"Just two months from now, and then we’ll head to the second floor together?"

As Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen stood there in stunned silence, Zhang Pianpian continued, “In less than two months, the college entrance exams will begin.”

“After that, I’ll be heading to the second floor of Kunxu for an interview.”

“Normally, if a student passes the interview, they stay on for university right away. Time is tight—college courses start before enrollment is even finalized.”

“So in two months, I won’t be able to cover for you in Songyang City anymore.”

Zhang Pianpian turned her head and looked at Zhang Yu. “But like I told you before, I’ve paved a road for you. It’s the Prodigy Track at Wanfa Sect University.”

Zhang Yu knew of Wanfa Sect University. It was directly run by the Wanfa Sect, one of the Ten Great Academies and a top-tier institution in the entire cultivation world.

Groups like Xianyun Group, Deep Sea Education Group, Wanxing Group… even Songyang High School and White Dragon High School, when you traced them upward, were ultimately subsidiaries of the Wanfa Sect. From the Sect’s point of view, all the competition among these companies and schools was just internal jockeying.

But… the Prodigy Track? What even was that? Zhang Yu combed through his memories but came up empty.

“Jie, what’s this Prodigy Track about? I’m just a first-year—can I even apply? Can I start college early?”

Zhang Pianpian explained, “The so-called Prodigy Track is where Wanfa Sect University bypasses standard requirements to admit first-year high school students with exceptional talent in Immortal Path studies and cultivates them ahead of schedule. So yes, you’d become a university student in your first year.”

“Applicants are mainly first-years from the second floor, so barely anyone on the first floor knows about it.”

Zhang Yu understood—this was one of those ‘second-floor princeling’ backdoors.

Zhang Pianpian continued, “Your competition results have been impressive lately. If you place in the top three in the upcoming Dao Heart Tournament, and use your prize money and sponsorship earnings to sharpen your Dao Techniques, you should be able to meet the requirements to apply for the Prodigy Track.”

“If you pass the entrance test, we’ll enter Wanfa Sect University together.”

Zhang Yu felt a rush of joy. If it worked out, not only would he bypass the deadly net woven by the city’s rich families to stop poor students from reaching the Ten Great Academies—he’d also no longer have to worry about what would happen once Zhang Pianpian left.

But then he turned toward Bai Zhenzhen and asked, “Jie, what about Ah-Zhen? Can she apply for the Prodigy Track too? Are her scores good enough?”

Zhang Yu had been quietly worried about Bai Zhenzhen’s competition standings for a while.

Her progress had been amazing—top four in martial arts, top five in physical combat—but still…

Zhang Pianpian shook her head. “I’m afraid she doesn’t meet the Prodigy Track’s standards.”

Zhang Yu’s heart sank. He turned back to look at Bai Zhenzhen.

But Bai Zhenzhen just smiled and said, “It’s okay, Yuzi. You guys go on ahead to the second floor and blaze the trail for me. I’ll follow in a couple of years.”

Zhang Yu didn’t respond. Instead, he looked at Zhang Pianpian. “Jie, can’t you bend the rules a little? Maybe pull some strings to get her an entrance slot?”

Bai Zhenzhen’s breathing hitched slightly at his words. She looked at Zhang Pianpian, hands unconsciously clenching tight.

But Zhang Pianpian’s tone remained calm. “It’s not possible.”

“You have to understand—when it comes to climbing the social tiers, Kunxu’s rules are unyielding.”

“To ascend floor by floor, there’s no shortcut besides scores and exams.”

“Only within the rules, through trial after trial, can you earn the certificates that open the path upward.”

“That’s Kunxu’s iron law. Anyone who tries to break it will be struck down.”

Bai Zhenzhen trembled at those words.

Then, after a heavy silence, she suddenly laughed. “Told you it’s fine, Yuzi. Go on up and duke it out with the second-floor elites. I’ll stay here and crush the rich kids in Songyang before I follow.”

But even as she said it, Bai Zhenzhen knew she was lying to herself.

She really… really didn’t want to stay in Songyang alone.

“But what can I do? I can’t ask Ah-Yu to give up a shot at college just to stay behind with me.”

“If I said something like that, we couldn’t even be friends anymore, right?”

Then Zhang Yu spoke again. “Jie, are you really sure there’s no way to bring Ah-Zhen with us?”

A chill surged through Zhang Yu’s heart—because even before he spoke the next words, the countdown of the Ritual had already begun in his mind.

It was like the Ritual was pressing him to seize the opportunity and get into university.

But under that pressure, Zhang Yu hesitated. Then, finally, he said what he truly wanted to say—what the Ritual forbade him from saying.

Because he knew, unless he asked this, he could never feel at peace.

