Thoughts flashed through Xiao Yao's mind, but he said nothing more.
Seeing that Xiao Yao had no intention of explaining, Xiao Xun'er paid it no mind and smiled.
"Then, Brother Xiao Yao, have you already made contact with that instructor Ruo Lin?"
"That's right. You won't have to go to the recruitment square and wait in that long, exhausting line either."
Xiao Yao smiled. He planned to take Xiao Yi Xian and Xiao Xun'er straight to Instructor Ruo Lin and explain things before they set off. Then they could leave.
"That'll be much more convenient. It'll save us a lot of trouble, too."
"I heard Cousin Xiao Yu say that even if you pass the recruitment assessment, the senior students give you a hard time."
Xiao Xun'er spoke thoughtfully.
Xiao Yi Xian, meanwhile, was a little nervous.
"Young Master Xiao Yao, am I strong enough to pass the recruitment assessment?"
"Don't worry. With your strength, passing the assessment will be a breeze."
Xiao Yao really wasn't planning to rely on his own talent to get Instructor Ruo Lin to give the two of them special treatment. Both of them met the requirements for the recruitment assessment.
After taking poison, Xiao Yi Xian's strength had advanced rapidly. She was now close to breaking through to Dou Zhe.
Although Xiao Yi Xian's Woeful Poison Body could consume poison and convert it into Poison Dou Qi, her Woeful Poison Body had not yet fully awakened at the beginning. Taking too much poison could easily poison her into unconsciousness.
In the original story, Xiao Yan had discovered that Xiao Yi Xian possessed the Woeful Poison Body precisely because she had taken too much poison and fallen unconscious.
While unconscious, Xiao Yi Xian's control would drop sharply, making it difficult for her to control the Calamity Poison Power within her body.
Anyone without sufficient strength who touched her would die.
Although Xiao Yao's Sun Power could suppress the Calamity Poison Power, he didn't want Xiao Yi Xian to keep taking excessive amounts of poison and falling unconscious.
Thus, Xiao Yi Xian had always taken poison gradually, slowly increasing the dose. Otherwise, she would already have broken through to Dou Zhe.
As for Xiao Xun'er, there was no need to say much. One word, "talent," was enough to explain it.
With Xiao Xun'er's talent, if even she couldn't pass Jia Nan Academy's recruitment assessment, the academy probably wouldn't have many students at all.
"Come to think of it, did Cousin Xiao Yu go to the recruitment assessment yesterday too?"
Xiao Yao asked with some curiosity.
He vaguely remembered that Xiao Yu had indeed entered Jia Nan Academy the year before Xiao Yan's coming-of-age ceremony.
"Yes. I ran into Cousin Xiao Yu yesterday. Since you were interested in Jia Nan Academy, Brother Xiao Yao, I chatted with her a little longer."
"Cousin Xiao Yu poured out her grievances, saying that after passing the assessment, she still had to put up with the senior students giving her a hard time and stand outside under the blazing sun."
Xiao Yao shook his head slightly. He didn't take pleasure in her misfortune; he just thought Cousin Xiao Yu had been a little unlucky.
It hadn't occurred to him earlier that Xiao Yu had also entered Jia Nan Academy this year.
If he had known, he would have helped Xiao Yu out along the way.
After all, they were members of the same clan. If he could lend a hand, he would.
Because of him, the Xiao Clan patriarch's faction actually held a very secure position, and its power had reached its height for the past few decades.
Unlike in the original story, the Xiao Clan's elders had not fought Xiao Zhan for power and profit. Instead, they had even rallied around him.
The chief reason for all these changes was naturally Xiao Yao's existence.
Thus, even though Xiao Yao hadn't deliberately looked after Xiao Yan over the past three years, Xiao Yan hadn't been openly given a hard time either.
Of course, open mockery and veiled jabs behind his back were unavoidable.
So, although Xiao Yao and Xiao Yu were only on nodding terms, there was no bad blood between them.
Naturally, he wanted to help her if he could.
