Chapter 44: Re-entering the Secret Realm

Watching Wang Chongguo speak as if every word were absolute truth, Qin Zhe blinked, feeling both speechless and half-amused.

Originally, he had viewed Wang Chongguo as a thoroughly reliable dean.

At this moment, however, he changed his mind.

Qin Zhe was not some naive, ignorant brat whose blood easily rushed to his head.

Having once lived as an ordinary member of society, he easily saw through Wang Chongguo's act: the dean had intentionally held back the ring rather than simply forgetting to give it to Yao Jing.

As for why Wang Chongguo withheld it, the dean had likely gauged Qin Zhe's needs during the exchange tournament and kept a card up his sleeve, planning to play it when he needed him.

He had to admit, this was a very worldly approach.

Qin Zhe had to confess that his need for wealth was just a bit too transparent.

Faced with Wang Chongguo’s calm and collected expression, Qin Zhe felt a trace of annoyance, yet his body proved entirely honest.

Feigning indifference as he accepted the ring, Qin Zhe gave a soft cough.

"Dean, rest assured. Once Minister Liu and I go in, we certainly won't let down your expectations."

"Mm, I am deeply gratified by your attitude."

Wang Chongguo smiled, a hint of smug triumph crossing his face as he spoke.

"Once you rendezvous with Qingzhi and the Disaster Relief Bureau personnel, do not rush to act. I have already contacted Li Zongheng. Once the situation stabilizes slightly, I will dispatch Student Union members of Tier Four or above to join you. Only then should you search the mystic realm, find the Eagle Nation nationals who entered, and take them into custody to bring them out. No need to be polite with them."

"You want us to bring people out ourselves?"

Qin Zhe paused, asking with a strange expression.

"Isn't that rather inappropriate? Aside from students, those people from Eagle Nation include several teachers. Can the Student Union alone handle them?"

"Do not underestimate the power of our school's Student Union. Among the teachers William brought, only one possesses the strength of an early Tier Five. Liu Qingzhi alone has the capability to confront him head-on, so there is no need to worry. Furthermore, although the Disaster Relief Bureau personnel are unlikely to actively cooperate with you, they will not simply sit by and do nothing. You may appeal to them for reinforcement if necessary."

With that, Wang Chongguo reached out and patted Qin Zhe on the shoulder.

"Rest assured, as long as you cooperate with Qingzhi to get this matter properly settled, your reward afterward will not be lacking."

"..."

Qin Zhe was left speechless, thinking to himself: Is this damn thing even about a reward?

The several teachers present watched as Wang Chongguo struck a "deal" with someone and then proceeded to sweet-talk and hoodwink him, each wearing a strange expression.

Under the current circumstances, anyone brought along by Wang Chongguo could safely be considered his inner circle. Which of these individuals wasn't an expert at reading people?

They could clearly see that Wang Chongguo placed great importance on Qin Zhe, and the latter's performance on the martial stage earlier that day was more than enough to demonstrate his extraordinary nature.

The problem was that watching their own dean so ruthlessly exploit and hoodwink a student genuinely tested the patience of these faculty members.

Just at that moment, a streak of sword light flashed across the sky and landed in the plaza.

The brilliance receded, revealing Liu Qingzhi holding a leash attached to a massive hound.

"The Cold Moon Divine Hound?"

One of the teachers gasped in surprise, instantly drawing everyone's attention.

As one of the unique specialties exclusive to the Cold Moon Mystic Realm, the Cold Moon Divine Hound combined formidable strength with practical utility, possessed striking looks, and was exceedingly rare, naturally capturing widespread notice.

However, Liu Qingzhi had not made a special trip back just to show off the dog.

The moment she arrived and stood steady, her slender hand delivered a resounding slap right onto the hound's head.

"Ebao, you've been eating so well these past few days. It's time for you to perform. Don't let me down."

The Cold Moon Divine Hound had clearly been thoroughly tamed. Taking the blow to its head, it threw its head back and let out an "Awooo," its body expanding rapidly until it reached over five meters in height.

Upon seeing this, Qin Zhe's eyes widened, and he nearly blurted out an unfiltered exclamation of disbelief.

He never imagined that the Cold Moon Divine Hound possessed the ability to grow even larger!

