Chapter 80: The Wealth of a Rich Young Lady Is Unfathomable
By the time school let out that evening, dark clouds had gathered overhead, and a sudden downpour began. Neither Yu Xian nor Nora had brought an umbrella, so the two of them stood side by side in a corner near the school gates, quietly watching the rain.
Yu Xian could have teleported home or created a spatial bubble to shield himself from the rain, but today, he had inexplicably come down with a severe case of not wanting to use his abilities. As for Nora, she could have had one of her bodyguards deliver an umbrella with a single phone call, but she had just as conveniently forgotten their number.
Yu Xian gazed at the steady curtain of raindrops and suddenly remarked without any context, "Rain really is wonderful."
Nora smiled softly and looked up at the sky as well. "Mm. I don't think it's rained in Silver City for quite a while."
Dark clouds covered the sky, yet inside, she felt as though the sun were shining brightly.
The two of them continued standing there in silence, occasionally stealing glances at each other. Whenever their eyes met, they immediately looked away. If another student passed by, one would study the sky while the other examined the ground, the leaves, or the colorful umbrellas drifting past like flowers in bloom.
Gradually, the other students all left. The heavy rain seemed to shut the noisy world beyond the school gates away, leaving only the two of them beneath the vast sky.
Yu Xian could smell the faint, distinctive fragrance surrounding her. As he watched the raindrops fall, his gaze shifted to a rain-soaked leaf nearby. A thought stirred in his mind, and he finally asked, "By the way, Nora, are you planning to attend college after high school?"
Nora glanced at him and nodded. "Of course. I want to apply to Yanjing Vocational and Technical College."
"Yanjing Vocational and Technical College? If I remember correctly, last year's cutoff was around six hundred points. How far short are you now?"
Yu Xian looked at Nora in a whole new light. He had never expected the usually absentminded girl to set her sights on the most prestigious institution of learning in Huaxia.
Yanjing Supernatural Vocational and Technical College was currently the only university in Huaxia dedicated to supernatural studies. Its dean, Zhang Daoqin, was also the strongest Dragon-rank powerhouse in the nation. Not only was he a top-tier Qi Cultivator, but he had also trained as a martial artist, immortal cultivator, alchemist, and formation master.
Zhang Daoqin had mastered the cultivation methods of countless supernatural systems, and the true extent of his strength was impossible to fathom. Overseas, he was regarded as one of the Three Pillars of Huaxia.
Yu Xian knew all this because Yu Lie, the director of Qilin, was one of Zhang Daoqin's disciples. A quick look at Yu Lie's background was enough to reveal who his teacher was.
The moment her grades came up, Nora's confidence visibly faltered. "The academic subjects are worth three hundred and sixty points in total, and I can usually score around three hundred and thirty. But the practical exams... I'm still quite far behind."
Her academic performance was actually quite good, especially among supernatural beings. However, she had never once passed the practical exams, which consisted of individual combat, team combat, and a power assessment.
Individual combat was worth one hundred points. Nora always ranked last and had never scored above twenty. Team combat was also worth one hundred points. Since no one was willing to form a team with her, she had always received zero. The power assessment was worth another one hundred points. Because her Blood Flame gave her considerable offensive power, she usually scored around ninety.
Yu Xian did a quick calculation and found himself torn between amusement and disbelief. Nora's total score was only around four hundred and forty, roughly one hundred and sixty points below the cutoff. That was far too large a gap.
Yu Xian couldn't help but point it out. "Your practical scores are lagging that far behind? You probably won't get in."
Nora nodded. "Mm. I'm still more than a hundred points short. Luckily, I've saved up quite a bit of allowance. Under Yanjing Vocational and Technical College's rules, one point costs ten million yuan, so I'll only need to spend around 1.4 billion to pass."
Yu Xian fell silent. What had I been about to say again? Right.
He had been planning to offer to tutor her. Individual combat was mostly a matter of practice and experience, and he was confident he could help raise her score. Team combat would not be difficult either. The two of them had worked well together when dealing with the Aberrant Parasites. Worst-case scenario, he could simply take the exam with her and join her team. They would be able to score at least ninety points that way.
Once those two scores improved, Nora's strong academic results would give her a very good chance of getting into Yanjing Vocational and Technical College.
He had never imagined that she was simply planning to spend 1.4 billion to buy her way in. The world of a wealthy young lady truly was far beyond his reach.
Nora seemed completely unaware of how much her words had stunned Yu Xian. Her eyes shone with anticipation. "If I can get into Yanjing Vocational and Technical College, I'm sure I'll become a Serpent-rank expert by the time I graduate."
If she progressed normally and relied on time alone, reaching the Serpent-rank would take her at least two hundred years. She could not wait that long. She had to work hard to "earn" her way into this college. Only there could she grow at a much faster pace.
Having recovered from his shock, Yu Xian looked at the suddenly determined Nora. "You really want to become stronger?"
Nora had never spoken to him about anything like this before. Only now did he learn what her immediate goal in life was.
Nora nodded. "Mm. My dad said that once I reach Serpent-rank, he'll stop interfering in my private life. He also won't send guardians or bodyguards to follow me anymore. I'll finally be free. I'll be able to visit my mother whenever I want, travel wherever I want, and see whoever I want."
Her mother was from Huaxia and had never married Marcus. Nora's birth had been entirely unexpected.
Yu Xian asked, "Is your mother in the country now?"
Nora glanced at him. "Mm. She should be working in Ice City right now."
Ice City. That's all the way in Blackriver Province. No wonder it's so difficult for Nora and her mother to see each other. Yu Xian thought about it for a moment and sighed inwardly.
In ancient times, before supernatural creatures ran rampant, people could easily fly back and forth between Silver City and Ice City. These days, however, flights were extremely rare. Every journey required a Tiger-rank expert to escort the aircraft, making tickets outrageously expensive.
Moreover, planes of today were no longer the large passenger aircraft of ancient times, which could carry hundreds of people. They were small planes with room for only twenty or thirty passengers. For Nora's mother to come and visit her was far from easy.
Yu Xian finally understood why Nora disliked Roche so much. He really deserves to die.
If it were him, he would do everything in his power to kill anyone who tried to keep his mother from seeing him.
Just then, the rain stopped. Neither of them moved, both reluctant to leave. Looking down at the puddles on the ground, Yu Xian asked, "Want to get something to eat? I know a place that serves food even vampires can eat."
Nora immediately agreed. "Yes. I'm hungry."
They exchanged a smile and walked out of the school side by side.