"Then if Cousin Xiao Yu finds out, she'll probably have a few complaints for me."
Xiao Yao sounded a little helpless.
Just as Xiao Yao was speaking, a voice came from nearby.
"Cousin Xiao Yao, are you over here?"
The voice sounded somewhat familiar, but Xiao Yao couldn't place it for the moment. He looked at Xiao Xun'er.
Xiao Xun'er covered her mouth and giggled. "Brother Xiao Yao, we were just talking about her."
Understanding dawned on Xiao Yao. "It's Cousin Xiao Yu. But what does she want with me?"
Xiao Yao was a little puzzled. Xun'er and Xiao Yi Xian could only shake their heads in bewilderment.
Xiao Yao called back, letting Xiao Yu know where he was.
Before long, Xiao Yu emerged from the woods, followed by a figure as gentle as water.
It was Instructor Ruo Lin.
Upon seeing Xiao Yao, Instructor Ruo Lin finally confirmed his identity.
"It really is you!"
Hearing the surprise in Instructor Ruo Lin's voice, Xiao Yao shrugged.
"Instructor Ruo Lin, didn't I already tell you yesterday?"
Ruo Lin rolled her eyes at him.
"I'm an instructor in charge of recruitment, after all. I couldn't just take your word for it, could I? Of course I had to come and verify it."
Listening to their riddle-like exchange, Xiao Yu was completely baffled. She couldn't help asking Instructor Ruo Lin.
"Teacher, do you know my cousin Xiao Yao?"
"Of course I do. He was the one who kicked up a huge fuss at the guesthouse yesterday. In the end, he dumped a pile of trouble on me and asked me to cover it up for him."
"W-what?!" Xiao Yu's beautiful eyes widened in shock, and her full, rosy lips fell open involuntarily.
"Isn't Cousin Xiao Yao very low-key?"
"Low-key? Heh! He put on a cloak yesterday and dared to charge straight into Jia Nan Academy's guesthouse. No one could be more high-profile than him."
Instructor Ruo Lin spoke irritably.
Hearing the resentment in Instructor Ruo Lin's words, Xiao Yao could only laugh awkwardly and choose to change the subject.
"Cousin Xiao Yu, there was a reason for it. Please keep it a secret; the safety of the clan is at stake."
Hearing that it concerned the entire clan, Xiao Yu put aside her shock, a serious expression appearing on her face.
"I understand. I'll keep my lips sealed about this."
Xiao Yao nodded, then turned to Instructor Ruo Lin.
"Instructor Ruo Lin, I'm sorry to trouble you, but I have a favor to ask. These two friends of mine also want to study at Jia Nan Academy."
Hearing Xiao Yao's words, Instructor Ruo Lin shook her head, her expression serious.
"I'm sorry, Xiao Yao. Other matters can be discussed, and the academy is willing to give a genius like you more preferential treatment."
"But I can't show favoritism when it comes to recruitment. For someone without enough talent, forcing their way into the academy would do them more harm than good."
"Someone with insufficient talent would see only people stronger than themselves at the academy, and that could easily throw their state of mind off balance."
Instructor Ruo Lin delivered this long speech with a serious expression, leaving even Xiao Yao momentarily stunned.
When he came to his senses, Xiao Yao realized that Instructor Ruo Lin had misunderstood him.
Instructor Ruo Lin thought he wanted to pull strings to force people close to him through the recruitment assessment.
Xiao Yao hurriedly explained, "Instructor Ruo Lin, you've misunderstood. I wasn't thinking of pulling strings."
"This is my childhood friend, Xiao Xun'er. This is my good friend, Xiao Yi Xian. Both of them have the talent to pass the recruitment assessment."
Hearing Xiao Yao's words, Instructor Ruo Lin was stunned as well.
Xiao Yu chimed in from the side. "Instructor Ruo Lin, you really may have misunderstood. Xun'er is an absolute genius among our generation in the Xiao Clan."
After speaking, Xiao Yu instinctively glanced at Xiao Yao and added in her heart, Of course, that excludes this monster Xiao Yao.