Qian Renxue's Test

Nothing happened that night.

The next morning, Yang Yunhai and Zhu Zhuqing got up early. After breakfast, they headed together to the Post Station by the city gates.

After arriving, they rented a carriage and left the city, traveling straight toward Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

The twenty-kilometer journey was neither particularly far nor close, and they arrived in half an hour.

Stepping down from the carriage, they looked out to see verdant mountains rising ahead, merging into the clouds. At their base lay a shimmering lake wreathed in mist. Since it was already March and the surrounding environment was favorable, the lush vegetation was in bloom, making the scenery colorful and exceptionally beautiful.

"The environment here really is nice," Yang Yunhai was the first to comment.

"It really is." Zhu Zhuqing nodded slightly as well.

"It's getting late. Let's go up the mountain," Yang Yunhai said, lifting his chin slightly before striding toward the stairs ahead.

To save money, the inn they had chosen yesterday had been in a relatively remote location. As a result, getting to the Post Station by the city gates that morning had taken them some time.

Adding the time spent getting up, packing, eating breakfast, leaving the city, and taking the carriage, it had taken another half hour.

By his calculations, it should have been just before ten in the morning in his previous life.

Tap, tap, tap. The two climbed at an unhurried pace, admiring the mountain forest scenery on either side as they ascended the steps.

After a full quarter of an hour without encountering a single person, Yang Yunhai could not help but speculate, "Has Qian Renxue already arrived?"

They had not run into Xue Beng causing trouble like Tang San had in the original story, nor had they encountered any other students. In his view, it was highly likely that some important figure had come to the academy. And "Xue Qinghe," the empire's Crown Prince, was certainly important enough. Besides, he was exactly the person Xue Beng feared.

With that thought in mind, they continued onward.

Another quarter of an hour passed before the two finally reached the main campus of Heaven Dou Royal Academy, located halfway up the mountain.

Looking ahead, the first thing they saw was the academy's exquisitely decorated openwork gate. Through its openings, they could clearly see the academy buildings inside. White was the predominant color, accented with gold, and the entire place exuded an aristocratic air. Shifting their gaze to the sides, they saw five-meter-high outer walls colored bright yellow, their tops covered in glazed tiles that gleamed brilliantly in the sunlight. It was truly dazzling.

"What extravagance," Yang Yunhai could not help but remark.

After speaking, he turned to glance at the small pavilion beside the academy gates. "Zhuqing, let's go." As he spoke, he walked forward.

Soon, the two arrived at the entrance.

At that moment, the guard who had been sitting in the gatehouse stood up as well. He looked the two over, taking in their faces and clothing, then came out through a side door.

"You two little sisters, are you here to find someone?" he asked with a genial smile.

Neither of them wore academy uniforms, so they were probably not academy students. As for enrollment, registration had ended several days ago, so that was unlikely as well. That only left the possibility that they were looking for someone.

"We're here to enroll," Yang Yunhai said politely.

The male guard's expression immediately froze before turning puzzled. "Are you two from out of town?"

"Our Heaven Dou Royal Academy's enrollment period ended long ago. I'm afraid you came too late."

"I know." Yang Yunhai nodded. "But there are exceptions to everything." As he spoke, he brushed a hand across his collar and took out his Martial Soul certificate from his Soul Tool.

Smiling, he held it up before the guard. "Do I count as an exception?"

"Age... Martial Soul: Blue Silver Grass, Soul Power Rank 31!?" The guard's expression changed the instant his eyes swept over it. Surprise and disbelief first appeared on his face, but they quickly faded, and there was even a hint of disdain in his eyes.

So what if he cultivated quickly? His Martial Soul was Blue Silver Grass, a Useless Martial Soul universally recognized across the continent. It was completely worthless!

Yang Yunhai did not get angry at the sight. Instead, he smiled faintly and casually flicked his right hand toward the forest on the right.

The next moment, his Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul appeared. Its vines lengthened and shot at tremendous speed toward the trunk of a nearby tree so thick that a single adult could barely wrap their arms around it.

Entangle! The vines tightened, their barbs grinding against the trunk. "Scrape, scrape." Deep marks appeared one after another.

"Gulp, gulp." Under the guard's horrified, vacant gaze, the tree was completely severed at the waist in just a few blinks.

"Of course, you can choose not to go in and report this," Yang Yunhai said with a smile as he recalled his Martial Soul.

"But if I appear in another academy's team during the upcoming All-Continent Soul Master Competition and perform exceptionally well, then when your Education Committee learns about what happened today—especially when the Crown Prince in charge of the academy learns about it..."

"How do you think they'll deal with you?"

Upon hearing this, the guard's face turned pale almost instantly. He hurriedly turned around and said politely:

"Please wait here, you two. I'll report this immediately."

With that, he spun around and dashed into the academy as though flying, running faster than he ever had in his life.

Not long afterward, in the Education Committee Office.

Knock, knock, knock. Someone knocked on the door.

"Come in." Meng Shenji, who was sitting on the sofa and reporting the new semester's enrollment summary to Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, frowned and turned toward the door.

Creak. The door was pushed open, and the sweating guard entered, bowing respectfully. "Greetings, Education Committee. Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince."

It seems that boy truly is quite clever. Qian Renxue maintained her gentle expression and nodded slightly.

She had not appeared at the academy gates but here because she had wanted to test Yang Yunhai.

If he could not even get past a gate guard, how would he deal with the academy's three Education Committee members in the future, let alone more complicated situations? Rather than be exposed later, Yang Yunhai might as well obediently go stay in Spirit City. From the information Snake Lance Douluo had reported the previous night, she had mainly seen Yang Yunhai's courage, cultivation talent, and talent for theoretical research. But in terms of the wisdom needed to deal with people, at least based on the information she knew, he had not stood out.

But now, he seemed rather impressive.

"You're in such a hurry. Did something happen outside?" Meng Shenji asked from across the tea table.

The guard gathered his thoughts and answered respectfully, "Education Committee, two people came outside saying they wanted to enroll in our academy. One of them is a man who is only this young, yet his Soul Power is already Rank 31. His Martial Soul is Blue Silver Grass, but the vines it creates are particularly formidable. They have hooked barbs and are extremely sharp. A tree this big"—he spread his arms around—"was cut clean through with just a light pull from him."

The three Education Committee members sprang to their feet. Just as they were about to ask what had happened, Qian Renxue's voice reached them.

"Looks like our Royal Academy has welcomed a genius this year. Perhaps there are even two."

As she spoke, she slowly rose to her feet. "Such talent is worth my personal welcome. Three Education Committee members, shall we go together?"

"Such a Heaven's Chosen is naturally someone this old man wishes to meet as well." Meng Shenji smiled.

"Crown Prince, this way!" He courteously stepped aside.