Chapter 215: Flame God's Threat! The Guardian Rules of the Ancient Azure Sky Tree!
Jiang Yuan was indeed safe and sound, without the slightest scar on his entire body, with neat clothes, a steady aura, and an expression that was incomparably calm.
It was as if Qin Zhuangxu's world-destroying strike just now had never affected him in the slightest.
Long before Qin Zhuangxu's long saber cleaved down, Jiang Yuan had unhesitatingly activated the million-fold special effect of Gale Technique: Phase of Wind: Void Instant Step!
His figure directly teleported and disappeared in place, not only successfully dodging Qin Zhuangxu's full-strength strike, but also smoothly protecting Lin Muxue and the others behind him, instantly transferring to the roof of the villa.
Because Jiang Yuan knew very well in his heart just how terrifying the power erupted by an Eighth-Rank Emperor Level Expert completely consumed by anger would be.
Once the battle spread, Lin Muxue and the others were low in strength, with no possibility of survival at all.
Therefore, his exit was both self-protection and the protection of others.
And his disappearance happened to give the "Flame God" an opportunity to make an entrance, leading to the subsequent scene where the Flame God strongly suppressed the field and beheaded Qin Zhuangxu.
The many academy higher-ups and experts present looked at the safe and sound Jiang Yuan on the roof of the villa with varying expressions, their countenances complicated to the extreme.
There was the shock of neutral faction experts, marveling that Jiang Yuan could retreat completely unscathed under the full-strength strike of an Eighth-turn Emperor RankPeak expert.
There was the joy and rejoicing of the order faction experts, rejoicing that this Federal Unified Examination grand champion, a once-in-a-millennium Genius, had not fallen.
Even more so, the core figures of the three major families of Xiao, Qin, and Zhou had eyes filled with irrepressible anger.
They stared fixedly at the frozen head at Jiang Yuan's feet, and then looked at the intact Jiang Yuan, their anger soaring to the skies, yet they dared to be angry but not speak out.
Qin Zhuangxu's tragic death was still vivid in their minds, and the terrifying might of the Heaven-Burning Extinction Fire still lingered in their hearts.
With Qin Zhuangxu as a cautionary tale, no matter how angry they were, not a single person dared to rashly step forward.
After all, they were very clear that even Qin Zhuangxu could be instantly obliterated by the Flame God; if they stepped forward, they would end up reduced to nothingness.
What is more, Chu Wenxuan, the vice principal of south border academy, was present at this time. Chu Wenxuan's attitude determined everything; they had to act according to Chu Wenxuan's expression and must never act rashly.
"Fortunately, he is still alive!"
Looking at Jiang Yuan's figure, the huge stone in Chu Wenxuan's heart finally fell to the ground, the expression of relief on his face becoming more and more obvious, and his tone carried a bit of rejoicing, "It's truly a great stroke of luck, truly a great stroke of luck!"
In Chu Wenxuan's view, Jiang Yuan being alive was the rarest good news in this storm.
Even if they lost Qin Zhuangxu, an Eighth-Rank Emperor Level Expert, as long as Jiang Yuan could safely stay in the academy, he would definitely be able to make up for this loss in the future.
Everyone present also revealed surprise one after another, discussing in low voices.
"I didn't expect that Jiang Yuan is actually completely unscathed. That strike from Qin Zhuangxu just now was a full-strength strike from an Eighth-turn Emperor RankPeak expert. Hit at close range, even a Seventh-Rank Saint-level would be smashed to pieces!"
"Come to think of it, it must have been the Flame God who made a move to protect him in the first place. After all, the Flame God's strength is so strong that protecting a second-transfer freshman shouldn't be difficult."
Everyone gradually reached a conclusion in their hearts, and they also became increasingly clear that in this dispute, Jiang Yuan would undoubtedly become the final winner.
On the other hand, the Combat Academy faction of the academy suffered heavy losses, taking a bloody and extreme loss.
Xiao Junnuo, Qin Hao, and Zhou Peng, three direct descendants of the faction, were counter-killed by Jiang Yuan, leaving only their heads frozen in the end, like stray dogs, reduced to a laughingstock.
More importantly, they lost Qin Zhuangxu, the Eighth-Rank Emperor Level Expert who served as the head of the Combat Department.
Qin Zhuangxu was not only the core figure of the faction, but also the backbone of the Qin Family.
With his death, the strength of the Combat Academyfaction would be greatly reduced, and the Qin Familywould inevitably suffer a heavy blow to its vitality.
Yet all of this was brought upon themselves; they could blame no one else.
If the three of Xiao Junnuo had not relied on their Clan's power to bully newcomers and demand inheritances.
If Qin Zhuangxu had not bullied the weak, acted as a senior bullying a junior, and ignored the academy's rules to ruthlessly kill Jiang Yuan, they would not have ended up in this state.
In the past, they were arrogant and domineering, looking down upon everyone, and the crimes they committed were countless.
Now it was simply finally receiving karmic retribution, nothing more than getting what they deserved.
"Your Excellency Flame God, it is a great stroke of luck that Jiang Yuan is safe and sound."
"It's just that Qin Zhuangxu is dead, and although the three of Xiao Junnuo still have a breath left, they are also heavily injured. This matter ultimately requires a proper solution!"
Chu Wenxuan reined in his mind and looked at the Flame God in mid-air once more, his tone growing increasingly solemn.
His heart was filled with helplessness; no one could have expected it.
This conflict, which was originally triggered between students and seemed like a farce, would end up evolving into this appearance.
Jiang Yuan was completely unscathed, the three of Xiao Junnuo were half-dead, and the one who died instead was the aggressive and powerfully mighty Eighth-turn Emperor Rank Peak expert Qin Zhuangxu.
This huge contrast made many experts present find it hard to accept for a moment, and also plunged Nanjiang Academy into a dilemma.
How to properly handle the aftermath was a huge difficult problem!
"What, do you still need me to give you an explanation?"
Hearing this, the Flame God let out a cold snort, his tone full of overbearingness and disdain. The scarlet-gold flames around his body surged slightly once more, and a terrifying aura instantly swept across the entire scene.
"Since Qin Zhuangxu dared to openly make a move to kill my disciple, he should have been prepared to be killed!"
"Since he is dead, it means his skills are inferior to others, and furthermore he deserves his crime. What is there to explain?"
