She’s gone!
Yang Xuan stared blankly at the horizon, his whole body numb.
She just went off to kill someone?
He had to admit, his mind was buzzing. He had come here to break off the engagement, yet things had somehow spiralled to this point.
Moreover, his so-called fiancée seemed to have serious violent tendencies!
Most importantly, her strength was terrifying, terrifying to the point of being abnormal.
That Ye Clan ancestor had been at least Heavenly Human realm, yet she had slapped him to death with a single palm.
Instant kill!
It was simply outrageous.
Just how strong was she?
Yang Xuan was deeply puzzled by Ye Qing’er’s power.
Of course, what puzzled him even more was the strange sense of familiarity she gave him.
He was absolutely certain this was their first meeting.
After pondering for a long time, he glanced at the sky again. He waited where he was for roughly half an hour. Seeing no sign of Ye Qing’er returning, a trace of worry rose unbidden in his heart.
He did not know why, but he did not want anything to happen to her.
He waited a little longer, yet she still did not return. In the end he decided to head to the Academy of the Gods.
He had already planned this before arriving: after breaking off the engagement he would go to the Academy of the Gods. It was the finest academy in the entire Xuan Realm, containing not only divine techniques to cultivate but also countless divine records.
He was not particularly interested in the so-called divine techniques. What truly drew him were those divine records. He wanted to study the gods described within them, as well as the entire history of the Realm of the Gods.
The reason was simple: he hoped the accounts in those records might help clarify the vague memories in his mind.
Although he had now decided to live well in the present, he still wished to understand those blurred fragments.
Who exactly was he?
The Academy of the Gods, with its vast collection of ancient divine records, was undoubtedly his best option. He might find some clues among them.
Conveniently, this was exactly the period when the academy was recruiting new students.
Yang Xuan left the lakeside and headed straight for the Academy of the Gods.
Half an hour later he arrived at the foot of a great mountain. He looked up. Clouds and mist swirled around the summit, and through the haze he could faintly see palaces and towers, like a scene from a fairy realm.
Divine Mountain.
The Academy of the Gods was built atop this mountain. It was called Divine Mountain because legend claimed a true god had once achieved enlightenment here.
Upon the peak stood five colossal statues, each a thousand zhang tall: four men and one woman. An invisible majesty radiated from every statue, making people afraid to look directly at them.
Everyone who came here, upon seeing these five statues, could not help but feel awe and would bow in worship.
For these five statues depicted the legendary Five Gods.
When Yang Xuan saw them, no reverence stirred in his heart. He did not bow. His eyes held only curiosity.
Gods.
According to the divine records he had read, gods were described as supreme, omnipotent, lords over all living beings.
He naturally did not believe such claims.
Throughout history, every ruler had brainwashed the masses.
And brainwashing, of course, was for the sake of better control.
Yang Xuan withdrew his gaze and began climbing the mountain.
This was Divine Mountain. No one was permitted to fly here; all had to ascend on foot. Flying would be considered blasphemy against the gods.
In the Xuan Realm, blaspheming the gods was a grave crime.
Although Yang Xuan privately dismissed these so-called gods, he was not foolish enough to commit an act of blasphemy and make his own life harder.
The academy’s recruitment period lasted one month. During this time geniuses and monsters from every region would arrive. Some, like Li Youyou, were guaranteed entry and could join directly.
Others, like him, had to pass the assessment.
Soon Yang Xuan reached midway up the mountain. Looking down from there, the view was vast and open. The world seemed small beneath his feet, and his mood lifted.
He continued upward. Before long he reached the summit. A huge bluestone plaza greeted him. At that moment the plaza was crowded with people, all geniuses and prodigies from across the realms. The atmosphere was lively.
Yang Xuan glanced around, then joined the queue in front of one of the stone pillars. These pillars were called Testing Pillars and were used to measure innate talent.
In the Cosmos of the Gods, talent was divided into eight grades: Supreme Aptitude, Genius, Peerless Genius, World-Surpassing Monster, Child of the Great Dao, Anomaly, Person of Heavenly Destiny, and Variable.
The minimum requirement for entry to the Academy of the Gods was Genius level.
The standard was extremely high.
There were over a hundred Testing Pillars on the plaza, each with a long queue behind it. Whenever a World-Surpassing Monster appeared, it caused quite a stir.
“Heavens! Child of the Great Dao!”
At that moment a shocked cry rang out nearby.
The entire plaza instantly fell silent. Everyone turned to look. A young man stood before a distant pillar, and six rings of light shone from the stone.
Sixth grade!
Child of the Great Dao!
What was a Child of the Great Dao? Someone who carried the fortune of the Dao and was acknowledged by the Great Dao itself.
Such people possessed terrifying talent. Protected by the fortune of the Dao, they could avoid calamity and attract blessings. For them, cultivation was as simple as eating and drinking.
