Chapter Forty-Two: Back in Action
After finishing the application for the Xuan Zhen Temple, Ye Xue reminded them to remember to submit it to the Dao Association before returning to school to review it.
The temple opened its doors for business as usual, seemingly no different from any other day.
The only change was the name of the “Car Accident Ghost,” as everyone in the temple now knew he was called “Andro.”
The others were fine and wouldn’t intentionally bring up the matter in front of the Car Accident Ghost, but every time he encountered Bai Liu, she would cheerfully call out, “Andro.”
Car Accident Ghost: “…”
In short, he was very annoyed.
He began to miss the days when Bai Liu would faint from fright just at the sight of him.
While business was booming at the Xuan Zhen Temple, Ye Xue was also busy studying at school.
Aside from a couple of classes that hadn’t concluded yet, most of the other courses were nearly finished, and the remaining time was left for self-review.
At that moment, Ruan Xinghua still had the leisure to call her: “Ye Xue, do you have any talismans that can guarantee I’ll pass my exams? Do you think it would help if I prayed to Wenchang Dijun?”
Hearing Ruan Xinghua’s words made Ye Xue want to laugh. “If drawing talismans worked, would I still need to review in the dorm? I would’ve drawn myself ten or eight talismans by now and covered all the must-pass subjects.”
Ruan Xinghua sounded a bit disappointed. “Oh? Is there no way?”
Ye Xue replied, “… Just study hard, and you’ll be fine.”
Ruan Xinghua sighed, “I know, but the problem is that I just can’t focus!”
Ye Xue glanced at the science building across from her, where a red figure darted past.
Ruan Xinghua was still sighing on the other end of the line, clearly distressed about the upcoming finals.
Ye Xue watched that direction for several seconds before speaking up. “There’s something I don’t know if I should say…”
Ruan Xinghua encouraged her, “Go ahead; we’re close enough, what’s there to be afraid of?”
Ye Xue smiled slightly and said, “Do you know what happens if you fail?”
Ruan Xinghua was confused. “Will my mom give me a beating when I get home? But that’s nothing; I’m used to it.”
Ye Xue smiled again, speaking softly, “No, it’s the person you’re most afraid to see.”
“The person I’m most afraid to see?” Ruan Xinghua was taken aback for a moment, and then nearly lost her balance when she realized, “No way! You’re kidding, right? Failing the exam could lead to seeing ghosts! That would be deadly!”
Ye Xue laughed at his reaction. “It’s not that serious!”
Ruan Xinghua said gloomily, “That’s pretty much the same as wanting my life.”
Ye Xue reminded her, “Ruan, you just need to try your best to pass, right?”
Ruan Xinghua let out a deep sigh. “Got it.”
He hung up, looking heavy and heartbroken.
Ruan Xinghua stared at the thick stack of printed materials on his desk and began frantically cramming.
As long as he didn’t die from studying, he would study as hard as he could.
No one could disturb his studies!
When Jiang Cheng and the others returned from getting lunch, they were surprised to see Ruan Xinghua, for once, diligently reviewing at his desk. “What’s up with him? Is he turning over a new leaf?”
…
Ye Xue returned from the balcony, only to be approached by Wei Caining and Gao Lan, who were gossiping excitedly.
Ye Xue was taken aback and smiled as she asked, “What’s going on?”
Gao Lan asked curiously, “Nothing much. But hey, why is that guy looking for you every day?”
He Siqi, hearing this, turned her chair to look at them.
Ye Xue was confused. “Who is ‘that guy’?”
Wei Caining replied matter-of-factly, “Ruan Xinghua, of course!”
Ye Xue’s eyes widened in surprise, clearly not understanding what they meant. “Huh?”
Gao Lan counted on her fingers. “Since October, he’s been coming to the dorm to find you. Last time, he even brought you food his mom made. We’ve been busy studying lately, and he hasn’t come around, but now he’s calling you again.”
Now Ye Xue understood their meaning and couldn’t help but feel amused. “You’re misunderstanding. He’s been asking me something. As for the food, that was from Ruan Xinghua’s mom, but it’s because I helped her with something.”
Wei Caining mused, “I see. But it looks like he’s trying to curry favor with you, even wanting to protect you.”
Most of the time, Ruan Xinghua came to Ye Xue with questions about supernatural matters, but she couldn’t explain that to Wei Caining and Gao Lan.
So she vaguely said, “In short, it’s not the kind of relationship you’re thinking. Uh, simply put, he sees me as his leader.”
Wei Caining and Gao Lan were left speechless: “？？？”
Such a pretty girl, and instead of being a goddess, she’s a leader? Ruan Xinghua must be out of his mind.
He Siqi, who had a vague idea of the truth, thought, “…”
But since Ruan Xinghua was genuinely seeking Ye Xue for something and not just trying to impress her, they didn’t press any further.
However, Gao Lan changed the subject. “Speaking of which, Ye Xue, do you have a type you like?”
