Seeing Instructor Ruo Lin smiling lightly and staring at him, Xiao Yan helplessly raised his hands. He then shot a feigned fierce glance at Xun Er, who was covering her mouth and giggling beside him.
"Alright! Today's registration is temporarily concluded. We will remain here for seven days. Congratulations to all the new students who registered today; you are now official members of Jia Nan Academy. I hope you will arrange all your affairs within these seven days. Seven days from now, Jia Nan Academy's flying carriage fleet will arrive in Wu Tan City, and we will then proceed directly to the academy." Instructor Lin said with a gentle smile as he put away the parchment.
Upon hearing this, everyone in the tent immediately rejoiced.
Looking at the smiling Instructor Ruo Lin, Xiao Yan stepped forward and said with a dry laugh, "Instructor Ruo Lin, I have something...?"
"Oh? Little genius Xiao Yan, do you need something from me, your instructor?" Instructor Ruo Lin teased, a smile on her face.
At such a form of address, Xiao Yan gave an embarrassed smile, shook his head, and tentatively asked, "Well... I don't think I should go to Jia Nan Academy with everyone else because I have a very important matter to complete. Instructor Ruo Lin, could you please grant me a leave of absence?"
"A leave of absence?" Instructor Ruo Lin's dark eyebrows furrowed slightly, and she said softly, "According to the rules, new students are not granted leave unless there are special circumstances requiring them to go out. Is your matter very important?" Xiao Yan shrugged, then added solemnly, "Extremely important. This is something I absolutely must do."
Xun Er, standing nearby, heard Xiao Yan's words, and her beautiful face dimmed considerably. Her hands instantly clenched. She had originally been very happy about entering Jia Nan Academy, but upon hearing Xiao Yan's words, her mood suddenly became somewhat disheartened.
"A leave of absence?" Hearing Xiao Yan, Xiao Yu also trembled slightly. She stared at Xiao Yan, somewhat perplexed.
Seeing Xiao Yan's solemn expression, Instructor Ruo Lin's eyebrows furrowed slightly before she gently nodded and asked softly, "Alright, how many days do you need off? If it's not too long, I can resolve it for you with my authority as an instructor."
Looking at Instructor Ruo Lin's gentle gaze, Xiao Yan felt his face flush. After a moment of silence, he softly said, "Perhaps... about a year."
As these words left his mouth, the tent suddenly fell silent. Every gaze turned to the young man. "A year"—everyone thought they had misheard. While leaves of absence were not unheard of, requesting a leave of absence for... an entire year, especially as a new student... This kind of situation was a first for Jia Nan Academy.
"Yu'er! This person of yours... his ambition is a bit too grand, isn't it? A year? Is he not intentionally trying to avoid studying at Jia Nan Academy?" Xue Ni asked Xiao Yu, staring at Xiao Yan with wide eyes and an open mouth.
Xiao Yu shook her head with a bitter smile, also somewhat unclear why Xiao Yan would do such a thing.
"...Are you joking with me?" Instructor Ruo Lin blinked her beautiful eyelashes, a mix of laughter and tears in her voice as she heard Xiao Yan's reply. A year's leave? That was almost one-third of the total study time.
Xiao Yan nodded helplessly and said, "I really want to discuss this with the instructor."
With a slight frown, Ruo Lin *daoshi* intently gazed at Xiao Yan’s face. Although he displayed an air of helplessness, she found no trace of jest. With a sigh, Ruo Lin *daoshi* reluctantly said, “A year-long leave is truly too long. I cannot approve it. Can you shorten it a bit? With your potential, the academy will certainly cultivate you. Why waste time?”
Hearing Ruo Lin *daoshi*’s advice, Xiao Yan gave a helpless, bitter smile. “I must go during this time.”
Ruo Lin *daoshi* raised her fair hand to rub her forehead. It seemed her earlier guess was accurate. This young fellow wasn’t even officially her disciple yet, and he was already presenting her with such a difficult problem. It seemed he truly was a stubborn one.
“A year-long leave…” Shaking her head once more, Ruo Lin *daoshi*’s voice held a hint of refusal.
“If I can’t get a year’s leave, I think I will leave the academy. If there’s an opportunity next year, I’ll participate in the enrollment again,” Xiao Yan said softly, with a touch of helplessness.
“Leave?” The tent instantly grew noisy. Xiao Yu, standing to the side, stomped her foot.
Watching Xiao Yan walk out of the tent, Ruo Lin *daoshi*’s expression changed slightly. She was reluctant to let the talented disciple she had personally selected leave. Her eyes fixed on the handsome young man’s face as she softly said, “Xiao Yan, can you not make things difficult for me? The leave you’re asking for is truly too long.” Her soft, pleading voice, combined with Ruo Lin *daoshi*’s beautiful, gentle smile, made it almost impossible for men to refuse. At least, the male disciples in the tent, upon hearing this, unconsciously nodded their heads. When they recovered, their faces all showed embarrassment.
