Xinyue opened her eyes slowly and looked around at her clean surroundings.
Her entire body ached, sore in every part.
The memory of what had happened to her earlier flooded back into her mind.
"Who saved me?" she thought out loud.
She was confused. She knew how heartless the people living in Mystic City were. Therefore, she hadn't expected anyone to save her and thought that moment would be her end.
Lost in thought, the door to the room creaked open, and a handsome young man entered.
"You're awake?" Jun Wu asked.
Xinyue stared at Jun Wu's face for a moment before questioning in a low voice, "Are you the one who saved me?"
"Yes," he nodded and sat at the edge of the bed. "How are you feeling?"
"Getting better, I guess."
"Good. The physician said you'd be back on your feet in three to five days."
"Thank you."
She wore a complicated expression as she looked at Jun Wu.
"Aren't you going to ask me what happened?"
"I'll listen if you decide to tell me, but I won't push you to," Jun Wu replied calmly.
He didn't care much about her story. He had helped her simply because he saw a version of himself in her—helpless and forsaken.
In this cruel world, he knew well how evil the human heart could be.
Xinyue stared at his face and realized he genuinely didn't care about her story. He had helped her without expecting anything in return.
To her, this was the first time she'd seen someone offer aid without a hidden motive.
"You're not from this city, are you?"
"No. I came for the competition," Jun Wu responded truthfully.
"You're a Formation Apprentice?" she exclaimed, surprised.
Given how young Jun Wu was, she hadn't expected him to be an Array Formation apprentice.
"I'm not an apprentice but an Array Formation Master," he replied with pride and confidence.
"Impossible!" she exclaimed in disbelief. "How old are you? It's impossible to become a Formation Master at such a young age!"
"That's for you to decide," he shrugged.
Xinyue snorted lightly. 'All these young masters from powerful clans are the same—proud and showy.'
She silently vowed never to acknowledge him as an Array Formation Master unless she saw his badge.
Without dwelling on the matter any longer, she began narrating her story, leaving nothing out.
When Jun Wu heard her tale, he frowned lightly and sighed.
She had been a student at the Mystic Path Academy but was plotted against by her so-called friend and expelled.
With her beauty and talent, she had failed to notice the vipers around her until it was too late.
Returning home, she discovered her parents had been killed in a Ruin Beast rampage.
Fortunately, her brother was saved along with other children in the village.
Left with no choice, she returned to Mystic City, hoping to survive and care for her brother.
Soon, she realized how naive her thoughts had been. Survival without strength or powerful backing was nearly impossible.
She was only an Initial Third-Rated Martial Artist when she was expelled from the academy.
With her weak strength, joining an adventurer team to explore the ruins was impossible.
Her only option was to work as a servant in stores.
Unfortunately, her beauty made her a target for men who couldn't control their lust.
Her last employer had wanted to force himself on her, but when she refused, it led to a public scene.
"Tell me where your brother is. I'll send my men to bring him to you," Jun Wu said, standing up.
"Why would you help me?" Xinyue asked, her voice tinged with suspicion.
She had seen enough of the world to know that kindness often came with a price.
"Why shouldn't I?" Jun Wu's calm reply unnerved her. She searched his face for any sign of hidden motives but found none.
For the first time in a long while, she felt a sliver of hope amid her despair.
Seeing this, an amused smile appeared on Jun Wu's face as he left the room.
As Jun Wu stepped out, his thoughts lingered on her story.
The cruelty of the world was unrelenting, but her resilience was admirable.
Shaking off the weight of her tale, he returned to his room, his mind shifting to the challenge ahead.
In his room, Jun Wu glanced at the three large books on Array Formation on his table, furrowing his brows.
These books were basic introductions to Array Formation written by three different authors.
Beside the books lay a parchment.
He sat down and began to study. The more he read, the deeper his frown grew.
"This is nonsense," he muttered, slamming the table in frustration.
Moving from one book to another, he noticed they all taught the same outdated principles.
The most notable feature was the long strings of complicated jargon designed to confuse ignorant learners.
After five hours of study, he came to a realization: the current knowledge of array formations in this world was still in the First Generation, comparable to using vacuum tubes, while he was familiar with Fifth Generation techniques using microchips.
Nevertheless, his study wasn't entirely wasted. He picked up a thing or two, including how to draw the overly complicated formations they taught.
He picked up the parchment. It contained an incomplete Wind Array Formation that had cost him five hundred silver coins.
When he'd heard the price, he had been astonished, realizing how fortunate he was to have advanced knowledge.
Without the memories of the ancient being within him, he wondered how his life would have turned out.
Swiftly, he analyzed the incomplete formation for five minutes before taking another parchment and recreating the Wind Array Formation.
This time, he completed the missing portions of the wind formation.
Looking at the finished product, Jun Wu felt a sense of accomplishment.
"This should be enough for tomorrow," he muttered.
The competition wasn't just a test—it was an opportunity to establish himself in this world without revealing too much.