"Troll Race?"
Yi Tianxing's expression turned grave. No race in this world is simple—especially a race like this one. Just from the name alone, one could tell it must be an incomparably brutal and terrifying people, immensely powerful. Otherwise, they wouldn't be able to besiege the Academy.
And according to Cai Yong's description—
The Trolls were indeed a horrifying man-eating alien race.
Trolls averaged seven feet tall and weighed about two hundred pounds. At minimum, they weighed between one hundred eighty to two hundred pounds, and some were even heavier. The larger their frame, the heavier they were. Some were special variants with distinct traits. The vast majority of trolls fed on humans as a matter of routine—it was part of their cultural practice.
From the information Cai Yong had gathered, the Trolls were further divided into four main branches: Forest Trolls, Jungle Trolls, Frost Trolls, and Desert Trolls. The ones they had encountered earlier belonged to the Jungle Trolls.
These Jungle Trolls had short, soft hairs covering their skin, giving them a purple or gray hue. Compared to other troll variants, their bodies were visibly more flexible and agile.
The Troll Race was one of the strongest hunter races in the world. Their greatest skill lay in jungle combat and hunting. They excelled in wielding war spears, short spears, and throwing spears. In their hands, a war spear was like an extension of their own body—used with innate ease and skill.
Because of their physical attributes, they had a natural advantage in becoming thieves, hunters, mages, or warriors. Their physiques were simply too outstanding. Some of them even practiced body refinement techniques, making them ideal candidates for the path of physical cultivation.
What made them even more disturbing was that their appearance wasn't too different from humans. The main difference lay in their beast-like claws, fangs protruding from their mouths, and beak-like jaws, sharp and terrifying, enough to make one's heart shudder upon seeing them.
"It seems this is another extremely powerful race—and one that's naturally hostile to humanity. If we encounter them again, we must never show mercy," Yi Tianxing said slowly.
Toward these kinds of alien races, he had only one policy: kill. Kill until they tremble in fear, kill until they dread the very sight of humans. If possible, he would go as far as exterminating their entire race.
"Indeed," Cai Yong nodded. "I once personally witnessed a battle between the Serpentfolk and the Trolls. In the melee, the Serpentfolk were like assassins of the jungle, while the Trolls were the hunters. In one-on-one combat, the Serpentfolk had a 70% chance of being killed. The Trolls are truly terrifying, utterly brutal and savage in battle."
"If it hadn't been for the Serpent Queen, the victory in that battle wouldn't have gone to the Serpentfolk, but to the Trolls."
"So it seems the Medusa's Eye wielded by the Serpent Queen is immensely domineering. On the battlefield, she's nearly invincible, capable of unleashing devastating destruction," Yi Tianxing nodded.
He had experienced the Medusa's Eye firsthand—tyrannical beyond belief. Her Snake Hair divine ability, capable of summoning thousands of venomous serpents, already produced astonishing damage. One person alone could resist an army of a hundred thousand—this was no exaggeration.
"The reason the Serpentfolk and the Trolls fought in the first place was because of a treasure," Cai Yan added.
"A treasure? What kind of treasure?" Yi Tianxing asked, his curiosity piqued.
"It seems the Trolls killed a human cultivator who possessed the treasure. It wasn't just any item, but a ritual altar capable of granting the user whatever they desired through sacrificial offerings. When the human cultivator was offering sacrifices, the Trolls discovered it. They killed him and took the altar."
Cai Yong's face carried a look of remembrance. "I saw it myself. That cultivator was sacrificing ferocious beast corpses—mostly wolves and tigers. After the offering, mysterious pills appeared on the altar, each one bearing the images of wolves and tigers. The pill was called the Wolf-Tiger Pill."
"Once consumed, the cultivator's aura immediately surged, his body underwent a transformation, and he exuded a beastly might. His strength skyrocketed. That's when the Trolls noticed, surrounded him, and killed him."
His tone carried a hint of dread.
