"You’re not like Ah Huan. With her strength, I think she could easily take first place in the entrance exam. But Ah Huan has the Moon Sovereign’s token, so she doesn’t need to take the exam to enter the academy directly." Ye Sang’s eyes sparkled with determination as she recalled the scene of the Moon Sovereign’s arrival.

  Ye Wan Jun rolled his eyes but didn’t argue. "Even though the Moon Sovereign didn’t explicitly say he’s taking Ah Huan as his disciple, I feel like it’s pretty much implied."

  Nan Gong Huan, however, seemed deep in thought and turned to the two of them. "What kind of person is the Moon Sovereign?"

  He seemed to have a good understanding of the Earth Spirit Clan and could tell that she was practicing their cultivation techniques.

  "The Moon Sovereign is a peak Nine Spirit Stage expert, known for his diligence and fairness. He was transferred here as the vice dean just a few years ago. I heard he’s fascinated by the strange legends of certain races in Fengxuan, like the mermaids and dwarves..." Ye Sang, having been in the academy for a year, naturally knew a bit about Yue Jianqing.

  No wonder! Nan Gong Huan understood now. The Moon Sovereign must have noticed her Earth Spirit Clan cultivation techniques and, being deeply interested in the extinct Earth Spirit Clan, had invited her to the academy with the token.

  As a Nine Spirit Stage expert, she was sure she could learn a lot from him.

  Just then, a haughty woman emerged from the academy’s outpost nearby. She was dressed in a luxurious goose-yellow brocade gown, slightly plump, and adorned with jade hairpins and tassels, looking like a delicate porcelain doll. Behind her were two tall, slender maidservants with considerable cultivation levels.

  Her brash demeanor was far from ladylike.

  "Ye Sang! Stop right there!" the woman shouted, pointing at Ye Sang and charging over to block their path.

  "Third Princess, what can I do for you?" Ye Sang’s face turned cold, clearly not pleased to see her.

  This was none other than the Third Princess, Song Qingcheng. It was obvious that the two didn’t get along.

  "Hmph, you dare come to my turf? You’ve got some nerve!" Song Qingcheng placed her hands on her hips, laughing arrogantly, exuding an air of superiority.

  Ye Sang lowered her gaze and said, "Third Princess, you jest. The capital belongs to His Majesty. If you call it your turf, are you implying you want to usurp..."

  "Shut up!"

  Song Qingcheng screamed, cutting her off, a cold sweat breaking out on her back. How dare this wretch spout such nonsense!

  "Ye Sang, I let you win in the academy’s Dragon and Tiger Competition out of generosity. Instead of being grateful, you’ve grown even more arrogant. Do you really think this princess is easy to bully?" Song Qingcheng’s tone was full of bravado, as if she were telling the truth.

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  Even Ye Wan Jun couldn’t stand it. With the Third Princess’s Second Spirit Stage peak cultivation, how could she possibly have let his sister, who was at the Third Spirit Stage initial level, win?

  "If you’re not good enough, just admit it. Stop pretending to be generous. It’s shameless," Ye Wan Jun muttered under his breath, but Song Qingcheng heard him clearly.

  Song Qingcheng’s fierce gaze immediately turned to Ye Wan Jun, then shifted to Nan Gong Huan beside him. She sneered, "Is this your brother? He’s not much either. He’s not even fit to be my footman!"

  Then she turned her attacks on Nan Gong Huan. "And you’re the one who’s always been Qian’er’s shadow, the vicious sister who bullied her, right? You’re so ugly, I’m about to throw up!"

  Shen Ye Rong’s family was from a high-ranking official background, and she often brought Nan Gong Qian’er to the palace. Nan Gong Qian’er had managed to befriend the Third Princess, and the two got along quite well.

  The relentless barrage of insults made Ye Sang clench her fists, her brows furrowed, and her expression dark.

  The capital was vast, and she couldn’t afford to provoke the royal family, or she might not know how she died the next moment.

  The Third Princess, taking advantage of her home turf, vented all her frustrations from the academy!

  A hidden glint of killing intent flashed in Nan Gong Huan’s eyes, but of course, she couldn’t act on it here.

  "Oh, so you’re the famous Third Princess?!" Nan Gong Huan suddenly exclaimed, catching Song Qingcheng off guard.

  "Your Highness, you may not know this, but Qian’er sister and I have always been close at home. However, she told me that the Third Princess is domineering and arrogant, and she has to grovel every time she sees you. So, she secretly planted a Gu worm in your body. If anything happens in the future, she can use your life as leverage to force you to do her bidding."

  Nan Gong Huan spoke with such conviction, her expression tinged with a hint of sorrow.

  Song Qingcheng frowned, her mind twisting and turning before she hesitantly said, "You’re lying! Qian’er isn’t that kind of person!"

  The siblings beside her blinked but remained silent, watching Nan Gong Huan continue her act.

  "Today, during the trial of the four great families’ disciples, the news of Qian’er and her mother’s Gu worms has already spread. More than half of the trial participants were infected, including me. If you don’t believe me, Your Highness, you can investigate. But don’t say I didn’t warn you—be careful when you’re around her." Nan Gong Huan stopped there, leaving the rest for the Third Princess to figure out.

  "Hmph, I won’t believe your lies!" Song Qingcheng snorted, crossing her arms. Though she said that, the seeds of doubt had already been planted in her mind.

  Would Qian’er... really plant a Gu worm in her?

  It was said that those who practiced Gu worms could plant them without anyone noticing, leaving no trace.

  "Believe it or not, tomorrow in Jianglou City, a revered demon pharmacist named Black Lotus will help everyone remove the Gu worms. Your Highness might as well go and get checked." With that, Nan Gong Huan signaled the Ye siblings to leave.

  Tomorrow, a revered demon pharmacist would come to Jianglou City to remove Gu worms? Song Qingcheng was stunned again, her mind racing. If it was a revered demon pharmacist, it wouldn’t hurt to try to win them over. Since she had nothing to do tomorrow, maybe she should... go and see?

  By the time Song Qingcheng snapped out of her thoughts, the three of them had already disappeared.

  "They actually ran away!" Song Qingcheng angrily punched the air, her blow soft and ineffective.

  Her maidservant, however, pointed out, "Your Highness, I saw them enter the Imperial Glory Auction House."

  The Imperial Glory Auction House wasn’t far from here, just down the street.

  "The Imperial Glory Auction House? I heard they have some rare treasures up for auction tonight. Let’s go take a look." Song Qingcheng waved her hand and headed toward the auction house.

  Meanwhile, the three of them had just stepped into the auction house when they noticed Song Qingcheng approaching. Nan Gong Huan immediately pulled the two of them into a secluded corner, quietly observing the Third Princess.

  "What are we doing?" Ye Sang asked, confused.

  "Of course, taking revenge on the spot!" Nan Gong Huan whispered, keeping her eyes on the entrance.