C20 Helping Him out

Dragonflight Cloister was renowned for its inclusive education, offering the finest learning opportunities to everyone from commoners to nobles without discrimination. This inclusive philosophy was the cornerstone upon which Dragonflight Cloister was founded.

Yet, in Insasari, the bustling capital of the Kisal Dynasty, where royals were as common as blades of grass and nobles were a dime a dozen, the aristocratic students still made up the majority at Dragonflight Cloister. Some teachers, for various reasons, preferred to enroll noble offspring, creating elite classes reminiscent of 'Aristocratic Schools.'

Su Ziqing's school was a prime example of such an establishment.

When the seemingly fragile Xia Ye confronted a group of these aristocratic students at the school's entrance, the naive young nobles were thrown into an uproar.

"Damn it! Who dares to cause a commotion in our school? Are they looking for trouble?!"

"Little lady, watch your words. The men here have quite the temper!"

"Shit! Looking for a fight without even considering where you are?!"

"Xia Yi? That Taoist-quoting waste? Hehe, has he sunk so low that he's hiding behind a woman and relying on her to fight his battles?"

The halls of Su Ziqing's school erupted into a cacophony of jeers and insults, nearly shaking the roof with their intensity.

Remarkably, Xia Ye, usually timid and demure, stood her ground. Her pale fists were clenched and trembling, her teeth gritted in determination. She wouldn't back down, for retreat would bring shame upon her brother.

Yan Wende, overseeing the classroom, frowned at the commotion. These aristocratic youths were a handful to manage at the best of times, and now, with Xia Ye's provocation, they were utterly unruly.

Catching sight of Xia Ye at the doorway, her slender frame quivering yet resolute in the face of the scornful nobles, Yan Wende couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration. Xia Yi was a young man he respected, and now, seeing his sister, he recognized a similar strength in her—a strength that far surpassed that of most students in the school.

Yan Wende had a knack for recognizing talent, which led him to seek an understanding of the current situation.

"Silence, everyone!" Yan Wende commanded with a deep, resonant voice that carried the weight of his true qi, instantly quelling the clamor in the classroom.

The imposing presence of a ninth-grade warrior swept through the room, bringing all the students to a hushed stillness. Some frowned and took deep breaths to compose themselves, while others displayed pained expressions.

The spiritual energy in Yan Wende's voice had a tangible impact, revealing the varying levels of strength among those present. The more powerful students managed to withstand Yan Wende's outburst with greater ease.

Xia Ye's face was a picture of astonishment as she looked at Yan Wende, having expected him to chastise her for disrupting the school's order.

Yan Wende's expression remained stern as he surveyed the students below him and then turned to Xia Ye, showing her no warmth.

"Is your name Xia Ye?" he asked, his tone unfriendly and interrogative.

Xia Ye felt the intense gaze of the ninth-grade warrior upon her, the pressure constricting her breath and forcing her to nod with a grimace.

"You've disturbed the peace of the school. Go to the Chamber of Discipline to accept your punishment," Yan Wende declared with a heavy snort, his grim expression conveying his displeasure with Xia Ye.

Xia Ye's face tensed as a formidable force hit her hard, making her chest feel tight and involuntarily eliciting a pained grunt from her.

She was about to clarify her purpose for being there when Yan Wende internally sighed with resignation. This young woman had been so well-protected by Xia Yi that she failed to recognize his favoritism. He waved her off dismissively.

"Leave," he said, turning away and sparing Xia Ye no further glance.

Remembering her previous encounter, Xia Ye instinctively braced herself as Yan Wende made his move. To her surprise, a soft force propelled her out of the classroom, leaving her to float through the air for a good distance before gently landing back on the ground.

Staring at Yan Wende in shock, Xia Ye realized she was powerless to resist. Although he lacked a talent for discerning people's hearts, his judgment in combat was impeccable. She understood that Yan Wende's mastery of spiritual qi was not only vastly superior to her own but also demonstrated a level of control that was nothing short of exquisite, allowing her to be effortlessly overpowered despite her full readiness.

In the classroom, a young man exuding nobility rose to his feet and solemnly bowed to Yan Wende.

"Mr. Yan, why do you only speak of the punishment for disrupting the class and not address the crime of that woman slandering my teacher?" The young man's tone was outwardly cordial, yet it carried an underlying aggression as he posed his question.

Yan Wende glanced over and recognized him as Zhu Shaoqing, the son of the Chamberlain of Dependencies, a sixth-grade warrior, and one of the most formidable students in Su Ziji's class. His talent and diligence were exceptional, matched only by his discerning eye.

Zhu Shaoqing's remarks resonated with the other aristocratic students, who had previously been indifferent. Now, prompted by his words, they all turned to Yan Wende, expecting him to provide an explanation.

We are simply raising legitimate concerns, which should not be seen as disrespectful to our instructors.

Yan Wende had no real aversion to these aristocratic students using their intellect rather than their status to secure advantages; in fact, he found it commendable.

With a smile that betrayed no irritation at Zhu Shaoqing's probing, Yan Wende inquired in a measured tone, "Did any of you witness firsthand what she claimed?"

"I did not see it with my own eyes," Zhu Shaoqing admitted, his brow furrowing as he sensed an inconsistency. "But her absence doesn't validate her claims!"

Pleased with Zhu Shaoqing's response, Yan Wende's smile grew. He nodded and suggested, "If you're dissatisfied, you're welcome to bring a case against her for slander at the Chamber of Discipline."

At this suggestion, several of the aristocratic students erupted in loud cheers, eager to join forces and take their complaint to the Chamber of Discipline against Xia Ye. They were always looking for some amusement, and now they felt justified in their cause.

At this point, vindicating their teacher Su Zizhi seemed to have become a secondary concern.

Yan Wende watched the commotion among the aristocratic students with amusement. Yet, he noticed Zhu Shaoqing, still with a furrowed brow, not joining in the clamor but instead fixing his gaze steadily on Yan Wende.

Upon witnessing the scene, Yan Wende couldn't help but smile, realizing that Zhu Shaokang had pierced through his veil of thoughts.

The issue of Xia Ye "slandering" Su Zizhi needed thorough investigation. If Xia Yi had any sense, he would seize the opportunity to request that the Chamber of Discipline look into the allegations Su Zizhi and Zhao Jingjing had made against him.

Given the circumstances at the Spirit Gathering Tower at that time, with only the statements of the involved parties and no external witnesses, the matter was destined to be resolved in a way that would calm the waters.

"It turns out that we—Mr. Su's students—ended up clearing Xia Yi of the rumors that were attached to him," Zhu Shaokang murmured under his breath, his gaze filled with respect for Yan Wende.

The fervent students around them didn't catch his quiet self-reflection. However, Yan Wende, presiding over the lecture hall, heard every word.

"You're quite astute," Yan Wende commended Zhu Shaokang. He had quickly connected the dots. Observing the other impassioned noble youths, Yan Wende shook his head and exited the academy.