The Strongest Talent Tree

Chapter 87: Chapter 85: Xiyue Luan’s Entrustment

Feng Hao was speechless. ’He didn’t ask such a crucial question? Is he deliberately trying to keep me in suspense?’

Houhuiyao hurriedly added, "Brother Feng, don’t worry. If I remember correctly, the Arts Department seems to have courses on this. You’ll know once you go listen to a few lectures."

"Isn’t the Arts Department for playing around with dance magic?" Feng Hao asked, his expression strange.

"..." Houhuiyao’s face darkened. "Come on, dance magic is just one major in the Arts Department. There’s also literature, history, music, design, and so on. Basically, it covers anything related to the arts."

Feng Hao nodded in surprise. So the Mage World wasn’t just about fighting and increasing one’s power, as he had imagined.

When they finally reached the foot of the Celestial Secret Tower, the tightly shut main gate left the two of them speechless.

"What’s going on?" Feng Hao asked, looking at Houhuiyao in confusion.

Houhuiyao was just as confused. "It was open when I came with my dad last week. Should we try knocking?"

"Let’s give it a try." Feng Hao frowned and stepped forward. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK. He knocked several times. After walking all this way, he wasn’t about to turn back for nothing.

Soon, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from inside the tower. A moment later, a woman squeezed through the crack in the door. She had tanned skin and lively, captivating eyes. Her crimson leather armor accentuated her curvy figure, and she appeared to be about the same age as them.

"What is it? Can’t you see the door is closed?" the red-clothed woman asked, looking slightly annoyed.

"Excuse me, miss," Houhuiyao said, immediately stepping forward at the sight of a pretty girl. "We’re new students this year, and we were hoping to take a look inside the Celestial Secret Tower."

The red-clothed woman blinked, surprised. "Isn’t today the assessment? You have free time to come here?"

"Uh... we’re new students in the Apothecary Department. Our assessment is already over," Houhuiyao said with an embarrassed smile.

Understanding dawned on the red-clothed woman’s face. She glanced them over and said coolly, "In that case, you can go back. The Celestial Secret Tower is currently undergoing maintenance. It won’t open until the semester starts the day after tomorrow."

"Just our luck, huh?" Feng Hao’s eyes were filled with disappointment. After walking for so long, they ended up seeing nothing.

"It’s normal for new students not to know. Every year before the semester begins, the Celestial Secret Tower undergoes maintenance to ensure it runs smoothly once classes start," the red-clothed woman explained, pursing her lips.

Feng Hao and Houhuiyao looked at each other and could only shake their heads in resignation.

"If there’s nothing else, you should head back. I have a lot to do, and it all has to be finished before the semester starts." After saying a few quick words, the red-clothed woman retreated back into the Celestial Secret Tower and got back to work.

Houhuiyao said with a wry smile, "I wouldn’t have come if I’d known. Damn it, my legs feel like they’re about to fall off!"

"Forget it. Coming back after the semester starts is just as well." Feng Hao smiled in acceptance. They could only blame their own bad luck.

He looked down, patted Chief Black Cat’s head, and said irritably, "Hey, hey, wake up. It’s your time to shine."

Chief Black Cat blearily opened its eyes, looking utterly confused.

"What are you spacing out for? Carry us back." Feng Hao grunted, setting it on the ground and signaling for it to return to its normal size.

Chief Black Cat reluctantly returned to its normal size, then shot a look at Houhuiyao, its expression full of protest.

"Brother Feng, I don’t think Chief Black Cat wants to carry me," Houhuiyao said helplessly.

"It’s fine. Just give it something to eat," Feng Hao chuckled.

Houhuiyao fumbled with his Spatial Ring and asked, "What does it like to eat?"

"This little guy is a picky eater. It won’t even look at Magic Crystals below the third tier. Just feed it the most expensive thing you have on you."

Houhuiyao hesitated for a moment before taking out a deep green medicinal pill. "Will this work?" he asked tentatively.

The words had barely left his mouth when the pill in his hand vanished. When he looked at Chief Black Cat again, its entire demeanor had changed.

"Your family’s quite well-off, huh? You even have a Life Nourishing Pill." Feng Hao looked at Houhuiyao in surprise. As far as he knew, a Life Nourishing Pill was a medicine that could directly increase one’s life force. Although he could refine one himself, the ingredients were incredibly hard to find.

Houhuiyao rubbed the back of his head, embarrassed. "My dad was worried I’d get bullied, so he stuffed a whole bunch of pills on me before I left home."

"Your dad really dotes on you, doesn’t he!" Feng Hao teased.

"Hehe, well, I’m his only son. Who else would he dote on if not me?" Houhuiyao said with a goofy grin.

Feng Hao just smiled without a word. He swung himself onto Chief Black Cat’s back, then leaned down and offered Houhuiyao his hand. "Alright, you can get on now."

