Chapter One: Never Admit Defeat

Boom! The ground split open with a massive crack.

For the eleventh time—unbelievably, for the eleventh time—Han Tianyue had lost to her. Gritting his teeth, unwilling to concede defeat, he pushed himself up from the ground; his blood had already soaked through his clothes.

“Tianyue, admit defeat!” Crown Prince Mao turned with a graceful flourish, drawing a chorus of screams.

“Never!” Han Tianyue leapt into the air, gathering a sphere of water in his palm and hurling it straight at the Crown Prince.

“Hmph!” Crown Prince Mao snorted coldly, a flash of fire glinting at the corner of his eye. His flame-colored hair danced like living fire as he charged to meet Han Tianyue’s water sphere—

Boom!

For the twelfth time, Han Tianyue was thrown to the ground.

“Pathetic.” Crown Prince Mao left behind a frosty taunt, then departed with the thronging students who surged after him.

Han Tianyue raised his head, watching Crown Prince Mao. From within the crowd, the Crown Prince glanced back at Han Tianyue.

“Why am I so useless!” Han Tianyue clenched his fist and punched himself hard. “Crown Prince Mao, I will never lose to you again!”

The pain in his body overwhelmed him, and Han Tianyue slipped into unconsciousness.

No one knows how much time passed before Han Tianyue woke from his stupor. Night had fallen, and darkness surrounded him. The school had forbidden students from being outside at night, so the entire campus was eerily silent.

Under the shroud of darkness, the once-familiar school now seemed strange and unrecognizable. Han Tianyue looked around uncertainly, his heart trembling. He forced himself to his feet and started forward.

“What is this place? It’s like a maze!” No matter how he walked, Han Tianyue found himself returning to the same spot.

“Could the rumors about the school be true?” At that moment, a wave of cold air swept toward him.

Though fear crept in, Han Tianyue did not panic. Having grown up alone, he was no stranger to strange occurrences. Even if there really were ghosts, he was almost curious to see what one looked like.

“Come out!” Han Tianyue called out with a cold, mocking laugh.

“Heh, you’re not even afraid of me, little one?” The chill hit him like a wall, surging straight for Han Tianyue, forcing him to take half a step back.

“Stop with the theatrics,” Han Tianyue replied calmly.

“Not bad. I like your spirit, boy.” The cold current swirled before him, coalescing into a spectral figure that hovered in the air.

Han Tianyue sized up the spirit; it was not as terrifying as he had imagined. Its expression was kind, and its form was no stranger than his own.

“So, ghost, what do you want?” The pain in his body was becoming unbearable, but standing face to face with this spirit, Han Tianyue wouldn’t allow it to take advantage of his weakness.

“You’re injured,” the spirit observed instantly, seeing through Han Tianyue’s condition.

In a flash, the spirit dissolved into a current of cold air, swirling around Han Tianyue. He sensed danger, but before he could react, the chill surged toward him—

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