Chapter 212: Three Major Top-Tier Factions! Coveting the Mythic-grade Profession Inheritance!
Having made up his mind, Jiang Yuan delayed no longer.
Since he had already decided to look for Sheng Chiyan, obtain the occupational Inheritance, and then make his next move.
The villa's access control system opened in response, and the early morning breeze carrying a faint trace of Spiritual Qi rushed toward his face.
Just as Jiang Yuan stepped out of the villa area's gate, his footsteps abruptly paused, and his brows raised slightly.
He saw that in the open space outside the villa's entrance, a large crowd of people densely stood, blocking the exit completely.
Moreover, among this crowd, quite a few were familiar faces to Jiang Yuan.
His gaze swept across them quickly, and he understood in his heart; many of them were friends and classmates he had known in Shanhai City.
Among them was Zhao Biao and his group. Several tall figures stood in the crowd, their expressions somewhat unnatural and their eyes dodging.
At the front of the crowd, two figures were particularly conspicuous.
One was his girlfriend, Lin Muxue, dressed in a plain white skirt. Between her brows carried a trace of hard-to-detect restraint, and her usually lively eyes were somewhat dim at the moment.
The other was Su Yutong, a friend and teammate Lin Muxue had met at Nanjiang Academy. Standing by Lin Muxue's side, her hands were tightly clenched, her expression tense, and her gaze toward the few people beside her carried a hint of dread.
However, besides these familiar people, the crowd also prominently featured a group of students wearing Nanjiang Academy badges.
Unlike Jiang Yuan and other lower-grade students.
This group of people looked more mature, with a seasoned calmness between their brows. They appeared to be several years older than Jiang Yuan and the others, clearly being senior students of the academy.
Jiang Yuan's heart stirred slightly, and he quietly released a trace of perception, instantly sensing this group of people's auras.
Every single person's aura was steady and condensed, and their energy fluctuations far exceeded ordinary lower-grade students. Their strength was clearly not weak, faintly carrying a bit of oppressive force.
And what was most eye-catching was the expression on their faces.
A uniform arrogance and swagger, with a condescending contempt in their eyes, as if everything around them could not enter their sights.
Especially when looking at Jiang Yuan's friends from Shanhai City, the contempt was completely unmasked.
While Jiang Yuan stopped his footsteps and sized them up.
This group of senior students also cast their gazes toward Jiang Yuan, sizing him up from top to bottom, with scrutiny and disdain in their eyes, as if evaluating an insignificant item.
Jiang Yuan's gaze slowly swept across the crowd, passed over Zhao Biao and the others, and finally fixed on Lin Muxue. The sharpness in the depths of his eyes softened slightly.
Jiang Yuan originally thought that Lin Muxue had come specifically to find him, wanting to share the joy of their joining Nanjiang Academy.
Yet looking at Lin Muxue's constrained expression, taut corners of her mouth, and the helplessness flashing through her eyes, Jiang Yuan understood instantly in his heart.
She was clearly acting against her will and had not come voluntarily.
"Why are you all here?"
Jiang Yuan's tone was calm. He directly ignored the senior students with contemptuous gazes, locking his gaze tightly onto Lin Muxue, with a trace of hard-to-detect concern in his tone.
"We came to congratulate you! Congratulations on becoming a special admission student of the academy and moving into the villa area that countless people dream of."
Hearing Jiang Yuan's voice, Lin Muxue's tense body relaxed slightly, and then she squeezed out a forced smile. Her beautiful eyes blinked rapidly toward Jiang Yuan, hiding a hard-to-detect warning in her gaze.
Seeing this, Zhao Biao by the side was extremely anxious. Taking advantage of the senior students' inattention, he secretly winked and made faces at Jiang Yuan, continuously signaling with his eyes. His lips moved slightly, using lip shapes that only the two of them could understand to indicate to him: "Hurry and leave! It's a trap! Don't worry about us!"
Jiang Yuan understood in his heart, his fingertips moving slightly as he already understood the current predicament.
"Who are they?"
He turned his head to look at that group of arrogant senior students, his tone turning a bit colder as he got straight to the point.
Even without guessing, he was clear that these people were definitely not here to watch the excitement, nor were they here to congratulate him. Their target, from beginning to end, was himself.
Lin Muxue and the others were merely chips blackmailed and brought by these people to hold him in check.
"They are senior students of the academy!"
"Moreover, their identities are not simple at all; behind them are some major Clan factions within Nanjiang City!"
"We... we were also sought out by them."
Seeing this, Lin Muxue hurriedly leaned forward, lowering her voice and speaking at an extremely fast speed.
By the end, her voice became smaller and smaller, her eyes full of guilt and helplessness.
Although the Lin Clan was known as one of the four major families in Shanhai City.
Compared to the Clan factions of Nanjiang City, it was simply not worth mentioning.
