The Mighty Mage-Chapter 422: Music

Her parents froze.

Gu Jin looked at them, her lips curving into a small smile. "Because I ranked first."

Silence filled the room for a second.

Then—

"What?! FIRST?!" Mrs. Gu practically shouted.

Mr. Gu blinked. "Did you just say... first place?"

Gu Jin nodded. "Yes."

For a moment, they just stared at her. Then, the entire family exploded with joy. novelbuddy.cσ๓

Mrs. Gu grabbed Gu Jin’s hands, her eyes sparkling. "My daughter is a genius! I knew it!"

Mr. Gu laughed heartily. "That’s my girl! You made us proud, Jin’er!"

Gu Jihu clapped his hands. "I knew you’d win!"

Gu Jichun beamed. "I told you she’d pass!"

Mrs. Gu pulled Gu Jin into a tight hug. "We must celebrate! I’ll call the chef to prepare a feast!"

Mr. Gu grinned. "I’ll inform our friends! They should all know that my daughter is the top alchemist of her generation!"

Gu Jin chuckled softly as she watched her family celebrate.

"Should we go for a celebration banquet?" Gu Jichun proposed.

Gu Jin shook her head,

"No. I don’t want to spend my special time with unknown people."

Mrs. Gu and Mr. Gu respected Gu Jin’s decision and said,

"Alright."

After a sumptuous lunch, Mrs. Gu and Mr. Gu called Gu Jin into the study.

Gu Jihu and Gu Jichun followed along.

Gu Jin already had a basic idea as to what they were going to say.

Mr. Gu folded his hands on the desk, looking at Gu Jin with pride but also a hint of concern.

"You must already have an idea about what we’re going to discuss," he said in a measured tone.

Gu Jin nodded slightly. "It’s about the next rounds of the competition... and the people who will try to stop me."

Mrs. Gu sighed, her face darkening. "Jin’er, we’ve already heard whispers. The wealthy families, the sponsored students—they see you as a threat."

Gu Jihu frowned. "I don’t understand. Shouldn’t the competition be about skill? Why do they need to resort to dirty tricks?"

Mr. Gu let out a low chuckle, though it held no amusement.

"Because for them, it’s not just about skill. It’s about power, influence, and control. If an independent talent like you rises too high, it threatens the foundation they’ve built for their own children."

Gu Jichun clenched her fists.

"That’s so unfair! Just because Gu Jin is better, they want to bring her down?"

Gu Jin remained composed, but her eyes gleamed with sharp intelligence. "I expected as much."

Mrs. Gu leaned forward, her voice soft yet firm. "We won’t let them harm you. If they try anything—"

"I can handle it," Gu Jin interrupted gently.

"I know they’ll try to tamper with the herb selection. They might even attempt to delay me or trick me into picking the wrong ingredients. But I won’t fall for it."

Mr. Gu studied her for a moment before nodding approvingly.

"Good. But if anything seems suspicious, don’t hesitate to let us know. We have our own influence, and we won’t let you fight alone."

Gu Jin smiled faintly. "I appreciate it."

Gu Jihu grinned. "I almost feel bad for those fools who think they can outsmart you."

Gu Jichun smirked. "They won’t even know what hit them."

Mrs. Gu chuckled but then grew serious.

"Even so, be careful. If they can’t beat you in the competition, they might try to deal with you outside of it."

Gu Jin’s expression turned cold. "Then they’ll regret it."

Mr. Gu nodded approvingly. "That’s my daughter."

......................................................

At Beijing University, inside a grand office lined with scrolls and ancient alchemy texts, Master Qiao stood before Principal Lan with a composed expression.

He carefully placed the result sheet on the principal’s desk.

"Principal Lan, the results for the first round of the National Alchemy Competition have been finalized."

"What are the results?" Prinicpal Lan asked without looking at the paper.

"Why don’t you see it on your own?" Master Qiao said with a meaningful look.

Principal Lan’s eyes scanned the list, and as soon as he saw the name at the top, his brows lifted in surprise.

"Gu Jin?" he murmured.

"Yes," Master Qiao confirmed. "She ranked first in the theoretical exam."

"Good! Good!" Principal Lan was excited.

Beijing University had a record of ranking first in the National Competitions.

