Hearing this, everyone present had a flicker of shock in their eyes.
Zhang Qitian was actually going to snatch someone away!
Earlier, when Zhang Qitian said he wanted Xiao Chen to join Saintly Wasteland Academy, they had thought he was merely talking. After all, doing so would be far too ugly—Saintly Wasteland Academy had always cared about its reputation!
Yet they had not expected Zhang Qitian to come right out and demand Xiao Chen from Chou Wantian!
An entity as powerful as Saintly Wasteland Academy had always been one that countless Heavenly Prodigy Rank cultivators fought tooth and nail to enter. No one had ever heard of them actively poaching someone. This time, Saintly Wasteland Academy was actually casting aside its dignity to poach Xiao Chen?
This was simply unbelievable!
Had Xiao Chen's potential already become this astonishing?
Chou Wantian's expression immediately darkened. "Zhang Qitian, your grand Saintly Wasteland Academy is actually competing with a trash academy that has declined to the point of closing its doors at any time. Isn't that a little excessive?"
Zhang Qitian slowly shook his head. "Dean Chou, I know this is somewhat unfair to your Sword Immortal Academy, but you should understand that there has never been much fairness in this world!"
"Anyone my Saintly Wasteland Academy has set its sights on, you must hand over whether you want to or not! Of course, if you agree, I can compensate you. Pills, cultivation methods, divine weapons—whatever you name, I can provide it. What do you say?"
Zhang Qitian's tone was calm, yet it carried an overbearing force that allowed no questioning.
He had to hand him over whether he wanted to or not!
This was practically open robbery!
Yet no one thought there was anything wrong with Zhang Qitian saying this, because Saintly Wasteland Academy had the confidence to back it up!
"Hehe, though my Sword Immortal Academy has declined, we are not something others can knead and squeeze as they please. If you want to snatch someone from my hands, ask the sword in my hand first!"
With a flick of his thumb, Chou Wantian drew the sword in his hand three inches from its sheath. A terrifyingly fierce sword intent spread through the surroundings like a tidal wave. A mere wisp of the Sword Qi it leaked made many feel as though even their souls were about to be crushed.
"Since Dean Chou insists on remaining stubborn, do not blame this old man for being merciless!"
Zhang Qitian slowly clenched his left hand, and a terrifying force abruptly gathered within his palm!
In an instant, everyone present sensed the vast vitality and blazing battle intent emanating from Zhang Qitian.
Just as the two were about to make their move, the communication jade token at Zhang Qitian's waist suddenly trembled.
The next moment, an aged voice suddenly rang out. "Once a Heaven-Jealous One reaches eighteen, all cultivation will be lost, and misfortune will cling to them. Before the age of twenty, they will be strangled by the Heavenly Dao. Even if they possess some talent now, it is but flowers in a mirror and the moon in water. Junior Brother need not concern himself with it!"
It was Saintly Wasteland Old Man's reply.
Everyone present revealed shocked expressions upon hearing those words.
He would lose all his cultivation at eighteen and would certainly die before twenty?
Xiao Chen was only two days away from turning eighteen. Did that not mean he would soon be finished?
Zhang Qitian, who had been preparing to snatch Xiao Chen from Chou Wantian, was also stunned when he heard this. He had intended to bring Xiao Chen back to Saintly Wasteland Academy for observation, but Saintly Wasteland Old Man had directly given such an evaluation.
Heaven-Jealous Ones rarely appeared. He had only known that they would suffer the Curse of the Heavenly Dao, but he had not known it would only take effect at eighteen!
That meant Xiao Chen would soon lose all his cultivation. He was fundamentally a cripple with no future. No matter how dazzling his radiance was now, it would soon be extinguished. He was not worth Saintly Wasteland Academy's attention at all.
If anyone else had said this, he might not have believed it. But since Saintly Wasteland Old Man had said it, he had no choice but to believe it!
With Saintly Wasteland Old Man's unfathomable strength, his judgments were almost impossible to be wrong. If he said Xiao Chen was crippled, then Xiao Chen was one hundred percent crippled.
Glancing at Xiao Chen in the distance, the fervor in Zhang Qitian's eyes vanished completely, replaced by indifference and coldness.
A piece of trash was not worth his attention at all!
Disappointment also surfaced undisguisedly on Xiao Zhentian's face. He no longer had any intention of keeping Xiao Chen in Zhenbei King Manor to recover.
