Four Academies Competition

Ignoring the shock of the crowd, the Vice Dean surveyed the room and announced in a loud voice, his tone carrying an unquestionable resolve.

"A mere Origin Ancient Realm, though a sacred place, is ultimately just an inanimate object!"

"Its purpose is to give birth to a powerful being who can lead our Human Race to a more glorious future! Now, it has used everything it has to fulfill Chen Fan; this is its best ending! One Chen Fan is far more valuable than ten Origin Ancient Realms!"

His words were powerful and decisive, definitively defining the nature of the matter.

Upon hearing this, especially after the White Emperor's name was mentioned, the expressions of the other nine Chief Instructors completely changed.

Old Freak Wang of Ancient Martial Arts School, let out a long sigh. His rugged face was filled with complex emotions. He looked at Lin Xuanqing and, for the first time, spoke with a wry smile, almost in a tone of resignation.

"Old Lin, I accept my Betting Agreement with complete honesty. Your apprentice..."

The other mentors echoed their sentiments, their words no longer simply expressing envy and jealousy, but rather carrying a shared expectation and respect for the future of Human Race.

Lin Xuanqing suppressed the volcanic elation surging within him, trying his best to maintain a calm expression, but his slightly trembling, tightly clenched hands betrayed him.

He simply waved his hand modestly, enjoying this supreme glory that had come hundreds of years late, and couldn't utter a single word.

At this moment, the Vice Dean changed the subject, his expression becoming more serious than ever before.

Chen Fan.

"You have now established a solid foundation, but the road ahead still requires further trials. There was something I hadn't originally planned for you to participate in so early, but now it seems you are the only candidate."

The Vice Dean paused, then uttered a word that sent a chill down the spines of everyone present.

"The Four Academies Competition!"

He didn't keep Chen Fan in suspense and directly introduced this grand event, the highest-level event concerning the allocation of Human Race's top resources and the direction of its development over the next century.

"Heavenly Sword, Nine Provinces, Canghai, and Star River—the four top Martial Dao academies of our Human Race —each send out their strongest Prodigies every thirty years for a duel that will determine the Fortune of the next century."

The Vice Dean looked at Chen Fan with an extremely solemn expression.

"And you, as one of the representatives of our Star River Martial Academy, will compete with them, as well as the most outstanding peers of the Human Race, for the ranking among the four academies!"

The Vice Dean's voice was calm and unhurried, yet it firmly held the attention of everyone present.

The Four Academies Competition is divided into two levels.

He raised his hand, and a law-based Light Screen appeared in the Void, with four pillars of light of different colors standing on it, representing the four great academies of Heavenly Sword, Nine Provinces, Canghai, and Star River.

"Firstly, Freshmen Competition. Freshmen from each college within the past three years will form teams to compete and determine the ranking of the new generation."

"Secondly, the Academy Grand Competition. The strongest Star River Level Students from each academy will lead the competition, and the academy of the winner will gain priority in the allocation of top-tier Human Race resources for the next century."

The Vice Dean put away the Light Screen and calmly looked at Chen Fan.

"Chen Fan, you've been enrolled for over a year, and according to regulations, you belong to the freshman category. Therefore..."

He paused.

"You will lead the new students of the Star River Martial Academy in the Freshmen Competition as their representative team leader."

These words elicited no reaction. They seemed reasonable, and everyone nodded slightly.

However, the Vice Dean's next words made everyone's expressions quite interesting.

"At the same time, you will also represent Star River Martial Academy in the Academy Grand Competition."

The entire room fell silent for three seconds.

The Chief Instructor of the New Martial Arts School coughed lightly and spoke in an extremely subtle tone.

"Send a Seventh Grade Immortal Realm cultivator... to participate in the Freshmen Competition?"

He didn't finish the second half of his sentence.

But everyone understood.

The main force of the Freshmen Competition, from the Golden Body Realm to the Undying Realm.

Chen Fan, Seventh Grade Immortal Realm.

He's still that Seventh Grade Immortal Realm who treats the Origin Ancient Realm like a meal.

The Chief Instructor the New Martial Arts School couldn't help but whisper.

"If the freshmen from the other three colleges had known about this beforehand... they probably would have withdrawn from the competition on the spot."

Old Freak Wang, unusually, didn't argue with Lin Xuanqing. He simply shook his head, his tone carrying a sense of melancholy from someone who had been through it all.

"This isn't a competition, it's a harvest."

Lin Xuanqing remained calm and composed, his hands clasped behind his back, displaying the demeanor of Grandmaster.

But anyone who knows him can see that the old man's smile is something he can't suppress.

Chen Fan didn't seem to care much about the reactions of the others.

He bowed slightly, his tone casual yet earnest.

"The student obeys."

He paused before finishing his sentence, as if he had thought of something, and added a sentence.

"However... if the Freshmen Competition is a team competition, it can't rely on just one student. What if the Junior Fellow Apprentice's strengths are too uneven, and the opposing team focuses their attacks on them?"

He scratched his head, a rare look of distress on his face.

"Could we ask some students to give them some pointers before the competition? At least we shouldn't let the Star River Martial Academy's name look too bad."

These words were spoken frankly, without arrogance or feigned humility.

He seems more like a team leader who genuinely cares about his teammates.

The Chief Instructor exchanged glances, a hint of approval flashing in their eyes simultaneously.

There are plenty of people with extraordinary talent, but few who are also exceptionally talented and willing to help their peers.

The Vice Dean nodded in agreement, then his expression turned serious.

"The grand competition will begin in three months. These three months..."

He looked at Chen Fan with a deep gaze.

There's no need to rush to reach higher levels.

"You forged the Dao Mark with the power of the Origin Ancient Realm, an unprecedented feat. But the more extraordinary it is, the more time it needs to be fully integrated into your very being. The newly formed Dao Mark is like a newly forged sword, requiring time to be tempered and refined with its master."

"Avoid being impatient."

Chen Fan nodded seriously.

He could also feel the Dao Mark within his Dantian that contained the birth and death of the world. At this moment, it was like a Stars that had just been placed into his body, but there was still a faint barrier between it and his flesh and meridians.

Three months, just right.

The Vice Dean waved, signaling everyone to disperse.

The mentors stood up, and before leaving, several of them walked up to Chen Fan without prior arrangement.

Old Freak Wang slapped him on the shoulder, the force neither too light nor too heavy.

"Kid, show your mettle at the Four Academies Competition. It's one thing for the Ancient Martial Arts Schools to lose face, but the Human Race cannot afford to lose face."

The Chief Instructor the New Martial Arts School then handed over a jade slip.

"These are some of my insights into swordsmanship. If you have time, feel free to take a look. I don't expect you to learn swordsmanship, I only hope you can gain a broader understanding."

Chen Fan bowed and accepted them one by one, his attitude neither humble nor arrogant.

After everyone had left, only the master and apprentice remained on the Training Ground.

Lin Xuanqing, with his hands behind his back, slowly strolled to Chen Fan's side.

There was a moment of silence.

"Three months," the old man said, his voice much softer than usual, lacking its usual madness and arrogance, and instead carrying a rare solemnity.

"Take your time to settle down."

He glanced at Chen Fan, his cloudy old eyes reflecting starlight.

"The stage for the Four Academies Competition... let them see what the Way of Life truly means."