Chapter 480: Dragon or Worm

"You don’t have to answer, and you don’t have to agree, but my goal is next month’s inner court disciple assessment. I hope I’ll see you there."

After saying his piece, Hou Fei didn’t wait for Ye Xuan to reply. He turned, walked back to his spot, and sat down cross-legged, ignoring everyone around him.

"This guy’s so arrogant."

"The inner court disciple assessment next month? Is this kid joking? For a brand-new student, he’s got a lot of nerve."

"That guy’s name is Hou Fei. I heard he placed second in the entrance exam. His height on the Memorial Stele was sixty-nine meters."

"*Hiss*... That’s an astonishing height. Even in the inner court, there are very few who’ve reached higher."

"Too bad he’s trying to join the inner court in his first month. That’s just a fantasy. If it were that easy, it wouldn’t be called the inner court."

"We’ll just wait and see. A bunch of upstart freshmen who don’t know their place."

Hearing this, groups of senior students couldn’t help but break into discussion.

"Smug bastard," Zhang Lie sneered. "If he wants to compete with Young Master Ye, he should go home and cultivate for a few more years."

"Interesting," Ye Xuan said with a faint smile.

Just then, a freshman failed the trial and emerged from the tower.

His name immediately appeared on the first level of the ranking stele, placing him among the last few of the many students ranked there.

"Heh, couldn’t even last ten breaths on the first level of the trial tower. How did someone like that get into our Gale Light Academy?"

"He’s just here to make up the numbers."

Many senior students scoffed, their faces dripping with scorn.

Even though he’d passed the entrance exam, he clearly wasn’t a genius.

The freshman’s face was beet red as he returned to his friends.

"What happened?" his friend asked.

"I don’t know," the freshman said, his expression grim with shame. "Out in the world, I was considered a genius who could fight opponents above my level. But in the trial tower... the opponent had the exact same cultivation and strength as me, yet his techniques were so refined. I was killed in just a few exchanges."

He wore an expression of disbelief, unable to understand how he could have lost so quickly.

Back home, he could even defeat experts a full rank above him.

"Heh, so you can fight above your level. Does that automatically make you a genius?"

"The trial tower tests combat aptitude. Just because you can fight above your rank out there doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed to beat the opponent in here."

The faces of many senior students were filled with derision, causing the freshman to hang his head even lower.

Ye Xuan shook his head. ’Those senior students are right. The kid really doesn’t understand the rules of the trial tower.’

’Yes, some geniuses can fight above their station, but why? It’s because their Cultivation Techniques, martial arts, and martial souls all surpass those of ordinary people.’

’With such advantages, how could they *not* be able to fight above their level?’

’It’s like one person has an iron sword and another has a paper one. The one with the iron sword is obviously going to be stronger.’

’But in the trial tower, all of that is stripped away. Everyone starts on equal footing with the same cultivation, physique, Cultivation Technique, and martial arts. The only things being tested are pure combat instinct and talent. It makes it easy to see who’s a dragon and who’s a worm.’

"A good number of this year’s new students have already attempted the trial tower. Overall, they’re not bad, but there’s plenty of trash mixed in. I hear the top two from the entrance exam are both here. Let’s see how far they can get."

"Heh, we’ll see soon enough if they’re dragons or worms."

Many of the senior students cast looks of mingled anticipation and doubt toward Ye Xuan and Hou Fei.

Ye Xuan paid their stares and chatter no mind, continuing to watch the trials.

One by one, the new students went in for their trials. It went quickly. The faster ones were done in a dozen breaths, while the slower ones took about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

The senior students, on the other hand, clearly lasted much longer. Some even held on for half an hour.

"Look, Senior Brother Wang Qiang actually made it to the third level this time!"

"Senior Brother Wang Qiang passed the second level six months ago. After all this time training and studying, it’s no surprise he’s cleared the third."

"Reaching the third level in just over a year... Senior Brother Wang Qiang’s talent is really something."

A senior student emerged from the trial tower after lasting a full half an hour.

His name appeared on the third level, drawing cheers from the crowd.

The student, Wang Qiang, shot a proud glance at the new students, a smug look on his face as he stood arrogantly to one side.

Next up was Hou Fei.

Before entering the trial tower, Hou Fei glanced at Ye Xuan, the light of battle flaring in his eyes. Only then did he turn and step inside.

"This guy ranked second among the new students, with a Memorial Stele height of sixty-nine meters. Let’s watch this closely."

Many of the senior students watched with rapt attention.

Ten breaths passed. No activity from the trial tower.

An incense stick’s worth of time passed. Still, no activity from the trial tower.

"An incense stick’s worth of time has passed. Under normal circumstances, Hou Fei should have reached the second level by now."

"Given that he placed second, reaching the second level shouldn’t be hard. The real question is how long he can last there."

Many of the senior students stared, not daring to blink.

The amount of time someone lasts on the same level is a direct measure of their talent, and the difference can be huge.

