“I’m delighted that you’ve all come as promised; it only boosts my confidence in my charm.”
Inside the meeting room, Nanmen Xiu blinked, her charm as potent as ever.
“Teacher Nanmen Xiu… you look truly beautiful today.”
Huang Xiu’s gaze swept over Nanmen Xiu’s figure.
Today, Nanmen Xiu was clad in a qipao with high slits, complemented by a pair of towering red stilettos.
Huang Xiu would never have believed she was formerly male, had Nanmen Xiu not revealed herself to be a transmuter.
The three others beside them nodded in agreement.
“Doesn’t it look wonderful? This is my ultimate battle outfit, specifically chosen for you all!”
Nanmen Xiu placed her hands on her hips, her face beaming with pride.
“This is what I wore the day Teacher Xu Gaoxuan confessed his feelings to me.”
“I would never have worn it otherwise.”
Their seating arrangement remained the same as the previous class.
Huang Xiu and Chen Molian sat to Nanmen Xiu’s right, while the other two were seated opposite them.
Upon hearing this, Chen Molian’s eyes sparkled, and she let out an exclamation.
“Wow!”
Huang Xiu, however, struggled to maintain her composure. ‘Ultimate battle outfit’? What on earth was that supposed to be?
“Before I begin recounting my romantic history today, would anyone like to share their own story?”
Nanmen Xiu smiled sweetly at everyone.
“Again, there’s no pressure. Anything at all—happy, sad, angry—you can talk about it.”
Silence once again filled the room, even from Chen Molian and Li Yurou, who appeared to be the most receptive among the four transmuters.
“Alright, alright!” Nanmen Xiu sighed. “I hope this class doesn’t turn into another solo performance of mine.”
“Teacher Xu Gaoxuan and I were initially rivals, much like the relationship between Itachi and Sasuke.”
As Nanmen Xiu recalled her past with Xu Gaoxuan, her lips curved into a warm smile.
“My personality was quite cold back then; in truth, I was rather reclusive. You understand, having just transmuted, much like yourselves, I was wary of many people and reluctant to speak.”
“That’s… truly hard to believe,” Li Yurou said after a long pause, her expression stunned.
Huang Xiu nodded in agreement.
‘The current Nanmen Xiu isn’t socially anxious or reclusive; she’s an extroverted social terror!’
“Oh, that was then, and people definitely change! I guarantee that in another year, you’ll all have undergone significant transformations too!”
Nanmen Xiu pouted and waved her hand.
Observing everyone slowly shaking their heads, Teacher Nanmen Xiu chuckled. “You don’t believe me?”
“How about we make a bet?”
“A bet on what?” Jiang Qing, who had been mostly quiet, suddenly perked up, her eyes gleaming with excitement, seemingly fond of gambling.
Nanmen Xiu pondered for a moment before replying, “How about this: we won’t bet on anything else, just the changes in your personalities a year from now.”
“Personality changes aren’t measurable; let’s bet on something specific. A bet needs clear criteria for judgment,” Jiang Qing said, a hint of dissatisfaction in her voice.
“Then how about this? I’ll bet that a year from now, either you or Huang Xiu will be willing to wear a skirt. How does that sound?” A sly glint flashed in Nanmen Xiu’s eyes.
“‘Willing’ means voluntarily; no coercion allowed!” Jiang Qing articulated the rules clearly, meticulously choosing her words.
“I accept. What’s the stake?” she asked, a touch of excitement in her tone.
“Wait, I didn’t agree!” Huang Xiu quickly raised her hand.
‘Why am I suddenly betting with Teacher Nanmen Xiu on whether I’ll wear a skirt a year from now?’
Jiang Qing stood up, leaned over, and gently pressed down Huang Xiu’s raised hand, a confident smile on her face. “Don’t worry, it’s a guaranteed win!”
“I’ve gambled many times and only lost once so far.”
“You’ve only lost *once*?” Huang Xiu retorted, causing Jiang Qing’s expression to stiffen as she fell silent.
“It has nothing to do with us, hehe,” Li Yurou giggled, covering her mouth, her face alight with amusement. Meanwhile, Chen Molian eagerly raised her hand. “I want to join too!”
“Wouldn’t you be guaranteed to lose if you participated?” Jiang Qing glanced at the pleated skirt of Chen Molian’s school uniform beneath the table.
“I suppose so…” Chen Molian paused for half a second.
“So, what’s the stake?”
Jiang Qing looked at Nanmen Xiu, who considered it before replying, “We’ll count it separately. If any of you wears a skirt within a year, that person loses and has to come to my house to babysit for a day. If any of you wins, I’ll reward them with a set of Void Energy instruments for missions. How does that sound?”
“Sounds good,” Jiang Qing nodded, quite pleased with the wager.
“A set of Void Energy instruments for missions—does that include miscellaneous items like a Regular Blocker?” Huang Xiu asked curiously.