"Oh? Looking for me regarding something?"
Hearing this, Jiang Yuan did not show the slightest panic.
Instead, he took a step forward, pulled Lin Muxue over, and steadily protected her behind his back.
His gaze instantly turned as sharp as a knife, sweeping across that group of senior students, with an unquestionable sense of oppression in his tone.
His actions were natural and smooth without the slightest hesitation, as if protecting his most precious thing, instantly warming Lin Muxue's heart and easing her tense nerves a bit.
"You are Jiang Yuan, right?"
Within the crowd, a slightly arrogant voice sounded.
He saw a tall man holding a purple magic staff but clad in heavy armor all over stepping forward, looking down condescendingly at Jiang Yuan, a malicious smile appearing on his face.
The aura around his body was quietly released, carrying a bit of the oppressive feel of an Advanced Class Holder.
His posture was upright and his features handsome, yet he carried an untamable arrogance etched deep into his bones. The contempt in his eyes was unmasked, as if Jiang Yuan in his eyes was merely an ant that could be pinched at will.
"Let me introduce myself. My name is Xiao Junnuo, a third-year student at Nanjiang Academy, and your senior."
Xiao Junnuo raised his chin slightly, his tone arrogant. "I hail from the Xiao Family of Nanjiang. Regarding the Xiao Family, perhaps you don't understand it yet, but you only need to know that the Xiao Family is an imperial-tier great Clan of Nanjiang with a millennium-old Inheritance, and that is enough."
When mentioning the "Xiao Family", Xiao Junnuo's tone carried thick pride and a sense of superiority, and the aura around him became increasingly flamboyant, as if these four words were his greatest source of confidence.
"Oh?"
Jiang Yuan's heart stirred. The so-called imperial-tier great Clan, he naturally understood.
That was a top-tier Clan in Clan history that had produced at least one Ninth-turn Emperor Rank Expert, possessing a deep foundation and a massive faction.
And as a top-tier Clan in Nanjiang City with a millennium-old unbroken Inheritance, the Xiao Family probably had more than one emperor-tier expert within its clan.
As for High-Tier Experts below the emperor tier, they were as numerous as hairs on an ox, and their strength was unfathomable.
He suddenly recalled that during the Southern Border competition assessment, there was once a top legendary Class Holder who temporarily occupied the top three of the rankings, named Xiao Jingchen.
His strength and talent were quite good. Presumably, that Xiao Jingchen came from this Xiao Family.
"Jiang Yuan, you must only know the Xiao Family, yet you do not know our identities. Let me introduce myself. My name is Qin Boci, the direct eldest son of the current clan chief of the Qin Family of Nanjiang. Like you, I am a student of Nanjiang Academy, and also your senior."
Qin Boci's posture was clearly suppressing people with his identity.
Whether it was the Qin Family background or the senior status.
"The Qin Family?"
Jiang Yuan's heart stirred slightly. Last night he had indeed checked information regarding Nanjiang's factions, which naturally could not be separated from these Clan forces.
As for the Qin Family, it was similarly an imperial Clan, but its strength was not as great as the millennium-old Xiao Family.
Its Clan history had produced three Ninth-turn Emperor Rank Experts, and currently, there were still two Ninth-turn Emperor Rank Experts holding down the fort openly within the clan.
Qin Boci seemed to see through Jiang Yuan's thoughts, the corners of his mouth hooking into a mocking smile as he continued to speak.
"My Qin Family is not only an imperial Clan, but we also have a deep-seated origin with Nanjiang Academy. My grandfather Shen Jinghong is the academy's honorary president, having held supreme authority over the academy's educational affairs for decades. Although he has now retreated behind the scenes, he still possesses immense influence in the academy."
"And my father Shen Qinghan is the current head of the academy's combat department, holding the authority of scheduling all combat courses and allocating resources within the academy. Your future cultivation resources and task assignments will all have to pass through my father's hands."
These words, seemingly an introduction of identity, were actually bare-faced showing off and applying pressure, explicitly telling Jiang Yuan that his future lifeline was entirely within the Qin Family's control.
Following closely, the woman on the right stepped forward. She was dressed in a pink silk skirt with delicate and pretty features, yet she carried an inborn arrogance, toying with a crystal-clear jade pendant in her hand. The jade pendant contained rich power of laws of the water element. She raised her chin, sizing up Jiang Yuan with a condescending look, her tone even more arrogant than Qin Boci's.
"My name is Zhou Manqing, from the Zhou Family!"
Zhou Manqing paused, a thick sense of superiority seeping through her tone: "Although my Zhou Clan is not an imperial Clan, it is also a top-tier faction with an eight-hundred-year Inheritance in Nanjiang. The Zhou Clan Chamber of Commerce controls half of Nanjiang's Spiritual Vein resources, and half of the cultivation rooms and material vaults within the academy were funded and built by my Zhou Clan."