The Flame God's gaze swept across the academy higher-ups present, his tone growing increasingly icy, carrying a trace of questioning.
"Furthermore, is this how you Nanjiang Academy treat the top scorer of the Federal Unified Examination?"
"Can any random tom, dick and harry make a move against Jiang Yuan, and can anyone wantonly plunder his things?"
"If Nanjiang Academy is just like this, indiscriminately condoning the strong to bully freshmen, then I must seriously consider whether this Nanjiang Academy is still worth Jiang Yuan continuing to stay in!"
"Moreover, Nanjiang Academy is not the only top-tier academy!"
The Flame God's words pierced into the hearts of everyone present like sharp blades.
Especially the experts of the Xiao, Qin, and Zhou families, their complexions turned green and white, yet they still did not dare to retort.
"I am truly sorry, Your Excellency Flame God!"
"What happened today is indeed an accident!"
"It is due to our academy's lax supervision. I hereby offer my apologies to you and Your Excellency Jiang Yuan, and I guarantee that such a thing will never happen again in the future!"
Chu Wenxuan hurriedly stepped forward, an earnest expression appearing on his face, and bowed with cupped hands to apologize to the Flame God.
You must know that Chu Wenxuan, as the vice principal of south border academy, held a high and weighty position and was usually aloof. Being able to humble himself like this to apologize to the Flame God in a public occasion already gave the Flame God plenty of face, and was even more sufficient to show how much he valued Jiang Yuan.
He was very clear that Jiang Yuan's talent had a promising future. He must absolutely not let Jiang Yuan leave Nanjiang Academy because of this storm, and even less could he offend the Flame God, an expert with terrifying strength.
Furthermore, as a top-tier expert, the Flame God should not stand on the opposite side of the academy, but should be vigorously courted.
Even if courting failed, they should not become enemies.
As for the dead Qin Zhuangxu, whether to take revenge for him was not within Chu Wenxuan's consideration at all.
"Immediately disperse the surrounding crowd, seal off the scene, and do not allow anyone to casually spread today's events, so as to avoid causing unnecessary panic and trouble."
After apologizing, Chu Wenxuan immediately turned his head and instructed the academy higher-ups beside him.
Several higher-ups hurriedly acknowledged and turned around to arrange the matters.
A moment later, the onlookers of students and low-tier instructors were orderly dispersed, leaving only the academy higher-ups, High-Tier Experts, and the core figures of the Xiao, Qin, and Zhou families at the scene.
Of course, driving away the teachers and students was also to prevent the situation from deteriorating. If negotiations really fell through in the end, a major battle might truly erupt!
This was also for the safety of the academy's teachers and students.
"Your Excellency Flame God, this matter is of great importance, and discussing it publicly is quite inconvenient. Can we step aside to speak?"
"Let's find a quiet place to properly discuss the subsequent solution, how about that?"
After dealing with the surrounding crowd, Chu Wenxuan looked at the Flame God in mid-air once again, his tone becoming increasingly polite, carrying a bit of reverence as he issued an invitation.
The reason he was so polite was not out of fear, but because he knew the Flame God had this capital.
That single hand of Burning Heaven Ash Path: Myriad Fires Return to Silence alone was enough to deter all experts present.
Even though he was a Ninth-Turn Emperor Rank Peakexpert, and was only half a step away from a demigod, he still wouldn't dare say he could definitely take a Forbidden Spell from the Flame God.
"Those whose paths are different cannot make plans together! There is nothing for me to discuss with you Nanjiang Academy."
Yet facing Chu Wenxuan's warm invitation, the Flame Godsneered with disdain, his tone still arrogant and overbearing.
As his voice fell, his gaze swept across the audience, and his voice suddenly rose, carrying an aura of looking down upon the world.
"Is there anyone else who wants to avenge that fellow Qin Zhuangxu?"
"Might as well come up together; I'll take full responsibility today and will never back down!"
If it were in the past, if someone dared to be so arrogant and overbearing in Nanjiang Academy, I'm afraid countless experts would have swarmed up long ago to smash them to pieces and grind their bones to dust.
Yet right now, the people present dared to be angry but didn't dare to speak out; not a single person dared to easily make a move, and they didn't even dare to breathe heavily.
After all, Qin Zhuangxu's fate was right before their eyes; no one wanted to repeat the same mistakes, and no one was confident they could take a Heaven-Burning Forbidden Spell from the Flame God.
Even Chu Wenxuan only stood in place with a solemn expression, without the slightest unusual movement.
The core experts of the Xiao, Qin, and Zhou families were so angry at this moment that their entire bodies trembled, their hands clenched tightly, their nails almost embedding into their flesh, their eyes filled with killing intent and unwillingness, yet they could only endure it desperately.
They were very clear that making a move at this moment was undoubtedly seeking their own death, and they could only temporarily suppress this hatred deep in their hearts.
"A bunch of spineless things! If there isn't any, then I'll be leaving, no need to see me off!"
The Flame God swept his gaze across the audience, seeing that no one dared to respond, the corners of his mouth curled into an arc of disdain, his tone icy and resolute.
Pausing his voice, the scarlet-gold flames around his body surged dramatically once more, his aura sweeping across the audience, every word clanging and forceful, leaving behind a harsh remark that shook heaven and earth, which was also a down-to-earth, naked threat.
"I declare here and now, Qin Zhuangxu was killed by me. If you want revenge, come find me!"
"But I warn you, if you dare to bully peers, act as seniors bullying juniors like today, and make a move against my disciple Jiang Yuan and his friends, then don't blame me for going on a killing spree and leaving no shred of mercy!"
The Flame God's gaze slowly swept across the core experts of the Xiao, Qin, and Zhou families, his tone carrying a trace of mockery, yet revealing an unquestionable ruthlessness.
"My disciple Jiang Yuan indeed doesn't have any major background, unlike you, who have children and grandchildren everywhere, prosperous Clan populations, and influences spread across the southern border or even the Federation, every single one of you having attachments and soft spots."
"But I am different. I am all alone, at most just the two of us Master and disciple, Jiang Yuan and I. Unburdened and fearless."
The Flame God's voice suddenly rose, carrying a fierce momentum of looking down upon the world, "I'd like to see whether you can withstand my endless fury, and whether you can bear the cost of your Clan descendants falling one by one!"
These harsh words exploded in the ears of everyone present like a thunderclap, making everyone's hearts tremble and instantly understanding the Flame God's subtext.