“Yes,” Nanmen Xiu replied, contemplating the price. “A complete set would probably cost over a hundred academic credits.”
Upon hearing that a set was worth over a hundred academic credits, Miss Money-Grubber Xiu instantly shot to her feet and extended her right hand.
“Say no more, I accept!”
“Excellent, excellent!” Nanmen Xiu shook Huang Xiu’s hand, then gestured for her to sit down.
“Now, let’s put the bet aside and continue our discussion!”
Everyone nodded in agreement, listening intently.
“Picking up where we left off, Xu Gaoxuan and I initially didn’t get along. We saw each other as rivals, constantly vying and competing, much like the common frenemies in anime! The only difference was, Xu Gaoxuan and I genuinely used to fight each other.”
“What was the turning point then?” Huang Xiu asked curiously.
“I was just about to get to that!” Nanmen Xiu produced a stone ring, resembling an ancient coin.
“The turning point was the Martial Arts Tournament we both participated in during our sophomore year, hosted by the Hundred Battles Void Realm. This, in my hand, is the identification token from that competition.”
“A Martial Arts Tournament!”
Huang Xiu was surprised to hear about it again, having only heard it from Yuan Fei yesterday, and now from Nanmen Xiu.
She curiously examined the stone ring in Nanmen Xiu’s hand.
Its texture was rough, the surface uneven, and it was the color of a pebble. It felt as though it had been polished from a roadside stone, devoid of any mystical qualities.
A trace of nostalgia flickered in Nanmen Xiu’s eyes as her right hand caressed the rough surface of the stone ring.
“We were both Gold Rank, but not in the same team. Instead, we each formed a four-person squad. Coincidentally, we were assigned to the same round.”
“In that match, our two squads fiercely competed and mercilessly slaughtered others, yet we avoided attacking each other. This provoked widespread anger, leading other squads to unite and besiege us.”
Her voice paused. “We were forced into a desperate situation. There was still one day left until the end, but we were unwilling to give up. Xu Gaoxuan and I decided to temporarily cooperate, with us two captains leading our teams to break through the encirclement.”
“But we underestimated the strength of the other competitors. At that point, there was truly no other option, and I was already injured. I thought, if we continued like this, both teams might be eliminated. It would be better to keep the benefits within our own circle.”
“Even if Xu Gaoxuan was bad and annoying, he was at least human, my schoolmate. So, I swallowed two Desperation Pills back-to-back…”
At this, Nanmen Xiu turned to the four. “Do you know what Desperation Pills are?”
The four shook their heads.
Huang Xiu had heard someone mention them at the Jurisdiction Bureau headquarters, but she truly didn’t know the specifics.
“Desperation Pills are drugs developed by the Research Department. They are now equipped in various institutions across the Great Xia Nation. Anyone going into the Void Realm for missions will carry three.”
“They are for preserving life, but also for fighting with everything you have.”
Nanmen Xiu’s tone was calm, and it was only then that Huang Xiu sensed the aura of an Awakened individual and her history with Xu Gaoxuan emanating from her. She raised a finger.
“Taking one Desperation Pill can forcibly increase your Void Energy by thirty percent for one hour. The side effect is a week of weakness, during which you cannot take another Desperation Pill, or your body won’t be able to withstand it, and you could easily die on the spot.”
A week of weakness, yet a thirty percent increase in Void Energy. Huang Xiu felt that the side effects of the Desperation Pill were acceptable compared to its effects.
After all, taking a Desperation Pill meant it was a desperate fight, so there was no room for such considerations.
Nanmen Xiu raised a second finger.
“If you take a second pill within an hour, your Void Energy will forcibly reach the upper limit of your current rank, and your physical body will be slightly enhanced. The side effects include physical damage, a small chance of irreversible damage to your Void Energy Core, and a month of weakness.”
“My ability’s recovery capabilities are quite strong, so I swallowed two pills in one go, killing hundreds of Void Realm creatures. I managed to escort my teammates and Xu Gaoxuan out.”
“However, my Void Energy Core was damaged as a result. When I returned to school, a teacher grabbed my ear and scolded me severely for two hours.”
As she spoke, a sheepish expression appeared on Nanmen Xiu’s face, clearly indicating that the scolding had been so terrible it remained vividly in her memory.
“What about taking three consecutively?” Huang Xiu asked curiously.
“As for taking three consecutively…” Nanmen Xiu looked at Huang Xiu, her face full of profound meaning. “You just need to know that even when the Research Department promotes it, they only say a maximum of two can be taken at once.”
“If you take three at once and don’t die, the best outcome is your Void Energy Core shattering completely, turning you into an ordinary person. Of course, if you take them slowly, spaced out, it might be better, but most likely your foundation will still be damaged, your strength will plummet, and you’ll never advance further.”
“The consequences are that severe!”
Huang Xiu felt cold sweat trickling down her back just listening. ‘As expected of the Desperation Pills developed by the Research Department. Taking three means either death or losing all prospects.’
“What happened next?”
