The comments said I was deeply affectionate, I just added points by using an alternate account.

Guan Jinyue glanced at the metal box but didn't take it. Instead, he asked again, "Where's the beacon?"

"Beacon...I...I don't know what beacon..." Shadow Mouse's eyes flickered, still trying to hide the truth.

Guan Jinyue's eyes turned cold. He raised his free left hand, forming a sword shape with his fingers. A point of dazzling golden light, like a star, appeared at the tip of his finger and touched the center of the shadow rat's brow.

"Soul Search".

Two simple words, yet they caused the Shadow Rat's soul to be scattered. The Soul Searching Technique can cause memory damage and turn someone into an idiot at best, and the soul to be scattered at worst.

"No! No! I'll talk! I'll talk!"

He broke down and shouted, "It's...it's the safe on the third basement level of the East District scrap yard...the password is...it's..." He rattled off a string of numbers.

Having obtained the information she wanted, Guan Jinyue nodded, the golden light at her fingertips receding. She drew her longsword, leaving a trail of blood.

She's so easily fooled; she doesn't know anything about soul searching.

The Shadow Mouse slid to the ground like a broken sack, barely breathing and severely injured, posing no further threat.

Guan Jinyue shook off the blood droplets from the tip of her sword, then sheathed it. The long sword, as clear and cold as moonlight, transformed into a stream of light and entered her body. It was clearly not made of ordinary iron, but rather a weapon related to supernatural abilities.

She then turned around and looked at the two of them directly for the first time.

"You can take this person back to complete the mission." She pointed to the shadow mouse on the ground, her tone indifferent. "The contents of the metal box are yours. Don't get in my way."

After saying that, she didn't linger. In a flash, she arrived at the warehouse door. A deep spatial door opened, and just as she was about to step in, Long Ao called out to her.

Long Ao said in a deep voice, "What is a beacon? I need an explanation."

Guan Jinyue stopped in her tracks, turned half her face to the side, and her moon-like silver hair slid down her shoulder.

"An explanation?" Guan Jinyue seemed to be laughing: "The weak don't need explanations."

Her gaze swept over the black iron coffin on Chen Guan's back, her dark eyes seeming to churn with hidden currents, but in the end she said nothing.

"If you want the answer, then ask me in the league, with your strength. Long Ao, I'll be waiting for you in the Four Schools League."

As soon as she finished speaking, she stepped into the spatial portal and disappeared, leaving behind only a faint, cool fragrance and Long Ao, who was somewhat embarrassed by the mockery.

Long Ao snorted coldly: "Playing tricks. That sword strike was powerful, but it doesn't necessarily make her invincible. How many times can she use that spatial power?"

Chen Guan heard everything clearly; spatial manipulation was a rather troublesome ability.

He frowned, first walking over to the Shadow Rat to check on him and confirm that he was incapacitated, then looking at the metal box.

Upon opening, there were more than a dozen crystals the size of pigeon eggs inside. These were dark crystals, a material that had a good auxiliary effect on dark spiritual power and was quite valuable.

Long Ao glanced at it indifferently: "Take it. I don't need this. Next time you encounter something with fire attribute, just give it to me."

Actually, he didn't lack fire attributes either; he only said that to get Chen Guan to accept it.

Chen Guan did not refuse, and the two quickly left the area of ​​the academy city and returned to the school.

After handing the Shadow Mouse over to the association's office at the academy and settling the mission reward, Long Ao hurriedly left.

He was determined and went straight to the training room for extra practice.

Chen Guan returned to his room, closed the door, and leaned against the black iron coffin.

He opened the system panel.

Popularity: 8892

The process of hunting down the Shadow Rat, especially Guan Jinyue's sudden intervention and the powerful strength she displayed, obviously brought another wave of popularity. It's clear that he's trying to ride the coattails of Long Ao's popularity and now he's trying to ride on Guan Jinyue's coattails.

He didn't use the popularity points immediately, but instead reopened the forum.

This time I checked the "Plot Discussion" section.

[No betel nut chewing: Guan Jie is so cool, her swordplay is captivating.]

[AAA Building Materials' Wang Ge: Is the league about to turn into a battle of gods? Huaqing goes without saying, but with the variable of Guan Jinyue in Taipei, Kamiya and Zero definitely have their own trump cards.]

[President of Chen Guan's Coffin Fan Club: Chen Guan's coffin is getting attention again. Guan Jie's last glance definitely had a deeper meaning; I bet five cents.]

[An Changqing's non-celebrity girlfriend: "The weak don't need explanations..." Guan Jie's villainous aura is off the charts! I love it! She even challenged Ao Ge. I'm guessing she's Ao Ge's colleague.]

[Dong Zhuo loves Lü Bu: Am I the only one worried about the league going wrong? A world where only the league is injured has been created.]

[Please act quickly: Of course, what are we watching if nothing goes wrong?]

Chen Guan closed the forum and rubbed his temples.

Sure enough, netizens just love a good show and didn't offer him any useful information.

All he can do is seize the time and continue to become stronger.

Looking at the 8892 popularity points, Chen Guan's gaze hardened. He decided to stop saving them and spend them!

"Exchange for the advanced version of [Mental Meditation Method (Green)], [Stargazing Meditation Method (Blue)]."

"Exchange for the advanced version of [Basic Physical Skills (Green)], [Military Combat Skills (Blue)]."

Both were priced at 4000 popularity points, and Chen Guan emptied his balance again, leaving only a small amount.

Two massive streams of information flooded into his mind. Chen Guan closed his eyes and digested them for a moment, quickly adapting to his new power.

For the next two days, Chen Guan entered a frenzied cultivation mode.

His strength is steadily improving.

And just like that, two days passed in the blink of an eye.

Monday morning, Huaqing College Square.

A giant cloud-piercing shuttle hovered in mid-air, and the elite students of the Tian Shu class, who were participating in the Four Schools League, boarded the ship one after another.

The atmosphere was electric, everyone's eyes burned with fighting spirit, determined to get a good ranking.

Chen Guan, carrying the black iron coffin, stood with An Changqing, Long Ao, and Su Yuehe. He looked north, towards the direction of Beishi Academy.

Guan Jinyue...

We should be able to tell whether she's friend or foe in the next few days.

The shuttle slowly ascended into the sky, and Huaqing Academy shrank beneath its feet. Outside the porthole, the sea of ​​clouds surged and the sunlight shone brightly.

Inside the cabin, the elite members of the Tian Shu class participating in the league each occupied a corner, some with their eyes closed to rest, others talking in hushed tones. The atmosphere appeared lively on the surface, but in reality, it was full of hidden tensions.

An Changqing, as the recognized leader of the freshmen, was naturally surrounded by everyone. Long Ao sat alone in the corner, still resting with his eyes closed. Su Yuehe seemed a little nervous, her fingers unconsciously twirling her short flute.

The coffin was leaning against the cabin wall, while the black iron coffin stood beside it.

He appeared to be resting with his eyes closed, just like Long Ao, but in reality, he was consolidating his understanding of stargazing meditation and military combat techniques.

These two days of arduous training have greatly improved his mental strength and close combat skills. In particular, his illusionist abilities have become more adept at being used under the nourishment of the stargazing meditation method, and the duration and realism of his illusions have been enhanced.