"My aunt Zhou Wanqing is an instructor of the academy's material department, holding the distribution rights for all Advanced materials!"
"My uncle Su Mingzhe is an Advanced combat instructor of the academy, responsible for the practical combat assessments of senior students. If you want to graduate smoothly and improve your practical combat abilities, you cannot do without my uncle's nod."
As her voice fell, Zhou Manqing glanced at Lin Muxuebehind Jiang Yuan, a trace of disdain and jealousy flashing through her eyes, her tone flippant.
"And then?"
Jiang Yuan raised an eyebrow.
He knew these people's identities were extraordinary.
Yet he didn't expect them to be this powerful.
Whether it was the Xiao Family, the Qin Family, or the Zhou Clan Chamber of Commerce, they were all top-tier factions within the boundary of Nanjiang Province, and even possessed considerable influence within the Federation.
"I've come here today wanting to make friends with you. How about it?"
Xiao Junnuo looked at Jiang Yuan's unchanging expression, a flash of surprise crossing his eyes before he resumed his untamed expression, his tone carrying a bit of charitable arrogance.
These words sounded like a peace offering, but the condescension in his tone was like a command. There was not the slightest sincerity in making friends; instead, it reeked of the swagger of "being regarded as a friend by me, Xiao Junnuo, is your honor."
As soon as Xiao Junnuo finished speaking, two figures stepped out from his side, a man and a woman, both with upright postures and extraordinary bearing.
The auras around their bodies were more condensed than the rest of the senior students, faintly exuding an oppressive feel on par with Xiao Junnuo, clearly also direct-line Genius descendants.
The man on the left was dressed in a black brocade robe, his handsome features carrying a hint of iciness. In his hand, he held a dark golden dagger, its blade shimmering with faint elemental patterns. He stepped forward, his gaze sweeping contemptuously over Jiang Yuan with unmasked arrogant tone.
"You several coming over so grandly is just to make friends with me?"
Jiang Yuan did not agree, instead asking directly in response.
"What, are our identities not enough to be friends with you?"
"You, an outsider from Shanhai City, luckily won the Federal Unified Examination grand champion and became a special admit, and you think you can gain a firm foothold at Nanjiang Academy?"
"If not for the academy protecting you, a person like you with no background and no faction wouldn't even have a place to stand in Nanjiang."
Xiao Junnuo sneered.
"Brother Xiao is right. We came today indeed wanting to make friends with you."
"After all, in this Nanjiang Academy, without our three families backing you, even if you have some strength, you won't be able to move an inch."
"Be friends with us, and the benefits for you will be indispensable."
Qin Boci also nodded in agreement, his tone carrying a bit of charity.
The two of them exchanged words, seemingly making a peace offering, but in reality every sentence oozed threat and contempt. Between the lines, they were hinting to Jiang Yuan that the Clan factions behind them were massive and tightly connected with the academy; as long as they were willing, they could create trouble for Jiang Yuan and the people around him at any time.
"So?"
Jiang Yuan's expression remained calm. After listening to the introductions of the three, there was not the slightest ripple in the depths of his eyes. He only spoke indifferently, his tone carrying a bit of impatience.
In his heart, he had already figured out the identities and thoughts of the three.
These three people before him were indeed not simple. Not only were they core students of Nanjiang Academyenjoying top-tier cultivation resources, but their own strength should also not be underestimated.
Judging from the aura and energy radiating from their bodies, these people's rank was definitely no lower than level one hundred.
Jiang Yuan silently guessed that they should possess the strength of the Fourth or Fifth-Tier, far surpassing ordinary lower-grade students.
Not to mention the Clan forces behind them.
The Xiao Family, Qin Family, and Zhou Clan Chamber of Commerce were all top-tier forces in Nanjiang, with deep foundations and massive influence. They also had intricate and complex ties with Nanjiang Academy, practically controlling core powers such as the academy's academic affairs, combat, and spiritual materials.
Inside the academy, while they couldn't be said to cover the sky with one hand, they still held immense power and managed the authority of several important departments.
"Since we are friends, mutual help between friends is only natural, right?"
Seeing that Jiang Yuan remained unmoved, Xiao Junnuo's smile faded slightly, yet he still maintained that arrogant posture and a somewhat teasing tone.
He took a step forward, his gaze sweeping over Lin Muxue, Zhao Biao, and the others behind Jiang Yuan. A trace of playfulness flashed in his eyes, and his tone became increasingly flippant.
"We can help you level up first and smoothly complete the Class Advancement quest!"
"Not just you, we can also help your little girlfriend and little brothers together, allowing them to avoid a few years of detours, rapidly enhance their strength, and gain a firm foothold within the academy."
