Chapter 5: Qi Yue, Liu Xi

"Alright, the show's over. Everyone can head home now," Zhou Yuan said with a smile, tossing the jade tablet in his hand as he addressed the many young men and women who had gathered to watch.

Hearing this, the crowd smiled and began to disperse. However, as they left, their gazes towards Zhou Yuan carried a new hint of surprise. It was well-known throughout Great Zhou Manor that Zhou Yuan had never managed to open his meridians. Many had therefore assumed that their prince, despite his noble status, lacked any real power.

Today's events, however, had completely dispelled that notion.

While Zhou Yuan had not yet opened his meridians, he wielded another form of power: Genesis Runes. Thanks to these runes, even someone like Xu Lin, who had opened two meridians, was no match for him.

In this world, while status and position are certainly a form of power, what truly earns recognition is undoubtedly the strength cultivated through one's own efforts. Such power remains constant, unaffected by any change in identity or social standing.

"Here, don't lose it again," Zhou Yuan said, tossing the jade tablet to Su Youwei as she approached. A gentle breeze billowed her academy uniform, subtly outlining her elegant figure, which was quite captivating.

Su Youwei bit her red lip, a hint of embarrassment on her face, and her bright eyes fixed on Zhou Yuan. "Are you alright?" she asked.

Girls are often more observant, and she noticed that Zhou Yuan's hand was trembling slightly.

"Heh heh, you noticed," Zhou Yuan chuckled. He then raised his hand, revealing that his knuckles were still a bit red from the fierce punch he had delivered earlier.

"Without opening my meridians, my physical constitution is still somewhat lacking," Zhou Yuan lamented. Although the Iron Skin, Light Body, and Brute Ox runes had temporarily enhanced his skin's hardness, strength, and speed, his internal body remained too fragile. Even a slight rebound force infiltrating his body made him feel quite unwell.

"I heard from an instructor that some Genesis Runes can temporarily strengthen the entire body," Su Youwei mused. "If you could learn those, you wouldn't suffer from the rebound force."

Zhou Yuan nodded. "Genesis Runes with that kind of effect are usually high-grade," he said.

It's rumored that Genesis Runes are categorized into nine grades. However, Zhou Yuan is currently at an introductory level, not even considered Grade One, so he wouldn't be able to learn such advanced runes anytime soon.

"Then you'll need to work hard," Su Youwei said, gently biting her red lip, her voice tinged with worry. "For the major examination in a month, unless you can inscribe a Grade One Genesis Rune, it will likely be difficult to make it into the top ten."

Poor results for Zhou Yuan in the examination would likely reignite gossip.

Zhou Yuan gently rubbed his palm. "Don't worry," he said, "I have a plan."

He squinted slightly. At this point, he could only hope that his visit to the ancestral land in two days would help him resolve the issue of his eight meridians remaining dormant. Otherwise, he might truly have no choice but to dedicate all his efforts to studying Genesis Runes.

The thought of being limited to specializing solely in Genesis Runes in the future left him feeling quite reluctant.

Observing Zhou Yuan's silence, Su Youwei, ever perceptive, immediately changed the subject. Her eyes sparkling, she asked with a smile, "Your Highness, would you like me to apply some medicine for you?"

"Never mind," Zhou Yuan joked. "Such a public display of favor might make others try to harm me." After all, Su Youwei's popularity within Great Zhou Manor was considerable now.

Hearing this, Su Youwei could only give him an exasperated look. "Since you're such a coward, I won't concern myself with you then," she said. "I still need to go organize books at the library."

This was a part-time job she had found to earn some income. Her family background wasn't well-off, and she had a grandfather to support, so in addition to her regular studies, she took on odd jobs within Great Zhou Manor.

Hearing this, Zhou Yuan hesitated for a moment. "The major examination is only a month away; time is tight," he said. "I think you should focus more on opening your meridians. If you need anything, I..."

"Your Highness."

Zhou Yuan was cut off before he could finish speaking. He looked at Su Youwei; the young woman had pressed her lips together slightly, her eyes fixed on him with a serious gaze. Her voice was soft, yet it carried an undeniable strength: "You've already helped me so much. You brought me to a place that could change my destiny, and I am profoundly grateful to you. But... you said we are friends, didn't you?"

Zhou Yuan was taken aback. He gazed at the young woman before him; deep within her shimmering, bright eyes, he perceived a subtle persistence, an unyielding resolve that others might miss. It was her way of safeguarding her last shred of dignity.

She knew that if she simply asked, Zhou Yuan would arrange everything she needed. However, she also understood that such an act might subtly alter the nature of their relationship.

She had been meticulously nurturing their relationship. Zhou Yuan was the esteemed Prince of the Great Zhou Dynasty, while she was merely a commoner. The vast disparity in their social standing made them prone to criticism.

She wasn't afraid of the criticism itself, but she didn't want Zhou Yuan to think less of her.

Thus, upon entering Great Zhou Manor, she dedicated herself to achieving independence and diligently cultivated, striving to narrow the vast gap in their social standings.

And she had succeeded remarkably. As the fastest talent to open meridians since the founding of Great Zhou Manor, her abilities were enough to command everyone's attention. Even Zhou Yuan's father, King Zhou Qing, had come to know her name.

"Alright, alright," Faced with the young woman's persistent and resolute gaze, Zhou Yuan finally conceded, raising his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Then I won't interfere," he said with a wry smile.

