"Heh, kid, so you're not as ignorant as you look," Bai Rufeng dashed over and appeared right beside Yun Ping. "Do you still think the White Cloud Academy is an easy target?" Bai Rufeng had completely suppressed Yun Ping. The latter couldn't finish his sentence and could only glance helplessly at Huo Shan. "Lord Bai, the kid is young and doesn't know the rules yet. Let's let him off this time," Huo Shan said politely. It was the first time he had shown such courtesy. Seeing Bai Rufeng still unwilling to release him, Huo Shan turned and slapped Yun Ping once more, sending him flying again. "Hmph... in consideration of Lord Huo, I'll let you off this time," Bai Rufeng said coldly, dispersing the white sword qi with a wave of his palm. "Kid, don't think that just because you can scheme a little, you're already above the White Cloud Academy. "If this happens again, I won't spare you, even if you're Huo Shan's personal disciple." With a cold snort, Bai Rufeng vanished from sight. "Lord Huo, we'll be leaving as well," Zhao Wunian said, rising with his chief disciple. They slowly made their way to the gate. "That Serene Void Academy's brat is really strange. I've observed him before. His cultivation level has to be above Qi Condensation. "Also, remember, we are merely cooperating. What Lord Bai said just now reflects my stance as well. The Tranquil Mind Academy may not have many disciples, but we won't allow anyone to bully us." "It's just peak Core Breakthrough Realm. Lord Huo, are you really naive enough to think I won't possess at least that much strength?" Zhao Wunian added, casting one final glance before leaving with Feng Wunian. Clutching his chest, Yun Ping paced in front of Huo Shan. "And the Tranquil Mind's head and chief disciple... that glance just now made me feel as though I was thrown into an abyss." This text is hosted at NoveI★Fire.net "Seems they have even more patience than I do. Both of them have secretly cultivated to the peak of the Core Breakthrough Realm," Huo Shan said coldly, looking out the window as nearby objects disintegrated into ashes. "But do they really think they can resist me with that kind of cultivation? How delusional." "This aura... could it be..." Yun Ping's eyes widened as he sensed the rising power from Huo Shan. "Master, have you broken through the Core Breakthrough Realm and entered the Earth Core Realm?" "Hehehe, I'm not fully in the Earth Core Realm yet, but I'm very close. All that remains is the chance to undergo the Heavenly Tribulation." With a sweep of his hand, the council hall vanished from its place. Huo Shan turned to Yun Ping, excitement in his voice. "Little Ping, you should visit the Serene Void Academy and meet Lu Chen. Regardless of whether the information about him is true or not, observe him closely. "See if he carries any special enchanted treasures. When I saw him, I had a strong feeling that the key to my Heavenly Tribulation lies with him." "Yes, my lord. I'll go check immediately," Yun Ping said, bowing. His eyes followed the departing Tranquil Mind Academy duo, filled with cold determination. "A group of opportunists. Once my lord fully steps into the Earth Core Realm, who among the six academies will be able to resist us?" Meanwhile, all the cultivators of the Heavenly Mandate Hall were looking up at the sky, discussing Lu Chen. Their conversations revolved around two points. First, they questioned how someone as ordinary as Lu Chen, seemingly only at the first stage of the Qi Regulation Realm, could become the chief disciple of the Serene Void Academy. Second, many inner disciples compared themselves to him. Drawn by the immense authority of the position of chief disciple, those who considered themselves slightly stronger than Lu Chen packed their belongings, intending to test him at the Serene Void Academy. If Lu Chen's strength was truly only what he had displayed, then after a battle he would be vulnerable, giving others an opportunity to claim his position. In an instant, every disciple across the inner sect, whether they were ordinary or core members, rushed toward the Serene Void Academy, each driven by their own intentions. Regardless, the commotion caused by Lu Chen's and the Serene Void Academy's disciples' arrival had shattered the entire power structure of the Heavenly Mandate Hall. Up on the three peaks, dozens of eyes were fixed on the chaotic currents sweeping through the inner sect. Some smiled subtly, some frowned deeply, while others sighed. For them, Lu Chen's appearance marked a turning point, a change that might only occur once in a millennium. "Huh? First level of Qi Regulation? The stats are all so ordinary." In the Serene Void Academy's plaza, Song Ping quickly scanned the information in the sky, astonished. "Lu Chen, are you really only at the first level of the Qi Regulation Realm? That can't be... how did you defeat me before and break through the mountain gate?" "How could it be fake?" Lu Chen looked at the projection in midair and smiled lightly. "Wasn't everything just shown above?" "Yeah, everything's already been displayed. The Earth Ocean Peak Pillar links directly to the Divine Psyche Incarnation. Those stats can't be faked. But... How can you be only at the first level of Qi Regulation? "If you were