Chapter 118

"Legend has it that there exists a Saint Forbidden Domain that can kill an opponent even if they are separated by a major realm, but even among aristocratic families and holy lands, no such prodigy has ever been heard of."

"Furthermore, a prodigy's opponent must be a prodigy who has at least entered the Three Forbidden Realm. If one kills some rogue Rogue Cultivator who have a realm but no strength, no matter how many realms they have crossed, they cannot be called a prodigy."

"Princess Xiao, with her cultivation at the Seventh Level of the Spring Gushing Realm, crossed four minor realms to kill the Second Prince, who was of equal cultivation and had entered the Three Forbidden Realm. The title of Four Forbidden Prodigy is well-deserved!"

"Moreover, the princess did not simply leapfrog a minor realm, but also crossed the barrier of a major realm. Her actual combat strength is even greater."

At this point, Elder Liu sighed and said:

"The Spiritual Qi in our Southern Border is scarce, and the number of geniuses is far less than in other major states. Over the past thousand years, the number of prodigies who have reached the fourth level of forbidden realm can be counted on one hand."

"Princess Xiao's strength has already surpassed that of ordinary fourth-level forbidden cultivators, and is infinitely close to the fifth level. If she can maintain her undefeated momentum and cultivate an invincible mind, she is very likely to enter the Five Forbidden Domain in the future. At that time, she will have the power to fight even against the geniuses of the Longevity Family, the Supreme Holy Land, and the Immortal Dynasty!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Minghuang felt a strange sensation. She, with her strength at the Seventh Level of the Spring Gushing Realm, had killed the Second Prince, who was comparable to the first level of the Divine Sea Realm, yet she only possessed the power to fight against the prodigies of the Longevity Family?

Seemingly noticing her confusion, Elder Liu explained with a faint smile:

"Princess Xiao, please don't take it to heart. The prodigies from the noble families and holy lands I mentioned are all seed-level figures of those forces; there may only be one or two like them in a generation."

"Furthermore, the resources that elite families and holy lands can obtain are incomparable to the level of training that the princess receives. The princess should not underestimate herself."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Minghuang nodded. She could tell that Elder Liu truly thought highly of her, but she didn't know where this kindness came from. If it was just to guide a talented young person, it would be going too far.

Elder Liu seemed to see through her confusion once again and smiled:

"The Southern Border is barren and has never been valued by the Holy Academy. If the princess can be admitted to the Holy Academy and surpass all others, she will surely become famous throughout the world!"

"The Holy Academy?"

Xiao Minghuang looked at Elder Liu with some confusion. What was the Holy Academy?

"What? Princess, you haven't heard of the Holy Academy?"

"I think I've heard something about it..."

Xiao Minghuang vaguely remembered hearing this name somewhere before, but she couldn't quite place it.

Seeing this, Elder Liu explained:

"The full name of the Holy Academy Eastern Pole Sacred Academy. It is the number one cultivation academy in the Eastern Pole, with a transcendent status, no less than that of the holy lands, aristocratic families, or dynasties. It even possesses a certain degree of power to manage and allocate resources from various forces!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Minghuang was slightly startled.

In that case, wouldn't the Holy Academy be above all other powers?

"The Holy Academy has a very ancient history, dating back tens of thousands of years. Those are ancient times, and I don't know much about them. Princess, you only need to know that the Holy Academy holds a transcendent position, contains countless cultivation techniques and martial arts, and is the best place for cultivation in the entire Eastern Pole."

Optimal?

Xiao Minghuang frowned slightly and asked:

"Even holy lands and aristocratic families can't compare?"

"That's not how it works..."

Elder Liu explained with a smile:

"Whether it's a sacred land, a noble family, or an imperial dynasty, they all prioritize power and interests. When selecting and teaching disciples, they also do so based on the circumstances. Given the limited resources within the sect, unfair distribution of resources is bound to occur to some extent."

"Among the various forces in the Eastern Pole, which one hasn't been passed down for countless years, with deeply entrenched internal interests, and resources will always be tilted towards their own descendants?"

