24: Chapter 24 League

Out of the corner of his eye, Lin Ye caught sight of the young girl beside him, and alarm bells quietly rang in his heart, his guard instantly raised to the maximum.

Xiao Qingwu was far too acute; her rashly stepping forward to testify for him today was by no means a coincidence.

"What are you doing following me?" Lin Ye's tone was flat and devoid of warmth. The lines of his profile were cold and rigid, and an air of alienation radiated from his entire body as he deliberately distanced himself by half a step to maintain a safe boundary.

Xiao Qingwu did not beat around the bush. Her clear eyes stared straight at Lin Ye, her gaze pristine yet carrying an extremely strong penetrative force, as if trying to pierce through all of his disguises: "I have a question I want to ask you."

"Ask me?" Lin Ye's lips curled slightly into a casual expression, his tone nonchalant, "What does an F-rank trash god like me have that's worth School Belle Xiao pursuing with questions?"

Deliberate self-deprecation was his best disguise and defense.

Xiao Qingwu shook her head gently, her aloof voice soft yet resolute: "Others might not be able to tell, but I can feel it."

"After the evaluation came out, your expression wasn't one of despair, but of ambition, and everything has been proven now."

"Furthermore, the moment the Divine Kingdom connection fluctuations spread just now, I clearly perceived the aura inside your Divine Kingdom."

She paused, her eyelashes trembling slightly as she recalled that heart-palpitating sense of oppression, her tone carrying a hint of solemnity: "That wasn't the savage bloodlust of ordinary fierce beasts; it was thick, icy, and highly corrosive murderous aura."

"Your Divine Kingdom, though suffused with a murderous aura and filled with slaughter everywhere, likely conceals a terrifying degree far surpassing an A-rank Divine Kingdom."

Every single word accurately struck the vital spot.

Lin Ye's heart stirred slightly, deepening his guard, and he muttered inwardly: "As expected of an SS-rank evaluation; her soul perception ability is truly powerful."

However, on the surface, he remained unruffled, his expression cold and unchanged: "It's merely the School Belle's illusion."

"I'm certain this is no illusion of mine." Xiao Qingwu refused to back down, stepping closer step by step, her aloof gaze locked tightly onto Lin Ye: "You have always deliberately concealed your strength. Everyone thinks you are a rock-bottom trash god, but your dependents and your Divine Kingdom are far more terrifying than ordinary people imagine."

The corridor light fell upon the young girl's fair and exquisite face. Her brows and eyes were clean and pure, her gaze open and straightforward, devoid of malice, containing only pure curiosity and exploration.

Yet, the more beautiful and pure a person was, the more Lin Ye's guard was raised.

Ever since he transmigrated into this world, he had always acted cautiously, trusting no one, never easily opening his heart, and never giving others a chance to pry into his trump cards.

Even if the other party was a genius School Belle who harbored no malice and had even helped him out.

Lin Ye stopped in his tracks, turned his body slightly, and looked back at Xiao Qingwu beside him.

The young man's eyes were pitch-black and profound, concealing a shrewdness that no one could see through. His cool gaze swept across the young girl's exquisitely beautiful face, and after two seconds of silence, his thin lips slowly parted, spitting out a meaningful sentence.

"Zhang Wuji's mother once said that the prettier a woman is, the better she is at lying."

As the words fell, Xiao Qingwu froze slightly, a trace of bewilderment welling up in her clear eyes.

Since childhood, she had deeply cultivated divine lord practices and studied federal classics, and she had never heard of this unfamiliar name, Zhang Wuji.

Yet, combining the tone and the gaze of the youth before her, after a brief moment of thought, she subconsciously assumed this was a subtle compliment.

Her jade-white cheeks quietly flushed with a faint crimson, cracking a tiny gap in her aloof and distant aura, giving birth to a softness and shyness unique to a young girl.

