Chapter 512: Your Mother, Isn't She Also My Mother?

A crisp sound echoed in the Classroom.

These words came from Xiao Chen's mouth, bearing a compelling aura of dominance.

In an instant, the Classroom fell silent.

The Heaven Class disciples who had been heckling Xiao Hu and Xiao Chen about being expelled from the Heaven Class and the Academy widened their eyes, their expressions as shocked as could be.

Ye Xiaocen actually publicly challenged the Nanguo Buxie siblings; the losing side would have to be expelled from the Academy!

This was undoubtedly a high‑stakes gamble!

"Nanguo Buxie, Nanguo Qingyuan, do you dare?"

Xiao Hu stared at the two, his gaze sharp.

He, usually soft‑spoken, now also exuded a hint of fierce imperial aura.

Nanguo Buxie and Nanguo Qingyuan had not expected such words, and were momentarily stunned on the spot.

But they quickly recovered.

"What's there to fear?"

Nanguo Buxie lifted his chin, looking utterly confident.

He had originally intended to spar with Ye Xiaocen's brothers in the Heaven Class martial exam, but they cut corners, skipping the interview and being admitted early.

Now they came to him for a beating; how could he refuse?

"If it's a match, then match it—who's afraid of whom? I warn you, if you lose, don't cry and beg not to be expelled!"

Nanguo Qingyuan stepped forward, arms crossed over his chest, looking overbearing.

"Fine." Xiao Chen nodded, his gaze sweeping over all the Heaven Class disciples present, "Anyone else want to join, step forward!"

The disciples who met his gaze lowered their heads one after another.

No one dared to respond!

A hint of mockery flashed in Xiao Chen's eyes.

These people shouted loudly earlier, and now each has become mute—truly no backbone at all!

"For something this big, let's go find the Director to preside together!"

"If we're going, then go!"

Thus, Xiao Chen, Xiao Hu, and the Nanguo siblings left the Heaven Class together to find Wu Shushan.

At first hearing that Xiao Hu and Xiao Chen wanted to duel the Nanguo siblings, with the loser being expelled from the Academy, Wu Shushan's heart was inclined to refuse.

He felt completely baffled.

On one side was the Emperor Sovereign, on the other the Golden City and Dan Valley.

This put him in a dilemma!

However, he dared not decide on his own; after sending a few kids away, he immediately went to find Fu Hanxiu.

As a Guest Minister Elder, Fu Hanxiu has a secluded Courtyard within the Academy.

Ye Qingran was also in the Courtyard at that moment.

"You say you've already investigated every Elder in the Academy?"

"Hmm."

Fu Hanxiu nodded, a faint smile on his lips.

Ye Qingran watched the man before her, pursed her lips, and for a moment was at a loss for what to think.

This man always acted this way—doing far more than he said.

She knew that the Academy's Elders each had increasingly deep backgrounds; investigating them was no simple task.

Her people were also investigating, but clearly their efficiency lagged behind Fu Hanxiu's.

On one hand, Fu Hanxiu's ability in this area was indeed superior to hers; on the other, he seemed even more invested.

"Your attitude makes me feel very ashamed!"

Ye Qingran spread her hands.

"What's there to be ashamed of? Your mother is also my mother, right? If I care a bit more, isn't that expected?"

That seems to be the logic.

Ye Qingran lifted a brow, and the guilt in her heart vanished instantly.

"You make a good point! After all, that old lady is also your future mother‑in‑law! If you, as the son‑in‑law, are indifferent, who will care?"

Ye Qingran felt she had found an excellent excuse to shift the blame.

"You have no fault in what you say. So, my lady, when do you plan to marry me?"

Ye Qingran's heart fluttered lightly.

Is this a proposal?

But…

"You're being too casual; I won't agree."

A sharp glint flickered in Fu Hanxiu's eyes.

"So you mean, if it's more formal, you'll agree?"

Ye Qingran pursed her lips in silence, changed the subject, "Tell me the investigation results."

Fu Hanxiu shook his head lightly, "The Academy's thirty‑two Elders have nothing to do with our mother."

This result was within Ye Qingran's expectations.

"What about Wu Shushan? Has he been investigated?"

"His background is even simpler than those Elders, and Wu Shushan's talent is merely average; he shouldn't be able to become our mother's senior brother."

Ye Qingran nodded slowly.

Wu Shushan also didn't give her that feeling.

If that's the case, then the person who took my mother away to Donglin Country back then can be ruled out among these people.

Ye Qingran stroked her chin and analyzed.

The Academy's upper echelons are just these; after excluding Wu Shushan and the thirty-two elders, only the dean remains.

"Li Daoyun is often absent from the Academy; the Divine Dragon shows its head but not its tail—his whereabouts are hardly known within the Academy, making him hard to investigate." Li Daoyun is the dean of the Divine State Academy.

Fu Hanxiu said calmly.

Ye Qingran couldn't help but frown.

If even Fu Hanxiu says it's hard to investigate, then it truly is hard to investigate.

"Have you found out when he will return?"

Li Daoyun spends possibly 364 out of 365 days each year away; no one knows when he will return.

Even if he returns, there's no guarantee that the person who took Yun Sui Feng back then is him.

Fu Hanxiu shook his head. "We still don't know. My people haven't found his whereabouts yet."

Ye Qingran nodded.

However, she felt that just waiting like this wasn't a solution.

Could it be that there's nothing else to do but wait for his return?

"Not necessarily."

"What do you mean 'not necessarily'?" Fu Hanxiu looked at her, puzzled.

Ye Qingran's eyes suddenly lit up. "I almost forgot—although Li Daoyun isn't at the Academy, doesn't he still have a direct disciple?"

"You mean Lu Yunfeng, the one on the Fengyun Stone Tablet?"

"Exactly, it's him."

Ye Qingran raised her eyebrows. "He is Li Daoyun's only disciple; others might not know about him, but Lu Yunfeng might."

After all, being the only disciple is hardly different from being a biological son.

If Li Daoyun trusts Lu Yunfeng, he should reveal his whereabouts to him.

Although we can't be sure whether Lu Yunfeng knows about Li Daoyun's affairs, this is still a breakthrough, right?

She won't let any clue slip by.

Fu Hanxiu took her hand and gently squeezed her fingers, saying, "Actually, Fu San went to see him, but this person is impervious to inducements—he won't say anything; you need to be mentally prepared."

Ye Qingran nodded. "Don't worry, I have my own way."

At that moment, Wu Shushan's voice sounded from outside the door.

"Come in."

Wu Shushan pushed the door open and walked in; upon seeing Ye Qingran, he froze for a moment.

He realized that after the Emperor Sovereign made his relationship with Ye Qingran public, he had become increasingly ostentatious.