Chapter 43: Angel

The moment Li Mochen stepped through the gates of Lyndon Academy, he was warned by the grade advisor who had come looking for him.

“Listen! Andre, I know you had a reason for missing class these past few days. But the hospital says you were discharged three days ago, right? I don’t care why you skipped class, where you went, or what you did. All I care about now is your grades. Next week, there are two chapter tests, and midterms are two weeks away. You understand? I don’t want to see your grades drop, Andre!”

“I understand, sir. I’m confident about the tests these two weeks.”

Though the grade advisor’s tone was harsh and his glare fierce, Li Mochen knew the man meant well. If he truly didn’t care, how would he know that Li Mochen had left the hospital three days ago?

“You don’t understand!”

The white man in his forties seemed about to lose his temper, but in the end he just snorted and held back. “I hope you’re telling the truth. I’ll be watching you, kid. You’re different from the others now, understand? For you, one step back is an abyss, a hell. You have to work several times harder than others just to keep from falling. I hope you remember that. Of course, if you’re ready to rot, pretend I never said it.”

Li Mochen felt a bit helpless. He was the esteemed “Divine Firmament Boundless Void Immortal King”—surely he could handle a middle school test?

If it was just textbook material, he had already memorized and understood most of it. And if it was outside the textbooks—last night he had already studied math, physics, and chemistry up to the twelfth-grade level.

This was Li Mochen’s self-determined priority, far exceeding even the books he had borrowed from Lyndon’s internal library. So he was quite confident about the upcoming tests.

“A-Mo, don’t be mad. Mr. Richard is a good man. In this school, only a few treat us dark-skinned folks like him. He’s just worried about you—”

After the grade advisor left, William cautiously studied Li Mochen’s expression. “You don’t know, he’s been asking me about you every day. He was even planning to file a missing person report at the police station today.”

“In that case, this man truly has teacherly virtue, worthy of respect.”

Li Mochen nodded slightly, then looked at William. “Do you think I’m that ungrateful?”

“You used to argue with him, remember? About working part-time.”

William Jacques was still a bit worried. “A-Mo, are you okay for the midterms? You know a lot of people in Class A and Class B are waiting to see you make a fool of yourself.”

Li Mochen clicked his tongue and headed south across the campus. “Instead of worrying about me, you’d better worry about yourself!”

When the two arrived at the exclusive gymnasium for the cold weapon combat club, it was already lively.

Though the coaches hadn’t arrived yet, a dozen or so students, including Louise Lyndon, were already practicing various combat techniques or doing器械 exercises.

Li Mochen keenly noticed two radiant young girls among the crowd, and his heart began to beat irregularly.

Frowning deeply, he quickly ducked into the boys’ locker room.

It hadn’t been fully repaired yet—traces from four days ago were still visible, involuntarily stirring some associations in Li Mochen.

But fortunately, he had the ice-blood stone necklace. He actively activated the runes on the necklace, using the chill transmitted to his chest to keep his mind in a state of “spirit serene, dust unstained.”

After changing clothes and coming out of the locker room, he kept his eyes straight ahead, not giving anyone a glance. He walked directly to the easternmost area of the gym and began sparring with William.

William used a pair of double blades, his moves fierce and sharp. He liked to overwhelm opponents with a storm of attacks that left them no time to react. In the past, this swordsmanship had given the original owner plenty of trouble. But today’s Li Mochen was different. In his eyes, every move William made was full of flaws, every technique had loopholes—too slow when it should be fast, too fast when it should be slow.

Li Mochen had good patience. He planned to let William go all out, get a full picture of the guy’s combat skills and habits, and then consider a complete teaching plan.

He remembered his promise to William: he would find time to coach him in combat techniques, though William surely hadn’t taken it seriously.

But when nine o’clock came and the club’s coaches started work, William Jacques was called away. Li Mochen was left alone in a corner, ignored. No coach came to instruct him, and no other student asked to spar.

Li Mochen’s lips twitched. The original Li Mochen’s presence in the club was pitifully weak, and his popularity was so bad it was unbearable to witness.

Of course, this might be because the original had only recently transferred, but it was clear the club had given up hope of him advancing further in the afternoon competition. Even William, who had fallen into the loser’s bracket, had someone giving him special coaching, while Li Mochen, who had made it to the second round, was left alone.

So for the next hour, Li Mochen had to train on his own. He focused mainly on strength-based器械 exercises, needing various physical workouts to maximize the effects of the several potions he had recently taken.

But just as he thought the morning would pass like this, the black-haired girl he had met twice before suddenly walked up to him and friendly extended her hand.

“Andre, right? Let me introduce myself. I’m Angela Medici. I transferred here four days ago, and now we’re classmates. You can call me Angel—”

Li Mochen’s expression cooled. What did this girl want with him? To apologize?

His heart was full of wariness, but he still politely shook her hand. “Hello, Miss Medici. Is there something you need?”

“Your tone is so cold, Andre.”

Angela smiled. “I’m sorry about what happened four days ago, and I hope you can forgive my companion’s recklessness. My private butler told me you’re safe now, right?”

“I’m fine now. You don’t need to apologize. I was partly at fault, and you’ve given enough compensation.”

Li Mochen was quite magnanimous about it. After all, he was once an Immortal King of the Primordial Vault. He had the bearing of an Immortal King. Though the process had been humiliating—the greatest shame of his life—he was old enough not to hold a grudge against two young girls. His narrow-mindedness didn’t extend to such matters.