Facing the palm imbued with a chilling spiritual energy, Liu Bai couldn't help but raise his eyebrows slightly.
Of course, it wasn't because of the power behind the strike it was the name of the technique that caught his attention…
"I actually suggest you change the name of this spiritual art to Heavenly Frost Fist. Sounds better, don't you think?"
With a teasing tone, Liu Bai leapt into the air. Crimson spiritual energy surged under his feet, and he brought down a heavy, forceful kick.
There was no technique behind the move pure brute force powered by his robust spiritual energy.
Boom!
As the two forces clashed, the resulting shockwave was so intense that even spectators close to the stage felt stinging pain on their faces.
At that moment, Tao Gu was kneeling on one knee, both arms crossed above his head in defense.
And right where his arms crossed a straight leg pinned him down, rendering him completely immobile.
"Hmm?!"
On the viewing platform, Mentor Mo's expression shifted dramatically. He glanced at Mentor Xi across from him in disbelief and muttered, "Did Liu Bai actually break through to the peak of the Spiritual Movement Realm?"
The other responded with a calm smile, "Indeed. Didn't the boy return home not long ago? When he came back, he had already reached this level. I was quite shocked too."
"Hmph." Mentor Mo snorted coldly.
"Even within the Heaven Class, a peak Spiritual Movement Realm cultivator would be ranked in the top three. Letting him take part in the Earth Class's promotion test isn't that a bit unfair?"
Xi glanced at him indifferently and said flatly, "But he is from the Earth Class. If he doesn't pass the Academy Trial, how is he supposed to enter the Heaven Class? Or… is Mentor Mo suggesting we break the Academy's rules?"
Faced with Xi's sharp retort, Mentor Mo had no reply, though his expression was far from pleasant.
"Haha, this year, our Northern Spiritual Academy has truly produced many talented students. It's all thanks to the two of you." Dean Xiao didn't take sides but changed the subject with a smile.
"With the Spiritual Road completed and the Five Great Academies beginning their recruitment, I hope our Northern Spiritual Academy will see more of its students successfully admitted."
Although the Northern Spiritual Realm holds a few admission spots to the Five Great Academies, the requirements are incredibly strict: before the age of eighteen, students must reach the Spiritual Wheel Realm.
And that's just the bare minimum—after that, they must undergo numerous trials…
Unlike the mock battles within the academy, those trials are on a whole other level—more difficult, and often life-threatening. Participants might even clash with monstrous geniuses who emerged from the Spiritual Road. Death isn't unheard of, and that's why Dean Xiao's tone held such weight.
Meanwhile, on the arena stage, the outcome had already been decided during the conversation between the three instructors.
Tao Gu was now surrounded by several students from the Earth Class's East Courtyard, murmuring words of comfort.
But he heard none of it. All he could feel was a sense of humiliation like never before, his teeth nearly shattering from how hard he clenched them.
The memory of being pinned by a single leg completely unable to resist—sent a wave of dread through him, and his entire body trembled.
Clicking his tongue in mock pity. Liu Bai glanced at the boy and muttered, "Maybe I was a bit too harsh…"
But he shook his head and left the matter behind.
"Big Brother, you're amazing!"
Liu Mubai's face lit up with excitement. The young boy's handsome but still somewhat immature face flushed red, clearly more thrilled than Liu Bai himself.
"Haha, not really. Mubai, you've got to work hard. One day, you'll surpass your big brother."
Liu Bai gave his little brother a pat on the head and said something even he didn't believe.
Still, he figured it was necessary to offer some encouragement after all, he was just a kid.
And clearly, the words worked wonders.
"Mm! Don't worry, big brother! I won't let you down!"
Liu Mubai clenched his fists, eyes burning with determination as he stared at his brother.
From today onward, his big brother would be the only target he ever aimed to catch up to!
The Academy Trial for the Earth Class at Northern Spiritual Academy had concluded in a single day.
Only a few had actually passed and advanced to the Heaven Class. From the West Courtyard, only Liu Bai had succeeded; the East Courtyard did slightly better, with Tao Gu and another student named Lin Xuan making the cut a total of three.
Of course, this was mainly because this year's students had only recently entered the academy, so the low advancement rate was expected.
Still, it only made the talent of Liu Bai and the others all the more impressive.
Especially Liu Bai—he'd just entered the Heaven Class, but he was already its rising star. Not only had he caught the attention of senior students from the Western Courtyard, but even the Eastern Courtyard's top Heaven Class student, Xu Ling the strongest student in all of Northern Spiritual Academy had taken notice.