Speaking up to this point, Xiao Junnuo's teasing expression became even more obvious. His words seemed like enthusiastic help, but in reality, they were a naked threat.
He knew in his heart that Jiang Yuan valued relationships and righteousness, and Lin Muxue, Zhao Biao, and the others were Jiang Yuan's greatest soft spot.
They also knew that Jiang Yuan, as the Federal Unified Examination Grand Champion, possessed extraordinary talent and would inevitably receive dual attention from the academy and the Federation.
If they were to directly make a move on Jiang Yuan and be too obvious about it, the academy side definitely wouldn't agree, and they might even face accountability from the Federation.
But they could start with Lin Muxue, Zhao Biao, and the others.
After all, Nanjiang Academy seemed like a place to cultivation geniuses, but there were too many geniuses and the academy's resources were limited. Therefore, to compete for resources, the academy actually encouraged "benign" competition among students.
When conflicts and battles occurred between students, as long as it didn't cost lives, the academy basically wouldn't over-interfere.
There were even quite a few students who, in order to snatch cultivation resources and fight for rankings, threw heavy blows and stepped onto the duel stage to fight to the death.
This had long been an everyday occurrence within the academy.
Although Nanjiang Academy was a place to learn and cultivation, it was by no means a greenhouse ivory tower.
It was more like a protected primitive forest where the weak were prey to the strong and the fittest survived. As long as the struggles were within a "reasonable" scope, the academy had always chosen not to interfere.
Hearing these words, Lin Muxue's body tightened slightly, and she instinctively grabbed the corner of Jiang Yuan's clothes, her eyes filled with worry.
Zhao Biao and the others' expressions also changed, but constrained by the other party's strength and background, they didn't dare to speak rashly and could only worry in secret.
"Since we have helped you this much, shouldn't you also help us a bit?"
"After all, between friends, what counts is courtesy demanding reciprocity, isn't it?"
Xiao Junnuo took in everyone's changing expressions, feeling secretly proud in his heart, and continued to speak.
"Spit it out, what do you guys actually want? Stop beating around the bush."
Feeling the tension of Lin Muxue behind him, Jiang Yuan's surrounding Qi quietly turned frigid, his gaze as sharp as a knife, staring fixedly at Xiao Junnuo.
Seeing that Jiang Yuan finally relented, a successful smile appeared on Xiao Junnuo's face, and his tone became even more triumphant as he cut straight to the point.
"I heard that to commend your outstanding performance in the Federal Unified Examination, the academy gave you two Mythical Grade Class Holder Legacies, is that right?"
He paused, a trace of greed flashing in his gaze.
"You are currently only a Second-Turn Professional, and the profession you possess is merely an ordinary Elite-grade one."
"Wanting to carry out the Class Advancement of a Mythical Grade Class Holder Inheritance requires reaching at least the Sixth-Turn Cultivation Realm, taking at least several years. You won't have any use for these two Legacies in the short term."
"And my Xiao Family has an Old Ancestor who is currently at the Peak of the Ninth-Turn Emperor Rank, stuck on the bottleneck of breaking through to the Tenth-Rank Demigod. He urgently needs a Mythical Grade Class Holder Inheritance to comprehend the power of laws and complete the Class Advancement."
Xiao Junnuo said with a smile, his tone carrying a sense of unrefusable meaning.
"So, you might as well lend one of the Mythical GradeClass Holder Legacies to my Clan's Old Ancestor first. When you reach the Sixth-Turn in the future and need to undergo Class Advancement, the Xiao Family will definitely return one to you, and even give you generous extra rewards. How about it?"
"Jiang Yuan, for you, this is a business where you win no matter what."
"Being able to make the Xiao Clan owe you a favor, plus the support of our Qin Family and the Zhou Clan, you will be able to sail smoothly in Nanjiang Academy, and even throughout the entire Nanjiang, in the future."
Qin Boci and Zhou Manqing also chimed in one after another, Qin Boci speaking in an arrogant tone.
"If you fail to appreciate favors and refuse to help, then bear the consequences yourself."
"You should be clear that with our three families joining forces, wanting to make you and your friends unable to stay within the academy is as easy as turning over a hand."
Zhou Manqing curled her lips, her tone carrying a hint of threat.
"Class Holder Legacies can even be borrowed or transferred?"
Hearing this, a look of astonishment inevitably appeared on Jiang Yuan's face, as if he had heard something unbelievable.
Was Nanjiang Academy actually this open?
The resources promised to students could be transferred to others?
Wouldn't that mean there was plenty of room for manipulation!
"Ordinary people certainly can't!"
Xiao Junnuo sneered, a matter-of-fact look appearing on his face, his tone carrying a thick sense of superiority, "But my Xiao Family has connections in the academy, with Clanelders holding important positions in the academy. As long as we clear the connections, coupled with your consent, we can let that Mythical Grade Class Holder Inheritance be 'borrowed' for my Clan's Old Ancestor to use!"
