The moment Shen Yuyan and Xiao Mei stepped into the classroom, a group of girls quickly swarmed them.
With how popular the two were, it wasn't an unusual thing.
They talked with them and then one of them quickly noticed the bracelet that they wore.
"Shen Yuyan, Xiao Mei! Those bracelets—you two look stunning! Where did you get them?"
"They're gorgeous! I swear they were made for you two. The design is so delicate, yet elegant."
Both girls blinked in surprise, but then their gazes fell on their wrists.
The bracelets glimmered faintly under the morning light, each stroke of its design refined and perfectly complimenting them
The compliments poured in endlessly.
Shen Yuyan felt her heartbeat quicken. She had almost left it at home this morning.
At first, she told herself she wouldn't wear it—she couldn't. Accepting Li Fengyuan's gift can be taken as her favoring him.
That would be no different from announcing to the world that she had accepted his pursuit or at least willing to which she didn't want to.
But when she held it in her palm… when she slid it across her wrist just once to test the feel…
It was perfect. Too perfect!
The dark jade and golden veins brought out her skin, her every gesture seemed sharper, more alive.
The longer she looked, the more incomplete her reflection felt without it.
Xiao Mei, well, she likes it, so she wore it without much thought.
She was a straightforward person who loves what she loves and hates what she hates.
The noise quickly died down as soon as the teacher entered the room.
It wasn't Elder Ming who walked in that day.
Instead, a faint fragrance swept across the room as Bai Xueqing stepped inside, her snow-white robes swaying lightly with her every movement.
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
The boys straightened their backs, some even smoothing their hair with nervous hands.
The girls' eyes lit up with warmth and admiration, and even whispers died down in an instant.
Bai Xueqing—Liangzhuo Academy's most popular teacher.
To the male students, she was the epitome of elegance and beauty, a dream they could never reach.
To the female students, she was more than just a teacher.
She was a confidant, someone who never hesitated to give them advice on cultivation, etiquette, or even personal troubles.
But beyond her charm, Bai Xueqing was no ordinary woman.
She was a cultivator who had reached the Master Realm, her strength more than enough to command respect.
And yet, she dedicated herself not to power, but to history.
"Good morning, everyone!"
Her voice was soft, clear, carrying through the room without effort.
The students greeted her in unison, the usual rowdiness replaced by a quiet reverence.
She nodded, then set her books on the desk before lifting her gaze to the class.
"Today, we will be revisiting a subject that many of you think you already know," she began, her eyes sweeping the room.
"The history of mankind!"
Liangzhuo City, vast and secure as it seemed, was little more than a cage.
A gilded cage, perhaps, but still one that confined humanity within its walls.
Beyond those walls lay evidence that told a different story.
Ruins scattered across the wilderness—ancient cities swallowed by earth and time, broken palaces and shattered towers, stone roads stretching further than any beast trail.
All of it spoke of an era when humanity was not limited to a single fortress, but instead dominated the land as rulers.
Once, mankind had stood at the very peak.
Civilization flourished, cultures thrived, cultivation was widespread, and humanity was the undisputed dominant species of this world.
But then, something had changed.
The reasons for the fall were still debated among scholars.
Some believed that Demon Beasts grew stronger, evolving beyond human control.
Others argued that humanity itself had grown weaker, losing the cultivation methods and inheritances that once sustained their strength.
There were even those who claimed the decline had been caused by humanity's own hand—internal wars, greed, ambition, and betrayal eating away at the foundation of their greatness until it all collapsed.
Whatever the truth, the result was undeniable. Humanity's great civilizations had crumbled, leaving behind only ruins.
The world outside the walls was now ruled by Demon Beasts, with humans reduced to prey that survived by hiding in a single city.
Perhaps Liangzhuo City was the last bastion of mankind.
No proof had ever been found of other surviving human settlements.
For all they knew, this city could be the very last home of the human race.
Li Fengyuan's eyes narrowed faintly, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
(Well, there is no human settlement within 100,000 miles!)
But there were definitely many human settlements and he traveled to those places in his previous life.
However, it is already very dangerous to go out of Liangzhuo City, so it is nearly impossible for the people of Liangzhuo City to encounter other people unless they were going to travel for a long time like he did.
The lesson stretched on, Bai Xueqing weaving together fragments of history with measured grace.
Her voice carried both authority and gentleness, leaving the class subdued in thought.
At last, the chime of the dismissal bell echoed through the room. Bai Xueqing closed her book with a soft snap, her serene smile returning.
With a faint nod, she gathered her things and glided from the classroom, the faint fragrance of her presence lingering behind like an echo.
The silence broke almost immediately.
"Finally! That was so boring…"
Zhao Dazhu stretched his arms above his head, yawning loudly.
His broad grin returned as he leaned on the desk.
"I almost fell asleep halfway through. Who cares about history anyways?"
It didn't help that he didn't sleep the other day.
Li Fengyuan's lips twitched, but he said nothing.
For someone like Zhao Dazhu, who lived in the present and thought with his stomach first, classes heavy with history and speculation were naturally dull.
In truth, many other students felt the same. If not for Bai Xueqing's presence, few would have paid attention at all.
They listened more out of admiration—or infatuation—than genuine interest in the lesson that she was teaching.
Jia Hao gave a small chuckle, shaking his head.
Li Fengyuan ignored their chatter, his gaze fixed forward.
His thoughts lingered not on the teacher's beauty or her charm, but on the truths buried in her words.
For now, though, there were more urgent matters at hand.
"So…" Zhao Dazhu leaned closer, his grin expectant. "What are we doing now?"
Li Fengyuan stood, his movements steady, decisive. His eyes flickered with a calm resolve as he straightened his robes.
"Follow me!"