Under the gentle offensive of this beauty, Xiao Yan’s heart also skipped a few beats. However, his willpower was, after all, superior to ordinary people. He slowly exhaled, shook his head under everyone’s gaze, and earnestly said, “Ruo Lin *daoshi*! I absolutely must take this year-long leave. Nothing can change that.”
Hearing the young man’s firm reply, Ruo Lin *daoshi* once again felt a headache. Her fair hand rubbed her forehead. After a moment, she was finally angered by Xiao Yan’s stubbornness. She suddenly stood up, walked in front of Xiao Yan, and angrily scolded, “You, this young fellow, won’t give me any face at all? I’ve invited you for so long, and you’re not moved in the slightest?”
“Eh?” Everyone’s expressions instantly showed surprise, seeing Ruo Lin *daoshi*’s usually gentle face now angered by Xiao Yan. Then they helplessly shook their heads.
‘This person can even anger the dead. A living *daoshi* encountering him is truly unlucky.’ Recalling the times Xiao Yan had angered her, Xiao Yu felt a sense of shared suffering with Ruo Lin *daoshi*.
Looking at the angry Ruo Lin *daoshi* in front of him, Xiao Yan smiled somewhat awkwardly. To make the always gentle Ruo Lin *daoshi* so angry, it seemed he truly had some skill. However, he had to get this leave approved today, no matter the cost.
Secretly inhaling the faint fragrance emanating from Ruo Lin *daoshi*’s body, her flawless face, combined with her full figure, Xiao Yan forcefully suppressed his racing heart. He looked at her unblinkingly and said, “*Daoshi*… I also have my own difficulties. Please approve it. Otherwise… I’ll have no choice but to leave this enrollment?”
"How dare you?" Having finally acquired such a monstrous disciple, Ruo Lin would not easily let him go. Her almond-shaped eyes widened as she scolded.
Xiao Yan shrugged, showing no particular attitude.
Seeing Xiao Yan's indifferent demeanor, Ruo Lin also felt a bit flustered. Her face flushed as she took a step back in silence, then suddenly narrowed her beautiful eyes and said casually, "I really didn't expect to have to grant you a year's leave, did I?"
Looking at Instructor Ruo Lin's cold face, Xiao Yan felt nervous. His gaze fixed on her eyes, from which he detected a dangerous signal.
Seeing Instructor Ruo Lin's posture, Xiao Yu and the others, who had been with her for nearly a year, immediately felt something was wrong. Instructor Ruo Lin in this state had undoubtedly entered a dangerous mode.
Although he sensed something amiss, at this moment, even if it meant facing a mountain of blades and a sea of fire, Xiao Yan would persevere to the end. He swallowed a mouthful of saliva, then immediately gave a dry laugh and nodded.
Seeing Xiao Yan nod, Instructor Ruo Lin slowly exhaled. Her prominent chest immediately formed a curve that somewhat stirred Xiao Yan's heart.
Nodding heavily, Ruo Lin raised a hand to smooth a few strands of hair and said lightly, "Alright! A leave of absence isn't impossible."
Hearing this, Xiao Yan's face showed no excitement, because he knew the next part of the sentence had not yet been spoken.
Looking at Xiao Yan's unperturbed face, Instructor Ruo Lin was a little surprised. Evidently, Xiao Yan's composure far exceeded her expectations.
Glancing at Xiao Yan, Instructor Ruo Lin suddenly smiled at him. Her voice was gentle, but everyone in the tent knew it, and they all looked at Xiao Yan with pity.
"As long as you can withstand twenty of my moves, I will grant you that year of leave. If there are any problems at the academy, I, your instructor, will fully assist you in dealing with them."
Hearing Instructor Ruo Lin say this, Xue Ni and the other girls immediately cried for Xiao Yan, looking at Xiao Yu's distressed face: "Yu'er... what now?"
"He really doesn't know the immensity of heaven and earth!" Biting her lip, Xiao Yu stomped her foot resentfully, but a hint of worry flashed in her eyes.
"How about it? Still want it?" Instructor Lin asked gently, smiling broadly at Xiao Yan. (This woman is always gentle, with dark eyebrows.)
His lips slightly parted, Xiao Yan shook his head. In his dark eyes, an unwavering resolve appeared. After a long moment of contemplation, he looked at everyone around him, then nodded fiercely.
"Still want it."
Hearing this, Instructor Ruo Lin's face showed a slight smile, becoming even more beautiful and captivating... and at the same time, very dangerous.