Ch. 119 - Joining the Lab Means Skipping Class

"What a coincidence! I was just wondering where to find you, and here you are."

I was still deep in the Earthvein Stagnation documents when a figure approached. I looked up to see Ji Niang, my advisor, walking toward me.

I didn't believe in coincidences anymore. Last time was a "coincidence," and now this? I wasn't some naive kid who could be easily fooled. If I didn't realize something was up by now, I’d be the one with the problem.

"Hello, ma'am."

I greeted her politely, though my mind was racing. I had no idea what she wanted with me this time, especially since Bai Yu wasn't around to run interference. Still, this was the library. Surely she wouldn't do anything too... unhinged. Probably.

"Yuehan, the more I see of you, the more I like you. What are you up to? Sneaking in some early credit?" Ji Niang ignored my defensive posture and strolled over.

Even though she was a faculty member, she lacked any of the typical professor-like stiffness. Her eyes fell on the papers in my hand, and she raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Earthvein Stagnation... Oh, you managed to get your hands on this? Let me guess—Tan Han gave it to you. Besides her, I can't think of anyone else with the clearance to access this intel so early."

"Actually, yes," I said with a quick nod. I hadn't realized the documents were that exclusive.

I figured since this happened every year, it wouldn't be that hard to dig up. But intel is intel; if you don't even know a secret exists, you aren't going to find a report this detailed and specific.

"That explains it. I saw Tan Han leaving the library alone just now, so I figured she’d met you here. She looked like she was in a pretty foul mood, though. Did you upset her?"

"Something like that..."

"Yikes. You might be in for a rough time, then. Anyway, let's change the subject. I actually came here on business. Want to hear it?" Ji Niang didn't bother hiding her intentions anymore; she was here specifically for me.

"Uh... can I say no?" I asked tentatively.

"Not a chance. Come on, Yuehan, don't be like that," Ji Niang said, pulling out a chair and sitting right next to me. Her tone made it clear she had me cornered. "I’m your advisor, and you’re the only Class President I’ve got. If you don't listen to me, who am I supposed to talk to?"

"If it's not optional, why did you even ask for my opinion?" I muttered under my breath.

"Because your reaction tells me how much I’ll have to bribe you. So, here it is."

"Fine. Go ahead." I leaned my head on my hand, mentally preparing myself for whatever chaos Ji Niang was about to drop.

"I want you to join my research team."

"Wait, what?"

I snapped my head up. Ji Niang was wearing a half-smile that made it impossible to tell what she was really thinking.

My face must have been a mask of pure confusion. I was a freshman who hadn't even sat through a single lecture yet, and here was a professor inviting me to join her lab.

Research what? Research me?

"You look surprised. Don't sell yourself short; you have the talent. And no, I'm not going to 'study' you. Well, to be honest, I'm not going to use you as a lab rat, at least." Ji Niang’s "honesty" only made me more anxious.

So it was about researching me.

"Don't give me that look. Think about your unique traits. I’m inviting you because you have value. If you agree, I can offer you the same perks as Tan Han: you’ll be exempt from certain courses. What do you think?"

"Wait... exempt? As in, I don't have to go to class?"

I was stunned—mostly by the fact that Tan Han was apparently such a powerhouse that she was already skipping classes! I wasn't jealous; with her brain, self-study was probably ten times more efficient than a lecture.

But if I skipped class, I’d actually miss out on the foundation I desperately needed! I wasn't some terrifying genius like Tan Han who could master everything in five minutes.

"I can see your hesitation, but honestly, I thought you’d find the regular curriculum a bit of a snooze," Ji Niang said, her tone carrying a hint of nonchalance. "After all, the first-semester courses at the School of Transcendence are just entry-level basics. You’ve already mastered Witch Meditation on your own—in my professional opinion, you’re more than qualified for an exemption."

She leaned forward, a spark of intense, almost hungry enthusiasm in her eyes.

"Besides... once you join my research group, it’s not like you’ll stop learning. If anything, I’ll be tutoring you personally. You’ll be tackling material that’s far deeper and more cutting-edge than anything taught in a lecture hall."

"I..." After hearing her out, I was genuinely torn.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn't tempted. An opportunity to be mentored directly by faculty was like winning the academic lottery.

But I was self-aware enough to know my foundations were paper-thin.

I barely understood the common sense of the Transcendent world. If I tried to leapfrog straight into high-level research, I was terrified I’d crash and burn before I even learned how to walk.

"In the world of Transcendence, talent beats hard work every single time. What are you actually afraid of?" Ji Niang crossed her arms and leaned back against her chair, a knowing smirk playing on her lips. "You have the talent, which means you were born to stand at the top. Don't tell me... You have no interest in surpassing Tan Han?"

"Wait... surpassing... Tan Han?"

The sheer audacity of the goal caught me off guard. To me, Tan Han was already an anomaly—a peak that no freshman could hope to scale.

"You want it, don't you? Deep down, you’re craving that level of power. So why the fear? Are you afraid she has more Mana Cores? Better spells? Please. Those are just variables you can fix with the right resources." Ji Niang’s voice grew increasingly animated, a hint of obsessive fervor creeping in that she didn't even seem to notice.

"While everyone else is putting their money on Tan Han, I’m the only one betting on you, Yuehan. Do you get what I’m saying?"

"I... I think..."

"Hesitation isn't a trait of the powerful," Ji Niang interrupted. "If I were asking Tan Han this, she’d say yes in a heartbeat. Even if she knew nothing, even if she lacked your 'gift-from-the-gods' talent, she’d be shamelessly begging for this chance. Now, I’m not comparing you to her to put you down; I’m telling you that when opportunity knocks, you don't stall."

"Fine... I’m in."

I nodded, giving her my answer. But as her words sank in, my mind began to race.

Was blindly following someone’s provocation just because they told me to be 'decisive' really a good thing?

I didn't think it was. I just couldn't find a logical reason to say no, and "agreeing" felt like a dignified excuse to compromise with reality.

Or maybe I’d finally just seen the light.

I needed a deep connection with Ji Niang. Trying to navigate the Transcendent world on my own was a waste of my life.

"Brilliant choice!" Ji Niang stood up and clapped her hands together, clearly thrilled.

Watching her excitement, however, made my stomach churn.

Ji Niang wouldn't be recruiting me out of the goodness of her heart. She was either eyeing my unknown [Transcendent Knowledge], or she had realized the true value of my Supra-level Psi-vision.

I wasn't a total amateur anymore; I knew exactly what "Supra" implied.

According to the textbooks, even among Witches who possessed Psi-vision, most never made it past the third tier—Veilshift.

My fifth-tier eyes were essentially a maxed-out endgame stat, and they clearly held a value that even I hadn't fully grasped yet.

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