Even across the entire Cosmos of the Gods, let alone just the Xuan Realm, they were among the elite.
Yang Xuan glanced at the young man. He appeared fifteen or sixteen, dressed in white robes, standing ramrod straight like a sword or spear. A sharp aura radiated from his entire body.
A faint, gentle smile played on his face, yet the corners of his mouth curved in an almost imperceptible arc of pride.
He clearly enjoyed being the centre of attention.
At once an elder from the Academy of the Gods hurried over. His smile was radiant as he looked at the white-robed youth. “May I ask the young master’s name?”
The youth replied calmly, “Yuan Tian of the Yuan Clan, Northern Province.”
The elder exclaimed in shock, “So it is the genius of the Yuan Clan! Young Master Yuan Tian, you pass directly. There is no need for further tests. You may enter the Divine Institute at once!”
Divine Institute!
The announcement caused an uproar throughout the plaza.
The Academy of the Gods was divided into Outer Court, Inner Court, and Divine Institute.
Outer Court disciples had no personal mentor; one teacher instructed many students. They received no cultivation resources and had to earn credits for techniques and everything else.
Inner Court disciples enjoyed far better treatment. They could take a mentor from the Inner Court, who usually accepted only five or six personal disciples and taught them directly. Most importantly, they had someone to protect them.
In a place like this, having a powerful backer made life much easier.
The Divine Institute, however, was on an entirely different level.
It was the finest institute in the whole academy. Every mentor there was a renowned master, a top figure even across the entire Xuan Realm. Cultivation resources were provided without limit.
One step to heaven!
Everyone looked at Yuan Tian with envy.
In this world, sometimes the talent you were born with gave you a starting point far superior to others. For some people, that starting point was the finish line others could never reach in their lifetime.
Hearing the elder’s words, Yuan Tian remained composed, merely nodded, and followed the elder away under countless admiring gazes.
Yang Xuan withdrew his gaze. It was now his turn.
He stepped forward and placed his right hand on the Testing Pillar.
Boom!
In an instant the pillar exploded with a thunderous roar.
Everyone present froze.
What just happened?
Even Yang Xuan was baffled. Had the pillar malfunctioned?
At that moment an academy elder walked over. He glanced at Yang Xuan, then carefully examined the shattered pillar. His brows knitted deeply.
The Testing Pillar really had broken.
The elder turned back to Yang Xuan, studied him once more, and asked, “Divine Transformation realm?”
Yang Xuan did not conceal it and nodded.
The elder gave a slight nod. “To reach Divine Transformation realm at your age is already rare. You may enter the Inner Court.”
Enter the Inner Court.
At those words envious looks instantly turned towards him.
Direct entry to the Inner Court was not quite the same as Yuan Tian’s one step to heaven, but it was still an enormous stroke of immense fortune.
Yang Xuan inclined his head. “Many thanks, Elder.”
The elder nodded. “Follow me.”
With that he led Yang Xuan away.
Shortly afterwards they passed through range after range of mountains and arrived atop a certain peak.
The elder explained, “The Inner Court has nine mentors in total. In a moment you will enter the main hall. The nine mentors will observe you with their divine sense. If any mentor chooses you, they will appear in person. If none select you, you can only go to the Outer Court. Understood?”
Yang Xuan nodded. “Understood.”
The elder nodded and soon brought him to the front of a grand hall. More than a dozen other youths were already queuing outside.
After leaving Yang Xuan there, the elder turned to leave.
Yang Xuan suddenly called, “How may I address you, Elder?”
The elder glanced back. “You may call me Elder Yun.”
With that he departed.
Yang Xuan inclined his head again and silently memorised the name.
At that moment a powerful aura suddenly emerged from within the hall. An old man appeared and led one of the youths away.
Clearly, that youth had been chosen.
The remaining students outside revealed looks of envy.
Soon another youth entered the hall.
After a long silence he walked out slowly, his face ashen, eyes filled with unwillingness.
He had not been selected.
Without a mentor he could only go to the Outer Court, where treatment was worlds apart from the Inner Court.
The dejected youth soon disappeared from view.
Just as the next youth was about to enter, an aged voice suddenly rang out from within the hall. “All of you, come in together!”
All of you, come in!
Hearing this, the group hesitated briefly, then walked inside together.
Once inside, Yang Xuan surveyed the surroundings. The hall was vast and empty save for five statues.
The Five Gods!
The Academy of the Gods had been founded by the Temple of the Gods, so the academy naturally revered the gods as well.
Upon seeing the five statues, everyone around Yang Xuan immediately bowed respectfully.
One could not afford to be irreverent towards gods.
Yang Xuan glanced at the statues and also bowed. Yet the instant his body bent…
Boom!
Suddenly, all five statues shattered with a thunderous explosion.
Everyone present was completely stunned.
…