He deliberately emphasized the words "Clan elders" and "important positions in the academy", his gaze sweeping over the surrounding people, faintly harboring a sense of flaunting. He wanted to reveal the Xiao Family's interpersonal relationships and deep foundation to everyone, making Jiang Yuan understand that they had sufficient ability to accomplish this matter, and also sufficient confidence to force Jiang Yuan to submit.
"Hehe, the Xiao Family is truly formidable."
Jiang Yuan slowly opened his mouth, his tone icy cold, the corners of his mouth hooking into a mocking arc. That smile didn't reach his eyes, instead exuding a piercing chill.
He finally saw through it. These people relied on their Clanforces to run amok within the academy, even daring to break the academy's ironclad rules, showing to what extent their arrogance and tyranny had reached.
"Saying so much, are you going to lend it or not!"
Xiao Junnuo's patience on his face was completely exhausted, and his tone became increasingly impatient, even carrying a bit of a reprimand.
"As long as you just give a nod, you won't need to worry about the remaining procedures and clearing connections; our Xiao Family will handle it all!"
He pressed forward a step, the Qi around his body becoming increasingly violent, yet he still forcefully suppressed his anger, offering conditions he thought were incomparably generous.
"As long as you agree, from now on we shall address each other as brothers. In the academy, whoever dares to bully you, I will be the first one not to agree!"
"In Nanjiang City, or even within the entire territory of the Federation, the Xiao Family will be your most solid backing!"
"Once my Clan's Old Ancestor successfully completes Class Advancement with the help of the Mythical GradeInheritance and breaks through to the Tenth-Rank Demigod, the Xiao Family will become the first Demigod Clan in Nanjiang. By then, you will be the great benefactor of the Xiao Family, with lofty status and endless glory and wealth. This can be described as killing two birds with one stone. How about it?"
Xiao Junnuo's tone was full of certainty. In his view, this condition was enough to make any Class Holder's heart flutter.
You must know that as an imperial Clan with a Inheritancespanning a thousand years, the Xiao Family didn't know how many forces and geniuses broke their heads trying to climb up and establish a relationship with them.
Even just getting a verbal protection from the Xiao Familywould be enough to gain a foothold in Nanjiang.
And Jiang Yuan was merely an outsider coming from Shanhai City, without a deep Clan background. As for the 'Flame God' they investigated, it wasn't even worth mentioning in front of the Xiao Family.
Relying solely on the title of Federal Unified ExaminationGrand Champion, he couldn't stir up any waves.
Now, as long as he was willing to "temporarily lend" the Mythical Grade Inheritance, he could obtain the full protection of the Xiao Family, sailing smoothly in Nanjiang Academy from then on, and even quickly enhancing his strength with the help of the Xiao Family's resources.
This was simply a business where he won no matter what, and it was his supreme honor.
In Xiao Junnuo's view, this was a win-win situation.
The Xiao Family obtains the Mythical Grade Inheritanceand breaks through to become a Demigod Clan.
Jiang Yuan obtains the Xiao Family's protection and ascends to the heavens in a single step. Both sides take what they need, which couldn't be more reasonable.
"Wanting the Class Holder Inheritance in my hands, and asking for a Mythical Grade one right off the bat? You guys really have a wonderful plan!"
Jiang Yuan suddenly laughed, but that smile was bone-chillingly cold. The mockery in the depths of his eyes was undisguised, and his tone was filled with utter disdain.
Until this moment, he finally completely figured out why these people blocked the villa door early in the morning, and even deliberately brought Zhao Biao, Lin Muxue, and others along to blackmail him into submitting.
As it turned out, from beginning to end, they had been coveting the Mythical Grade Class Holder Inheritance in his hands!
Jiang Yuan sneered inwardly. He knew clearly that for Xiao Junnuo and the Xiao Family behind him, those benefits promised to him by the academy...
...such as hundreds of millions of Cultivation funds a year, personal guidance from famous teachers, and the right to use top-tier Cultivation rooms, simply couldn't catch the eyes of these top-tier families.
They had deep foundations and countless resources; to them, these things were nothing more than trivial matters.
And on him, the only thing that could make these top-tier families' hearts flutter were these two Mythical GradeClass Holder Legacies.
This thing was the ultimate pursuit of all Class Holders.
From ordinary Class Holders who had just undergone Awakening, up to the Ninth-turn Emperor Rank Experts standing at the Peak of the pyramid, all yearned to obtain a Mythical Grade Class Holder Inheritance to break through Cultivation Realms, perfect the power of laws, and enhance their strength.
But the quantity of Mythical Grade Class Holder Legacies was extremely scarce, comparable to phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.
Even many High-Tier Experts would find it hard to obtain even one in their entire lifetime.