truly at the first level of Qi Regulation, how could you unleash such power? Those techniques alone would drain all your spirit qi reservoir. That's impossible. Something must be missing." Song Ping scanned the data repeatedly, afraid of missing any detail. "Nothing's missing. All the stats are normal... just ridiculously low. But how are you this strong?" "Stop overthinking, Senior Martial Brother Song. I'm not like ordinary cultivators," Lu Chen said, smiling at Song Ping's puzzled expression. "I'm truly at the first level of the Qi Regulation Realm, but mine isn't the same as a normal cultivator's." Song Ping's confusion deepened. "Huh? Not the same? What do you mean? Are you a bloodline cultivator? But I don't sense any bloodline energy from you." "You could put it that way. Apart from not knowing how to use my bloodline talent, I suppose I could be considered a bloodline cultivator." Lu Chen extended his right hand, and a streak of fiery red spirit qi appeared. Then he stretched out his left hand, revealing a streak of icy blue spirit qi. The quality of both had already surpassed what ordinary Qi Condensation Realm cultivators could produce. "I've had some fortunate encounters in the past, causing my body to undergo some changes. My Heavenly Pool is several times larger than that of cultivators at the same level," Lu Chen said, lightly closing his palms as the two streams of spirit qi dissipated into the air. "If it weren't for accumulating spirit qi, I'd probably already be at the Qi Condensation Realm." "I see. Based on what you've said about these changes, you really are a bloodline cultivator," Song Ping said after hearing Lu Chen's explanation. "But the info displayed above... Does that really reflect your cultivation?" "More or less. My actual realm is slightly higher than that, but what the outside world can sense from me is only what's shown there." "So you already have the spirit qi quality of a Qi Condensation Realm cultivator while you're only at the first level of Qi Regulation? Then, when you reach Qi Condensation, won't your spirit qi rival even the Sunken Core Realm?" Song Ping still found it hard to believe Lu Chen's words. "If you can keep advancing, wouldn't that make your path to becoming a great emperor practically guaranteed?" "Not exactly. No one can predict the future. What I can be sure of is that, as of now, even with my cultivation only at this level, I still have an eighty percent chance of victory against mid-level Qi Condensation Realm opponents." Lu Chen glanced at Song Ping with a sly smile. "That's exactly why I want them to underestimate me. As long as they think I'm only at the first level of Qi Regulation, half of my plundering plan is already accomplished." "Boss, when did you get so good at scheming?" Nantian Yijian exclaimed, surprise flashing in his eyes. "You came up with this sneaky plan without anyone noticing!" "Scheming?" Lu Chen turned to Nantian Yijian, smiling faintly. "No, this is an open strategy. A legitimate, aboveboard strategy." "Hehe, Lu-gege, your plan is so smooth," Nantian Wan'er said, standing nearby, her laughter sweet and endearing. "That's basically scheming..." Nantian Yijian muttered, cold sweat forming on his forehead as he listened. "Old Song, what should we do next? Is it our turn to get our identity tokens?" "Let me see..." Song Ping glanced up at the sky. The strange phenomena above had disappeared. "It's finally over. Lu Chen can now distribute the identity tokens to the Serene Void Academy's disciples." "Boss is giving us the tokens?" Nantian Yijian asked Song Ping in confusion. "Don't we need to report to Earth Ocean Peak?" "No need. Lu Chen only needed to report because he was taking on the position of chief disciple. The Earth Ocean Peak would be completely overwhelmed if it had to handle distributing tokens for hundreds of thousands of disciples across the Heavenly Mandate Hall." "So, only the six academies' chief disciples need the Earth Ocean Peak's approval. Everyone else gets their tokens directly from their chief disciple. And that means we all get ours from the boss..." Nantian Yijian turned to Lu Chen. "But you don't even have yours yet. How will you distribute them?" "Just wait..." Song Ping lightly touched the Serene Void Stele with his right hand. "The Serene Void Stele works like the Earth Ocean Peak Pillar, just with slightly fewer privileges." Nantian Yijian felt Jun Laoye move on his back. Half-awake, Jun Laoye murmured, 'Hmm... we're here? Little Jian, put me down.' "You're awake, Little Jun?" Nantian Yijian gently set Jun Laoye down. "We've arrived at the Serene Void Academy. Everyone is here." Jun Laoye stretched his body. "Hehe, that's good." Thanks to the Yang Purifying Water's restorative abilities, he had almost fully recovered. Jun Laoye twisted his body as he walked toward the center of the plaza. "Have they woken up yet? It's been so long. Why are they still unconscious?" Sun Xiaohu, lying on the ground, suddenly opened his eyes at the crackling noises from Jun Laoye's body. "What's that sound? Crackling... thunder?" "Thunder? Thunder is great! I can practice lightning techniques," Sun Xiaoma, lying nearby, also blinked his eyes as he woke up. "Huh? Second Young Master? What are you guys doing here?"