Chapter 69: A Chance Encounter

Lei Hongguang clasped his fists and said, “Thank you, brother.”

“If you ever find yourself in trouble in the future, don’t hesitate to come to me. My Thunder God Society is quite well-known in the capital city.”

With that, he turned to leave.

But then Rock Tiger spoke up, “Boss, it looks like there’s a skill book over there.”

Lei Hongguang turned his gaze to the skill book lying in the corner, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. He hadn’t expected Xu Han to have a skill book here.

Generally, skill books were items that most professionals preferred to sell on the trading market. Not only did that guarantee a fair price, but it also reduced the chances of drawing unwanted attention. There had been plenty of incidents in the past where someone set up a stall to sell a skill book, only to be targeted and robbed after packing up.

He hadn’t expected Xu Han to be so bold.

“Brother, what kind of skill is this skill book?” Lei Hongguang asked curiously.

“See for yourself,” Xu Han replied offhandedly.

Lei Hongguang stepped forward and picked up the skill book for a look—and his eyes immediately widened. The others crowded around as well. When they saw the skill book’s attributes, every single one of them was wide-eyed with shock.

“Good heavens, it’s a control-type skill!”

“This is practically a divine skill! It could save your life at a critical moment.”

“This skill is universal for all classes—the price is bound to be outrageous.”

“You couldn’t get it for less than seven or eight million. Skills hold their value far better than equipment.”

The crowd burst into discussion, their eyes full of envy as they gazed at the skill book.

Lei Hongguang spoke up, “Brother, how much for this skill book?”

“Ten million,” Xu Han replied nonchalantly.

Lei Hongguang’s eyes lit up, and he said without hesitation, “I’ll take it.”

Without waiting for Xu Han to change his mind, he pulled out his bank card and transferred the money immediately.

Ten million in hand.

Xu Han’s funds soared to a staggering eighteen million! Even some Tier Four experts couldn’t boast such wealth.

The few pieces of equipment he had left were quickly sold as well. Xu Han packed up his stall and, under the envious gazes of those around him, left the market.

But he didn’t leave for good.

Instead, he wandered leisurely around the market. Activating the Eye of Insight, he let his gaze sweep over the various pieces of equipment on display. None of them caught his interest—they were all bronze or silver-grade, and of little use to him.

“Xu Han!”

A clear, melodious voice rang out behind him.

Xu Han turned to look.

Standing behind him was a young woman in a white swordswoman’s robe, a longsword hanging at her waist—none other than Xia Ling.

At her side stood another woman, dressed in a flowing white gauze dress. Her dark hair cascaded over her shoulders, her eyes gentle and serene as autumn waters, a faint, elusive smile gracing her lips.

If Xia Ling was the very image of a heroic swordswoman, then this girl was a fairy descended to the mortal world.

“Let me introduce you—this is Qin Xuanyi, from Second High School. In a sense, we’re fellow townsfolk here,” Xia Ling said with a smile.

Xu Han was momentarily taken aback.

Qin Xuanyi? The name sounded familiar.

Suddenly, the words of the scar-faced uncle came to his mind—his daughter was named Qin Xuanyi!

He hadn’t expected that the fierce-looking uncle’s daughter would be so gentle and graceful.

Qin Xuanyi extended her slender hand with a gentle smile. “Hello, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Xu Han nodded, reaching out for a light handshake. Qin Xuanyi’s hand was soft and warm, almost boneless, an exceptionally pleasant sensation.

When Xu Han didn’t let go, Qin Xuanyi’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She didn’t know whether to pull her hand back or leave it.

Xia Ling cleared her throat. “Xu Han, what are you doing here?”

Xu Han snapped back to himself, awkwardly releasing her hand. “Just looking around, seeing if there’s anything I need.”

Xia Ling smiled. “Why don’t we walk together, then? It’s a good chance to get familiar with the place—tomorrow is the opening ceremony, after all. We can help each other out when the time comes.”

Xu Han looked puzzled. “Help each other? Isn’t it just a freshman orientation? Why would we need to help each other?”

Xia Ling and Qin Xuanyi both stared at him in confusion.

“You don’t know?” Xia Ling pressed.

Xu Han shook his head.

Qin Xuanyi explained softly, “At Dragon Kingdom University, after the opening ceremony, all freshmen are required to enter a secret realm for training. The trial lasts three days.”

“After three days, you’ll be awarded credits based on the number of beasts you defeat. These will be your base credits,” she continued.

Xu Han nodded in realization. No wonder he hadn’t known; he’d been too focused on leveling up to learn about these rules.

Xia Ling added, “It seems you can only choose your mentor after the trial ends. But it’s a two-way selection process. The mentors will watch the students’ performances in the secret realm. If they’re impressed, they’ll choose you. Of course, you also get to pick from among the mentors.”

“But I heard there’s one mentor from the Beast Research Institute—she’s the strongest of all, but it’s best not to choose her.”

Xu Han’s heart skipped a beat. He thought of the strange woman he’d met a few days prior, who had also claimed to be from the Beast Research Institute.

He asked, “Is the Beast Research Institute a particularly dangerous place?”

Xia Ling’s expression grew serious.

“Dragon Kingdom University is divided into several schools—Mage Academy, Warrior Academy, Life Skills Academy, and so on. The smallest, but by far the strongest, is the Beast Research Institute. In fact, its status is nearly equal to that of the university itself, but its small size prevents it from breaking away independently.”

“I’ve heard the people there are all madmen. They’re obsessed with studying the attributes and habits of exotic beasts. Their work is incredible, but joining them means risking your life. Supposedly, the student casualty rate under that mentor is as high as eighty percent.”

Xu Han nodded slightly. He had little interest in the Beast Research Institute, and would decide when the time came.

The three of them chatted idly as they walked. Qin Xuanyi’s gaze fell upon a nearby stall, curiosity lighting her eyes as she unconsciously slowed her pace.

“What is it, Xuanyi?” Xia Ling asked in curiosity.

Qin Xuanyi pointed at a black wooden flute on the stall. “That flute looks quite nice. I wonder what its attributes are?”

“Let’s take a look, then. We’re out here to buy equipment for the secret realm anyway,” Xia Ling said with a smile.

Xu Han nodded his agreement.

The three of them walked over to the stall.

In front of the booth, Qin Xuanyi pointed to the black wooden flute. “Excuse me, could I see the attributes of this flute?”