Nine Consecutive Last-Place Finishes

Xiao Lingtian looked at Xiao Zhentian, a trace of dissatisfaction even surfacing in his eyes.

In his view, although Chou Wantian was strong, there was no way he could be a match for Xiao Zhentian, the Zhenbei King.

"Lingtian, I have always told you that one should be modest and humble. You were rude just now."

Xiao Zhentian's expression was somewhat unsightly.

Why hadn't he kept Chou Wantian behind?

He wanted to, but he had to be able to beat him first!

"Wow, the Zhenbei King is far too broad-minded. He actually didn't hold it against Sword Immortal Academy? Strange—given how domineering and protective of his own the Zhenbei King is, that shouldn't be the case!"

"Hehe, do you think he didn't want to? Look at his right hand hidden in his sleeve—it's bleeding!"

"Holy shit, it really does seem so! Does that mean the Zhenbei King actually couldn't defeat that old man from Sword Immortal Academy? Is the other side really that terrifying?"

At first, many people had not noticed the bloodstains on Xiao Zhentian's hand. Now that they saw them, their faces were filled with shock.

Sword Immortal Academy was actually this formidable?

Yet Xiao Lingtian did not notice anything unusual about Xiao Zhentian's expression and continued arguing. "But that old man deserves to die. Sword Immortal Academy is nothing more than a mere—"

"Shut up! Do not spout nonsense!"

Xiao Zhentian's expression changed drastically upon hearing this, and he sharply rebuked him.

If Chou Wantian heard those words and truly decided to strike down Xiao Lingtian, Xiao Zhentian might not be able to stop him!

"Father, your... your hand!"

Xiao Lingtian gritted his teeth and was about to retort, but from the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Xiao Zhentian's bleeding right hand. A flash of shock passed through his eyes!

His father, whom he had always believed invincible, was actually injured?

He had originally thought Sword Immortal Academy was nothing but a complete trash academy. Xiao Chen going there was no different from sitting around and waiting for death!

But he had never expected Chou Wantian to possess such terrifying combat power. Didn't that mean that Xiao Chen, that piece of trash, had gained an incomparably powerful backer?

At that moment, his heart was filled with extreme imbalance. Why did that trash deserve such good luck?!

At this moment, several academy heads carefully examined the injury on Xiao Zhentian's hand, and looks of horror appeared on their faces as well.

"I never expected his combat power to have reached such a terrifying level!"

"Heh, what is there to be surprised about? Have you forgotten that he is a sword cultivator, and back then, he was so stunningly gifted? If he truly made a move, which one of us could withstand even a single exchange? It is only because the injuries he suffered in that battle years ago were too severe that he can no longer act lightly!"

"Alas, what a pity. Xiao Chen and Sword Immortal Academy should both have been existences that shook the world, yet now they can only fall into the dust."

Ding! Congratulations, Host. Your choice has been confirmed. You have received the system reward: one volume of the Heaven-Defying Demon Slayer Art.

The moment he left Barren North Plaza, the system's voice rang out.

A golden virtual panel appeared before Xiao Chen. In its inventory, there was now an ancient parchment scroll.

The scroll looked steeped in age, radiating an archaic aura. Faintly, an incomparably sharp and terrifying sword intent seeped from it.

After glancing at the scroll, delight appeared on Xiao Chen's face.

This scroll looked extraordinary. It was definitely a peerless cultivation art.

But in the next moment, Xiao Chen recalled what everyone had said earlier and asked with some concern, "System, without a Sword Spirit Stone, can I cultivate this art?"

From what those people had said, the Sword Spirit Stone seemed to be some kind of activation method. Without a Sword Spirit Stone, sword cultivators could not enter the Sword Dao.

If that were truly the case, then no matter how powerful the Heaven-Defying Demon Slayer Art was, in his hands, it would be nothing more than meaningless trash.

Host, please rest assured. The cultivation arts rewarded by the system can all be cultivated directly by the Host. No other medium is required.

