Chapter 216 Hidden Profession: Demon Spirit Mage! The Mystery of the Polyphonic Casting!
Seeing this person, Jiang Yuan could not help raising his brows, feeling secretly surprised.
This appearance was truly worlds apart from what he had imagined an Eighth-turn Emperor Rank Expert to look like.
"May I ask if you are Senior Sheng Chiyan?"
He steadied his mind, stepped forward, and asked respectfully yet with a hint of doubt in his tone.
He saw the old man stop in his tracks and look up at Jiang Yuan. In those vicissitudinous and turbid eyes, a trace of surprise slowly emerged, which was immediately followed by a flicker of complex emotions.
"It is indeed this old man. I didn't expect you to actually come looking for me."
Sheng Chiyan nodded gently, his voice hoarse yet steady.
"You know me?"
Jiang Yuan's doubts deepened further. He subconsciously re-examined the old man before him, his tone carrying a trace of surprise.
He pondered inwardly that the information clearly stated that Sheng Chiyan was a solid Eighth-turn Emperor RankClass Holder.
Yet the Sheng Chiyan before him had an aura so weak it was almost imperceptible. His figure was hunched, his steps unsteady, and he looked utterly frail, as if he might exhaust his last drop of oil and pass away in the next second.
Jiang Yuan knew clearly that even a High-Tier Expertnearing the end of their lifespan would never be in such a wretched state.
He had seen many elderly experts; all of them had white hair, yet most were spirited and possessed thick auras.
Even if they were too lazy to change their appearance, their bodies would inadvertently radiate the coercion of a High-Tier Expert.
Just like those experts who previously hovered in the air surrounding the Flame God, among whom there were no lack of white-haired old men and old women.
Yet aside from their frosted hair, their mental states were excellent, and the energy auras on their bodies were even unfathomable.
It was completely different from the mental state of Sheng Chiyan before him.
Other than those deep eyes, Sheng Chiyan in front of him exuded the frailty of an ordinary old man all over his body, and it was even difficult to capture even a sliver of energy fluctuation.
If he hadn't known his identity in advance, Jiang Yuanwould never have connected this old man with an Eighth-turn Emperor Rank Senior instructor.
"I didn't know you before, but just now, I do."
Sheng Chiyan seemed to see through Jiang Yuan's doubts, but he did not explain. He merely lifted his gaze toward the direction of the villa, his gaze distant, his tone meaningful.
Jiang Yuan's heart stirred, and he instantly understood his meaning.
What Sheng Chiyan was referring to was precisely the heaven-shaking great battle that broke out between the Flame God and Qin Zhuangxu, Combat Department Head.
In that battle, the Heaven-Burning Extinction Fire swept across the heavens and earth, tearing apart the city-protecting grand array, and slaying the Peak Eighth-turn Emperor Rank Qin Zhuangxu, alarming the entire higher-ups and experts of Nanjiang Academy.
With such a huge commotion, and as the protagonist of the incident, Jiang Yuan, I'm afraid it would be difficult for him not to attract people's attention.
It seemed that Sheng Chiyan was also an eyewitness to that great battle,
except he did not hover in the air and show his face like Chu Wenxuan, Vice Principal and the others.
Instead, he hid among the crowd or in the shadows, silently watching all of this.
Being able to hide oneself in that chaotic battle without being noticed by anyone, even though Sheng Chiyan was in a poor state now, his foundation could still be seen glimpses of.
"Just a farce, making Senior laugh."
Jiang Yuan nodded slightly, a trace of calm light smile appearing on his face, his tone humble.
At the same time, he quietly observed the changes in Sheng Chiyan's expression, attempting to judge his stance from them.
He knew clearly that factions stood like a forest inside Nanjiang Academy.
Not to mention anything else, just the colleges of different departments within the academy were divided into nine major colleges.
Like Qin Zhuangxu, Combat Department Head, he was a core figure of the Combat Academy faction among the nine major colleges.
The Xiao, Qin, and Zhou families were even deeply bound to the Combat Academy faction, while also being distributed within other colleges, holding a vastly huge sphere of influence.
But which faction Sheng Chiyan belonged to was not mentioned in the information.
This was also the place he was most wary of at this moment.
If Sheng Chiyan belonged to the Combat Academy faction, or had entanglements with the Xiao, Qin, and Zhou families,
then him wanting to obtain the mutated Inheritance of the Holy Spirit Mage from Sheng Chiyan would probably not be very realistic.
As for coercion or forcible seizure, Jiang Yuan had never thought of it either.
Sheng Chiyan was an Eighth-turn Emperor Rank Expert after all. Even though his current state was poor, his foundation was profound. If he were truly driven to desperation, he would inevitably launch a desperate counterattack.
By then, even if he could take down the opponent, he would inevitably pay a certain price.
More importantly, this was Nanjiang Academy. Rashly making a move against a high-tier instructor would inevitably bring about more trouble.
It might really trigger once again the siege of the Flame God by numerous academy instructors and experts.
Furthermore, if Jiang Yuan did this and forcibly seized the Inheritance, what difference would such behavior have from the Xiao, Qin, and Zhou families?
"Do not worry, this old man is not their person. I neither belong to the Combat Academy faction nor have any entanglement with the Xiao, Qin, and Zhou families."
Seeing the misgivings flash across the depths of Jiang Yuan's eyes, Sheng Chiyan couldn't help letting out a low chuckle. Although his voice was light, it carried a penetrating clarity that saw through people's hearts.
"You made a special trip to the back mountain to look for me, presumably not for idle chat. What is your purpose? You might as well speak directly."
Speaking to this point, his words took a turn. He raised his eyes to look at Jiang Yuan, his tone calm yet straightforward.
"Senior, when I was at Dong Que Academy, I once rummaged through some ancient books and accidentally discovered that the Sheng Family lineage has researched a mutated version of the Holy Spirit Mage, and this mutated Inheritance also possesses the special talent of the Polyphonic Casting."