If you dare to touch my disciple and his friends, and dare to make a move on the younger generation.
Then I will tit for tat, directly attacking your descendants, seeing who cannot hold on first and who bows their head in defeat first.
The complexions of the experts present turned pale, especially the people from the Xiao, Qin, and Zhou families, whose hearts grew cold and whose backs instantly broke out in a layer of cold sweat.
Indeed!
The Master and disciple of the Flame God were unburdened; the barefooted were not afraid of those wearing shoes.
Yet they were different; with massive Clan estates and countless descendants, every Clan had too many attachments and soft spots.
Not to mention the Flame God controlled a supreme fire-type Forbidden Spell capable of obliterating everything; even if it were just ordinary high-tier spells, if they targeted and retaliated against their descendants, they simply couldn't bear it.
Chu Wenxuan also instantly grasped the Flame God's meaning. Not daring to show the slightest negligence, he hurriedly stepped forward, his tone incomparably sincere, even carrying a bit of solemn promise.
"Your Excellency Flame God, please rest assured. As long as I am here, Jiang Yuan will definitely not suffer the slightest grievance within Nanjiang Academy from now on. Including his friends, I will personally give instructions to protect them properly."
Chu Wenxuan raised his hand to point at the sky, his expression solemn, and swore an oath in his own name: "If today's matter happens again, in the name of the vice principal of south border academy, and guaranteed by my personal reputation as Chu Wenxuan, I will definitely make the perpetrator suffer the highest ultimate heavy punishment, will never tolerate it, will never muddy the waters again, and will never let Jiang Yuan fall into such a dangerous situation as today!"
Chu Wenxuan's stance was already the bottom line of bottom lines.
As a Ninth-Turn Emperor Rank Peak expert and the vice principal of south border academy, swearing by his personal reputation and the academy's name was enough to show his sincerity, and also sufficient to show his dread of the Flame God, as well as his high regard for Jiang Yuan.
The Flame God stared at Chu Wenxuan for a long time, his scarlet-gold eyes flashing with a scrutinizing light, as if wanting to see through his thoughts.
"I hope so!"
A moment later, the Flame God slowly withdrew his gaze, his tone flat yet carrying a trace of warning.
With these words falling, the Flame God stayed no longer. The scarlet-gold flames around his body surged, and the space around him began to ripple faintly.
A majestic power of Law of Space slowly emanated from his body.
Immediately following, Nanjiang Academy's city-protecting grand array suddenly erupted with dazzling golden light, and the speed at which the runes circulated suddenly accelerated.
The originally calm barrier instantly became violent!
Once Nanjiang Academy's city-protecting grand array was activated, it would automatically open Law of Spacecontainment, completely sealing off the space inside and outside the academy.
It could both guard against external enemies invading and prevent internal enemies from escaping!
At this moment, it was precisely because the Flame Godwanted to leave forcefully that he triggered the automatic counterattack of the city-protecting grand array.
Only to see the golden runes of the city-protecting grand array converging like a tide, transforming into thick golden light chains that headed straight to entwine the Flame God. At the same time, dense spatial cracks rippled in space, attempting to block the Flame God's spatial shuttle.
Upon the golden light chains, they contained a rich power of space containment. Every single light chain was sufficient to bind a Ninth-turn Emperor Rank Expert.
If it were an ordinary expert, facing such containment, there would simply be no way to extricate themselves.
Yet the Flame God was not afraid in the slightest, the corners of his mouth curling into an arc of disdain, the power of Law of Space around his body instantly soaring. The scarlet-gold flames and the power of space intertwined together, forming a huge spatial vortex.
He waved his hand, and the scarlet-gold flames transformed into countless sharp blades, cleaving toward the golden light chains.
At the same time, the spatial vortex rotated crazily, forcibly tearing apart the space containment laid down by the city-protecting grand array. Countless spatial cracks spread out around his body, violently colliding with the spatial power of the city-protecting grand array.
Between heaven and earth, a harsh sound of spatial tearing rang out. The golden light chains collided with the scarlet-gold flames, erupting with a world-destroying energy shockwave. The Void trembled violently, and the golden barrier of the city-protecting grand array once again surfaced with dense cracks, even more severe than when it was suppressed by the Heaven-Burning Extinction Fireearlier.
The spatial power around the Flame God grew increasingly majestic. He stepped on the Void, walking step by step toward the spatial cracks. With every step he took, the surrounding space containment was torn apart by a fraction, and the counterattack of the city-protecting grand array appeared increasingly powerless in front of his power of Law of Space.
You must know that the million-fold special effect of Gale Technique, Phase of Wind: Void Instant Step, could even shuttle through world planes.
The mere space containment of the city-protecting grand array still couldn't keep him!
If the Flame God truly wanted to leave, it was actually very simple, and he didn't even need to make such a big fuss.
Yet he deliberately did not do so, choosing to leave in a low-profile manner.
One was that he wanted to test the defense level of this city-protecting array to see just how strong it was and whether it could stop him; this would determine whether he could make trouble within the range of Nanjiang Academy in the future.
The second reason was naturally to demonstrate his strength once again and forcefully establish his prestige!
Hiss!
Chu Wenxuan and the many experts present subconsciously stepped back, their gazes fixed intently on this confrontation of space rules, their eyes filled with shock and dread.
They could clearly sense that the power of Law of Spacecontrolled by the Flame God was actually so tyrannical, far exceeding their imagination.
The city-protecting grand array was a priceless treasure passed down for a millennium in Nanjiang Academy, containing ancient Law of Spaces. Yet at this moment, it was forcefully suppressed by Flame God, unable to even stop his steps.
A moment later, Flame God waved his hand, and the final golden light chain was severed by the scarlet-gold flames, completely ripping a huge gap in the spatial blockade of the city-protecting grand array.
He did not linger at all, his figure flashing as he stepped into the spatial gap. The scarlet-gold flames gradually dissipated, and the spatial gap also slowly closed, ultimately disappearing completely between heaven and earth as if it had never appeared.
The golden light of the city-protecting grand array gradually dimmed, the speed of the runes flowing slowing down, and the cracks on the surface were clearly visible. Evidently, it had suffered heavy injuries in the previous spatial confrontation, ultimately falling into a disadvantage.
This scene completely stunned everyone present, plunging them into a dead silence where they did not even dare to breathe heavily.
