Luo Qianqiu

"Sister Yao," mumbled Qin Wentian, his eyes fixed in dumbstruck wonder upon Qin Yao's captivating gaze.

As if drawn by an invisible force, Qin Yao's eyes found Qin Wentian in the crowd. Her heart somersaulted wildly upon seeing him, a fierce intensity lighting up her eyes. She longed to descend and embrace him.

Their gazes locked onto each other. Qin Wentian was the first to regain his composure, striding purposefully toward Qin Yao.

"No, I can't meet him now," Qin Yao fretted, her heart racing with emotion. "Wentian holds a prestigious position at the Emperor Star Academy. I can't just approach him like this; it would only fuel gossip." As Qin Wentian closed in, Qin Yao lowered the carriage curtains and commanded, "Faster!"

At her command, the formation of troops quickened their pace. Qin Wentian had already reached the front of the formation and was about to approach Qin Yao when a mounted silhouette suddenly blocked his way. "No one is allowed near the carriage," the figure on horseback declared icily.

Qin Wentian froze as he felt the formidable aura emanating from the mounted figure. He realized he couldn't simply charge forward.

"What's going on? Sister Yao saw me too, but why is she pretending not to recognize me?" Qin Wentian stood there bewildered. The mounted figure, seeing no further reaction from him, turned and departed.

Soon, the formation of troops moved on, leaving Qin Wentian standing alone, lost in thought.

"Do you know the person in the carriage?" Fan Le asked as he approached. Qin Wentian nodded.

"But I heard the person inside is one of the candidates for the crown prince's future bride. Are you sure you didn't make a mistake?" Fan Le inquired with skepticism.

"Snowcloud Country, there's no mistake. Sister Qin Yao mentioned they were headed there for cultivation at the beginning of the year. What in the world has happened in these seven to eight months?" Qin Wentian's mind was a whirlwind of confusion. A candidate for the crown prince's wife? This was getting bizarre.

"Let's go." With a heart heavy with questions, Qin Wentian left, heading in the direction of the Emperor Star Academy. When it came to Qin Yao's situation, he decided to dig deeper using different sources. He needed to uncover the truth about what had happened to her.

Qin Wentian and Fan Le, accompanied by their faithful companion Little Rascal, reached the academy grounds. To their surprise, the students' gazes held an enigmatic quality, something strange, something akin to sympathy.

"Qin Wentian has returned."

"He disappeared for two months. Word has it he ventured into the Dark Forest for training. Now that he's finally back, things might not be looking too good for him."

Whispers abounded. News of Qin Wentian's return spread like wildfire throughout the academy.

As Qin Wentian and Fan Le returned to their dormitory, they found a group of people waiting outside, including Sheena.

"Sheena, why are you here?" Qin Wentian inquired, perplexed.

"What happened? How did you guys manage to cross paths with Luo Qianqiu?" Sheena asked frantically, her voice filled with concern. Qin Wentian exchanged bewildered glances with Fan Le. Who on earth was Luo Qianqiu? Did they even know him?

"About twenty days ago, Luo Qianqiu returned to the academy and had some of his lackeys send word, summoning you to meet him upon your return," Sheena explained.

"Luo Qianqiu, could he be the Young Master Luo Logan mentioned?" Qin Wentian mused. On the day they clashed over the Blood Ember Fruits, Zero arrived with Franklin, which led to Logan agreeing to give all the fruits to a certain Young Master Luo.

"That sounds about right. The person they were talking about must have been Luo Qianqiu. You guys have really gotten yourselves into a mess now," Sheena sighed. "Luo Qianqiu is a legend in our academy, a prodigious talent. When he first arrived, the Elders fought fiercely for his favor. With his cultivation at the 7th level of Arterial Circulation, not many dare to oppose him. Even the aristocratic members of the Knight's Association show him respect."

"Well, since I've already offended the Knight's Association members, what's one more Luo Qianqiu to me?" Qin Wentian's voice remained calm and composed. This Luo Qianqiu seemed to think he was the center of the universe, demanding the Blood Ember Fruits despite having done nothing to earn them.

"No, you don't understand. Luo Qianqiu is nothing like the Knight's Association members. They still have to consider many things when they act, but not Luo Qianqiu. In this academy, he does as he pleases. He's practically broken every rule except for outright murder. He's even crippled the cultivation of several students, and the academy turned a blind eye. Furthermore, the power behind him is an immensely terrifying force," Sheena explained urgently, hoping Qin Wentian would grasp the gravity of the situation.

"It's good that you understand now," a cold voice chimed in. Qin Wentian and the others turned to find the person Zero had betrayed them to—Franklin.

"You guys actually dared to steal Young Master Luo's stuff? Now that you're back, you better go and present yourselves to him with those fruits and beg for forgiveness. That might be the only way the Asura Faction goes easy on you," Franklin sneered, giving Qin Wentian and Fan Le a cold look. It was on that fateful day that these two, along with their canine companion, pilfered the entire stash of Blood Ember Fruits.

"We stole?" Qin Wentian and Fan Le exchanged incredulous glances.

"The treasures hidden in the Dark Forest belong to those who have the good fortune to find them. Accusing us of theft is ludicrous. Luo Qianqiu wasn't even present when we took on those demonic pythons guarding the fruits," Qin Wentian responded with a calm rebuttal, finding Franklin's accusation utterly absurd.

