Ling Xiao let out a long sigh as he left Shangguan Yutong's office. Although he still hadn't been able to see his own sister, Ling Su, he had felt a sisterly sort of care from Shangguan Yutong. 'So this is what it feels like to have someone care about you. It feels so good!'
The sun was still scorching. The leaves of the wild grass by the road drooped limply, some even starting to curl up and expose their paler undersides. The bluestone path, polished smooth by countless years of footfalls, felt like it was scalding his feet. Ling Xiao no longer possessed his former immunity to heat and cold. He felt the dampness on his forehead and gave a wry smile. 'Without strength, even the damned heavens will bully you.'
"Ling Xiao!" A gentle, pleasant voice called out from behind him, seemingly with a hint of pleasant surprise.
Ling Xiao froze. There couldn't be many people at the Imperial Academy who would dare to call his name so openly. He turned around and was surprised to see it was Isabella, the shy girl he had met in the library the other day. Ling Xiao had a good impression of her, so he stopped, a faint smile on his face. "Did you need something, Classmate Yisha?"
Isabella had only called out subconsciously. After the name left her lips, a faint blush rose on her fair cheeks. Shielded by a floral paper parasol, she looked even more delicate than a flower.
"Gods, Yisha... the talented person you were talking about is *him*?" A sharp, skeptical voice came from behind Yisha. The speaker then walked over, positioning herself protectively beside Yisha and watching Ling Xiao warily. She turned back to Yisha and said, "Yisha, what am I going to do with you? How can you associate with someone like this?"
The corner of Ling Xiao's mouth twitched, and a bitter smile appeared on his face. 'Looks like I really am unpopular at the academy.' The person speaking was probably Yisha's friend. The girl had a masculine face, and the first thing one would notice were her two thick, dark, straight eyebrows. If she didn't speak, most people would probably mistake her for a boy. Her wary gaze made Ling Xiao uncomfortable. He glanced at the embarrassed Yisha and said, "If there's nothing, I'll be going."
"W-wait! I... I do need something." Yisha grew anxious. Ignoring her companion's attempt to pull her back, she took a few quick steps to stand in front of Ling Xiao. She deliberately raised her parasol higher to shield his head as well. "When are you going to look for those medicinal herbs? I saw you coming out of... of Teacher Shangguan's office. Were you asking for leave?" Though it was a question, her voice was exceedingly gentle.
"Yisha, you can't associate with this kind of person!" Yisha's companion stomped over furiously, glaring at Ling Xiao. "Young Master Ling, please stay away from Yisha! Don't try to lead her astray. Yisha is still a child!"
"Ah... Mary, you... you shouldn't talk like that! Ling Xiao is my friend!" In her panic, Yisha was suddenly less shy, and her words came out in a complete sentence.
"Wh-what?" Mary stared at Yisha in astonishment, one hand placed dramatically over her chest, a look of dismay on her face. "Heavens, Yisha, have you gone mad? Do you have any idea what this person has done? You... you're going to be the death of me!"
Yisha looked at Mary calmly, her shyness replaced by a serious expression. "Mary, don't just parrot what others say. I only trust my own eyes. Please trust me, I have my own standards for judging things."
Mary wanted to say more, but seeing Yisha's stern expression, she shut her mouth. She shot Ling Xiao a fierce glare before stomping off to the side to sulk. She was a little jealous of Ling Xiao; just a moment ago, that floral paper parasol had been shielding *her* head!
Mary paid no mind to the fact that he was the son of a General. This was a world that valued strength, and the Imperial Academy even more so!
Ling Xiao gave Yisha a grateful smile but said nothing.
When facing Ling Xiao, Yisha reverted to her gentle and shy demeanor. Her bright eyes gazed at Ling Xiao as she said softly, "I'm sorry. Mary... she means well."
Ling Xiao spread his hands. "I didn't try to provoke her."
Yisha gave a sweet smile and then said, "Can... can I call you Brother Ling Xiao?"
Ling Xiao was taken aback for a moment, then nodded. "Of course. That takes a lot of courage."
Yisha knew what Ling Xiao was referring to. Her eyebrows curved into crescents as she smiled happily. "Brother Ling Xiao!"
Mary, who had been secretly watching them from the side, nearly fainted from anger. She screamed inwardly, 'Yisha has gone crazy! She's really gone crazy! To actually go out of her way to befriend that useless man who would even molest his own fiancée... Ugh, *former* fiancée! This is so humiliating!'
As luck would have it, a large group of people appeared from the opposite direction. They surrounded a lavishly dressed young man like stars around the moon, with someone next to him dedicated to holding an expensive parasol over his head. The young man spotted Ling Xiao and Isabella from afar. He paused for a second, then a disdainful smirk appeared on his lips. It was none other than Wulan Tuo, whom Ling Xiao had met before. Li Jiang, the one who had been sent flying by Ling Xiao's kick, was also in the group. When he saw Ling Xiao, a vicious glint flashed in his eyes. Although he was a nobody, he had been ridiculed quite a bit over the past few days for being kicked away by that piece of trash, Ling Xiao. Everywhere he went, he felt like people were looking at him strangely, which made Li Jiang feel like he was on the verge of collapse. Just as he was plotting his revenge on Ling Xiao, he had run into him here.
