Yuechan's News, First-Move Advantage

Of the four semifinal spots, the Hundred Cauldrons Pavilion Branch, Dazhen Immortal Dynasty, Myriad Manifestations Palace, and Tianshui Ji Clan each claimed one.

The dignified Beast Taming Sect Holy Son had ultimately failed even to reach the semifinals. If people had not seen it with their own eyes, they would have spat in disbelief upon hearing it.

At the Heavenly Prodigies Exchange Meeting originally hosted by the Boundless Sword Sect, nearly twenty Nascent Soul factions had participated, with over two hundred genius cultivators competing. Long An had charged powerfully into the top ten during that exchange meeting, making his name known far and wide.

Although that battle had not gathered every genius cultivator from the major factions, several genius sword cultivators from the Boundless Sword Sect had personally taken the field. Yet despite placing in the top ten under such circumstances, he had been unable to enter the top four on the stage of the Five Academies Grand Competition.

The format accounted for part of the reason, but the greatest reason lay within Long An himself. He had relied too heavily on the power of the precious blood within him and could ultimately become only a "slave" to that blood.

The Beast Taming Sect had stood for tens of thousands of years. Thanks to the four great bloodlines of "dragon, tiger, bear, and horse," it had always produced exceptional geniuses, while its beast-taming path reigned supreme throughout the Southern Continent. Even Spirit Transformation sects often sent disciples there to learn from them.

Yet while the power of precious blood was formidable, its side effects were equally severe.

Dragon Clan cultivators were arrogant and disdainful of all others. When facing the Inner Demon Tribulation, they often fell into demonic obstacles because of it.

Tiger Clan cultivators were irascible and prone to