Chapter 467 476: Enrollment Disturbance

By the time Ye Tian and Zhang Xinlan returned to the Imperial City, fourteen days had passed, putting them far beyond the enrollment deadline.

"Halt, you two! This is the Imperial City Academy. Unauthorized personnel are forbidden!"

The entrance to the Imperial City Academy was not as bustling as it had been before. Not only were there fewer people lingering about, but there were also many more guards.

"We're prospective students of the academy. Please let us pass!"

Ye Tian spoke up. Although the guards at the gate were only at the Four Veins level, and he could defeat them with a single hand, this was the Imperial City, after all. He couldn't just force his way in.

"Prospective students? Enrollment for the academy ended seven days ago. I won't let you in unless you have proof of your status!"

Just as Ye Tian was about to say more, a group of over ten people appeared behind him. They were clustered around a few young men in ornate brocade robes, strolling over at a leisurely pace.

"Are you blind? Get out of the way! You dare block our Young Master's path? You got a death wish?!"

A guard at the Four Vein Peak barged his way over, his expression exceedingly arrogant.

The guard who had been blocking Ye Tian had a sudden change of expression, instantly forcing a smile. "So, it's Young Master Ouyang! Please, come right in. We were notified that you passed the academy's assessment. You may enter now!"

'The Ouyang Family's young master?'

Ye Tian glanced at the youth in the crowd. The boy was about his age, but his cultivation was only at the Early Four Veins. 'For a good-for-nothing like that to have the privilege of arriving late,' he thought, 'it must be entirely due to his family's connections!'

"Wait!"

Ye Tian suddenly raised a hand, cutting the guard off. "We also passed the academy's assessment. We're also seven days late. So why won't you let us in?"

Ye Tian's words immediately drew a dozen contemptuous glares. The most arrogant of the Ouyang Family's guards sneered, "Who the hell do you think you are? You think you can compare to our Young Master? Let me tell you, the Ouyang Family is one of the four great clans of the Imperial City! You're just a country bumpkin, so scram! Otherwise, don't blame me for what happens next!"

It wasn't just him; even the academy guard at the gate looked at Ye Tian in disbelief. "Heh," he said after a careful look, "you've got some nerve. With a measly cultivation at the Three Veins, you dare claim you passed the Imperial City Academy's assessment? I suggest you leave at once, or I'll have to get rough!"

'Damn it. These bootlickers are clearly throwing their weight around. It's not like I'm actually at the Three Veins. Do they really think I'm some pushover they can step on?'

Just as Ye Tian was about to teach the two guards a lesson, the young master of the Ouyang Clan called out from a distance, "Wait!"

The young master from the Ouyang Family slowly walked up to Zhang Xinlan, a sleazy grin on his face. "Well now, what a beautiful woman! Hello, I am the third young master of the Ouyang Family, Ouyang Hongxiang. Little beauty, what kind of future can you have with this bumpkin? Why not come with me instead? I'll make sure you live a life of luxury. What do you say, hmm?"

As he spoke, Ouyang Hongxiang reached out to touch Zhang Xinlan's chin.

But before his fingers could get within three inches of her cheek, Ouyang Hongxiang saw a golden light flash before his eyes, followed by a sharp pain in his wrist.

With a sharp CRACK, his entire right arm was broken!

"Ahhh! You bastard— GAH!"

Ouyang Hongxiang opened his mouth to curse, but before he could even speak, Ye Tian kicked him squarely in the stomach!

The force of the blow sent Ouyang Hongxiang flying backward. He tumbled through the air, blood spraying uncontrollably from his mouth.

THUD!

Ouyang Hongxiang's body hit the ground hard, and he passed out on the spot.

"Hmph! My woman is not for trash like you to touch!"

Ye Tian said coldly, looking at the guard who had been so arrogant moments before.

"Yo-Young Master... You bastard! How dare you harm the Young Master! Kill him!"

The guard flew into a rage out of humiliation. At his command, more than a dozen guards at the Four Veins level surrounded Ye Tian and Zhang Xinlan.

"How boring. Why don't you take care of this trash for me? I don't feel like moving!"

Zhang Xinlan tilted her head and said to Ye Tian in a coquettish tone. In truth, she had wanted to teach Ouyang Hongxiang a lesson herself when he'd made his move. But when Ye Tian acted even faster, crippling Ouyang Hongxiang on the spot without a second thought, she was incredibly moved.

'Was Ye Tian jealous because of me? And what he said afterward... I'm so happy...'

A wave of joy washed over Zhang Xinlan's heart, as warm and pleasant as basking in the July sun.

"No problem. It's my pleasure to be of service to a beauty!"

Dealing with these Four Veins guards, Ye Tian didn't even need to use a Martial Skill, let alone his Black Glaze Sword. He could smash them to pieces with just a couple of punches!

Just then, two streaks of light suddenly appeared in the sky.

SWOOSH! SWOOSH!

Two young men landed. One was handsome, the other powerfully built. Both appeared to be wearing instructor's robes and had come from the direction of the Imperial City Academy.

"Ye Tian, you're about to enroll in the academy. Fighting and injuring people at the gate will reflect poorly on you. This time, do me a favor and let them go. I'm an instructor at the academy. My name is Luo Chen."

The moment this man spoke, the gate guards were utterly stunned.

Luo Chen, a young master from the Luo Family—one of the Imperial City's four great clans. He wasn't like the useless, hedonistic sons of some other families who knew only how to eat, drink, and play. On the contrary, his cultivation had reached the Five Veins Ninth Tier at a young age, and he was now a Senior Instructor at the academy!

'But what shocked the gate guards most was Luo Chen's tone. It implied that if a real fight broke out, Ye Tian had the power to defeat everyone from the Ouyang Family? How could that be possible? He was clearly only at the Three Veins level!'

"'From the Luo Family?'"

Ye Tian frowned. He had some understanding of the current political situation in the Imperial City.

Among the four great clans, the Ouyang Family had sided with the Eldest Prince, but the other three maintained a neutral stance. They were absolutely loyal to the Emperor and would not align themselves with any single prince unless one of them ascended the throne.

Considering his future at the Imperial City Academy, Ye Tian didn't mind doing Luo Chen this favor.

"That's right," Luo Chen said. "This is another academy instructor, Instructor Lu Lingfeng. Princess Yaqi specifically notified us that you two would be enrolling soon. She said that if you ran into any trouble, we were to assist you. My sincerest apologies that these gate guards have caused you trouble."

Seeing Luo Chen's sincere apology, half of the anger in Ye Tian's heart dissipated.

'However, while his anger at the academy guards had subsided, the same could not be said for the Ouyang Family's men. They might be spared a death sentence, but they wouldn't escape punishment—especially not Ouyang Hongxiang, who had dared to harass Zhang Xinlan!'