SWNOVELXO Chapter 4 - Return
Chapter 4: Return
A shout rang out: “Shen Shuchou!”
The yell was accompanied by a whoosh as half a piece of chalk accurately struck Shen Shuchou’s head.
Shen Shuchou lifted his head from the desk in a daze, looking around in confusion.
The surroundings were both unfamiliar and familiar. Numerous gazes converged on him, some mocking, some spectating, some amused.
Looking ahead, a bald middle-aged man was glaring at him furiously, still holding the other half of the chalk in his hand.
Sealed memories surged into his mind like a tidal wave.
Familiar names echoed in the depths of his heart.
Chen Nan…
Fang Yue…
Zhong Mingbin…
“Am I back?”
Shen Shuchou muttered.
“What’s this, Shen Shuchou? Did you sleepwalk on your way here? How dare you treat my teaching like nothing but hot air,” the balding middle-aged man on the platform said furiously.
“Hahaha!”
“Has Shen Shuchou gone stupid from sleeping?”
“He’s got guts to sleep during Teacher Wang’s class.”
Whispers broke out across the classroom.
“Everyone shut up! Shen Shuchou, get out and stand in the hallway. Come to my office after class,” Teacher Wang pointed at Shen Shuchou.
With the joy of return visible on his face, Shen Shuchou left his desk and walked toward the door.
He was back.
After nine cycles of reincarnation, he had finally returned to the Blue Star he had dreamed of…
Little did he know that his expression of joyful reunion appeared merely flippant to Teacher Wang.
When he reached the hallway, Shen Shuchou found a dark-skinned youth already standing there.
“Hey! Brother Shen, you got kicked out too? Did you come to keep me company because you were worried I’d be lonely?” the youth said in surprise.
Shen Shuchou studied him carefully. The youth was thin and tanned, with acne dotting his face.
This was Xu Yong, Shen Shuchou’s high school deskmate. They had been good friends.
Xu Yong felt curious under Shen Shuchou’s gaze: “Brother Shen, why do you keep staring at me? Is there something on my face?”
“Nothing, I just suddenly realized I haven’t seen you in a long time. I missed you,” Shen Shuchou said nostalgically, placing his hand on Xu Yong’s shoulder.
These seemingly sentimental words made Xu Yong grin and dodge away: “Brother Shen, you’re confused! If you want romance, you can’t look for me. Man-on-man won’t work – I’m saving myself for my future wife!”
“Get out of here!” Shen Shuchou laughed, knowing his friend had misunderstood.
Being back felt wonderful, from the campus atmosphere to the playful banter between friends.
Shen Shuchou suddenly remembered something and quickly asked: “What’s today’s date?”
Xu Yong looked at him strangely but replied: “It’s June 5th, 2027. Brother Shen, how could you forget even that?”
“It’s nothing, probably just groggy from sleeping,” Shen Shuchou casually deflected.
In his heart, however, he recalled this day. If he wasn’t mistaken, in his previous life on Blue Star, this was the day he was “blessed” by the dump truck-kun god.
Then he had transmigrated to another world, experiencing nine cycles of reincarnation tasks.
He wondered if the system was still there now that his task was complete.
Next, Shen Shuchou checked whether he still had his status panel in his mind.
「Name: Shen Shuchou」
「Cultivation Level: ???」
「World: Blue Star」
「Note: As the host has completed the nine cycles of reincarnation task, rewards of cultivation insights from all nine lives have been combined into one.」
Shen Shuchou: “???”
The Blue Star where Shen Shuchou resided also had a cultivation system, but it could only be considered low-level martial arts.
Forty years ago, unknown rifts appeared all over the world, and from them, a large number of demon beasts emerged, endangering the world.
It was also at this time that spiritual energy began to recover, but the spiritual energy on Blue Star was scarce, and the cultivation speed was extremely slow.
Even a Foundation Establishment cultivator was considered a powerful figure here.
Shen Shuchou’s cultivation in his nine lives was all arranged by the system. Whatever cultivation level he was given, that was his cultivation level, and he couldn’t advance. There was no need to cultivate at all.
With the reward of his nine lives’ cultivation, wouldn’t he become an invincible existence on Blue Star?
With the culmination of his nine lives’ cultivation, Shen Shuchou could now do almost anything he wanted. No one could stop him, and it wasn’t impossible for him to even destroy Blue Star if he desired.
However, Shen Shuchou’s heart remained unmoved. The tempering of the nine-life mission had long ground his heart into a dead pool of water, not causing the slightest ripple.
Now, he just wanted to live peacefully, not bothering with troublesome trifles.
Just then, the building rang with a ding-a-ling sound.
The bell signaling the end of class sounded.
Teacher Wang’s figure walked out of the classroom. Seeing Shen Shuchou and the other student, he frowned and said, “You two, come with me.”
“We’re done for.”
Xu Yong’s face drooped.
Shen Shuchou’s expression remained calm.
Arriving at the office, Shen Shuchou looked around. Now, everything he saw made him curious and filled with nostalgia.
