"Senior, you said you were going to invite me too!"
Xiao Lingtian grew anxious as well.
Joining Saintly Wasteland Academy was extremely important to him, a crucial move on his path as a hidden dragon emerging from the abyss. He truly did not want to lose this precious opportunity.
"Little Brother Lingtian, although your talent is astonishing as well, it still falls somewhat short compared to a Born King Physique. Now that a King Physique has emerged, Saintly Wasteland Academy intends to gather our resources and nurture it with all our strength. Therefore, this year, Saintly Wasteland Academy will accept only Young Friend Xiao Chen."
Zhang Qitian replied blandly.
"Damn, Xiao Lingtian got pushed out of his spot by Xiao Chen just like that? That's way too tragic!"
"If you ask me, Xiao Lingtian deserves it. Xiao Chen destroyed his talent to save him, yet not only was he ungrateful, he even kicked him when he was down. This retribution is only natural!"
"Exactly! The Zhenbei King was wise all his life, yet he muddled through this matter. He abandoned a King Physique for Heaven Tier talent. Now he must regret it until his intestines have turned green!"
Below the stage, the crowd buzzed with discussion. Xiao Chen and Xiao Lingtian's reputations had abruptly reversed.
"Senior, y-you're playing me for a fool?"
Xiao Lingtian felt as though he had been struck by lightning. In his frustration, he blurted it out.
"Hm? What did you say?"
Zhang Qitian frowned slightly and looked coldly at Xiao Lingtian. A terrifying pressure immediately descended upon Xiao Lingtian's head.
Pfft!
The next second.
Xiao Lingtian suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Lingtian, do not be disrespectful!"
Xiao Zhentian hurriedly flashed in front of Xiao Lingtian to shield him. He struck out with his palm and dissolved that pressure, only then did Xiao Lingtian's complexion improve somewhat.
Xiao Zhentian's expression changed slightly, and the hand hidden within his sleeve trembled faintly. He had not expected some random person from Saintly Wasteland Academy to be this terrifying!
This Zhang Qitian was definitely a Martial King-level expert like himself, and his strength was even greater than Xiao Zhentian's.
Seeing Xiao Zhentian step forward, Zhang Qitian did not say anything further. He turned toward Xiao Chen and revealed a warm smile. "Young Friend Xiao Chen, please come forward."
After thinking for a moment, Xiao Chen walked over to Zhang Qitian.
Originally, he had planned to enter Sword Immortal Academy and obtain the Heaven-Defying Demon Slayer Art. Yet he had not expected Sword Immortal Academy to be such trash—it had nothing at all!
That made him somewhat hesitant.
Should he enter Sword Immortal Academy and become a sword cultivator, or go to Saintly Wasteland Academy and obtain the Indestructible Divine Skill?
If he went to Sword Immortal Academy, there would be a certain degree of risk. But with the system in hand, the risk was not actually that great!
Joining Saintly Wasteland Academy, on the other hand, would be very safe. It was just that he would have to become a King Eight Realm for others to beat senseless, and he found that a little hard to accept!
No matter what, he intended to let that Martial Spirit Mirror examine him first!
He wanted to see what his future looked like!
After glancing at Xiao Chen, Zhang Qitian raised the ancient mirror in his hand and shone it upon him.
Several breaths later, the Martial Spirit Mirror, which had been no different from an ordinary mirror, suddenly burst with golden light. Before long, that golden radiance slowly gathered in the air, forming several large golden words: "Peerless talent, unparalleled throughout the ages..."
Upon seeing those two evaluations.
The people below did not react much. In their eyes, a Born King Physique naturally deserved such praise.
But Zhang Qitian was stunned.
Peerless talent?
Unparalleled throughout the ages?
How could a King Physique make the Martial Spirit Mirror give such an exalted evaluation?
The Martial Spirit Mirror was an ancient divine artifact that had existed through endless years. It had witnessed the rise of countless invincible heavenly prodigies, and its standards were exceedingly high.
When King Physiques had appeared in the past, the Martial Spirit Mirror would at most say that their aptitude was acceptable!
Yet now, it had given Xiao Chen such a terrifying evaluation. What exactly was going on?
When the heads of the various academies saw the Martial Spirit Mirror's evaluation, they were all dumbfounded!
Others might not understand the Martial Spirit Mirror, but they knew something about it.
Over the past thousand years, among countless heavenly prodigies, the highest evaluation the Martial Spirit Mirror had ever given was merely astonishing aptitude!
What did peerless talent, unparalleled throughout the ages even mean?
Could it be that Xiao Chen was not merely a King Physique?
At that moment, they looked at Xiao Chen with such envy that their eyes had turned red!
Such an immortal seedling could only be seen, not eaten. It was more unbearable than killing them!
"Young Friend Xiao Chen, your talent shakes the ancient and illuminates the present. It is rarely seen in a thousand years. You are absolutely qualified to join Saintly Wasteland Academy. I now—"
Before he could finish, his brows furrowed as though he had discovered something unusual. He raised his head and glanced into the void.
