Chapter 418 - Pathseeker Society, See You Tomorrow!

"Miss Yuxue, all hundred or so Level 7 Ding disciples of our Pathseeker Society have registered. No one else dares to compete with our president. We might as well close up shop now!" a young man in green robes reported.

"The Mystic Zenith Temple has scheduled registration for half a day, and the time isn't up yet," Tian Yuxue responded coldly with a glance.

"That's right."

"No need to rush."

"Though it's unlikely anyone else will come, we are tasked with this duty and should adhere strictly to procedures."

The other youths spoke up in succession, making the bootlicking youth in green robes appear quite embarrassed.

"Those from the Academy Faction are truly cowards."

"I heard that people like Chi Yang and Yun Jin seem to have slipped away to the Blood Devil Ruins."

"Always acting all high and mighty, but at the critical moment, they become a laughingstock."

"Miss Yuxue, the sun is shining pretty bright today. You must be hot. I have some Ice Spirit Water here, which calms the mind and body. Would you like to drink some?"

Hearing this, the girl called Tian Yuxue felt a buzzing in her ears.

"Could you all please keep your distance?" she said coldly.

These people were of no low status; their parents and Tian Yuxue's parents were colleagues, seen both in lower and higher circles. Otherwise, she would have told them to scram.

"Right, let Yuxue have some peace."

The group then dispersed a bit.

It was almost noon.

"No one else coming at this time means Chi Yang has definitely given up. My brother is in the clear." Tian Yuxue glanced at the position of the sun, ready to leave.

Just then, an azure sword light descended from the sky.

"Who?"

Everyone looked up to see a peerless, handsome young man in the clouds above, holding a beauty as fair as a celestial maiden, descending from the sky on a Sovereign Sword.

Lian Xi, the celestial beauty, and the man by her side, who drew scowls sharp enough to slice through steel from the assembly of disciples. Word had spread like wildfire about Yun Xiao being seen the night Dharma Crown Qin vanished. Whether the truth or a tall tale, it set the stage for scorn.

Tian Yuxue, laying eyes on Yun Xiao for the first time, found herself caught in a whirlwind of thought. "This man's charm is downright criminal," she mused, her lips parting in silent awe.

With Lian Xi present, the young disciples tempered their malice, though it bubbled beneath the surface like a witch's brew.

Tian Yuxue's admiration took a backseat as she remembered Yun Xiao was the thorn in the side of the Pathseeker Society, prompting her to switch gears. "Lian Xi, what brings you here?" she asked, provocation in her eyes.

"He's here to sign up for the Crown selection," Lian Xi said, as if she were talking about the weather.

Silence immediately fell over the crowd. While every prodigy under the sun had given the event a wide berth, here was Yun Xiao, stepping into the lion's den. Was he looking for a beating, or just lost?

"This is Tian Yuxue," Lian Xi introduced, "The Pathseeker Society Spokeswoman."

"Oh, she's basically the public relations lady. Looks the part," Yun Xiao quipped, dropping his registration on her desk with a flourish. "Mind jotting my name down, esteemed spokeswoman?"

"You... If you have grievances with the Pathseeker Society, take it up with Dean Yu," Tian Yuxue snapped coldly.

"I think you're reading too much into it," Yun Xiao said with a smile, managing to look both innocent and infuriating.

As Tian Yuxue sized him up, her heart skipped a beat, betraying her with a flush of warmth. "You sure you want to do this?" she managed, trying to sound stern.

"I meet the criteria," Yun Xiao stated, "I'm eligible until proven guilty."

"Accused of murder and still aiming to represent justice? You sure your head's screwed on right?" Tian Yuxue couldn't help but ask, her words sharp.

"Last I checked, I haven't been convicted," Yun Xiao retorted, his smile undimmed. "Let's stick to the rules, shall we? Innocent until proven guilty."

Tian Yuxue gave Yun Xiao another sharp look and said, "Just so you know, everyone else in the selection is one of ours... except you."

"No need to warn me. We're not friends," Yun Xiao replied.

"You...!" Tian Yuxue was fuming. She also wanted Yun Xiao dead. But the Crown selection was a solemn affair, and she didn't want him tarnishing it with his presence. Still, signing up was his right, not a favor.

Switching gears with a smirk, she teased, "So, you're really trying to become a Crown?"

"What do you think?"

"I've heard you've been playing coy, hiding your true power. So, what level are you pretending to be at now?" Tian Yuxue asked, her tone ice cold.

"I could take you down easily," Yun Xiao remarked casually.

A disciple snickered, "Dream on. You're nothing but a slug.

"Shut it," both Yun Xiao and Tian Yuxue snapped at him in unison.

Tian Yuxue, undeterred, pressed on, "You've got some nerve signing up. I'll give you that."

"And?"

Tian Yuxue couldn't help but laugh. "But it baffles me. How does someone who scored zero on the entrance exam's written part think they can compete in a selection that's heavily based on written tests?"

"What, it's all academic again?" Yun Xiao turned to Lian Xi, looking stumped.

"Not exactly," she paused, "But the questions are tougher, all about legal principles..."

Tian Yuxue scoffed, "Half the score's from written tests. With another zero, you won't even make it to the combat round. Don't waste your time—or mine. Get lost."

Yun Xiao took a moment, then with a steely gaze, told Tian Yuxue, "Save it. I'm signing up."

"This time, the written tests will be public, for all to see," Tian Yuxue warned, "Ready to embarrass yourself with that brilliant intellect of yours?"

Before she could finish, a voice from the entrance of the academy called out, "Yuxue, let him sign up."

Without looking back, she knew it was her brother's voice.

Tian Yuxue, without further ado, scribbled Yun Xiao's name onto the roster and temporarily confiscated his disciple token.

Yun Xiao looked up to see a pack of youths, thick with menace and cold stares, perched at the grand entrance of the academy. Center stage were Tian Zhixiu, Can Nian, and Qin Ziyue.

"Hey bro," Can Nian said with a raised brow, "You've got till dawn before the selection begins. Best cram in some culture and polish that charm. Only the top 32 in the written test make it to the combat round. I'm itching to see how you come back from this one. Don't disappoint."

"Vice President, you're being too hard on him. A roughneck from the sticks can only polish so much," a burly youth with a beard sneered.

Hearing this, Tian Yuxue couldn't hold her tongue. "Take a look in the mirror before calling others roughnecks!"

The sudden outburst was as surprising as it was refreshing. Even Qin Ziyue even shot her a bewildered glance. But that was merely an interlude.

Yun Xiao, giving the crowd a brief once-over, said nothing more than, "See you tomorrow."

Then, he turned to leave.

"Wait," Lian Xi suddenly called out, spotting someone among the group. "Lil Xiu, what are you doing here?"

𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Behind Can Nian, a nervous young girl blanched. "The Vice President... she... we... we were told to dance..."

"You girls, come with me," Lian Xi said, glancing at Qin Ziyue.

"I... I..." the girl stammered.

The message was clear. The young girls here could leave today, but their families, tied to the Primordial Ruins, would never escape the influence of the Three True Immortals and their descendants.

"Let's go!" Yun Xiao abruptly spoke.

"Okay..." The group of young girls, lips quivering and legs trembling, walked past the young geniuses of the Pathseeker Society. Their eyes were red and tearful, careful not to let the people on the stage behind them see.

Watching the girls leave, the eyes of the Pathseeker Society members held nothing but cold indifference.

Once the girls were away from the academy, Lil Xiu panicked, "We might be safe today, but what about tomorrow? Tomorrow..."

Yun Xiao, standing aside, casually remarked, "Don't fret about tomorrow. You know, others don't even get a tomorrow."