Teacher Wang took a sip of tea and said, “Shen Shuchou, tell me, how dare you sleep so blatantly in class? Do you think you’re listening to the lecture for my sake? If you don’t study well, what do you plan to do in the future? If you can’t get into a good university and don’t have good resources, how will you support yourself?”
Teacher Wang looked at Shen Shuchou with a stern expression, sighing inwardly.
As the class teacher, he was well aware of Shen Shuchou’s family situation.
He had grown up in an orphanage since childhood and was later adopted by a couple. However, just last year, that couple had fallen victim to demon beasts, leaving only Shen Shuchou behind.
Although Shen Shuchou’s talent was poor, he was still studious. Teacher Wang usually took special care of him, but today, he was unusually sleeping in class, which inevitably made him angry. Was it because he had been too lenient with him?
“I’m sorry, Mr. Wang. It’s my fault. I was cultivating too late last night and felt sleepy during the day. I won’t do it again.”
Shen Shuchou apologized sincerely.
Teacher Wang’s harsher words hadn’t even left his mouth when they were preemptively cut off. Seeing Shen Shuchou’s sincere appearance, his tone softened, “Your teacher knows you’re not having an easy time. Don’t let it happen again. If you encounter any difficulties in life, tell me. You can go back now.”
Shen Shuchou couldn’t help but feel a warmth in his heart.
After resolving Shen Shuchou’s matter, Teacher Wang glared at Xu Yong, who was rubbing his hands on the side. Just as he was about to speak…
“Teacher, I also know I was wrong. I’m sorry, I won’t dare to do it again.”
Xu Yong hurriedly imitated Shen Shuchou, trying to avoid a scolding.
Teacher Wang was suddenly angered and amused by Xu Yong’s comical appearance, “What did you do wrong? How should I criticize you? You, you rascal, dared to flirt with female classmates in my class. You’re simply lawless!”
Xu Yong lifted his head in shock, looking a bit dazed.
“This isn’t right! Teacher Wang, how can you treat us differently?”
“I’ll call your parents to come tomorrow.” Teacher Wang said, feeling exasperated.
“Ah, no! If my dad finds out, I’ll definitely be in big trouble.” Xu Yong said with a worried face.
“Get out, get out. Just looking at you gives me a headache.”
The furious Teacher Wang directly kicked Xu Yong out.
Xu Yong quickly caught up with Shen Shuchou, his face full of worry, “Sigh! There are still more than thirty days until the college entrance exam. Brother Shen, do you have any tips?”
The two of them, as the bottom students of Class 5 in the third year of high school, had always been at the bottom of the class in all aspects.
Reminded of this, Shen Shuchou only then remembered that there were thirty days left until the college entrance exam, which included tests for spiritual power, strength, speed, and mental power. A score of 500 was the entrance ticket to a low-level university. Those scoring below 500 could only become basic-level personnel.
Getting into university had always been Shen Shuchou’s dream in his previous life, but with his cultivation level, he was destined not to be able to enter university.
In this life, having just returned, although he now had cultivation, Shen Shuchou lacked that aspiration.
“Eat when you should eat, drink when you should drink. Anyway, you won’t be able to pass.”
Xu Yong looked at Shen Shuchou in shock, “Brother Shen, is this your method?”
“Anyway, you won’t be able to pass. Enjoy each day to the fullest.” Shen Shuchou said with a casual smile.
“No one puts others down like this. Besides, aren’t you the same, Brother Shen?” Xu Yong’s entire being wilted.
Not being able to enter university meant being destined to become an ordinary person.
The only way out was to work part-time jobs or become a thug for those families.
But to be a thug, one needed to have good cultivation. With their cultivation levels, even thugs wouldn’t want them.
As they were talking, the two arrived at the school gate. Xu Yong suddenly nudged Shen Shuchou and said, “Brother Shen, look, isn’t that your goddess Chu Siqi?”
Following his gaze, he saw a Rolls-Royce parked not far from the school gate. A girl in a pink dress got into the back seat.
Xu Yong smacked his lips enviously, “It’s great to be rich. Brother Shen, I advise you to give up! A girl like her is not someone you can pursue.”
Shen Shuchou’s face remained calm, a trace of self-mockery tugging at the corner of his mouth.
In his previous life, Shen Shuchou was still a secret admirer in the open. He had written quite a few love letters to Chu Siqi, but they never received any response.
The two had hardly spoken a few words to each other. The few occasional times were when Shen Shuchou mustered up the courage to talk to Chu Siqi, and the response he got was always just a “hmm”.
In fact, it wasn’t just Shen Shuchou alone. Most of the male students in the school had once harbored this thought, but they all gave up halfway. Chu Siqi treated everyone the same and had never been seen behaving intimately with any male student.
Thinking back on these things after being reborn, it was really quite childish.
On the side, Xu Yong was still staring at the departing car, chattering incessantly. When he turned his head, Shen Shuchou had long since walked far away.