The Heavenly Pride Ranking and Earth Ranking recorded the peerless prodigies under a hundred years old from the Three Thousand Dao Domains. Those who entered the top hundred all possessed the potential to become Saints. As for the top ten, they were monsters among monsters, each possessing heaven-defying battle prowess and capable of challenging opponents above their realm. Xiao Wuji's ability to rank eleventh proved that his strength was absolutely terrifying!
"The Xiao Family? A Sword Son?" Xuanyuan Che's gaze flickered as he recalled the past grudge between Mu Qingxue and the Sword Pavilion. "Understood."
With that, he waved his hand and left the Mysterious Yellow Pavilion with Yun Mengyao and Thunder Roar Ravine.
Watching Xuanyuan Che's departing back, Lu Guan remained silent for a long while, tightly gripping the crystal of Nirvana Origin in his hand.
"Hehe, the skies over Central Continent may be about to change." He murmured softly, his eyes brimming with anticipation and reverence.
After returning to the residence arranged by Xuanhuang Academy, Xuanyuan Che handed that Seven-Colored Dragon Scale Divine Marrow to Thunder Roar Ravine.
"Third Senior Brother, you cultivate lightning body tempering. This thing should help somewhat with tempering your physical body and purifying your blood and qi."
Thunder Roar Ravine caught the Divine Marrow radiating vast energy and went completely blank, stammering, "For me? Little Junior Brother, this is far too precious! I..."
Ten million High-grade Spirit Stones! And a supreme treasure enough to make Supremes fight until their heads bled! Yet Little Junior Brother had casually handed it to him just like that?
"Take it when I tell you to take it. Stop hemming and hawing." Xuanyuan Che yawned. "Refine it soon. We'll still need you and Senior Sister during the competition."
Thunder Roar Ravine looked at the Divine Marrow in his hand, then at his utterly unconcerned little junior brother. His tiger eyes instantly reddened. He heavily slapped his chest, raised his right hand, and said in a choked voice, "Little Junior Brother! After all you've done, what else is there to say?! When the time comes, just stand behind me, Old Shi! Tell me to go east, and I'll never go west. Tell me to chase dogs, and I'll never catch chickens!"
Yun Mengyao watched from the side, the corners of her lips lifting slightly. Little Junior Brother truly left nothing to be desired when it came to his own people.
Xuanyuan Che looked at Yun Mengyao and handed her the Jade Slip Lu Guan had given him. "Second Senior Sister, take a look at this intelligence. Pay special attention to that Xiao Wuji."
Yun Mengyao accepted the Jade Slip. "Half-step Saint, Indestructible Sword Body, eleventh on the Earth Ranking... He truly is a formidable opponent."
If they reached the end of the competition, Little Junior Brother would ultimately have to act himself.
She knew that Xuanyuan Che possessed Saint Realm strength, but his cultivation seemed to have remained suppressed at the Xing Yuan Realm. If he did not use his true strength, facing such a prodigy would likely still be a bitter battle.
"He's merely a clown hopping on a stage." Xuanyuan Che smiled carelessly. "Second Senior Sister, have you forgotten? I am invincible; he can do as he pleases."
Yun Mengyao: "..."
Fine, she had never asked. This kind of confidence simply crushed everything.
"However," Xuanyuan Che stroked his chin, a crafty glint flashing through his eyes, "if we're going to play, let's play big. In this competition, we won't just win—we'll win beautifully, so everyone remembers the name Eastern Xuan Academy."
A plan had already formed in his mind.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
During that time, Xuanhuang Ancient City grew increasingly clamorous. Teams from the major academies across the Three Thousand Dao Domains gathered there. Powerful young prodigies could be seen everywhere in the city, while undercurrents surged between them and clashes broke out from time to time.
The members of Eastern Xuan Academy were also largely meditating and adjusting themselves, making their final preparations for the coming competition. After refining part of the Seven-Colored Divine Marrow, Thunder Roar Ravine's cultivation boldly broke through to the middle stage of the Tai Xu Realm. His physical body strength skyrocketed as well, lightning coiling around his entire body, his aura several times more robust than before. He was so excited that he howled nonstop.
As for Yun Mengyao, though she kept an extremely low profile, her constitution made cultivation as easy as eating and drinking. Building upon the solid foundation she had laid in recent days, she also entered the half-step Saint Realm in one fell swoop.
Xuanyuan Che, meanwhile, still kept a low profile and rarely went out. Most of his time was spent studying the Seven-Colored Divine Marrow; this item seemed to share a faint connection with his bloodline. Otherwise, he used the Mysterious Yellow Pavilion guest elder token to consult materials on Central Continent's ancient noble families. His days were quite leisurely.
This day, at dawn.
Dong! Dong! Dong!
Ancient, resounding bells rang throughout all of Xuanhuang Ancient City. They rang nine times in succession, signifying that the once-in-a-century Academy Grand Competition had officially begun!
Vast pressure rose from the depths of Xuanhuang Academy and blanketed the entire city. Countless cultivators surged like a tidal wave toward the "Myriad Manifestations Battle Arena" in Xuanhuang Academy's central region.
Within Eastern Xuan Academy's courtyard, Lu Xuanchen solemnly regarded the disciples standing before him, all brimming with spirit and vigor.
"The Academy Grand Competition concerns Eastern Xuan's honor, and even more so, your own futures! The rules for this competition differ from those of previous years. It is more dangerous, but the opportunities are also greater! I hope you will give it your all and raise the prestige of Eastern Xuan!"
"Yes, Academy Lord!" the disciples answered in unison, their fighting spirit soaring.
"Set out!"
Led by Lu Xuanchen and several elders, the Eastern Xuan Academy party headed toward the Myriad Manifestations Battle Arena.