Hearing this, Su Youwei's bright eyes curved gently like crescent moons. Simultaneously, she quietly let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. She knew that if Zhou Yuan had insisted, she likely wouldn't have been able to refuse, but it would have left her with a slight sense of disappointment.

At least for now, she knew Zhou Yuan would choose to yield to preserve her remaining self-respect. A fleeting shimmer appeared in her eyes, and her heart swelled with an unusual sense of gratitude.

"Your Highness, rest assured, I won't neglect my cultivation," Su Youwei said with a radiant, confident smile. "I promise you that in the major examination, I will rank among the top and gain admission to the Alpha Academy."

Within Great Zhou Manor, there were over a dozen branch academies, with Alpha Academy being, of course, the strongest.

Zhou Yuan nodded, then thoughtfully reached into his robes and pulled out the Genesis Gathering Jade he had won from his bet with Xu Lin. He took Su Youwei's delicate hand and placed the jade in her palm.

"Don't misunderstand," Zhou Yuan quickly interjected, seeing Su Youwei about to refuse. "It's not a gift; I'm lending it to you. I haven't opened my meridians yet, so I can't use it myself."

Hearing Zhou Yuan's words, Su Youwei swallowed what she was about to say, then shot him an annoyed glare. *What kind of talk was that!*

"I'm leaving!" Su Youwei mumbled, putting away the Genesis Gathering Jade, and brushed past Zhou Yuan.

"Such a proud one..."

Zhou Yuan watched the young woman's distant, slender figure, shaking his head. Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly sensed something. He looked up towards a distant pavilion and saw a white-robed figure looking down, their gaze sharp as a blade.

"Qi Yue." Zhou Yuan's eyebrow twitched slightly as he looked at the white-robed figure.

The white-robed figure was indeed Qi Yue, the heir to the Qi Royal Manor.

Sensing Zhou Yuan's gaze, a smile appeared on Qi Yue's face, and he cupped his fist towards Zhou Yuan from a distance.

Zhou Yuan sneered inwardly but kept a smile on his face, nodding back with a grin before turning and walking away.

From the pavilion, Qi Yue watched Zhou Yuan's retreating figure, his expression growing contemplative. He murmured to himself, "I didn't expect this prince to have quietly gained some proficiency in Genesis Runes..."

Behind Qi Yue, a graceful figure emerged: a tall young woman, charming and beautiful. However, her thin lips gave her a somewhat sharp, even unkind appearance, clearly lacking the same appeal as Su Youwei.

Her beautiful eyes glanced disdainfully in the direction Zhou Yuan had departed. She scoffed, "Genesis Runes are ultimately just a minor path. No matter how profound one's skill, they cannot truly transform one's being or extend one's lifespan. A single misstep, and even a commoner could easily strike them down."

Her name was Liu Xi. Her father was the Marquis of Great Zhou, known as Marquis Liu, and was naturally a prominent noble. In fact, she and Zhou Yuan had a shared history.

A few years ago, King Zhou Qing, observing the growing influence of the Qi Royal Manor, sought to counterbalance it. He intended to strengthen his ties with Marquis Liu and thus proposed a marriage alliance between Zhou Yuan and Marquis Liu's daughter, Liu Xi, to deepen the relationship between their two families.

Marquis Liu was hesitant about Zhou Qing's proposal. At the time, the Great Zhou imperial family appeared to be weakening, and their sole heir, Zhou Yuan, was unable to open his meridians. Moreover, Marquis Liu doted on Liu Xi immensely, so he sought her opinion. However, Liu Xi was exceedingly proud and arrogant; she dismissed Zhou Yuan as a "useless prince" and rejected the proposal without hesitation, even quipping that "the useless prince was a toad yearning for a swan." This remark became a popular jest at the time.

Witnessing her reaction, Marquis Liu used it as his reason to decline King Zhou Qing's offer.

Although the matter was long in the past, seeing Zhou Yuan, whom she had once disdainfully called a "toad," clearly still vexed Liu Xi.

Hearing this, Qi Yue smiled and nodded. "For this major examination, all the top-ranked students have already pledged their allegiance to me," he said. "If our Prince Zhou Yuan believes he can distinguish himself with just this slight proficiency in Genesis Runes, then he's only setting himself up for public humiliation."

He paused, then narrowed his eyes slightly. "However, Su Youwei's talent is truly astonishing. Her future potential is boundless. If the opportunity arises, we must make every effort to win her over."

A look of displeasure crossed Liu Xi's face upon hearing Qi Yue's words. She curled her lip and retorted, "She's just a common girl who's opened three meridians. If we can't win her over, we'll simply find an opportunity to cripple her."

Liu Xi came from a prominent background and possessed considerable talent herself. Previously, she had been the undisputed brightest jewel in Great Zhou Manor. However, since Su Youwei's arrival, much of her luster had been overshadowed, which naturally fostered a deep dislike for the commoner Su Youwei.

Qi Yue, of course, detected the young woman's displeasure towards Su Youwei in her tone. He merely smiled, said nothing further, and continued to gaze at Zhou Yuan's vanishing figure in the distance.

"It seems Zhou Yuan has completely lost confidence in himself, so he wants to support a talented individual as a crutch..."

"Zhou Yuan, Zhou Yuan, you, the sacred dragon of the Zhou family, have truly become a useless one."

"Given that, your Zhou family is destined for ruin."