"Nan Bei is unable to continue! Winner—Gu Jin!"
And then thunderous applause.
The entire arena erupted.
Even the professors stood up.
"She advanced to the top 5 just like that?"
"What the heck! Remembering how she never moved in any of the matches, I am impressed."
"Bro, she is a monster! Can you believe it? She is an alchemist genius, but also a powerful mage. What do we call people like her? One in a lifetime mage!"
"It is confirmed! She is my idol!"
"Queen behavior, seriously."
"I feel bad for all those who mocked her before. She’s terrifying in the best way!"
The cheering didn’t stop.
Some students even began chanting her name.
"Gu Jin! Gu Jin! Gu Jin!"
Gu Jin stood still, expression calm.
But deep inside, she acknowledged it.
Suddenly, a loud bell echoed through the stadium, followed by the announcement mage’s voice.
"Attention, students and guests!"
The crowd quieted down immediately.
"The quarterfinal matches have ended. The five contenders who have qualified for the finals are—"
A drumroll of magical sound rippled through the air.
"Wei Lin, Zhao Ming, Shen Yue, Luo Fei... and Gu Jin!"
More cheers broke out, and some people even stomped their feet in celebration.
"The final round will be held tomorrow at noon in the Grand Arena. Finalists, please prepare accordingly."
Gu Jin turned and began walking off the stage. Her undeads were already gone, and her calm face gave nothing away.
But just as she reached the edge of the platform, she heard fast footsteps behind her.
"Wait! Wait, Gu Jin!"
She had no interest in fans, reporters, or random students seeking attention.
"Hey! I have something you’d want to know!"
That made her pause—just barely. She glanced over her shoulder.
A boy with messy black hair and a too-big robe rushed toward her. He looked younger than most students, maybe fifteen or sixteen. Breathless, eyes wide with urgency.
She narrowed her eyes. "Speak."
The boy took a deep breath. "I know the whereabouts of Long Yifan."
The name hit her like cold wind.
She turned slowly, her voice low and sharp. "What did you say?"
"I said... I know where Long Yifan is. Or at least, I know someone who does."
Gu Jin’s eyes sharpened, but she stayed silent.
The boy hesitated, then added, "But I need a favor in return."
Her expression turned cold. "What kind of favor?"
He fidgeted. "Well... I need you to pretend to be my girlfriend. Just for a while."
Her gaze turned dead flat.
Immediately, she turned to leave.
"Wait! I’m not lying!" he cried, grabbing her sleeve.
She yanked her arm away.
"You’re wasting my time."
"No, really—I’m a Prophet’s Blood! I have the power to see glimpses of the future. But I can’t inherit the full ability unless I complete a ritual... and I need someone with powerful mana to help me. That’s you!"
Gu Jin was already walking again.
"I’m not interested in lies."
"I know about your cousin!" he shouted suddenly. "The one you’ve been looking for in secret Jin Mu!"
She stopped dead in her tracks.
The air around her seemed to chill.
Slowly, she turned her head.
His breath caught as their eyes met.
Her voice was dangerously quiet.
"I know about Jin Mu," he said more carefully this time. "I saw her face. In one of my visions. I don’t know where she is yet, but... I think I can help you find her."
The arena noise faded behind them, like a dull hum.
Gu Jin stared at the boy, searching for signs of lies.
After a long pause, she finally asked, "What’s your name?"
He blinked, then smiled sheepishly. "Oh. Right. It’s Wen Xue."
He scratched the back of his head. "I guess I should’ve started with that instead of the girlfriend thing, huh?"
Gu Jin stared at him for a second longer, then said flatly, "Definitely."
And then she walked off, leaving him standing there—but this time, she didn’t dismiss him completely.
Because for the first time...
Someone mentioned the two names she had buried deep in her heart—
The sun had started to dip behind the academy walls as Gu Jin followed Wen Xue to a small café tucked into one of the quieter corners of the campus. The place was old-fashioned, with wooden chairs, glowing orbs for lights, and an upstairs area for private meetings. A sign read: Rooms for Rent—Quiet Conversations Encouraged.
