Ch 127

Chapter 127 – The Fall of Ye Xun

Another day off.

Mu Chen and Ye Shi were busy preparing for the battle and did not leave the academy, but Ye Rong grew impatient and went out.

The 50,000 yuan stones Ye Rong had were spent in the blink of an eye. Ye Rong thought that Ye Xun had 3 million yuan stones, so he could spare some for her, and she left the academy full of hope.

Ye Rong walked to the courtyard where Ye Xun had been renting, only to discover that he had been evicted a few days earlier for failing to pay the rent with yuan stones.

Upon hearing the news, Ye Rong felt stunned and somewhat threatened. Ye Xun had 3 million yuan stones—how could he have spent them all already?

Ye Rong investigated and finally located Ye Xun's new residence.

The new place was broken down, small, dirty, and filled with shady characters. It took a while for Ye Rong to confirm that Ye Xun was truly living there.

Ye Rong entered the hut and saw Ye Xun lying weakly on the bed, looking extremely worn out and dejected.

"Father." Ye Rong frowned and called out.

When Ye Xun saw Ye Rong, his eyes lit up immediately:

"Rong'er, is that you? Do you have any yuan stones? Share some with your father."

Ye Rong hadn't expected the first thing Ye Xun would say upon seeing her to be that. She had come to ask him for money—why was he turning around and asking her instead?

"Father, didn't you have three million yuan stones?" Ye Rong asked, frowning.

Ye Xun scowled and replied angrily:

"It was only three million! What use is that? It's already gone!"

Ye Rong was shocked—three million yuan stones, already spent? She trembled with frustration.

"Father, where's mother?" Ye Rong looked around the room, noticing there wasn't even a vanity—there wasn't even a mirror. Something felt wrong.

Ye Xun's eyes shifted, and he said with irritation:

"Don't ask about her anymore. When she saw I was down and out, she ran off with some rich guy."

Ye Rong froze, full of disbelief.

"Mother ran off? Father, are you sure you're not mistaken?"

"How could I be wrong? She ran off with another man!" Ye Xun snapped impatiently.

Seeing his expression, Ye Rong couldn't help but grow more suspicious.

They quarreled briefly about the yuan stones, but when it became clear she would get nothing from him, Ye Rong left disappointed.

As she walked out, she kept thinking about what Ye Xun said regarding her mother running off with a rich man. The more she thought about it, the more uneasy she became.

After making some inquiries, Ye Rong found out the truth: Wang Li hadn't run away with a rich man—she had been sold to a brothel by Ye Xun because he was out of money.

Ye Rong trembled with rage but didn't have the strength to confront her father and returned to the academy in a daze.

---

"Ye Rong, why are you back so early?" Lou Ruoyi asked.

Ye Rong forced a bitter smile. She had no money, and her only two relatives in the capital were either down and out—or had become... a prostitute.

With her situation in ruins, there was no point in staying outside.

"There's a letter for you. The sender seemed in a hurry. He said it must be delivered directly to you. You should read it quickly." Michelle handed her a letter.

Ye Rong opened the letter, read it, and her expression shifted several times.

It was from Wang Li, her mother. In the letter, Wang Li scolded Ye Xun for being heartless and cruel, for selling her to a brothel for 150,000 yuan stones.

Only after reading the letter did Ye Rong learn that Ye Xun had a gambling addiction and had racked up massive debts to gambling houses. Because of that, he betrayed even his own family.

Ye Rong furrowed her brow. She had never understood why Ye Xun had declined so rapidly, but after reading the letter, everything became clear.

"Ye Rong, what was in the letter?" Bai Le asked.

Ye Rong shook her head.

"Nothing important."

Seeing the dark look on her face, Bai Le didn't ask further.

In the letter, Wang Li asked Ye Rong for help. Ye Xun had sold her for 150,000 yuan stones, and to redeem her would require at least 200,000. Where could she get that kind of money?

No matter what, Ye Rong was a student at Holy Star Academy, and her status was considered prestigious. How could someone like her have a mother who was a prostitute?

Ye Rong avoided her roommates and burned the letter to ashes.

Wang Li had been under strict supervision in the brothel—sending this letter had taken great effort. Sadly, Ye Rong crushed her mother's final hope without mercy.

---

Ye Shi was focused on reading a book on formations when Jing Chiyan walked in, but Ye Shi didn't notice at first.

Only after hearing a soft cough did Ye Shi look up, surprised.

"Master, when did you get here?"

"A while ago," Jing Chiyan said in a sour tone.

