Chapter 938: Results Announced

The elder Instructors responsible for grading all wore expressions of utter astonishment.

Even though they had seen many great feats, and even back then Qiu Yue Lang had achieved a Grade‑8 result, they were not as shocked as they are now.

Until now, they had never heard that Ye Qingran even understood Spirit Jade Power!

The scores keep being broken!

Seventh‑grade D‑rank!

Seventh‑grade C‑rank!

Seventh‑grade B‑rank!

Seventh‑grade A‑rank!

Others level up at a turtle's pace, but with Ye Qingran it's like a rabbit—just a few hops and it's done!

At this moment Lou Ting's expression had shifted from shock to solemnity.

To know, even as the Palace Master of the White Tiger Academy, his Sensing Power with the White Tiger Spirit Jade was only Seventh‑grade A‑rank!

Ye Qingran's first contact with Spirit Jade, and at such a young age, yielded these results...

A hint of murderous intent spread in Lou Ting's eyes.

Ye Qingran did not notice; she closed her eyes and let herself drift in the sea of Spirit Jade Power.

The Spirit Jade Power roamed around her, nourishing her meridians, making her feel endless strength.

Moreover, an inexplicable familiarity made it seem as if this ability had always belonged to her, very comforting.

Ye Qingran couldn't help but let out a soft hum, and immediately the Spirit Jade Power surged, accompanied by a fierce buzzing sound.

Grade 8!

Ye Qingran astonishingly broke through to Grade 8 without any resistance!

In that instant, everyone clearly felt the ground beneath them tremble, as if an earthquake had occurred.

They glanced at the floor, then at Ye Qingran, and all understood: it was the White Tiger Spirit Jade's upheaval causing a slight quake.

But how on earth did she do it?

Even back then, Qiu Yue Lang, who also reached Grade‑8 Sensing Power, never triggered an earthquake, right?

"It's downright terrifying!"

"She might be a monster, don't you think?"

The academy disciples were already numb.

Who could have imagined that the newly arrived Sweeping Maid of the academy possessed such terrifying strength?

When breaking through Grade 8, Ye Qingran was slightly startled, opened her eyes, "Huh?"

How did she sense the other three kinds of Spirit Jade Power?

Vermilion Bird, Qilin, Azure Dragon...

The three Spirit Jade Powers called to her across the void; she could feel, not far away in the three great academies, the other three Spirit Jade Powers raging like water about to boil.

Soon she realized it was likely because her resonance with the White Tiger Spirit Jade was so strong that it triggered resonance with the other three Spirit Jades; though far weaker than the White Tiger's, if she kept going it might draw even stronger resonance.

Consequently, she decisively chose to stop.

Yet even so, Lou Ting had already sensed something amiss. At the same time, in the other three academies, several Palace Masters also noticed the oddity, turning toward the White Tiger Academy, their faces grim.

The abruptly halted Spirit Jade resonance left everyone present stunned.

They couldn't understand; the momentum had been fierce, surely it could have surged higher—perhaps to B‑rank or even A‑rank—so why stop at Seventh‑grade D‑rank?

The other disciples were puzzled, but Lou Ting squinted, already understanding in his heart.

An ancient legend floated into his mind.

The legend said that long ago the Four Spirit Jades were sealed beneath the Demon‑Suppressing Pillar; the one who set the Seal claimed that in later ages a destined person who could strongly resonate with the four jade fragments would obtain all the Spirit Jade's power and command it!

The tale spread for countless years, drawing endless geniuses, prodigies, and eccentrics who sought to claim the full power of the Four Spirit Jades and dominate them.

Yet no one ever succeeded!

Whether a powerhouse of the Spirit Realm or a Heavenly Pride of the Shen Domain, before the Four Spirit Jades they could only return empty‑handed!

Ye Qingran, a Sweeping Maid who appeared out of nowhere in the academy, could resonate with the White Tiger Spirit Jade to Grade 8 or higher and even trigger simultaneous resonance of the other three Spirit Jades—something that had never happened!

Even when Qiu Yue Lang once achieved a Grade‑8 resonance with the Qilin Jade, the other three jade fragments did not produce the same phenomenon.

Could Ye Qingran be that destined person of later ages?

"Think you can command the Spirit Jade? Not a chance!" Lou Ting's murderous intent hardened. Whether Ye Qingran truly was the destined one or not, he would rather kill her than let the White Tiger Spirit Jade fall into another's hands!

"White Tiger Palace Master, do you still intend to throw me into the dungeon?"

Ye Qingran rose, a faint smile playing as she looked at Lou Ting.

Lou Ting's expression turned sour, a forced grin on his face as he said, "Ye Qingran, I never expected you to hide so deep!"

Ye Qingran shrugged, looking innocent, "Hide? It's nothing but Spirit Jade Power, quite simple—what's there to hide?"

Everyone: "......"

Simple?

Most of them grind their lives training, yet only reach second or third‑grade Sensing Power, and Ye Qingran calls it simple?

Indeed, comparing people drives one mad!