Wen Xue spoke quickly to the owner, booked a private room, and led her up the stairs. Once they entered, he closed the door behind them. The room was simple—a round table, two chairs, and a sound-blocking charm that hummed quietly in the air.
Gu Jin sat with her arms crossed, her expression unreadable.
Wen Xue rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Um, first... thanks for agreeing to come."
He sat across from her, cleared his throat, then looked at her seriously.
"So earlier, I said I was broke. And yeah, I meant it. I can’t afford help or protection. I can’t pay you, but I can return the favor. Just don’t expect anything."
Gu Jin leaned back slightly. "Then get to the point. Why bring me here?"
He nodded and pulled a thin folder from inside his robe, placing it on the table. "Before I say anything else, I need you to promise what I’m about to say stays between us. Completely confidential."
She raised an eyebrow.
"I’m not just talking words," he added quickly. "I need you to sign this."
She opened the folder. Inside was a standard magical agreement contract, bound by a truth seal. If she broke the contract, she’d suffer a backlash strong enough to put her in bed for weeks.
Gu Jin’s eyes flicked across the terms.
"Fine," she said after a moment. She signed her name, and the parchment glowed softly before fading to a dull gray—contract activated.
"Thank you," Wen Xue breathed.
He looked around once, then leaned forward. "You know how this world revolves around mana, right? Everyone has it in them. Even farmers and beggars."
"But... that’s not all. There’s another type of energy. Suppressed. Forgotten. Hidden by the ancients. It’s not mana, but something else. Something deeper."
He paused. "I won’t go into too much detail. But this energy is tied to something people once called divine essence. It flows through bloodlines—not just in the body, but in the blood itself. And only a rare few have it."
Gu Jin’s eyes narrowed. "What does that have to do with me?"
Wen Xue smiled nervously. "I have the ability to see glimpses of the future. It’s not perfect, but it’s strong. I inherited this from my mother’s side. They called it Prophet’s Blood."
He reached into his sleeve and pulled out a small silver pendant shaped like an eye, then placed it on the table. It shimmered faintly.
"But I haven’t fully awakened it. To do that, I need someone with blood that carries mana naturally—someone whose power runs through every vein, not just their core."
He looked her straight in the eye. "Gu Jin... that’s you."
She blinked, confused. "That still doesn’t make sense. What does my body have to do with your ritual?"
He took a deep breath. "You’ve already shown you’re not only an alchemy genius, but also a combat monster. That doesn’t happen for no reason. Your body is different—special. That kind of body is rare. And I’ve seen it in my visions. You’re the one who can help me inherit the Prophet’s legacy."
Gu Jin’s expression darkened. "Does this involve anything... intimate?"
Wen Xue’s face turned bright red. "W-What? No! I mean—no, no! It’s nothing like that. We just need to hold hands during the process."
She raised a brow. "Just that?"
"Well... there’s more," he admitted, lowering his voice. "During the ritual, some of your blood will be drawn out and transferred into me. The process is... painful. For you."
Her gaze sharpened. "What kind of pain?"
"It’ll feel like your veins are burning. Your mana might spiral out of control for a few minutes. You might faint," he said honestly. "But I’ll only need a few drops. No more than that."
Gu Jin’s eyes didn’t blink. "Will we be using any kind of medium?"
"No. It has to be direct," he said quietly. "My blood will absorb the essence from yours during contact. That’s how the Prophet’s Gate opens."
He pulled out a thin ritual scroll and gently unrolled it on the table. Strange symbols pulsed on the paper.
"I can’t do this without you," he said softly. "If I don’t awaken the power soon, my father will force me to choose a substitute. Someone with less power, but more... political value."
Gu Jin studied the scroll, then looked back at him.
"Because you were in my vision," he said simply.