Shi Hao had always known that beneath the Celestial Academy lay an unopened immortal abode. He had even witnessed the Grand Elder fishing with sacred herbs as bait, attempting to lure out a creature from that subterranean immortal dwelling—yet years passed without success.
This abode was shrouded in mystery. Even the Grand Elder, whose cultivation reached the pinnacle of the academy, could not break its seals, a testament to its impregnable nature.
There was no need to speculate—within lay astonishing immortal treasures. Otherwise, it would not have remained sealed for so long. Across countless ages, the ancient formations remained intact, barring all who sought entry.
“Ah, it’s truly frustrating,” sighed one of the academy’s younger disciples. “This is clearly an immortal legacy of our Celestial Academy, yet it’s destined to be plundered by the geniuses of the other two academies. In the end, we’ll likely gain nothing.”
“Who can blame them? Who can stand against those peerless prodigies, hailed as supreme? A single one of them could sweep through all the disciples of our academy today—there’s simply no contest.”
The murmurs among the Celestial Academy’s youths were filled with despondency. In their own clans, they had been the brightest stars, which was why they had been sent here.
Yet, after the selection by the two other academies, they were the discarded ones—unwanted by the Immortal Academy or the Sacred Academy. In a sense, they were the defeated.
Now, the immortal abode beneath their academy was to be explored jointly by all three institutions, yet they were relegated to the sidelines, ineligible to compete—unable to even approach.
For it was tacitly understood that the first to enter would be the young supremes of the other two academies. By the time Celestial Academy’s disciples descended, nothing would remain.
“Ah, isn’t this Brother of the Savage Ox Clan? And the junior from the Golden Colossus Clan? Seeing you wallow in self-pity is truly pitiable.”
A voice, light with amusement, came from nearby. A young man approached, flashing a brilliant smile—his teeth gleaming white. Yet his presence only deepened the discomfort of those gathered.
“From the Immortal Academy?” asked the Savage Ox youth, towering and solidly built, his thick purple hair crowned by two massive horns that jutted toward the sky.
Though humanoid, his racial traits were unmistakable—his eyes were unusually large, and his voice boomed like muffled thunder.
The Immortal Academy disciple chuckled. “Actually, entering the immortal abode isn’t impossible for you. You could follow us inside.”
“What do you mean?” questioned another Celestial Academy disciple, his golden skin and towering frame marking him as a genius of the Golden Colossus Clan.
“Rumors speak of the Savage Ox and Golden Colossus Clans possessing Herculean strength, capable of bearing mountains and rivers with ease. You could assist us in transporting heavy relics from the abode,” the young man said, still smiling.
The Savage Ox youth’s horns flared with rage. He nearly struck the man—such insolence!
Were they being treated as mere beasts of burden? There was no mention of them being competitors—only tools to haul heavy artifacts. The sheer disrespect!
“Brother, don’t overthink it. Being among the first to enter the immortal abode is an opportunity. After all, you’d be assisting the young supremes in retrieving treasures,” the young man continued, his tone disarmingly calm.
The Savage Ox youth snorted white steam from his nostrils. The Golden Colossus disciple restrained him and retorted, “You have spatial artifacts. What could you possibly need us for? Unless you intend to use us as cannon fodder?”
“Don’t be paranoid. Under the watchful eyes of the Celestial Academy’s elders, who would dare? Some relics cannot be stored—they must be carried.”
“This is too much!” the Savage Ox youth growled.
“Suit yourselves. But remember, with the great upheaval approaching and the three academies merging, it might be wise to foster goodwill with the Immortal Academy.” With that, the young man departed.
The Celestial Academy disciples seethed with frustration, yet the reality was undeniable—their academy lacked any renowned geniuses to rival the other two.
Their strongest had long been absorbed by the Immortal and Sacred Academies. What remained was mediocrity, unworthy of the other academies’ notice.
This small incident in a quiet corner spoke volumes of the current state of affairs.
As Shi Hao passed by, he remained silent, indifferent to such petty conflicts. His concerns lay elsewhere—the true adversaries, the coming cataclysm, and the scale of the impending war.
“Who do you think stands as the strongest now? Who could have imagined so many prodigies emerging in this era? Silent at first, yet in the past two years, one after another has fused with perfect ancient seeds—a phenomenon that has shaken history!”
