Chapter 1 Undercurrents in the Dark Lake

In the pitch-black depths of the lake, undercurrents surged as a figure moved its limbs, propelled by layers of water flow, approaching like an underwater missile.

The figure was clad in heavy armor, with a black iron mask, concealing its gender beneath the armor.

If Zhang Yuanching's swimming could be compared to a speedboat, then this armored figure's speed was like an underwater missile, causing the dark currents to rumble.

So fast, either a plague god or possessing a water-controlling item of Saint quality…

Zhang Yuanching maintained his Night Tour, his brow furrowed.

This uninvited guest's arrival completely disrupted his plans.

*It shouldn't be for me. Before going into the water, I observed the surroundings and wasn't being tailed. I rushed here, and in my Night Tour state, it's even more impossible to be discovered. To see me in an invisible state, unless it's a Dominator, but there isn't a Dominator in Qin Feng Academy. Is he here for the stone door of Hundred Beasts Island? That's impossible,* Zhang Yuanching muttered to himself.

The armored figure quickly reached Hundred Beasts Island. Like Zhang Yuanching, he circled half the isolated cliff, stopping in front of the stone door.

At this moment, the two were about twenty meters apart. If it were daytime, they could see each other face to face with a simple turn of the head.

But this was the pitch-black bottom of the lake, and Zhang Yuanching was in Night Tour state. As long as he didn't actively attack, he wouldn't be discovered.

The armored figure examined the stone door, sometimes trying to push it open, sometimes touching the surrounding cliff walls to find mechanisms. Finally, he floated in front of the stone door, staring at the round hole between the door seams, seemingly understanding something.

He really is here for the hidden quest of Qin Feng Academy!

Observing this scene, Zhang Yuanching's heart sank, and he couldn't help but wonder if he should ambush the armored figure, to see his true face and force him to reveal where he got the stone door information.

The thought had just flashed through his mind when he forcefully suppressed it, because he saw a group of lithe Jiao Ren rapidly swimming from the distant lake.

Leading them was a stunningly beautiful female Jiao Ren. Her features were exquisite and three-dimensional, her beauty surpassing any woman he had ever seen.

Moreover, she wasn't delicate. Her bright, pretty face was full of wildness and courage, like a female warrior forever full of fighting spirit.

Her figure was graceful and athletic, her flowing curves containing immense power.

She was larger than the average Jiao Ren, about the height of a 1.9-meter-tall human. This was a Valkyrie-like Jiao Ren queen.

The Jiao Ren, with human bodies and fish tails, held spears in their hands, their chests wrapped in seaweed-woven halter tops, waving their agile and powerful fish bodies as they rapidly approached Hundred Beasts Island.

How could they attract the Jiao Ren? Did this armored figure make too much noise?

Zhang Yuanching frowned secretly, feeling a little strange.

Jiao Ren Lake was so large, and if it was just water control and stealth, even if the noise was a little loud, it shouldn't have attracted the Jiao Ren group. Moreover, looking at the aggressive posture of this group of Jiao Ren, it looked like they were going to fight the enemy to the death.

A thought suddenly flashed through Zhang Yuanching's mind: since the giant tiger of Hundred Beasts Island was sent by the Grand Elder of Baihua Hall to guard the stone door, why couldn't the Jiao Ren be?

Fu Qingyang participated in rescuing Lingjun at Hundred Beasts Island that year.

Celestial Controller! Is it really such a coincidence?

Could it be that Lingjun coveted the beauty of the Jiao Ren queen, sneaked into the lake, and was detected by the Jiao Ren tribe near Hundred Beasts Island, and the Jiao Ren mistakenly thought he was a thief eyeing the stone door, hence the siege.

This was completely consistent with the situation he encountered now.

At this moment, the armored figure also discovered the Jiao Ren tribe swimming in groups. Without any hesitation, he kicked off the stone door with his legs, turning into an underwater missile and rushing away.

Seeing this, the Jiao Ren queen immediately accelerated, like a sprint. Her body swayed gracefully, and she suddenly raised her body and threw the spear in her hand out fiercely.

Propelled by the water flow, the spear moved like lightning, catching up to the armored figure in an instant, aiming for his waist.

"Clang!"

The armor's defensive power was surprisingly amazing. The spear rebounded, making a slightly muffled metallic collision sound in the water.

