The concert hall hadn't collapsed, and there were no mass casualties. Only a few people had been injured by falling debris. It was a small miracle. Everyone's ears were ringing, their minds reeling from the shock. Deciding it was ti to leave, they began to file out of the hall.
Amidst the crowd, Xiao Xuanye and Guo Jufeng stood frozen, utterly dumbfounded, looking as if their souls had left their bodies.
"Long Tianji and that Yan Renjie…"
"How can they be so strong?!"
"Is this the true power of a Heavenly King?"
"That giant phantom sword and that phantom ape... was that the aura of a Heavenly King? It doesn't feel right. It's completely different from the descriptions in the ancient texts."
"If only we could break through to the Heavenly King realm too, that would be incredible…"
Just then, they heard Yan Qinghe's voice. "Do you two rember the Super-Soldier Research Project?"
"Huh?" The two snapped back to reality, their expressions shifting once more. "You an that forbidden project? The one that modifies genes to adapt a person to a nuclear-powered chanical body but has an extrely high mortality rate?"
"Elder Yan, are you thinking of restarting it? But…" They trailed off, hesitating, and ultimately fell silent.
If an ordinary person underwent the transformation, death was almost certain. For Grandmasters like them, the survival rate was higher, but it was still incredibly dangerous.
If they refused, they would remain as they were—leaders who stood above tens of thousands, wielding imnse power and influence, enjoying glory and renown, yet utterly suppressed by Long Tianji.
If they accepted the transformation, they might die. Or, they could beco vastly more powerful superhumans. Even Long Tianji would have to step aside.
What should they choose?
Flesh is weak, but the machine is eternal… If I can only tread water for the rest of my life, or even slowly decline, then even if I die of old age, I'll never be able to rest in peace, right?
Their resolve was deeply shaken.
Suddenly, the lodious and elegant sound of classical music filled the air. The crowd, which had been evacuating in a state of unease, inexplicably cald upon hearing the music. They all turned their heads in unison.
A group of n and won dressed in ancient-style robes were entering with calm and graceful poise. Behind them followed an orchestra, playing classical instrunts that filled the air with ancient, pentatonic lodies.
"What are they doing?"
"What's going on?"
The crowd, wearing odd expressions, stopped in their tracks. They speculated that perhaps the orchestra had gotten the date wrong, mistaking today for their scheduled performance. After all, this was a concert hall.
"Master, please stop choking her! She's really going to die!" Chen Yuyan pleaded desperately, but he couldn't pry Ning Yuexi's hand away.
Ning Yuexi had been consud by a maddening rage, determined to kill Wei Zichu. The music was what finally snapped her out of it. She frowned and released her grip.
"COUGH, COUGH, COUGH—"
Wei Zichu collapsed onto the floor, gasping wretchedly for breath. Just as she was about to start cursing Ning Yuexi, Ning Yuexi had already walked over to the orchestra. After a mont of observation, she blurted out, "Are you the senior brothers and sisters from the Music Mansion of the Heavenly Person Academy?"
The orchestra stopped playing. The leader smiled faintly. "So it's Junior Sister Ning from the dical Mansion. I am Zhu Changzai, the current world-walker for the Music Mansion."
He then gestured to the other n and won beside him, introducing them. "They are Che Huanyu from the Star Mansion, Qin RenSheng from the Law Mansion, Wei Mingyan from the Combat Mansion, and Luo Yuzhu from the Secret Mansion…"
With each introduction, the person would smile and bow politely. Even Ning Yuexi, who had nearly killed soone just monts before, composed herself and bowed solemnly in return, her deanor entirely cordial.
"This last person is truly extraordinary," Zhu Changzai's expression turned serious as he turned and bowed deeply. "He is the current Eldest Brother of the academy, Situ Peiyuan of the Scholar Mansion! We respectfully greet the Eldest Brother!"
Che Huanyu, Qin RenSheng, and the others all bowed as well.
Ning Yuexi was stunned. "Eldest Brother Situ has co out of seclusion?!"
The Heavenly Person Academy was vast, and the different mansions rarely interacted privately. It was perfectly normal for Ning Yuexi not to recognize Zhu Changzai and the others. However, the title of Eldest Brother was known to every single person within the academy. Of course, she knew who he was. She imdiately bowed as well.
As the orchestra parted to create a path, four burly attendants carried in a sedan chair, surrounded by a coterie of maids. So held umbrellas, while others fanned him. The pageantry was imnse.
Seated on the chair was a thin man. His face was wan and his body frail, looking as if a gust of wind could blow him over. He held an ancient book in one hand and a handkerchief in the other. He first coughed a few tis into the handkerchief, then laughed weakly and chided, "Junior Brother Zhu, you flatter again. What's so extraordinary about a good-for-nothing like who can't even walk properly?"
Zhu Changzai responded with fearful reverence, "That is because Eldest Brother's heart carries the weight of the world. You've exhausted yourself with worry, neglecting your own health. Please, Eldest Brother, you must take better care of yourself!"
"Heh…" Situ Peiyuan smiled, then turned to Ning Yuexi, his gaze exceptionally gentle. "Junior Sister Ning, it has been a long ti. Have you been well?"
Ning Yuexi replied earnestly, "Thank you for your concern, Eldest Brother. I have been very well."
This scene left the onlookers completely baffled, causing them to montarily forget about leaving.
"These people are so pretentious. Who the hell are they?"
"I just heard them ntion so academy. Is that a university?"
"No idea…"
Although most of them were wealthy and powerful, they were clearly out of their depth. There were, however, a few with more extensive knowledge. After a mont of thought, one whispered, "Could it be… the Heavenly Person Academy?"
"Hiss… you an the Heavenly Person Academy founded thousands of years ago by the legendary innate sage, the one who was said to be born with all knowledge?!"