Seeing Sheng Chiyan come straight to the point, Jiang Yuan no longer beat around the bush either. His expression grew solemn as he directly stated his purpose.
He paused for a moment and added,
"I am currently at the Peak of the second transfer and am preparing to carry out the Third-Rank, wanting to change my class to this mutated version of the Holy Spirit Mage."
"So coming here today, I wish to ask Senior to impart the Class Holder Inheritance of this mutated mage to me."
"For this, I will take out a rare-grade Class HolderInheritance Token promised to me by the academy as an exchange."
Jiang Yuan spoke at an even pace with clear logic, explaining his demands and remuneration one by one.
He knew clearly that the so-called Class HolderInheritance Token was a special reward given to him, a specially recruited student, by Nanjiang Academy.
Holding this token, one could freely redeem a Class Holdercertificate within the scope of the academy.
Or apply to any instructor to obtain the corresponding Class Holder Inheritance.
Generally speaking, as long as a student produced a Class Holder Inheritance Token, instructors would not refuse to impart the Inheritance.
After all, once an instructor imparted a Inheritance, they could rely on this Inheritance token to exchange with the academy for a large amount of credits.
Or exchange them for weapons and equipment, upgrade resources, Medicinal Pills and magic potions, other Class Holder legacies, and other items, not paying out in vain.
This was also the default rule of the academy.
"I see. Come to think of it, besides this lineage's Inheritance, this old man's dilapidated wooden house now has nothing else worth a federal top scorer like you making a special trip over."
Hearing this, Sheng Chiyan's face did not show the slightest surprise. He merely sighed softly, his tone carrying a trace of desolation and melancholy.
"But do you know that this old man's lineage of the mutated Holy Spirit Mage Inheritance has not been imparted to anyone for fifty years? Do you know the reason behind this?"
His gaze was complex as he slowly spoke, his tone carrying a trace of imperceptible solemnity.
"I would like to ask for the details."
Jiang Yuan's heart stirred, his expression growing even more respectful as he replied softly.
He could sense that Sheng Chiyan did not directly refuse his request, nor did he immediately agree. Clearly, he had some misgivings.
Perhaps behind this Inheritance, an unknown secret was hidden.
And the reason why it had not been imparted for fifty years was perhaps the key to why Sheng Chiyan stubbornly refused to relent.
Jiang Yuan reined in his patience, quietly waiting for Sheng Chiyan's explanation. There was not the least bit of impatience in the depths of his eyes, only full concentration.
Sheng Chiyan was silent for a moment, a distant luster rippling in his turbid eyes, as if piercing through the barriers of the years to return to that dark era fifty years ago.
"If anyone else came asking for the Inheritance, I definitely wouldn't give it, but you are the sole exception!"
He spoke slowly, his voice carrying a bit more weight than before, bearing emotions that were hard to conceal.
These words were spoken inexplicably. A trace of doubt flashed across the depths of Jiang Yuan's eyes, but he did not interrupt, merely nodding slightly to signal him to continue speaking.
He could sense that in Sheng Chiyan's words, there was too much profound meaning hidden; they were definitely not spoken off the cuff.
Sheng Chiyan took a deep breath and slowly recounted this secret that had been sealed for half a century.
"The Holy Spirit Mages of this old man's lineage originally came from Dong Que Academy of Dongque City, and were created by my ancestor Sheng Huai Xu."
"Back then, my ancestor was the top-most mage of Dongque City, proficient in the art of element manipulation!"
"Later, growing weary of endless strife, he devoted himself to research, improving the pure Element Mage Inheritanceby integrating the Divine Soul resonance method, and thus created the profession of the Holy Spirit Mage!"
"Taking the Divine Soul as the guide and elements as the notes, playing the song of offense and defense—this is the core of the Holy Spirit Mage."
"Later, Dongque City suffered an invasion by the Abyssal Demon Race, with the flames of war raging across the skies. The ancestor died in the battle against the Abyssal Demon Race, and a large number of disciples from the Sect died on the battlefield in that fight!"
"Fortunately, some Sect disciples survived, allowing this lineage's Inheritance not to be broken. In order to preserve this lineage's Inheritance and pass it down, they migrated from Dongque City to Nanjiang City, defecting to the already quite sizable Nanjiang Academy."
"At the beginning, this lineage developed extremely smoothly. Relying on the unique Polyphonic Casting, the Holy Spirit Mage stood out in the academy, with more and more disciples and a daily growing influence, even once becoming one of the most influential Class Holder factions within the academy."
Speaking to this point, Sheng Chiyan's tone abruptly sank. The desolation in the depths of his eyes was replaced by intense pain, and even his voice became somewhat trembling.
"Yet the accident happened fifty years ago."
"At that time, the Holy Spirit Mages of my lineage had an unprecedented breakthrough in the research of the Polyphonic Casting!"
"Before this, the Polyphonic Casting of the Holy Spirit Mage could only reach a maximum of a triple harmony!"
"Yet through the devoted studies of everyone in our Sect, we actually found the opportunity for a breakthrough, being able to achieve quadruple, quintuple, or even higher-grade harmony techniques."
"Do you know that for every tier the Polyphonic Castingimproves, strength will grow in a geometric multiple?"
"A Holy Spirit Mage possessing the triple harmony technique talent undoubtedly belongs to the standout among rare-grade professions; a quadruple harmony technique is comparable to an epic-grade profession, and a quintuple harmony technique directly approaches the Legendary-grade profession..."
In Sheng Chiyan's voice, there was a trace of the pride of that year.
Jiang Yuan listened quietly, yet waves were stirred up within his heart.
He hadn't expected the talent of the Polyphonic Casting to be so strong!
The talent ability of the quintuple harmony technique was comparable to a Legendary-grade Class Holder talent.
The hexuple harmony technique above that, not to mention being comparable to a Mythical Grade Class Holder talent, was at least top-tier Legendary-grade.
Let alone that the hexuple harmony technique was not the limit; above it were the seventh, eighth, or even the Nine-fold Harmony Technique!
