When a master of the Rhyme Spirit Realm unleashed his anger, his formidable aura erupted like a tornado, alarming even the top cultivators of Qingshan Academy.
"Do you think you're worthy to make me kneel?" Dao Ling fixed him with cold, sharp eyes and snorted. "You're not qualified."
"Brazen fool! You're courting death!" Qian Rong raged. As a member of Star Academy here to oversee recruitment, how dare this brat speak to him so insolently?
Rumble!
His terrifying aura surged like a cloud piercing the sky, overwhelming Dao Ling. It felt as if a mountain pressed against his back, making his bones hum and threaten to explode.
Though suffocated by the pressure, Dao Ling's muscles trembled. Suppressed to the limit, his surging blood qi burst apart, transforming into a torrent of energy. Sensing this change, he rejoiced—under such pressure, hidden physical potential was being unlocked.
"More!" Dao Ling clenched his fists, channeling his blood qi to temper his body and refine his vital energy through this pressure.
"Hmph. Let's see how he dies."
A cool voice sounded. Ye Yun approached, her robes fluttering. Her beautiful face frosty, she crossed a hundred feet in an instant.
Qian Rong's face twitched at the sight of her. He recognized this woman—a rising star in Star Academy, a Top Heaven Ranking master of immense strength, and rumored to be the partner of Qing Yifei!
Who was Qing Yifei? The number one prodigy of Qingzhou's younger generation, a leading figure whose prestige spanned the region. Even elder masters respected him, and his cultivation was said to be unfathomable. As a peerless talent competing with prodigies from all provinces, Qian Rong wasn't fit to hold his shoes!
Setting that aside, Ye Yun alone was not someone he could provoke. Qian Rong dispersed his aura and forced a smile. "So it's Senior Sister Ye Yun. This was all a misunderstanding."
"Senior Sister?" Ye Yun's lips curled in disdain. Ignoring him, she looked at Dao Ling's disheveled state, her eyes flaring with anger. Taking in the groaning figures on the ground, she understood the situation and asked, "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine." Dao Ling shrugged, thinking her timing was unfortunate—he could have used Qian Rong's pressure to temper his body further, saving much effort.
"Good. Let's go." Ye Yun nodded, her smooth skin and flowing hair catching the light. She shot Qian Rong a fleeting glance before turning to leave.
Watching their departing figures, Qian Rong's face turned猪肝色 (livid), roaring in his mind: "Little beast! Just you wait—you won't live long!"
Qian Lin looked on in惊疑（surprised and bewildered）—what was Ye Yun's background to make Qian Rong so wary?
Dao Ling eyed Ye Yun curiously. "Why did he call you Senior Sister? What's your relation to him?"
"Oh, though I'm an instructor here, I'm also a member of Star Academy." Ye Yun's eyes clouded as she whispered, "I haven't met him before, but he must be from Star Academy too. Be careful—you're not a match for him without breaking through to Rhyme Spirit."
"I know. If I join Star Academy, can I call you Senior Sister too?" Dao Ling brightened, surprised that Ye Yun was from Star Academy. Why was she here?
Ye Yun stared, then wrinkled her nose. "Little Junior Brother, let's go."
"Yes, Little Senior Sister Ye Yun," Dao Ling said brazenly, falling into step beside her.
"Little Senior Sister?" Ye Yun glared, clenching her delicate hands. Was he teasing her?
A chill ran down Dao Ling's spine, but he pressed on: "Then Senior Sister?"
"Am I that old?" Ye Yun frowned, irritated.
"Um... Yes..." Dao Ling's gaze flickered briefly where it shouldn't, muttering under his breath.
Ye Yun's eyes widened. *Old?* Then she caught his furtive glance and recalled his words, a blush blooming on her cheeks.
*Just you wait—I'll teach you a lesson,* she huffed inwardly as they reached the square, where a crowd already waited.
Excitement buzzed among the forty or so people. Qingzhou City, the largest city in Qingzhou, was a bustling hub of power they'd never visited. Moreover, the city's underground emitted diverse五行 (Five Elements) energies, making heaven-earth energy incredibly dense—cultivating there for a day was said to equal days elsewhere.
But entering Qingzhou City required wealth or membership in Star Academy. In this hierarchical world, strength determined status. If one couldn't enter Qingzhou City, how could they hope to reach martial holy lands or ancient ruins, the true arenas for prodigies?
Dao Ling's arrival caused a stir. No one expected the former Sleep God to have registered successfully.
"Hmph. Just a Sleep God. Even if he registered, he'll probably die in the trials."
"I heard the trials are dangerous, with a high chance of falling. Some people should know their place." Sneers arose—they resented the Sleep God standing among them.
Up front, Wang Ya eyed Dao Ling coldly, her hands tightening. Not only had the Sleep God survived, but he'd also hidden the Blue Crystal, making her think he still hoped to reconcile.
Dao Ling met her gaze flatly, then looked away. Some debts needed to be settled personally.
*Hmph. He still wants me as his woman? Delusional!* Wang Ya scoffed, misinterpreting his indifference as pretense.
Wang Ling also snorted inwardly: *He won't mention the Blue Crystal because he fears my Wang family. Trying to keep secrets to curry favor? Impossible. Some secrets are best taken to the grave.*
*Just wait. The trials will be your death. You won't last long.* Wang Ling's hand brushed his waist storage pouch, heating at the thought of the treasure within—the Blue Crystal could catapult him to greatness.
The crowd quieted as a group approached from afar. Dao Ling guessed they were from Jialuo Academy, here to travel with Qingshan Academy to Qingzhou City.
A gloomy-faced elder emerged, his sharp eyes scanning the thirty or so from Qingshan Academy. He sneered, then laughed heartily at the vice-principal: "Hah! Brother Tao, a year later, Qingshan Academy remains the same."
"Is this Qingshan Academy? Only thirty-odd people—so far behind Jialuo Academy."
"Right! Jialuo Academy has over forty successful registrations. The gap is massive."
At Hua Zhicheng's words,鄙夷的 (scornful) murmurs arose. Qingshan Academy members flushed, and the vice-principal scowled. "Old Hua, quantity means nothing without quality."
Hua Zhicheng scoffed. "We'll see. This year, Jialuo Academy will have over ten join Star Academy. Last year, Qingshan had... one, right?" His exaggerated tone stunned onlookers. Ten! Many began to eye Jialuo Academy.
"I'll rank within the top 100!" A white-robed youth stepped forward, unleashing a terrifying aura. Cyan ripples pressed the heavens and earth, overwhelming Qingshan students. Some clutched their chests, fearing their bodies would burst, and retreated in horror.
A beautiful maiden paled, her steps faltering. Ashamed, she thought: *What's there to boast about? I could have broken through to Rhyme Spirit already if I didn't aim for a higher Body Forging realm.*
Just then, an arm reached out. A slender, fair hand emerged from a sleeve, resting on her shoulder. A gentle force surged forth, steadying her trembling form.
Cheng Miaofu's eyes filled with gratitude. She turned, lips parting in surprise—the one helping her was... the academy's Sleep God.