They never expected that Flame God not only mastered the supreme fire-type Forbidden Spell, but also mastered such powerful power of laws regarding space, making it impossible even for the city-protecting grand array of Nanjiang Academy to stop his departure.
A thought simultaneously rose in everyone's hearts.
Such an enemy was the most terrifying kind.
Perhaps among the experts present, a small number possessed strength above Flame God and could barely defeat him, but there was definitely no way to kill him.
Because once someone who controlled the power of Law of Space made up their mind to leave, absolutely no one could stop them.
Even demigod-level experts could only stop and stare.
This also completely verified the harsh words Flame Godleft behind earlier.
With his mastered spatial teleportation ability, coupled with that fire-type Forbidden Spell capable of obliterating everything, if he truly launched revenge against them, he could come and go as he pleased with no one able to stop him. At that time, corpses would surely litter the fields, countless Clan descendants would perish, and no one could afford such a price.
Thinking of this, everyone present involuntarily shivered. Looking at Jiang Yuan on the roof of the villa, their gazes already held a few parts of deep dread, entirely devoid of their previous contempt and disdain.
They secretly made up their minds that upon returning this time, they would strictly warn their disciples and students, as well as all descendants of their families, that they must never provoke Jiang Yuan.
Even friends and classmates from the same Shanhai Cityas Jiang Yuan must be given a wide berth, and under no circumstances should they have any conflict with him.
They never wanted to endure the fury of Flame God again, nor did they want to repeat the tragic mistakes of Qin Zhuangxu.
As for the core experts of the Xiao Family, Qin Family, and Zhou Family, the killing intent and unwillingness in their eyes made their expressions extremely solemn; as for what they were thinking inside, no one knew.
Chu Wenxuan looked in the direction where Flame Goddeparted and let out a heavy sigh, his expression complex. There was dread towards the strength of Flame God, worry for the future of Jiang Yuan, and considerations for the future of the academy.
"Your Excellency Jiang Yuan, today's matter is due to the academy's lax supervision, causing you to be wronged."
"From now on in Nanjiang Academy, with me here, absolutely no one will dare to bully you and your friends again. You can safely improve your strength here."
"Additionally, six days later the Star Spirit Ruins will open. Both you and the friends around you are qualified to enter. Complete your Third-Rank Class Advancement as soon as possible during this period. If you have any difficulties, you can report them to the academy or directly tell me!"
He turned his head to look at Jiang Yuan on the roof of the villa, his tone softening considerably.
"Thank you, Principal!"
Jiang Yuan nodded slightly.
His gaze calmly swept across everyone present without excessive words; only the frozen head at his feet was still silently recounting today's dispute, warning every single person present!
Provoking him meant ending up like this.
Chu Wenxuan gazed in the direction where Flame Goddisappeared, remaining motionless for a long time, his eyes filled with complex emotions—dread, helplessness, and a trace of imperceptible relief.
A moment later, he turned his head again to look afar at Jiang Yuan on the roof of the villa, shook his head helplessly, and let out a long sigh.
The aura around his body stirred, turning into a cyan stream of light that flew straight toward the depths of the academy.
Evidently, he was returning to discuss subsequent handling matters and deal with the subsequent impact brought by this storm.
After the figure of Flame God completely disappeared into the Void, Chu Wenxuan exchanged pleasantries with Jiang Yuan and broke through the air to leave, and the heavy atmosphere at the scene slightly eased.
The academy's law enforcement team, which had long been on standby, immediately stepped forward in an orderly manner to take over the scene.
The law enforcement team members had solemn expressions, methodically clearing away the residual energy fluctuations at the scene and sealing the relevant traces.
At the same time, they closely monitored the core experts of the Xiao Family, Qin Family, and Zhou Family to prevent them from taking the opportunity to make trouble.
The high-level experts from various parties present exchanged complex glances with each other, ultimately not lingering any longer.
The terrifying strength of Flame God had already deeply rooted itself in people's hearts. With Jiang Yuan having such a Master to escort and protect him, coupled with Chu Wenxuan's clear statement, staying behind was meaningless and would instead appear awkward.
Everyone flashed their figures and broke through the air to leave, and the densely packed high altitude instantly became empty.
At this time, on the roof of the villa.
Jiang Yuan raised his foot and kicked the frozen head at his feet aside.
At this moment, his expression remained as calm as ever, as if the battle that shocked the entire Nanjiang Academyjust now had nothing to do with him.
But Zhao Biao, Lin Muxue, and others by Jiang Yuan's side could no longer suppress the shock in their hearts. Their faces were filled with incredulous expressions as they surrounded Jiang Yuan, their tones full of eagerness and curiosity.
"Jiang Yuan, what kind of sacred being is your Masteranyway? Just how strong is his strength? This is simply too terrifying!"
Zhao Biao took the lead in stepping forward, his eyes wide open, his tone exaggerated, and his face full of disbelief.
This was not the first time he had asked Jiang Yuan this question!
At this moment, Zhao Biao's mind continuously replayed the scenes of Flame God making a move, and his expression was still full of shock.
When they first met in Shanhai City, he still thought Jiang Yuan's Master, Flame God, was at most a Seventh-Turn Magic Saint.
Back then, Flame God froze the entire Shanhai City with an imposing posture, wiped out the Zhou Family, one of the four major families of Shanhai City, and even the federal inspector was extremely respectful to him.
Later on the halfway to Nanjiang City, Flame Godappeared once again, instantly killing three Seventh-Rank Saint-level experts of the Demon God Hall in one breath, and later even killed the Myriad Beast Soul Devouring Emperor (Avatar), successfully defeating and freezing the North Sea Spear Emperor of Eighth-turn Emperor Rank.
The strength displayed by Flame God back then had unexpectedly reached the level of Eighth-turn Emperor Rank, which was outrageously strong—a Cultivation Realm that even Zhao Biao could never dare to hope for in his entire life!
Yet everything that happened today once again refreshed the worldview of Zhao Biao and the others!
"How terrifying!?"
Jiang Yuan smiled, looking completely unconcerned.
"Extremely terrifying!"
"Only until today did I realize that I still underestimated your Master's strength!"
"That heaven-destroying fire-type Forbidden Spell just now directly killed Qin Zhuangxu of the Eighth-turn Emperor Rank Peak in an instant!"
Speaking of this, Zhao Biao swallowed his saliva, his eyes filled with awe.
"Think about it, what kind of person is Qin Zhuangxu?"