"I've heard that na before!"
"Legend says the Heavenly Person Academy gathers the world's greatest geniuses, training them from a young age in the ancient arts."
"So much from ancient tis can no longer be verified, but there was one major event that was absolutely real, just a few decades ago! The Martial Arts Battle God Huo Qingtian, who once dominated the world, fought several mysterious experts at the summit of the Heavenly Mountains. The battle triggered a massive avalanche! After that, the world's already extrely rare War Gods all vanished without a trace!"
"And that War God, Huo Qingtian, was from the Heavenly Person Academy!"
"Wow, a War God! That's two whole levels higher than a Heavenly King! The fight we just saw with Heavenly King Long Tianji was like witnessing gods work magic. How terrifying must the destructive power of a War God be?"
"The Heavenly Person Academy has a War God in its history? Then not even Long Tianji would dare to act recklessly around them, right?"
"But that was almost a hundred years ago. Is War God Huo even still alive?"
"Well…"
"He's a War God. It wouldn't be strange for a 'god' to have a long life, right? Maybe he really is still alive!"
A heated discussion erupted, spreading like wildfire through the crowd and causing another uproar.
Yan Qinghe and his companions were also shocked. Ever since that great battle at the Heavenly Mountains' summit, all the world's War God-level experts had disappeared. Below them, the Martial Saints had also vanished with the passage of ti. The martial arts had gradually declined. In the current era, even Heavenly Kings like Long Tianji were exceedingly rare, which made Grandmasters like Guo Jufeng the peak of individual combat strength in the world.
At the sa ti, with the developnt of the modern era, the Heavenly Person Academy—which had always focused on preserving ancient knowledge—had beco extrely low-key, with its mbers rarely venturing out into the world. Why were so many of them appearing here today?
Yan Qinghe's eyes flickered, and he imdiately stepped forward to greet them. Xiao Xuanye and Guo Jufeng followed close behind.
The academy students, who had been so courteous and polite monts ago, soured at their approach. Situ Peiyuan didn't even deign to speak, simply closing his eyes to rest. To think, this was Elder Yan Qinghe, along with Director Xiao and Director Guo, yet they were shown no respect whatsoever.
Zhu Changzai spoke with disdain, "To grovel so pathetically before a re Long Tianji. Has the governnt truly fallen so low?"
Yan Qinghe was speechless.
Guo Jufeng and Xiao Xuanye exchanged a look. Though seething with anger, they chose to be cautious and held their tongues. For the Heavenly Person Academy to be this arrogant, not even putting Long Tianji in their sights, could it be that Huo Qingtian was truly still alive? Or perhaps the academy had other Heavenly Kings, or even Martial Saint-level masters?
Wei Mingyan from the Combat Mansion glanced at Xiao Xuanye and Guo Jufeng. Despite his youth and being only at the Innate Realm, he showed no regard for the two Grandmasters. He ordered them dismissively, "You have no business here. Disperse these irrelevant people at once. Don't interfere with our work."
Ning Yuexi asked curiously, "Senior Brothers, what work are you referring to?"
Che Huanyu replied, a pleasant look on his face that failed to conceal his arrogance, "My master, the Star Mansion Master Lin Xincheng, was recently observing the celestial phenona and divined that an evil creature is making trouble here. We have co, naturally, to vanquish this evil creature!"
"Senior Brother Che, is the evil creature you speak of Long Tianji?"
"That's right. He is the one we have co to capture."
"PFFT—"
A soft snort of laughter was heard. It was Wei Zichu. She had tried to stifle it by covering her mouth, but she couldn't hold it back.
"Hm?"
"Is this little girl laughing at us?" Che Huanyu and the others looked on in disbelief. Soone was actually laughing at students of the Heavenly Person Academy?
Ning Yuexi shot a cold glare at Wei Zichu and said, "She's the lecher Long Tianji's woman. Of course she'd side with him."
Wei Zichu pouted. "Aren't you also Uncle Long's wo—"
"Shut your mouth! If you speak another word of nonsense, I'll really kill you!" Ning Yuexi's composure shattered as she screeched in fury. She then turned back to Zhu Changzai and the others. "Senior Brothers, forgive my bluntness, but Long Tianji is now a Heavenly King. I fear he won't be easy to deal with…"
"Haha!" Wei Mingyan let out a hearty laugh. The other students also struggled to suppress their amusent.
Luo Yuzhu, another woman in the group, affectionately took Ning Yuexi's hand. "Junior Sister Ning, you've always specialized in dicine and don't have a deep understanding of martial arts. It's understandable that you wouldn't know about a Heavenly King's fatal flaw. You all shouldn't laugh at her."
"A Heavenly King's fatal flaw? What's that?"
"No way. A Heavenly King is so powerful he demolished this huge concert hall in a single move. If he went on a rampage, all of us here wouldn't last a few seconds."
"Earlier, Director Xiao and the other eight Grandmasters, plus a thousand elite soldiers with covering fire, were all defeated by Heavenly King Long Tianji…"
"How could a man like that have a flaw?"
"Even if the Heavenly Person Academy's foundation is profound, what can a few young students do?"
The crowd was full of doubt, finding it impossible to believe that this small group could handle Long Tianji.
Even Xiao Xuanye and Guo Jufeng, despite being Grandmasters, were ignorant of many things concerning the realms above their own. Upon hearing this, they were completely stunned. They, too, couldn't imagine what kind of flaw an invincible figure like Long Tianji could possibly have that a few young people could exploit to defeat him.
Ning Yuexi was also extrely curious and pressed for an answer.
Luo Yuzhu didn't seem to mind others hearing such a secret. She said with a beaming smile, "The fatal flaw of a Heavenly King is…"
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