But then another incense stick’s worth of time passed, and still there was no sign of him.

A commotion stirred among the senior students, their discussions buzzing like a swarm of flies.

’This is an incredible result.’

Yet another incense stick’s worth of time passed, and Hou Fei still hadn’t emerged.

The entire crowd could no longer contain itself, and the scene instantly grew chaotic.

"It’s been almost half an hour! Why isn’t Hou Fei out yet?"

"Don’t tell me he’s aiming for the third level."

"The third level? You’ve got to be kidding. Even talented senior students often need a full year of training to have a chance. How could a new student possibly manage it?"

"But look at the time..."

The senior students couldn’t remain calm.

Just then—

BEEP!

With a clear chime, Hou Fei’s name suddenly appeared on the ranking stele and began to rise rapidly.

"Finally, some activity! He must be out. I wonder what level he reached."

The senior students let out a collective sigh of relief, their eyes glued to the stele.

Before the stunned eyes of the crowd, Hou Fei’s name shot upward.

First Level.

Second Level.

Third Level.

Finally, his name stopped on the third level, ranked even higher than Wang Qiang, who had been tested earlier.

"What? The third level?!"

"That kid actually reached the third level on his first try? Good heavens!"

"To think there’s such a monster among this year’s disciples."

The crowd erupted into a clamor. Even the trial tower staff members were startled by the commotion, and their jaws dropped when they saw the result.

"What’s this student’s name? Hou Fei? Log it. Notify the academy’s senior leadership immediately. We have a top-tier genius in this class."

"Quickly, quickly!"

The staff members, their expressions grave, immediately recorded the information.

At Gale Light Academy, the trial tower rankings were just as important as the Memorial Stele.

For a new student to reach the third level in their very first trial... it was, without a doubt, a heaven-defying achievement.

According to regulations, whenever something like this happened, they were required to report it to the academy’s leadership at once.

"Young Master Ye, is this Hou Fei really that amazing?" Luo Cheng and Zhang Lie were both dumbfounded.

Ye Xuan rubbed his chin and murmured, "’This Hou Fei’s talent isn’t bad. With a bit of nurturing, he could be a fine prospect.’"

"To reach the third level on his first try, he is indeed a fine prospect."

Just then, a voice as lovely as an orchid in a secluded valley sounded suddenly by Ye Xuan’s ear.

Everyone turned to see a graceful and elegant young woman in a white gauze dress approaching them.

A turquoise silk ribbon was tied at her waist. Her dark hair was coiled high in an exquisite bun. Her face was fair and captivating, with skin so delicate it looked like it might break from a single touch. Her eyes, in particular, were exceptionally clear and bright, possessing an ethereal quality.

It was Dongfang Zisi.

Ye Xuan was taken aback. "What are you doing here?"

"And why shouldn’t I be?" Dongfang Zisi chuckled, glancing at Ye Xuan. "I am a senior student at Gale Light Academy. By seniority, you should be calling me ’Senior Sister’."

"Uh..." Ye Xuan wiped away a bead of cold sweat. "We know each other pretty well. Is that really necessary?"

"Look at you, all scared. What, is calling me ’Senior Sister’ so terrifying?"

Dongfang Zisi pursed her lips in a light smile, a smile that could make flowers wilt and stars dim in comparison.

’That guy actually knows Dongfang Zisi?’

’Dongfang Zisi is my goddess! How could she be hanging around with a heinous criminal wanted by the Profound Mystery Sect?’

’Is reality this cruel, or have I just been living under a rock?’

Dongfang Zisi was known as one of the Ten Beauties of the Dream Realm Plain. Though she had only been at Gale Light Academy for a year and was not yet an inner court disciple, her fame was universal. This was due both to her stunning beauty and her status as a nineteen-year-old Tier Five Third Layer Martial Sect.

Her arrival even overshadowed the sensation Hou Fei had just caused.

"Damn, Young Master Ye is just on another level,"

Zhang Lie, standing to the side, was completely floored.

’Dongfang Zisi... daughter of the President of the Divine Walk Commerce Association. She joined Gale Light Academy at eighteen and, in just one year, has already reached Tier Five Third Layer Peak. Hailed as one of the Ten Beauties of the Dream Realm Plain.’

Zhang Lie could recite Dongfang Zisi’s profile by heart. He muttered in disbelief, "Just when did Young Master Ye manage to hook up with a goddess like her?"

’It’s only been two days since we joined the academy, and I’ve been with Ye Xuan almost the entire time.’

’He’d personally witnessed Ye Xuan effortlessly charm beauties like Murong Yunxiao, Yun Aoxue, Xia Qixi, and now Dongfang Zisi. His admiration for Young Master Ye surged like a mighty river, overflowing its banks and becoming utterly unstoppable.’

’He never knew it was possible for someone to pick up girls as easily as eating a meal or drinking water—and not just any girls, but absolute goddesses.’