C9 Heavenly Snow Gu

The next morning, Lee Yiran rose early and glanced at Chi Yan, who was still sprawled out in bed. Noticing a tendency towards laziness in him, Lee decided not to bother him and headed out for a quick breakfast before making his way to Su Xiaoxiao's home.

Su Xiaoxiao had been up since dawn, anticipating the arrival of her formidable master. In truth, she hadn't slept a wink, still reeling from the previous day's surreal experiences. Her excitement kept her awake all night, and upon seeing Lee Yiran, she blushed, suddenly self-conscious about her attire, which now seemed oddly mismatched.

Mrs. Su greeted Lee Yiran with warmth, ushering him inside. Her daughter had returned the day before with news that Lee Yiran would lend them aid, but when pressed for details, she remained tight-lipped.

With a smile, Lee Yiran shared his plans with Mrs. Su. Learning that her daughter had the opportunity to study magic at Mirror Heaven Academy, Mrs. Su was overjoyed, thanking him profusely and quickly prompting Su Xiaoxiao to express her gratitude with a formal bow.

Su Xiaoxiao bowed, a mix of excitement and anxiety within her. She hadn't undergone the foundational training and was now suddenly thrust into an advanced class. Feeling the faint stir of spiritual energy within her, she was frustrated with herself but held onto the hope that her master's remarkable abilities would surely transform her potential.

Lee Yiran accepted Su Xiaoxiao's gesture with grace and led her to Mirror Heaven Academy. This time, he chose not to keep a low profile, instructing the gatekeeper to notify the principal.

Chen Ruian soon appeared, his posture slightly stooped. Spotting Lee Yiran and Su Xiaoxiao, he quickly grasped Lee's arm, leading him inside with urgency.

"Brother, I'm begging you, help me out for old times' sake. My position here is on shaky ground!" Chen Ruian pleaded, his words tumbling out in his agitation.

Left with little choice, Lee Yiran followed, relieved that he had already devised a solution the day before. He reassuringly patted Chen Ruian's arm, saying with conviction, "Calm down. Leave it to me. First, find someone to collect the missing students' frequently worn clothes and blankets, hair samples would be ideal. And, ah yes, prepare a sheep for me. Also, make sure to assemble everyone at the school."

"Gather everyone?" Chen Ruian was puzzled.

"Yeah, all personnel—guards, cleaners, cooks—anyone who's alive, get them together. No more questions, just move quickly."

Chen Ruian quickly departed to round up the crew. Su Xiaoxiao already knew her master intended to help find the missing student and was baffled by his plans. When she inquired about his reasons, Lee Yiran simply stated that the mysteries of fate must remain undisclosed.

Today, Mirror Heaven Academy buzzed with unusual activity. The principal had abruptly summoned everyone to a meeting, and even the janitorial staff were expected to join, though no reason was given, prompting a buzz among the students.

Lee Yiran and Su Xiaoxiao waited in the principal's office. Chen Ruian had instructed the teacher who had been on dorm duty the night before, a woman named Wanling with two faint dimples that appeared when she smiled, to follow the plan.

Soon, they collected the personal items of the missing student as Lee Yiran had directed, all containing hair. Then, someone led in a sheep, bleating away. To the uninitiated, it might seem as though the principal was planning an impromptu whole-sheep banquet in the office.

After a bit more time, Chen Ruian entered and reported that everyone was assembled. He explained it as a safety training session in response to recent events. Lee Yiran instructed Chen Ruian to supervise the scene and ensure no one left early—at least for half an hour.

Chen Ruian produced a bottle of medicine, sprinkling the powder around the perimeter of the meeting hall. Noticing that Du Man, who had brought the hair, hadn't left, he tried to send her to the meeting too, but Du Man pleaded to stay.

Considering her sincere concern for her sisters, Lee Yiran allowed her to remain. With that, Chen Ruian rushed off.

Eventually, only Lee Yiran, Su Xiaoxiao, Du Man, and Wanling were left. Lee Yiran, seeing the bewilderment on their faces, chuckled and said, "Just a heads-up, things might get a bit gory later. If you're squeamish, feel free to join the meeting instead. Heh."

Xiaoxiao was curious to experience things firsthand, and Du Man, driven by sisterly loyalty, exuded a certain confidence. None of the three women chose to leave.

Unmoved by their indifference, Lee Yiran produced a wooden box and gently opened it.

Inside lay a snow-white insect, its abdomen swollen, with a pair of wings on its back and a slender tail stinger, seemingly asleep. Women are often afraid of bugs, and the sight made the trio instinctively step back, unsure of what kind of peculiar creature it was.

"What kind of insect is this? I've never seen it before," Wanling mused, despite considering herself quite knowledgeable. Yet, she couldn't identify the creature.

"Hehe, she's quite the treasure, one I've had the good fortune to borrow," Lee Yiran said with a chuckle.

As she spoke, Lee Yiran bit her finger, letting a drop of blood fall onto the insect's forehead. The blood was instantly absorbed, revitalizing the bug. It began to flap its wings, lifting its engorged body into an unsteady flight.

Xiaoxiao let out a startled yelp, fear evident in her voice. Lee Yiran reassured her, "Don't worry, she won't attack people without reason."

The insect, as if following a command, flew to the three strands of hair on the table, sensing the auras clinging to them.

Suddenly, a goat bleated in agony. The women turned to see Lee Yiran had twisted the animal's neck. Du Man, distressed, exclaimed, "Why did you kill it?"

Lee Yiran offered a smile in response, "I was merely lessening its suffering. Ladies, what comes next is not for the faint of heart. Please, close your eyes."