"He is the Combat Department Head of Nanjiang Academy, originating from a major Clan like the Qin Family. The cultivation resources and Inheritance he holds in his hands are all of the absolute top tier."
"His strength is definitely much stronger than ordinary Eighth-turn Emperor Rank Class Holders. I heard he even has the ability to contend against some Ninth-turn Emperor Rank Experts!"
"Yet even such a ruthless character couldn't last a single round in front of your Master, being directly burned by that black-red flame until not even scum was left—truly leaving no bones remaining. This is definitely the most miserably dead Emperor Rank Expert I have ever seen!"
Zhao Biao was filled with deep emotion.
"Jiang Yuan, is what Zhao Biao said true?"
"What on earth is your Master's background? How can he be so strong?"
"Also, is that Forbidden Spell he cast just now really a supreme fire-type Forbidden Spell? It's too terrifying."
As soon as Zhao Biao's voice fell, Lin Muxue stepped forward, her pair of beautiful eyes filled with shock, a hint of eagerness in her tone as she gently tugged at Jiang Yuan's sleeve.
Previously, they had also heard some exclamations from the crowd, knowing that Flame God's ability to instantly kill Qin Zhuangxu was a fire-type Forbidden Spell, and not an ordinary Forbidden Spell at that!
"Yeah Jiang Yuan, down below just now, we were all so terrified by that terrifying aura that our entire bodies stiffened, unable to even move."
"Your Master can not only cast supreme Forbidden Spells, but can also easily tear apart the academy's city-protecting grand array and control Law of Space. With such strength, he must be at least a Ninth-turn Emperor Rank Expert, or even a demigod, right?"
Su Yutong, standing beside Lin Muxue, also nodded quickly, her face similarly filled with an incredulous expression as she pursued the question: "Who on earth is he?"
In Su Yutong's tone, there was both shock and endless awe.
Her background was actually not ordinary; she also belonged to a certain Clan within Nanjiang City, only that her Clan's power was not as strong as top families like the Xiao and Qin families.
Yet she had never seen such a terrifying expert. The strength displayed by Flame God just now had already exceeded her cognition, making her feel awe from the bottom of her heart.
Lin Muxue even tightly gripped Jiang Yuan's hand, her eyes full of worry and curiosity. She was both worried that Jiang Yuan might attract more trouble in the future because of such a Master and curious about the true background of Flame God.
"As for my Master, actually I don't know where he came from either."
Looking at everyone's shocked appearance, Jiang Yuansmiled gently, his tone plain as he slowly spoke.
Pausing for a moment, he shook his head again and said candidly: "As for just how strong his true strength is, to be honest, I'm not too clear either."
Jiang Yuan's last sentence was indeed the truth.
After all, he himself was the true body of "Flame God", and he truly didn't know where the limit of his own strength lay.
At least until now, all the opponents he had encountered.
Whether it was the experts of the Demon God Hall, the Avatar of the Myriad Beast Soul Devouring Emperor, or the North Sea Spear Emperor and Qin Zhuangxu, not a single person had been able to push him to his limit, let alone plunge him into a life-or-death crisis.
Therefore, he had never truly gone all out.
Jiang Yuan pondered secretly in his heart.
Perhaps if Chu Wenxuan had led a group of experts from Nanjiang Academy and truly dared to besiege "Flame God", they might have been able to force out his limit combat power.
Or perhaps, those experts hidden in the dark, exuding dangerous and terrifying auras, if they truly made a move, might allow him to release all his power.
Don't look at how "Flame God" had a tough attitude, an overbearing aura, and a fearless look when facing Chu Wenxuan and the others just now.
But in reality, at the bottom of Jiang Yuan's heart, there was also a trace of imperceptible unease.
Because he was clear that this was the stronghold of Nanjiang Academy, crouching tigers and hidden dragons, with a profound foundation.
The experts appearing on the surface, at their strongest, were no more than Chu Wenxuan, this vice principal, who had reached the Cultivation Realm of the Ninth-Turn Emperor Rank Peak.
But in secret, there must be experts stronger than Chu Wenxuan, at least existence of demigod-level, constantly watching all this from the shadows.
Of course, those experts in the shadows were not necessarily targeting "Flame God".
Rather, it was because the fire-type supreme Forbidden Spell that erupted just now was simply too terrifying.
Once out of control, the entire Nanjiang Academy would be completely destroyed, and countless teachers and students would die violent deaths.
Naturally, they could not let the situation get out of control; they would definitely make preparations in secret, and once an accident occurred, they would immediately step in to intervene.
What's more, Jiang Yuan knew very well in his heart that whether it was Nanjiang Academy or the entire Nanjiang City, there would definitely be at least one True God-level existence overseeing it.
Not to mention anything else, that Azure Heaven Ancient Tree that had guarded Nanjiang City for a millennium would definitely not sit by and watch him act wildly in the city, nor would it allow him to destroy everything.
The reason why Jiang Yuan noticed this guardian divine tree started from the System prompt he received after killing Qin Zhuangxu.
At that time, the moment he killed Qin Zhuangxu, two cold System prompt tones rang in his mind.
[Ding, you have successfully killed Level 239 'Dark Blade Demon Warrior' Qin Zhuangxu (Eighth-turn Emperor RankPeak), but affected by the protection rules of the Azure Heaven Ancient Tree, you cannot receive any rewards]
[Ding, your murderous behavior has successfully attracted the attention of the Azure Heaven Ancient Tree, and your behavior has been recorded on the 'Tree Chronicle Leaf'. Please pay attention to your personal behavior. If you commit slaughter again, the Azure Heaven Ancient Tree will directly impose heavenly might punishment upon you (the heavier the slaughter committed, the greater the heavenly might punishment imposed by the Azure Heaven Ancient Tree, and the higher the damage)]
The so-called protection rule was that within the protection range of the Azure Heaven Ancient Tree, which was the entire Nanjiang City, whenever human Class Holders fought and killed each other, even if they successfully killed the other party, they could not obtain any rewards!
Neither experience points would be gained nor any items would drop, and moreover, if the slaughter was too heavy, one would suffer severe punishment from the Azure Heaven Ancient Tree.
This was different from being in the wild. In the wild, mutual slaughter between Class Holders was no different from killing wild monsters; one could both gain experience points and obtain dropped item rewards.
This protection rule was essentially to protect the Human Race and reduce internal strife.