"You're so focused... seriously..."

"Oh." Ye Shi nodded slightly.

Seeing his casual reaction, Jing Chiyan rolled his eyes.

"I hear you haven't been properly training lately?"

"Not properly training? That's not true." Ye Shi frowned, confused.

"Don't lie. I heard you've been studying formations, and you even told the dean of the court that if he has any questions about formations, he can come to you for advice!" Jing Chiyan said, half-amused.

Ye Shi rolled his eyes.

"So that old man was the court dean? He left without asking anything—underestimated me! If he had questions, I could've answered them."

Jing Chiyan twitched.

"You're too confident..."

Hao Tu, the court dean, may have looked like a brute, but he was a fourth-rank formation master. And now his own student wanted to "discuss" formations with someone like that…

"My formation skills have improved rapidly recently. Maybe I could even compete in the formation court tournament." Ye Shi said confidently.

"Cut that out. Your main task is to cultivate! Cultivate, cultivate, cultivate! Don't end up like Mu Chen—dabbling in everything and mastering nothing!" Jing Chiyan snapped.

Ye Shi protested,

"Don't say that about Mu Chen. He's not just dabbling—he's mastered everything!"

"Yeah, but none of his skills are at rank four yet. There's even a rank-four inscription master among the visiting team." Jing Chiyan said with disapproval.

"So what if he's rank four? He's older. When Mu Chen reaches his age, he'll be a rank-five master!" Ye Shi scoffed.

"He's only fifteen!" Jing Chiyan muttered. Still, being fifteen with that kind of talent was impressive.

Ye Shi grinned,

"Yeah, and Mu Chen is even better!"

"...He's only a year older." Jing Chiyan said, speechless.

"Apprentice, your home has great aura." Trying to change the subject, Jing Chiyan looked around.

"Yeah! I set up a few spirit-gathering formations, but they're not super effective." Ye Shi replied.

"You made them yourself? Not Mu Chen?"

"Nope, I did it!"

Jing Chiyan was stunned.

"You made the spirit-gathering formation yourself?"

"Yup!" Ye Shi nodded.

Though the effect was minimal, it made the room more comfortable and slightly better for cultivation.

"You really do have a gift for formations," Jing Chiyan admitted.

Ye Shi said proudly,

"Of course! Mu Chen said I'm a genius at formations."

"You may be a genius, but your job is still to cultivate. As for pills—ask Mu Chen. Weapons—ask Mu Chen. Formation plates—ask Mu Chen. Yuan stones—ask Mu Chen! He makes more money than he can spend, so help him spend it!" Jing Chiyan grinned coldly.

He was a little jealous of Mu Chen, who had everything handed to him and made so much noise in the martial world.

Ye Shi rolled his eyes.

"Well, it's true—I do rely on Mu Chen a lot..."

Jing Chiyan sighed.

"This spirit-gathering array is second-rank, right? Are you a second-rank formation master now?"

"Yes!" Ye Shi replied.

Jing Chiyan stared at him in shock. Ye Shi's interest in formations seemed to have developed recently—could he really be as gifted as Mu Chen?

"Master, what's wrong?" Ye Shi asked.

"If you want to study formations, go ahead—but don't delay your main cultivation." Jing Chiyan said.

"I understand." Ye Shi nodded.

---

After five days of closed-door cultivation, Mu Chen finally showed signs of movement. Blue lights flared one after another from his room—a spectacular sight.

Hao Tu, who had been waiting for days, grew excited.

When the phenomena started, several masters gathered outside Mu Chen's room.

"Dean, this is quite a commotion. Mu Chen must be about to come out." Di Han said.

"Indeed," Hao Tu nodded.

"Such powerful flame energy... What could be going on?" Di Han muttered.

"We'll know when he emerges," Hao Tu said, stroking his beard.

Mu Chen soon opened the door and stepped out.

Hao Tu was stunned—Mu Chen's eyes glowed with a blue light. His aura was already at the peak of Nine-Star Martial Artist, right on the brink of breaking through to Martial Spirit.

Just as Hao Tu was about to greet him, Mu Chen flew off toward Xiong Wei's mountain—completely ignoring them.

Hao Tu stared at Mu Chen's back in disbelief and grew furious.

"That brat!" he growled.

"So fast!" Di Han exclaimed.

"Go after him! Quickly!" Hao Tu ordered.

Di Han immediately chased after Mu Chen.

"He's heading for the quarry."

Hao Tu hesitated—the quarry was Xiong Wei's territory, and offending that man was no small matter.

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