From Death To Dominion

The moment crackling tension filled the air, a weak yet resilient green vine split in two, intercepting both the sword millimeters from Steve's neck and the fist inches from Ye Xian's head.

All the student's voice echoed.

"Greetings, Principal."

Ye Xian turned his head and felt his breath hitch slightly.

A woman dressed in flowing green and white robes appeared as if stepping out of the wind itself. Her long, slender legs moved with effortless grace, her slim waist accentuating the curves that made men forget how to breathe. Her jade-like eyes gleamed with intelligence, and her full red lips curved slightly as if she knew the effect she had.

But the most striking part was her emerald-green hair, cascading down like waterfalls of silk, accompanied by the distinct leaf-shaped ears that marked her as an elf.

And from where Ye Xian was standing, he had an almost too perfect view of her bouncing, magnificent chest.

His gaze lingered just a bit too long. The woman's sharp jade eyes flickered to him.

"Did you see your fill?"

Ye Xian, without missing a beat, replied, "Not yet."

A small frown appeared on her exquisite face.

Principal Shea Viridessa sighed, already rubbing her temples.

Realizing his mistake, Ye Xian quickly corrected himself. "I mean—yes! No! I mean, not that kind of yes! It's a no—"

"Just shut up," the principal said flatly.

Ye Xian wisely sealed his lips. With a sheepish cough, he unsheathed his sword and lightly tapped his own head as a self-imposed punishment.

Steve, meanwhile, had gone eerily silent, sweat dripping down his forehead.

Principal Shea Viridessa voice cut through the moment. "All of you students—return to your classes. Ye Xian, Steve, you two—follow me."

_______________

Ye Xian and Steve stood before a grand wooden desk, where Principal Shea Viridessa sat on a chair, legs elegantly crossed as she regarded them with an impassive expression.

Ye Xian, despite the dull throbbing in his broken arm, couldn't help but glance at her legs. Damn… the way she crossed them… He sighed internally. Some beauties are dangerous in more ways than one.

Steve, on the other hand, was sweating buckets. His body was tense, shoulders stiff. He had broken the academy's rules, and he knew it.

Shea Viridessa leaned back in her chair, resting her chin on her hand. "So, tell me—why were you two fighting?"

Steve immediately pointed a trembling finger at Ye Xian, his face red and swollen with humiliation and pain, barely restraining fury he barked.

"Principal, he—he humiliated me in front of everyone! He slapped me—again and again and again!"

His voice cracked as he recalled the merciless barrage of slaps. His lips quivered, and his eyes shimmered, on the verge of spilling tears, but he forced himself to hold back. His pride was already in tatters; he couldn't afford to break down completely.

"He insulted me—mocked me like I was nothing! And on top of that," he continued, his breath hitching, "He stole my brother's Ki Stones!"

His chest heaved as he struggled to maintain his composure, his rage barely suppressing the deep shame clawing at his heart. The watching students exchanged amused glances, some stifling laughter, while others whispered among themselves.

"Wasn't Steve supposed to be some big shot?" one student muttered.

"Yeah… but now he looks like he's about to cry," another snickered.

Steve's ears burned as he remembered them, but he pressed on, desperate to salvage what little dignity he had left.

Ye Xian let out a slow, exaggerated sigh.

"Ah, the classic 'blame the handsome guy' strategy. Really, Steve?"

He shook his head in a mock disappointment. Ye Xian raised an eyebrow, his expression cool.

" And here I was, thinking we were supposed to tell the truth."

He sighed dramatically and shook his head.

"I didn't take any Ki Stones from anyone."

"Lies!" Steve snapped, stepping forward.

Ye Xian raised an eyebrow, his smirk deepening.

"Alright then, at the very least, tell us—exactly how many Ki Stones did I supposedly take from your brother?"

Steve, still flustered, blurted out, "420 Ki Stones!"

Ye Xian let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. "Oh? 420, you say?" He crossed his arms, his expression filled with mock curiosity.

"And tell me, Steve, how exactly did your brother get those Ki Stones in the first place? If I recall correctly, he's from the Earth-Class division, and their monthly cultivation allowance is only 50 Ki Stones."

