Chapter 1628

The guard leading the way turned to look at Ye Xiao and smiled: "Brother Ye Xiao, we'll see you here—best of luck passing the assessment."

"Thank you both," Ye Xiao bowed slightly, then walked toward Cangqiong Hall.

At the entrance of Cangqiong Hall, Ye Xiao stopped, looked up at the golden and brilliant palace before him, and thought silently: "Cangqiong Academy, truly extraordinary."

"Dong~ Dong~ Dong~" Just as Ye Xiao was about to step into Cangqiong Hall, a sudden bell rang, clear and resonant.

Immediately after, the massive doors of Cangqiong Hall groaned open, and a graceful figure slowly stepped out; her slender form, bathed in sunlight, seemed wreathed in a halo, breathtakingly beautiful.

Ye Xiao looked up—it was a woman, clad in a white gauze dress, her long black hair coiled into an elegant bun, her delicate face bearing a faint smile, her skin whiter than snow, her brows exuding a subtle martial spirit, giving an impression of steadfastness; on her back she bore a sword, its blade glinting with icy radiance, as if ready to leap forth and strike down any foe.

Ye Xiao stared at the woman and frowned slightly.

He had the feeling that this woman was familiar.

The woman's aura was strong, faintly radiating a sharp edge—she was clearly at the Zhu Wushi realm; her gaze swept over Ye Xiao once, a hint of confusion appearing on her lips—she too felt he seemed familiar, yet could not place him.

"Miss…" Ye Xiao opened his mouth, then hesitated; he felt an impulse to reveal his identity to this woman.

This woman was his fiancée.

"Huh? What's this? Why do I feel an inexplicable flutter?" A strange sensation suddenly arose in Ye Xiao's heart—as if this woman before him was deeply familiar.

"Wait—perhaps it's just an illusion. Better to focus on passing Cangqiong Academy's assessment first!" He shook his head, dismissing the thought.

Then Ye Xiao stepped forward and entered Cangqiong Hall—his target: Yang Yu, ranked second on the Cangqiong List.

"Huh? Someone actually entered Cangqiong Hall?"

"Unbelievable—is this kid a new recruit? Doesn't he even know the rules?"

"Who cares? This kid's dead anyway. Daring to storm Cangqiong Hall? Pure suicide."

…

The news of Ye Xiao entering Cangqiong Hall spread instantly through every student of Cangqiong Academy; many students watched his back with malicious glee—they believed Ye Xiao was finished, for Cangqiong Hall's protective array was profoundly mysterious, accessible only to those who had reached the Wu Tu level; once inside, one must obey the rules—violation meant either severe punishment or instant death.

Ye Xiao paid no heed to the murmurs, heading straight for the Cangqiong List—his sole target: Yang Yu, second on the Cangqiong List.

At this moment, in Yang Yu's quarters, Yang Yu sat cross-legged, meditating.

Suddenly, a violent tremor echoed through the room.

"What's that?" Yang Yu's eyes snapped open, his gaze solemn as he stared toward the source of the sound.

"Xiu! Xiu! Xiu!"

In an instant, countless figures shot forward like lightning, moving with terrifying speed; within a few breaths, they arrived.

They were a group of young men and women at the Wu Tu level, each radiating fierce killing intent, eyes filled with cruelty; their gazes locked onto Yang Yu in unison.

At the center of those stares stood a boy, arms crossed, his cold eyes looking down upon Yang Yu.

Yang Yu's face darkened—he knew trouble had come calling.

Yang Yu was indeed a genius—his strength was formidable, and he had achieved notable results in Cangqiong Hall, earning him selection as a disciple; yet he remained merely an outer disciple, utterly unable to provoke the inner disciples, let alone the top prodigies among them.

"I am Li Yuchan, an inner disciple of Cangqiong Academy," Li Yuchan looked down at Yang Yu with icy tone: "Today, I will cripple you."

"You'll cripple me?" Yang Yu's face changed. "Sister Li, what have I done to deserve this?"

"Hmph. You left Cangqiong Academy without permission, defied academy rules—I have every right to cripple you," Li Yuchan glared coldly at Yang Yu. "I give you a chance: explain why you left. Otherwise, don't blame me for acting."

Hearing this, Yang Yu fell silent. Though he possessed peak Wu Shi fifth-layer cultivation, his combat power rivaled that of a Wu Shi sixth-layer expert, he was still vastly outmatched by Li Yuchan.

Yang Yu took a deep breath and said calmly: "Sister Li, if you wish to know, I'll tell you plainly—I was able to leave Cangqiong Academy safely because I am a disciple of Cangqiong Hall's master, Ye Xiao."

At these words, the several Wu Tu disciples beside Yang Yu all gasped sharply, staring at Ye Xiao in utter shock.

Cangqiong Hall's master—the supreme powerhouse of Cangqiong Realm, the one who founded Cangqiong Academy.

He had long since retired from the martial world; no one expected him to take a disciple today.

"You're the disciple of Cangqiong Hall's master?" Li Yuchan stared, stunned; she never imagined this unknown outer disciple held such a terrifying identity—it felt unreal.

"Brother Ye, you're the disciple of Cangqiong Hall's master?" A blue-clad woman beside her widened her eyes in disbelief.

"Heh, no need to be so shocked. Few know this—only Cangqiong Hall's high-ups, probably no one else," Ye Xiao smiled. He hadn't expected his bluff to fool someone.

It left him both amused and exasperated.

"Why are you all frozen? Don't believe me? I'm telling the truth," Ye Xiao rolled his eyes and explained.

"Uh…" The others awkwardly scratched their heads. "We're not doubting you—we're just surprised. What you just said… it's not true, right?"

"Of course it's not true. If you don't believe me, ask him," Ye Xiao pointed at Yang Yu.

