"Tutor Ruolin, what kind of person do you take me for, Xu Ran? Am I some lascivious lecher? I came to Canaan Academy to learn, not to chase after girls."
"Ah, this…" Ruo Lin was dumbfounded.
She didn't believe a word of it.
She knew a lot about Xu Ran from Xun Er's mouth, and it seemed that Xu Ran hadn't done anything serious during his leave from the Jia Ma Empire. Adventuring? Essentially, every month, or even less than a month, he had a new love interest. His rate of changing women was barely slower than changing clothes.
Even though the female students of Canaan Academy were unaware of Xu Ran's dealings in the Jia Ma Empire, Xu Ran had already been dubbed the number one scoundrel of Canaan Academy.
Just Xun Er, Xiao Yu, and Xiao Mei alone had caused Xu Ran to bear quite a few curses in Canaan Academy.
"Then what would make you stay at Canaan Academy?"
"Even though our Canaan Academy can't compare to those forces in Zhongzhou, in reality, apart from Zhongzhou, our Canaan Academy is already considered the top-tier force and is also regarded as the number one academic institution on the Continent."
"Training elsewhere is not as good as staying right here at Canaan Academy. Outside of Canaan Academy, in the Black Corner Region, that's the most chaotic place on the entire Continent, where even many of Zhongzhou's strong figures are mixed among them." Ruo Lin said earnestly and with painstaking persuasion.
She was nearly in tears.
These past few days, she had been eagerly waiting for Xu Ran's arrival at Canaan Academy.
Before, she hadn't realized just how monstrous Xu Ran truly was. It was only after the academy received information from the Jia Ma Empire that she understood how terrifying Xu Ran really was.
Xu Ran was among the top alchemists on the Continent; that identity alone ranked higher than that of a Great Elder of the inner court of Canaan Academy.
Perhaps, only the founder and former dean of the academy could compare.
"I act purely on my mood; if I'm in a good mood, then perhaps I won't leave," Xu Ran yawned lazily as he spoke.
"Xu Ran, if you ask me, you shouldn't go. You can train just as well at our Canaan Academy. Plus, you need to accompany Xun Er, right? You just got here, and now you want to leave? What about them? They have been waiting for you at Canaan Academy for a long time. If you leave now, wouldn't that be too heartless?" Ruo Lin looked at Xu Ran with a trace of sorrow in her eyes.
If it weren't for the fact that she needed Xu Ran's help, she would curse him as the scum he was.
He had only arrived a day or two ago and was already planning to leave?
He was behaving like a beast!
In such a short time, what could be accomplished?
In Ruo Lin's eyes, Xu Ran was already a complete villain. Although this was what she thought, she dared not voice it out. She could only softly plead with Xu Ran.
Now, she truly relied on Xu Ran for improving her performance.
Without Xu Ran, who knew when she would be promoted?
Who would want to stay in the outer court if they could go to the inner court? Everyone at Canaan Academy knew that one only truly entered Canaan Academy upon entering the inner court.
The outer court was nothing more than a place to select seedlings for the inner court.
Ruo Lin didn't want to stay in the outer court forever.
If Xu Ran hadn't shown up, she would have honestly waited and slowly accumulated merit. But now that Xu Ran was here, if she continued to wait honestly, then she would be a fool.
Previously, an elder from the inner court had come looking for her.
As long as she could keep Xu Ran in the academy, she would be able to enter the Inner Court, and might even become an Elder of Canaan Academy in the future.
With Xu Ran, the overall power of Canaan Academy would rise by a notch.
Everyone knew that Xu Ran's attendance at Canaan Academy was more of a casual affair and not because he was a genius cultivated by the Academy itself; he had no particular affection for Canaan Academy.
It was precisely because of this that the Elders had specifically instructed Tutor Ruolin.
"I think the higher-ups of the Academy must have offered you some sort of benefit for you to be so eager to retain me. You probably cursed me out in your heart already," Xu Ran saw through Ruolin's intentions at a glance.
"Ah? No, no…" Ruolin felt somewhat guilty.
Xu Ran's eyes seemed to be able to see through everything, she even felt that her own thoughts were laid bare under his gaze, making her extremely nervous.
"Tell me. Is it true that if I stay in Canaan Academy, you could be promoted to a Xuan-level Tutor, or maybe even an Earth Class?"
"Indeed it is."
"Our advancement as tutors depends on the talents of the students we guide and the number of inner court disciples who emerge. With your abilities, it is like Canaan Academy has gained a guardian deity. Therefore, I could be promoted by several grades," Ruolin admitted openly after her intentions were exposed.
She found that Xu Ran was terrifyingly perceptive, which made her quite anxious; she felt utterly ungrounded in his presence.
"So that's how it is. And yet, Ruolin, you still dare to act so proud in front of me? From now on, you do as I say, and maybe I'll help you out. Who's to say it's not possible for you, not only to be a Xuan-level Tutor but even an Earth Class or Heaven-level one?" Xu Ran said with a smile as he pulled Ruolin into his embrace.
"Ah."
Ruolin was taken aback for a moment and only reacted after she had fallen into Xu Ran's arms.
"Xu Ran, what are you doing? I am your tutor," Ruolin asked in panic, struggling constantly, her heart fluttering erratically.
"I just wanted to hug my tutor for a moment."
"Would Tutor Ruolin be unwilling?"
"There are quite a few people in the nearby offices. If someone were to…"
Xu Ran whispered in Ruolin's ear, his breath warm. Ruolin froze, glaring furiously at Xu Ran.
She was also worried. What if someone suddenly came in? This wasn't her dormitory; whatever happened there would likely go unnoticed. But this was a public area, especially since tutors of the same rank and students from her classes would often come to find her.
If those people were to see them, wouldn't that be...
The mere thought of that scenario made her face burn with heat.
"Xu Ran, what on earth do you want?" Ruolin looked at Xu Ran, and soon enough, she lowered her head. She couldn't dare to meet Xu Ran's eyes, always feeling inferior to him.
Yet she was the tutor!
At ordinary times, who in the class would dare to treat her this way? They would all be proper and respectful in her presence.
"Xu Ran, even if I want you to stay at Canaan Academy, I definitely couldn't..." Ruolin said with her head down, her tone firm.
Teaching in the Inner Court might have been her dream, but not at the cost of her integrity.
"Don't worry. I, Xu Ran, am not that kind of villain. I would never do anything against a woman's will," Xu Ran said with a smile. Had Ruolin readily agreed to him, he might have truly lost interest. But now, well...