Even an imperial Clan like the Xiao Family would find it as difficult as ascending to heaven if they wanted to obtain another Mythical Grade Class Holder Inheritance.
Otherwise, that Xiao Family Old Ancestor who was stuck at the Peak of the Ninth-Turn Emperor Rank and unable to break through to the Tenth-Rank Demigod for a long time wouldn't have set his sights on the Inheritance in his hands.
As for the "win-win" spoken of by Xiao Junnuo, in Jiang Yuan's view, it was merely the Xiao Family winning twice.
The Xiao Family obtains the Mythical Grade Inheritance, breaks through to the Demigod Realm, and their influence rises to another level.
And as for him?
The so-called "Xiao Family protection" was nothing more than a flower in a mirror and the moon in the water.
Once the Inheritance was lent out and the Xiao Familyachieved their goal, how could they still remember him as this "benefactor"?
As the saying goes, a great kindness is like a deep enmity.
Furthermore, Jiang Yuan was a great benefactor without much background.
How could the Xiao Family still acknowledge it?
Besides, once a Mythical Grade Class Holder Inheritancewas lent out, it was simply impossible to return it.
Judging from Xiao Junnuo's arrogant and tyrannical style of doing things, it wasn't hard to deduce the Xiao Family's code of conduct.
Overbearing, arrogant, and supreme above all!
I'm afraid it was a hundred times more overbearing than the Shanhai City Zhou Family he had encountered before.
Jiang Yuan's heart grew increasingly icy cold. He had just won the Federal Unified Examination Grand Champion yesterday, and today was the second day of officially joining Nanjiang Academy, yet the other party couldn't wait to come to his door to demand the Inheritance.
It showed that they didn't put him in their eyes at all, and even the "Flame God" behind him was not cared about by the Xiao Family in the slightest.
In their view, he was merely a soft persimmon that could be kneaded at will, an outsider who had gotten lucky and obtained a Mythical Grade Inheritance.
"What do you mean?"
Hearing Jiang Yuan's mockery, the triumph on Xiao Junnuo's face instantly vanished, replaced by thick anger. The Qi around his body suddenly surged, and the oppressive feeling of the Seventh Rank Peak was released without reservation, making the surrounding air become stagnant.
In his view, he had communicated with Jiang Yuan in a nice tone and offered such generous conditions, which was already giving Jiang Yuan supreme face.
If it were any other Class Holder, they would have already agreed with deep gratitude, but Jiang Yuan not only didn't appreciate the favor, but turned around to mock them. This was simply slapping his face, slapping the face of the entire Xiao Family!
"Don't think that just because you are the Federal Unified Examination Grand Champion, you can be self-righteous and look down upon everyone!"
Xiao Junnuo tightly grasped the purple staff in his hands, his knuckles turning white from the force, and he rebuked loudly, his tone full of fury and contempt.
"You must know that this so-called Grand Champion of yours appears once a year!"
AI Model: gemini-3.5-flash
"In this Nanjiang Academy, the last thing we lack is all kinds of geniuses. Even some overall champion is nothing rare!"
"Look around this academy. How many geniuses became famous at a young age, only to end up falling halfway or stagnating because they had no background or resources, ultimately reducing them to mediocrity?"
"And how many of them can truly grow up and step into high-tier Cultivation Realms?"
Xiao Junnuo's voice grew louder, his eyes filled with arrogance and disdain, as if he were looking at an ignorant ant.
"But my Xiao Family was established a thousand years ago. Having weathered a thousand years of storms, we stand tall with a thousand years of deep heritage!"
"Never mind a mere Unified Examination overall champion like you, who has only undergone Awakening for less than a month. Even the overall champions of the previous years must bow and submit before my Xiao Family, not daring to show the slightest insolence!"
As his voice fell, the fire Spiritual Qi around Xiao Junnuoquietly surged, and a faint purple light emanated from the tip of his purple staff. He was clearly prepared to make a move.
He had lost all patience. If Jiang Yuan still refused to agree, he wouldn't mind taking action directly. Even if it caused a stir, with the Xiao Family backing him, the academy wouldn't hold him too accountable.
Qin Boci and Zhou Manqing also released their auras one after another, staring coldly at Jiang Yuan with threatening tones.
Qin Boci said coldly, "Jiang Yuan, if you know what's good for you, agree to Brother Xiao's conditions. Don't refuse a polite offer only to accept a threat. If you really push the three of our families too far, neither you nor your friends will have a good time!"
Zhou Manqing also shouted, the jade pendant in her hand glowing with dense water-attribute Spiritual Qi, "Exactly! A so-called Genius from the outside dares to put on airs in front of us? Do you really think you're somebody? Hand over the Inheritance quickly, and maybe we can spare you this once!"
