"Nurture him well!"
"All resources of the Outer Court are to be prioritized for his use!"
Jiang Di glanced first at Qin Wudao, then at the heaven-piercing Hongng Creation Tower, and spoke to Jiang Xuan.
He chose not to et Qin Wudao, as the ti was not yet right.
With his words spoken, his figure slowly dissipated.
"Young Xuan, you must also cultivate my disciple well!" the Sword Emperor said with a cheerful smile, stroking his beard. He then transford into a streak of sword light and vanished. The Qing Emperor departed with him, leaving only a blue flower lingering in the sky.
"We respectfully see you off, Seniors!"
Jiang Xuan saluted with deep respect, then commanded, "Retract the tower!"
"As you command!"
Hundreds of Outer Court Tutors responded in unison. They transford into streaks of light, resud their previous formation, their hands forming seals as they unleashed a formidable power that enveloped the Hongng Creation Tower.
BOOM!
With a deafening rumble, the Hongng Creation Tower retracted into the ground, and the plaza that had split apart seamlessly rged once more.
After exiting the tower, Qin Wudao successfully rendezvoused with the prodigies of the Qin Dynasty, and he was elated to learn that they had all achieved excellent results.
"Your Majesty, your achievent of first place this ti will surely send shockwaves through the entire upper echelon of the Human Race!" Gui Guzi said with a cupped fist salute.
The record for the Hongng Creation Tower was one thousand two hundred floors, set by Jiang Di, who possesses the cultivation of an Immortal Emperor and is one of the Ten Protectors of the Human Race.
Undoubtedly, the other mbers of the Human Race's upper echelons would be astounded upon learning of Qin Wudao's record. This also aligned with the developnt strategy of the Great Qin Heavenly Court; only by demonstrating such excellence could the Qin Dynasty garner the serious attention and full protection of the Human Race's upper echelons.
"It was rely a stroke of luck," Qin Wudao said calmly, waving his hand dismissively.
Reaching three thousand floors and breaking the record was undoubtedly a good thing, but he also understood that a tall tree attracts the wind—standing out invites trouble.
The All Clans of the Heavens, needless to say, would pay even closer attention to the Great Qin Heavenly Court and would undoubtedly redouble their efforts to suppress the Qin Dynasty.
And within the Human Race, would he incite jealousy and invite unforeseen disaster?
Everything has its pros and cons.
"Cough, cough! Fellow students, the first stage of the New Student Grand Competition has concluded. The top one thousand students are eligible to participate in tomorrow's arena tournant to compete for the title of 'New Student King'!"
Jiang Xuan hovered in mid-air. With a wave of his right hand, myriad streams of immortal light illuminated the sky, revealing a golden ranking list. Principles of the Dao flowed around it, potent enough to suppress countless worlds.
The golden ranking list recorded the nas of the top one thousand prodigies.
First Place: Qin Wudao, cleared 3,000 floors!
Second Place: Xiang Yu, cleared 2,999 floors!
Third Place: Song Tianming, cleared 2,200 floors!
Fourth Place: Han Xin, cleared 2,172 floors!
Fifth Place: Huo Qubing, cleared 2,170 floors!
Sixth Place: Yang Zaixing, cleared 2,159 floors!
Seventh Place: Yue Fei, cleared 2,006 floors!
Eighth Place: Gui Guzi, cleared 2,005 floors!
Ninth Place: Cao Cao, cleared 2,001 floors!
Tenth Place: Xue Rengui, cleared 2,000 floors!
...
Sixteenth Place: Ba Tu, cleared 1,201 floors!
Seventeenth Place: Cai Wenji, cleared 1,200 floors!
Eighteenth Place: Ji Huangdao, cleared 1,200 floors!
Nineteenth Place: Duan Jianghe, cleared 1,200 floors!
Twentieth Place: Wang Yangming, cleared 1,200 floors!
...
One Thousandth Place: Ning Sui Feng, cleared 600 floors!
All eyes were riveted to the golden ranking list; gazing at the dazzling, radiant nas, the crowd was once again plunged into shock.
"Nine of the top ten are from the Qin Dynasty!"
"Sixteen of the top twenty are from the Qin Dynasty!"
"Eighty-nine of the top one hundred are from the Qin Dynasty!"
As the crowd tallied the rankings, they couldn't help but gasp repeatedly in astonishnt.
In contrast, the Qin Dynasty's prodigies remained composed, discreetly departing from the plaza to prepare for the next day's arena tournant.