Behind the Jiao Ren queen, dozens of female Jiao Ren accelerated in unison, raising their bodies in a unified motion, throwing their spears at the armored figure. For a time, a dense clanging sound was endless. The armored figure was like a floating leaf in the water,

hit by the penetrating power of the spears, drifting for a while.

But he quickly stabilized his body, darting away like an underwater missile, leaving behind countless dense, undulating bubbles.

The Jiao Ren queen led the Jiao Ren to chase after him, leaving six or seven Jiao Ren patrolling around Hundred Beasts Island.

Leave quickly, tonight is not suitable for entering the stone door!

In Night Tour, Zhang Yuanching controlled the water flow, went around to the other side of Hundred Beasts Island, avoided the Jiao Ren tribe from afar, controlled the water flow, and quickly swam towards the shore.

He was confident that he could deal with the remaining Jiao Ren, but he was afraid of being blocked by the Jiao Ren queen, and if he caused such a big commotion, and the academy teachers heard the news, even if he got the treasure from the stone door, he wouldn't be able to hide it.

The consequence of not being able to hide it was that Baihua Hall would intervene, and the official general Yuanshi Tianzun would hand over the treasure in exchange for merit and wealth.

This was not what he wanted.

Half an hour later, Zhang Yuanching returned to the shore, first poked his head out to look around, confirmed that no one was there, and then went ashore.

Room 404, a hazy and dreamlike starlight rose, condensing into a handsome and tall young man.

"You're back?"

The Silver Yao Princess sitting at the table conveyed a voice that only Night Tour Spirits could hear. Next to her was the upright Blood Rose.

"Yeah, there was a little accident on the way."

As Zhang Yuanching spoke, he took off his school uniform, put on his Yin-Yang robes, used the Fire Master's ability to control fire to quickly dry his school uniform, hung it back in the closet, changed into the gifted pajamas, and got into bed.

"That's about it." Zhang Yuanching finished speaking when he lay down.

The Silver Yao Princess responded with an "Mm," indicating that she understood and asked no further questions.

With the Princess as a light bulb, it's hard even if I want to spark a romance with Teacher Song Man!

Taking a look at the upright Silver Yao Princess, Zhang Yuanching thought to himself. He gathered his miscellaneous thoughts and began to ponder the underwater encounter.

Who exactly was that person?

Most likely a student. If it was someone from the academy teacher's side, they wouldn't have waited until now.

If their identity is a student, and they know the secret of the Qin Feng Academy's hidden dungeon, there aren't many such people. First, lock onto those members with less simple family backgrounds…

Zhang Yuanching realized that he had to think clearly about one question: was the armored person an enemy or a friend.

Unless I can convince myself to share with him (or her), then he must be an enemy, and I have to find the armored person.

He can't have Takamagahara's key, can he? What was the point of sneaking into the lake tonight to check it out? Just satisfying the curiosity heard from his elders? Zhang Yuanching couldn't figure it out.

If the Jiao Ren tribe's mission is to guard the stone door, then the commotion caused tonight will definitely be known to the academy's teachers, and they will definitely investigate who sneaked into Jiao Ren Lake. Perhaps, I can get clues from the teachers. There are no surveillance cameras in the dormitory corridor. I entered Night Tour in the corridor and wasn't "seen" by the plants outside the dormitory. The curtains were also drawn. I'm still quite hidden…

Linglang Library, conference room.

The white-haired dean, holding a thermos cup, silently listened to the Jiao Ren Lake administrator report: "The Jiao Ren queen said that someone sneaked into the lake tonight and lingered in front of the stone door on Hundred Beasts Island for a long time. That person was wearing thick armor, and their defense was amazing. She led the tribe to chase after them, but didn't catch up, and the intruder escaped. Dean, we need to be vigilant about this matter."

Li Yanqi's face was blurry in the misty water vapor. He pondered for a moment, looked at the teachers around the table, and sighed, "I heard from Song Man that there are many thorns in this batch of students. There are also more students with extraordinary backgrounds than in previous years. What do you think about the Jiao Ren Lake incident?"

The intruder must be that Red Rooster. This person acts rashly and arrogantly, ignores the rules, and only he would do such an absurd thing.

Song Man had a strong opinion of Red Rooster.

If it was him, he wouldn't hide himself so tightly. It's a pity that there are no surveillance cameras in the academy, said the intellectual and beautiful female teacher Lin Su.

Not many people know about the hidden quest. It should be those few with good family backgrounds. Dean, how do you want to handle this matter? said the Starry Sky Observer.

