Everyone shook their heads. Even though this item was valuable, it was completely useless for cultivators. No cultivator would be foolish enough to spend a large sum of money to buy this.
The head of the Xue family's face turned pale, and he cast a guilty glance at Yang Qingxuan.
Yang Qingxuan stared at the Soulstone for a while, then said, "Alright, I'll take this item. I'm very satisfied with what the three families have offered. With this, we are even. From now on, we owe each other nothing and can go our separate ways."
When his finger touched the Soulstone, he felt a strange sensation. His heart skipped a beat, but before he could think further, he quickly put it away.
The people around him froze. Even the head of the Xue family was stunned. He hadn't expected Yang Qingxuan to actually take the Soulstone, and his heart couldn't help but feel a sense of relief.
Chen Ting also thought the item was not worth much, but since the principal himself had chosen it, he had no grounds to speak out.
At this moment, the people from the three families let out a collective sigh of relief. However, as they thought back on how utterly embarrassing this situation had been and the massive wealth they had lost, their mood quickly shifted to one of burning rage. Their eyes seemed to spit fire.
The old man with the long beard snorted heavily, flicked his sleeves, and turned to leave. "You really are something, huh. We'll part ways here, and when we meet again, I hope you're still doing well!"
Yang Qingxuan smiled and cupped his hands. "After this, I hope the three of you will learn to be more civil, more polite, more hygienic, more orderly, and more moral. If you can do that, I won't have wasted my time teaching you."
Zhou Cang and the others were shaking with anger, cursing in their hearts: "What a load of nonsense! If we ever catch you again, we'll make you wish you were never born!"
The group of more than ten people from the three families had lost face in front of everyone. Once the matter was settled, they walked away dejectedly, their retreat under the mocking eyes of the crowd.
As the onlookers finished enjoying the spectacle, they dispersed.
Yang Qingxuan stepped forward and said to Chen Ting, "Thank you, my friend. I will remember today's favor."
Chen Ting smiled slightly and cupped his hands. "It's nothing, really. It was a trivial matter. If you ever run into trouble in the academy, feel free to look me up."
He had noticed that Yang Qingxuan had remained calm and composed throughout the entire incident. His demeanor impressed Chen Ting, and he couldn't help but want to befriend him.
Even in the academy, it was a microcosm of the vast empire, with the children of the powerful forming alliances and building connections for their future careers. Poorer students were more than willing to attach themselves to these powerful families, hoping for a good path forward.
As a direct descendant of one of the four great families of the current dynasty, Chen Ting naturally had this kind of consideration. Seeing Yang Qingxuan's extraordinary bearing, he decided to make an effort to win him over.
Yang Qingxuan had guessed a little of his intentions. He smiled faintly and said, "If you run into any trouble in the academy, you can also come find me, Yang Qingxuan."
Chen Ting was taken aback for a moment, then laughed heartily.
The members of the enforcement team couldn't help but smile wryly, thinking, This person really doesn't know his place.
Yang Qingxuan noticed the odd looks from those around him but didn't mind. He smiled slightly, cupped his hands, and took his leave.
Chen Ting watched him enter the academy, his figure disappearing at the end of a narrow path, and muttered to himself, "The Library? This guy is interesting. Heh."
That narrow path led directly to the Library, the core of the academy.
The path was paved with hard blue stones, winding and rugged. Towering ancient trees lined both sides, giving the environment a solemn and dignified atmosphere that made one feel reluctant to speak loudly.
There were no guards along the path, but as Yang Qingxuan walked through, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, a vague sense of danger.
After Yang Qingxuan had passed the ancient path, a rustling sound came from the trees on either side, and two figures in gray robes appeared on a towering tree.
"This kid is a bit strange. He's just at the Qi Martial Realm, yet it seems like he sensed us."
One of the figures was a tall old man, his temples flecked with white hair, giving him an air of immortality.
The other was a middle-aged man, with a broad face and a square jaw, looking quite imposing.
The middle-aged man said, "I had my doubts as well. He walked slowly, his eyes shifting strangely. When he passed by, he seemed very alert."
The old man frowned. "Since when did the academy have such an interesting person? This must be his first time heading to the Library, right?"
The middle-aged man nodded. "Yes, I've never seen him before. No impression whatsoever. But his cultivation is certainly Qi Martial Realm, and that's not a threat to the Library."
The old man said, "At his age to reach Qi Martial Realm perfection is no small feat. Also, he's carrying a dark green space ring, probably with five or six zhang of space. That's quite valuable, which indicates his background isn't bad. A student like this, and we have no memory of him?"
The middle-aged man thought for a moment. "Now that you mention it, it is a bit suspicious. Should I investigate?"
The old man shook his head. "Let him go for now. A Qi Martial Realm cultivator can't threaten the Library. Besides, judging by his face, he doesn't seem like a bad person. He probably really just wants to read. Let him be."
The middle-aged man agreed. "You're right. Moreover, Elder Qi Yi is guarding the place. He should recognize the student."
The old man nodded, then his gaze grew distant. "The other day, the pressure from that martial soul was terrifying. I still don't know which great figure passed through Tiancong Academy. Just that one burst of martial will was enough to injure me. It'll be at least ten or fifteen days before I recover."
The middle-aged man chuckled. "You're unlucky, sir. You were just at a critical moment in your cultivation and thought someone was going to ambush you, so you fought back against the martial will. You're lucky the backlash didn't rupture your meridians. As for me, I didn't resist at all, just waited it out, and came out unharmed."
The old man's face paled, and a look of lingering fear appeared in his eyes.
The middle-aged man smiled. "I'll keep watch here. With Elder Qi Yi here too, it's absolutely safe. You should go back and rest."
The old man shook his head. "I'm fine. The Library is the most important place in the academy. Two elders must guard it at all times."
With that, the two figures flickered and vanished from the trees, and the path returned to its previous silence.
Yang Qingxuan walked down the long, winding path and arrived at the entrance to the Library, only to find an old man resting there, dozing off.
"Good day, senior. I wish to enter the Library."
Qi Yi opened his cloudy eyes, paused for a moment, then said, "You're Yang Qingxuan?"
Yang Qingxuan was surprised. "Senior knows me?"
Qi Yi chuckled. "The one who broke the academy's historical record? Of course I know you."
Yang Qingxuan blushed. He thought to himself that if it weren't for Prince Jin's support, he might have been expelled already. He smiled wryly and said, "I wish to enter the Library."
Qi Yi replied, "To enter the Library, you need credits."
Yang Qingxuan took out his student card and handed it over.
Qi Yi placed it on a sensing device. After a moment, his eyes flickered with surprise. "You passed the exam this time?"
The card showed 100 credits.
As long as a student passed the semester's exam, they would receive 100 credits.
This was the first time Yang Qingxuan had earned credits in his three years at the academy.