Someone marveled at the recent surge of geniuses, their hearts stirred by the spectacle.
Over the past two to three years, the Immortal Academy’s prodigies had successively fused with Dao Seeds—legendary relics from the Immortal Ancient Era, astounding the world.
Who could have foreseen that flawless seeds from the previous epoch would resurface now, perfectly inherited?
This spoke volumes of the Immortal Academy’s immense efforts—such treasures were not easily obtained.
Once, many had lamented that this era paled in comparison to the Immortal Ancient, destined for a bloody, bleak end. But with these prodigies emerging, hope had been rekindled—even the ancient monsters watched with anticipation.
“I believe the Purple Sun Heavenly Monarch may reign supreme—or perhaps the Little Heavenly King,” one voice suggested.
Another countered, “You speak only of the Immortal Academy. I disagree—Qi Gu Daoist may prove invincible, constantly shattering limits and evolving beyond imagination. In the current era’s techniques, he stands peerless.”
“Qi Gu Daoist—that stern-faced young priest in gray robes? He’s formidable, unnaturally so, but I doubt he’s the strongest. The Sacred Academy alone has figures who rival, if not surpass, him.”
“Are you referring to that one? The one who matched the Little Heavenly King in reputation years ago, then vanished into seclusion—the Little Sage?”
“Exactly. A decade ago, he was already hailed as the Little Sage. Imagine his strength now.”
“Ah, I’ve heard of him—low-profile in recent years. But is he truly stronger than Qi Gu Daoist now? Qi Gu has broken multiple grand realm limits, undergoing nirvana like a phoenix, emerging mightier each time!”
The debate continued, naming several prodigies unfamiliar to Shi Hao. He sighed inwardly—how much had changed.
He had been gone for nearly three years—no short span in this rapidly shifting world.
“Ah, you may have overlooked another terrifying figure from the Sacred Academy—a peerless genius who may dominate all.”
“Who?”
“You know Wang Xi, the heavenly pride of the Eternal Life Family? Her betrothed, Jin Zhan, is in the Sacred Academy. Some may have heard of him.”
Some frowned in confusion, while others gasped.
“Jin Zhan? He’s still alive? Are you certain?!”
“Without a doubt. Otherwise, why would Wang Xi’s clan speak of marriage? He lives.”
“I thought it might be the Little Sage! So her betrothed is Jin Zhan? If he still lives, who would dare provoke the Wang Family or Wang Xi?”
The revelation sent shivers through the crowd—a man thought dead still walked the earth.
Jin Zhan was a legend in the Sacred Academy, his origins unknown, his form humanoid, his strength unimaginable—a true heavenly pride.
Within half a year, he had shattered the limits of two grand realms, ascending to unprecedented heights.
Later, it was said he sought to break two more limits in another half-year—attempting to merge ten heavenly passages into one and engrave an innate slaughter formation within his body. But something went wrong.
A Dao flame consumed him, and he was declared dead.
His tale was one of terrifying ambition—a genius undone by his own relentless pursuit of perfection.
Now, hearing he still lived, the crowd shuddered. The question of who stood as the strongest was no longer clear.
Shi Hao was intrigued—such secrets existed. Listening to the discussions, he realized the two academies truly housed extraordinary talents, some hidden from the world.
“Speaking of Jin Zhan and Wang Xi, another name comes to mind.”
“Who?”
“Huang!”
The name gave them pause. It had been long since anyone mentioned it—nearly three years. In this era of rising stars, even the strong were easily forgotten.
Yet Huang was different. The moment his name was uttered, memories of his exploits resurfaced, leaving them momentarily speechless.
“What a pity. He was a true genius, but time has passed him by,” someone lamented.
“Had Huang joined the Immortal Academy and fused with a perfect seed, where would he stand now? What heights would he have reached?”
“I imagine… he would have been formidable, standing among the young supremes. A shame.”
Shi Hao’s past dominance and feats were unforgettable. Even after three years, his name evoked complex emotions.
“Ha, had he truly entered the Immortal Academy and fused a perfect seed, he might now face grave trouble—likely crushed by Jin Zhan!” someone jested.
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