No Disciples Accepted

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Chapter 30: No Disciples Accepted

The crystal-clear Sea God Lake reflected the crescent moon and starlight above, like a magnificent painting of the stars of heaven.

A gentle evening breeze brushed their faces, sending ripples across the tranquil lake. The starlight and the moon's reflection shattered and mingled, leaving only a dreamy, hazy expanse of silver light.

Ye Xixuan's gaze grew distant as he looked out over Sea God Lake. Even his deep, dark eyes seemed to lose their luster as the fleeting changes of light and shadow on the water involuntarily brought his own experiences to mind.

Unlike Xu Sanshi, he did not have the powerful Xuanming Sect behind him. If he wanted to restore the Night Family's former strength and glory, he could rely only on himself.

Although the academy had given him a great deal of help, and he was willing to repay it in the future, this was one distinction he had to keep clear.

Xu Sanshi, meanwhile, had long since drifted into his fantasies. A somewhat sleazy smile appeared on his handsome face every so often, completely ruining his otherwise composed air. This was his true nature, really. In the original story, he had only reined himself in out of consideration for Jiang Nannan's opinion.

"Xixuan, with my status and charm, wouldn't I have my pick of the noble young ladies from all those great Soul Master families in the Dou Ling Empire?"

"Then don't you have any preferences yourself, Senior Xu?" Although Xu Sanshi's words contained an element of boasting, Ye Xixuan did not deny their truth. The Xuanming Sect had deep foundations, with more than one Titled Douluo among its ranks. It certainly carried that kind of weight.

Xu Sanshi gave him a suggestive smile and nodded emphatically.

"To tell you the truth, I like women a little older than me. Older sisters know how to pamper you. Of course, she definitely can't be like Sister Xiaotao. Ideally, she'd have a gentler personality. What about you, Xixuan?"

For some reason, Zhang Lexuan's figure instinctively surfaced in Ye Xixuan's mind. But Zhang Lexuan was considerably more than just a little older than him.

Then he thought of Tang Ya. As he grew older, he could feel a hazy new emotion gradually developing toward her. After hesitating for a moment, he answered Xu Sanshi honestly.

"Senior Xu, I think I'm the same as you."

"You hesitated for so long. Don't tell me you already have someone in mind?" As though he had uncovered some earth-shattering secret, Xu Sanshi stared at Ye Xixuan with wide eyes, his face brimming with curiosity.

"Xixuan, you've really got something going on! Come on, tell me-which senior girl from the Inner Court is it?"

Ye Xixuan tilted his head and teased him in a tone that was half serious, half joking. "Can't I have them all? Marrying multiple wives at once should be pretty common among the great Soul Master families, right? Isn't your Xuanming Sect like that?"

"Having them all sounds great!" Those words jolted him awake from his dream, only for Xu Sanshi to plunge into another fantasy. He voiced his agreement with righteous conviction.

"We Soul Masters work so hard cultivating every day. What's wrong with enjoying ourselves a little? My dad has more wives than just my mom, too. Next time I go home, I've got to talk to him about this!"

Seeing Xu Sanshi's indignant expression, Ye Xixuan could not help laughing. For all his big talk, he might not actually dare to do anything.

"Have all of what?" Just then, an indignant feminine voice sounded beside them. Ye Xixuan turned and found himself looking straight at Tang Ya's lovely, lively face. In a huff, she reached out a delicate hand and lightly pinched one of his ears.

Jiang Nannan was beside Tang Ya as well. Both girls had changed into white freshman uniforms, their long skirts accentuating the youthful vitality of their fair, shapely legs. Now that their earlier misunderstanding had been resolved, and since they were roommates, they naturally spent time together.

Ye Xixuan met Tang Ya's gaze. Although he felt guilty at being caught, his expression betrayed nothing.

"Nothing, Sister Xiaoya. I was just chatting with Senior Xu. We only met recently."

