Forbidden Institute

"Where are we going now?"

After leaving the Sea Clan, Ye Xinran asked.

She had been full of anticipation for this trial.

"Looks like we have to head back, or we won't make it in time for the competition."

Xuanyuan Hao was afraid of dampening Ye Xinran's spirits, but he had no choice but to say it.

"Ah? All right." Though somewhat unwilling, Ye Xinran still nodded in agreement.

Seeing this, Xuanyuan Hao immediately took out a flying spiritual artifact.

Compared to Mo Chengfeng's earlier one, this was much smaller, only large enough for five or six people.

The four stepped onto the flying spiritual artifact and set off for the Eastern Domain.

They had originally intended to come out and properly gain experience, but the journey to the Southern Domain was not short, so all their time had gone into traveling.

Previously, the Mo family Elder at the King Profound Realm had controlled the flying ship. Now, Lin Tianci and Xuanyuan Hao, both in the Spiritual Power Realm, took turns powering it.

The journey would surely take even longer.

So, setting off for the Eastern Domain now was the best choice.

After all, less than twenty days remained before the competition.

On the shore of the Endless Sea.

Li Wuxun did not immediately enter the Teng Hai Secret Realm. Instead, he stood there alone, watching Ye Xinran and the others depart.

His eyes flickered with thought.

At last, as he watched the flying spiritual artifact vanish into the distance, the corners of his lips curled up slightly. He murmured, "See you in the Central Domain."

An unknown place.

This place seemed to be an enormous academy.

On the plaque above the outermost gate were two striking words: "Forbidden Institute."

At that moment, a middle-aged man dressed in luxurious robes patterned with flowing clouds and trimmed in gold appeared there.

Looking at the gates of the Forbidden Institute before him, a trace of reminiscence surfaced in his eyes.

"It has been a long time since I came back, Forbidden Institute."

The middle-aged man said with a smile, then walked through the gate.

Surprisingly, despite the academy's immense size, the middle-aged man walked straight inside without anyone stopping him.

Deep within the Forbidden Institute, inside an ancient and elegant pavilion.

Several people were discussing something, every one of them wearing a grave expression.

"Vice Dean Lin has fallen. What should we do now, Vice Dean Wang? Are you still going to take part in that matter?"

A middle-aged man looked at an elderly man whose eyes shone with spirit as he spoke.

Hearing this, Wang Chen remained silent.

He was currently the pillar holding up the Forbidden Institute. Every decision he made was of utmost importance.

Seeing this, an elegant woman looked toward Wang Chen. "Vice Dean Wang, how about we bring the dean back?"

The moment those words fell, everyone present, including Wang Chen, stared wide-eyed at the woman.

"No. Xian Yue is still within reincarnation. If she succeeds this time, she will have a chance to break through her shackles. We cannot interfere."

Wang Chen shook his head, his tone extremely stern and allowing no room for doubt.

"Besides, Xian Yue's realm is still insufficient. Even if she could enter the top floor of the Book Pavilion, it would be useless."

As he spoke, Wang Chen's tone softened somewhat.

Hearing this, the woman blamed herself a little. "I was too flustered. But now, our Forbidden Institute only has you, a single Dao Master Realm expert. If those Innate Divine Saints come looking..."

"What is there to fear? We still have the institute-protecting grand formation." The earlier middle-aged man spoke with a completely fearless expression.

"Vice Dean Wang, Vice Hall Master Qi of the Heavenly Dao Hall has arrived."

At that moment, another middle-aged man seemed to receive some information and spoke to Wang Chen.

"Mm, I knew the moment he arrived. Let's go meet this student who graduated many years ago."

Inside a great hall behind the Forbidden Institute.

Qi Tianyuan was waiting patiently within the hall.

At that moment, several figures suddenly appeared before him.

"What brings Vice Hall Master Qi to the Forbidden Institute?"

The moment he appeared, Wang Chen smiled and spoke to Qi Tianyuan.

Seeing this, Qi Tianyuan smiled and cupped his hands. "Vice Dean, please do not tease this student.

Though I graduated many years ago, I have always missed the days I spent at the Forbidden Institute."

"At least you still have some conscience." To Wang Chen, Qi Tianyuan was an exceptionally outstanding student of the Forbidden Institute, someone he liked very much.

"Actually, I came this time because of the Hall Master's orders." Qi Tianyuan continued.

The instant he said this, the atmosphere throughout the great hall suddenly grew heavy.

The smiles on everyone's faces vanished, replaced by solemn expressions.

"Is it because of Vice Dean Lin?"

Wang Chen guessed.

Qi Tianyuan nodded.

"That's right. Vice Dean Lin's fall was no small blow to us.

If the Forbidden Institute needs anything in the days ahead, our Heavenly Dao Hall will certainly offer our full support."

Qi Tianyuan relayed the words the Hall Master had instructed him to convey.

"You have our gratitude, but there is no need to worry. Our Forbidden Institute is not so weak."

Wang Chen felt somewhat moved, but his gaze remained exceptionally resolute.

"Vice Dean, how can you say that? As a student of the Forbidden Institute, I naturally cannot stand by and do nothing. Even if I am alone, I will do my utmost to help the Forbidden Institute."

"With students like you, the Forbidden Institute has enough." Looking at Qi Tianyuan's earnest expression, Wang Chen patted him on the shoulder.

"By the way, Vice Dean, I discovered a very mysterious force in the lower realm."

As he spoke, Qi Tianyuan suddenly recalled Ye Chang'an, whom he had encountered in the lower realm.

Because the Forbidden Institute had extensive connections and knew much information, Qi Tianyuan intended to ask Wang Chen and the others about it.

"A mysterious force in the lower realm?"

Wang Chen and the others were immediately stunned.

Could a force from the lower realm really make him care so much?

Yet Qi Tianyuan's next words gave them a fierce shock.

"This force possesses Dao Master Realm experts, and according to my guess, they have more than one Dao Master Realm expert."

"What did you say? Dao Master Realm? More than one?"

A middle-aged man could not help crying out.

"Are you certain? Dao Master Realm is already at the peak level of the universe. How could such a powerful force have gone unheard of?"

The woman from earlier furrowed her brows slightly and asked, a trace of shock in her eyes.

Qi Tianyuan merely shook his head with a grave expression.

"There is no mistake. The pressure I felt from one of them was no weaker than our Hall Master's—perhaps... even stronger."

The moment those words fell, it was as though thunder had exploded beside Wang Chen and the others' ears.

"No weaker than Hall Master Xuan? Even stronger..."

Wang Chen muttered to himself, gazing into the distance as though considering what kind of force could possibly be so powerful.

After a moment, he frowned and shook his head. "I do not know either. Someone no weaker than Hall Master Xuan... how could they possibly be an unknown figure?

It seems this world is far larger than we imagined. The powerful figures beneath heaven are beyond expectation..."

Seeing that even Wang Chen had no answer, Qi Tianyuan was not too disappointed.

After all, he had been mentally prepared.

Such a powerful force had remained hidden all along. Most likely, no one could know of it.

"The Hall Master does not know, and Vice Dean Wang does not know. Perhaps... Xian Yue knows? After all, she has entered the top floor of the Book Pavilion."

Thinking this, Qi Tianyuan looked toward Wang Chen again. "Vice Dean, could Dean Ling know?"

Hearing this, everyone was stunned. They looked at one another, and the atmosphere became somewhat awkward.

"What is it?"

Qi Tianyuan looked utterly puzzled.

How could he know that Wang Chen and the others were hesitating over whether to tell him about their dean?

After all, only a few high-ranking members of the Forbidden Institute knew that their dean had entered reincarnation.

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