Half a month has passed.
At the Guanxuan Academy, on the First Peak in front of the Guanxuan Hall, all the students of the academy have gathered at this moment.
Today is the day when several geniuses from the Guanxuan Academy head to the Upper Realm to participate in the Martial Examination.
Naturally, the others have come to see them off.
Ye Guan and Xiao Ge, along with the other two, arrived early in front of the Guanxuan Hall. They have long been looking forward to going to the Upper Realm.
Besides the four of them, three other students will also travel to the Upper Realm this time. These three are going purely to broaden their horizons and will not participate in the Martial Examination.
Below, countless students gaze at Ye Guan and the others with envy.
Going to the Upper Realm, if one can achieve a good ranking, it will not only bring glory to the academy but also to the entire Nanzhou. An even better ranking would bring glory to the whole Lower Realm.
At this point, the academy head, Song Fu, steps forward. He looks at the crowd below, smiles faintly, and says, “There is no need to envy them. As long as you all work hard, in the future you too will stand here. They are the hope of the academy, and you are its future.”
The students below bow slightly to Song Fu.
Song Fu turns to Ye Guan and the others, smiling. “This time, Mentor Fei and I will escort you there.”
He then looks at Xiao Ge and Song Ci nearby. “You two remain to guard the academy.”
The two nod.
Song Fu turns, waves his hand, and suddenly the clouds in the sky begin to churn. In the next moment, a cloud ship dozens of zhang long dives down. Soon, it steadies and stops in front of everyone.
Song Fu smiles. “Let us go.”
Everyone boards the ship. Soon, the cloud ship soars into the sky and vanishes from sight.
Xiao Ge watches the horizon, lost in thought.
Song Ci suddenly says softly, “This time, we should not finish last again.”
For a hundred years, Nanzhou has participated in ten Martial Examinations, yet every single time it has come last.
It was precisely because of this that Song Fu sought out Xiao Ge, hoping to change the situation. If they came last again, the Guanxuan Academy of Nanzhou would completely lose the support of the Upper Realm academies. Without educational resources, the academy would essentially be finished.
What are educational resources?
They are cultivation methods, spirit veins, martial techniques, divine abilities, and spirit crystals.
Normally, Nanzhou could receive these resources from the Upper Realm each year. However, for hundreds of years, the academy has received no support from the Upper Realm academies.
Why?
Because the Nanzhou academy always finishes last in the Martial Examination. The last-place students are looked down upon by the Upper Realm academies, and if they are looked down upon, those academies will not provide benefits.
In simple terms, outstanding students are exchanged with the Upper Realm academies for these resources.
This is the sorrow of Lower Realm academies.
But there is no choice. Without doing so, once a Lower Realm academy loses this resource support, it risks closing down.
The fact that the Nanzhou Guanxuan Academy has lasted this long is already remarkable.
Hearing Song Ci’s words, Xiao Ge nods slightly. “All three of them are very strong.”
Song Ci looks at Xiao Ge. Xiao Ge says calmly, “Rest assured, I am not foolish enough to still harbour any ill intentions towards Ye Guan at this point.”
With that, he turns and leaves.
Song Ci remains silent for a moment, then also turns and departs.
…
Among the clouds, the cloud ship speeds along.
Ye Guan stands at the bow. He watches below as the Guanxuan Academy grows smaller and smaller, until finally the entire Nanzhou becomes tiny.
At this moment, he suddenly feels a touch of longing for the Ye Clan.
The Ye Clan where he has lived for seventeen years.
The foremost clan among all realms.
Ye Guan slowly closes his eyes. This is what he promised the clan leader, and whatever Ye Guan promises, he will certainly fulfil.
Besides that, he must find a supreme spirit vein to heal Tower Master.
He must work hard.
At this point, a fragrant breeze approaches.
Ye Guan turns his head. It is Nalan Jia.
Today, Nalan Jia wears a spotless white long dress.
Nalan Jia smiles. “What are you thinking about?”
Ye Guan smiles. “A little homesick for the Ye Clan.”
Nalan Jia says softly, “We will return.”
Ye Guan nods.
Nalan Jia looks towards the slowly setting red sun on the horizon and says softly, “For hundreds of years, the academy has finished last in every Martial Examination. You know that, right?”
Ye Guan looks at Nalan Jia, surprised. “Every single time last?”
Nalan Jia nods. “Yes. If we finish last again this time, our Nanzhou Guanxuan Academy will no longer be allowed to participate in future Martial Examinations. For the academy, this would undoubtedly be a devastating blow, because without the support and protection of the Upper Realm academies, Lower Realm academies will gradually decline and may even close.”
Ye Guan falls silent. This is something he had not considered.
Nalan Jia smiles. “This time, we carry a heavy burden.”
Ye Guan nods. “I will do my utmost.”
Nalan Jia smiles faintly. “Do you understand the Upper Realm?”
Ye Guan shakes his head. “Not much.”
Nalan Jia explains, “The Upper Realm is divided into northern and southern regions, containing a total of three hundred and sixty prefectures. Each of these three hundred and sixty prefectures has a Guanxuan Academy. In other words, we must compete against the geniuses from three hundred and sixty prefectures for the top ten places.”
Ye Guan’s eyes narrow slightly. “Top ten?”
Nalan Jia nods. “Yes. Only by securing the top ten can we obtain the greatest benefits for the academy.”
Ye Guan suddenly asks, “What if we get first?”
Nalan Jia looks at Ye Guan and smiles. “The academy will erect a statue of you.”
“Uh…”
Ye Guan’s expression stiffens.
Nalan Jia smiles. “Do you know what the reward was for the academy that took first in the previous Martial Examination?”
Ye Guan shakes his head.
