Among the welcoming crowd, a man holding a sign stood out in the red uniform of the Alchemist Association. He was a staff member from the Central Star Main City’s Alchemist Association, responsible for receiving these students from a distant planet.

This wasn’t the first time Principal Qi had brought people to this competition, so the staff member spotted him quickly and greeted him with a familiar smile.

The students transferred to a large Flying Car. Compared to the public transportation on Central Star, D618 Star seemed utterly primitive. The students curiously examined the Flying Car’s interior; the seats were comfortable, and it was fully equipped with all sorts of high-tech gadgets. There were some devices the D618 students had never seen before, and they cautiously touched and prodded them, trying to figure out what they did.

One student pressed a button, and suddenly, a screen extended from beside their seat. It displayed all kinds of information, including practical details about the shops the Flying Car was passing, leaving them feeling both amazed and excited.

"Where’d this bunch of country bumpkins come from? Look at how poor and shabby they look. Tsk, tsk. What are they even wearing?" a lavishly dressed young man sneered, his voice dripping with contempt and disdain.

His companion chimed in, "Exactly. Who knows what backwater hole they crawled out of? They might be carrying some kind of virus. Let’s keep our distance!" Their tone was filled with prejudice and disgust for the students from D618 Star.

Hearing this, the students from D618 Star were overcome with humiliation and anger. Back home, they were the pride of their school, elites who were always admired by their peers. When had they ever been subjected to such scorn?

"Better a country bumpkin than a parasite," one of the D618 Star students retorted calmly. "We rely on our own skills to get by. No matter how glamorous those pampered good-for-nothings look on the outside, they’re just toys for other people’s amusement!"

Hearing this, the students from D618 Star were instantly energized, as if they’d been shot full of adrenaline. The looks of humiliation on their faces vanished, replaced by expressions of pride and confidence.

"What did you just say, you bumpkin? You’re just jealous that we were born better! I don’t have to lift a finger to enjoy the finest things in life. Not like a commoner like you, desperately struggling just to eat your fill. Even if you worked yourself to death, you’d never live a good life!" The young man was sharp-tongued, exuding a deep-seated sense of superiority.

"You look down on us? Hmph! We’re Alchemists, here for the alchemy competition. Our classmate, Ning Xuan, isn’t even eighteen, and she’s already an Advanced Alchemist! What about you guys? Besides competing over clothes and money, what skills do you have to show for yourselves?" another student from D618 Star taunted, pointing at Ning Xuan.

Ning Xuan hadn’t participated in the training for the competition; she had just shown up out of nowhere with an Advanced Alchemist badge, stealing everyone’s spotlight. They had all been jealous, but now, using her to boast, they actually felt a sense of shared glory.

"That’s right! An Advanced Alchemist! She can casually concoct a single High-level Compound Potion and sell it for a fortune. If she places in the competition, she’ll get an even bigger reward!" The D618 students’ morale soared once more.

"So what if she’s an Advanced Alchemist? Are Advanced Alchemists that rare? I’ve seen plenty of Alchemy Masters! What’s so great about a mere Advanced Alchemist? Trash from a Garbage Star is still trash!" the lavishly dressed young man retorted, his arrogance flaring.

"Stop talking, Dongdong," his companion whispered, pulling on his arm. He followed the direction the other student had pointed and saw Ning Xuan sitting in a secluded corner. "The person they’re pointing to is a female Spirit Controller. If she’s really an Advanced Alchemist, her spiritual power would have to be B-level at least, maybe even A-level!"

"A female Spirit Controller? And she’s an Advanced Alchemist? Are you kidding me? You think you can fool me with that nonsense? Fine! I have to see this for myself. Let’s see who this so-called... It’s... Chen... Brother Chen? What are you doing here?" The boy called Dongdong had stood up in a rage, intending to see who this Advanced Alchemist the country bumpkins were talking about was.

’If it really is a woman, and one from a lesser planet at that, she’d likely be a Low-level Spirit Controller. They can’t act all high-and-mighty here in Central Star Main City!’

However, when he stood up and his gaze swept in the direction the student had pointed, his eyes flew wide open and he began to stammer. What was he seeing? Chen Nan? How could Brother Chen be here?

Rumor had it that an arranged marriage was being discussed between Brother Chen and the Bai Family’s Second Miss Bai. Although Second Miss Bai was from a prestigious family, her reputation was atrocious. Everyone felt it was a shame that someone as outstanding as Brother Chen would fall into her hands; they feared his life would be miserable.

But who would have thought that Brother Chen would actually run away? The Chen Family tried to hide it at first, sending people to search for him in secret, but you can’t hide a fire with paper. The Bai Family eventually found out. The Second Miss Bai was furious, and relations between the Bai Family and the Chen Family grew tense.

The Chen Family was not as powerful as the Bai Family, and besides, they were the ones who had broken their promise. To protect their family’s interests, the Chen Family had already dispatched numerous experts to hunt for any trace of Chen Nan. They promised that as soon as he was caught, they would deliver him directly to Second Miss Bai for her to dispose of as she pleased.

Just as Xu Dongdong recognized Chen Nan, the Flying Car arrived at a large service hub. People got off and on. All of his previous arrogance gone, Xu Dongdong scurried over to Chen Nan, his face tight with anxiety. "Brother Chen, didn’t you run away? The Bai and Chen families are both hunting for you! How can you be out in the open like this? You have to run, now, before someone spots you!"

Xu Dongdong urged Chen Nan with sincere desperation, but the words had barely left his mouth when a sinister voice drifted from behind him. "Thinking of running? It’s too late."

Xu Dongdong froze. He turned his head mechanically and saw a group of people standing not far behind him. At their head was none other than the notorious Second Miss Bai.

Today, she was dressed in a magnificent robe embroidered with intricate patterns. The hairpin she wore was encrusted with brilliant, dazzling jewels.

She was rather short, a full head shorter than the slender Xu Dongdong. He guessed she was about five-foot-three.

She had pleasant features—a high-bridged nose, almond-shaped eyes, and soft lines to her face. But right now, those eyes looked as if they were dipped in poison, glaring venomously at Chen Nan and sending a chill down Xu Dongdong’s spine.

A wave of terror washed over Xu Dongdong. Not daring to look at her again, he quickly turned his head and began to quietly shuffle away, praying that Second Miss Bai hadn’t gotten a good look at his face.