Chapter 13: Kanade Tachibana

As dawn was about to break, the tranquil music classroom welcomed another visitor. A silver-blue-haired girl quietly pushed the door open and stepped inside. Her expressionless face could hardly conceal her exhaustion, but upon seeing the peacefully sleeping pair—one boy and one fox—leaning against the wall, she felt a wave of relief. Judging by his state, he should be fine now.

"A fox?" she murmured as she noticed the fluffy, snow-white creature curled up on Ye Chen's lap. Instantly, she felt healed—girls always had little resistance to cute things, let alone to Xiao Bai, whose charm radiated from every tuft of fur. Unable to control herself, her hand reached out toward the slumbering fox.

Xiao Bai's fur was smoother than silk, and as she lifted him, a springy warmth spread through her hands. The little creature had completely won her over. Hugging him like a plush toy, she rubbed her cheek against his soft body; the fatigue from searching for Ye Chen all night seemed to melt away instantly.

All night, Xiao Bai had slept on Ye Chen’s lap, surrounded by his warmth and scent. In his dreams, he felt hands gently scoop him up—something nuzzled against him. Instinctively, he assumed Ye Chen was awake and teasing him again, so he lazily licked the hand and dozed off once more.

A few seconds later, Xiao Bai’s eyes snapped open. He lifted his head to examine the person holding him. The taste and scent were definitely not Ye Xingchen’s. Odd as it was, that was how he realized it. Looking up, he saw a quiet and adorable silver-haired girl holding him in her arms.

She didn’t seem malicious, but Xiao Bai didn’t like being touched by anyone other than Ye Xingchen and C.C. In a flash, he wriggled free and darted back to Ye Chen’s lap.

The girl watched the little fox return, a hint of disappointment in her gaze. Turning toward the only instrument in the music room—the piano—she suddenly felt like playing. Lifting the lid to reveal the black and white keys, her slender fingers, delicate as if boneless, came to rest on them, and a melodious tune filled the air.

The sound of the piano brought Ye Chen back to consciousness. Eyes half-closed, he was immersed in the music. The girl's playing seemed to heal the soul, calming his heart like a serene, unruffled lake. The gentle tranquility made him want to ignore the world outside; to simply sit there was a pleasure in itself.

The suppressed violence and murderous intent within him melted away in the music. “Ding, system task complete: Suppress the curse. Seek one who can restrain the curse. Reward: Twin Swords of Fantasia. System manifestation in progress…”

“So she’s the one I was looking for. Who would have thought she’d appear before me the moment I woke up!” The system’s prompt made Ye Chen chuckle. He’d assumed it would be difficult, yet he’d found her without even trying. Was this luck?

Gradually, the piece came to an end. The girl turned to him, her clear, melodic voice drifting into Ye Chen’s ears. “You’re awake?”

“Yes. Did you look for me all night?” he replied softly. Frowning, he noticed dewdrops on her clothes and traces of mud on her shoes. He was certain this girl had spent the entire night outside.

She nodded. “I did.” She truly didn’t know how to lie.

“Thank you. What’s your name?” From her, Ye Chen sensed the same care he’d felt from C.C. and Xiao Bai in the past. His affection for her grew, and he asked her name.

She tilted her head slightly. “Kanade Tachibana.”

Knowing her name, Ye Chen finally understood the hint that Ruo Xing and Ruo Chen had given him: “Standing in the fleeting world, playing a heavenly melody.” Wasn’t that referring to Kanade Tachibana?

“It’s a beautiful name. Hello, I’m Ye Chen. You can also call me Ye Xingchen, Xingchen, or Chen,” he introduced himself, a touch of helplessness in his tone. With Ye Xingchen split into two, he never quite knew which name to use for himself, so he simply ignored the lazy one still sleeping.

“Ye Chen?” Kanade found the variety of names a bit complex and called out in confusion.

“Just call me that,” he replied.

“Can you teach me piano?” Ye Chen hadn’t forgotten his long-term task. If he ever needed to use the Night Shadow Star Technique, without Kanade nearby, he’d have no way to suppress its effects. But carrying a piano everywhere was out of the question; he’d have to make do.

Kanade nodded and shifted to the side, making space for Ye Chen to sit with her.

What followed was Kanade’s heartfelt instruction as she taught Ye Chen piano. Time passed quickly from dawn to noon; together with Xiao Bai, the two spent the morning in the music classroom. At one point, Ye Chen even used starlight to restore Kanade’s strength, dissolving her fatigue. Within a few hours, he learned to play, though he was still a little behind Kanade.

When the last note faded, Kanade was amazed at Ye Chen’s rapid progress. In just a few hours, he no longer seemed a beginner—he played better than some who had studied for four or five years, just a shade beneath her own skill. She didn’t feel jealousy, only curiosity at his remarkable talent.

She gently patted his back, meeting his puzzled gaze, and dutifully announced, “Stand up. Class is about to begin!”

If not for Kanade’s current actions, Ye Chen might have forgotten that this adorable girl was actually the student council president. She’d spent an entire night searching for a student she’d just met and whose name she didn’t even know. Such dedication was truly rare.

“Um, Kanade, do I have to go?” Ye Chen protested. Since childhood, he’d lived on the run from his own father. Simply surviving was an achievement; attending school was out of the question. Most of his knowledge and common sense came from C.C. As a result, he’d never set foot in a classroom and often heard that school was a painful experience.

“No,” Kanade replied without rejecting his affectionate nickname. Instead, she took his hand and dashed from the music room, leading him to the other side of the academic building. She opened the door and pulled Ye Chen to an empty seat. Once he was settled, she quickly returned to her own place. The very next second, the bell rang for class.

“With timing like that, if I didn’t know Kanade was just a slightly stronger ordinary girl, I’d think she was some kind of top-tier master,” Ye Chen muttered to himself.

Having never attended school before, Ye Chen sat in the classroom for the first time, curiously observing his surroundings. After a while, he realized school was just about memorizing what the teachers taught and passing exams. In fact, C.C.’s lessons far surpassed those of any teacher. Resolving to focus on his cultivation, Ye Chen paid little attention to the outside world.

Although he couldn’t use the Night Shadow Star Technique, he could still train as usual. Ye Chen figured it was time to develop a few more abilities…