Xuanyuan Che was still dressed in coarse linen clothes, with part of his appearance concealed. Walking among the crowd, he was utterly inconspicuous. Only those eyes of his shone as brilliantly as a sea of stars.
"So many fat sheep... Ahem, so many geniuses." He muttered softly, itching to give it a try.
A trace of helplessness flashed across Yun Mengyao's cool face as she transmitted her voice to him. "Restrain yourself. Don't cause trouble."
"Don't worry, Senior Sister. I'm very well-behaved." Xuanyuan Che blinked.
Before long, the group arrived at the Myriad Manifestations Battle Arena.
It was an incomparably vast Small World, jointly opened and stabilized by several Supremes of Xuanhuang Academy. Countless enormous white jade platforms floated in the heavens, surrounded by powerful defensive formations. Directly ahead stood a ceremonial viewing platform towering into the clouds. Xuanhuang Academy's upper echelon and influential figures from all major powers sat upon it, their auras as unfathomable as abyssal seas and inspiring awe.
Below was a dense sea of people. Disciples from thousands of academies had gathered here, their voices roaring like thunder and their momentum shooting into the skies.
Flags of every color fluttered in the wind, representing different academies.
"Look! Those are people from Central Continent's True Martial Academy! I heard their First Senior Brother, Zhou Qiankun, possesses the True Martial Hegemonic Body and ranks fifteenth on the Earth Ranking!"
"There's also the saintess of Heavenly Evolution Academy, Su Zhirou! She excels at deduction and formations, killing invisibly, and ranks eighteenth on the Earth Ranking!"
"The Buddhist Son of Vajra Academy in the Western Desert has an invincible physical body!"
"The successor of the Ice Snow Holy Palace in the Northern Plains..."
The names of countless prodigies were mentioned, drawing wave after wave of astonished cries. These were the truly top young powerhouses of the Three Thousand Dao Domains, dazzling figures of this generation.
Eastern Xuan Academy was led to a relatively forward area, but compared with those top academies from Central Continent, it clearly drew far less attention. Only Yun Mengyao's frosty, peerless beauty and Xuanyuan Che's extraordinary bearing, still impossible to conceal despite his disguise, attracted some gazes.
"Hmph, they're merely country bumpkins from the Eastern Wasteland." A discordant voice came from nearby.
A group of young cultivators dressed in luxurious clothing and exuding arrogant auras were staring at them. One among them had delicate, feminine features and disdainful eyes. It was none other than the Jade Young Master whom they had encountered at the Mysterious Yellow Pavilion before.
He noticed Xuanyuan Che's group at once and still harbored resentment over having hit a wall previously. However, with his academy behind him this time, he appeared much more confident.
At his location, a majestic palace was embroidered upon the flag. It was precisely one of Central Continent's top academies, Heavenly Palace Academy.
"What did you say?!" Several disciples from Eastern Xuan Academy immediately glared at him furiously.
The Jade Young Master lightly waved his folding fan and sneered. "Am I wrong? I heard that, for the sake of a single competition slot, you fought among yourselves until your heads bled. In our Heavenly Palace Academy, you wouldn't even qualify for the reserve team. If I were you, I'd obediently stay in that barbaric Eastern Wasteland. Why come out here only to humiliate yourselves?"
"You!" The Eastern Xuan Academy disciples were enraged, their faces flushing red with fury.
"Enough." Lu Xuanchen spoke indifferently. An invisible pressure swept over the area, silencing the disciples on both sides. His calm gaze swept over the elder leading Heavenly Palace Academy's group. That elder's expression changed slightly, and he hurriedly rebuked, "Yuxi, do not be rude!"
Only then did Young Master Yuxi snort resentfully and fall silent, though the provocation in his eyes did not diminish in the slightest.
Xuanyuan Che dug at his ear as though he had not heard the quarrel at all, then said to Yun Mengyao beside him, "Senior Sister, I heard Heavenly Palace Academy excels at raising spirit birds. They have something called the Eight Treasures Heavenly Kun, and its kun-kun meat is said to taste unmatched. Shall we get one later and try it?"
His voice was not loud, but everyone present was a cultivator and heard every word clearly.
The people of Heavenly Palace Academy: "???"
Young Master Yuxi's face instantly turned livid! The Eight Treasures Heavenly Chicken was a rare bird painstakingly raised by their academy and held in high esteem, yet this fellow actually wanted to eat it?!
The Eastern Xuan Academy disciples were initially stunned, but then they held back their laughter until their faces turned red, feeling incomparably satisfied.
Amusement flashed through Yun Mengyao's eyes. She glanced at Xuanyuan Che and softly hummed in agreement.
At that moment, an old man wearing a Mysterious Yellow Daoist robe slowly rose at the highest point of the viewing platform. His aura was as vast as a sea of stars. His gaze swept across the hundreds of thousands of young cultivators below, and his calm voice entered every ear with perfect clarity.
"I am Jiang Daoxuan, Academy Lord of Xuanhuang Academy. Today, academies from the Three Thousand Dao Domains and gathered prodigies shall commence this grand centennial competition here!"
The entire venue instantly fell silent, all eyes focusing upon that Supreme.
"There are three changes to the rules of this competition!"
"First, the single-platform format will no longer be used. In the first round, you will enter the Myriad Races Battlefield!"
With a sweep of Jiang Daoxuan's sleeve, an enormous light screen appeared in the sky. Within it emerged the image of a desolate, ancient world filled with savage aura. Various powerful and terrifying figures of foreign races could faintly be seen moving through it.
"The Myriad Races Battlefield is a Small World seized from beyond the domain and sealed by our human ancestors. Many ancient foreign races remain within it, and it is exceedingly dangerous! You must survive there for ten days and hunt foreign races to obtain Battle Merit."
Before you continue