Since killing people yielded no benefits and instead carried severe punishments, most Class Holders naturally would not easily strike at their own compatriots.
Precisely because of this, Jiang Yuan's behavior was somewhat restrained. Aside from slaying Qin Zhuangxu, he did not make a move against other personnel of the Xiao, Qin, and Zhou families!
This Azure Heaven Ancient Tree was a divine tree after all. At least with Jiang Yuan's current strength, if he were truly punished by the Azure Heaven Ancient Tree, he would likely suffer a huge loss.
Moreover, through today's incident, he and 'Flame God' had been completely exposed to the sight of Nanjiang Academy and various forces. In future actions, he must be even more cautious and could no longer act as willfully as before.
"Jiang Yuan, what's wrong with you?"
Lin Muxue saw Jiang Yuan fall into deep thought, and even looked faintly uneasy.
"Nothing!"
"Don't ask too much about the topic of my Master!"
Looking at the curiosity and awe in everyone's eyes, Jiang Yuan did not explain the background of Flame God any further, just smiling gently, his tone still plain.
Because if they continued to ask, Jiang Yuan wouldn't know how to make things up anymore.
Moreover, once a lie was told, more lies were needed to cover it up.
Regarding this, Lin Muxue, Zhao Biao, and Su Yutongexchanged glances and tacitly did not continue to pursue the questioning.
In their hearts, they already had the answer. Regardless of what background Flame God had and how unfathomable his strength was, one point was enough to give them peace of mind.
Flame God was strong—strong enough to instantly kill Qin Zhuangxu of the Eighth-turn Emperor Rank Peak, and strong enough to make Chu Wenxuan and a host of Ninth-turn Emperor Rank Experts full of dread and unwilling to easily provoke him.
For them, this was enough.
After this battle, the terrifying strength displayed by Flame God would inevitably spread throughout the entire Nanjiang Academy, and even spread across the entire Nanjiang Province. Various forces would give face to Flame God and not easily target Jiang Yuan.
Even the Xiao, Qin, and Zhou families, having experienced today's tragic defeat and suffered heavy losses, harbored extreme fear toward Flame God.
Unless someone was truly out of their mind, they would definitely not rashly provoke Jiang Yuan again. Even Zhao Biao, Lin Muxue, and others who were close to Jiang Yuanwould be dreaded together, with no one daring to easily provoke them.
"You don't need to worry too much; today's matter has already passed."
"From now on in Nanjiang Academy, with me here, whether it's people from the Xiao Family and Qin Family, or other blind senior students and mentors, no one will dare to easily find trouble for you."
Jiang Yuan's gaze slowly fell upon Zhao Biao and Lin Muxue. Looking at the shock that had not yet fully faded from their eyes and a trace of imperceptible worry, his tone softened a bit as he took the initiative to comfort them.
"If someone really doesn't know what's good for them and dares to come and provoke you, let them come at me."
"Since I can protect myself, I will definitely be able to protect you, and I will never let you fall into such a dangerous situation as today's again."
His tone was firm, carrying unquestionable confidence. His gaze swept across the two of them as he continued speaking.
"Good brother! With these words from you, I am completely at ease! I knew that hanging out with you would definitely not leave me at a loss!"
Hearing this, Zhao Biao's worry instantly dissipated as he patted Jiang Yuan's shoulder and laughed heartily.
"I have always believed in you."
Lin Muxue's eyes grew slightly warm instead. She tightly gripped Jiang Yuan's hand, nodding gently, and in her gaze looking at Jiang Yuan, there were a few more parts of peace of mind and gratitude.
She could feel that Jiang Yuan's promise was definitely not empty talk.
In her heart, she knew that Jiang Yuan always kept his word. With these words from her, in the days ahead at the academy, she would no longer need to walk on eggshells or worry about being picked on by others.
AI Model: gemini-3.6-flash
After a few words of comfort, the group chatted idly, and Jiang Yuan learned a piece of good news from Zhao Biaoand Lin Muxue.
All of them had been officially admitted into Nanjiang Academy.
"Jiang Yuan, you're the overall champion of the Federal Unified Examination, so being specially recruited is only natural. The rest of us getting admitted is pretty much thanks to riding your coattails."
"Our team made it to the fourth round of the Federal Unified Examination back then, just one step short of reaching the ultimate showdown. Even though we didn't get a great ranking in the end and our professions and strength are fairly average, the academy still gave us A-grade student benefits."
"I asked around, and the academy's benefits for students are divided into four tiers: C, B, A, and S. A-grade is already considered very good treatment, more than enough for our daily leveling needs."
Zhao Biao said with a smile. Pausing for a moment, he added, "As for S-grade benefits, only top Legendary-gradegeniuses and Mythical Grade geniuses like Zhao Hao are qualified to enjoy them. There are barely any in the entire academy."
There was a hint of envy in Zhao Biao's tone, but not much jealousy.
He knew his own strength; getting A-grade benefits was already a pleasant surprise.
"By the way, Jiang Yuan, you were specially recruited among special recruits. Your benefits must be way better than ours, right? How good are they, exactly?"
Saying this, he looked at Jiang Yuan, his eyes full of curiosity.
"The benefits the academy gave me are indeed far beyond other students. There's never been such generous conditions before. Just Mythical Grade profession Legacies alone, they gave me two."
"If we go by the academy's rating System, it probably exceeds S-grade, coming out to SS-grade or even SSS-grade."
Jiang Yuan smiled faintly and didn't hide anything.
"Holy crap! SSS-grade? That's way too outrageous!"
"Two Mythical Grade Legacies! With benefits like this, even those Mythical Grade geniuses would probably cry tears of envy!"
At those words, Zhao Biao's eyes instantly widened in disbelief. "No wonder Xiao Junnuo and those guys were so green with envy that they tried to steal your Inheritance!"
Su Yutong also showed a look of surprise. She had never heard of Nanjiang Academy giving any student such lavish treatment.
Lin Muxue looked at Jiang Yuan, her eyes filled with pride and joy.
"I also got A-grade benefits, but it's A+-grade, half a tier higher than Zhao Biao and the others,"
Lin Muxue added. "Also, there's another thing. I successfully terminated my contract with my previous team. Both the academy and my mentor agreed."
"From now on, I won't have to stay in the same team as Jun Muyuan and the others, nor will I have to suffer their deliberate harassment."
