Xuanwu War Sovereign

"Junior Sister Shen, are you heading to the Cyan Wood Saint Hall to cultivate? I still have some Points and contribution points on me. If you’re in need, I’d be happy to lend them to you."

The Cyan Wood Saint Hall was one of the nine great Holy Halls of the All Stars Academy. It contained numerous Mysterious Techniques and even the secrets of Realm Mystical Meaning. A Martial Arts Strongman cultivating inside could achieve twice the results with half the effort.

This was a young man in purple who carried a noble air. He wore a purple Python Robe and a Purple Gold Crown, giving him an appearance of exceptional prestige.

His Cultivation was considered outstanding among his peers. At the Second Secret Realm of Meridian Condensation, he would be regarded as a genius of his generation in any family.

"No, thank you, Senior Brother Wen Hong." Shen Xiumei coolly rejected the young man.

An unpleasant look flashed across the handsome face of the purple-robed youth, but he quickly hid it.

Seeing the purple-robed youth get shot down, another young man sneered. "Junior Brother Wen, you’re underestimating Junior Sister Shen. Do you think she’s like you? It’s a joke you call yourself the strongest sponsored student of the last intake. You even competed against *that* Elder once, but compared to him, you’re truly... Tsk, tsk!"

He clicked his tongue, his voice laced with ridicule.

The purple-robed youth’s face flushed, and he quickly shot back, "Yang Cheng, don’t you get cocky. You were an Elder from the last intake, but didn’t you get taken down just the same? Utterly humiliated!"

With that, he gave a cold smile. "Besides, what’s so great about that Elder now? Compared to this year’s batch—Junior Sister Shen Xiumei, Junior Brother Duan Yu, Junior Brother Jiang Taichu, and Junior Sister Qin Honglian—it’s only a matter of time before he’s surpassed and crushed underfoot!"

"Hmm?" Nearby, Mei Ruoxuan frowned upon hearing this. A flicker of displeasure crossed her eyes, and she looked ready to intervene.

Qin Feng held up a hand to stop her. His eyes, tinged with a faint amusement, landed on the purple-robed youth.

’This was an old acquaintance of his.’

’Among all the sponsored students, he was known as the strongest.’

’Wen Hong!’

’The young prince of the Cloud Water Empire!’

’When they had first entered Cyan Dragon Academy, Wen Hong had sworn to the heavens that he would knock him, Qin Feng, from his position as the academy’s Elder.’

’Too bad his performance in the first-year entrance assessment was so underwhelming. Forget first place; he didn’t even make the top ten.’

’What a complete and utter embarrassment.’

’Back then, Qin Feng had even considered him a threat.’

’Now, however, he was completely unfazed.’

The other person was Yang Cheng, the Elder of White Tiger Academy, who had been one of the four great new-student Elders alongside Qin Feng.

However, during the first assessment, his position as Elder had been snatched away by Chi Ling’Er.

Yang Cheng was now impressively a master at the Fifth Secret Realm of Condensing Veins.

Unfortunately, he had been left completely in the dust by now.

Qin Feng, Ji Huang’Er, and even Qian Kai had all left him far behind.

This once-dazzling Elder had now been reduced to just another face in the crowd.

Nearby, several young men and women with powerful auras watched the two bicker, their faces showing cold-eyed, disdainful sneers.

’They were both has-beens.’

’And they still thought a toad could eat a swan’s flesh. As if people like them could ever hope to get their hands on someone like Shen Xiumei.’

"Well said!" Just then, a clear, resonant voice cut in.

Hearing the voice, the group of young cultivators turned around. A single glance was all it took for their expressions to change, their eyes filling with awe.

"Elder Black Tortoise, Jiang Taichu, is here!"

"It’s him? Jiang Taichu, one of the four great prodigies of this year’s class! I heard he’s a peerless talent, the reincarnation of a Venerable! He started his Cultivation at age three, reached the Great Perfection of the Martial Arts Thirteen Layers by six, broke through to the Condensing Vein Realm at nine, and hit the Sea of Reincarnation Realm at twelve! He’s a peerless prodigy the likes of which isn’t seen in ten thousand years! They say he’s already touched upon the Origin and isn’t far from the Martial Arts Giant Realm!"