"Only a few days and he's already at the peak of the Spiritual Movement Realm? Must've used some kind of cultivation-boosting elixir. No surprise, considering he's the young lord of the Northern Spiritual Realm's most powerful domain. His resources are on another level."
Dressed in white, Xu Ling sneered in his heart as he listened to the report from his junior.
"Looks like this Liu Bai is aiming for a spot in the Five Great Academies too. Otherwise, why rush his cultivation like this? But boosting strength with pills—how reliable is that? I hope he doesn't get stuck at the Spiritual Wheel Realm. That'd be hilarious."
As the acknowledged number one in Northern Spiritual Academy, Xu Ling had already stepped into the early stage of the Spiritual Wheel Realm. More importantly, he was only seventeen. His sights had always been set on the Five Great Academies. As for titles like "young domain lord" or "triple-breakthrough prodigy in five days"—he didn't care.
He was confident he'd reach the mid-stage of the Spiritual Wheel Realm before the selection trials began. By then, even if others also broke through to the Spiritual Wheel Realm, newly advanced cultivators wouldn't be able to compete with him. No matter how many slots there were he would claim one.
Unaware of all this, Liu Bai was currently heading to the Heaven Class to report in…
Though both Heaven and Earth Classes belonged to Northern Spiritual Academy, they were located in different areas. After all, Earth Class students were mostly kids still in the Sense Realm. Putting them alongside senior students from the Heaven Class who were much stronger would inevitably lead to problems.
Mentors like Xi and Mo typically stayed in the Heaven Class, focusing on instructing its students. As for the Earth Class, they would often select a gifted student as a representative to lead the others in cultivation.
In the original story, Mu Chen played this very role—leading the Eastern Courtyard of the Earth Class.
Strolling along a shaded path lined with trees, Liu Bai walked leisurely, occasionally glancing at the scenery on both sides.
"Senior Liu Bai!"
A sweet, delicate voice suddenly called out from the front, immediately catching Liu Bai's attention.
Standing in his view was a young girl in red. She had a tall, slender figure and skin as fair as snow. Her delicate, oval face carried a hint of charm, and her shy demeanor made Liu Bai's eyes light up.
"You are?"
Liu Bai looked at the beautiful girl before him with some confusion. Judging by her age, she was clearly a new student.
"I'm Hong Ling. My father is the Lord of the Hong Domain. We've met before…"
Seeing that Liu Bai didn't recognize her, the girl's face dimmed in disappointment.
"Hong Ling…"
Liu Bai finally recalled he had indeed met her during the Nine Domain Convention, though he hadn't paid much attention back then.
If memory served, she had been Mu Chen's childhood friend in the original story. Young Mu Chen had quite the crush on her, but after tensions rose between the Mu Domain and Hong Domain, the two eventually parted ways.
"Oh, right—Hong Ling! I remember now. I didn't expect you to enter Northern Spiritual Academy too. You're in the same cohort as Mubai then."
Liu Bai's smile turned warm and gentle. Though he barely remembered her and considered her little more than a stranger, she was, after all, a bona fide beauty…
And Liu Bai had always had a soft spot for beautiful things.
"Mm, that's right… I-I came to congratulate you on taking first place in the Academy Trial."
The girl blushed so hard her face looked like it might melt. Staring at the tips of her shoes and nervously twisting her red skirt, she clearly didn't know what to say.
Liu Bai chuckled silently to himself. After all, she was only thirteen or fourteen still a little girl. Shy and flustered in front of someone she admired… how typical.
"Thank you, Hong Ling. But I've got to go—need to report to the Heaven Class. We'll chat another time. Focus on your training and work hard, alright?"
With a friendly smile, Liu Bai took his leave without much hesitation. He had no time to play innocent love games with a little girl.
"…"
Watching the youth walk away, Hong Ling looked like she wanted to say something but her throat felt stuck, and nothing came out.
In the end, all she could do was stand there in quiet disappointment, her figure drooping like a wilting flower…
"Hong Ling, you're such an idiot… So stupid!"
She gave herself a frustrated knock on the head and trudged toward the Earth Class training grounds.
Still, as she recalled the warm smile Liu Bai had given her before leaving, the gloom faded bit by bit replaced by a light-hearted bounce in her step.
Ah, the fickle heart of a young girl—ever shifting, ever full of dreams.
After walking for about ten minutes, Liu Bai finally saw an imposing great hall up ahead.
Outside the hall, many students were coming and going, making the area far livelier than the surroundings.