"However, we were originally admitted through a team-based evaluation. The academy has a rule that I must gather a team of at least five people within a month, otherwise my benefit tier will be demoted."
Speaking of terminating the contract, Lin Muxue showed a clear smile on her face, obviously genuinely happy about it.
"That's good news indeed. Being able to sever ties with their team means you can focus on raising your strength with peace of mind."
"Gathering a five-person team within a month shouldn't be hard. With your strength and A+-grade benefits, plenty of people will surely be willing to join."
Hearing this, Jiang Yuan also showed a gratified smile and nodded.
He knew in his heart that although Lin Muxue possessed a dual epic-grade profession, she wasn't as versatile as he was. Going forward, grinding monsters, leveling up, and executing missions would all require a reliable team.
Jiang Yuan had his own path to walk and couldn't be by her side every moment. Having a team of her own would give him greater peace of mind.
"Yutong and I have already decided—the team we form will only recruit girls!"
Lin Muxue nodded gently, taking Su Yutong's hand beside her as she spoke to Jiang Yuan in a serious yet slightly excited tone.
When she said this, she looked at Jiang Yuan with gentle eyes, clearly intending it specifically for him to dispel any doubts or concerns he might have.
After all, the previous business with Jun Muyuan had kept Jiang Yuan worrying about her. She didn't want to distract him again over team matters.
Furthermore, as Jiang Yuan's girlfriend, she naturally had to consider his feelings and avoid any potential trouble.
"Actually, part of the reason I could terminate the contract and sever ties with Jun Muyuan and his group so smoothly is because you're the overall champion of the Federal Unified Examination, and I'm your girlfriend."
Lin Muxue blushed slightly as she said this. Pausing, she softly added, "My mentor didn't give me a hard time, and the academy agreed so quickly by making an exception out of consideration for your presence."
"That's for the best then. Recruiting only girls is good too; you'll get along more comfortably and avoid running into another person like Jun Muyuan."
Hearing this, Jiang Yuan felt a warm sensation in his heart. He reached out to ruffle Lin Muxue's hair and spoke in a soft tone.
"With your strength plus the A+-grade benefits, finding suitable teammates definitely won't be difficult."
"Even some Legendary-grade Class Holders who performed poorly in the Unified Examination and didn't get a good rank might only get A-grade or even B-grade benefits."
He glanced at Su Yutong and continued, "For better Cultivation resources and benefits, they'd surely be willing to join your team."
And those Legendary-grade Class Holders with subpar benefits were mostly the ones Jiang Yuan had eliminated.
Lin Muxue and Su Yutong both smiled and nodded firmly upon hearing that.
They also believed that as long as they put out a recruitment notice, plenty of girls would voluntarily apply. In less than a month, they would gather a five-person team and secure their A+-grade benefits.
"Too bad I'm a guy, otherwise I'd want to join your team too! A+-grade benefits are way better than my A-grade!"
Zhao Biao joked with a laugh from the side.
His single remark made everyone laugh. The atmosphere on the villa rooftop completely shed its former heavy tension, becoming light and harmonious.
After chatting for a bit longer, their topic gradually shifted to the recent key matters of Nanjiang Academy.
"By the way, Jiang Yuan, I heard earlier that the academy was still discussing slots for the Star Spirit Ruins, but Vice Principal Chu said earlier that we've all been allocated slots to enter!"
Zhao Biao suddenly recalled something and lowered his voice to speak.
In truth, Zhao Biao and the others getting into Nanjiang Academy was purely due to luck and Jiang Yuan's assistance.
But when it came to entering the Star Spirit Ruins, with their strength, it likely wouldn't have been their turn.
"Since it came from the vice principal, it's definitely true!"
Jiang Yuan said, "Perhaps it's compensation for you all. Regardless, just accept it with peace of mind!"
"So what exactly are the Star Spirit Ruins?"
Zhao Biao asked again.
Luo Hang and the others beside him also showed curious expressions. They had only heard the name before but didn't know the details.
"The Star Spirit Ruins is a Secret Realm formed from the destruction and collapse of a racial civilization's world. A race of beings known as'Star Spirits' once lived there. Inside, not only are there talent spirit crystals that can enhance Class Holder talents, but also various rare spirit crystals that boost strength and aid Cultivation!"
"There are many types of spirit crystals, categorized into talent spirit crystals, heaven-mending spirit crystals, secret treasure spirit crystals, inheritance spirit crystals, and so on..."
Su Yutong hailed from a Clan force in Nanjiang City, so she knew a bit more, sharing everything with the group without reservation.
Jiang Yuan nodded slightly, his expression growing somewhat more serious.
Spirit crystals had immense value for him as well.
Especially talent spirit crystals, which could increase his talent rank!
"Really? That's awesome! We can take this opportunity to boost our strength and narrow the gap with other geniuses!"
Zhao Biao spoke with excitement in his voice. To them, the Star Spirit Ruins was undoubtedly a shortcut for rapid growth.
"The entry time for the Star Spirit Ruins is set for six days from now."
"During these six days, we must hurry to boost our strength and strive for a qualitative breakthrough before entering the Secret Realm."
Jiang Yuan looked at their excited faces and spoke slowly.
His voice was firm, a glint of conviction flashing in his eyes. "I plan to complete my Third-Rank Class Advancementwithin these six days."
After the Third-Rank, Jiang Yuan's strength would undergo another leap forward.
And once he entered the Star Spirit Ruins and absorbed talent spirit crystals, he would surely reach even greater heights.
"Holy crap! Completing Third-Rank Class Advancement in six days? Jiang Yuan, you're pushing yourself way too hard!"
"You know, many people make extensive preparations beforehand for Class Advancement, taking at least half a month. Your speed is straight-up heaven-defying!"
Zhao Biao couldn't help saying, "Isn't that schedule way too tight?"
The difficulty of Class Advancement quests increased with rank, getting harder and harder.
Especially if one aimed for maximum quest completion, which was necessary to make the resulting Class Advancement talent even stronger.
Many Class Holders either didn't attempt Class Advancement or strove to achieve the absolute best result.
A Genius with infinite potential like Jiang Yuan would definitely pursue a perfect and flawless completion of his Class Advancement quest, leaving no defects behind.
This was infinitely harder than an ordinary Class Holder's Class Advancement!
Moreover, one must never rush Class Advancement; if it failed, it would spell real trouble.
To re-attempt Class Advancement required waiting an entire month.
