The Attack of the Wastrel

The rumors only became more exaggerated as they continued to spread. In just a few days, Gu Lingzhi had become known as a seductress from the rumors, managing to convince the Third Prince to invite her into the Royal School.

As the Third Prince’s fiancée, Tianfeng Wei received countless of odd looks from people. All those women whom she had chased away with her engagement to the Third Prince seemed to be deliberately talking about Gu Lingzhi’s incident with the Third Prince in front of her. This made Tianfeng Wei furious, and she could not help but decide to find Gu Lingzhi today so that she could vent her anger on Gu Lingzhi.

Yet, she never expected the Third Prince to take Gu Lingzhi’s side instead of helping her as he did before with all the previous women. He had even threatened to annul the engagement. How could this not make her angry and irritated?

Yet, along with the irritation, there was also a sense of fear.

Everyone knew that although the Third Prince was not a person who was overly serious, he did not have a reputation for womanizing. This time, however, his special treatment towards Gu Lingzhi made people wonder if he had really developed feelings for her.

If that really were the case, could she still remain engaged with the Third Prince?

Cai Wei knew what her mistress was thinking. Seeing her mistress deep in thought, she suggested, “Mistress, even if the wastrel has the Prince’s support, without any true abilities, she would only get trampled on in the Royal School. Since His Highness is still fond of her for now, let us lay low and let others do the work for us. The girls in the Royal School will certainly help us get rid of her.”

Tianfeng Wei’s eyes lit up at the suggestion, but then she frowned again soon after.

“Would the jinxes in the Royal School really help us to get rid of her?”

“That’s simple,” Cai Wei laughed mysteriously, “You only need to spread the news of what had happened today exactly as it happened. Those people who want to take you down will naturally try something, wouldn’t they? When that happens, you only need to appear aggrieved. Someone would then plot something against Gu Lingzhi of their own accord.”

In the past, when Tianfeng Wei had chased away the other women who kept bothering the Third Prince, she had the support of the Third Prince as well. While no one could do anything to Tianfeng Wei who was the Young Mistress of the leading clan amongst the Four Great Clans, they could certainly do something to a wastrel like Gu Lingzhi.

It was simply too easy to plot against someone within the Royal School.

Just from the various ways of challenging others in the school, there were ways to make Gu Lingzhi die without anyone knowing. There was no need to even talk about the dangerous assignments that were part of the school curriculum.

“You’re right, as long as we paint Gu Lingzhi as the biggest target, those women will naturally shift their attention to her instead of me. When that happens…”

At this very moment, Gu Lingzhi, who was riding the carriage to the Royal School, had no idea that she had already become an eyesore to many people. This was all because of the rumors that originated from Tai-an City.

Under Lin Yue-er’s influence, the news that spread was completely distorted from the truth. She strongly believed that even if Gu Lingzhi had escaped from her clutches, there were many other ways for her to get rid of Gu Lingzhi.

The carriage rumbled along the streets of Chiyang City. Two hours later, a wide, expansive complex of buildings surrounded by a huge white wall appeared before Gu Lingzhi’s eyes. The courtyard wall was so long that it extended all the way to the mountains in the far horizon.

Wow, the school is huge…

Gu Lingzhi stared in shock at the complex in front of her, estimating that it was probably the size of the entire Tai-an City.

“No wonder the Royal School is ranked first in the Xia Kingdom. The size of the school complex is simply too shocking,” Gu Lingzhi murmured to herself as she alighted from the carriage.

“If not, why would all the geniuses in the Kingdom try so hard to get into this school?” Yuan Zheng responded, amused. He led Gu Lingzhi towards the entrance of the school.

Gu Lingzhi was still in a slight daze as she trailed along behind Yuan Zheng. There was a blood-red flag with the Royal School’s logo atop a pillar of the school’s gate. The deep red color created a suffocating sense of oppression.

Noticing Gu Lingzhi’s gaze falling upon the school flag, Yuan Zheng said, with undisguised pride in his eyes, “The Royal School’s school flag has a story behind it. Every year, those who manage to graduate from this school will stain a school flag red with the blood of demonic beasts that they have slain. As for this particular flag, it was created when the Third Prince graduated. At that time, he was only a Martial Teacher when he slayed three Level Four demon beasts.”

This was something that Gu Lingzhi had heard of before. It was precisely from that battle that the Third Prince had gained his title of a ‘War God’. To the students of the Royal School, fighting beyond their level was considered normal, but to successfully slay three such demon beasts at the same time was incredible beyond belief.

Furthermore, it ought to be known that demon beasts were often stronger than Martial Artists of the same Level. This was three beasts of a higher Level! Anyone else would have turned and ran, but the Third Prince simply stood his ground and killed them all. How could anyone not be impressed?

Using the blood of the demon beasts one had killed to stain the school flag?

Staring at the school flag, Gu Lingzhi felt an emotion stirring in her that could only be described as excitement.

She hoped that when she graduated from the school, she too could display the flag that she stained on the school entrance!

“It’s getting late, we ought to go in. Let’s try to get the admission sorted out before it gets dark,” Yuan Zheng said as he stopped the carriage at the parking area outside the school compound and registered with the guards, before bringing Gu Lingzhi inside. Along the way, he gave Gu Lingzhi an introduction of the places they passed by.

The school was organized into five big Districts, according to the students’ Levels. These districts were the Martial Student District, the Martial Practitioner District, the Martial Teacher District, the Forgery District, and the Alchemy District. Each District was further sub-divided into six smaller sectors based on students’ types of Spiritual Roots – gold, wood, water, fire, earth, and divergence.

Right now, they were headed for the administration office to register Gu Lingzhi. Since Gu Lingzhi was someone recommended by the Third Prince, all she needed to do was register her name and the types of Spiritual Roots she possessed.

Seeing how familiar Yuan Zheng was with the place, Gu Lingzhi could not help but ask, “Did you study at the Royal School too? Why do you seem so familiar with the area?”

After asking the question, Gu Lingzhi immediately regretted it. Being the Third Prince’s bodyguard, Yuan Zheng must have attended school alongside the Third Prince. It would be natural for him to be familiar with the area.

Unexpectedly, Yuan Zheng responded with a hint of nostalgia in his voice, “I did graduate from this school. In fact, His Highness can be considered as my junior.”