"Therefore, cultivators without much backing will choose to join the Holy Academy, where there is no discrimination in education, and only talent and strength determine one's status."

"Moreover, even if one is not particularly talented, as long as one has a skill, or possesses great perseverance and wisdom, one may still encounter extraordinary opportunities."

"Oh? Could you elaborate, senior?"

At that moment, a sweet female voice came, with a hint of urgency in its tone.

Upon hearing this, Elder Liu looked in the direction of the voice and saw a young girl dressed in a bright green dress walking briskly towards him and bowing deeply.

Who is this?

With Elder Liu's discerning eye, he could naturally tell that the girl in front of him was only at the Body Tempering Realm, and her blood and qi were not particularly strong, so her talent could only be described as average.

"This is the granddaughter of the King Wu'an, named Xu Xiuer, who is currently residing in my residence."

"Xiu'er greets Elder Liu and respectfully requests that the Elder enlighten this junior!"

Xu Xiuer was extremely respectful, her body almost bent at a ninety-degree angle.

"So she's the granddaughter of the King Wu'an..."

Upon hearing her words, Elder Liu seemed to remember something and laughed heartily:

"So you're Old Xu's granddaughter! I even held you in my arms when you were just a baby!"

Upon hearing this, Xu Xiuer's cheeks flushed slightly, and she gently pursed her lips.

"It turns out that Xiu'er and Elder Liu are old acquaintances. What a coincidence!"

Xiao Minghuang spoke up at the right moment. She could tell that Xu Xiuer was considering Elder Liu as a possibility.

The possibility of escaping a life of incompetence and forging a new path.

Elder Liu stroked his beard gently and smiled:

"When you were little, your grandfather brought you to the Myriad Treasures Pavilion headquarters to look for medicine. I gave him an 800-year-old herb, but now it seems that the medicine is not very effective."

After all, if a normal person had taken that old herb, their achievements today would certainly be far beyond the Body Tempering Realm.

"Since there was a reason in the past, I will now answer your questions."

"Within the Holy Academy, besides the currently prevalent Nourishing Spirit and Forming Embryo Method, there are many novel cultivation methods researched by senior practitioners."

Whether these methods are feasible is unknown. At least as far as I know, there was once an ancient sage who had lived for countless years. He went down a dead end while researching new methods, and his physical body turned into a black hole, almost annihilating the entire Holy Academy. In the end, it was the mysterious Old Dean who intervened and suppressed that accident.

These words left Xu Xiuer completely bewildered.

"Senior, what do you mean by the Nourishing Spirit and Forming Embryo Method... the ancient sage... the Old Dean?"

Upon hearing this, Elder Liu chuckled:

"Girl, you really lack common sense... The Nourishing Spirit and Forming Embryo Method it into a fetus is the path you are walking now. It begins with body tempering, Drawing Qi into the Body, condensing the spiritual sea, refining it into a seed, growing into a fetus, Spirit Transformation, and then comprehending the mysteries of life and death, thus achieving longevity."

"Saint is the title of the Longevity Realm; below that, the Life and Death Realm, the title of King; and below that, the Nascent Soul Realm, the title of True Lord. You should know this."

"The Old Dean is naturally the dean of the Holy Academy. Due to his esteemed position and exceptionally long lifespan, he is respectfully addressed as the Old Dean."

After hearing Elder Liu's explanation, not only Xu Xiuer, but also Xiao Minghuang understood.

The Holy Academy is indeed a rare and precious place for cultivation. If she wants to travel outside the Southern Border in the future, she can visit the Holy Academy.

Xu Xiuer's eyes grew brighter. Surely, within such a mysterious and powerful lineage as the Holy Academy, there must be a method for her to cultivate!

Elder Liu knew Xu Xiuer's background and therefore understood her needs. He spoke up:

"Within the Holy Academy, there are indeed many cultivators whose talents are not suited to the cultivation of the Nourishing Spirit and Forming Embryo Method, and they have turned to other new paths, but very few of them have succeeded. Most of them die halfway, and some even gradually go insane and become neither human nor ghost."