Ye Qingran didn't continue the quarrel with Lou Ting, turned and walked toward the lower platform; just before descending the stairs she turned her head toward the ceremony platform where Su Luo Qiu's expression had already twisted, sneering: "Su Luo Qiu, didn't you just say you hoped I'd perform normally? I'm normal now, are you unhappy? Then why is your face so twisted?"

Su Luo Qiu's hand clenched into a fist inside her sleeve, she was about to explode with anger.

Ye Qingran first snatched the title of "First Beauty" from her, and now she's taken the top spot in the Spirit Jade Test!

This bitch, why does she have to oppose her?

How does she not die of anger?

Upon hearing Ye Qingran's words, Su Luo Qiu was first startled; realizing many eyes were on her, she hurriedly adjusted her expression, forcing a forced, extremely strained smile onto her face.

"No, you're mistaken; I haven't even had time to be happy for you yet!"

This sentence has a distinctly clenched‑teeth flavor.

The disciples weren't stupid either; seeing Su Luo Qiu in that state, they each formed their own guesses.

"I see..." Ye Qingran nodded lightly, not knowing whether she believed it or not.

"Xiaohu Xiaocheng, let's go!"

Reaching the spot they had just been at, Ye Qingran extended her hand; Xiaohu Xiaocheng quickly each took a hand, and the three of them—mother and child—walked toward the outside of the White Tiger Academy.

If, when they entered, the disciples gave Ye Qingran way out of fear of her ferocious reputation, then at this moment their gazes at her contain a hint of respect.

After all, a holder of eighth‑level Sensing Power isn't to be taken lightly!

It wasn't until deep night that the Spirit Jade Test finally ended, and the academy gradually fell into silence.

Tonight, the darkness is thick, with no stars or moon in sight.

Somewhere in Wànlíng Xuégōng, a man's silhouette stood, disappearing into the night.

Soon, several figures sped toward it from different directions.

Two men and a woman.

In the darkness, the figure slowly turned, and it could be made out that the man was White Tiger Palace Master Lou Ting.

"Three palace masters, I hope you have been well."

Lou Ting spoke lightly, and immediately a deep male voice replied, "Lou Ting, today in your White Tiger Academy, the person who triggered the resonance of the four Spirit Jewels, is it Ye Qingran?"

"Correct, it is indeed her."

After a brief silence, a female voice said, "If she truly is the destined one, Wan Qi Zifeng and the elders of the Stubborn Faction will spare no effort to cultivate her, and then we will lose control of the Spirit Jewels!"

"Taking the Spirit Jewels from us is impossible!"

The three who appeared later were not strangers but the other three palace masters of the Four Spirit Academies of Wànlíng Xuégōng, each controlling the Vermilion Bird Spirit Jewel, the Qilin Spirit Jewel, and the Azure Dragon Spirit Jewel respectively.

Lou Ting smiled knowingly; he understood that the other three palace masters shared his thoughts.

"Since none of us want the Spirit Jewels to fall into someone else's hands, the only solution now is…"

Lou Ting paused, his voice cold, "…to kill Ye Qingran, eliminating any future trouble!"

A palace master retorted, "Did you forget the Face‑Testing Stone incident? Though Wan Qi Zifeng appears to have no connection with Ye Qingran, he has been secretly protecting her; even her entry into the academy was his arrangement! Killing Ye Qingran is far from easy."

Lou Ting smiled dismissively, "Qilin Palace Master, I admit you're right. However, that assumes Ye Qingran has not committed any unforgivable crime. But if she indeed did commit a great sin?"

Lou Ting gave a mysterious smile.

Today, right after Ye Qingran left the White Tiger Academy, he began devising a plan against her.

"Lou Ting, stop beating around the bush, continue!"

Lou Ting continued, "Wan Qi Zifeng, after all, is a palace master of Wànlíng Xuégōng; he will either choose to protect Ye Qingran or choose to safeguard himself. Which do you think he'll pick?"

The three palace masters stared at each other, a sharp glint flashing in their eyes.

Lou Ting then revealed his own plan.

The night was dark and windy; an evil scheme gradually took shape.

The next day, the Spirit Jade Test results were posted.

The ranking list was posted on the central plaza of the academy.

From top to bottom, the list displayed each participant's scores in the Spirit Jade Test.

The first column shows rank, the second column name, the third column department.

For example, second place is Su Luo Qiu, belonging to the White Tiger Academy.

When the curious disciples gathered around and saw that the top spot on the list was Ye Qingran, they were all stunned, doubting whether they had misread it!

"Wasn't it said that Su Luo Qiu's first place was secured this year's Spirit Jade Test? How does she only have second place now?!"

"The first place is actually… Ye Qingran?!"

"What? The one who smashed the Face‑Testing Stone, trampled Wu Zhishang, and was more ferocious than a beast—Ye Qingran?!"

"The sun rose in the west! Since when has a Sweeping Maid become so powerful…?"

Ye Qingran's winning first place in the Spirit Jade Test spread through every corner of Wànlíng Xuégōng like a passing gale; in less than half a day, everyone in the academy knew that this year's top spot was not Su Luo Qiu nor Qian Yu, but Ye Qingran—

A newcomer, a Sweeping Maid!