"That’s him! He’s hailed as the strongest genius in the history of All Stars Academy! Even many of the Great Powers in the Star Sect think highly of him and believe he has the potential of a God-Demon!"

"Oh my god, it really is him! I heard the Sect granted him the status of an Inner Sect Disciple a long time ago. Apparently, the Sect is ready to make him a Preparatory True Inheritor Disciple anytime he wants. Even though that status doesn’t come with the title of Sealed Marquis, the actual authority is nearly the same!"

"It’s true! But he refused it himself and stated outright that he wants the position of a True Disciple! Obviously, he looks down on titles like Preparatory True Inheritor or Sealed Marquis!"

As the various geniuses exchanged shocked glances, a wide path cleared through the crowd.

A youth appeared, as heroic and upright as a drawn sword.

He had straight, jet-black hair and heroic, sword-like brows that swept upwards. His narrow black eyes held a sharp glint, and his thin lips were pressed into a firm line. He had an angular profile and a tall, slender, yet powerful build. Like an eagle in the night, he was cold, proud, and solitary, yet overwhelmingly imperious. Standing there alone, he radiated a domineering presence that seemed to scorn the very heavens and earth.

His domineering gaze swept across the crowd with an almost physical aggression. Wherever his eyes passed, the assembled geniuses—even the many among them who had reached the Void Divine Profound Realm—couldn’t help but feel their hearts pound as they lowered their heads.

A disdainful smirk curved his lips as he smiled arrogantly. "They say the new generation always surpasses the old. What do those Sealed Marquis geniuses amount to in front of us? Even the True Disciples will eventually be crushed beneath our feet. People like us were born to be extraordinary!"

Hearing this, a disciple stepped forward from the crowd. "Junior Brother Jiang, watch your words. The senior disciples of this Sect earned their current status not just through their lifelong Cultivation, but also through their contributions. That isn’t something you can dismiss with a few flippant remarks!"

At these words, many students nodded to themselves. The Star Sect’s current power and prestige were built by countless disciples who, one after another, risked life and limb for its sake.

Not all of those disciples were geniuses; many were ordinary. One shouldn’t disrespect them simply because their strength isn’t as great.

After all, without them, how could the Star Sect and All Stars Academy have achieved their current prosperity?

Jiang Taichu whirled around. A white light shot from his eyes, and the disciple who had spoken was sent flying several yards, coughing up a mouthful of blood.

The disciple’s expression was a mixture of shock and fury. He looked up at Jiang Taichu and snarled, "You dare attack someone inside the academy!"

Jiang Taichu sneered. "Your words were insolent, and you don’t know your place. You deserve to be taught a lesson." With that, he swept his gaze over the other students and added mockingly, "And let me tell you all a little truth: a sect is not propped up by trash like you. No matter how much trash you pile up, it can’t withstand a single flick of my finger!"

The students fell silent, as quiet as cicadas in winter. Even proud, arrogant figures like Yang Cheng and Wen Hong dared not utter a single word.

Shen Xiumei watched the scene unfold with cold, indifferent eyes.

Mei Ruoxuan’s expression soured. She stepped forward and said, "Junior Brother, it is highly inappropriate for you to attack someone within All Stars Academy."

Jiang Taichu’s expression flickered when Mei Ruoxuan appeared. He swept his eyes over her, and a sneer of contempt touched his lips.

’He could tell Mei Ruoxuan was an Inner Sect Disciple of the Star Sect, but he couldn’t care less. He’d defeated experts at the Sea of Reincarnation Realm Peak before.’

"A master at the Sea of Reincarnation Realm Peak. Are you here to teach me a lesson?" he asked. "Pardon my bluntness, but with your level of Cultivation, you aren’t qualified to lecture me."

Mei Ruoxuan’s face froze as anger surged within her. She had only meant to mediate and had phrased her words carefully to give him an out. She never imagined Jiang Taichu would be so utterly disrespectful.

’This Jiang Taichu is unbelievably arrogant, completely contemptuous of everyone else!’