Chapter 972: Inner Gate Assessment

Lei Ming and Long Nv's required cultivation resources, Ye Liuyun has already stockpiled in ample abundance.

Qiong Qi is busy forging armor for Ye Liuyun's soldiers. Ye Liuyun's clone is also temporarily busy brewing pills for the soldiers.

Ye Liuyun, inside the Cultivation Room, familiarizes himself with his various powers, carrying out consolidation and enhancement.

Yuan Datou often visits Ye Liuyun and has long known that he has broken through to the Zao Hua Realm.

Ling Shuang, to avoid the Demon Race Holy Son's misunderstanding, had not come over. Finally unable to bear it, she called Xia Tianqiong to go see Ye Liuyun together.

Xia Tianqiong had long wanted to meet Ye Liuyun, but lacked any excuse and felt embarrassed to go directly.

When Ling Shuang went to find her, she gladly went along.

"Why are you so proactive?" Ling Shuang asked sensitively.

"…This kid's grilled‑meat skill really makes one nostalgic!" Xia Tianqiong forced an explanation.

"Is that so?" Ling Shuang looked at the slightly flushed Xia Tianqiong, puzzled.

"Let's go, I'm drooling!" Xia Tianqiong grabbed her and left, covering her embarrassment.

When Ling Shuang and Xia Tianqiong rushed to Ye Liuyun's place, they happened to catch Yuan Datou there as well.

Ye Liuyun was grilling meat with Yuan Datou, Lei Ming and Long Nv.

On his left he cuddled with Long Nv, and on his right leaned against Lei Ming, both devouring heartily.

Ling Shuang and Xia Tianqiong were both stunned when they arrived.

They had never seen Lei Ming or Long Nv before.

"Who are those two?" Ling Shuang's face immediately fell.

"I kept wondering why there's been no news for days after returning, turns out they're here hugging each other left and right!" Xia Tianqiong said with a sour tone.

"Let me introduce you to Long Nv and Lei Ming!" Ye Liuyun hurriedly introduced the two.

He then told Lei Ming and Long Nv: "These two are the Ninth Princess Xia Tianqiong of the Daxia Chao and the Thirteenth Princess Xia Lingshuang."

Lei Ming glanced at the two, mimicking Liang Xue's tone, and asked Ye Liuyun: "Little brother, when we weren't around, did you flirt again?"

"Flirting?" Ye Liuyun patted Lei Ming's head, stopping her from speaking recklessly.

Lei Ming stuck out her tongue, fell silent, grabbed a piece of grilled meat and ate it. She has never cared how many women Ye Liuyun has.

Long Nv, however, changed from her usual happy‑girl expression to a hostile stare at Ling Shuang and Xia Tianqiong.

Ling Shuang and Xia Tianqiong felt even more outraged seeing Ye Liuyun so intimate with Lei Ming.

"Come sit, have a bite together!" Ye Liuyun also invited Ling Shuang and Xia Tianqiong to eat.

Yuan Datou shifted aside, making room for the two.

"I won't disturb your refined mood!" Ling Shuang said sternly, turning to leave.

Xia Tianqiong, however, stopped her. "Such good grilled meat, how could we not eat?"

She sent a Transmission Voice to Ling Shuang: "Assess the situation first; we could still lose to those two wild women!"

"I never expected him to be that kind of person!" Ling Shuang's Transmission Voice replied.

"I don't think he is either, so we must find out!" After sending a Transmission Voice, Xia Tianqiong forcibly pulled Ling Shuang to sit down.

"Ye Liuyun, do you know the academy forbids outsiders from residing inside!"

After they sat, Xia Tianqiong began probing.

"They're not outsiders; they have a Divine Soul Contract with me!"

Ye Liuyun, without explaining that the two are Monster Beasts, handed two pieces of grilled meat to Ling Shuang and Xia Tianqiong.

The academy restricts outsiders but does not restrict pet beasts or servants.

"Is she your maid?" Xia Tianqiong asked, taking the grilled meat.

If she were merely Ye Liuyun's maid, she wouldn't be too worried. Later they could be taught not to be so intimate with Ye Liuyun in front of outsiders.

Ye Liuyun is now a Prince, with several close maids, which isn't a big deal.

Ling Shuang merely "hmph"ed, turned her face aside, and didn't take Ye Liuyun's grilled meat.

Lei Ming saw Xia Tianqiong's intention and understood why Ling Shuang was angry.

So she said directly: "Both of us are Monster Beasts; we've followed little brother for a long time! We just left for a while recently!"

"Monster Beast?" Ling Shuang and Xia Tianqiong exclaimed in unison.

Ye Liuyun nodded in confirmation.

Xia Tianqiong even asked Yuan Datou: "Are they both Monster Beasts?"

"Yes, just like me!" Yuan Datou replied outright.

"So they're his pet beasts! See, you listened to me correctly, right? Otherwise you'd have left without knowing the truth!" Xia Tianqiong sent a Transmission Voice to Ling Shuang.

Ling Shuang pursed her lips, offering no reply.

But both of their expressions relaxed considerably. They thought pet beasts clinging to their master was normal, especially young pet beasts like Lei Ming and Long Nv.

"Your pet beasts are too clingy; they almost made us misunderstand!" Xia Tianqiong explained.

Lei Ming stuck out her tongue, but instead leaned on Ye Liuyun's leg, gnawing the grilled meat.

Xia Tianqiong and Ling Shuang now know Lei Ming is deliberately provoking them, and they no longer are angry.

Seeing their attitudes ease, Ye Liuyun handed another piece of grilled meat to Ling Shuang: "Want some?"

Ling Shuang finally took it, but remained aloof toward Ye Liuyun.

Ye Liuyun smiled and asked Xia Tianqiong: "Why did you two come?"

"We were passing by, smelled the grilled meat, and came to check!" Xia Tianqiong made up an excuse.

At that moment she also realized Ye Liuyun's realm had broken through to the Zao Hua Realm.

"You broke through to the Zao Hua Realm so quickly?"

She thought Ye Liuyun's realm was advancing far too fast!

When Ye Liuyun first arrived at Qian Long Academy, his realm was only the Yin‑Yang Seventh Layer, and after such a short time he broke through to the Zao Hua Realm.

"Yeah! I went to the Qian Long Pool!" Ye Liuyun used the Qian Long Pool as a shield.

"No wonder!" Xia Tianqiong finally thought it was normal.

But Ling Shuang knew that Ye Liuyun possessed the Xuan Kong Shi, so his realm breakthrough would surely be fast. Yet she told no one this secret.

"Then you can start preparing for the inner gate assessment! Ling Shuang is also preparing to enter the inner gate. How great it would be for you two to come to the inner gate together! The inner gate's requirements are far better than the outer gate's, and you can also enter many Secret Realms!"

Xia Tianqiong gave Ye Liuyun a suggestion.

"What does the inner gate assessment test?" Ye Liuyun asked Xia Tianqiong.

"If your realm reaches the first tier of Zao Hua and you rank within the top three of the outer gate leaderboard, that's enough," Xia Tianqiong explained. "You were already in the top ten before, so you can go straight for the top three. It shouldn't be a big problem, right?"

Ye Liuyun nodded, then looked at Ling Shuang: "You also want to challenge the top three?"

He didn't look down on Ling Shuang. It's just that he has been on the leaderboard, knows Ling Shuang's strength, and it is still insufficient to challenge the top three.

"I naturally have a way to enter the inner gate, so you don't need to worry about that!" Ling Shuang said bluntly.