He said, “Or… if I stayed behind, do you think Ah-Zhen and I could both make it into the Ten Great Academies the normal way? Like you did, Jie?”

Zhang Pianpian shook her head. “My path only works for me. It’s not one you can walk.”

“Idiot!” the Evil God disguised as prayer beads cursed. “Have you lost your mind?”

“If Bai Zhenzhen can’t come, all the better—kill her, take her Spirit Root.”

“With the resources at Wanfa Sect University, your own talent, and her Spirit Root, you’ll reach Foundation Establishment in under two centuries. Freedom of cultivation, freedom of wealth—it’ll all be yours!”

The Evil God seethed with fury.

He felt like he'd never met someone so stupid—ten times dumber than the poorest, lowliest mortal he'd ever scammed.

“You goddamn broke-ass fool! You deserve to eat dirt on Kunxu’s first floor for life!”

Meanwhile, Bai Zhenzhen said, “Are you being serious right now, Yuzi? You’ve got a shot at the Ten Greats and you’re hesitating?”

Zhang Yu looked at her forced smile and suddenly said, “You’ll be destroyed, Ah-Zhen.”

“Ah-Zhen, if we all leave and you’re stuck here alone, they’ll destroy you.”

Bai Zhenzhen fell silent.

Especially now that she’d spent time learning about the Student Council, the school, the corporations, and had trained alongside Zhang Yu under Zhang Pianpian’s protection.

She realized she could no longer lie to herself—couldn’t accept being left behind like before.

Zhang Yu’s words laid bare everything she’d been avoiding, refusing to think about.

And in that moment, Bai Zhenzhen felt as though she’d plunged into a frozen lake—darkness and cold pressing in from all sides, and she could only sink, unable to see a way forward.

So scared…

I’m really so scared…

She wanted to speak, to laugh and tell Zhang Yu to be sensible and go to the second floor first.

But her fear of the future, of the devouring darkness all around, made her unable to speak those words again.

“I’m sorry, Yuzi…” Bai Zhenzhen bowed her head, fists clenched tighter. Bitterness filled her heart. “I’m so useless. I really… really can’t tell you to go.”

On the other side, Zhang Yu looked toward Zhang Pianpian, as if waiting for a response.

But Zhang Pianpian remained silent, and the cold dread in Zhang Yu’s heart grew heavier.

The Ritual’s power, the same one that had always driven him to study hard, cultivate hard, and reach the Ten Great Academies…

Now it refused to let him give up this chance to enter Wanfa Sect University.

“Please follow Ritual protocol. Fulfill your wish with diligence. Do not delay. 5.”

“Please follow Ritual protocol. Fulfill your wish with diligence. Do not delay. 4.”

As the countdown ticked toward zero, Zhang Yu knew he had almost no time left.

He couldn’t hold out any longer.

One thought filled his heart: “Sorry, Ah-Zhen.”

“But if I insist on staying… the Ritual will kill me.”

He didn’t dare look at Bai Zhenzhen. He knew that before the countdown ended, he’d have to accept Zhang Pianpian’s plan.

His blood surged violently.

Fury rose in his mind. “This rotten world… this garbage Kunxu…”

Just as Zhang Yu was about to speak, Zhang Pianpian suddenly sighed.

Zhang Pianpian said, “Sigh… I knew it. You two… Do you really have to go together?”

Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen looked up, eyes wide with hope.

Seeing the anticipation in their eyes, Zhang Pianpian said helplessly, “If you don’t go the Prodigy Track route, that means once I leave, you’ll have to stay on Kunxu’s first floor. Finish all three years of high school, take the college entrance exams, and get into a university the standard way.”

“Without my protection, surviving the next two-plus years and dodging the rich kids’ suppression to get into the Ten Great Academies… there’s only one way I can think of.”

“But it’s extremely difficult. Even I couldn’t pull it off in my three years of high school.”

Zhang Pianpian’s ‘other way’ made the Ritual’s countdown freeze—and made Zhang Yu blurt out, “What is it?”

“The only way is…” Zhang Pianpian said slowly, “after I leave, you two must pass the Foundation License exam before you graduate high school.”

What?!

The Foundation License?!

Zhang Yu’s mind reeled. The way she said it—it sounded like “just pass your English level-four test before graduation.” That’s the Foundation License, not some English exam!

Even college students struggle to pass that test, and she wanted high schoolers to take it?

Could high schoolers even sit for the Foundation License?

How would they possibly pass it before graduating?

Zhang Yu exclaimed, “The Foundation License? Isn’t that only for college students?”

Bai Zhenzhen echoed, eyes wide in shock, “Can high school students even take the Foundation License?”