The turn of events took everyone by surprise. The Yuan family had arrived with an air of superiority, summoning Shi Hao in an overbearing manner, yet now… they were being pummeled into the ground.
In such a short span of time, the reversal was so swift it left people dumbfounded, their jaws nearly hitting the floor.
“What do you think the Celestial Academy is? A place for you to shout and bellow? If we don’t teach you a proper lesson, would you dare to level this place, as if the Yuan family were some imperial overlord?” Shi Hao sneered.
*Bam!*
Shi Hao kicked out, sending Yuan Hong flying sideways with a scream. He crashed through a boulder weighing hundreds of thousands of pounds, collapsing in a heap, blood frothing from his mouth.
The change was too abrupt. Yuan Hong, who had been so haughty and proud moments ago, was now reduced to this state—utterly defenseless, his bones shattered.
“Hey, quit pretending to be dead. Didn’t you come here representing Yuan Qing? Is Yuan Qing really this pathetic?” Shi Hao strode forward and delivered two more kicks, sending Yuan Hong’s eyes rolling back as he nearly passed out.
“You reckless fool, daring to lay hands on me—you won’t live long!” Yuan Hong snarled, his fury boiling over. His status was lofty, hailing from the mighty Yuan Clan, yet here he was, being beaten like a stray dog.
For a powerhouse of his caliber, this humiliation was unbearable. He trembled with rage, on the verge of fainting.
“Still running your mouth? The Yuan Clan’s dirty deeds are piled sky-high, yet you have the gall to act all high and mighty here? I’ll beat you into a pig’s head!” Shi Hao retorted.
He stepped forward, grabbed Yuan Hong by the collar, and began slapping him relentlessly—*smack, smack, smack*—the crisp sounds echoing like bamboo clappers.
Blood trickled from Yuan Hong’s nose and mouth, his fury so intense it felt like smoke would burst from his head. Never in his life had he suffered such disgrace—being slapped around by a mere youth. It was intolerable.
He thrashed violently, his eyes blazing with hatred, wishing he could devour Shi Hao alive. This was a far cry from his usual immortal-like demeanor.
*Slap!*
Shi Hao showed no mercy, raining down another volley of slaps that left Yuan Hong dazed, his vision swimming with stars and his ears ringing.
“You little brat! How dare you humiliate me like this? Forget about ever entering the Sacred Academy or the Immortal Academy! You’ll never learn supreme techniques—your path ends here!” Yuan Hong roared, his hair practically standing on end as he issued his threats.
“Who do you think you are, making decisions for the two academies? Still running your mouth? Here’s another round of slaps for you!” Shi Hao declared, delivering another round of sharp, unrelenting blows.
“Brat, you’re just showing off here. Once you step into those academies, you’ll wish you were dead! Every powerhouse there will crush you until you beg for death!” Yuan Hong howled, his eyes bloodshot.
He was on the verge of insanity, lashing out wildly, no longer caring about his own strength—his only thought was to kill Shi Hao, his rationality completely gone.
Shi Hao wasted no more words on him and simply continued the beating. This time, Yuan Hong’s face was utterly deformed, his teeth flying out one after another until none remained.
A figure of his stature, a sect master-level powerhouse, suffering such disgrace—it was worse than death. His eyes were blood-red, his hair bristling, his entire body taut with fury.
Yet, Shi Hao was now also at the sect master level, further bolstered by three strands of immortal energy. Suppressing Yuan Hong was effortless as he pinned him down and pummeled him mercilessly.
Everyone watched in stunned silence. What were these two doing? One was a key figure of the Yuan Clan, a sect master-level powerhouse, while the other had cultivated three strands of immortal energy, standing as the strongest of his generation. Both held astonishing statuses, yet here they were, brawling like common street thugs.
Of course, it was clear the young man was doing this deliberately—to humiliate Yuan Hong, dragging him around by the collar while beating him.
It was almost comical. Two figures of such lofty status entangled like this, slapping and punching with abandon—it was dizzying to watch.
Before long, Yuan Hong’s face was swollen beyond recognition, his eyes nearly sealed shut by the bloated flesh.
As a sect master, his body should have been tempered like indestructible steel, yet here he was, injured in a manner eerily similar to a street brawl.
“Disgrace! This is utter disgrace!” Yuan Hong spat, his toothless mouth making his words slur.