However, the marks that the students always obtained were either 700 or 710. The highest someone had achieved was 750.

Meanwhile, Gu Jin scored 1000 out of 1000.

It was completely unheard of!

Principal Lan stroked his beard thoughtfully before making a decision.

"Prepare a special allocation of alchemy resources for Gu Jin. Give her access to the inner library and provide her with premium-grade herbs for her practice."

Master Qiao smiled. "I will handle it immediately."

Just as Master Qiao turned to leave, Principal Lan added,

"Also, keep an eye on her. With a score like this, she will attract not only admiration but also jealousy. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone tries to obstruct her progress."

Master Qiao’s expression darkened. "I understand. I will make sure no one dares to interfere."

.......................................

The next day.

Gu Jin set off to Fu Jio city.

Surprisingly, she didn’t meet Long Yifan at all.

Did she miss him? Nope. She was just curious whether he had given up on her or not.

Some candidates who were sitting beside her started to chatter,

"Hey! I heard that Ma Bence is going to be there too!"

"What? That mysterious, powerful mage who had reached the Heaven Rank at the age of 16?"

"Yes! God! I will make sure to take his autograph."

Gu Jin ignored their chattering and decided to rest.

After a long day of travel, Gu Jin finally arrived at the hotel in Fu Jio City. The grand lobby was decorated with golden chandeliers, and the polished floors reflected the soft lighting. The receptionist handed her the key card.

"Miss Gu, your room is 602. Please enjoy your stay."

Gu Jin nodded, took the key card, and headed toward the elevator. The hotel was well-maintained, and the hallways smelled of fresh lavender.

Once inside her room, she locked the door and looked around. It was spacious, with a large bed, a writing desk, and a wide window showing the city skyline.

Without wasting time, she grabbed her nightwear and entered the bathroom.

The warm water from the shower relaxed her muscles, washing away the fatigue from the journey.

After changing into comfortable clothes, she sat cross-legged on the bed, ready to cultivate. But just as she was about to focus—

BOOM!

A loud beat of music blasted through the walls, making the entire room vibrate.

Gu Jin frowned. She tried to ignore it, but the music only got louder. The bass was so strong that she could feel it in her bones.

She took a deep breath and covered her ears, thinking it would stop soon. But five minutes passed. Then ten. The music kept playing.

Her patience ran out. She picked up the room phone and dialed the front desk.

"Hello, this is room 602. The music from the next room is too loud. Can you ask them to lower the volume?"

The receptionist responded politely, "I’m very sorry, Miss Gu. We will handle it right away."

Gu Jin hung up, expecting silence soon.

But after ten minutes, the music was still blaring.

She frowned. Did they even do anything?

Thirty minutes passed. The music got even louder, now mixed with laughter and shouting.

Gu Jin’s expression darkened.

After a full hour, nothing had changed.

She picked up the phone again, her voice colder this time.

"I called an hour ago. The noise has not stopped."

The receptionist stammered, "M-Miss Gu, we did speak to them, but they refused to listen. They said they’re guests too and have the right to enjoy their stay."

Gu Jin’s eyes turned sharp. "Is that so?"

She hung up without another word.

Then, she stood up, walked to the wall separating her room from the noisy one, and knocked. Hard.

The music stopped for a moment. Then, a lazy voice called out, "Who is it?"

Gu Jin’s voice was calm but carried a dangerous edge.

"Turn down the music."

There was silence. Then laughter.

A man’s voice responded mockingly, "If it’s too loud, just leave the hotel, Miss 602."

Gu Jin’s lips curled into a cold smile.

"I will give you 3 minutes to turn off the song; otherwise, don’t blame me for being ruthless."

A mocking chuckle came from the other side of the wall. "Oh? And what will you do, little miss? Call the front desk again?"

Gu Jin’s eyes turned icy.

Three minutes passed.

The music was still blasting. The laughter continued.

Bang!

The next second, a powerful burst of energy erupted from Gu Jin’s hand, sending a shockwave through the wall.

Though she controlled her strength, the vibrations were strong enough to make the entire room shake.

Inside the noisy room, chaos broke out. Drinks spilled, chairs toppled, and the group of men and women inside gasped.

"What the hell?!" one of them shouted.