CHAPTER 642: CHAPTER 642: SCHEMES

With a gentle wave of her hand, green vines with glowing veins rose from the ground.

Sharp thorns shimmered faintly, and the air was filled with the scent of living poison.

Gasps filled the crowd. Everyone instinctively stepped back.

Gu Jin said calmly, "I’m already at Transcendental Stage Seven. Do you still think I used the backdoor?"

The silence was thick. No one dared to answer.

Then, a few eyes turned toward Long Yifan. Someone whispered, "What about you? Your talent is slower than hers, right?"

Long Yifan grinned. "Slow? Let’s test that."

He waved his hand, and a second plant spirit appeared beside Gu Jin’s. Its aura was just as powerful, its energy almost identical. "Transcendental Stage Seven," he said proudly. "And I’m twenty-five."

The crowd erupted in shock.

"Stage Seven? At twenty-five? Are you kidding me? Can someone check and see if they are lying?"

"I can check... and they are telling the truth."

"What the heck... are we even living in the same world?"

"Don’t forget that they were given the chance to get the title of might mage for a year. Maybe the resources provided to them were top-notch."

"Hell right. If that’s so simple, then why didn’t other mighty mages couple too reach the transcendental stage seven within one year?"

Gu Jin crossed her arms calmly. "Now tell me," she said, "do you still think we cheated?"

No one answered. The entire area was silent except for the faint hum of her vines.

Finally, she continued, "Lady Ling made this decision herself. We didn’t ask for it, and we didn’t interfere. The guardian of Mage God does not make careless choices. Every action she takes is for the good of humanity."

Her tone was calm but firm. "So if you have doubts, don’t aim them at me. Go ask Lady Ling yourself."

The reporters looked at each other, unsure what to say next.

One brave reporter finally asked, "So are you officially the new Mighty Mage couple?"

Gu Jin chuckled lightly. "We are part of the new selection," she said. "But whether we’ll become permanent or not is still uncertain. Even we don’t know if Lady Ling will confirm it."

Her words made several people pause. The realization dawned slowly.

They had jumped to conclusions too soon.

Someone whispered, "Wait... does that mean they’re only in the trial phase?"

Another muttered, "That would explain why Lady Ling hasn’t made an official announcement."

Gu Jin and Long Yifan exchanged a quick glance. Long Yifan nodded once.

Together, they activated their teleportation spell and disappeared into thin air.

The reporters stood frozen. Then, all at once, phones began ringing in their pockets.

One of them picked up and gasped. "It’s Lady Ling’s official channel! She just posted!"

Everyone immediately opened their phones. On the screen was a single message:

"Gu Jin and Long Yifan are joining as a trial Mighty Mage couple, not permanent. Their final status will be decided after the evaluation period."

The street fell silent.

Every reporter stared at the post in disbelief. Slowly, regret washed over their faces.

They had accused Gu Jin and Long Yifan wrongly, embarrassed themselves in public, and even offended two rising legends.

Someone groaned. "We really messed up."

Another said quietly, "We just accused the future strongest couple in the world."

No one spoke after that.

And far away, standing atop a nearby tree, Gu Jin watched the chaos below with calm eyes. Long Yifan looked at her and smiled faintly.

"Do you think there is someone behind everything that happened today?"

Gu Jin’s eyes stayed fixed on the city lights below. "If there wasn’t someone," she said slowly, "I would start thinking that I’m becoming paranoid."

Long Yifan nodded slightly. "Then who do you suspect the most?"

Gu Jin’s voice dropped. "Lady Ling."

That single name made the air feel heavier. Long Yifan frowned and turned toward her.

"You think Lady Ling is behind this?"

"Yes," Gu Jin replied softly. "She could have cleared the misunderstanding at any moment. She knew what was happening since last night. Yet, she said nothing. She just watched us struggle, then posted the message only after we solved it ourselves."

Long Yifan’s eyes narrowed.

"You’re right. If she really cared about fairness, she would have stopped the reporters before they spread those rumors."

"She didn’t," Gu Jin said, her tone cold. "It’s like she was testing us... or doing it on purpose."

Long Yifan thought for a moment, then sighed.