Furthermore, a Class Holder only had three chances to fail Class Advancement in their entire lifetime.
Once the failures reached three times, they could no longer proceed with further Class Advancement!
"Six days is more than enough!"
Jiang Yuan smiled faintly without explaining further.
With his current strength, completing the Third-RankClass Advancement quest was a piece of cake, not difficult at all.
Six days was actually quite generous.
He could even easily reach level ninety along the way.
"You guys can't slack off either,"
"None of you have reached Level 60 yet. You need to hurry and level up, striving for a breakthrough past Level 60 within six days."
Jiang Yuan looked at Zhao Biao, Lin Muxue, and Su Yutong, speaking seriously. "As for whether you can complete Class Advancement, that depends on your hard work over these six days. Just do your best."
"Don't worry, Jiang Yuan! I'll definitely give it my all to reach Level 60 so I can lend a hand in the Star Spirit Ruins. We can't always have you protecting us!"
Zhao Biao nodded heavily.
Lin Muxue and Su Yutong also nodded one after another, their eyes full of determination.
They didn't want to hold Jiang Yuan back either, wishing to increase their strength as fast as possible to walk by his side and advance together.
After discussing Cultivation and the Star Spirit Ruins, Jiang Yuan's gaze rested on Lin Muxue, his tone softening a bit.
"Lin Muxue, the academy assigned me this exclusive villa. The environment is much better than the student dorms, it's safer, and all kinds of facilities are fully equipped."
"Why don't you move in? That way it'll be convenient for us to work hard and improve together, and I can take better care of you."
As soon as those words came out, a blush instantly flushed Lin Muxue's cheeks. Her gaze dodged slightly, and she subconsciously lowered her head without immediately agreeing.
She felt somewhat hesitant in her heart.
The villa was Jiang Yuan's exclusive residence; moving in would be equivalent to cohabitation.
They were both adults, and spending day and night together would inevitably lead to indescribable encounters.
Thinking of this, her heart couldn't help beating faster, and her cheeks grew even hotter.
"Lin Muxue, don't hesitate!"
"Opportunity like this won't come knocking twice!"
"The living condition in the villa is so much better than our multi-person dorm. It's spacious and quiet, with a dedicated Cultivation room and far richer facility resources than the dorm. It'll be super helpful to you!"
Seeing Lin Muxue wavering, Su Yutong beside her grew anxious. She quickly tugged at her arm and urged in a low voice.
Pausing, Su Yutong intentionally emphasized her tone, winking at her: "More importantly, if you don't move in, plenty of other women will want to!"
"Jiang Yuan is the prized treasure of Nanjiang Academyright now—super special recruit benefits, a Geniuspersonally named and looked after by the vice principal, strong in power, and with heaven-defying talent. Countless girls are eyeing him, wanting to get close or even climb into his bed. You can't give anyone else a chance!"
Su Yutong didn't finish her remaining words, but everyone present understood clearly.
With Jiang Yuan's current status, power, and benefits, he definitely lacked no shortage of girls taking the initiative to show favor.
If Lin Muxue missed this chance, someone else might really take advantage of the opening.
Lin Muxue bit her lower lip, raised her head to meet Jiang Yuan's gentle gaze, her cheeks still bright red.
"A-Alright then..."
Lin Muxue still nodded gently, her voice as soft as a mosquito's hum.
She knew in her heart that Su Yutong was speaking the truth. Moreover, she wanted to spend more time with Jiang Yuan, working hard and making progress together.
Even if intimate things were to happen, she was completely willing.
In fact, she looked forward to that day as well.
"That's wonderful, Lin Muxue! I'll take you to see the villa right now, and we'll live together from now on."
Seeing Lin Muxue agree, a joyful smile instantly broke across Jiang Yuan's face. He reached out to gently hold her hand and spoke tenderly.
Lin Muxue's hand trembled slightly, her cheeks blushing even redder. But she didn't break free, letting him hold her hand, her eyes filled with bashfulness and sweetness.
"Oho, flexing your romance already?"
"Fine, fine, I won't bother you two lovebirds. I'll head back and focus on leveling up too, striving to break through Level 60 within six days!"
Zhao Biao teased with a laugh from the side.
"Lin Muxue, I'll go back and pack my stuff first. I'll move over tomorrow morning, and we can prepare for recruiting teammates together!"
Su Yutong said with a smile as well.
The group exchanged smiles, and after brief farewells, Zhao Biao and Su Yutong departed, leaving only Jiang Yuan and Lin Muxue at the villa.
Jiang Yuan held Lin Muxue's hand, sharing tender moments with her for a good while. Then Lin Muxuesuggested heading back to her dorm first to move her things so she could move in tonight.
As for Jiang Yuan, he headed alone to the academy's rear mountain to search for someone.
Although Nanjiang Academy was called an academy, it covered an area of over five hundred square kilometers, comparable to a small-to-medium city; calling it a city within a city was no exaggeration.
Within the academy, there were not only instruction buildings, Cultivation grounds, and student dormitories, but also vast areas of dungeon and Secret Realm portal entrances...
The rear mountain was an even more secluded retreat for the academy's High-Tier Mentors and powerhouse experts, featuring serene surroundings and dense energy.
The reason Jiang Yuan went to the rear mountain was to find Sheng Chiyan.
An Eighth-turn Emperor Rank Class Holder, as well as an Advanced Mentor of Nanjiang Academy.
Jiang Yuan asked several mentors around the academy and quickly learned the location of Sheng Chiyan's residence.
Following the direction pointed out by the mentors, he traversed the mountain forest of the rear mountain and finally located Sheng Chiyan's dwelling in a tranquil valley.
It turned out to be an ordinary-looking wooden cabin surrounded by various blooming flowers and plants, growing luxuriantly and wafting fragrance into the air, looking simple yet elegant.
It didn't look at all like the residence of an Eighth-Rank Emperor Level Expert and Advanced Mentor.
Jiang Yuan stepped forward quietly. Before he even got close to the wooden cabin, he saw its door slowly pushed open.
An old man with white hair and a face full of wrinkles walked out unhurriedly.
The old man wore coarse cloth clothes washed to a faded white. He had a stooped figure and slow steps, looking just like an ordinary old farmer, lacking any majesty or aura of a High-Tier Expert.
Only his eyes were deep and bright, faintly revealing a worldly vicissitude that warned others not to underestimate him.