Steve opened his mouth, then hesitated. A bead of sweat rolled down his temple. "He… uh… obviously, he… he got them from me—"

Ye Xian's grin sharpened as he lazily waved a hand. "Ah, but there's a problem with that excuse, isn't there?"

He casually tapped his fingers against his sword hilt.

"The Ki Stones you received this month—one thousand of them—are currently in my possession. So tell me, Steve…"

His gaze darkened.

"Where exactly did those extra Ki Stones come from? Or are you just throwing out excuses, hoping I won't notice the holes in your story?"

Steve's face twisted in panic. "I—I was just… I meant—" He stammered, his guilty expression betraying him completely. His mouth opened and closed, but no words came out.

Ye Xian clicked his tongue in mock disappointment. "What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?"

Steve clenched his fists, his face growing redder with each passing second, the weight of the truth pressing down on him.

Ye Xian let out a dramatic sigh, shaking his head with feigned pity.

"Well, Principal, looks like the cat's out of the bag. There was never actually a case of stolen Ki Stones. Steve just wanted me to kneel and apologize for something I never did. No wrongdoing, no crime—just an overinflated ego demanding submission." He clicked his tongue.

"Tsk, tsk… how pathetic."

Steve's face turned an unhealthy shade of red, his whole body trembling with a mix of fury and shame.

Principal Shea Viridessa, who had been silently watching the exchange, crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair. Her jade-green eyes flicked between the two before settling on Ye Xian with an expression that was hard to decipher.

If Ye Xian didn't know better, he would've thought she was looking at him as though he were some kind of amusing clown performing tricks before her.

Ye Xian noticed and frowned slightly. Is she entertained… or just unimpressed?

"What happened next?"

"Miss Shea—"

"Who permitted you to call me that?" Shea Viridessa voice was calm but carried an unmistakable sharpness.

Ye Xian blinked, momentarily speechless.

Steve, despite the tension, let out a muffled chuckle—only to immediately shut up when Shea Viridessa cold gaze landed on him. He stiffened, swallowing hard.

"Miss Principal—" Ye Xian corrected.

"Just 'Principal.'"

Ye Xian's jaw clenched. "Alright, Principal." He took a deep breath, collected his thoughts, then spoke. "Here's what really happened . This guy and his buddy blocked my path, demanded that I hand over all my Ki Stones, and then insisted I kneel and apologize for 'taking' them." He snorted.

"I thought he might be mentally ill, so I generously gave him some stones—"

Steve's face twisted in rage.

Ye Xian ignored him and continued, "—but then he demanded a duel. I had no choice but to accept, because refusing would make me look guilty, wouldn't it?"

He spread his hands, as if presenting an undeniable fact.

"So, we made a deal—if I won, he'd hand over one thousand Ki Stones and drop his accusations."

Ye Xian's smirk sharpened. "And I did win. Fair and square."

Shea Viridessa remained silent, watching him closely.

Ye Xian's gaze turned cold as he continued, "But after losing, this sore loser attacked me outside the duel. I defended myself, but he went wild and broke my left arm." He lifted it slightly for emphasis, wincing at the pain.

"Now, tell me, Principal…" Ye Xian's voice grew softer, carrying a playful yet dangerous edge. "Should I have just stood there and let him kill me? That wouldn't be very smart, would it? If a handsome, talented young man like me died, wouldn't that be a tragedy? Wouldn't that make a beautiful woman a widow before she even got married?"

Shea Viridessa tapped her fingers against the desk. "So, to sum up—you slapped him, humiliated him in front of the academy, and provoked him."

Ye Xian blinked. "That… sounds slightly less flattering when you say it like that."

She turned to Steve. "And you, despite that, still broke academy rules by attacking outside a duel."

Steve's face fell.

"You'll receive punishment from the council," the principal stated firmly. "Leave."

Steve clenched his fists, his face filled with resentment, but under Shen Gev Ruth's commanding gaze, he had no choice but to bow and leave.

Once the door shut, Shen Gev Ruth leaned back in her chair, her eyes now entirely focused on Ye Xian.

"Now," she murmured, her jade eyes gleaming with intrigue. "What should I do with you?"

Ye Xian gave her his most innocent smile. "Love and cherish me?"

She scoffed. "You knew I was watching, yet you continued fighting. Why?"