“Are you really Yuan Qing’s son? Your performance is pathetic—no strength at all. What an embarrassment to your old man!” Shi Hao shook his head, critiquing him disdainfully.
He finally released Yuan Hong, dropping him to the ground and looking down at him with contempt.
The crowd was momentarily stunned. They had almost forgotten Yuan Hong’s identity—he was the son of Yuan Qing, a supreme being, a direct descendant of his bloodline. And yet, he had been beaten like this.
“I told you, your Yuan family is nothing. Too full of yourselves, pretending to be a supreme clan when you’re just half-step supremes. Now the truth’s out—you can’t even take a beating!” Shi Hao mocked.
Yuan Hong was now wheezing, barely able to muster any anger. He lay on the ground, his face swollen and livid, gasping for breath like a beaten stray dog.
“Anything else to say? What exactly did you come here for?” Shi Hao asked, sitting atop a large bluestone.
The crowd was speechless. This guy was truly ruthless. Earlier, when Yuan Hong had come with his accusations, full of bluster, Shi Hao had ignored him. Now, after beating him to a pulp, he was finally asking questions.
Yuan Hong gnashed his gums in fury. Now lying prone, barely able to move, his bones shattered—how could he even issue any demands?
Shi Hao’s eyes gleamed as a sword aura flickered at his fingertips. He was sorely tempted to finish the job.
“Throw him out of the Celestial Academy,” Elder Five suddenly spoke up.
Shi Hao hesitated briefly but ultimately withheld the killing blow. Clearly, the academy elders didn’t want bloodshed—they had already shown him considerable leniency.
No one had expected things to escalate like this. In the end, Shi Hao dragged Yuan Hong out, an undignified spectacle, and tossed him beyond the academy gates.
It took Yuan Hong an unknown amount of time to regain some strength and heal his wounds. Gnashing his teeth, consumed by fury and helplessness, he could only seethe in frustration.
“Right, the Sacred Academy’s envoy will be arriving soon. I must meet with them!” He stood up, casting a hateful glance at the Celestial Academy before turning to leave.
Inside the academy, news spread like wildfire, sparking heated discussions and uproar.
Yuan Qing’s third son had come to the Celestial Academy, only to be beaten like a stray dog and thrown out—what an outrageous incident!
Especially at such a critical moment, when envoys from the two academies were about to arrive to select talents. Shi Hao had openly humiliated Yuan Qing’s descendant—was this a challenge? Did he not fear Yuan Qing pulling strings within the two academies to make life difficult for him?
“He had no choice. His feud with Yuan Qing is irreconcilable. Rather than groveling, it’s better to strike hard—perhaps even catching the attention of some old monsters in the two academies, undermining Yuan Qing’s schemes.”
Some speculated, shocked by Shi Hao’s audacity.
Soon, practitioners of the present-world law and the ancient law emerged from seclusion, making preparations to depart for their respective ancient lands to cultivate.
Particularly the ancient-law practitioners, who needed to seek their own immortal seeds—a crucial step that would determine their future achievements.
The Celestial Academy was a place of breathtaking beauty, filled with spiritual lands. At that moment, Shi Hao and a group of old friends gathered by a sapphire-like lake under the moonlight, drinking and chatting.
In the lake, flood dragons surfaced and submerged, spitting out divine pearls under the moon’s glow. The radiant light, like lanterns, cast a dreamy haze over the shore.
Divine fish shimmered in the water, their scales glinting with myriad colors.
“Soon, we’ll be heading to the World Tomb. I’ve heard it’s a bizarre place—filled with remnants of collapsed minor worlds and shattered universes, all drawn into the tomb. Though descriptions make it sound eerie, it’s hard to imagine what it’s truly like,” Shi Hao mused.
“I’ve heard of the World Tomb too,” the young White Qilin chimed in. Even before the Immortal Ancient era, the tomb had existed—a place shrouded in mystery.
It was precisely this unknown that fueled the desire to explore.
The place was perilous. The outskirts were manageable, but the deepest reaches had witnessed countless horrors. In ancient times, peerless experts had ventured in, never to return.
Moreover, people had discovered immortal remains in the deeper regions—countless supreme beings had perished there.
“If it’s so dangerous, why even go?” someone grumbled.
“Because there are treasures there! Rumor has it that some have discovered perfect universe seeds—the most powerful immortal seeds. And legend says the World Tree was brought out from there,” the little Qilin explained.
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