Not Qualified! 1
1300 Words
Valentina returned to her dormitory as the sky was just beginning to lighten. Amanda was anxiously tugging at her hair, a big handful gone, as she gripped Valentina's shoulders, glancing up and down.
"You're finally back, Valentina! Did no one find out? As soon as you left, I realized that place was a forbidden area! If anyone found out, we'd be expelled!"
"I'm fine, I didn’t go into the forbidden area, just near it, only found a pit," Valentina said, gently patting Amanda's fluffy head to comfort her.
"Speaking of which, today is combat class. Last time, Cain deliberately made things hard for me, and you helped me. He'll definitely pick on you today. Valentina, should we just skip class?"
Amanda remembered the day of the class division when Cain arrogantly shouted, "Star Academy doesn't have third-tier students; third-tier students aren't worthy of being in my class." Anger surged within her, her doe-like eyes flickering with a fiery yellow, but the fire soon faded, and her eyes dimmed.
She didn't mind being targeted; she could always go home. But Valentina had mentioned that she had been alone, drifting from place to place for a long time, and Amanda didn’t want Valentina, who had just entered the academy, to be ostracized before even starting to learn.
"I'm fine, Cain probably wouldn't dare pick on me. If he does..." Valentina's eyes flickered, her thick lashes lowering slightly.
Unknowingly, Amanda shuddered. There was something dangerous about Valentina at that moment!
By the time they arrived at the combat classroom, nearly every seat was taken. They managed to find two spots by the window to sit.
Their class was made up entirely of mages. As is well-known, mages tend to be physically weak, so Star Academy required all mage students to take a year of combat class to strengthen their bodies, providing them with more safety during actual battles.
When Feili, the combat instructor, entered, the classroom fell into absolute silence. His untidy beard and bright, steady eyes exuded an overwhelming presence. His broad shoulders and muscular back made it seem as if his clothes might tear any moment.
Everyone felt the weight of his gaze as it passed over them, as if it was both a patrol and a silent warning.
Feili was at the first stage of a third-tier Martial Saint. In the martial artist community of the Continent of Fengshen, this made him one of the top-tier figures. No matter how arrogant the students had been before, they now sat up straight and silent.
"This lesson will be a test of your abilities. You, come up first," Feili said, cutting straight to the point and gesturing to Cain, who sat in the front row.
Cain flicked his messy hair and flashed a confident smile, his arrogance on full display, though his dark circles added a touch of weariness to his look.
He showed Feili great respect, bowing with his right hand on his chest. "Teacher Feili, I’ve heard much about you. I am Cain, the third son of the Nightshade family."
After speaking, he clenched his fists and began to move, striking punch after punch with fluid precision. Between his movements, the faint image of a fierce tiger could be seen, symbolizing the Nightshade family’s signature skill—Falling Tiger Fist!
Some of the girls in the room gasped, utterly captivated. This only fueled Cain’s pride, making him perform even more fiercely. For a moment, it felt like the wind from his punches was lifting the hair around them.
Valentina, however, was utterly bored. This was no different from when she saw Cain performing in the ruins of the Absolute Dust State—his punches lacked power, his steps unsteady, like a decorated pillow filled with straw.
She clicked her tongue, her eyes drifting out the window to admire the scenery. Oh, the little wolf was still in the woods!
Valentina caught the wolf’s gaze and waved her hand, only to see it immediately turn its back and hide in the bushes.
Tch, ungrateful!
Cain, who had been getting more intense with his punches, caught sight of Valentina casually gazing out the window.
This was the same woman who interrupted his attempt to expel a third-tier student from the academy just a few days ago!
He sneered, his sharp eyes fixed on her. Before he could make trouble, this woman was already inviting trouble herself! How dare she ignore him like that! She was asking for it!
His movements grew more aggressive, and suddenly, an illusion of a tiger formed from his anger, charging straight at Valentina!
The others gasped in surprise, but Valentina’s body tensed. This wasn’t a normal attack—there was murder in it!
She withdrew her gaze, coldly staring at the provocation from Cain. This fool actually thought he could kill her just because she wasn’t watching his performance?
"Enough," Feili said, raising his eyebrows and stepping in to stop the fight. "Although you are a mage, Cain, you still need to take your family’s teachings seriously."
Cain, who had been flushed from the exertion, turned pale upon hearing these words.
Feili was publicly telling him that he wasn’t good enough, shaming him in front of everyone!
He dared not show any displeasure. Though the Nightshade family had many high-ranking officials, they wouldn’t bother sending any of them for such a trivial matter.
It was all that damn woman’s fault!
Cain immediately directed all his anger at Valentina. His narrow eyes filled with venom as he spat out, "Teacher, I heard she’s from the Wild State. The academy has never accepted anyone from the Wild State. I suspect she doesn’t even have the qualifications to be here!"
Valentina raised an eyebrow. This was interesting. To avoid suspicion, she had deliberately spent a year traveling from the Eastern Absolute Dust State, circled around the Southern Wild State, and finally entered the academy. And now, it was being used as a reason to discriminate against her?
The other students didn’t fully understand, but that didn’t stop them from eagerly watching the drama unfold. It was the first day of school, and already there was a confrontation—this would be interesting!
Valentina dusted off the nonexistent dust on her sleeve, not even bothering to glance at Cain. She stood up, speaking coldly, "I’m here because I passed the entrance tests. Though you’re at the fifth tier and I’m at the fourth, if it were a duel without outside interference, I wouldn’t necessarily lose to you!"
The crowd, who had initially thought this was laughable, began to reconsider. After all, the difference in their tiers was glaring, and Valentina was a water mage—perfectly countered by Cain’s metal affinity. But when Valentina spoke those words, there was an overwhelming aura of strength emanating from her slender body. Her phoenix eyes were filled with unshakable confidence, her radiant face glowing with an energy that made people hesitate to look directly at her.
Even Feili, strong as he was, couldn’t help but feel a sense of admiration and awe.
Valentina walked up to Cain, her presence like a star in the night sky, drawing all eyes upon her.
Yes, she wanted to find the reason her mother had sent her to Star Academy, to lay low and grow, but laying low didn’t mean she’d let anyone bully her. Valentina, no matter what, would never bend her pride.
"Whether or not anyone from the Wild State has entered before, I’m here now. And I won’t tolerate your insults toward it! The people of the Wild State have fought on the front lines against the beast tides. Your peaceful cultivation and life are all thanks to their sacrifices. You have no right!"
Her words echoed in the room like thunder, shaking everyone’s heart.
- Writer