Zhao Biao and the others turned pale, but they still forced themselves to stand their ground, wanting to step forward to speak up for Jiang Yuan, only to be stopped by Jiang Yuan's warning glance.
Jiang Yuan still shielded Lin Muxue, his expression terrifyingly calm. There was not a trace of panic in his eyes; instead, they exuded a domineering aura that looked down on the world, the mocking curve of his lips becoming more pronounced.
"A thousand years of heritage?"
Jiang Yuan spoke slowly, his tone flat but carrying immense pressure, "In my eyes, you are nothing but arrogant, overbearing trash riding on the coattails of your ancestors."
With a single sentence, Xiao Junnuo's anger was instantly ignited, and the faces of Qin Boci and Zhou Manqing also changed drastically.
"You are courting death!"
"How dare you insult my Xiao Family like this! Today, I will let you know the consequences of offending the Xiao Family!"
Xiao Junnuo roared in anger, the fire Spiritual Qi around him surging violently. The purple light at the tip of his purple staff grew more intense, almost solidifying. A wave of pressure at the fourth-turn Peak swept out, causing the surrounding ground to tremble slightly.
"So what?"
Jiang Yuan glanced indifferently at Xiao Junnuo, his tone so flat that there wasn't a single ripple, as if the furious Xiao Junnuo before him was nothing but a clown.
He sneered inwardly. If it had been before yesterday, he might have been slightly wary when facing the Xiao Familywith its thousand-year heritage.
After all, they were an Emperor-class Clan with a thousand years of Inheritance. No one knew how many Ninth-Turn Emperor Rank old monsters and how many High-Tier Experts were hidden deep within the Xiao Family's heritage.
But today was different. He had successfully activated the ten-million-fold effect of his Fireball Spell, mastering the supreme fire-attribute Forbidden Spell, "Burning Heaven Ash Path: Myriad Fires Return to Silence"!
Let alone just a few Emperor-rank experts of the Xiao Family. Even if the Xiao Family's Old Ancestor, who was stuck at the Ninth-Turn Dharma Emperor Peak and wanted to breakthrough to a Tenth-Rank Demigod, were to come in person, Jiang Yuan was fully confident that he would make him come but never return, leaving not even a trace behind.
As for the Xiao Family's so-called thousand-year heritage and their so-called Emperor-rank experts, they were nothing but lambs to the slaughter before his Heaven-Burning Extinction Fire.
However many Emperor-rank experts the Xiao Family had, he would send them that many "Burning Heaven Ash Path: Myriad Fires Return to Silence" spells, completely erasing this arrogant and overbearing Clan!
Jiang Yuan's composure and indifference were like pouring oil on fire, making Xiao Junnuo's anger burn even hotter.
Gritting his teeth, he gripped his staff tightly with both hands, his knuckles turning white. The tip of the staff had already begun to condense dense fire elemental energy, and a scorching breath washed over them, showing that he was clearly prepared to make a move.
"If you don't agree, then you want to make an enemy of me! An enemy of the entire Xiao Family! An enemy of a future Demigod!"
Xiao Junnuo's voice was hoarse, filled with extreme anger and threat.
"Don't think that just because you are the overall champion of this year's Federal Unified Examination and a specially recruited student of the academy, I won't dare to touch you!"
"Private fights between students are not forbidden within Nanjiang Academy! Although you are the number one Genius of your rank, you are after all only a Second-Turn Professional, and your strength is just so-so!"
The contempt and arrogance in Xiao Junnuo's tone surfaced once again.
"And I am already a Level 120 fourth-turn Peak, only one step away from the Fifth-Tier. My strength far surpasses yours!"
"Defeating you is as simple as beating a dog to me!"
Xiao Junnuo completely revealed his real intentions, making no secret of the threat in his words, clearly telling Jiang Yuan that if he didn't agree, he would take action immediately and crush him ruthlessly.
"Although causing deaths is forbidden in the academy, we have plenty of ways to deal with you!"
"We can trouble you every day, block the entrance of your villa, so that you can't study in peace at all, let alone level up!"
"We can even use our connections to restrict you in terms of cultivation resources, task allocation, and practical assessments, cutting off your path forward!"
Qin Boci also spoke up at the right time from the side, his tone cold.
"You are indeed a Genius with extraordinary talent and infinite potential, but a Genius needs time to grow. We, however, can make you completely lose the opportunity to grow, leaving you stuck in the Second-Turn Realm forever!"
"Moreover, the last thing this world lacks is geniuses. Not every Genius can smoothly grow into a powerhouse. Many geniuses fall quietly halfway through their growth, dying without a clear reason!"
Beside them, the other woman, Zhou Manqing, was also pressing forward step by step. Her tone was sinister, and a trace of killing intent flashed in her eyes.
The last sentence was no longer a threat, but a naked warning.
