Professor Feng

"This student has done an excellent job," Professor Feng interjected before the stout girl could finish her sentence. His sharp eyes, however, remained fixed on Xia Yunjie's hands.

Xia Yunjie glanced up at Professor Feng, a flicker of curiosity passing through his eyes. Without saying a word, he continued methodically patting the girl's back.

After a few firm pats, the girl suddenly coughed up a large mouthful of water and opened her eyes.

Seeing this, Xia Yunjie gently laid her flat on the ground. He then turned to the other girl, grabbing her by the ankles. However, this one was wearing a skirt, which made him hesitate momentarily.

Professor Feng, experienced and observant, noticed Xia Yunjie's hesitation and immediately stepped forward. "Don't worry, young man. I'll hold her skirt in place," he offered, his tone calm and reassuring.

Xia Yunjie nodded in appreciation. As he lifted the girl by her ankles, Professor Feng carefully pressed her skirt against her legs to prevent it from slipping.

Even so, from his angle, Xia Yunjie couldn't help but catch a glimpse beneath the skirt. Though he was acting to save her, his heart involuntarily raced, and he quickly averted his eyes to focus on the task at hand.

Professor Feng, meanwhile, resumed watching Xia Yunjie's hands with keen interest.

After just a few pats, the girl in the skirt also coughed up a large amount of water and opened her eyes.

When Xia Yunjie placed her down gently, the first girl he had saved was already standing up, looking much better.

The crowd, seeing all the victims now safe, collectively exhaled in relief. Someone started clapping, and soon the lakeside echoed with applause and cheers. The rescued students, their faces full of gratitude, began approaching Xia Yunjie to thank him.

Xia Yunjie, naturally introverted and shy, felt overwhelmed by the attention, especially as the rescued girls, still soaking wet, came closer. Their thin summer T-shirts and skirts clung to their bodies, making their undergarments plainly visible. With an entire row of bikini-clad figures before him, Xia Yunjie found himself flustered and quickly waved his hands, turning away to leave.

"Hey, wait! What's your name? Which department are you in? How can we contact you?" the girls called after him, unwilling to let their savior slip away so easily.

The male onlookers, watching a group of wet girls chasing after Xia Yunjie for his name and number, were filled with envy. Why couldn't I have those skills? Imagine being pursued by a group of beautiful girls—what a dream!

"You should go back and change your clothes first," Xia Yunjie suggested, trying to deter the girls. With their drenched clothes sticking to their bodies, they were unintentionally exposing themselves, and the nearby boys were staring with wide eyes.

His words made the girls suddenly realize their predicament. With a collective gasp, they quickly covered their chests and turned to run back to the dorms, dragging the recently revived girl with them. They no longer worried about getting the hero's contact information—after all, they were confident they could find him later.

Jiangzhou University wasn't that big; tracking down a male student wouldn't be too difficult. What they hadn't considered, however, was the possibility that he wasn't a student at the university. If that were the case, finding him in Jiangzhou City would be like searching for a needle in a haystack.

With the girls gone, the small crowd that had gathered around the lake also began to disperse. Even the male rescuer, who had nearly drowned himself, quietly slipped away, likely embarrassed by his failed attempt at heroism.

Xia Yunjie, relieved that the attention had shifted away, quickened his pace to leave. But before he could get far, he heard someone calling from behind. "Young man, wait! Please, wait!" It was Professor Feng.

Xia Yunjie considered ignoring him but stopped out of respect for the elder. Turning around, he asked, "Professor Feng, is there something you need?"

He had overheard the students addressing the elderly man earlier, so he knew his title.

"You've done well, young man. Such bravery and selflessness. Which department are you from?" Professor Feng asked with a smile, assuming Xia Yunjie was a university student.

"I'm not a student here," Xia Yunjie replied, smiling modestly at the compliment.

"You're not from Jiangzhou University? Then how do you know who I am?" Professor Feng asked, visibly surprised.

"I heard the others addressing you," Xia Yunjie explained.

"Ah, that makes sense. My mistake," Professor Feng said with a chuckle. "But still, you can't go around like this, all wet. The water in Xiaoguang Lake may look clean, but it's actually quite dirty. Come with me to my house nearby. You can take a shower and change into some dry clothes."

Before Xia Yunjie could refuse, Professor Feng grabbed his arm and started leading him toward a cluster of standalone villas not far from the lake.

In Jiangzhou University, such accommodations were reserved for either senior administrators or professors of exceptional academic standing. As both a faculty leader and a renowned scholar in traditional Chinese medicine, Professor Feng had been allocated one of these homes.

"Thank you, Professor Feng, but there's no need. I live nearby," Xia Yunjie tried to decline politely.

"Nonsense. We can't let a hero leave in such a state. You saved six of our students. As a teacher, how could I let you walk away like this? Besides, I have something I'd like to discuss with you," Professor Feng insisted, his tone shifting from stern to kindly.

The mention of a discussion piqued Xia Yunjie's interest. He recalled how Professor Feng had watched him intently during the rescue, particularly when he was patting the girls' backs. Suppressing his curiosity, Xia Yunjie cast a discreet, searching look at the professor.

That subtle glance left Xia Yunjie momentarily stunned. For reasons he couldn't explain, he felt an inexplicable connection to Professor Feng. The exact nature of this link eluded him, and without delving into divination, he couldn't uncover the details. Moreover, personal matters were notoriously difficult to predict, even for skilled practitioners.

Sensing this faint connection, Xia Yunjie decided not to refuse any further. "Alright then, Professor Feng. Thank you for your kindness," he said with a shy smile.

"Not at all, not at all," Professor Feng replied, clearly pleased. His face lit up with a warm, genuine smile.

The professor's villa was an older red-brick house, built during the early days of Jiangzhou University. It had a courtyard filled with vegetable plants, fruit trees, and a small patch of medicinal herbs.

As they walked through the garden and approached the house, Xia Yunjie's gaze fell on the faded, yellowing talisman affixed above the doorframe. The talisman's symbols were faint, nearly illegible, yet it still exuded a subtle but unmistakable aura of deterrence—enough to ward off malicious spirits or negative energies. The design was unmistakably a warding symbol passed down through the Wuxian Sect, inscribed using their unique techniques.

A talisman like this, hanging in the home of a university professor, was unusual. Many first-time visitors to Professor Feng's house had expressed similar surprise. Unaware that Xia Yunjie was the current master of the Wuxian Sect, Professor Feng chuckled and offered an explanation, "Believing in spirits is all about faith. If you believe, they exist. If not, they don't. It's just for peace of mind—don't laugh at an old man's superstitions."

"True enough. The unseen and intangible can be a source of fear or skepticism, depending on the person," Xia Yunjie replied with a smile.

Professor Feng was intrigued by Xia Yunjie's composed response. "So, do you believe or not?" he asked with a knowing look.

Instead of answering directly, Xia Yunjie shifted the topic. "Professor Feng, you mentioned you had something to ask me. What is it?"

Assuming Xia Yunjie was shy about his beliefs, Professor Feng didn't press the matter. Instead, he brought up his curiosity. "I noticed your precision in targeting acupoints while patting the girls' backs. It's rare to see such expertise in someone so young. May I ask where you learned this technique?"

The acupoints Xia Yunjie had used were obscure, with two of them not even recorded in traditional Chinese medicine texts. They were unique to the Wuxian Sect. Hearing the professor's question, and recalling the talisman on the doorframe, Xia Yunjie began piecing together some clues about Professor Feng's identity. He replied with a seemingly unrelated question, "Do you happen to know someone named Feng Gaofeng?"