Hearing this, the stone hanging over Xiao Chen's heart finally fell. After thinking for a moment, he asked again, "System, what grade is the Heaven-Defying Demon Slayer Art?"

Cultivation arts in this world, like talent, were divided into Yellow, Profound, Earth, and Heaven.

Yellow Rank was the lowest, while Heaven Tier was the highest.

The lower the grade of the cultivation art a martial artist cultivated, the lower the limit they could reach.

Take a Yellow Rank cultivation art as an example. If a martial artist cultivated a Yellow Rank art, not only would their cultivation speed be very slow, but even with extremely high talent, they could at most cultivate to the Profound Realm and would be unable to break through into higher realms.

Moreover, among those at the same realm, their combat power would be far inferior to martial artists cultivating higher-grade arts.

But if a martial artist cultivated a Heaven Tier art, then even if their aptitude was not high, they could rely on the art to attain a certain cultivation speed and cultivation limit. Among those at the same realm, they would also possess relatively outstanding combat power.

Cultivation arts above the Heaven Tier were even more terrifying. However, such arts were extremely rare and almost never circulated in the world. Only certain reclusive lineages might possess them.

Xiao Chen was extremely expectant of the Heaven-Defying Demon Slayer Art at this moment.

The name Heaven-Defying Demon Slayer Art sounded incredibly domineering. He just did not know what grade it was or whether it could reach above the Heaven Tier.

The system's reward could not possibly be bad. At the very least, it had to be King Rank, right?

Host, rest assured. The Heaven-Defying Demon Slayer Art was created by an ancient Sword God. It is incomparably terrifying and sweeps through all before it. It is a god-grade cultivation art.

"God-grade?"

Ecstatic delight surfaced in Xiao Chen's eyes.

He had originally thought it would already be outrageous if the system gave him a King Rank art, but it had directly given him a god-grade one!

God-grade arts were invincible cultivation arts that existed only in legends. All were created by ancient gods, and their power was extraordinarily outrageous.

The benefits of cultivating a god-grade art were simply too great.

First, invincible among those of the same rank.

Second, cultivation speed would be extremely fast, with almost no bottlenecks whatsoever.

Third, the cultivation limit was high. One could clear the path all the way through; ultimately becoming a god was not impossible!

If one possessed a god-grade cultivation art, it was practically no different from cheating with hacks!

Host, do not celebrate too soon. The Heaven-Defying Demon Slayer Art rewarded by the system is not the complete version. It is only the first volume and can only allow the Host to cultivate through the first two realms. The later volumes must be drawn by chance.

As soon as those words were spoken, the smile on Xiao Chen's face immediately froze.

The first volume?

He could only cultivate through the first two realms?

Didn't that mean that if he failed to draw the subsequent volumes in the future, he would be completely finished?

This system was really fucking dogshit!

"System, I'll definitely be able to draw the subsequent volumes of the Heaven-Defying Demon Slayer Art in the future, right?"

Everything depends on fate.

Xiao Chen: "..."

"Kid, one moment you're grinning like an idiot by yourself, and the next you're pulling a long face. What are you doing?"

Seeing the constant changes in Xiao Chen's expression, Chou Wantian could not help frowning.

"Nothing... nothing! Senior, I want to ask: without Sword Spirit Stones now, what can the students of Sword Immortal Academy rely on to enter the Sword Dao?"

Xiao Chen looked at Chou Wantian and asked.

"Hehe, this old man doesn't know either. Sword Immortal Academy has only had two students these past years, and they entered the Dao before this! If Martial Hall were not holding its once-every-three-years academy competition three months from now, and if ten consecutive years at the bottom did not mean having our academy license revoked, this old man would not have shamelessly come to recruit students!"

Chou Wantian grinned, and a trace of lewdness appeared on his face. There was none of the imposing dominance with which he had slaughtered in all directions earlier.

"May I ask how many times Sword Immortal Academy has come in last so far?"

"Already nine times!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Chen's eye twitched twice.

Nine consecutive last-place finishes?

Didn't that mean that with one more time, Sword Immortal Academy would shut down?