If it were the Nine-fold Harmony Technique, even the talent ability of a Mythical Grade profession would fall far short, right!
How terrifying of a talent ability would that be!
If Jiang Yuan mastered this Class Holder talent, releasing a Fireball Spell once would be equivalent to nine times, directly increasing the amplification multiple by nine times.
In this way, the stacking speed of Jiang Yuan's skill amplification multiple would undoubtedly usher in a huge surge.
Don't look at how Jiang Yuan's Fireball Spell currently only takes 0.1 seconds per shot.
But wanting to accumulate to one hundred million times still required releasing a full ninety million times, which was equivalent to nine million seconds.
Even if he didn't rest for a single moment, it would still take over a hundred days of time.
Furthermore, if it were one billion times or ten billion times, how much more time would that waste.
But if Jiang Yuan mastered the talent ability of the Nine-fold Harmony Technique, with the amplification multiple reaching one hundred million times, it would directly shrink to one-ninth, which was actually a matter of a dozen days.
Moreover, afterwards, achieving the activation of new amplification multiples would undoubtedly become much simpler.
Of course, not only was the stacking speed of the amplification multiples faster, his combat power would undoubtedly surge by several levels.
Whenever Jiang Yuan released Burning Heaven Ash Path: Myriad Fires Return to Silence once, it was equivalent to a full nine fire-type Forbidden Spells. Even if a god came, they wouldn't be able to block this!
Whatever Xiao Family or Qin Family, no matter how many High-Tier Experts there were, they were merely coming to throw their lives away!
Even those experts who had always hidden in the depths and made Jiang Yuan feel threatened had the strength to be measured against one or two!
Viewed this way, Jiang Yuan sparing no effort to join Nanjiang Academy and finding Sheng Chiyan was undoubtedly the most normal choice.
This mutated version of the Holy Spirit Mage had to be won no matter what!
"However, the upgrade of this talent is not without a price. On the contrary, this price is so heavy that none of us anticipated it."
Sheng Chiyan's voice sounded once more, and the proud tone in his words was quickly replaced by bitterness.
"What price?"
Jiang Yuan's heart tightened, and he subconsciously pursued the question.
"This price is the need to fuse the Divine Soul, power, and Class Holder abilities of other Holy Spirit Mages."
"Moreover, the stronger the strength of the fused person, the higher their Class Holder talent, and the purer their Divine Soul, the greater the enhancement the fuser can obtain, and the higher the probability of breaking through the harmony technique."
Sheng Chiyan lifted his eyes to look at him, his gaze frighteningly solemn.
"Do you know what this means?"
After a moment, he slowly spoke, his tone carrying a trace of questioning as he looked at Jiang Yuan.
As his voice fell, the air fell into a brief dead silence.
Sheng Chiyan clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white; clearly, that memory was far too painful for him.
"Mutual slaughter?"
Jiang Yuan's pupils shrank slightly, and a terrifying thought flashed through his mind instantly. With almost not the least bit of hesitation, he replied in a deep voice.
Wanting to break through the triple harmony technique, the prerequisite was no longer as simple as killing a field BOSS.
Instead, it was to make a move against one's own Sectpeers, killing Class Holders who had also changed their classes to Holy Spirit Mages, and plundering their Class Holder Inheritance power.
This was no longer a simple upgrade breakthrough or Class Holder advancement.
But a naked massacre, a vicious act that violated human ethics and trampled on rules.
"That's right, it is mutual slaughter."
"Back then when we researched this breakthroughmethod, everyone fell into ecstasy, yet no one realized that this was a trap that would drag our lineage into the abyss."
Sheng Chiyan nodded slowly, a trace of approval flashing in his eyes, accompanied by a hint of sorrow.
"This kind of Class Advancement Inheritance quest shouldn't be allowed!"
Jiang Yuan frowned, his tone carrying a few points of certainty.
Even if the law of the jungle prevailed in Nanjiang Academy, there were still basic rules, which meant holding the bottom line.
This kind of Inheritance requiring mutual slaughter among Sect peers could absolutely not be recognized by the higher-ups of the academy.
After all, every student who could enter Nanjiang Academy was a Genius from various regions.
Even if there was bullying of the weak by the strong within the academy, it was impossible to casually kill another student.
Like today's situation, it was truly special and even more of an accident.
Otherwise, it wouldn't have attracted the attention of so many instructor experts, and even Chu Wenxuan, Vice Principal would have personally stepped forward!
"Of course, not long after it was researched, this matter was detected by the academy side and immediately called to a halt. All related research materials and breakthroughmethods were sealed by the academy, strictly prohibiting anyone from mentioning or researching them again."
"At that time, we also realized the seriousness of the problem and proactively stopped the research, only wanting to guard this lineage's Inheritance and live out our days in peace."
Sheng Chiyan sighed helplessly, his tone filled with regret.
"Yet an accident, or rather, a disaster still happened!"
Jiang Yuan's heart stirred. Combining the sporadic records he saw at Dong Que Academy, he slowly spoke with a hint of conjecture in his tone: "Furthermore, this matter was not just an accident, but a scandal. In the end, the news was completely sealed off by Nanjiang Academy, and those truly in the know were few and far between."
"That's right!"
Sheng Chiyan took a deep look at Jiang Yuan, his eyes filled with gratification and a hint of pain. "You truly are clever, understanding everything with just a hint."
"Generally speaking, those who can class advance to become a mutated Holy Spirit Mage are all top students of Nanjiang Academy. Even if someone coveted this power, it would be impossible to access the sealed internal files of the academy."
"Even if they managed to steal the relevant information by sheer luck, they wouldn't dare easily make a move against the academy's geniuses. Moreover, they might not necessarily be able to beat those talented students."
"Therefore, I guess that a problem must have occurred internally!"
Jiang Yuan rubbed his chin, his expression becoming increasingly solemn: "To be able to stir up this disaster, cover up the scandal, and even suppress your lineage, the other party's factional power within the academy is definitely not weak."
Jiang Yuan's conjectures hit every single nail on the head.