“A type I like?” Ye Xue was taken aback, but suddenly, Yu Qi’s image popped into her mind.
She dismissed those random thoughts and shifted the topic. “Alright, alright, let’s get back to studying.”
With that, Ye Xue turned back to her books.
Wei Caining and Gao Lan exchanged glances.
It was unclear if it was just their imagination, but it seemed like Ye Xue had blushed a bit just now.
…
Ye Xue had barely picked up her textbook when she received a call from Bai Liu.
Bai Liu said indignantly, “Master, that black-clad man has appeared again. This time, he injured a ghost officer and released the fierce ghosts captured by the other unearthly beings.”
Ye Xue was shocked. “He dares to go against the Underworld? Doesn’t he fear being targeted by the Yama down there?”
The black-clad man had first stolen the female sword and opposed the Dao sect, and now he was deliberately injuring the ghost officers, making enemies with the Underworld.
Didn’t he worry about facing the consequences?
Bai Liu also found it strange. “Exactly. When I heard Wei Wuchang mention that the fierce ghosts had been snatched, I thought he wanted to use the souls for something sinister. But after he stole the ghosts, he just let them go, which means we have to catch them all over again. Six fierce ghosts! That’s a total of six hundred thousand!”
Bai Liu’s emphasis was on that six hundred thousand.
Ye Xue couldn’t help but feel angry. “That’s too much! That much money just vanished like that!”
The two of them cursed the black-clad man over the phone.
After cursing, Ye Xue asked Bai Liu, “If he injured the ghost officer, are you okay?”
Bai Liu replied, “I’m fine; it wasn’t me he targeted. The ones he robbed were other ghost officers returning to Yellow Springs. I haven’t encountered him yet. But the Underworld is already short-staffed, and now it’s likely they’ll have to work overtime.”
Ye Xue reminded him, “Then be careful. Try to stick with Wei Xingteng, and don’t go off on your own.”
Bai Liu joked, “Master, you can rest easy. When it comes to survival, no one can outdo me!”
Ye Xue replied, “… Get lost.”
But Bai Liu’s light-hearted banter made her less worried.
The black-clad man had provoked the Underworld, so they would probably soon discover his true identity.
But why did he dare to oppose the Underworld? Did he have some hidden trump card that they didn’t know about? Did he think he would not be discovered? Or did he believe that even if he were found out, the Underworld still couldn’t do anything to him?
Originally, Ye Xue thought the black-clad man would target her after stealing the Sword of Exorcism, but instead, he went after the ghost officers.
What exactly did this person want to achieve?
After the last class ended, the formal exam week began.
Haicheng University had arranged the exam schedule very reasonably, allowing students ample time for review.
After exam week began, students fully immersed themselves in their studies.
Everywhere on campus, students could be seen diligently reviewing their materials.
Influenced by the intense atmosphere, Ye Xue’s roommates also locked away their computers, no longer playing games, and focused entirely on their studies.
For some reason, Wei Cai Ning subconsciously felt that if their grades weren’t satisfactory, something terrible would happen.
While the other students were buried in their revision, Ye Xue felt relaxed as she had already prepared thoroughly for the exams.
Since she had been studying at school and hadn’t returned to the Daoist temple much, people from Xuan Zhen Guan occasionally called to check in on her school life.
Yu Qi would sometimes call Ye Xue too.
He seemed to know she was busy with her studies lately, so he only called in the evenings, making sure not to disturb her study time, and after their conversations, he would encourage her to get some rest.
And so, Hai City University welcomed the first exam of the semester.
Ye Xue had prepared well in advance, so she was feeling quite calm at this moment.
Ye Xue took the exam in the same classroom as Wei Cai Ning and He Si Qi.
Unfortunately for Gao Lan, she had a lower exam number and was placed on an extra list, so she had to sit separately from them.
When Ye Xue and the others arrived at the exam room, there weren’t many students there yet, but more began to filter in as time went on.
Ruan Xing Hua happened to be in the same exam hall as Ye Xue. Seeing her, he rushed over to greet her.
Ye Xue smiled and said, “Looks like you’ve studied well.”
Ruan Xing Hua scratched his head and smiled back at her, appearing a bit sheepish. “I understand your good intentions now!”
Ye Xue was puzzled. “What do you mean?”
Ruan Xing Hua replied, “You’re saying that to help me focus on my studies, right? This method works, my attention is super focused!”
“Uh…” Ye Xue hesitated, ultimately deciding not to tell him just yet. “Never mind, you’ll find out later.”
“What later?” Ruan Xing Hua was confused, wanting to ask more, but the two proctors had already entered the room.
He had no choice but to hold back and take his seat.
When the exam papers were handed out, Ye Xue quickly glanced over hers and already knew most of the answers.
She picked up her pen and started writing.
The classroom instantly fell silent, so quiet that the sound of pens writing could be heard.
Suddenly, a chilling wind swept through, and the temperature in the classroom dropped several degrees. Unnoticed in a corner, a layer of frost began to form.
