MRSG Chapter 3

Early in the morning, Zhou Mu dressed neatly. Today, he had to report to Luhai Sanren and attend the opening ceremony.

When Zhou Mu woke up, You Qi was already out of the dorm, likely off to see his mentor as well. He felt like the Guardian Grass they had nurtured this time had an unusually rich vocabulary.

Cautiously, Zhou Mu opened the door and saw the pot of Guardian Grass hanging on the door, its leaves spread out, looking full of energy.

Last night, all it did was curse at people…

This grass had a terrible temper. Chun Shijiu hadn’t dared to come back and harass him after that, and even passing students were met with its sharp, wary gaze. If anyone lingered even a second too long, it would instantly start shouting obscenities, unleashing an endless barrage of insults.

This… this was basically the ultimate anti-theft system!

The Guardian Grass noticed Zhou Mu, and its leaves trembled slightly—

As if it was scrutinizing him.

Would it curse him too? Was this plant intelligent enough to tell the difference? Zhou Mu cautiously reminded it, “…I live here.”

The Guardian Grass really could recognize friend from foe. Unlike its previous fearful state under You Qi’s hands, it now let out a couple of proud tsk tsk sounds and said haughtily, “Hmmph, make sure to close the door properly!”

Zhou Mu: (:з”∠)

Locking the door, he followed the school map to Luhai Sanren’s office. On the way, at the bottom of the dormitory building, his left foot almost stepped into thin air—he barely managed to grab the railing in time.

Looking down, there was another pit. It was smaller than yesterday’s but still large enough to trap four or five people.

What the heck? Did Hualing Academy have an underground mine? Why were there so many holes everywhere?

This infrastructure was terrible—Zhou Mu, used to living in human cities, found it hard to adjust. He had some complaints.

As he walked toward Luhai Sanren’s office, he caught a strong scent of aquatic demon energy, and not just from one person!

This made him extremely uncomfortable. Weren’t demon academies, especially comprehensive schools like this, supposed to emphasize restraining one’s aura?

Pushing open the door, he finally saw the real Luhai Sanren. He was dressed in casual scholarly robes, had a refined beard, and looked like an elegant, middle-aged scholar. Several younger disciples stood around him.

Zhou Mu had only ever spoken with Luhai Sanren over voice messages and had never seen him in person. Seeing how dignified his mentor looked, he quickly greeted him with the utmost respect, “Disciple Zhou Mu greets you, Teacher Luo.”

It wasn’t just out of respect for his mentor—it was also a bit of admiration for a legendary writer. After all, he had Romance of the Three Kingdoms practically memorized.

The middle-aged scholar looked momentarily stunned and awkwardly said, “Uh, I… I’m not the mentor.”

Zhou Mu: “Huh?”

A teenager with a backpack stepped forward. He had delicate, fair features and was wearing sneakers—he looked just like an ordinary high school student from a big city.

The teenager said, “Zhou Mu, right? I’m your mentor, Luhai Sanren, Luo Guanzhong. This is your senior brother, Yan Xingke.”

Zhou Mu: “……”

This was Teacher Luo??

It wasn’t that Zhou Mu had completely forgotten that demons’ appearances weren’t necessarily tied to their age—it was just that human education had misled him for so many years!

This Senior Yan… looked exactly like the portrait of Luo Guanzhong in human textbooks!

“I’m sorry, Teacher, Senior Brother,” Zhou Mu obediently admitted his mistake. “I got it wrong.”

“It’s okay, Junior Brother.” Even though Zhou Mu was the one who mistook someone else, Yan Xingke looked even more embarrassed than him. He coughed awkwardly and said, “A lot of people make that mistake, cough cough.”

“Yan Xingke, make sure to take care of Zhou Mu. He’s from a different region.” Luhai Sanren then introduced his various disciples, both from the current year and previous years.

