Chapter 476: Intelligence Genius

"Get lost!"

Ye Xuan couldn’t be bothered to waste his breath. He shot a cold command at the student.

"Kid, you’re looking to die."

The upperclassman froze, as if he hadn’t heard Ye Xuan correctly. A moment later, his expression twisted into a mask of rage.

He took a step forward, his large hand shooting out. Potent Profound Power surged, forming a violent vortex around his claws as he grabbed for Ye Xuan’s shoulder.

"I told you to get lost. Are you deaf?"

Ye Xuan didn’t move an inch. He simply turned his head, a frigid, cyan glint flashing in his eyes.

HISS!

The upperclassman was immediately struck by an aura so potent it nearly suffocated him.

The terrifying pressure felt like a mountain crashing down upon him, stealing his breath. The Profound Sea within him was squeezed like a balloon, threatening to burst at any second.

His face paled, and beads of sweat poured down his forehead like rain.

His hand froze mid-air, unable to advance or retreat.

"Hmph."

With a cold snort, Ye Xuan turned and walked toward the next courtyard.

The upperclassman could only watch as Ye Xuan turned and left, not daring to stop him in the slightest.

Ye Xuan went on to check five or six more courtyards but still couldn’t find Yun Aoxue or Xia Qixi.

In almost every courtyard, he found upperclassmen "disciplining" new students.

Those who obediently complied got off easy. The defiant ones who fought back ended up in a much more miserable state, beaten black and blue until they were unrecognizable even to their own parents.

This made Ye Xuan’s heart grow heavier.

Even though Yun Aoxue and Xia Qixi were women, he knew their personalities. They were definitely not the type to give in quietly, which meant their fate could be even more wretched.

However, there were 168 new students in this year’s class, assigned to nearly sixty different courtyards. If Ye Xuan had to check them one by one, there was no telling how long it would take.

Just as Ye Xuan was at a loss, Luo Cheng suddenly hurried over with Zhang Lie in tow.

"Young Master Ye, I heard you’re looking for Yun Aoxue and Xia Qixi from the Thirteen Nations Alliance?"

Zhang Lie asked as soon as he arrived.

"You know where they are?"

Ye Xuan glanced at Luo Cheng, knowing he must have been the one who’d let it slip. At this point, though, he couldn’t be bothered with that. He just stared coldly at Zhang Lie.

A confident smile appeared on Zhang Lie’s face. "I happen to know where their dorms are. They’re even in the same courtyard—rooms 520 and 521. If you want to find them, Young Master Ye, I can lead the way."

"Then lead the way."

"You got it! Young Master Ye, Brother Luo, follow me." Zhang Lie led the way while explaining, "This is District 4. The fifth district, where Yun Aoxue and Xia Qixi are, is west of here. It’s a bit of a walk."

Under Zhang Lie’s guidance, the group passed through a greenbelt and came upon a new set of dorms. Sure enough, all the room numbers started with a ’5’.

Halfway there, Luo Cheng’s eyes narrowed. "How did you know they were in District 5? And you seem to know the layout so well. Don’t tell me you have some improper ideas about them?"

Zhang Lie frantically waved his hands, glancing at Ye Xuan before replying, "Brother Luo, you must be joking. Yun Aoxue and Xia Qixi are the top beauties among the new female students. How would I dare have any improper ideas? The only reason I know is because I memorized everyone’s dorm numbers when Master Qingfeng was making the assignments."

"As for the location of District 5, I looked it up in the dorm handbook the academy gave out as soon as I got to my room. It’s all in there."

Zhang Lie explained hastily.

’Ye Xuan is searching for Yun Aoxue and Xia Qixi so urgently,’ he thought. ’He’s either taken a liking to them or has some other connection. I can’t risk getting on his bad side. Better to clear this up right away.’

Luo Cheng was stunned. "You’re telling me you memorized everyone’s dorm number during registration?"

There were a total of 168 new students, and registration only lasted for a short while. Memorizing all that was no small feat.

Zhang Lie said confidently, "That’s nothing. I didn’t just memorize their dorm numbers. I also remember their age, place of origin, and cultivation level."

’That explains it,’ Ye Xuan thought. ’When Zhang Lie saw me in the dorm area earlier, he wasn’t surprised at all. He must have already known my room number. It seems this kid really has a knack for certain things.’

"You’re incredible!" Luo Cheng gave him a thumbs-up, at a loss for words.

He knew he could never do something like that.

Zhang Lie chuckled and said humbly, "It’s really nothing. My talent in the Martial Dao is lacking, but when it comes to investigating and gathering information, I’m absolutely first-rate. Back in the Celestial Peace Kingdom, people nicknamed me the ’Jianghu Know-It-All.’ Besides, if I want to follow Young Master Ye, I have to be useful, right?"

Though his words were humble, his tone was thick with confidence.

Before long, the three of them arrived at the courtyard entrance for dorms 520 and 521.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

Luo Cheng quickly stepped forward and knocked on the door.

CREAK!

The main gate opened, revealing a rather burly young man who eyed them suspiciously. "Who are you looking for?"

