Tiancong Academy, located near the imperial capital of Cangnan Kingdom, Bai Shui City, sat at the foot of the divine Sound Mountain. It occupied an expansive area, nearly large enough to be a city unto itself.
The assessment for the class took place at a martial arts arena within the academy.
"Look, the fool's here."
"It's Yang Qingxuan, that idiot. Haha, I thought he'd skip the test."
"He actually dares to come. Is he here to entertain us with his foolishness?"
"Don't say that. He's about to become a famous figure in the academy's history. The sixth student ever to be expelled—this is going down in the records."
"He's really putting us to shame. I won't be able to say I'm from Class 3 anymore."
Yang Qingxuan walked along the small path within the academy, hearing the mocking voices around him. With his current mindset, he paid no attention to their taunts.
Whether he could stay at the academy didn't matter to him. Martial arts cultivation was all about perseverance, talent, and mindset.
Though his cultivation was only at the Great Perfection of the Qi Martial Realm, he was a man who had reached the pinnacle of martial arts on Earth. It was only the suppression of Earth's natural laws that had prevented him from advancing further.
Perseverance, talent, and mindset were unparalleled.
However, staying at the academy and becoming a true martial artist was his grandfather, Yang Zhao's, lifelong wish.
A janitor at the academy, Yang Zhao had worked tirelessly to ensure that his dull-witted grandson could stay in the number one school in the North Five Nations of the Xuan Ye Continent. The sacrifices he made to achieve this were beyond imagination.
"Therefore, I must pass this assessment and stay!"
Ignoring all the taunts, Yang Qingxuan's eyes remained calm as water as he walked to the assessment area.
Almost everyone else was discussing the test in small groups, while he stood alone, isolated.
The weak not only had no status but also no friends.
The class monitor, Qin Zhen, glanced at him and gave a slight nod of encouragement.
A warm feeling passed through Yang Qingxuan's heart. For the past three years, he had always dragged the class down, yet Qin Zhen had never given up on him.
"Look, Wu Qiyue's here!"
Suddenly, there was a stir in the class. The name "Wu Qiyue" seemed to have a magical pull, attracting everyone's attention.
"Wow, it's really Wu Qiyue. What's she doing here?"
"Could she be here to watch our assessment?"
"No way, she's from the Inner Academy, one of the top four beauties. Why would she waste her time here?"
Yang Qingxuan also followed the gazes of the others, only to see an exceptionally graceful figure walking toward them.
The woman's face was like peach blossoms in full bloom, stunningly beautiful. Though her expression was slightly aloof, she wore a red robe that blazed like fire, making her appear like a blooming manjusaka flower—sharp yet imbued with a unique charm.
Yang Qingxuan was astounded. Such an otherworldly beauty existed in this world. Compared to the painted women from Earth, she seemed to be a celestial being.
Wherever Wu Qiyue passed, people instinctively parted to make way for her, unable to resist her overwhelming presence, their discussions growing louder.
"Could she be here to watch that fool Yang Qingxuan get expelled?"
"Now that you mention it, it's possible. After all, being the sixth person ever expelled from the academy is quite the event."
"To have Wu Qiyue personally come and watch? I guess this fool getting expelled is worth it."
The sharp voices didn't stop, and though Yang Qingxuan was angry inside, his face showed no sign of it.
"Wu Qiyue, are you here to watch the fool get expelled?" someone spoke mockingly. "I heard there's an idiot in the regular classes who has failed the test twice, and if he fails this time, he'll be expelled. That's pretty rare in Tiancong Academy."
A white-clad youth carrying a sword walked beside her. His handsome face and sharp brows exuded an air of nobility and elegance, his very being radiating an air of superiority.
"Zuo Heng, he's so handsome!"
A girl screamed in excitement, her eyes turning into heart shapes. "Ranked fifth on the Hidden Dragon List, only behind the four kings! He has a prestigious family, a bright future, and is handsome. If he were my boyfriend, I'd be so lucky!"
The moment the white-clad youth appeared, a chorus of excited screams filled the air. Many girls hurriedly took out their makeup to freshen up.
But Zuo Heng paid no attention to them. He smiled gently as he stood by Wu Qiyue's side, like a chivalrous protector.
Wu Qiyue, however, wore a cold expression. "Every student here is our peer. I hope you refrain from making filthy remarks. Also, where I go is none of your concern. Please don't follow me."
Her extraordinary demeanor immediately won over the boys around her. Many of them gasped, saying, "Such a temperament—this is the true meaning of goddess!"
Zuo Heng smiled faintly, not angered, as though he were accustomed to such behavior. "These students from the regular classes? They don't count as real peers. They're all rough and uncultured, afraid of accidentally offending you."
His gaze swept over the crowd, full of arrogance, as if no one was worthy of his attention. Not even Qin Zhen seemed to matter to him.
The students around them were shocked, and many cast angry glares at him, muttering curses under their breath, but none dared to voice their displeasure openly.
Zuo Heng was not only powerful but also came from a prestigious family. He was not someone they could provoke.
"This guy, no, this student, please make way."
The students from Class 3 had already parted to let them through, leaving only Yang Qingxuan standing there, seemingly oblivious to what was going on, blocking the way for Wu Qiyue and Zuo Heng.
Yang Qingxuan was staring at Wu Qiyue. Their gazes met, and both felt a faint shock, a ripple stirred in their hearts.
Yang Qingxuan was stunned by her beauty and presence. Her exquisite, ethereal beauty emanated a powerful aura that even made him feel a hint of danger.
Wu Qiyue's bright eyes flashed with a strange color. It seemed there was a flicker of excitement and anticipation in her gaze.
"Student! Didn't you hear what I said?"
Zuo Heng, seeing that Yang Qingxuan didn't move and instead continued to stare at Wu Qiyue, felt an inexplicable surge of anger.
"The road's wide."
Yang Qingxuan coldly spoke, his words simple as he felt that speaking another word to someone like him was a waste.
Zuo Heng was stunned. No one had ever dared speak to him like that before.
The students from Class 3 were equally shocked. Though they had always looked down on Yang Qingxuan, seeing Zuo Heng embarrassed made them secretly pleased.
But some of them mocked, saying, "As expected, the fool is just a fool. He dares to offend Zuo Heng? He's as good as dead."
Zuo Heng, after a moment of stunned silence, sneered, "So, you're the idiot Yang Qingxuan, the sixth student to be expelled from the academy?"
Yang Qingxuan finally glanced at him and coldly replied, "Your head's in a rush, huh?"
Zuo Heng frowned, confused. "What does that mean?"
Yang Qingxuan said, "Are you brain-dead?"
"Hahaha!"
The students around them were taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter when they understood what Yang Qingxuan meant.
"Looking for death!"
Zuo Heng was furious, never having been ridiculed like this before. He was about to lash out, and his fierce aura erupted, as if a sword were unsheathing from his body.
Yang Qingxuan's face changed, preparing to defend himself, but just as quickly, the aura dissipated.
At some point, Wu Qiyue had moved slightly forward, and with just that simple step, she nullified Zuo Heng's intense aura.