Li Yanqi pondered for a moment, "The mission of Qin Feng Academy has already begun. Before the main quest is completed, no one can leave here, and no one can enter."

Since someone knows about the hidden quest and shows a certain amount of covetousness, then we have to find a way to find him. We can't let it go. I'll summon the students later.

Song Man, ask the plants and animals outside the dormitory if anyone went out.

Xiahou Aotian sat at the table, staring at the bill in front of him, his usually arrogant face showing a trace of heaviness.

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The most expensive juice was 1,000 yuan, 22 people, consuming a total of 50 cups, an average of 2.2 cups per person, and the consumption amount was 50,000 yuan.

This money is of course nothing, but Xiahou Aotian is currently carrying 80 million yuan in debt and is repaying it in installments. On the first day of entering the academy, he spent 50,000 yuan. What about the follow-up?

The already meager wallet became even worse.

Yuanshi Tianzun, that dog thing, I saw it very clearly, he drank four cups, a full four thousand yuan. I must find an opportunity to get it back from him, or earn a sum of money from him, Xiahou Aotian vowed secretly.

At this moment, he heard a rapid bell, which almost made him mistakenly think that he had returned to middle school.

Immediately, Dean Li Yanqi's gentle and kind voice echoed within Qin Feng Academy: "All students, immediately gather at the Linglang Academy."

The voice seemed to contain some kind of magic, causing those who heard the call to obey unconsciously, and instinctively get up and leave the room.

Xiahou Aotian, wearing slippers, hurried out of the room.

Zhang Yuanching had just fallen asleep when he was awakened by Dean Li Yanqi's call.

Tsk, they're going to investigate so soon? The academy teachers attach more importance to Hundred Beasts Island than I thought. Zhang Yuanching lifted the quilt, changed into his school uniform, and walked straight out of the room.

It was nine o'clock in the evening, and the students had not yet fallen asleep. After hearing the loudspeaker, they immediately ran out of the room and headed to the Linglang Library.

Before long, the students arrived one after another, still that "church" during the day.

What happened?

Is it a surprise drill?

It's good that I'm bored at night. Hehe, there's fun to be had.

Yeah, this broken place has no cell phones or computers, so it would be too boring without some fun. The students talked to each other.

Li Yanqi's eyes swept over everyone. Seeing that the current students were all present, he immediately raised the loudspeaker and said in a deep voice: "As the dean, I am very disappointed in you."

Hearing this, the students who were talking in twos and threes quieted down and cast blank gazes toward the podium.

What's disappointing? We haven't even had a class yet, Red Rooster shouted loudly.

But the dean ignored him and continued: "Just now, one of you sneaked into Jiao Ren Lake, causing the anger of the Jiao Ren. In order to clean up after someone among you, the academy teachers have paid a huge price."

Now, please that student stand up and accept punishment.

Are they planning to use the violation of school rules as a reason to find the intruder? Zhang Yuanching turned his head and glanced at the students behind him.

They were also looking around in surprise.

After waiting for a moment, seeing that no one took the initiative to admit it, Li Yanqi said: "I'll say it again, please stand up and deal with this matter as soon as possible and go back to rest as soon as possible." Still, no one took the initiative to stand up and admit it.

The dean's face sank slightly, and he said: "Since this is the case, then we can only take compulsory measures. Now, the male students stand on the left, the female students stand on the right, and no one is allowed to wear items. Please take them off consciously." After speaking, he looked at Lin Su and the Starry Sky Observer.

The two teachers understood and nodded, the former walking to the right side, and the latter walking to the left side.

After a search, all the girls' jewelry was taken off, and the boys no longer had anything on them except clothes. Li Yanqi put away the loudspeaker, walked down the podium, and stopped at the first row on the left.

His deep and sharp eyes stared at Zhao Chenghuang, and he said in a deep voice: "Was it you who sneaked into Jiao Ren Lake tonight?"

Zhao Chenghuang shook his head: "It wasn't me."

Li Yanqi stared at him for a few seconds and nodded slightly.

Is the dean a swordsman? If props are not allowed, the swordsman's Insight technique is indeed a sharp weapon for identifying lies. They are looking for the armored person, but I also sneaked into Jiao Ren Lake. Zhang Yuanching gritted his teeth secretly.

At this moment, Li Yanqi looked over and asked: "Was it you who sneaked into Jiao Ren Lake?"