"A sacrificial altar that responds to offerings… and can even use beast corpses to produce Wolf-Tiger Pills. If there's a reward for every offering—who, or what, is receiving the sacrifice?"
Yi Tianxing's eyes flashed with intense interest.
He was extremely intrigued by this altar.
According to the records in the Heavenly Court Forging Tome, founding a Dynasty of Destiny required crafting five Fortune Artifacts: the Altar of Heaven, the Fengshen Roll, the Hall of Immortals, the Imperial Seal, and the Sacred Decree. Possessing at least three out of five would allow one to establish a Fortune Dynasty, and the more complete the set, the more solid and unshakable the dynasty's fate would be.
He already had the Imperial Seal, forged with Primordial Jade, which he refined daily. Once complete, it would become an immensely powerful national artifact. The Hall of Immortals could be crafted from Willing Power Pearls—something he would attempt after building Xuanhuang City.
As for the Fengshen Roll and Sacred Decree, both required similar materials. Among the rare treasures he had acquired previously, two suitable materials stood out: Seven-Colored Spider Silk and Coiling Dragon Silk—either of which could be used to forge these artifacts. The ideal, however, would be Nine-Colored Silkworm Silk, spun by the Nine-Colored Celestial Silkworm.
The only piece missing was the Altar of Heaven.
And such an altar could not be made from ordinary materials. It had to be capable of withstanding the descent of Heaven's will during rituals. Otherwise, it would collapse instantly. Best would be to find a natural Heaven-earth treasure in altar form and refine it into the Altar of Heaven.
If he could obtain this sacrificial altar, and it proved compatible, it might become his Altar of Heaven—a critical cornerstone for his future Fortune Dynasty.
"If I can get that altar, I will complete the five fortune artifacts before even founding the dynasty. And all five can be refined into National Artifacts. That would make my dynasty the strongest among all!"
The thought surged in Yi Tianxing's mind.
He craved that altar now.
"I wonder who has the altar now—was it taken by the Serpentfolk or the Trolls?" he asked aloud.
"The battle back then was chaotic. A mist suddenly shrouded everything. In the end, the Trolls withdrew, and the Serpentfolk occupied the valley. But where the altar ultimately ended up, I can't say for certain. If I had to guess, I'd say it's more likely the Trolls took it," Cai Yong said gravely.
"I hope it's with the Trolls," Yi Tianxing muttered. "If it's in the hands of the Serpent Queen, then we can basically forget about getting it."
Just thinking about her made him feel bitter. He had no desire to ever face her again.
"It's best not to provoke these alien races now," Cai Yong advised. "Our priority should be preserving strength and growing in power. Other matters can wait. Once we're stronger, we can begin clearing them out."
As he spoke, all the scholars and students stepped through the spatial gate, vanishing from the Academy.
Even Qi Jiguang was among the last to enter.
With a wave of his sleeve, Cai Yong stepped forward and disappeared into the gate without hesitation.
In the blink of an eye, the once-grand Jixia Academy stood empty. Not a single human soul remained.
All books and scrolls had been taken.
"The greatest treasure isn't the books or artifacts—it's the legacy of Jixia Academy itself. That's the true foundation. With it, I can build the greatest academy in the world—but not another Jixia. It will belong solely to Xuanhuang City," Yi Tianxing whispered.
He raised his hand, summoning the Hongmeng Heavenly Emperor Pagoda. It burst into divine radiance, rapidly expanding to envelop the entire academy grounds.
Shua!!
In the blink of an eye, the entire academy vanished—absorbed into the pagoda.
At the same time, the spatial gate opened, and Yi Tianxing stepped inside. In a flash of light, he disappeared completely.
"Not good! The Academy's gone! How could such a huge place just disappear?"
"Quick—inform Her Majesty the Serpent Queen! The humans have vanished too—they escaped!"
"This is too bizarre. I didn't even blink. I watched the academy with my own eyes—and it just disappeared! It's like a dream…"
The serpentfolk hidden in the shadows were utterly stunned.