Back then, Sheng Chiyan's lineage was full of talent. If not for an internal betrayal, relying solely on external forces would have made it completely impossible to drive them into a desperate situation.
Furthermore, to be able to make the higher-ups of the academy seal the news and even tacitly permit the suppression of the Sheng Family lineage, there must be a powerful force backing them up from behind.
"You are right, a problem did indeed occur internally."
"Moreover, those who betrayed us and harmed our fellow disciples were my most valued students, the core participants and contributors of the Sheng Family lineage."
Sheng Chiyan's body trembled slightly, tears welling up in his cloudy eyes, and his voice carried irrepressible anger and sorrow.
"Who is he, or rather, who are they?"
Jiang Yuan's tone was solemn, a vague guess already forming in his heart.
"His name is Xiao Chiye, and he was the most outstanding direct descendant Genius among that generation of the Qin Family!"
Sheng Chiyan took a deep breath, pronouncing that name word by word through clenched teeth, every single word seeming to be squeezed out from between his teeth.
It seemed that Sheng Chiyan's previous mention of the conflict between Jiang Yuan and Xiao Junnuo and the others clearly had a reason.
Jiang Yuan's pupils shrank slightly. Although his guess was verified in his heart, he was still somewhat shocked.
This Xiao Family's style of action was even more overbearing, arrogant, and domineering than he had imagined.
Previously, he thought that the Xiao Family making a move against him, the champion of the Federal Unified Examination, was already an extremely outrageous and frantic act.
Never had he expected that decades ago, they even made a move to annihilate a powerful Master-discipleInheritance within the academy!
"Back then, Xiao Chiye became a disciple under my Sect. He was exceptionally talented and extremely diligent, quickly mastering the core skills of the Holy Spirit Mage!"
"He even proposed many key ideas in the research of the Polyphonic Casting, becoming my most capable assistant and earning my utmost trust."
"This led me to entrust this lineage's Inheritance and related Class Holder research to him without any reservation."
Sheng Chiyan slowly said, his tone filled with remorse: "Yet I never expected that deep in his bones lay extreme ambition and greed."
"He was unwilling to just be an ordinary Holy Spirit Mage, unwilling to be bound by the academy's rules, and even more unwilling to submit below others."
"When he learned that fusing the power of fellow disciples could rapidly break through the harmony techniques and gain stronger power, he completely lost his mind."
"He secretly contacted a portion of fellow disciples who were equally ambitious, and cooperated with some external personnel to take a shortcut to becoming an expert in order to rapidly enhance his strength!"
"Then, in the dead of night, they launched a meticulously planned and extremely cruel hunt against the other completely defenseless fellow martial brothers."
Speaking up to this point, Sheng Chiyan's voice choked, and tears slid down the wrinkles on his face.
"That night, the valley was filled everywhere with screams and sounds of slaughter."
"My fellow martial brothers and my disciples and students were some beheaded on the spot, their powers plundered to become the nourishment for enhancing their strength!"
"Some resisted desperately, yet were betrayed by their own fellow disciples and ultimately died a miserable death!"
"Still others had no other choice but to flee Nanjiang Academy, disappearing without a trace ever since, their life or death unknown."
"At that time, I desperately tried to stop them alongside some academy instructors, but I was besieged by Xiao Chiye and several others, suffering severe injuries. My Divine Soul was also heavily battered, causing my Cultivation Realm to drop, and it took a long time to recover and adjust."
Sheng Chiyan raised his hand to touch his hunched body, his tone filled with desolation and bone-deep hatred.
"What happened later? The academy couldn't have just let it be, right?"
Jiang Yuan asked.
How similar was this experience to his own!
It was just that back then, Xiao Chiye's plan of the Xiao Family had succeeded.
Whereas today it had merely failed.
And failure was not because the Xiao Family harbored kindness, but because he possessed the formidable strength to contend with them!
"Xiao Chiye killed everyone who stood in his way, plundered the Divine Souls and powers of dozens of fellow disciples, and broke through shackles step by step. Not only did he successfully Master the top-tier talent of the Seven-fold Harmony Technique, but he also smoothly broke through to become an Eighth-turn Emperor RankExpert, becoming the youngest Eighth-turn Emperor Rankin the entire Nanjiang Academy at that time, unmatched in prominence for a time."
"Such wicked acts of harming fellow disciples and slaughtering brethren ultimately could not be kept hidden, and soon alarmed the academy higher-ups and the Federal Council. According to the law, he should have been executed with extreme punishment to serve as a warning to others."
Sheng Chiyan's voice turned cold, his eyes filled with unwillingness.
"Yet the Qin Family's influence was far too colossal. In Nanjiang Academy, Nanjiang City, and even the Federation, there were people speaking up and pleading on his behalf!"
"Especially Xiao Chiye's twin brother, Xiao Chimu, who was already a heaven-defying Genius expert at the time, secretly maneuvering and operating, uniting all the forces behind the Qin Family to pressure the academy and the Federation, and even proactively yielding many of the Qin Family's interests in exchange for Xiao Chiye's life."
"In the end, under the compromise and temptation of interests from the Qin Family, the academy and the Federation could only deal with him leniently, exiling Xiao Chiye to the Chaotic Demon Realm and sentencing him to a hundred years of penal service. Nominally it was a punishment, but in reality, it was giving the Qin Family a way out, which could be considered an old tradition of Nanjiang Academy and the Federation!"
"Whenever children of noble clans commit major mistakes, as long as their backing forces are strong enough, most of them will be exiled to the Chaotic Demon Realm to lie low. After the storm passes, they will find a way to return to Nanjiang."
Sheng Chiyan paused and added with a hint of mockery in his tone.
"Indeed, so-called fairness is simply a joke!"
"In this world, it's not just about using fists to speak; strength is supreme!"
"It is equally filled with all sorts of exchanges of interests!"
Jiang Yuan couldn't help sneering.