Nalan Jia says, “The academy that won first received two heavenly-grade spirit veins, ten earth-grade spirit veins, fifty supreme-grade spirit veins, ten volumes of immortal-grade cultivation methods, thirty volumes of heavenly-grade cultivation methods, and one million gold crystals each year.”
Hearing this, Ye Guan’s expression changes.
Nalan Jia smiles. “If you take first, the academy will definitely erect a statue of you. Not only that, the Ye Clan will also receive tremendous care from the academy.”
Ye Guan smiles. “Then I shall strive for it.”
Nalan Jia looks at Ye Guan. “Strive for first?”
Ye Guan nods. “Strive for first.”
Nalan Jia gazes at Ye Guan for a moment, then smiles brightly.
What a confident man.
At this moment, Xiao Ge suddenly approaches, smiling. “Brother Ye, I do not wish to dampen your spirits, but aiming for first is truly far too difficult.”
Ye Guan looks at Xiao Ge. “How so?”
Xiao Ge smiles. “For hundreds of years, the first place in the Upper Realm Martial Examination has always belonged to one academy: the Qingzhou Guanxuan Academy.”
Ye Guan grows curious. “Qingzhou?”
Xiao Ge nods. “Do you know what kind of place Qingzhou is?”
Ye Guan shakes his head.
Xiao Ge says gravely, “Qingzhou is the birthplace of the founding head of the Guanxuan Academy, the Sword Master of the Human Realm.”
The Sword Master of the Human Realm.
Ye Guan’s expression shifts.
This is a legendary figure.
He founded the Guanxuan Academy and established a new order.
Xiao Ge continues, “That place is extraordinary. Because it is the birthplace of the Sword Master of the Human Realm, it has received enormous resource allocation from the Guanxuan Academy. Moreover, the land itself produces outstanding talents and monstrous geniuses without end. For hundreds of years, they have always taken first in the Martial Examination. Other prefectures can only compete for second. And furthermore…”
He looks at Ye Guan. “They crush the academy that takes second. There is no suspense in their crushing victory.”
Ye Guan smiles. “Have you no confidence?”
Xiao Ge shakes his head. “It is not a matter of confidence. The truth is that the other side is simply too terrifying. It truly fills one with despair.”
Ye Guan says softly, “If I do not compete, fine. But if I compete, I compete for first.”
Xiao Ge looks at Ye Guan. After a moment, he suddenly laughs loudly. “Brother Ye, I just love that personality of yours. Haha.”
Ye Guan shakes his head with a smile. For him, either do not compete, or compete for first.
On the other side, Song Fu watches the distant trio of Ye Guan and smiles. “Junior Sister, I must say, your eye is truly remarkable. In one go, you secured two super geniuses for our academy.”
Fei Banqing looks at Ye Guan and smiles. “This one was an extra bonus.”
Song Fu laughs heartily.
Fei Banqing gazes at the distant Ye Guan, a smile appearing on her face.
Five days later.
A powerful protective barrier suddenly rises around the cloud ship. Then, the ship slowly enters the starry sky.
Upon entering the starry sky, those standing at the bow gaze at the endless cosmos, their hearts filled with shock.
The cosmic starry sky.
At this moment, he truly feels how insignificant he is.
Not only himself, but even the entire Lower Realm seems like dust.
At this point, Fei Banqing walks to Ye Guan’s side and smiles. “Shocking, isn’t it?”
Ye Guan nods. “Shocking.”
Fei Banqing smiles. “This is only a small star domain.”
Ye Guan looks at Fei Banqing. “Mentor, how vast is this boundless universe?”
Fei Banqing shakes her head slightly. “I do not know either.”
Ye Guan gazes into the depths of the starry sky, at the infinite planets. In his eyes, besides shock, there burns fierce fighting spirit.
Youth.
One should go out and explore.
Go see the outside world, see this endless cosmic river of stars.
Just then, a tremendous boom suddenly echoes from the cosmic river of stars.
Boom.
The entire starry sky trembles. Countless cracks instantly appear on the cloud ship.
Everyone is greatly alarmed.
Song Fu appears at the bow. He looks towards the distant river of stars, his face filled with shock.
At the limit of their vision, a shockwave is spreading.
The earlier tremor was caused by the residual force of that shockwave.
And that shockwave is at least hundreds of thousands of li away from them. Moreover, even that shockwave is not from the core area; it has spread here from even farther away.
At this moment, both Song Fu and Fei Banqing wear extremely grave expressions.
Song Fu says gravely, “It seems some peerless experts are battling far, far away.”
Ye Guan gazes at the end of the river of stars, lost in thought.
At this point, Song Fu breathes a sigh of relief. “Fortunately, they are very, very far from us. Otherwise, we would be in serious trouble.”
Fei Banqing says gravely, “I wonder what level of experts they are.”
And just then, a terrifying aura suddenly surges from the end of the starry sky.
Seeing this, Song Fu and the others pale dramatically. He hurriedly raises the great banner of the Guanxuan Academy.
This item might save their lives in a critical moment.
In this world, no one dares to disrespect the Guanxuan Academy founded by the Sword Master of the Human Realm.
At that instant, a black-robed elder appears several thousand zhang away from the cloud ship. After stopping, the elder abruptly turns. At that spot, space tears open, and a woman slowly steps out.
The woman wears a cloud-white long dress. She is graceful and extraordinarily beautiful, like an immortal.
The black-robed elder stares fixedly at the woman, his face twisted with boundless ferocity. “Miss Jian, you have chased me all the way here from the Middle Earth Divine Continent. Have you gone mad?”
Inside Ye Guan’s tower, Little Tower’s voice suddenly rings out. “Eh… it is actually her…”