「...」
「The night had deepened.」
Under the bright moonlight, wisps of immortal mist drifted over Sleeping Dragon Mountain, morphing into various shapes, as if concealing countless demons and monsters. Walking through the forest here would make one's hair stand on end and send shivers down their spine.
In the dim twilight, a shadowy figure surreptitiously slipped into a certain palace.
"Your Highness, the Crown Prince, the performance of the Qin Dynasty's prodigies today has attracted the attention of the Three Emperors and the academy's upper echelons. What should we do?" Ning Sui Feng's panicked voice quietly sounded.
Inside the palace, Ning Sui Feng was slightly hunched over, having lost his usual composure. In truth, after witnessing the performance of the Qin Dynasty's prodigies, he had begun to feel a twinge of regret.
The Qin Dynasty had a full twenty-five prodigies who cleared 1,200 floors!
What did that signify?
It ant that in the future, the Qin Dynasty would have at least twenty-five individuals capable of reaching the sa heights as Emperor Jiang!
Emperor Jiang! An Immortal Emperor-level powerhouse! The very ceiling of the Human Race's combat power ranking!
What unsettled him most were Xiang Yu and Qin Wudao. One had cleared 2,999 floors, the other 3,000 floors. How terrifying was that?
Did this an their cultivation ceilings could surpass the Immortal Emperor realm, allowing them to reach the legendary Celestial Lord realm?
A Celestial Lord! The apex existence of the Nine Layered Heavens! Publicly, the Human Race had only one such figure!
"During tomorrow's arena tournant, with all the Tutors present, I won't be able to plant the demonic seed in Qin Wudao!"
"However, there is a 'Trial Mystic Realm' within the academy. Once Qin Wudao formally enrolls, he will likely go there to gain experience. At that ti..."
Ji Huangdao sat in the main seat, his expression grim. A dark demonic seal materialized as he pinched his fingers together.
Instantly, the temperature in the hall plumted. An ominous wind howled, making it feel as if they had returned to an ancient demonic domain. A chill ran through Ning Sui Feng, yet deep inside, he was secretly ecstatic.
He had sought out Ji Huangdao tonight precisely to confirm whether he had cultivated the "Taoist Seed Demon Technique"! Now, seeing the demonic seal, his heart was put at ease!
"May Your Highness achieve swift victory!" Ning Sui Feng said with a respectful bow.
"This Crown Prince cultivates demonic arts; only you and I know of this. If word of this leaks out, not only you but also the Carefree Sect behind you will be annihilated!"
Ji Huangdao slowly rose and walked towards Ning Sui Feng, his voice low and dangerous.
"Rest assured, Your Highness, my lips are sealed!" Ning Sui Feng's body went limp, and he collapsed to his knees, hastily assuring him.
"No, this Crown Prince is not assured!" Ji Huangdao shook his head, his face devoid of emotion as he placed a hand on Ning Sui Feng's head, exerting slight pressure.
"This..." Ning Sui Feng swallowed hard, cold sweat stread down his face. Through gritted teeth, he said, "I am willing to submit to Your Highness, to be Your Highness's loyal dog! If you bid go east, I shall never go west!"
"Now, that's more like it."
"As long as you pledge your loyalty, who else but you could take the position of Sect Master of the Carefree Sect in the future?"
As a nation's Crown Prince, Ji Huangdao naturally understood the art of managing subordinates. He removed his hand from Ning Sui Feng's head and said, his tone as warm as a spring breeze.
"Th-Thank you, Your Highness!" Ning Sui Feng breathed a sigh of relief, nearly collapsing to the ground.
In that fleeting instant, he had sensed mortal danger. He was certain that if he hadn't submitted to Ji Huangdao, he would never have walked out of this grand hall alive.
「...」
"This Emperor of ours... he truly is extraordinary!"
At the foot of a mountain, within a palace, two figures sat facing each other: Wang Denglin and Qi ng Die. A Formation had been set up around them, isolating them from all external sounds.
"Indeed," Qi ng Die lanted, her delicate face clouded with sorrow. "Why is our fate so bitter? We failed to achieve the Dao in our past life, and now in this one, we've encountered a pack of monsters!"
"Must we go through Reincarnation yet again?" Wang Denglin murmured to himself.
"We are both failures. What difference is there between one Reincarnation and a hundred?" Qi ng Die shook her head, a sharp glint flashing in her bright eyes. "If we wish to accomplish sothing in this life, we must either kill Qin Wudao or follow him!"
As these words were spoken, the hall fell silent, the very air seeming to congeal.
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