"That Qin Zhuangxu, Combat Department Head whom your Master Flame God killed earlier, dared to deal a fatal blow to you without any scruples precisely because he relied on the power behind the Qin Family. He originally planned to head straight to the Chaotic Demon Realm to lie low after killing you!"
"After a dozen or several decades passed, he would rely on the Qin Family's connections to return to Nanjiang and continue lording it over others!"
"It's just a pity that despite all his calculations, he never expected your Master's strength to be so formidable, ultimately ending up with not even a corpse left behind."
Speaking up to here, Sheng Chiyan's tone seemed to carry a bit of cheerfulness, and his breathing became much steadier.
Although the person killed was a member of the Qin Family, not the Xiao Family.
But the Xiao and Qin families were birds of a feather to begin with!
"What about that Xiao Chiye?"
Jiang Yuan asked in return.
"Sigh, this Xiao Chiye is much luckier than Qin Zhuangxu, and his strength is far more formidable."
Sheng Chiyan's tone grew increasingly heavy.
"After being exiled to the Chaotic Demon Realm, not only did he not perish in that place infested by demons and fraught with danger!"
"Instead, relying on the terrifying power of the Seven-fold Harmony Technique and the power plundered from his fellow disciples, he swept through the Chaotic Demon Realm invincible, slaying countless high-tier demons!"
"He even successfully resisted the attacks of several Abyssal Demon Race armies, and multiple times slaughtered his way into the Chaotic Demon Realm alone to annihilate several demon tribes, making illustrious contributions to the Human Race and the Federation."
"Seeing this, the Federation could only lift his penal service term early, wanting to recall him for the Federation to use!"
Sheng Chiyan's voice carried a hint of helplessness.
"And then?"
Jiang Yuan was not surprised by this.
Judging from Xiao Chiye's actions, leaving aside his character, he was undoubtedly a ruthless character with extremely strong talent, extremely high mental disposition, knowing how to endure, yet capable of seizing opportunities.
Whether viewed from his talent, ability, or strength, he was a top-tier existence among his peers of the same rank and age.
For a figure like this not to become an expert would be strange!
Of course, a person like this was also unlikely to submit beneath others.
"Yet Xiao Chiye's ambition had long since expanded. He completely disdained returning to Nanjiang Academy, and was even less willing to be bound by the Federation and the Qin Family."
"He refused the Federation's conscription and turned to head straight to the place of exile known as the 'City of Sin'!"
"That place was a mixed bag of dragons and fish, gathering countless exiled criminals, traitors, and careerists, and even personnel from the Dark Alliance, the Demon God Hall, and the Evil God Temple. Without any rules to bind them, it was precisely the most ideal place in Xiao Chiye's heart."
Sheng Chiyan said slowly.
"In the place of exile, relying on his Eighth-turn Emperor Rank strength and the deterrent force of the Seven-fold Harmony Technique, Xiao Chiye subdued a large batch of desperate outlaws and established a Sect with massive influence: the Demon Spirit Sect."
"Over the years, the Demon Spirit Sect has grown stronger day by day in the place of exile, burning, killing, looting, and committing all sorts of crimes. I heard they even colluded with the Demon God Hall, and their influence has long since penetrated into the interior of the Federation. Coupled with the Xiao Family's cover and the special geographical location of the City of Sin, the academy and the Federation have delayed taking action to encircle and suppress them."
Speaking up to here, Sheng Chiyan's voice choked once more, and the pain in the depths of his eyes grew even more intense.
"He is a character, and even more so a careerist!"
Jiang Yuan couldn't help exclaiming with emotion.
His gaze looked towards Sheng Chiyan, filled with sympathy.
"Then why did your lineage develop to its current state? Logically speaking, after encountering a major calamity, the academy should have provided some support, let alone back then when the Xiao Family yielded so many benefits; rebuilding the Master-disciple Inheritance shouldn't have been a difficult task!"
Jiang Yuan asked doubtfully.
"What you said is indeed correct. Back then, when my Sheng Family lineage encountered that catastrophe, our vital energy was severely injured, disciples suffered heavy casualties and deaths, and the Inheritance was nearly cut off. According to common sense, the academy ought to have stepped in to support us and help us rebuild the lineage."
"Yet the Xiao Family's influence did not weaken because of Xiao Chiye's exile; instead, due to the rise of Xiao Chimu, it became increasingly massive."
"Xiao Chimu is Xiao Chiye's twin brother. His talent is even more heaven-defying than Xiao Chiye's, and he has long since broken through to become a Ninth-turn Emperor Rank Expert, becoming the top expert in Nanjiang City and even the entire Federation, while also holding an important position and serving as an emperor-rank instructor within the academy."
"He harbors resentment towards our Sheng Family lineage and is even more afraid that one day we will make a comeback to take revenge on Xiao Chiye and the Xiao Family. Thus, he has subjected our Sheng Family lineage to extreme suppression, using every possible means."
"For decades, the Qin Family, allied with factions like the Combat Academy, has targeted the surviving disciples of our Sheng Family lineage everywhere, forcing them to either draw a clear line with the Master-disciple Sect and sever all relations, or be forced to leave Nanjiang Academyand even Nanjiang City, hiding their names from then on and never daring to mention again that they are descendants of the Sheng Family lineage."
"As time passed, the teachers and students of the Sheng Family lineage continuously dwindled away, until in the end, only I was left all alone, guarding this dilapidated wooden cabin and lingering on in a moribund state."
Sheng Chiyan sighed softly, his tone full of helplessness and desolation.
"You think that over these decades, it was because I didn't want to recruit disciples or didn't want to continue the Inheritance of the Sheng Family lineage?"
"It's not like that; it's because no student dared to take my Class Holder Inheritance, and no student dared to enter under my Sect."
"Because everyone is clear that once they join the Sheng Family lineage, it means becoming an enemy of the Xiao Family, meaning being suppressed and retaliated against by the Xiao Family. At best, they wouldn't be able to gain a foothold in Nanjiang Academy; at worst, they would lose their lives and even implicate their families."
Sheng Chiyan raised his eyes to look at Jiang Yuan. "Not everyone is as fortunate as you, or has such a powerful Master like you!"
