Zi Xuan knew that the topic of "Tianxu's Retrospective of Ancient Immortal Cultivation History" wouldn't be easy.
Despite this, he was intimately familiar with Immortal Cultivation History and a staunch advocate for its study.
Although the Immortal Cultivation History course was relatively short, it remained a mandatory subject. Students were required to study independently at home; failure to do so would prevent them from graduating.
Zhao Ming, Su Xinyi, and others followed this path, often secluding themselves for years of rigorous cultivation.
Whether pursuing martial arts or the path of true cultivation, both ultimately led to a long and arduous journey of practice.
Ling Xian, however, was different. Born with wisdom far surpassing that of ordinary mortals, his intellect traced back to ancient times, even surpassing the wisdom of true cultivation.
What made him even more remarkable was his innate photographic memory. At the age of two, when his father taught him a memory card game, Ling Xian instantly and accurately flipped over all matching pairs!
As a result, he possessed an encyclopedic knowledge of Tianxu's seven-thousand-year history. Occasionally listening to the Gossip Elder's idle chatter proved both mentally stimulating and physically invigorating.
For Ling Xian, concealing his intelligence was the best strategy. His daily routine involved attending classes, nodding in agreement, and aiming for average grades on exams, even though he could easily score perfect marks. By blending in with the crowd, he hoped to coast through to graduation unnoticed.
When Zi Xuan brought up a topic that made him slightly uncomfortable, Ancient Relic's words flowed like a surging river, never ceasing.
"After all, we can't deny that these old dramas had competitors like Outer Realm Rift, Yin-Yang Majesty, Yun Family Clan... but these are just the tip of the iceberg. Only the Yun Family truly demonstrated how a clan can exert profound influence over an entire nation."
When the students below heard the Gossip Elder's words, they exchanged knowing smiles—they knew the gossip session was about to begin.
"...I heard two students were ambushed by assassins last Saturday?"
Ling Xian sighed inwardly, fully aware of the situation.
The Starfall Garden incident had become common knowledge in recent days.
Even School 72 and School 71 had heard about it, and the rumors had been swirling all weekend!
The attempted assassination of Su Xinyi, the heiress of Brilliant Galaxy Corporation, had triggered extreme concern from both high-level officials and the school administration.
Following the failed assassination, Su Xinyi's parents immediately funded upgrades to the school's security system and guard forces, even dispatching several top-tier bodyguards at the Golden Core Realm or higher.
The campus was now under constant surveillance, with patrols everywhere. During class hours, special forces guarded the school gates, making it feel like the damn White House!
Despite the failure of their initial operation, the Phantom Network showed no signs of retreat.
Regardless of the circumstances, their leader seemed to harbor a deep-seated hatred for the young girl.
To protect their students, the teachers of Phoenix Ridge No. 73 had been training tirelessly these past two days... except for that burger-obsessed fiend!
Having spent three years at the school and earned the title "God of Gossip," he had already established a gossip network far surpassing anything anyone else could dream of.
His methods of uncovering secrets were astonishing.
"As you all know, the Phantom Network is a vast and enigmatic organization. Its leader remains at large, and the assassins they deploy are comparable to immortal saints," the Gossip Elder sighed, signaling the imminent start of his gossip session.
"But the mastermind behind it all is actually within our own nation. Xue Feng, a distinguished graduate of our school, once attempted to dismantle the organization. He submitted a reform proposal to the Council of the Eight Sects, which was evidently approved. They then assembled a hundred Golden Core Stage experts."
Zhao Ming, captivated by this suspenseful introduction, couldn't help but ask, "Xuan, what happened next?"
"Of course, they... failed," Zi Xuan said, shaking his head with a hint of regret.
"The operation ended in failure. The Phantom Network once again proved its unshakeable dominance. At the time, everyone shared the same motive: to capture thieves and fugitive criminals. When 'Merit Operation' was approved, over a hundred cultivators riding Flying Swords swarmed toward the Phantom Network leader's residence. But when they stormed in... the target had already vanished without a trace!"
The students gasped in unison.
Teacher Sheng Zixuan truly deserved his dual titles as a top-tier instructor, his words brimming with profound literary and historical knowledge.
After hearing his gossip, the students always felt refreshed. His storytelling style made them feel as if they were right in the middle of the events, like being in a movie scene—even the bloody parts made the girls scream with excitement.
At the end of his tale, he sighed deeply.
"Though 'Merit Operation' failed to achieve its primary goal, it wasn't entirely without value. It actually prompted the Tianxu Counter-Terrorism Headquarters to upgrade its systems and even determine the Phantom Network leader's gender."
Zhao Ming joked, "Heh, gender? The leader's probably furry."
Yutong retorted, "No way! The leader's definitely a manga artist!"
Hao Zhen waved dismissively. "Nah, the leader's an animal lover."
Zi Xuan revealed the truth himself: "Shortly after the Bee Swarm Incident, they stormed into the bedroom. Besides the cosmetics scattered on the bed and the bikini bottoms, the most striking thing was that pair of 38D... ahem."
He cleared his throat, leaving the metaphor hanging in the air. "I'll leave the rest to the boys' imaginations. I don't want to have to wipe down the table later—I have more important matters to attend to."
Glancing at his watch, he brazenly slipped a fan fiction magazine into his pocket while packing up his things at the podium. As he passed the blackboard, he suddenly stopped and said, "Make sure to review the latest unit chapters. We'll be using them next week."
The moment he stepped out of the classroom, murmurs of admiration erupted.
And then... an unexpected challenge arrived from a certain organization!
That very afternoon, the principal of Phoenix Ridge Pioneer School received a formal challenge from the Phantom Network?!