"I think so too. Lady Ling is too smart to stay silent by accident. Everything she does has meaning."

Gu Jin looked up at the night sky. "Maybe she wants to see how far we’ll go. Or maybe she’s planning to use us for something."

Long Yifan gave a small laugh without humor.

"Wouldn’t surprise me. I have never seen her offer the Mighty Mage title to anyone after just one year of service. Not once."

Gu Jin nodded. "Exactly. Why suddenly us?"

They fell silent for a moment. The wind blew gently between them. Then Long Yifan said quietly,

"Whatever her reason, we should stay alert. I don’t think she sees us as human anymore. Maybe we’re pawns in something bigger."

Gu Jin agreed. "We will keep our eyes open. And about the resources she gave us..." she trailed off.

Long Yifan smirked. "Yes. The ones everyone thought I sold."

Gu Jin smiled faintly. "We both know the truth. We kept them hidden and used only small amounts. We’ve been saving the rest for the right time."

"Exactly," Long Yifan said. "Lady Ling limited us on purpose. She gave us rare materials but not the right combinations to advance freely. It was like she wanted to control our growth."

"Which means she fears something," Gu Jin whispered. "Maybe she fears what will happen if we reach a higher level too fast."

Long Yifan’s expression darkened. "Then we’ll take our time. We’ll grow silently, and no one will know how far we’ve reached until it’s too late."

Gu Jin looked at him with a calm smile. "Agreed. We’ll act obedient, but in truth, we’ll prepare for whatever she’s planning."

With that decision, both of them jumped down from the tree. Their forms flickered and disappeared into the wind, heading toward the White Palace.

Meanwhile, far away in a large white room that shone like glass, Lady Ling sat on a couch with her phone in hand.

The screen showed the news feed full of posts about Gu Jin and Long Yifan. Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"These reporters," she muttered. "I handed them such a good chance to witness greatness, yet they ruined it with their impatience."

She placed the phone aside and closed her eyes for a moment. Then she whispered,

"It’s fine. Everything is still under control. Once I create a situation where Gu Jin and Long Yifan must enter the Forbidden Land to prove their worth, everything will move as planned."

A faint smile touched her lips. She leaned back, already imagining the chaos to come.

At that moment, a knock came on the door.

Her scheming look vanished instantly. She straightened her posture, her expression turning calm and kind.

"Come in," she said gently.

The door opened, and a young woman stepped inside. Her long hair was tied neatly, and her robe shimmered faintly with silver.

She bowed deeply. "Lady Ling, the preparations for the cultivation pool are complete. Do you wish to enter again?"

Lady Ling nodded lightly. "Yes. I will."

The young woman, Maya, looked at her for a moment before speaking again.

"Should we also prepare the newbie package for the new Mighty Mage couple, like we always do?"

Lady Ling paused. Then she gave a faint smile. "If we do that, the other couples will become jealous. They might start plotting revenge."

Maya frowned. "But Gu Jin and Long Yifan are powerful enough to protect themselves."

Lady Ling shook her head.

"Power alone is not enough. Jealousy can make people unite, and once that happens, even the strong can fall. I have seen this too many times, Maya."

Maya hesitated, then bowed again. "I understand. Forgive me for speaking out of turn."

"It’s fine," Lady Ling said softly. "You care for them, I can tell. But sometimes caring too much leads to disaster."

Maya nodded and left the room. When the door closed, Lady Ling’s smile disappeared. Her eyes turned sharp again.

"If I give them more resources," she whispered, "their strength will rise too fast. I cannot allow that yet."

She stood up slowly and walked toward another chamber connected to her room.

At the center of the chamber was a large white pool filled with water that shimmered like light.

Two guards stood at the entrance, but Lady Ling waved her hand gently. "Leave me."

They bowed and left at once.

Lady Ling removed her robe and stepped into the pool. The moment the water touched her skin, a faint light surrounded her. She closed her eyes and began to meditate.

For a few minutes, the room was silent. Then, a second figure began to appear inside the pool.

It was not human but a glowing soul shape made of light and mist. The figure had no clear face, but the pressure around it was powerful.