At Skywater Academy, Yu Keke was training with the Shui sisters and some other students inside the Mimesis Training Grounds. Their instructor was a relatively young mentor.
"Everyone, I'm sure you're all familiar with Mimesis Training by now, so I won't go into too much detail. Choose your training environment based on your soul spirit attributes. The entire Skywater team, go to the Combat Training Grounds. Today, we're focusing on tactical combat cooperation."
After the instructor finished speaking, various scenes within the training grounds were activated.
Many students immediately entered their respective mimesis training.
"Teacher…"
Shui Bing'er glanced at her teammates and spoke up.
"Hm?"
Seeing the Shui sisters hadn't joined the training yet, the instructor frowned and asked impatiently, "Shui Bing'er, what's going on? Hurry up and bring your teammates to train!"
"Teacher, this is our new student. She hasn't done mimesis training before…"
Shui Bing'er linked arms with Yu Keke and explained.
Feeling the instructor's gaze on her, Yu Keke, squeezed between the Shui sisters, felt nervous but still softly said, "Instructor, could you please explain the Mimesis Training to me? I… I haven't experienced it before."
Since it was class time, no one dared speak loudly. Although Yu Keke's voice was quiet, everyone still heard it, and some students started whispering and exchanging looks.
"Who is this girl? I've never seen her before."
"I heard she got in through connections. Shui Bing'er always brings her around."
"What a weirdo, carrying a pet like it's her home."
"She's never done mimesis training? Probably some noble relative from the countryside who's poor and clueless."
"…"
Yu Keke naturally heard the murmurs around her and hugged the little Fire Meow Meow tighter.
"Instructor, I've also never been in a mimesis training ground before. Could you please explain it to me as well?"
At that moment, Zhu Zhuqing, standing alone nearby, came over, glanced at Yu Keke, and confidently addressed the instructor.
"Is she…"
Yu Keke, originally nervous about never having tried mimesis training, felt somewhat relieved hearing Zhu Zhuqing also hadn't experienced it.
However…
"Whoa~ So they really are a perfect match — one's an outcast freak, and the other's a freak with a pet."
"One's a loner, and the other's a pet-carrying oddball. What kind of people does the academy recruit?"
"Nobles think they're so great? Skywater Academy is the only one among the Five Great Elemental Academies open to commoners. If you're noble, why bother coming here?"
"You think I want to? If it weren't for…"
With Zhu Zhuqing's appearance, the murmurs shifted to include her, mostly focusing on how she didn't fit in and always marched to her own beat. Some even attacked her appearance out of jealousy or for other reasons.
Lu Xun once said a woman equals a thousand ducks; here, in an all-girls academy, gossip spread uncontrollably. Even students from other classes gathered around, eager to watch the drama unfold.
Hearing the whispers, Zhu Zhuqing's usually cold, beautiful face grew even colder, ready to snap at any moment.
"Shut up!"
Shui Bing'er snapped sharply. As captain of the Skywater team and possessing rare talent herself, her command silenced much of the crowd, though a few still whispered disapprovingly.
"Enough, stop arguing."
The instructor raised a hand, and the students quieted down at once.
Seeing the situation under control, the instructor scanned Zhu Zhuqing from head to toe and asked, "What's your name? How old are you? What's your soul spirit?"
"Zhu Zhuqing, eleven years old. My soul spirit is the Netherworld Spirit Cat. I'm a level 28 agile attack-class battle spirit user."
Zhu Zhuqing answered coldly, stating her soul spirit and soul power level.
"…No wonder the academy accepted you out of turn."
The instructor's words seemed choked back. She knew that reaching level 28 at eleven was a rare talent, so she could only reluctantly brush off the compliment.
Skywater Academy only recruits female students with water-element soul spirits. Without exceptional talent, Zhu Zhuqing likely wouldn't have been admitted.
"Didn't expect this little brat to have such strong talent…"
"You still have the nerve to call her a brat? Look at yourself — face, body, talent — what do you have that's better?"
"Pfft, you're both cut from the same cloth!"
"…"
After hearing Zhu Zhuqing's report, some students were jealous, others envious.
"Quiet!"
The instructor glanced at Zhu Zhuqing, then frowned and looked toward Yu Keke standing among the Skywater sisters, asking, "What about you?"
"My name is Yu Keke. I'm nine years old. My soul spirit is a true-form spirit called Qingqiu Fox, and I'm a level 28 soul master."
Yu Keke knew what a true-form soul spirit was because Wang Wan, an instructor, and her brother had mentioned it nearby.
That's how she learned her current form was due to having a true-form soul spirit.
"!!!"
The students almost dropped their jaws at Yu Keke's words.
"No way, this country bumpkin is already level 28 at nine years old? She must be lying."
"Teacher, she's definitely lying! How could she be level 28 at nine?"
"Country folk have no idea about the world, lying without even trying to be convincing."
"Exactly. Look, her face is red. She must be embarrassed about lying…"
"I'm not lying! My brother said I'm level 28."
Yu Keke hadn't minded the chatter before, but when they started doubting her brother, she became angry.
"Keke isn't lying. I think you're the ones stuck in a well!"
Shui Yue'er shouted angrily at the crowd.
These people were always causing trouble; usually they didn't dare provoke her, so she ignored them. But now they were slandering Keke?
If they knew who was behind Keke, they'd probably pee their pants in fear!
"Oh? Activate your soul spirit and let me see."
The instructor looked at Yu Keke with complicated eyes. She'd been shocked by Yu Keke's claim and hadn't believed this nine-year-old girl could be level 28 until Shui Yue'er vouched for her.
Could she really have such talent?
"Hum~"
Yu Keke activated her soul spirit firmly under the suspicious gazes of the crowd. She wanted to prove her brother was right!
"The soul power fluctuations…"
"Her aura is even stronger than mine. I'm at level 25…"
Some average talent students felt the soul power radiating from Yu Keke and were stunned.
The previous doubts vanished, replaced by sharp intakes of breath and incredulous murmurs.
_
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