Hearing Ye Xiao's words, Li Yuchan and the other women turned to Yang Yu, their eyes asking for confirmation.

Yang Yu gave a bitter smile. Ye Xiao's identity stood before them—no matter how unwilling they were, they had to believe.

Seeing this, Ye Xiao exhaled in relief, his heart swelling with triumph—he had finally drawn the attention of Cangqiong Hall's high-ups. All his frantic training had not been in vain.

"Now that you know my identity, you should understand why I'm challenging the Cangqiong List," Ye Xiao said calmly to Li Yuchan and the others.

Hearing this, Li Yuchan's cold expression deepened. She snapped: "Yang Yu, you have guts—daring to impersonate the master of Cangqiong Hall? You've got the heart of a bear and the courage of a leopard!"

"Yang Yu, come out now—don't make us say it a third time," Yang Yu's companions also barked coldly, their eyes dark with malice, longing to tear him apart—this fool had deceived them; had Li Yuchan not intervened, they would've already attacked.

"These bastards!" Yang Yu's fists clenched with a crackling sound, his heart burning with rage—these sons of bitches, strutting around, abusing power. If not for Li Yuchan here, Yang Yu would've already exploded.

"You're sure you want to continue?" Ye Xiao narrowed his eyes, a glint of icy light flashing within.

"You…" Yang Yu froze, then gritted his teeth, his voice cold: "If you've got balls, fight us!"

"Fine. Since you seek death, I'll grant it," Ye Xiao smiled faintly, his form drifting down; instantly, his true qi surged violently, transforming into a roaring tidal wave that swept across heaven and earth, and he launched a single punch.

"Bang!" The two fists collided with a muffled boom; immediately, Yang Yu was blasted backward, crashing hard to the ground.

Puch!

Yang Yu spat a mouthful of blood, raised his head, his eyes filled with venom as he glared at Ye Xiao and roared: "Filth! How dare you ambush me—I'll kill you!"

"Slap!" Before Yang Yu could finish speaking, Li Yuchan struck him across the face. The crisp sound of the slap echoed through the silent wilderness, and everyone's gaze converged on this spot. Their expressions shifted constantly, eyes filled with surprise.

No one had expected Li Yuchan to actually strike someone in front of everyone — it was completely beyond anyone's expectations.

"Senior Sister Li…" Yang Yu covered his swollen cheek, somewhat stunned.

"Yang Yu, your aptitude isn't bad, but your brain is a bit foolish. Don't you even know what you're capable of?" Li Yuchan said coldly.

Yang Yu's brow furrowed slightly as he looked at Li Yuchan in bewilderment.

"Disciples of the Firmament Hall must enter the Firmament secret realm for training every month. Yet you are not a disciple of the Firmament Hall, so how could you enjoy the treatment of the Firmament secret realm? The so-called identity of the Hall Master's disciple is nothing but a lie." Li Yuchan said coldly, "As for the strength of the Firmament Hall Master, I also know a thing or two. A mere ninth level of Body Tempering is hardly worth mentioning. Do you think such strength qualifies one to be called the Hall Master's disciple? Simply laughable!"

"Li Yuchan, what nonsense are you spouting?" Yang Yu's face turned livid. This Li Yuchan was clearly targeting him on purpose!

"Yang Yu, do you really take me for a fool? Even my father never managed to take the Firmament Hall Master as his master. You're so young — on what grounds do you possess an identity personally taught by the Firmament Hall Master?" Li Yuchan said disdainfully, "Furthermore, your strength is so weak — do you think I would believe what you say?"

"This…" The surrounding few people were all stunned. Li Yuchan's words seemed to make a lot of sense. Yang Yu's strength was too weak — how could he possibly become a personal disciple of the Firmament Hall Master?

"Haha, I think I understand now." Ye Xiao burst into laughter: "You fellow really do have a problem. You actually tried to deceive us with a fake identity, going on about being the Firmament Hall Master's disciple. Did you think we were three-year-old children?"

A savage look surfaced on Yang Yu's face. His eyes were bloodshot as he glared viciously at Li Yuchan and roared: "Li Yuchan, don't push people too far. Whether I, Yang Yu, am a disciple of the Firmament Hall Master or not is not for you to decide. If you have the guts, go report to the elders. I'll stand right here. If you can prove I'm lying, then I, Yang Yu, will submit to any punishment."

"Hmph, you still dare to argue?" Li Yuchan's face was icy. "You not only impersonated the Hall Master's disciple, but you also dared to insult a disciple of the Firmament Hall. Your crimes are unforgivable."

1397 — Don't go back on your word!

1397 — Don't go back on your word!

"I have no interest in playing this game with you, Li Yuchan. If you want to fight, I'll oblige." A cold arc curved at the corner of Ye Xiao's mouth as he stepped out slowly. "However, I hope you won't go back on your word!"

"Senior Brother Yang, you can't agree!"

"Exactly, he must be an impostor. You can't agree."

Yang Yu's several followers shouted hurriedly. None of them believed Yang Yu was a disciple of the Firmament Hall — after all, it was too absurd.

Yang Yu's face shifted through several expressions. Finally, he took a deep breath, stared coldly at Li Yuchan, and said in a heavy voice: "Fine, I agree to your terms!"

"Mm, those who know the times are the wise. Yang Yu, rest assured — with me here today, no one can harm you." Li Yuchan said proudly.

"Yang Yu, I hope you remember your promise!" Ye Xiao glanced at Yang Yu, then turned and left. He actually wanted to see what kind of person this Yang Yu was, and why he would impersonate him.

After Ye Xiao left, Yang Yu also turned and followed.

Ye Xiao walked ahead, while Yang Yu silently followed behind him.