Ye Xuan’s gaze swept across the yard. He saw a new student squatting in the corner, bruised and battered, looking utterly miserable. In front of him stood three upperclassmen with imposing auras, but there was no sign of Yun Aoxue or Xia Qixi.

"We’re here to see Yun Aoxue and Xia Qixi," Luo Cheng said directly.

The burly young man first glanced at the three of them, then sneered. "Looking for Yun Aoxue and Xia Qixi? From the looks of you, you must be new students. You sure came sniffing around quickly. Seems you’re quite interested in them. But let me warn you, they are way out of your league. Now, get lost!"

The disdain on the burly youth’s face was plain to see. With that, he moved to shut the gate.

"Senior, please wait," Zhang Lie said, stepping forward quickly to stop him. He put on a smile and continued, "Senior, allow me to introduce us. My name is Zhang Lie, this is Luo Cheng, and this is our leader, Xuan Ye. He’s the one who took first place in this year’s entrance assessment, the one who reached eighty-eight meters on the Memorial Stele, and the one wanted by the Profound Mystery Sect for killing one of their elders."

"We’re not here to cause trouble. We just have some business to discuss with Yun Aoxue and Xia Qixi. We’d appreciate it if you could make things convenient for us, senior."

"We’re all students of Gale Light Academy. A little convenience for others is a little convenience for yourself, isn’t it?"

Zhang Lie spoke eloquently, a smile fixed on his face.

"He’s Xuan Ye?"

A look of surprise flickered across the burly youth’s face.

"Wait here. I’ll be right back."

The burly youth immediately turned and left.

Ye Xuan had been ready to force his way in, but seeing a potential breakthrough, he held back.

The burly youth was seen speaking with the other three upperclassmen in the courtyard. The one who was clearly their leader glanced at Ye Xuan’s group by the gate and nodded.

"You can come in," the burly youth said, leading the three inside.

The leader of the upperclassmen then led them to the front of two dorm rooms.

"Miss Yun, Miss Xia, you have visitors," the upperclassman called out with a smile, his voice booming.

’Miss Yun? Miss Xia?’ Ye Xuan was dumbfounded. ’It seems Yun Aoxue and Xia Qixi are doing pretty well for themselves here.’

CREAK!

The dorm room doors opened, and Ye Xuan saw Yun Aoxue and Xia Qixi walk out, safe and sound. Upon seeing Ye Xuan at the door, a flicker of pleasant surprise appeared in both their eyes.

"I am Xuan Ye. Forgive my intrusion, but I’ve come to discuss a matter with you both," Ye Xuan said, feigning ignorance even though he knew them both.

"In that case, please come in, all three of you."

Yun Aoxue said calmly, though she was laughing on the inside.

"Senior Cheng Jian, thank you," Yun Aoxue and Xia Qixi said to the upperclassman with a slight smile.

"Hehe, it was nothing."

Cheng Jian chuckled and turned to leave, but he was inwardly puzzled. ’What could Xuan Ye possibly have to discuss with Yun Aoxue and the others? Don’t tell me he has his sights set on them?’

’And Yun Aoxue and Xia Qixi actually let all three of them in. They were definitely showing deference to Xuan Ye.’

’Damn it!’

’That kid’s way too lucky.’

Cheng Jian fumed internally. ’So what if he’s number one in the entrance assessment? What’s so great about that? Back in my day, I... ahem, I also ranked on the Memorial Stele, at forty-nine meters. That’s not too far from Xuan Ye’s eighty-eight, is it?’

Each dorm room at Gale Light Academy had a small reception area. Yun Aoxue and Xia Qixi led the three men into it and steeped a pot of tea.

"I have something I’d like to discuss with these two ladies in private." Ye Xuan stood up and turned to Luo Cheng and Zhang Lie. "You two stay here."

"No problem, Young Master Ye. Go on."

"Right, right. This tea seems pretty good."

"Mhm, it’s quite fragrant."

"What kind of tea is this again?"

"Wuliang Chun, I think!"

"Wuliang Chun? Isn’t that a liquor?"

"Ahem, to be honest, I don’t know much about tea."

"Me neither."

Luo Cheng and Zhang Lie started chatting amongst themselves, but their eyes were secretly following Ye Xuan, Yun Aoxue, and Xia Qixi as they entered the inner bedroom. They even started communicating via secret voice transmission. "Damn, Young Master Ye is something else, isn’t he?"

"Yeah, how long has it been? Did he just win over those two beauties, Yun Aoxue and Xia Qixi, in a matter of seconds?"

"Tsk, tsk. Young Master Ye is truly Young Master Ye. He’s an idol to us all."

"You’re telling me! If I had half—no, a third—of Young Master Ye’s skill, I’d die a happy man. One dragon, two phoenixes... You think something’s gonna happen between the three of them in there?"

"What do you think? A lone man with two beautiful women, like dry tinder and a raging fire... Hehehe!"

With sleazy looks on their faces, they exchanged a glance that said, ’You know what I’m thinking.’

"Ye Xuan, what are you doing here?"

Inside the bedroom, Yun Aoxue and Xia Qixi asked, their faces beaming with pleasant surprise.