’s up, the others will try to catch you. The sooner you’re caught, the harsher your punishment,” Chen Mosi said cheerfully.

“What? Isn’t that a bit much? And if they lose, don’t they get punished?” Mo Xing laughed bitterly. “Besides, with so many after me, isn’t this unfair?”

“No,” Chen Mosi replied coldly. “Countdown: fifty seconds.”

“What? The countdown’s started already?” Mo Xing took off running without hesitation.

Watching Mo Xing disappear into the distance, one student asked, “Do we just go catch him now, Mentor Chen?”

“Exactly. Whoever catches him first gets a reward,” Chen Mosi nodded, then pointed at Xiaofeng, whose hands were still encased in ice. “But only before the ice melts.”

By this time, Mo Xing had already reached the exit of the Hades Training Grounds. Thanks to the past days of grueling practice, his speed had improved dramatically, and since the combat lesson wasn’t far from the exit, he arrived in no time.

There were a dozen exits from the Hades Training Grounds, but Mo Xing didn’t choose the nearest one. Instead, he ran a bit farther and slipped out the second exit.

He’d studied the school map before; if he took the first exit, he’d end up in the broad academy plaza, making it easy for his classmates to spot and capture him if they coordinated. The second exit, though, led to Windmill Valley—the academy’s back garden, lush with flowers and greenery—a perfect place to hide.

Every so often as he ran, Mo Xing would unleash “Frigid Water: Spiral Storm” for a burst of aerial movement, feeling for all the world like a character from a parkour game.

The moment he entered Windmill Valley, he was enveloped by the fresh fragrance of flowers. Scarlet salvia and blooming chrysanthemums had been arranged into beautiful patterns throughout the garden. Each blossom was enchanting, vibrant, and full of life, their dazzling display almost overwhelming to behold.

“After him!”

“He went out through this passage!”

Shouts echoed from the passageway nearby, snapping Mo Xing back to the present. He immediately looked for a place to hide.

“Strange—where’d he go?” one student out front looked around.

“There’s so much cover here—let’s split up and search,” another suggested.

“Good idea! We’ll search this way, you take the other side!” someone agreed.

The students divided into four groups, fanning out in different directions.

Mo Xing saw all of this from within a dense patch of flowers, completely unnoticed. Of course, he knew hiding here was only a temporary solution—he’d be discovered sooner or later. He needed to change his hiding spot.

As the saying goes, the most dangerous place is often the safest. If he could sneak back to the classroom, his classmates would never think to look for him there, convinced he was still in Windmill Valley.

But reality was cruel. He was more than twenty meters from the Hades Training Grounds passage, and sneaking over without being seen would be a challenge.

“Let’s check this side!”

Hearing voices nearby, Mo Xing turned to see two classmates walking along a footpath, drawing closer by the second.

Quickly, Mo Xing gathered water element to form two ice spheres, lobbing them to the far side of the flowerbed. When the ice hit the ground, it rustled loudly.

“He’s over there!”

One classmate dashed toward the sound, the other following.

A classic feint—success! Nothing like the timeless strategies from ancient military texts.

Mo Xing seized the opportunity to change position, using the cover of the flowers to move stealthily, head down like a guerrilla fighter.

He peeked out to check the area, immediately ducking back when he spotted a student standing nearby. Twice, he was nearly discovered, but each time, his feint bought him time to escape.

Slowly but surely, he drew closer to the Hades Training Grounds exit.

“There’s Mo Xing!”

Suddenly, someone shouted his name from behind. Mo Xing sprinted forward without looking back, as several other students broke from cover on both sides. He unleashed “Frigid Water: Whirling Strike” to disrupt their advance, then followed up with “Frigid Water: Spiral Storm” to break through the encirclement, flying a short distance away.

As he landed, another student rushed at him from ahead. Mo Xing dodged with a sharp turn and summoned “Pillars of Ice,” freezing the student’s feet before darting into the passage.

Gathering water element, Mo Xing turned and cast “Frostbind,” conjuring a tall line of ice barricades at the entrance, blocking the pursuing students.

Again and again, he summoned water element, raising more ice barriers behind him.

The new students were all at the Aoki rank, and few, if any, had mastered flight spells like “Dragon God’s Wings,” so none could get past for the moment—unless someone was lying in wait ahead.

But surely that was unlikely—

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

A shadow emerged at the end of the corridor, forcing Mo Xing to stop abruptly.

No way—they really had someone lying in ambush?

It was… Ling Ke!

“Class monitor, must we turn on each other so soon?” Mo Xing smiled wryly, surprised to face this particular opponent.

“I’m here to bring you back and complete the mentor’s task,” Ling Ke replied. “But since there’s a gap between our strengths, I’ll go easy on you. If you can get past me, you win.”

“Is that so? Thanks, class monitor!” Mo Xing smiled. “But I’d prefer to win with my own strength.”

He unleashed “Frostblade,” sending rows of sharp ice spikes surging ahead while darting around the side. Ling Ke drew his twin guns, their black-and-white shadows flickering behind him as he matched Mo Xing’s pace.

Shadow Step! The twin-guns’ sprint skill!

Mo Xing summoned “Pillars of Ice” around himself, hoping to restrict Ling Ke’s movements. But Ling Ke dodged with a graceful spin.

Mo Xing dashed forward, but again, Ling Ke used “Shadow Step” to flash ahead and block his path.

Good grief, this guy was fast!

Mo Xing cast “Frostbind,” cold energy spreading from his blade, but Ling Ke shattered it with “Psionic Burst.”

“Wow, that strong?” Mo Xing exclaimed.

“It’s nothing—just tenth place among the freshmen,” Ling Ke replied.

“Incredible,” Mo Xing said, eyeing the side.

“Grasp of Frigid Water!”

He gathered water element into a massive claw.

“You’re out of moves!” Ling Ke dodged with another “Shadow Step.”

“Not necessarily!” Mo Xing grinned, leaning forward.

“What?” Ling Ke frowned, just as the giant claw latched onto the upper-left wall, swinging Mo Xing’s entire body across.

—Idle Chatter at the Edge of the Pit—

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