As he spoke, the little bug darted forward and plunged its tail stinger into the goat's flesh. The goat's belly undulated noticeably, as if something had been injected.

Moments later, the bug's abdomen deflated and it became lethargic. Lee Yiran cradled it gently before placing it back in the box.

Xiaoxiao felt a chill at the scene. Soon after, the goat's body began to bloat, its belly pulsating with an unknown presence that baffled everyone.

Then, with a sudden burst, the goat's belly ripped open, and a rush of tiny insects swarmed out, their buzzing filling the air like a dark, enveloping mist. Xiaoxiao and Du Man, terrified, screamed and hurriedly moved closer to Lee Yiran for safety.

Lee Yiran offered a comforting smile as she gently patted the shoulders of the two beside her.

Curiously, the swarm of insects didn't attack the group, behaving as though under someone's command. They surged out of the house, prompting Lee Yiran to give chase. Despite their fear, Su Xiaoxiao and the others couldn't resist their curiosity and followed suit.

The insects swarmed together like a dark cloud, darting chaotically in every direction. They would pause briefly in one spot before flitting off to another. Everyone was relieved that the students were at a meeting; otherwise, the sight would have caused utter pandemonium.

The swarm was easy to track, yet its swift, erratic movements through buildings made it difficult to keep up. Su Xiaoxiao and Du Man soon lost sight of it. Only Lee Yiran and Wan Ling persisted, doggedly pursuing the cloud until it settled at a specific location.

Wan Ling informed Lee Yiran that they had come upon an old academic building, long neglected and seldom visited. The insects seemed to be at a loss, circling the structure without purpose.

Wan Ling surveyed the building and found nothing remarkable—no barriers or protective arrays seemed to be in place. Lee Yiran's gaze swept the area and abruptly fixed on a particular spot.

Before Wan Ling could inquire about his discovery, Lee Yiran approached a weathered stone pillar and, with a soft pop, vanished into it. Wan Ling hurried over, emitting a sound of surprise. She reached out to touch the pillar and discovered a barrier enveloping it, undetectable without close contact.

With a surge of effort, Wan Ling tried to break through, only to be met with a numbing recoil. Puzzled by how effortlessly Lee Yiran had entered, she wondered if there might be a hidden entrance.

Frantically searching the vicinity for any sign of an opening, her anxiety grew. Why hadn't Lee Yiran emerged? Had he run into trouble? As she contemplated seeking help, she noticed the insects in the sky beginning to plummet. Picking up one of the fallen bugs, she saw it was dead. A sense of foreboding washed over Wan Ling.

At that moment, she heard a voice from beyond the stone pillar and, to her delight, discovered it was Lee Yiran, safe and unharmed. Accompanying him were three individuals—the three missing students. Overjoyed, she ran toward them, but Lee Yiran halted the questions that were about to pour out, insisting that she first escort the three weary students back for medical attention.

The safe return of the missing students spread like wildfire, finally bringing a sense of peace to the once-anxious atmosphere of Mirror Heaven Academy.

In the guest room of the academy, Lee Yiran and Chen Ruian sat across from each other, sipping tea, while Su Xiaoxiao was taken to complete her registration, ready to start school the next day.

After a lengthy silence, Chen Ruian's curiosity got the better of him, and he asked how Lee Yiran had located the trapped students. Lee Yiran explained that the white creature was a queen insect. By giving her the scent of the missing, she could breed a multitude of offspring through a mountain goat. These offspring were particularly drawn to that scent, searching far and wide to feed on it, which ultimately led them to the students' hiding place.

Chen Ruian had more questions—how did Lee Yiran know the students were still at the school? Who had kidnapped them? Why call everyone together? And why did the insects suddenly die?

Lee Yiran, however, offered no further explanation, simply stating that such incidents were unlikely to happen again. He had someone else he needed to speak with.

Without giving in to Chen Ruian's persistent inquiries, Lee Yiran left to find Su Xiaoxiao. As he walked, he noticed a striking figure had been waiting for him for quite some time.

Hu Qiu was as radiant as ever, her beauty not diminished by the oversized robe that concealed her exquisite form. She playfully tossed her hair, her voice melodious as she greeted him, "It's truly you, Young Master Lee! From that brief encounter in the classroom, I knew our paths would cross again."

Lee Yiran responded with his characteristic smooth talk, "Indeed, it's been years since we last met. I'm flattered that my fleeting presence caught your eye. What can I say? The charm of handsome me is simply irresistible—I always manage to capture attention."

"Ha, you're as witty as ever, young master," Hu Qiu said with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "Your little brother, he's staying at your place, isn't he?"

"That stinky bird and I had a falling out a long time ago; I have no clue where he is now."

"Young Master, you're spouting nonsense again. You have the Heavenly Snow Gu, don't you? That item is my prized possession. I don't just lend it out to anyone."

Lee Yiran merely smirked, offering no confirmation or denial.

Hu Qiu's eyebrows shot up, her tone icing over, "I'll overlook today's incident for your sake, but don't expect such leniency next time."

"Sorry, but there's likely to be a next time. My apprentice is enrolled here, so I'll be visiting often!" Lee Yiran stood her ground, unphased.

The air chilled as Hu Qiu's robe billowed without a breeze. Lee Yiran held her gaze, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still.

Eventually, Hu Qiu relented, her aura receding as she shrugged in resignation:

"I'm doing this for their sake, really. Young Master, you might end up hurting them. Nevertheless, I'll steer clear of the students from now on. That's all I have to say. Until we meet again."

With those words, Hu Qiu drifted away.