Zhou Mu felt overwhelmed—not just because he couldn’t remember everyone’s names, but because several of them refused to restrain their demon aura. Luhai Sanren’s aura was the strongest of all.

Zhou Mu could practically see the massive, squirming, fleshy form of a snail in front of him…

Luhai Sanren handed out class schedules and gave a short lecture, mainly scolding some senior students who were complaining about their research papers: “Whining over such a small word count? Back in my day, I wrote 3,000 characters daily under much harsher conditions.”

The senior students only dared to mutter under their breath that writing novels wasn’t the same as writing research papers. They didn’t dare say it out loud because their teacher’s original form was massive. If he got annoyed, he might suck them into his shell for some one-on-one education.

Seeing that it was time, Luhai Sanren sent them off to the opening ceremony but specifically reminded Zhou Mu, “You’re still new and haven’t gone through orientation yet. Stick with Yan Xingke—let him guide you.”

“Thank you, Teacher!” I definitely need guidance, Zhou Mu thought. I keep falling into pits.

Zhou Mu stared at his teacher, reluctant to leave the office.

But as soon as they stepped outside, he couldn’t help but ask Yan Xingke, “Senior Brother Yan, I have a question. Why aren’t they concealing their aura?”

When he first arrived, the dean had specifically lectured him about how not concealing his aura would cause trouble. He had assumed Hualing Academy was a place where everyone kept their presence hidden and followed strict rules.

Yan Xingke countered with a question of his own: “Are you very uncomfortable with it?”

Zhou Mu awkwardly admitted, “A little. I have a bit of human blood, so I’m not used to the smell.”

Oh, human blood? That must mean his demon side was weak. If he said he was “not used to it,” he probably meant he was actually afraid.

Yan Xingke gave Zhou Mu a sympathetic look—life at Hualing Academy was going to be tough for him.

Still, he responsibly explained, “That’s the rule, yes, but teachers aren’t bound by school regulations. And even for students, it’s not strictly enforced. Some students feel confident in their abilities and don’t fear exposing their true nature. Others… well, they’re so conspicuous that hiding is pointless, so they don’t even bother.”

“In the neighboring academy, there’s You Qi. Although he conceals his presence, everyone knows he is the incarnation of the ferocious beast You Qi. He is naturally violent and arrogant, with an excessive inclination for killing, and was born burdened with the six desires. When he enrolled, the principal forcibly required him to wear self-imposed restraints—oh right, since you’re new here, make sure to stay away from him.”

Zhou Mu: “……”

Yan Xingke noticed his subtle expression and asked, “Have you heard of him?”

Zhou Mu hesitated before answering, “I… I’ve slept—”’

Yan Xingke: “???”

Zhou Mu forced a laugh and clarified, “Uh, hahaha, I meant… I’m his roommate.”

“Oh my god.” Yan Xingke sucked in a breath of cold air. “Why don’t you ask the teacher to change your dorm? Our teacher still has some influence with the principal.”

“No need.” Zhou Mu recalled You Qi’s demeanor. “I actually think he’s alright. He looks out for me.”

“…Oh, okay. As long as you’re happy.” Yan Xingke mumbled awkwardly, covering his face with one hand.

He had just badmouthed someone’s roommate, only to be shot down. Now, he was too embarrassed to even meet Zhou Mu’s eyes, his toes digging into the ground anxiously.

“By the way, Senior, do you know why there are so many…” Zhou Mu trailed off as he noticed Yan Xingke’s toes digging into the ground—until he had gouged out a hole.

Zhou Mu’s pupils shrank in shock—

Yan Xingke’s toes were so dexterous and strong that within moments, the hole had expanded into a full one-bedroom apartment. His entire figure was almost gone.

Zhou Mu: “Senior???”

Oh my god, he had been wondering why the campus was full of wide-bottomed pits. Turns out, his senior’s extreme secondhand embarrassment was to blame!

Yan Xingke’s voice echoed from the bottom of the pit, “Junior, let’s hurry to the auditorium. The opening ceremony is starting!”