"Heh heh, if it isn't the lovely Miss Isabella?" Wulan Tuo's face overflowed with a benevolent and noble smile as he walked over gracefully. His duck-like voice rang out, "It is truly my honor to meet you!" Wulan Tuo deliberately ignored Ling Xiao, who was standing beside Yisha, treating him like air. Little did he know, Ling Xiao couldn't be bothered with him either.
"Yisha, let's go." Ling Xiao didn't even spare Wulan Tuo a glance, preparing to walk around them. From the side, Mary's eyes flashed with intense contempt. 'He's really not a man!' she thought. 'He doesn't even dare to make a peep when provoked. Why would Yisha offer her friendship to someone like that? Befriending him is worse than getting to know Young Master Wulan Tuo! Look at Young Master Wulan Tuo, isn't he better than Ling Xiao in every way!'
"Yo, isn't this the third young master of the Ling Family? What a big ant!" Wulan Tuo said, pointedly grinding his exquisite shoes on the smooth bluestone path a few times. Then, with a look of contempt, he sneered, "What's this? Young Master Ling just got dumped by his fiancée and already has a new target? The lovely... Miss Yisha," Wulan Tuo struck a pose he thought was dashing and raised his eyebrows. "This guy's a pervert, you know. He'd even molest his own fiancée! And..." Wulan Tuo lowered his voice, "...he's also a huge piece of trash! GAK GAK GAK!"
The large crowd beside him burst into sycophantic laughter. Li Jiang laughed the loudest; he wished he could rush over right now and beat Ling Xiao to a pulp to vent his anger.
'Young Master Wulan Tuo is so right,' Mary thought from the side. He had said everything she wanted to say. Her gaze toward Wulan Tuo began to fill with adoration. 'I heard Young Master Wulan Tuo is a Tier Nine Sword Attendant and is about to become a Sword Master. He has a limitless future ahead of him!'
Yisha was introverted and rarely interacted with others, but now she was suddenly furious. Her small face seemed to be coated in a layer of frost as she said coldly, "Young Master Wulan Tuo, please watch your words. Don't forget that you are a noble too! Also, I am not familiar with you. Please move aside!"
"Tsk tsk, letting a woman stand up for you, Young Master Ling. You're so impressive, aren't you? GAK GAK GAK GAK!" Wulan Tuo sneered, his lips curling. The crowd behind him laughed even harder, completely ignoring the blazing sun overhead, feeling utterly delighted.
Ling Xiao's fists clenched tightly, and a ferocious expression appeared on his face. He enunciated every word, "Wulan Tuo, you'd better shut your mouth. And another thing: a good dog doesn't block the path. Get out of my way!"
Yisha stood firmly by Ling Xiao's side, glaring at the group. If anyone tried to harm Ling Xiao, she would definitely step in to help.
But Ling Xiao reached out and moved Yisha behind him, saying calmly, "This is men's business. Let the men handle it."
Wulan Tuo was startled by Ling Xiao's gaze, which was like he was looking at a corpse. He instinctively took a step back. When he realized what he'd done, he felt humiliated and roared, "Ling Xiao, I challenge you to a duel! By the code of the nobility, do you dare to face me in a fair fight?" Wulan Tuo spoke with such self-righteousness that Mary watched from the side, completely entranced.
Wulan Tuo's lackeys immediately chimed in. "Ling Xiao, do you dare to face Young Master Wulan Tuo in a fair fight?"
"Ling Xiao, if you don't dare to accept, you're not a man!"
"He was never a man to begin with! Can a piece of trash be called a man? HAHAHAHA!"
Wulan Tuo's followers shouted all sorts of insults, then stared at Ling Xiao with mocking expressions.
Yisha was seething. A Tier Nine Sword Attendant, about to become a Sword Master, was demanding a duel with a Tier Five Sword Attendant and calling it a "fair fight." 'Could he be any more shameless?'
At that moment, however, Ling Xiao couldn't help but let out a scoff. Then he asked with great seriousness, "You really want to duel me?"
"As an elegant noble, I never lie." Wulan Tuo lightly flicked his magnificent lapel and then sneered, "Do you dare?"
"Time." Ling Xiao's brow lowered as he spoke calmly, his expression returning to a state of peace. Shushan cultivated the Sword Dao, not the way of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
The so-called sword is a sharp object. Once unsheathed, its edge is revealed. It wasn't that Ling Xiao didn't understand forbearance, but to face such repeated provocations without responding... that would truly mean he wasn't a man.
Wulan Tuo sneered. "Tomorrow at 7:00 AM, at the academy's arena! If you don't dare to come, you're this!" He made a fist, extended his little finger, and gestured downward—a noble's gesture for mocking an opponent's incompetence.
After saying his piece, he strutted away, surrounded by his gaggle of followers. Wulan Tuo's lackeys looked at Ling Xiao as if he were a dead man, especially Li Jiang, whose eyes were filled with glee.
Mary watched their retreating figures with an infatuated gaze, feeling a sense of satisfaction. 'After tomorrow, Ling Xiao's reputation will hit rock bottom,' she thought. 'Then Yisha will definitely stop associating with him. This is perfect!'
Yisha looked at Ling Xiao with some concern, her teeth lightly biting her rosy lips. Suddenly, as if having made a decision, she grabbed Ling Xiao's hand and quickly led him toward a small grove of trees nearby.