Li Yurou, who was once male, was more interested in hearing the teachers’ love stories than these details.
“Well, I was recovering in the school infirmary; it would take about a year to heal my Void Energy Core,” Nanmen Xiu continued.
“But a few days later, Xu Gaoxuan suddenly burst into my room, covered in blood. That guy, without a word, shoved something into my hand and then turned and left.”
A hint of annoyance crossed her face.
“I took the item and asked around, only to find out it was medicine used to treat Void Energy Core injuries. Xu Gaoxuan had exchanged it from the organizers using his ranking reward.”
“So, you fell in love with Xu Gaoxuan?” Huang Xiu couldn’t help but ask.
“How could that be!”
Nanmen Xiu rubbed Huang Xiu’s head vigorously, as if asking what she was thinking. “I just thought Xu Gaoxuan was a bit better than I’d imagined, so I became friends with him.”
“Perhaps I developed a tiny bit of affection for him!”
She offered an example.
“In game terms, my favorability went from ‘arch-rival’ to ‘friend.’ But it definitely wasn’t romantic. It was only later, as I got to know him, that I realized he was a really good person, understood my thoughts, and knew just how to tease me…”
She continued recounting the events that followed, and the four listened with rapt attention. When she reached an interesting part, all five of them would burst into laughter.
The class passed amidst Nanmen Xiu’s storytelling.
The session lasted an hour and a half, far longer than the forty minutes of the previous class.
“Well, that’s pretty much the whole process. However, there are many detailed parts I can’t cover today. If you’re interested, come on time for the next class, and I’ll continue telling you.”
As the end of the session neared, Nanmen Xiu stopped her narration.
She looked at the four students.
“It’s half past eight, quite late. Class is about to end. Is anyone willing to step up and teach for a few minutes?”
Nanmen Xiu put on a pitiful expression. “My throat is almost dry from talking.”
The familiar silence descended once more.
But this time, just as Nanmen Xiu sighed, preparing to announce the end of class, someone stepped forward.
“I’ll say something!”
Chen Molian, wearing a pleated skirt, stood up, her face flushed and a little shy.
“I used to be a boy. My ability… is very rare, possessing two properties simultaneously. One is manipulative, allowing me to control water within a small area. The other is enhancement, allowing me to transform into…”
At this point, she faltered, stammering her words.
Nanmen Xiu grasped Chen Molian’s hand, comforting her. “It’s alright. Everyone is the same; nothing bad will happen.”
The comfort was quite effective, perhaps also due to Nanmen Xiu having become quite close with them over the past few days.
Taking a deep breath, Chen Molian continued, “It allows me to transform into a mermaid… My water control ability is actually a byproduct of this.”
“A mermaid?” The remaining three’s eyes widened.
“Can you transform to show us?” Huang Xiu asked, her face full of curiosity.
Foreign countries had their politically correct black mermaids; the Great Xia Nation shouldn’t be held back. They needed their own mermaids too!
“Yes, a mermaid… The transformation, well, I can’t fully transform yet; I can only do half.”
Chen Molian raised her right arm, pulling up her sleeve with her left hand. Under the incandescent light, faint blue scales on the inner side of her upper right arm shimmered like ocean crystals, exquisitely beautiful.
Everyone watched curiously. Huang Xiu, sitting closest, even reached out and touched them twice.
They were very smooth, unlike typical fish scales, with no mucus.
“These are scales… I’ve actually had them since I was a child. I used to think it was some strange illness, but the admissions teacher said my ancestors might have had talented individuals… who once had a fling with a mermaid. So, our family has mermaid bloodline.”
Chen Molian’s face flushed slightly. “In my generation, the bloodline has reverted, and combined with my Awakened aptitude, both merged to become my ability, also causing me to become female.”
“Wait, had a fling with a mermaid? Do mermaids really exist in this world?” Huang Xiu quickly interjected.
“Void Realm creatures are incredibly diverse; it’s not impossible for mermaids to exist in the Void Realm,” Nanmen Xiu said.
“So, your ancestors had a fling with a Void Realm creature…”
Huang Xiu felt her worldview shattering. Hadn’t it been established that humans and Void Realm creatures were sworn enemies? This was utterly preposterous! Where was reproductive isolation? What about the Jurisdiction Bureau? What about humanity? If they were beautiful, perhaps even a fish would be acceptable!
Huang Xiu gave Chen Molian a thumbs-up, praising her sincerely, “Your ancestor… is truly impressive! Could their name have been Chen Beifeng?”
“If his name was Beifeng, she wouldn’t be so rare. After all, that man single-handedly created several races! He was a half-beast hybrid who didn’t love humans, but animals!”
However, Huang Xiu was quite curious: were mermaids, as Void Realm creatures, considered humanoids or fish?
“Certainly not that!”
Chen Molian was a little angry, but more likely shy. “Perhaps my ancestor… was quite benevolent, yes, quite benevolent,” she said, already struggling to clear her family’s name herself.