He kept digging as Zhou Mu chased after him frantically from above. “Senior—”

At the Opening Ceremony

Zhou Mu listened as the principal delivered an impassioned speech about the school’s founding history. Apparently, the school’s founder was said to be a disciple of Erlang Shen, which explained the statue of Erlang Shen standing tall in the central plaza.

Even the school gate, where other institutions might place stone lions, instead had two stone Howling Celestial Dogs guarding it.

Hualing Academy was more than just a high school—it also had an affiliated middle and elementary school. Since it also admitted beings from the underworld, it even had a night school.

The principal, reading aloud from an excessively long manuscript, droned on for half an hour with an awkward tone, making Yan Xingke so embarrassed that he unconsciously dug out yet another room in the ground.

By the end of the ceremony, Zhou Mu’s legs were stiff from standing for so long.

He thought to himself: truly, long-winded speeches are a universal constant across the Three Realms.

Finally, after two hours, the principal reluctantly set down his manuscript and declared, “Lastly, I have a word of caution for all students. Hualing is a place of learning. Do not let your desires ruin your studies and stain this sacred land with blood! Hualing is home to many powerful individuals. While our teachers may not be able to oversee everything, the school’s founder has left behind safeguards in the mortal world.”

As he finished, his gaze swept sternly across the crowd.

Many students instinctively looked toward one person—You Qi.

It was clear that the principal’s warning was directed at this naturally violent beast.

Amidst the sea of students, Zhou Mu smiled at the principal and turned to glance at You Qi, only to accidentally lock eyes with Chun Shijiu on the other side. Chun Shijiu paused for a second before making a move to approach.

Zhou Mu panicked and immediately leapt into the pit Yan Xingke had just dug.

Outside, he could faintly hear Chun Shijiu laughing wildly.

…What a lunatic!

As the principal announced the ceremony’s conclusion, Zhou Mu quickly left with Yan Xingke.

On the way, they passed by a vast field.

Hualing Academy occupied an immense area, with a large portion dedicated to student coursework and experiments. The field before them was filled with various mystical herbs and spirit mushrooms, serving as assignments for different academic disciplines.

“Whoosh—”

“Whoosh—”

The sound of wind slicing through the air echoed above.

Yan Xingke glanced up and remarked, “Oh no, a tiger eagle sneaked in. Someone’s project is doomed.”

Zhou Mu squinted and saw a creature even larger than a cow, with enormous wings. “A tiger eagle? I’ve never seen one before.”

“You’re a human, of course, you haven’t. It’s a wild demon beast,” Yan Xingke said dismissively, ignoring Zhou Mu’s claim of only having ‘a little’ human blood.

After all, if a fruit drink contained 5% real pulp, it was still considered a fruit drink—so by that logic, Zhou Mu was just human.

The tiger eagle circled a few times, sizing up the situation, then suddenly dived straight toward the spiritual herbs.

Zhou Mu and Yan Xingke stood at the edge of the field, but the way the tiger eagle was diving, it almost seemed like it was heading straight for them.

The scent of blood hit them even from a distance. The tiger eagle roared, “ROAR—”

Yan Xingke grew uneasy. “This thing is ferocious. Junior, get back!”

He took a few steps back, only to realize that Zhou Mu was still standing there, frozen, staring directly at the beast as if he had been scared stiff.

Just then, a figure flashed from behind them. The person leaped high into the air—several dozen feet—and with a gleaming long blade, slashed down from above.

The tiger eagle’s body was not first pierced by the blade itself but by the invisible wind of the blade’s edge, which sliced through its flesh with terrifying sharpness. The massive body followed, cut cleanly in two, crashing to the ground with a thunderous impact.

His movements were as fluid as flowing clouds and water—precise, light, and almost elegant—yet they carried an astonishing power.

The long blade was drawn, and the tiger eagle let out a final, mournful cry as blood sprayed into the air!