"The Qin Family's influence is far more colossal than you imagine, and their actions are even more overbearing, arrogant, and domineering than what you have seen—they are simply lawless. In Nanjiang City, almost no one dares to provoke them easily."
"Now that you know all this, knowing that accepting this Inheritance means becoming enemies with the entire Qin Family, and also facing Xiao Chiye's Demon Spirit Sect and the Ninth-turn Emperor Rank Expert Xiao Chimu, do you still want this Class Holder Inheritance?"
Sheng Chiyan's gaze was complex, carrying a hint of probing and also a trace of hope.
"Become enemies with the Qin Family? Do you think I care about this?!"
Jiang Yuan stood in place, his tone firm and cold, without the slightest hesitation.
The chill around his body grew increasingly intense, and the murderous intent in the depths of his eyes was almost overflowing.
From the very moment Xiao Junnuo came knocking on his door, Jiang Yuan was destined to be in an irreconcilable, hostile state with the Xiao Family.
Furthermore, after Sheng Chiyan's narration, Jiang Yuanhad completely understood.
The Xiao Family's influence in Nanjiang Academy and Nanjiang City had long been deeply rooted and covered the sky with one hand.
They trampled on human lives, turned black and white upside down, harmed fellow disciples, suppressed dissidents, and the evil deeds they committed were far more despicable than he had imagined.
Moreover, when a top-tier force like this commits evil, it is a thousand times or ten thousand times worse than an individual committing evil.
For so many years, who knows how many people have suffered from their vicious hands.
Xiao Junnuo's domineering arrogance, Qin Zhuangxu's tyrannical killing, Xiao Chiye's cruel bloodthirstiness, and Xiao Chimu's overbearing suppression—every single thing caused Jiang Yuan's anger to burn furiously.
Now learning of the monstrous crimes committed by the Qin Family back then and the tragic plight of Sheng Chiyan's lineage, the hatred in his heart reached its absolute Peak.
Even without this mutated Inheritance of the Holy Spirit Mage, he would never let go of the Xiao, Qin, and Zhou families, and would never let scum like Xiao Chiye and Xiao Chimu continue to roam free and bring disaster to the region.
"Are you certain? Once accepted, there will be no chance of regret!"
Sheng Chiyan asked again.
"Of course I am certain!"
Jiang Yuan gazed directly into Sheng Chiyan's eyes, his eyes filled with firmness: "Even without this Inheritance, the Xiao and Qin families wouldn't let me go, and besides, they will come looking for me to avenge Qin Zhuangxu sooner or later."
"Since that's the case, why shouldn't I take the opportunity to accept this Inheritance, enhance my own strength, and root out the Xiao Family sooner to avenge the Sheng Family lineage and those dead fellow disciples!"
Jiang Yuan said with a serious expression.
In fact, no matter what, Jiang Yuan was determined to obtain this profession with the Polyphonic Casting talent!
"Hahahaha... Well said! Extremely well said!"
Upon hearing this, Sheng Chiyan suddenly burst into hearty laughter.
In that laughter, there was grief and indignation suppressed for fifty years, relief at seeing hope, and excitement that was hard to conceal.
Laughing heart-rendingly with old tears streaming down his face.
As if for these past decades, he had never laughed so happily and so heartily.
He laughed for a long time before gradually calming down. Using his rough sleeve, he wiped the tears from his face. In his cloudy eyes flickered an unprecedented brilliance, and the gaze he directed towards Jiang Yuan was filled with gratification and praise.
AI Model: gemini-3.5-flash
"Good boy, what a fine lad! As expected of the person who could chop off the heads of Xiao Junnuo and the other two, and take the overall championship of the Federal Unified Examination!"
"This courage and boldness... even in my youth, I would have felt inferior!"
"Exactly. With the Qin Family's vindictive nature, they won't let you off whether you accept this Inheritance or not. Rather than passive defense, it's better to take the initiative and strike!"
With that, Sheng Chiyan slowly raised his hands.
Two completely different glows rose from his palms at the same time, intertwining with each other yet without interference. They emitted entirely distinct auras, instantly drawing Jiang Yuan's gaze.
As he slowly opened his hands, two ancient-styled Class Advancement Inheritance jade talismans made of a peculiar material lay quietly in his palms, each emitting heart-palpitating energy fluctuations.
The Inheritance jade talisman on the left glowed with a clear ice-blue light. As the light flowed, it seemed as if countless tiny elemental particles were dancing. A dense and pure elemental aura washed over him, making his entire body feel comfortable, as if he were in an ocean of elements.
The surface of the jade talisman was carved with complex and beautiful runes. Between the runes, a line of ancient golden characters was faintly visible, written in a bold and powerful hand.
It was actually [Holy Spirit Mage (Mutated)]!
A faint golden halo hovered around the characters, looking holy and solemn. It was indeed the core Class Advancement Inheritance that the Sheng Family lineage had passed down for many years.
As for the Inheritance jade talisman on the right...
It was completely different from the one on the left, its entire body presenting a rich blood-red color, so thick that it was almost pitch black.
It seemed as if it had been soaked in the essence blood of countless living beings, emitting a heart-palpitating bloody scent and a bone-chilling dark aura.
Just getting close to it made one feel a bone-piercing chill, and even the Divine Soul couldn't help but tremble slightly.
On the surface of the jade talisman, there were no extra runes. There was only a twisted black pattern, like a dormant venomous snake or a condensed wisp of resentment. Faint dark red mist swirled around it, exuding a strange and overbearing aura that inspired awe and fear.
There were also several large, dark red characters on it.
[Demon Spirit Mage (Hidden)]
"These two are the most core Class AdvancementLegacies of my Sheng Family lineage."
Sheng Chiyan slowly raised his hand and tapped his fingertips on the two Inheritance jade talismans. His tone grew increasingly solemn as he revealed the details of both legacies to Jiang Yuan without reservation.
"The former, which is this ice-blue Inheritance, is precisely the mutated version of the Holy Spirit Mage that you originally wanted."
