Chapter 38: Sima

Wang Yu looked toward Dongfang Jiaonü. The young girl was slightly less developed, lacking the allure of the five young women he had encountered the day before, such as Beiming Qingying and Xu Qing.

Still, at such a tender age, why be so belligerent?

"Miss Dongfang, I am a pacifist. I have never involved myself in such baseless disputes. I hope you will forgive me, but I am afraid I cannot accept your invitation!" Standing up, Wang Yu bowed solemnly before speaking with an air of earnest gravity.

Behind Wang Yu, Zhao Kuangwei’s jaw nearly hit the floor. A pacifist? That had absolutely nothing to do with Wang Yu!

It must be said that Wang Yu’s serious demeanor was quite deceptive; the young girl actually seemed to believe him—at least partially. However, she was already searching for another excuse to challenge him.

Seizing the moment, Wang Yu shot a threatening glare at Zhao Kuangwei, hinting that if he did not resolve the matter immediately, he should not blame Wang Yu for turning hostile later.

Understanding the message, Zhao Kuangwei had no choice but to rack his brains. He could not defeat Dongfang Jiaonü, but he certainly could not defeat Wang Yu either.

"Fellow students, fellow students, please lend me your ears!" Zhao Kuangwei, possessing a quick wit, actually managed to come up with a solution under Wang Yu's threat.

"Please speak, Class Monitor," a somewhat frail figure replied after bowing slightly.

This young man was named Feng Mingyu, a native of the capital. Although the Feng family was merely a minor noble house in the capital with no one in high or powerful positions, no one dared to slight them.

The reason was simple: the ancestor of the Feng family had been a guard for the founding Emperor of the Great Cang Dynasty. It was said that during the battlefield days, before the dynasty was even established, the ancestor had shielded the Emperor from several stray arrows, earning the merit of saving the sovereign.

Consequently, after the Great Cang Dynasty was founded, though the Feng family did not receive grand titles, they were granted an imperial iron scroll. Unless guilty of treason, this scroll could exempt the family from the death penalty three times.

"Fellow students, the fact that we can study together in this same classroom today is a testament to our shared fate! In my opinion, we should gather together today. After all, many among us have never visited the capital before. Why don't we, the local students, take everyone out to explore the bustling parts of the capital, drink some wine, and share some conversation?"

Zhao Kuangwei had originally intended to resolve the situation due to Wang Yu’s threat, but as he spoke, he became increasingly animated, eventually stirring up his own desire for a bit of fun.

"The Class Monitor is right. It is a rare fortune that we are to be classmates for these three years. Such a connection should be cherished. Meeting for the first time today, going out for a gathering is a wonderful idea!" Zhang Min stood up, a faint smile on her face.

The girl’s voice was exceptionally pleasant, like a clear, secluded valley, making one feel quite at ease. As for her appearance, while a notch below the five women from yesterday, she possessed a refined beauty that grew on one, which was quite charming in its own right.

Perhaps sensing something, Zhang Min turned her head toward Wang Yu, and their gazes locked. Seeing Wang Yu’s direct, unwavering stare, a flush of shyness rose on her cheeks. She quickly lowered her head, yet could not help but steal a glance back at him.

Watching her adorable reaction, Wang Yu could not help but smile, which only made the young girl blush even more.

In terms of looks alone, Wang Yu was merely above average; he did not possess a face so striking that it would make a girl stop in her tracks. However, as one of the Ten Great Prodigies of Great Cang, his reputation had spread throughout the empire. In terms of talent and martial arts, he was a standout of the younger generation, having earned distinction in battle on several occasions.

Furthermore, Zhao Kuangwei had inadvertently revealed Wang Yu's true strength: he was an Xiantian-level expert in internal energy and a top-tier master in external martial arts. Zhang Min, at sixteen, was blossoming into her prime, a time when a young girl’s heart is naturally prone to romantic stirrings.

One should not mistake the fact that both Dongfang Jiaonü and Wang Yu had reached the Xiantian realm as a sign that it was easy to achieve. Everyone admitted to the Great Cang Academy was an elite. Yet, among the thirty-some students in the room, aged fifteen to seventeen, only Wang Yu and Dongfang Jiaonü had attained the Xiantian realm.

Even those like Zhao Kuangwei, who had reached the peak of the Houtian realm, numbered only six. The rest were still hovering between the second and third tiers.

"I agree with the Class Monitor’s suggestion. However, the Class Monitor must be the host today!" Sima Qingrou also expressed her agreement.

Watching Sima Qingrou’s seemingly spotless, innocent smile, both Wang Yu and Zhao Kuangwei wondered how much of it was genuine and how much was a facade.

The Sima and Zhuge families, unlike others, did not have experts at the Heavenly Being or Divine General level, and they ranked at the very bottom of the Six Great Noble Families. Yet, they were the two families most feared by all.

At most, these families possessed experts at the "half-step to Heavenly Being" stage, and their overall power was far behind the others. The Great Cang Empire had many such families. They were ranked among the Six Great Families because they were renowned as the "Families of Sages"—a single word from them could decide a person’s life or death, and a single plan could alter the course of the world.

The Sima family, in particular, compared to the Zhuge family, produced individuals known for infinite patience and ruthlessness. To achieve a goal, they could spend twenty or thirty years laying the groundwork.

Many people would rather provoke other great families than cross the Sima family.

"Brother Sima, acting as host is a small matter, hardly worth mentioning. If all of you are willing to grace me with your presence, I would be more than happy to!" Zhao Kuangwei said with a beaming smile.

Having been specifically trained by his family, Zhao Kuangwei naturally knew how to speak appropriately. Though he could be flighty at times, he was quite sharp beneath the surface.

Talents cultivated by great families rarely lacked depth in strategy. Dongfang Jiaonü might have been slightly lacking in this regard, but that did not mean she was entirely ignorant. Moreover, she was being groomed by the next generation of Heavenly Being-level experts of the Dongfang family as the foundation of their house, so it was only natural that she might be less proficient in other areas.