If Jiang Yuan refused to obediently hand over the Mythic-grade Profession Inheritance, he would probably die quietly in some corner one day, with not even his bones to be found. No one would care about the life or death of an outsider Genius.
"I thought Nanjiang Academy was a Holy Land that all magic professionals yearned for, a place where everyone could reach the Peak through their own efforts and strength, but I didn't expect..."
Hearing this, Jiang Yuan slowly closed his eyes. When he opened them again, the mockery in his eyes was even stronger, and he sighed helplessly, "Beneath this academy, such filthy things are hidden in secret, relying on Clanbackgrounds to bully others. How utterly despicable!"
"Hmph, you are too naive!"
Xiao Junnuo sneered, his tone full of disdain.
"As long as there are people, there is a Jianghu, and there are conflicts. It is the same within this Nanjiang Academy!"
"To make it out there, you need a background, power, and you must know how to assess the situation. Do you understand?"
Xiao Junnuo pressed forward a step, the fire energy around him becoming increasingly violent.
Just as Xiao Junnuo's anger was about to explode and a battle between the two sides was on the verge of breaking out, their conflict had already attracted many passing teachers and students of the academy to watch.
The crowd grew larger and larger, densely surrounding them to form a huge circle. Everyone stared intently at the people in the center, yet not a single person was willing to step forward to participate or intervene.
Even among the onlookers, there were some older individuals with calm and powerful auras. Wearing the attire of academy instructors, they stood to the side calmly, looking on with cold detachment, as if everything happening before them had nothing to do with them.
Such occurrences were actually very common within Nanjiang Academy.
After all, although Nanjiang Academy's cultivation resources were abundant,
the number of teachers and students was vast, and the resources simply could not meet everyone's needs.
Therefore, disputes and conflicts often arose between students, and even between teachers and students, over cultivation resources, profession Legacies, rankings, status, and various other matters.
Especially profession Legacies, which were the focus of everyone's contention.
A freshman like Jiang Yuan, who was not only the overall champion of the Federal Unified Examination but had also been promised abundant resources and two Mythic-grade Profession Legacies by the academy, would naturally become a "fat sheep" in the eyes of many senior students. It was only natural for him to be coveted.
And those who had their eyes on Jiang Yuan were definitely not limited to Xiao Junnuo, Qin Boci, and Zhou Manqing.
Among the onlookers, many had flickering eyes, with greed and covetousness hidden deep within. However, they were all observing the situation and did not make a move rashly.
Most of them were waiting, waiting for Xiao Junnuo and his group to make the first move, to see if Jiang Yuan could withstand Xiao Junnuo's strength and the might of the Xiao, Qin, and Zhou Families, before deciding whether to act themselves and reap the benefits of a bystander.
After all, the competition within Nanjiang Academy was far more brutal than the outside world imagined, even more dangerous than a primeval forest.
The weak are prey to the strong, and only the fittest survive.
Here, there is no absolute fairness, only absolute strength and background.
And the number of smart people in the academy was also very large. No one was willing to be the first bird to stand out, and even less willing to rashly offend either side when the situation was still unclear.
"Jiang Yuan, how about... we think of another way? They have strength in numbers and Clan backgrounds. If we go head-to-head, we will probably suffer."
Lin Muxue tightly clutched the corner of Jiang Yuan's clothes, her beautiful eyes filled with worry as she advised him in a low voice.
"Yes, Jiang Yuan. A wise man doesn't fight against impossible odds. They are going too far, but we are not their match right now. Why don't we pretend to agree first and then plan for the long term!"
Zhao Biao and the others also chimed in with urgent tones.
"Don't worry, there's no need to fear. They are just a bunch of trash relying on the coattails of their ancestors, not worth our compromise."
Jiang Yuan gently patted Lin Muxue's hand. His eyes were gentle yet exceptionally firm as he slowly shook his head, his tone flat but filled with absolute confidence.
As his voice fell, the aura around Jiang Yuan quietly changed. The power of extinction that he had deliberately restrained began to surge slowly, and the crimson flame at his fingertips became clearer. Although it was still faint, it made the surrounding air increasingly stagnant. A heart-palpitating chill quietly spread out, causing the onlookers to subconsciously take half a step back.
"What? Do you still want to make a move? With just a Second-Turn Professional like you, you dare to be insolent in front of me?"
Feeling this strange aura, Xiao Junnuo's face changed slightly, and a trace of unease inexplicably rose in his heart. However, he still forced himself to stay calm and barked, "I will ask you one last time, are you lending the Mythic-grade Profession Inheritance, or not!"
"Lend it to your... mother!"
Jiang Yuan's voice suddenly turned cold, and a bone-chilling killing intent instantly flashed through his originally calm eyes. "Why don't you take a good look at yourself in the mirror? A bunch of trash relying on the coattails of their ancestors, how dare you covet my Inheritance?"