"This Inheritance is stable and pure, with no side effects. After a successful Class Advancement, you can obtain up to a Three-fold Harmony Technique talent!"
"—The so-called Three-fold Harmony Technique means that after you cast a spell, it will automatically trigger two additional casts of the same attribute. In total, you release three spell skills, which is equivalent to unleashing three times the power, and it is not restricted by cooldown times or other factors. This is enough to let you stand firm among those of the same rank, and even fight against those of higher ranks."
As his voice fell, his fingertip turned to the blood-red Inheritance. A complex light flashed in his eyes—hatred, unwillingness, and a hint of desperate determination.
"And the other blood-red one is a further forbidden version. I have named it [Demon Spirit Mage], which is a hidden class."
"The power of this Inheritance is far more overbearing than the orthodox mutated Holy Spirit Mage. As long as the Class Advancement is successful, you can easily achieve a Four-fold Harmony Technique, and there is still immense room for growth."
"Back then, Xiao Chiye harmed countless fellow disciples and plundered the Divine Souls and power of dozens of Senior and Junior Brothers just to raise his harmony talent to the Seven-fold Harmony Technique!"
"As for all these years that have passed, during which he studied painstakingly in the place of exile and even founded the Demon Spirit Sect, how much power he has fused and how many folds of the harmony technique he has achieved, even I do not know."
"More importantly, over these past decades, not a single day has gone by without me gathering strength, and not a single day has gone by without me remembering this blood feud."
Sheng Chiyan's voice trembled slightly, and a glint of absolute determination rose in his cloudy eyes.
"I poured all of my life's blood and power, along with fifty years of grievance and hatred, into this Demon Spirit MageInheritance, forcefully pushing this already overbearing forbidden Inheritance to a height that even I cannot predict."
"As for how strong this hidden class will ultimately be and how many folds of harmony it can break through to, even I myself am not clear."
Saying this, a faint self-deprecating smile curled on Sheng Chiyan's lips, his tone carrying a hint of testing, yet also a hint of expectation.
"However, I do not recommend that you start the Class Advancement quest for this hidden class, Demon Spirit Mage, right now!"
"Because the difficulty of this quest is extremely high; you might not be able to complete it at all."
As soon as he finished speaking, Sheng Chiyan gently handed the two Inheritance credentials in his hand to Jiang Yuan.
"One blue, one red!"
"One pure, one evil!"
"Contrasting with each other, they emitted heart-palpitating energy fluctuations."
Sheng Chiyan did not hide anything, laying out all the pros and cons, strengths and weaknesses of both legacies without reservation, as if he were entrusting his fifty years of obsession and hope entirely to the youth before him.
"Thank you for the gift, Senior!"
Grateful, Jiang Yuan instinctively reached out with both hands and took the two Inheritance credentials.
The moment his fingertips touched the credentials, two completely different forces instantly surged into his body.
The power of the ice-blue credential was gentle and pure, nourishing his Divine Soul and body.
The power of the blood-red credential was domineering and cold, carrying a bone-chilling dark aura, yet it was restrained by an invisible force, not rashly eroding his mind and Divine Soul.
Jiang Yuan originally thought that he could only obtain one mutated Holy Spirit Mage Inheritance on this trip.
But he didn't expect that Sheng Chiyan would actually hand both legacies over to him.
One was the stable, pure, and orthodox mutated Inheritance that he originally wanted.
The other was the forbidden, overbearing, and unpredictable hidden class Inheritance.
This unexpected surprise left Jiang Yuan momentarily stunned, and a heavy sense of responsibility immediately surged in his heart.
What Sheng Chiyan had delivered was not just two legacies, but also his fifty years of deep blood feud and the hope of reviving the Sheng Family lineage.
Jiang Yuan first picked up the ice-blue Inheritancecredential. Injecting a trace of energy with his fingertip, the relevant information of the Inheritance instantly flooded into his mind, clear and distinct.
This blue rare-grade Holy Spirit Mage (Mutated) Inheritance...
The Class Advancement quest was very simple, with no complex procedures or harsh conditions. He only needed to go into the wild and kill at least three Peak regional BOSSes of the same tier and rank as his current class.
For example, he was currently at the Peak of the second transfer. As long as he found and killed three Tier 2, Level 60 Wilderness Area BOSSes, he could smoothly complete the Class Advancement quest and successfully become a mutated Holy Spirit Mage.
If other Class Holders unlocked this class and their ranks were at the Third-Rank or fourth transfer, they would only need to kill Tier 3 or Tier 4 Wilderness Area BOSSes of the corresponding levels.
The difficulty of the quest would increase synchronously with the Class Holder's rank, but it would always remain within a controllable range.
After reading the Class Advancement quest for the mutated Holy Spirit Mage class Inheritance, Jiang Yuanslowly put down the ice-blue credential and picked up the blood-red hidden class Inheritance credential.
As his fingertips gently touched it, a bone-chilling cold instantly swept through his entire body.
At the same time, the Class Advancement quest information for the hidden class was also clearly presented in his mind.
This caused him to freeze slightly, and his expression gradually grew solemn.
"[Demon Spirit Mage (Hidden Class)]"
"[Class Advancement Quest: Holy Spirit Mage EmperorSheng Chiyan's Blood Wish (The Tragedy of the Demon Spirit Sect)]"
"[Quest Description: The Sheng Family's Sect was once one of the most influential class factions in Nanjiang Academy. However, due to the betrayal of Xiao Chiye and his cohorts, they were brutally slaughtered, with almost all disciples killed or injured, and their Inheritance nearly severed."
"As the chief culprit, Xiao Chiye not only escaped the punishment he deserved but remained at large. Today, in the place of exile known as the 'City of Sin,' he has recruited outlaws, established the Demon Spirit Sect, and grown increasingly powerful, committing all kinds of evil."
"Meanwhile, as the victim, Sheng Chiyan was heavily suppressed by the Qin Family's forces, living in depression day after day. His Sect could not be revived, and the Inheritance could hardly be continued."