"Since Logan intended to gift the Blood Ember Fruits to Young Master Luo, it means that all the fruits you collected that day were already his. How dare you steal them!" Franklin retorted, shaking his head in disbelief. "Don't think that just because the academy holds you in high regard, you have the right to oppose Young Master Luo's desires. Even someone like Murong Feng, by Luo Qianqiu's standards, could be squashed like a bug with a mere flick of his finger."

Franklin, after delivering this stern warning, flipped his robe and departed. "If you don't show up before Young Master Luo to apologize, you'll have to face the consequences. I can tell you now, dealing with Young Master Luo's anger is something you wouldn't wish upon your worst enemy."

Qin Wentian watched Franklin's retreating figure with an icy glare. "Even a minion can be so arrogant; it's quite the spectacle!" Fan Le remarked.

"Hmm, even Teacher Mustang and Senior Sister Luo Huan have arrived," Qin Wentian noted as he spotted two figures approaching in the distance. It was indeed Mustang and Luo Huan.

"You really have a talent for getting into trouble, Little Junior Brother," Luo Huan quipped, her eyes twinkling with amusement. Qin Wentian could only smile wryly in response.

It was becoming evident that Luo Qianqiu had an extraordinary background; otherwise, Mustang and Luo Huan wouldn't be here today.

"I didn't provoke him," Qin Wentian protested, proceeding to explain the situation to both of them.

"Blood Ember Fruits, no wonder," Luo Huan mused after hearing Qin Wentian's account. Clearly, Luo Qianqiu coveted these precious fruits to aid his breakthrough.

"Wentian," Mustang said, turning his gaze to Qin Wentian, "from what you've described, your actions were not wrong. In fact, they were commendable, and I would have likely done the same in your place. However, in this world, there's no absolute right or wrong. It all comes down to strength. I can only say that your timing was unfortunate, encountering Luo Qianqiu right after finding the Blood Ember Fruits."

"Luo Qianqiu," Qin Wentian murmured. Mustang had not intervened when he deliberately offended Orchon earlier, but now he was warning him about Luo Qianqiu. It spoke volumes about the monstrous status and background of Luo Qianqiu.

"Wentian, since you left Sky Harmony City, you must have realized that the world beyond is both enchanting and perilous. Experts are as numerous as the floating clouds, as are the disciples of those in positions of great power. The world is teeming with talented youths. Your own talents are exceptional, but maturing won't be a walk in the park. Countless prodigies have fallen before reaching their peak. Do you grasp what I'm getting at?" Mustang asked, his voice filled with gravitas.

Mustang fixed his gaze on Qin Wentian and continued, "This place is just an academy, but as you venture into the world beyond, you'll come to realize that the art of tolerance can be a great virtue."

"Teacher, I appreciate your advice. Please, tell me directly what you want," Qin Wentian said with a wry smile. He understood Mustang's underlying message.

Mustang paused, then nodded slowly. "Find Luo Qianqiu and apologize. There are people within the academy who might want to harm you, and Luo Qianqiu is undoubtedly one of them now."

Qin Wentian's eyes narrowed as he inquired, "What kind of background does he have?"

"That's not something you need to know at this moment," Mustang replied solemnly. "Luo Huan will accompany you. If there are any Blood Ember Fruits left, it would be wise to offer them to him."

Qin Wentian pondered silently. He knew that Mustang's advice stemmed from genuine concern. Eventually, he smiled and said, "I'll go find him."

"In that case, if you have any other questions, you can chat with Senior Sister Luo Huan. I'll take my leave now," Mustang said before departing. Luo Huan affectionately ruffled Qin Wentian's hair and smiled. "Little Junior Brother, you've grown and become even more handsome."

Rolling his eyes, Qin Wentian chuckled. "Senior Sister, there's something I need your help with."

"What is it?" Luo Huan asked with curiosity.

"While I was in the Royal Capital, I encountered my sister, Qin Yao. She came here with people from Snowcloud Country, and I heard she's a candidate for the crown prince's wife. Could you investigate this for me?" Qin Wentian requested.

"Of course, leave it to me. Tomorrow, I'll come find you, and we can approach Luo Qianqiu together, alright?"

"Sounds good." Qin Wentian nodded.

Afterward, Luo Huan and Sheena departed, leaving Qin Wentian and Fan Le behind. Fan Le glanced at Qin Wentian and asked, "Are you really going to do this?"

"Did you see how Teacher Mustang personally came to talk to me? This is a matter of great importance," Qin Wentian replied as he entered his dorm, with Fan Le trailing behind. Fan Le added somewhat despondently, "Next time, we have to be ruthless and ensure we eliminate all potential sources of trouble."

Qin Wentian understood Fan Le's sentiment. If they had been strong enough to completely wipe out Franklin, Logan, and their group, they wouldn't be facing this predicament now.

"What about the Blood Ember Fruits? Are you really going to give them up?" Fan Le asked with curiosity. He knew that despite Qin Wentian's calm exterior, he had his own pride. Going to apologize because of Luo's greed and even giving up the Blood Ember Fruits to appease him? That didn't seem like Qin Wentian.

Qin Wentian retrieved the remaining Blood Ember Fruits, tossed them into his mouth, and devoured them in one gulp. His actions surprised Fan Le, who burst into laughter. This guy was ruthless!

After finishing the fruits, a sharp glint of determination shone in Qin Wentian's eyes. He had no more fruits to give to Luo Qianqiu.

In this world, strength was paramount.

Without strength, what right did you have to pride? Without strength, what would you use to safeguard your dignity? Without strength, you couldn't even protect yourself, let alone your family and friends.