Its head slowly drooped…

And fell at the feet of the blade’s wielder.

Barely half an inch away from its fangs, You Qi stood tall, gripping his blade.

The figure who had suddenly appeared could only be him. No one else but the wind-born beast You Qi could have delivered such a strike.

He tilted his head slightly, glancing at them. Bloodlight still reflected in his eyes, and his face—restrained by the muzzle—radiated an aura of danger that was almost impossible to look at directly.

Forget his back—Yan Xingke felt like his very blood was running cold. This guy was far scarier than the tiger eagle!

Zhou Mu, on the other hand, still seemed dazed, as if he hadn’t snapped out of it.

You Qi cast him a brief glance, a faint trace of disappointment flashing through his mind. But he was long used to it. With a flick of his blade, droplets of blood seeped into the earth. Then, without hesitation, he raised a hand to dispose of the tiger eagle that had dared to ruin his work.

Just then, his weak-looking roommate raised a hand. “Wait, what are you going to do with it?”

What kind of question was that? He wasn’t thinking of saving it, was he? That thing was dead beyond doubt.

You Qi raised an eyebrow. “Cremate it.”

He noticed his roommate frown slightly, as if hesitating, before finally making up his mind and solemnly declaring, “I object to this funeral!”

You Qi: “?”

Yan Xingke: “??”

Yan Xingke wanted nothing more than to dig into the ground and escape, but he couldn’t just abandon his junior. Why was he picking a fight with You Qi? “Uh… Junior…”

“Don’t you guys think this is a huge waste?” Zhou Mu crouched down, inspecting the corpse. “The cut is clean and precise. We could totally sell the pelt, use the bones for medicinal wine, and dry the organs for medicine. Hualing might not be short on materials, but plenty of people outside would pay good money for them!”

You Qi: “……”

For the first time, the face beneath his muzzle—always cold and fierce—showed a hint of confusion.

Yan Xingke was dumbfounded, picking apart the logic. “Junior, you’ve known about tiger eagles for five minutes, and you’re already thinking about making medicine? Do you even know what it’s used for? Who would buy something you made?”

“I’ll sell it to humans. As long as it’s not poisonous, it’s fine,” Zhou Mu replied. “If I don’t know its medicinal properties, I’ll just market it as an aphrodisiac.”

Yan Xingke: “……………”

Zhou Mu completely ignored Yan Xingke’s disturbed, horrified, and slightly admiring expression. His mind was working fast. “And then, we can stew the meat. It looks really firm and juicy.”

This was such a bold statement, totally at odds with his usual image. Yan Xingke couldn’t help but touch his own waist in apprehension.

You Qi fell silent.

This was truly…

A very human thing to do.

Compared to demons, humans were seemingly at the bottom of the food chain, often scared out of their wits at the sight of monsters. But paradoxically, they were also the most audacious beings.

They dared to fall in love with demons. They dared to fall in love with ghosts…

And in cases like this—one moment frozen in fear, the next already scheming to eat the whole thing.

Interesting.

Then, to Yan Xingke’s utter disbelief, You Qi actually smiled and tossed the tiger eagle to Zhou Mu. “It’s yours.”

On the way back to the dorm, Yan Xingke still had a complicated look on his face. How had this happened? You Qi had just given the tiger eagle to Zhou Mu?

Sure, You Qi had never had a roommate before, so there was no precedent, but this was beyond anything Yan Xingke could have imagined. Completely off the charts!

Zhou Mu waved. “Bye-bye, I’m off to butcher it.”

Yan Xingke: “……”

Under Yan Xingke’s dumbfounded gaze, Zhou Mu leisurely dragged the tiger eagle back to Dormitory 5.

The thing was massive—so much so that he nearly got stuck in the hallway. He pressed up against the beast, struggling to squeeze through the doorway while the thick stench of blood filled his nose.

The Guardian Herb hanging by the door fell silent for three seconds before politely asking: “May I help you, sir?”