Chapter 801 – Three Thousand Mirror Ruins 68

The classroom fell silent for a moment as all the students stared curiously at the purple star on Mo Lan’s arm.

Bai Wei, who came from an ordinary family and didn’t know much about these things, quietly asked Wang Jingnan beside her, “Wang Jingnan, what is that purple star? Is it really impressive? Why did those teachers go silent when they saw it?”

Wang Jingnan gazed at the mark on Mo Lan’s arm, a complex look flickering through his eyes — part envy, part resignation.

He explained in a low voice to Bai Wei, and to the other equally curious classmates, “That’s the exclusive emblem of the Mirror Ruins University Youth Class… Mirror Ruins University is the best school in the entire Three Thousand Mirror Ruins World — bar none. To be admitted into their Youth Class means…”

He paused, a trace of longing in his voice. “…it means your future is virtually guaranteed to reach nine-star or above as a top-tier Mirror Explorer. Compared to us… she’s already in an entirely different world.”

His lifelong dream had only ever been to become an eight-star Mirror Explorer like his father, and to claim the Mirror Lord seat of Deer Cry Mirror at the Mirror Lord competition.

Before, there might have been a faint, vague thought lurking in the back of his mind — a desire to see Mo Lan regret refusing his family’s sponsorship once she lacked resources. But now, seeing that purple star, that notion finally dissipated completely, dissolving into a soft sigh.

He couldn’t help but look up at Teacher Yan Shuang, asking in a tone that sought confirmation, “Teacher Yan… the Mirror Ruins University Youth Class… just how high are the application requirements?”

The other students heard this and turned curiously toward Teacher Yan Shuang as well. Among them, even those from decent backgrounds were only notable within Deer Cry Mirror.

Even the Eastern China Alliance was just one unremarkable nation among the countless countries in the Three Thousand Mirror Ruins, let alone Deer Cry Mirror, merely one of the Alliance’s eighteen major territories.

Mirror Ruins University was a legend to all of them.

“The hard requirements: under seventeen years of age, psychic power cultivation at Three-Star Second Stage without the aid of external items, possessing no more than three skills, and among those, at least one must be a perfectly extracted three-star skill.”

Teacher Yan Shuang’s words fell like a heavy hammer, shattering the last shred of hope her students might have harbored.

Among them, only Chen Xingye and Lin Yue had broken through to two-star. The rest weren’t far behind, but advancing from two-star to three-star required a hundred times more psychic power than going from one-star to two-star.

It had already taken them a full two years to go from one-star to two-star. In the same span of time, breaking through from two-star to three-star was virtually impossible.

And that wasn’t even mentioning the requirement for a perfectly extracted three-star skill.

A perfectly extracted skill could only come from a beast core obtained by solo-killing a mirror beast head-on, which meant one also needed the ability to face a three-star mirror beast in direct combat.

Right before their eyes stood a fifteen-year-old three-star!

Yet the gap was too vast — there wasn’t even a glimmer of hope of catching up.

They had all taken the aptitude test on the same day, enrolled in the Mirror Explorer Class on the same day, begun cultivating on the same day, been taught by the same teacher. Yet Mo Lan’s progress was as if she’d used a teleportation skill, while they had merely run a little faster than ordinary people.

Was having perfect scores in both psychic power and Mirror Explorer aptitude really that formidable?

Seeing her students looking somewhat disheartened, Yan Shuang shifted her tone. “However, Mirror Ruins University also accepts general admissions students. They recruit worldwide from those under twenty-five years of age, with psychic power at three-star or above, skill extraction proficiency at ninety percent or higher, and at least one perfectly extracted three-star skill.

Your aptitudes are all quite good. After you enter the Explorer Academy, don’t slack off. Focus on improving yourselves, honing your skills, and solidifying your foundations. Once you graduate, you may well have the chance to apply to Mirror Ruins University’s general program and step onto a broader stage.”

Teacher Yan Shuang’s words gave her students a new direction. Though the goal was still daunting, at least there was something to strive toward.

The atmosphere in the classroom gradually shifted to something more positive and hopeful.

After the recruiting teachers left, the classroom slowly quieted down.

Yan Shuang looked at the twelve familiar, still slightly youthful faces before her. This was the first class she had ever taught as a teacher. Though the number was small — only twelve — the accumulated moments of these two years had made even someone as typically aloof as her feel a pang of reluctance to part. She was silent for a moment, as if choosing her words carefully, then walked to the podium, picked up a pen, and wrote her private communication mailbox number clearly on the blackboard.

“This is my private mailbox number.” Yan Shuang’s voice was noticeably slower than usual. “Although I only taught this one class of yours, and there were only twelve of you… these two years have left a deep impression on me.”

She paused, her gaze sweeping across each student. “After this, I will terminate my appointment at Deer Cry Middle School and leave. But if any of you encounter problems in your cultivation that you truly cannot solve on your own, or… if you achieve something noteworthy in the future, you can reach me through this mailbox. Let me see what paths you all end up walking.”

This was the most straightforward and sincere farewell and promise Yan Shuang was capable of making.

She was not someone adept at expressing emotions, but this willingness to stay connected and watch over their futures was beyond precious.

The students were stunned for a moment, then their faces filled with intense reluctance and emotion.

“Teacher! Are you really leaving?”

“Teacher Yan, we can’t bear to see you go!”

…

Even Chen Xingye, usually the most reclusive of them all, looked downcast.

Bai Wei’s eyes were already rimmed with red.

No one knew who suggested it first: “Teacher! Let us treat you to a meal!”

“Yes! Let’s book the best table at the school restaurant!”

“Give us a chance to give you a proper farewell!”

The suggestion was met with enthusiastic agreement from everyone.

They knew Teacher Yan Shuang didn’t like noise and commotion, but a simple farewell dinner was the only way they could think of to express their gratitude and reluctance to part.

Yan Shuang looked at the earnest, pleading gazes of her students, and that icy corner of her mouth seemed to soften ever so slightly for just an instant.

In the end, she didn’t refuse. She gave a gentle nod. “Alright.”

“Wonderful!” The students burst into cheers, and the sorrow of parting seemed to ease somewhat in this brief moment of joy.

Mo Lan joined her classmates as they crowded around Teacher Yan Shuang and left the classroom in a lively throng, heading toward the school restaurant.

In the best private room of the school restaurant, a lavish spread of dishes quickly filled the table. Everyone gathered around, and the atmosphere was utterly different from their usual days.

Though Teacher Yan Shuang still sat with impeccable posture, much of the habitual frost between her brows seemed to have melted away. She even responded to a bold joke or two from the students on occasion.

The students, too, cast aside their usual caution and reserve, eagerly asking Teacher Yan Shuang all the questions they had never dared to ask before.

After today, they would all go their separate ways. But this brief bond between teacher and students would remain an important mark in each of their lives.