Divine Wilderness Dragon Emperor

If he hadn't practiced the True Dragon Body Refining Technique, Ling Fei would have been completely defenseless against such a surprise Pupil Technique attack. He would most likely be a dead man by now.

'The Liu Clan is not to be underestimated.' At the same time, he finally understood why everyone at the academy spoke of the Liu Clan's bloodline with such reverence.

It was simply because their bloodline was so terrifying.

Soul Capturing!

'Forget being caught off guard—even if you were prepared, how many people could possibly resist that?'

"I have some Muscle Regeneration Powder. Here, put this on your wound," Shangguan Hong said, taking out a vial of the healing medicine and handing it to Ling Fei.

"Ling Fei!" At that moment, Huang Xiaoman had already rushed onto the dueling platform.

Following behind her were Mu Xue and the others.

"Brother Fei!" Wu Dapang came up as well.

Everyone was worried about Ling Fei's injuries.

Normally, these people wouldn't be allowed on the dueling platform.

But at this point, the instructors didn't intervene.

Even Instructor Ruo Huan had come over.

Zhou Xiaoyu and the others were there as well.

"Ling Fei, how badly are you hurt?" Huang Xiaoman asked, her face etched with worry as she grabbed his hand.

"It's nothing serious," Ling Fei said with a smile.

"That Liu Ming is despicable! A sneak attack with a Pupil Technique is one thing, but he actually tried to kill you! He's gone way too far," Wu Dapang said, his face full of indignation.

Shangguan Yurou and the others were also extremely displeased.

Even if the bloodline's power could influence one's mind, if the thought wasn't already there, how could he have delivered such a vicious blow?

Only by harboring malicious intent could one be so influenced by the power of their bloodline.

"Liu Ming probably couldn't accept being defeated by Brother Fei, and that's why he resorted to such a malicious move," Chen Feng said.

The others nodded in agreement.

Think about it: an incredibly arrogant genius getting defeated by a disciple from a humble background. How could he possibly accept that?

"A person who can't accept failure will never amount to anything," Shangguan Hong said pointedly.

Ling Fei nodded slightly at his words.

Meanwhile, Huang Xiaoman and the others started cleaning Ling Fei's wound.

"Let me do it, let me!" a senior female student called out, eagerly approaching with a basin of water and a towel.

"Back off!" Huang Xiaoman shot her a glare. 'Is this girl really trying to move in on Ling Fei?'

And so, amid the excited chatter of the girls, Ling Fei's wound was cleaned.

Dean Han, meanwhile, was busy dispelling the Cold Qi from Liu Ming.

Watching the scene unfold, the people on the Observation Platforms gradually recovered from their earlier shock.

But even now, they were still utterly baffled.

"Liu Ming clearly had him just now. How did he suddenly lose?" Tang Hai asked Liu Yuan, his expression baffled.

Many others nearby also turned to him, their eyes full of questions.

Qin Rong looked particularly concerned, desperate to understand the reason for the upset so he could better grasp Ling Fei's capabilities.

"Logically, once someone's mind is stunned by our Liu Clan's Pupil Technique, they should be powerless to fight back. But Ling Fei managed to recover his senses in time. It seems the Pupil Technique failed at the critical moment. What's more, he launched a counterattack; otherwise, Brother Ming wouldn't have suffered a backlash," Liu Yuan said, his eyes glinting.

Now, as he looked at Ling Fei, his expression was solemn.

He had no choice but to see this junior student in a new light.

A hint of apprehension even surfaced in his eyes.

'If Ling Fei is allowed to continue growing, even I, Liu Yuan, will be unable to compete with him!'

"So, you're saying Ling Fei isn't afraid of the Liu Clan's Bloodline Eye Technique?" Tang Hai's expression grew grave upon hearing this.

"Yes. And his Soul Power must be very strong." Liu Yuan stared ahead, took a deep breath, and added, "This Ling Fei... he's really something else."

"I see." Tang Hai and the others all wore solemn expressions.

Qin Rong, in particular, looked utterly dejected.

'It seems Ling Fei's strength is far beyond anything they could have imagined. His future is limitless.'

'It looks like if we want to make a move on Ling Fei, we'll have to rely on Brother Jingsheng in the future,' Qin Rong muttered to himself.