Sharing the same appearance as a Husky, the Cold Moon Divine Hound was already striking and majestic, and after growing larger, it looked even more formidable and awe-inspiring, fully living up to the title of a divine hound.

Liu Qingzhi had always been a woman of few words and decisive actions. Seeing that the Cold Moon Divine Hound had transformed its form, she wasted no time in channeling a stream of spiritual energy that wrapped around Qin Zhe, pulling him up onto the hound's back.

"Dean, time is pressing. We're setting off."

Having been tamed, the Cold Moon Divine Hound shared a telepathic connection with Liu Qingzhi. Hearing her command, it leaped forward in a single bound, plunging directly into the mystic realm rift.

Before Qin Zhe could even react, the scenery before his eyes shifted, and he found himself inside the mystic realm, leaving him utterly dumbfounded.

Casting a speechless look at Liu Qingzhi beside him, Qin Zhe desperately wanted to tell her that he hadn't finished talking with the dean.

Yet, faced with the Minister's breathtaking profile, Qin Zhe could only smile wryly, abandoning the thought and instead reaching out to stroke the soft fur on the back of the Cold Moon Divine Hound's neck.

"Minister, did you really name this dog Ebao?"

"What's wrong? Is there a problem?"

Liu Qingzhi turned her head, her beautiful eyes shimmering, seeming quite pleased with the name.

"No problem at all, it's great."

Qin Zhe offered a sheepish smile, not daring to make any sarcastic remarks.

Ebao—it was only a single character different from Erha! The Minister certainly had a unique knack for naming things!

"I think it's wonderful too."

Liu Qingzhi's lips curved upward, bestowing a radiant smile without a trace of stinginess as a reward of approval.

"I suffered a disadvantage last time, so I need to conserve my spiritual energy to prevent being unable to handle contingencies, which is why I brought Ebao along. Across the snowy plains of the Cold Moon Mystic Realm, its speed is no slower than a streak of sword light."

"This creature can outrun a sword light?"

Qin Zhe froze, finding it rather hard to believe.

No matter how divine the Cold Moon Divine Hound was, it was still ultimately a hound-type spirit beast. Could four legs really outpace a flying sword?

Seeming to hear the doubt and feel aggrieved by it, the Cold Moon Divine Hound carried the two of them, let out another long howl to the heavens, and suddenly surged forward with a whoosh, transforming into a streak of pure white light across the snowfield.

Qin Zhe possessed only a sliver of spiritual energy and lacked the innate spiritual protective barrier possessed by high-tier immortal cultivators like Liu Qingzhi.

Caught completely unprepared, he was nearly blown right off his seat by the sudden acceleration. On top of that, the oncoming wind and snow smashed into him head-on, turning him into a living snowman in the blink of an eye.

Seeing this sight, Liu Qingzhi couldn't hold back a sudden giggle and gently struck the Cold Moon Divine Hound.

"Ebao, stop messing around."

Accompanied by her pampering tone, the hound let out a joyful bark, and swirling spiritual energy surged outward, forming a protective barrier that enveloped Qin Zhe entirely.

"..."

Left speechless, Qin Zhe silently brushed the clinging snow off his body from within the protective barrier.

To be outsmarted by a dog was, frankly, quite humiliating, especially with a stunning beauty standing right beside him.

Yet, he had no way to retaliate...

Liu Qingzhi had even given it a personal name, which clearly showed how much she adored the dog. She had just been laughing happily out loud, so what could he possibly do?

Forget it, forget it. There was no point in arguing with a dog.

Silently admonishing himself, Qin Zhe asked, "Minister, are you already fully aware of the situation regarding the Eagle Nation exchange students?"

"Mm, the dean sent me a flying sword transmission earlier, otherwise I wouldn't have rushed back to the academy so quickly."

As she spoke, Liu Qingzhi gazed at the rapidly shifting scenery around them and said, "Our current location is quite a distance from the scorched earth. However, with Ebao leading the way, we should arrive at our destination in about twenty minutes. The dean mentioned that the Disaster Relief Bureau's camp is set up along the edge of the scorched earth, so we'll need to search for it shortly. If our luck is bad, we might have to circle the entire perimeter of the scorched earth, which could take quite a while."

Finished speaking, Liu Qingzhi hesitated for a moment before adding, "Regarding the abyss, I managed to uncover a few clues at home over the past few days."