"This is… a Spirit Gathering Array? And not a low-level one either…"
Even Liu Bai could clearly sense that the spiritual energy of heaven and earth in the surroundings was being drawn by some unseen force, quickly flowing toward the great hall ahead.
This phenomenon could only be explained by the presence of a Spirit Gathering Array placed within the hall.
The Liu Domain had its own Spirit Gathering Array as well. In fact, it had been a great investment by Liu Jingshan, who had invited several Spiritual Array Masters to construct a Rank Two Spirit Gathering Array.
But judging by the rate and quantity of energy condensing here, this array was clearly superior. Most likely, this was a Rank Three Spirit Gathering Array.
"Haha, you must be Junior Liu Bai, right? Mentor Xi asked me to come and meet you."
A voice rang out beside Liu Bai. A seventeen- or eighteen-year-old youth wearing a teal training uniform walked over with a friendly smile.
"And you are?" Liu Bai cupped his hands respectfully toward the youth.
"I'm Liu Xing. You can just call me Senior Brother Liu. I'm a student of the Heaven Class in the Western Courtyard."
The youth named Liu Xing introduced himself.
"Mentor Xi was summoned by the Dean for a meeting, so he asked me to show you around and help you get familiar with the Heaven Class."
Upon hearing this, Liu Bai nodded.
"Haha, since we're already here, let me introduce this cultivation hall first."
"This is one of the most important places in Northern Spiritual Academy. Only Heaven Class students are qualified to enter. Inside, the academy invested a tremendous amount of resources to invite a Spiritual Array Master from the Five Great Academies to set up a Rank Three Spirit Gathering Array. This is the only Rank Three array in the entire Northern Spiritual Realm."
Liu Bai nodded. So his guess was correct.
He hadn't expected that the array was actually created by someone from the Five Great Academies.
But that was reasonable after all, there weren't any Spiritual Array Masters capable of setting up a Rank Three array within the Northern Spiritual Realm.
"It's said that within the Five Great Academies, there are even Rank Six or higher Spirit Gathering Arrays. The cultivation speed in those places is simply incomparable to outside."
Liu Xing's voice held a note of yearning. He had personally experienced the effect of a Rank Three Spirit Gathering Array, but those legendary Rank Six arrays were beyond his imagination.
Unfortunately, Liu Xing was already over eighteen years old and had only reached the late Phase of the Spiritual Movement Realm. He had no hope of entering the Five Great Academies, and could now only drift through his remaining days in the Northern Spiritual Academy until graduation.
"Junior Liu, do you want to enter the cultivation hall first, or visit another place? Oh, right Mentor Xi said the matter he promised you has already been handled. You can redeem it at any time using this jade token."
As he spoke, Liu Xing handed Liu Bai a jade token. Though it looked ordinary, it emitted a familiar spiritual energy aura it was clearly Mentor Xi's spiritual imprint.
Liu Bai's eyes lit up. He accepted the jade token and said, "Senior Brother Liu Xing, you don't need to accompany me further. I plan to head to the Spiritual Arts Hall."
Upon hearing this, Liu Xing secretly breathed a sigh of relief. The cultivation hall was about to open, and he was hoping to claim a good spot. Now that Liu Bai didn't need company, he was more than happy to be excused.
"Alright then. Junior Liu, go ahead. If you need anything in the future, just come find me. I'll definitely tell you everything I know."
Bidding farewell to Senior Brother Liu Xing, Liu Bai made his way straight toward the Spiritual Arts Hall.
He had visited here once before his Wind Piercing Finger had been learned in this very hall.
As soon as he entered, Liu Bai saw that the vast first floor was filled with students browsing various spiritual arts. After all, not everyone had a Domain Lord for a father, and for many students, the academy's Spiritual Arts Hall was their only chance to obtain powerful techniques.
Liu Bai found the mentor in charge of the Spiritual Arts Hall and showed him the jade token from Mentor Xi. The instructor didn't make things difficult and allowed him to proceed to the Heaven Floor to choose a technique.
Although the academy's spiritual arts were technically open to all students, access to Spirit-Grade Arts required instructor approval. Liu Bai clearly wasn't here for some ordinary Common-Grade Arts, which was why the formalities were necessary.
However, after arriving on the Heaven Floor, Liu Bai didn't head straight to the Spirit-Grade section. Instead, he strolled around for a while until he stopped at a stone cabinet. His gaze settled on a crimson jade slip resting in the shadowy depths of the cabinet.
....
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