"I have a past with your grandfather and don't want you to go down such a difficult path. I have an old acquaintance in the Holy Academy who can introduce you to his tutelage. As long as you cultivate diligently, reaching the Divine Sea Realm is not out of the question."

Divine Sea Realm!

Xu Xiuer clenched her fists and gritted her teeth.

If it were before today, she might have been excited about the opportunity to advance to the Divine Sea Realm, and might even have agreed immediately.

But after witnessing Princess Ziwei's Celestial Person beauty...

She was unwilling to accept it!

She was unwilling to live an ordinary life!

If compared with ordinary repair [+

I'm afraid that in just a few years, she will be left far behind, and it will be difficult to even look up at her back.

Such a vast difference is nothing more than this.

She had once witnessed a dazzling array of colors and a sky full of stars; that fleeting moment of brilliance was unforgettable for her.

Therefore, she rejected Elder Liu's suggestion with almost no hesitation.

"Thank you for your kind offer, senior, but I've heard a saying..."

"Um?"

Xu Xiuer's gaze was firm as she spoke, word by word:

"Dust exists eternally, yet is utterly insignificant; a shooting star vanishes in an instant, its fleeting brilliance enough to amaze the ages!"

"You..."

Elder Liu was stunned upon hearing Xu Xiuer's words.

Xiao Minghuang's face also showed a hint of surprise. She hadn't spent much time with Xu Xiuer, but she hadn't expected that this seemingly weak and docile girl would have such lofty ambitions.

"What a fleeting, dazzling beauty that will last for eternity!"

Elder Liu understood her meaning, gave a thumbs-up, and then said:

"Since you have made up your mind, I will not try to persuade you any further. I will personally return to the Holy Academy during this time to find a renowned teacher for you!"

Hearing this, Xu Xiuer was flattered and quickly bowed, saying:

"Thank you for your kind words, senior!"

Elder Liu waved his sleeve lightly, signaling her to stand up.

"I have a deep friendship with King Wu'an, and you are his only granddaughter. I cannot abandon you."

After making the promise, Elder Liu coughed lightly and said:

"Girl, Princess Xiao and I have something to discuss..."

Xu Xiuer, as if struck by a sudden inspiration, bowed to the two of them and then turned to leave.

Watching Xu Xiuer's joyful figure gradually disappear into the distance, Xiao Minghuang's brows also showed a hint of happiness.

There are too many ordinary people in this world, but very few are those who are born ordinary yet are unwilling to accept their ordinariness.

Even fewer people are willing to make tremendous efforts to escape mediocrity.

Those who can exert tremendous effort and also receive the assistance of good fortune are even rarer, one in ten thousand.

Fortunately, Xu Xiuer is that kind of person.

"I hope she gets what she wants..."

At this moment, Elder Liu's expression turned serious. Instead of speaking directly, he transmitted his voice:

"Princess Xiao, may I speak with you in private?"

Xiao Minghuang was puzzled, but with everyone around and Emperor Xia, a powerful expert at the Spirit Seed Realm, watching over her, she didn't think Elder Liu would do anything to harm her.

Moreover, she had also examined Elder Liu's Destiny/Fate and found that he was not an evil cultivator.

The two went to a secluded spot.

Xiao Minghuang looked at Elder Liu and asked:

"There's no one here, senior, please speak your mind."

The words had barely left his mouth.

An aged voice suddenly rang out.

"Let me explain!"

As the sound rang out, the void in front of them distorted, and a white-haired figure seemed to appear out of thin air.

Upon seeing this suddenly appearing figure, Xiao Minghuang was startled.

Because this was actually Xia Hanbing, the royal Old Ancestor she hadn't seen in a long time!

However, the Old Ancestor before them looked even older than he had a few months ago, as if he would be lying in a coffin at any moment.

"This junior pays respects to the Old Ancestor!"

Xiao Minghuang bowed slightly in greeting.

"No need for such formalities."

Xia Hanbing raised her hand in the air, and Xiao Minghuang felt a force lift her up.

"Time is tight, so let's get to the point."

"King Wu'an has been possessed by an evil cultivator. I need your help to lure the evil cultivator into revealing a weakness, and then capture him alive!"