At this point, his only hope was to rely on the other geniuses of his clan.

"To withstand the Liu Clan's Bloodline Eye Technique and still defeat Liu Ming... Ling Fei is without a doubt the number one freshman!" Murmurs of awe rippled through the venue. Now, even the upperclassmen regarded Ling Fei with respect, their eyes filled with anticipation.

"If he's allowed to mature, I wonder if he'll be able to contend with Liu Rulong?" an Innate Realm cultivator muttered.

"But Liu Rulong is incredibly strong!" At the mention of his name, many students' expressions changed, filled with a sense of reverence for him.

"Liu Rulong might be strong, but his bloodline can't be that much purer than Liu Ming's. In my opinion, Ling Fei is the one with limitless potential. He makes you wonder just how far he can go," another person said, shaking their head.

After all, when Liu Ming had made his move, nearly everyone thought Ling Fei was done for.

But at the critical moment, Ling Fei struck back and turned defeat into victory, a testament to his potential.

'There's far more to this junior than meets the eye!'

As the crowd murmured amongst themselves, Dean Han stood up on the dueling platform.

By now, the Cold Qi had been expelled from Liu Ming's body.

The amount of Cold Qi that invaded Liu Ming's body hadn't been great; it was only the True Qi that had burst forth from that single palm strike.

But as Dean Han stood and looked toward Ling Fei, his eyes held a grave expression.

'He's only at the Innate Realm, yet his Cold Qi is already so tyrannical. If he succeeds at Refining Gang from his True Qi, how terrifying would that Cold Qi become?'

At this thought, Dean Han couldn't help but take a deep breath.

It had taken him considerable effort just now to completely expel the Cold Dao True Qi from Liu Ming's body.

'This young man is worth cultivating!' With that, Ling Fei's standing in his mind rose significantly.

Only when Dean Han stood up did Huang Xiaoman and the others leave the dueling platform.

By this time, Ling Fei's wound had been fully treated.

On the dueling platform, only Dean Han and Ling Fei remained.

"This year's freshman assessment has concluded successfully. Every student's performance was outstanding, but especially Ling Fei's. He is the champion of this class, the undisputed number one!" On the dueling platform, Dean Han's gaze swept across the audience before he announced in a deep voice, "For this, let us all cheer for him!"

"Ling Fei, Ling Fei!"

As soon as Dean Han finished speaking, the entire audience of students rose to their feet, cheering for Ling Fei.

At this moment, the disciples from the Humble Families swelled with pride because of Ling Fei.

The disciples from the great clans were also filled with respect for Ling Fei.

After all, at Celestial River Academy, anyone who managed to stand out was always a disciple from a prominent great clan.

A student like Ling Fei, who came from a small town, was typically just a background character. For someone like him to make a name for himself at the academy was considered nearly impossible.

Although the disciples of the great clans were arrogant, they still held respect for true geniuses.

In this world, only the strong were recognized.

"Ling Fei, Ling Fei!"

"Brother Fei, Brother Fei!"

The cheers rose and fell in waves, and Ling Fei had become the undeniable center of attention.

"Ling Fei is my brother!" Wu Dapang declared to the people beside him, absolutely ecstatic.

"Brother Pang, you're a bigger man than us, please don't hold what we said earlier against us! Our mouths got ahead of us!"

"Brother Pang, we completely misunderstood Young Master Ling before. You have to put in a good word for us!"

At this, the youths who had previously scorned Ling Fei all began to speak up.

Now, they all felt ashamed of what they had thought before.

'A genius this brilliant... afraid to fight? A coward hiding in his shell?'

"So now you know Brother Fei is the real deal, huh?" Huang Liang and the others said proudly, feeling incredibly smug.

Listening to the rising and falling cheers, Ling Fei couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion.

After all, when he first arrived at the competition grounds, he had heard many people whispering that he was afraid to fight.

But now, he had become a hero, an idol for countless new students.

'This is strength. Only strength can bring respect,' Ling Fei muttered to himself.

'If I want to be respected, I must train hard, strengthen myself, and never slack off.' At the same time, Ling Fei's gaze grew resolute. He had not lost himself in the glory.

'This glory is only temporary. If I become arrogant and complacent because of it, I'll just have to watch as others surpass me and leave me behind.'