A stunning figure in red floated into the room.
This time, the red-clad ghost chose not to pass through the walls but entered through the door like the other proctors.
As the ghost patrolled the exam hall, she walked over to Ye Xue when she spotted her.
Ye Xue sensed something was off, her pen momentarily pausing as she was met with a dazzling shade of red.
The red-clad ghost stood next to Ye Xue, looking at her exam paper in amazement. “Wow, Ye Daozhang, you’ve gotten every answer right!”
“…” Ye Xue pretended she hadn’t heard and continued answering the questions.
The ghost quietly examined her exam paper and, noticing that Ye Xue had already started on the next page, reminded her, “Daozhang, don’t forget our agreement.”
Ye Xue had previously promised the red-clad ghost that she would allow students who failed their finals to enter their dreams.
Ye Xue’s lips twitched slightly as she flipped her pen and raised her hand to write “OK” on her practice paper.
The red-clad ghost noticed Ye Xue’s gesture, tilted her head to look at the paper, and immediately understood.
Satisfied with the assurance, the red-clad ghost stopped watching Ye Xue and turned her attention elsewhere to continue monitoring the exam.
As the ghost entered, the temperature plummeted, and everyone in the classroom felt a chill wash over them, but no one thought much of it. They were mostly just puzzled by the sudden drop in temperature.
However, Ruan Xing Hua sensed something was off. He glanced toward Ye Xue and saw her still focused on her exam paper, so he quietly shifted his gaze back, realizing there were no ghosts in the classroom.
Otherwise, Ye Xue wouldn’t be so calm.
Despite this, a suspicious Ruan Xing Hua placed the protective talisman he had brought on his desk before continuing to write.
To avoid disrupting the students during the exam, the proctors didn’t patrol the classroom but instead sat near the podium, casually flipping through exam papers. Most of their attention remained on the papers, only occasionally glancing up at the students.
Seeing this, some students under the podium began to fidget.
One student, taking advantage of the two proctors’ inattention, reached under his desk to grab a book, trying to find answers for his exam.
When the cold air swept in, he shivered, feeling as if someone was watching him.
He suspiciously scanned the room; everyone else was focused on their work, and no one was paying attention to him.
Relieved, he returned to looking at his book.
Meanwhile, beside him, a red figure was staring at him expressionlessly.
The red-clad ghost watched him as he was startled, but rather than realizing the seriousness of the situation, he brazenly continued to cheat, which only made her angrier.
She smacked the back of his head and scolded, “You don’t study seriously regularly, and now you think you can cheat during the exam!”
The boy was taken by surprise, and the book slipped from his hands, landing on the floor with a loud thud.
The sudden sound shattered the silence of the exam hall, and all heads turned to look in his direction.
He hurriedly bent down to pick up the book, but a chilling sensation gripped his neck, preventing him from bending over.
He turned around in shock, but there was nothing there.
The proctor lightly tapped his desk, and the feeling of being restrained instantly vanished, almost as if it had been a figment of his imagination.
When the boy saw the proctor’s figure, his face turned pale immediately.
He quietly lowered his head, not daring to make another sound.
The proctor didn’t say anything, simply picked up the book and returned it to the podium, resuming her position without continuing to read the exam papers, instead focusing most of her attention on the students below.
After the proctor returned to her place, the other students also shifted their gazes back to the exam.
After this incident, the boy didn’t dare to cheat anymore and resigned himself to writing his exam paper.
Seeing someone get caught cheating made the other students a bit more cautious, and they no longer dared to act so brazenly.
Jiang Cheng was writing when he came across a few questions he didn’t know how to answer, so he copied them down on a practice sheet. Noticing the proctor wasn’t looking in his direction, he quickly tossed the note to Ruan Xing Hua.
However, before the note could reach him, a gust of wind blew it off course, sending it straight to the podium, landing right in front of the proctor.
Jiang Cheng muttered under his breath, “Crap.”
He feigned ignorance, furiously filling in the blank spaces on his exam paper.
The proctor opened the note, revealing an exasperated expression as she scanned the room.
Having finished her exam, Ye Xue noticed the red-clad ghost catch another note and deliver it to the proctor.
With the red-clad ghost acting as proctor, the students’ cheating plans were foiled, and no one dared to entertain the thought of cheating any longer, becoming more obedient instead.
Ye Xue smiled, organized her papers and pens, and submitted her exam before heading back to the dorm.
After finishing the last exam, winter break finally arrived.
Ye Xue had packed her things long ago. After bidding farewell to her roommates, she left the dormitory building, preparing to return to the Daoist temple.
As she walked out of the school gate, she took a few steps when she unconsciously came to a halt.
Ye Xue gripped the handle of her suitcase, staring blankly ahead.
Yu Qi got out of the car and walked over to her, naturally taking her luggage.
Ye Xue looked up at him. “Is your injury better?”
Yu Qi smiled gently, nodding slightly. “Yes, it’s healed.”
wannaberecluse On SRTT Chapter 98.2