Xiao Qingwu gently bit her pink lips. Showing neither anger nor shy evasion, she raised her gaze to calmly meet Lin Ye's profound dark eyes, and softly spoke: "I don't know who Zhang Wuji is."

"But I can tell that you are praising me for looking good."

Her tone was utterly flat, and her aloof voice carried not a shred of gentleness, yet it was so straightforward and transparent that it made the usually composed Lin Ye's fingertips pause imperceptibly.

He had originally intended to be tactfully guarded and implicitly probe, but he hadn't expected this high-and-mighty School Belle to straightforwardly misinterpret his meaning.

Xiao Qingwu withdrew her gaze, her sight falling upon the empty playground at the end of the corridor. Her expression recovered its habitual aloofness and seriousness, and she solemnly advised: "However, I understand your intentions."

"You are a commoner. Deliberately concealing your strength, disguising yourself as a trash god, acting cautiously, and guarding against the world—this is not a bad thing."

"A tree that stands out in a forest will be flattened by the wind; knowing how to bide one's time and hide one's clumsiness is precisely the choice a smart person should make."

Lin Ye raised an eyebrow, listening quietly without interrupting.

"But excessive concealment is simply masking one's sharpness and missing opportunities in vain."

Xiao Qingwu turned her head to look at him again. Her gaze was sincere and direct, devoid of any plotting, purely a kind reminder: "You should be aware that the mock league for all high schools in Cangnan City will officially begin in less than half a month."

Mentioning the two words 'league', the scattered, faint laziness in Lin Ye's eyes quietly receded, replaced by a trace of covert solemnity.

He naturally knew about this league.

This was an official competition for high school divine lords throughout the city, and also the first public large-scale event for each generation of freshmen. Not only would federal high officials and admissions officers from major colleges and universities be present to observe, but it was also an excellent opportunity to acquire high-tier resources and gain exceptional admission into top-tier divine academy universities.

"The league has mandatory rules." Xiao Qingwu's words were clear, directly piercing through the crux: "Contestants must turn on real-time synchronous monitoring of their Divine Kingdom. The combat power of dependents, the grade of the Divine Kingdom, and combat methods will all be public and transparent, leaving no room for concealment."

"When that time comes, even if you deliberately disguise yourself and want to continue hiding, you simply won't be able to hide it."

The slightly cool corridor breeze brushed past both of their hair, leaving only the sound of the wind flowing through the quiet passageway.

Lin Ye stood in silence, undercurrents surging deep within his pitch-black eyes.

He didn't care about other people's startled gazes or ordinary classmates' speculations and discussions, but the mock league would gather geniuses from all over the city, along with countless high-tier factions observing in secret.

Once he displayed his murderous-aura dependents and exposed his terrifying combat power, he would inevitably be targeted by those with ulterior motives, adding countless unnecessary troubles.

"My affairs do not require your concern."

A moment later, Lin Ye pulled back his thoughts. His tone remained cold and aloof without the slightest softening, only the tense line of his jaw quietly relaxing for a split second.

He was still on guard, but he didn't deliberately use harsh words to reject this kindness.

Xiao Qingwu had long anticipated his attitude and wasn't annoyed, nodding gently: "I am merely reminding you."

"Right now, you are still able to suppress your sharpness and bide your time safely. But during the league, experts will gather and geniuses will emerge in droves. Concealing your strength might not necessarily be a good thing."

"Furthermore, let me tell you one more thing: I heard that the rewards for the top ten in this league are extremely generous, and there are even S-rank buildings available for free selection."

Having said that, she didn't entangle herself in further questioning, understanding that everything should stop at a hint and asking too much would only provoke Lin Ye into being even more guarded.

Xiao Qingwu stepped sideways, making way for Lin Ye to pass, and gave him a deep look with her cool eyes: "I've said all I need to say; weigh it for yourself."

As her voice fell, the girl in white turned and left, her figure slender and upright, her steps light, gradually disappearing around the corridor corner.