Proud Sword Soaring Clouds

If you were to ask what the most sensational news at the Imperial Academy had been for the past couple of days, it would undoubtedly be about Ling Xiao, the former disgrace of the Academy. Yes, that title was now a thing of the past.

No one dared to call Ling Xiao the disgrace of the Imperial Academy anymore, nor did anyone still think he was a good-for-nothing, even if he was a Celestial Vein Master. Have you ever seen a good-for-nothing who could beat a Tier Six Sword Master’s face to a pulp with his bare hands?

This news spread like wildfire to every corner of the Imperial Academy, moving Chunlan and Qiuyue to tears of joy when they heard it.

No one wants their young master to be called a good-for-nothing all day, and no one wants to live under the constant ridicule and scorn of others.

A while ago, the two maids had followed Shangguan Yutong to study in the beginner’s classes. With their beauty and gentle personalities, they had won the favor of many. But as soon as people learned they were Ling Xiao’s maids, they immediately distanced themselves, as if being their friend would cause others to look down on them.

Although the two never spoke of it, the bitterness in their hearts was immense.

Now, however, it was completely different. Almost everyone was talking about Ling Xiao. Their conversations all revolved around what kind of technique he had used to defeat the Tier Six Sword Master, and how he had toyed with his opponent as if he were a child.

The advanced classes at the Imperial Academy did have a few students who had reached the level of Great Sword Master. They usually kept to themselves and rarely paid attention to other matters, focusing single-mindedly on their training. Strength wasn’t something you could gain just by talking. The idea of picking up girls while increasing your strength was too difficult to be realistic. Most people achieved their power through bitter, grueling training, day and night.

But in the past few days, even these reclusive students couldn’t help but grow curious. What on earth had Ling Xiao done now to get everyone talking about him? And unlike the last scandal involving indecent assault, this time, almost everyone who mentioned Ling Xiao had a look of admiration on their face. Some were even a little jealous!

After all, the vast majority of students at the Imperial Academy were Sword Attendants in the beginner classes!

These students had originally maintained a sense of superiority. After all, with Ling Xiao at the very bottom, they felt that no matter how weak they were, they were still stronger than a Celestial Vein Master—a natural-born good-for-nothing. But now things were different. Though he was a Celestial Vein Master, he could defeat a Sixth Level Sword Master! And them? Could they still dare to treat Ling Xiao as a failure? Many who had provoked Ling Xiao in the past now felt a growing unease, terrified he would come back to settle the score.

Meanwhile, Ling Xiao had inexplicably received several letters of challenge from the advanced classes. He just laughed scornfully. ’This is ridiculous. What are they trying to prove? That a Great Sword Master is stronger than a Celestial Vein Master?’

Ling Xiao had only one response to these challenges: he ignored them completely.

The second piece of sensational news was the sudden appearance of a transfer student in the academy’s advanced classes. Her strength was unknown, but she was absolutely gorgeous!

People compared her to Xie Xiaoyan, another beauty from the advanced classes who was on the campus belle list. The conclusion was shocking: the new transfer student was even more stunning!

All the male students unanimously agreed that while the new beauty’s features might not be more striking than Xie Xiaoyan’s, her aura was far more mature than that of the still somewhat innocent and naive Xie Xiaoyan.

She was, simply put, a natural-born stunner!

This girl also had a beautiful name: Ye Wen Ni.

In no time, nearly all the boys in the advanced classes were finding excuses to hang around Ye Wen Ni’s classroom. Some even got into fights out of jealousy.

...

Inside Ling Xiao’s villa, Chunlan giggled as she looked at a sulking Ye Wen Ni. "Sister Yezi, your charm is just too powerful! You’re a total heartthrob!"

Ye Wen Ni furrowed her delicate brows and grumbled, "What are you talking about? Those guys are so annoying. They’re always crowding around me for no reason. This one’s the son of some Count, that one’s a relative of some Marquis, and then there’s the heir to some tycoon... Gods, Ling Xiao, tell me, are all nobles this boring?"

Chunlan and Qiuyue covered their mouths to stifle their giggles. Qiuyue whispered, "The Young Master isn’t boring!"

Ling Xiao, who was flipping through a book on continental history, had no interest in answering her.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. The maid, Chunlan, went to open it, and Yisha walked in excitedly. "Ling Xiao...! Huh? What are you doing here?"

As a fellow student in the advanced classes, Yisha of course recognized the beautiful girl as Ye Wen Ni, the very person who had caused such a commotion throughout the Imperial Academy’s advanced classes that day.

Ye Wen Ni, in turn, certainly knew of Yisha. The juiciest piece of gossip from Ling Xiao’s fight the day before was that the campus beauty Yisha had confessed her feelings for him. It was a tidbit many loved to talk about, and a fact many male students loathed. ’Why would such a wonderful girl fall for Ling Xiao of all people?’

Because of this, Ye Wen Ni felt a slight pang of jealousy. But fortunately, she was experienced enough not to let it show on her face. Instead, she smiled gently at Yisha. "You must be the lovely Yisha, right? I’m a friend of Ling Xiao’s, just like you."

’Just like me?’ Yisha mulled over that phrase, but felt it wasn’t her place to ask more. She gave Ye Wen Ni a polite nod. Ye Wen Ni found herself slightly envious of Yisha’s graceful, high-society demeanor and resolved to cultivate such a noble air for herself.

She hadn’t always thought it was so important. In fact, among the children her foster father had taken in, many of the girls with the best looks and dispositions were sent to small Noble Academies. There, they were specially trained to cultivate a noble temperament, only to be sent as maids to various noble houses once they were older. Because of this, Ye Wen Ni had firmly believed such an ’air’ was completely useless—in the end, you were still serving others. She had staunchly refused to attend any academy, preferring to be a Golden Finger. At least that meant freedom!

"Ling Xiao, tomorrow... are you going to sign up for the training expedition to the Mesopotamia Grassland?" Yisha asked, watching him cautiously. Almost all students at the Imperial Academy were intensely interested in such expeditions. Having grown up in cities listening to the tales of Adventurers, they yearned for the world outside.

Yisha was no exception. She had signed up the first chance she got, and only then thought to find Ling Xiao. She was sure he would participate too! The school organized these expeditions annually, but it wasn’t always an open registration like this time. Organizing a force powerful enough to protect the students from the beginner classes was a monumental effort.

Ling Xiao nodded. "I’ll be going." Then he turned to Ye Wen Ni, who had a look of longing on her face. "You don’t need to go. Just stay here and focus on your studies."

"I..." Ye Wen Ni rolled her eyes in frustration. ’This guy is so bossy,’ she thought indignantly. ’What gives him the right to decide for me? I’m not his woman!’ Still, she understood his point. What she needed right now wasn’t an expedition, but to study etiquette and other subjects. ’Ugh, damn noble etiquette!’

Yisha was secretly delighted. Ling Xiao didn’t let Ye Wen Ni come along. ’Does this mean I’m more important to him?’

’It must be!’