Having heard Saintly Wasteland Old Man's judgment, he too understood that Xiao Chen was trash and would soon perish. Xiao Zhentian had no need to keep a trash son.
After her shock, Ye Qingxuan's gaze toward Xiao Chen quickly changed from admiration to disgust.
So he was still trash. She had wasted so much effort, even taking out the marriage contract in public. This Xiao Chen truly deserved death!
"Hahaha! Father, Mother, did you hear that? Xiao Chen is trash! I am the Xiao Family's only hope!"
At this moment, Xiao Lingtian, who had awakened after taking a pill, laughed maniacally, his eyes filled with delight and excitement.
Xiao Chen, oh, Xiao Chen!
So what if your talent is extraordinary? Can you stand against the Heavenly Dao? In the end, would you not still become trash!
The piercing laughter directly jolted the unconscious Xiao Chen awake.
He swept his gaze around and found that everyone was looking at him with contempt, as if they were looking at a pile of dog shit.
He was immediately bewildered. What exactly had happened? Earlier, these people had all looked at him with admiration and envy. How had he only fainted for a moment, yet suddenly become someone reviled by ten thousand people?
He looked questioningly at Lin Qingxian. She hesitated before speaking. "Just... just now, Saintly Wasteland Old Man sent word that you are envied by the Heavenly Dao and destined to become crippled, so..."
Lin Qingxian looked somewhat reluctant to say it. Such a truth was simply too cruel for Xiao Chen; it had practically pronounced a death sentence upon his future.
To fall from an unparalleled monster of talent into a worthless cripple—who could accept such an enormous gap? She only hoped he would not develop thoughts of ending his own life!
After hearing Lin Qingxian's words, Xiao Chen immediately understood.
So it was that Saintly Wasteland Old Man, known as the ceiling of Great Xia's combat power, had declared that he was destined to become trash!
Hehe!
Others might truly have been frightened by that, but who was he? He was a man with a system! Let alone a Saintly Wasteland Old Man, even the supreme Heavenly Dao would have to kneel and call him father before the system!
What the hell was Saintly Wasteland Old Man?
Still, before he had grown strong enough, being looked down upon by others was not necessarily a bad thing. Thus, disappointment naturally appeared on his face. He lowered his head, looking somewhat dazed and despondent.
"Do not be too upset!"
Lin Qingxian consoled him.
"I... I'm fine!"
Xiao Chen said softly, like a child who had made a mistake.
Seeing this, the contempt on everyone's faces deepened.
A trace of disgust also flashed through Xiao Zhentian's eyes.
A dignified man encountered a mere setback and became like this. What trash!
"Zhang Qitian, do you still intend to compete with my Sword Immortal Academy for him now?"
Chou Wantian looked at Zhang Qitian.
Zhang Qitian shook his head. "My Saintly Wasteland Academy only accepts Heavenly Prodigy Rank cultivators. Since young friend Xiao Chen is destined to perish, he is no longer suited for Sword Immortal Academy!"
"Xiao Zhentian, what do you say?"
"Take him away!"
Xiao Zhentian's face was utterly indifferent.
Wen Wanrong glanced at Xiao Chen. Her lips moved as though she wished to say something, but recalling how her younger son and eldest son were like fire and water, she knew the younger son would likely be unhappy if the elder son remained. In the end, she said nothing!
Everyone present felt a chill in their hearts upon seeing this.
It was only natural for Zhang Qitian to abandon Xiao Chen, since the two had no blood relation.
But Xiao Zhentian and Wen Wanrong were also abandoning Xiao Chen at a time like this. That was a little too cold-blooded and heartless!
That was your biological son!
You did not want him anymore just because he had no talent? Who had just been loudly declaring that they wanted to keep Xiao Chen in Zhenbei King Manor to recover?
Yet Xiao Chen, the person involved, was no longer surprised. He had long since become numb!
Over these many years, he had already thoroughly experienced the coldness of these parents. He no longer held any hopes for them. With no hope, there could naturally be no disappointment!
"Heh, Xiao Zhentian, you truly are shameless! Xiao Chen is truly unfortunate to have a father like you!"
Chou Wantian cast Xiao Zhentian a cold glance, then helped Xiao Chen up and prepared to leave.
Yet Ye Qingxuan stepped forward, her face cold. "Wait. Xiao Chen, now that you have completely become trash, you are no longer worthy of being my husband. Tear up the marriage contract before everyone!"
The person she wanted to marry was an unparalleled Heavenly Prodigy Rank cultivator. He could not possibly be trash!
Before you continue