Several more lines of evaluation suddenly appeared in the air: "However, this child's talent is too heaven-defying and will surely incur the jealousy of the Heavenly Dao. Disasters shall entangle him throughout his life, and he is highly likely to face the danger of perishing! But..."
Before the evaluation could be completed, a terrifying force suddenly appeared and enveloped the Martial Spirit Mirror. The golden words in the void instantly turned to smoke and dust, scattering into nothingness!
At this sight, everyone present was stunned!
A Heaven-Jealous One, plagued by disasters throughout his life and facing the danger of perishing?
Did that not mean Xiao Chen would not live much longer?
Xiao Chen himself was dumbfounded too!
A Heaven-Jealous One? Danger of perishing?
What the hell was this?
Shouldn't someone with a system be Heaven's chosen son, blessed by fortune?
How had he become someone fated to die young?
Host need not worry. The Martial Spirit Mirror's verdict has a second half: But with the system's assistance, this child shall ultimately become invincible beneath the heavens. I was the one who obscured the heavenly secrets.
Xiao Chen immediately came to a realization!
So there was a second half!
That had scared the life out of him!
But no one besides Xiao Chen knew the truth. They all believed Xiao Chen was about to become useless again, and quite a few people looked at him with contempt and disdain.
Of course, many others had eyes filled with regret.
"Senior Qitian, what does the Martial Spirit Mirror mean by this? Xiao Chen's talent is clearly unprecedentedly powerful, so why would he become a Heaven-Jealous One and face the danger of perishing?"
Li Manxiong asked unwillingly.
Xiao Zhentian, Wen Wanrong, and Ye Qingxuan all looked toward Zhang Qitian with anxious expressions.
Xiao Chen had finally recovered his dantian and could contend for glory on their behalf. If he were to perish for no reason like this, it would be far too regrettable!
Yet Xiao Lingtian was glowing with satisfaction, watching Xiao Chen with a face full of gloating delight.
Under everyone's gazes, Zhang Qitian looked at Xiao Chen with regret and slowly spoke. "Some martial artists with exceptional talent possess potential so terrifying that they may threaten the Heavenly Dao's position. Thus, they incur the Heavenly Dao's jealousy, which sends down endless calamities to kill them in the cradle!"
"However, there is one thing this old man cannot understand. To reach such a level, one's talent must be unimaginably terrifying. Young Friend Xiao Chen is merely a King Physique, so how could he possibly become a Heaven-Jealous One?"
Xiao Zhentian's face darkened. Gritting his teeth, he asked, "Senior Qitian, is there any way to resolve this?"
Zhang Qitian shook his head. "Heaven and man are different. Before the Heavenly Dao, all things are but ants. From ancient times until now, not a single Heaven-Jealous One has lived past twenty! Young Friend Xiao Chen likely has... at most two years left to live!"
"My poor child, why is your fate so bitter?"
Beside them, Wen Wanrong's eyes brimmed with tears.
"Mother, don't be sad. You still have me!"
Xiao Lingtian comforted her softly.
Looking at her younger son, Wen Wanrong found a sliver of solace in her heart.
Luckily, she still had one son. Otherwise, she truly did not know what she would do!
Not far away, Ye Qingxuan revealed a look of relief. When she looked at Xiao Chen again, her gaze was once more filled with contempt and disdain!
So he was a short-lived ghost!
It seemed that breaking off the engagement had been an even more correct decision than she had thought!
"Tut, tut, tut. A Heaven-Jealous One who cannot live past twenty? Xiao Chen is way too useless! What peerless heavenly prodigy? I think he has an innately useless body!"
"That really is absurd. First his dantian shattered, then the Martial Spirit Mirror declared him a Heaven-Jealous One! Xiao Chen is practically a calamity star reincarnated!"
"Sigh, I thought Barren North Province was going to produce some extraordinary great figure. Who would have thought he was just a short-lived unlucky wretch?"
The crowd's gazes were exceptionally complicated. Pity, mockery, gloating—every different face fully displayed the myriad forms of life in this world.
Human nature was inherently evil. When you fell into hardship, most people chose to kick you while you were down.
Xiao Chen simply went along with it, putting on an utterly despondent expression. He lowered his head, his body trembling faintly at just the right moment!
Yet no one noticed the amused smile curling at the corner of his lips the instant he lowered his head!
A Heaven-Jealous One?
With the system, was he supposed to fear that damned Heavenly Dao?
"I fear Saintly Wasteland Academy is not fated to have Young Friend Xiao Chen. Is anyone willing to accept him into their academy?"
Zhang Qitian spoke with great pragmatism.
Nurturing a heavenly prodigy required endless manpower and resources. Though Saintly Wasteland Academy possessed vast wealth and strength, it could not possibly waste resources on a dying man.
Before you continue