Xu Sanshi turned around as well. His gaze briefly went blank when he saw the strikingly beautiful Tang Ya and Jiang Nannan beside her, especially when his eyes landed on Jiang Nannan.

Tang Ya gave Xu Sanshi a scrutinizing look, then continued addressing Ye Xixuan irritably. "Then why did I hear something about having more than one wife?"

"I didn't say that!" Ye Xixuan hastily denied it, taking the initiative to make his stance clear by moving to Tang Ya's side.

A trace of disgust appeared in Tang Ya's eyes as she looked at Xu Sanshi. She gave a soft snort. "You're not allowed to associate with those shady people anymore. That Bei Bei from last time, too. All they ever do is lead you astray."

"Nannan, let's go." After calling to Jiang Nannan, Tang Ya pulled Ye Xixuan away at a brisk pace.

Jiang Nannan had not said a word the entire time. With a calm expression, she withdrew her gaze and walked past Xu Sanshi.

Only after all three had disappeared into the distance did Xu Sanshi come back to his senses.

Jiang Nannan was certainly stunning, but the noble young ladies of the great Soul Master families were not much less beautiful. At this point, he had no such obsession with her.

"How did Bei Bei and I become shady people? Fine, leave Bei Bei out of it, but what does any of this have to do with me?" Xu Sanshi muttered gloomily, belatedly realizing something.

"Wait, could that girl just now be one of Xixuan's targets? Judging by their freshman uniforms, they seem to be this year's new students, too..."

That evening's little incident caused no stir within Shrek Academy.

The registered freshmen began classes the following day as scheduled.

Under the Shrek Academy Outer Court's longstanding rules, freshmen would undergo their first Freshman Assessment after three months of study.

This year was no exception.

The Freshman Assessment took the form of team battles, with three students per team and rankings determined by points. Only the half whose teams ranked highest could remain to continue their studies. The remaining half would be ruthlessly eliminated.

Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi had been assigned to different freshman classes, and this Freshman Assessment became the battle in which they first distinguished themselves at Shrek Academy.

As expected, the teams they led met in the Freshman Assessment finals, where Bei Bei ultimately won with an almost overwhelming advantage. As a result, the name Bei Bei, the Radiant Sacred Dragon, resounded throughout the Outer Court.

Tang Ya and Jiang Nannan likewise earned the right to stay through their own abilities.

After the Freshman Assessment came the official class assignments.

Class One consisted of Power Attack System Battle Spirit Masters and Control-Type Battle Spirit Masters. Tang Ya and Bei Bei happened to be placed in the same class.

As soon as the morning lessons ended, Bei Bei sought out Tang Ya as his Grand Ancestor had instructed. Yet after finally meeting her properly, he discovered an inexplicable flutter in his heart. At that moment, he was no longer acting merely to complete the task his Grand Ancestor had given him.

Smiling, Bei Bei stopped Tang Ya at the classroom door.

"You're Tang Ya, right? You were the one who came to the academy with Xixuan back then? You're the current sect master of the Tang Sect?"

"I am the current sect master of the Tang Sect." Tang Ya stopped and looked up at Bei Bei. A rare chill surfaced in the eyes of the usually cheerful, friendly girl.

"Do you need something?"

"I'd like to join the Tang Sect." Bei Bei smiled confidently and went straight to the point.

In the next instant, however, the smile on his face froze.

"Move. I'm not accepting disciples!" Tang Ya coldly shouldered past Bei Bei. Where he could not see, hostility mingled with purple light, welling up in her eyes.

Where was your Shrek Academy when our Tang Sect fell into decline?

Where were you when I was driven out of my own home?

As the continent's number one academy, did you ever help us?

Tang Ya walked faster and faster, bright tears spilling helplessly from her eyes. At her most helpless, only the young Ye Xixuan had stood steadfastly beside her. No one else was allowed into the world they shared.

(End of chapter)