"For decades, Sheng Chiyan poured all of his cultivation and life's blood, as well as fifty years of blood feud and filled-to-the-brim grievances, into this Inheritance, forcefully pushing it to an unprecedented and unknown height, solely waiting for a successor who could avenge him and the Sheng Family lineage.]"
"[Quest Requirements: Go to the City of Sin and kill the chief culprit, Xiao Chiye. Once the quest is activated, it is valid for one year. If it is not completed within the time limit, the Class Advancement will fail, and the Demon Spirit Mage Inheritance will automatically dissipate.]"
"[Hidden Quest: Annihilate the Demon Spirit Sect and kill all high-level members of the Demon Spirit Sect, including the multiple traitors who allied with Xiao Chiye, betrayed the Sect, and harmed their fellow Senior and Junior Brothers. This hidden quest is optional and does not affect the normal Class Advancement of the Demon Spirit Mage. If successfully completed, the quest rating will be higher, a stronger class talent will be obtained, and you will additionally receive a special ability transformed from Sheng Chiyan's lifelong power, breaking through forbidden shackles.]"
After reading the Class Advancement quest of this hidden class word by word, Jiang Yuan's heart sank heavily, his expression became increasingly solemn, and his eyes were filled with shock and heartache.
Only at this moment did he truly understand how great the grievances Sheng Chiyan had suffered over the years were, and how deep his hatred for Xiao Chiye ran.
This hatred had long been carved into his bones and integrated into his Divine Soul.
He finally understood why Sheng Chiyan resembled a dying old man, with not a single trace of energy fluctuation felt from his body, looking so weak as if he would run out of fuel at any second.
This was not because his lifespan was near its end, nor was it because he was severely injured and unable to recover after being besieged by Xiao Chiye back then.
Rather, it was because over these past decades, he had continuously poured all of his power into this Demon Spirit Mage Inheritance.
Day after day, year after year!
Exhausting his lifelong cultivation just to forge this forbidden power, solely to wait for a successor who could avenge him and wipe out the humiliation of the Sheng Family lineage.
Jiang Yuan tightly gripped the blood-red Inheritancecredential in his hand, his fingertips turning slightly white from the force. The aura around him grew colder, and the killing intent in his eyes almost materialized.
He could feel that this blood-red credential not only contained overbearing forbidden power, but also carried Sheng Chiyan's fifty years of obsession, grievance, and hatred. Every trace of power was recounting the deep blood feud of the past and the tragic fate of the Sheng Family lineage.
Sheng Chiyan stood aside, quietly watching Jiang Yuan. There was no urge in his cloudy eyes, only a hint of expectation, a bit of nervousness, and a touch of relief.
He had already handed everything over to Jiang Yuan. As for how Jiang Yuan would choose, whether he could complete this almost impossible quest, and whether he could avenge him, it would all depend on Jiang Yuan's own fortune.
"Please rest assured, Senior. I will definitely make Xiao Chiye pay back the blood debt he owes and make him pay the price he deserves for his actions back then!"
"What the Xiao Family owes you and the Sheng Familylineage, I will also demand back one by one."
Jiang Yuan raised his eyes to look at the aged Sheng Chiyan before him.
Even though he knew that after over fifty years of growth, Xiao Chiye might have already broken through to the Ninth-Turn Emperor Rank, and his strength must be unfathomable, making it no easy feat to kill him.
But he would not back down, let alone fear!
Whether it was for Sheng Chiyan, or for those dead Senior Brothers from the same Sect!
Or for himself, he had to find Xiao Chiye and thoroughly settle this grudge.
"Good! Good! Good!"
"With these words of yours, I can rest easy."
"No wonder I felt you were extraordinary at first sight. Not only are you exceptionally talented, but you also possess a heart of justice!"
"Handing this Sect's Inheritance to you is the most correct decision I have made in my life."
Looking at Jiang Yuan's firm gaze, a glint of light rose in Sheng Chiyan's cloudy eyes, and a long-lost smile appeared on his face.
In that smile, there was gratification, hope, and a touch of relief.
"I have already passed the Inheritance to you. As for revenge, there is no need to rush!"
"The most important thing for you right now is to seize the time to cultivation, complete your Third-Rank Class Advancement, and improve your strength."
"Xiao Chiye is powerful. If you do not have enough strength and rashly go to find him, you will only throw your life away in vain."
"Also, do not tell anyone about this Inheritance, including your friends."
Sheng Chiyan's tone was grave. "The Xiao Family has immense influence within the academy. If they find out that I have passed the Inheritance to you, they will definitely target you again. When that time comes, you will fall into danger."
"After all, your Master is not from the academy. Distant water cannot put out a nearby fire; he cannot save you every single time!"
Sheng Chiyan warned.
"Don't worry, killing me won't be that simple!"
A flash of absolute confidence crossed Jiang Yuan's eyes.
Of course, Sheng Chiyan's words were out of good intentions, not because he looked down on Jiang Yuan.
"Go on!"
"The path of your life has only just begun!"
"As for myself, I am already a useless person. I'm afraid I won't be able to help you with anything in the future!"
"In the future, you don't need to come find me again either!"
Sheng Chiyan abruptly issued an order for him to leave.
"Yes, Senior!"
Jiang Yuan bowed slightly toward Sheng Chiyan.
He felt quite a bit of respect for this old man whom he had only met once.
No matter what, the fact that the other party had handed two important class legacies over to him showed how much he valued and expected from Jiang Yuan.
Jiang Yuan would never forget this kindness in his life.
He was also someone who clearly distinguished between gratitude and grudges.
For his benefactors, he would definitely repay them manifold.
And for his enemies, he would surely destroy them!
As for words of gratitude, there was no need for Jiang Yuanto say much.
As long as he killed Xiao Chiye, that would be the greatest gratitude he could show to Sheng Chiyan!
Furthermore, whether it was to repay the kindness or to complete the Class Advancement quest...
This Xiao Chiye must be killed!