"You got it." Houhuiyao excitedly leaped onto Chief Black Cat’s back and couldn’t help but sigh in admiration. "Wow, riding a magical beast feels completely different. I’ve got to get myself a magical beast pet in the future, no matter what."

Feng Hao gave a faint smile and patted Chief Black Cat’s head. "Giddy-up!"

WHOOSH!

Chief Black Cat transformed into a black shadow. Now that it had eaten its fill, it traveled with incredible vigor, dashing out of the plaza in the blink of an eye.

By the time the two of them got back to the Combat Department area, the assessment was already over. The sea of examinees that had once crowded the area was long gone. As they wandered around, they occasionally overheard people talking about Xiyue Frost. Apparently, she had taken first place in this year’s entrance assessment.

Seeing that it was getting dark, Feng Hao decided to take Houhuiyao with him to the Arts Department and treat Xu Zhenzhen and her friends to a big meal, just as he had promised.

The Arts Department assessment wasn’t very difficult. Xu Zhenzhen and her two friends could have passed on their looks alone. With the addition of Feng Hao’s guidance, the trio ended up monopolizing the top three spots in the Dance Magic Department’s assessment, with Xu Zhenzhen taking first place thanks to her higher level.

As a result, the three of them were incredibly grateful to Feng Hao throughout the meal. They even started calling him "Senior Brother" just like Xu Zhenzhen did, which left Feng Hao at a loss for words.

Houhuiyao, of course, got exactly what he wanted. He spent the whole time chatting animatedly with the other two beauties from the Dance Team, enjoying the meal so much he completely lost track of everything else.

After dinner, Feng Hao personally saw Xu Zhenzhen and her two friends off before parting ways with Houhuiyao.

He rode Chief Black Cat at top speed and soon arrived back at the hotel. To his surprise, both Xiyue Frost and West Moon Ridge were waiting for him in the lobby. Seeing him return so late, Xiyue Frost, predictably, did not look pleased.

"Where have you been so late?" West Moon Ridge asked, her expression unhappy.

Feng Hao said awkwardly, "I was having dinner with some friends. Are you waiting for me for a reason?"

"My aunt is leaving, and you still have Miaomiao," Xiyue Frost said with a cold huff.

"Leaving right now?" Feng Hao asked, surprised.

West Moon Ridge stepped forward and took Chief Black Cat into her arms, her eyes filled with resignation. "I received a message from the Holy Hall this afternoon. I have to get back as soon as possible."

"Oh." Feng Hao was taken aback.

West Moon Ridge glanced back at Xiyue Frost, clearly worried. "Feng Hao, come with me for a moment."

Feng Hao was completely baffled. Unsure of what was going on, he could only follow, full of questions.

Once they were outside the hotel and out of Xiyue Frost’s sight, West Moon Ridge turned to him with a complex expression. "That girl, Xiaoshuang... her personality is too proud. It’s easy for her to stir up unnecessary trouble. After I leave, I hope you can look after her a bit."

"Me? Look after her? Are you kidding me?" Feng Hao said incredulously.

"I’m not asking you to protect her, just to help guide her personality a little." West Moon Ridge sighed faintly. "When my sister-in-law passed away, Xiaoshuang was only three years old. She’s been this way ever since, closed off from outsiders. Can you imagine? She went through three years of junior academy without making a single friend."

"I don’t have a problem with trying, but the real question is, will she even listen to me?" Feng Hao frowned slightly. He had assumed Xiyue Frost’s personality was just naturally abrasive; he never imagined it was a form of extreme social withdrawal.

West Moon Ridge’s expression softened into a smile. "You’re the first outsider she’s been able to have a normal conversation with. If you can’t get through to her, no one can."

"Heh, I don’t know whether to feel flattered or terrified," Feng Hao said with a dry laugh.

"In any case, just do your best. I’ll be going now." West Moon Ridge gave Feng Hao one last meaningful look, then waved her hand to summon a Magic Energy Flying Vehicle. She boarded it, started the engine, and quickly vanished over the horizon.

Feng Hao stood there stunned for a long moment before shaking his head with a wry smile and turning back into the hotel lobby.

Seeing that West Moon Ridge hadn’t come back with him, a flash of panic crossed Xiyue Frost’s eyes. "What did my aunt say to you?" she asked coldly.

"Nothing much. Just told me to knock you down a peg or two when I have time, to keep your pride in check," Feng Hao said with a smirk, spouting complete nonsense.

"You bastard! I won’t lose to you again!" Xiyue Frost seethed, gritting her teeth.

Feng Hao leaned back on the sofa with a faint, contemptuous smile. "That’s what people who lack real strength always say."

"You...!" Xiyue Frost trembled with rage. With a final cold huff, she turned and stomped upstairs.

As he watched her go upstairs, a wicked grin spread across Feng Hao’s face. He sighed to himself in admiration. ’This Transmigrator halo really is something else. I can even banter with a girl with severe social anxiety.’