“Everyone, calm down,” Jiang Mozhi stopped the crowd, quickly stepping forward.
“The Celestial Sage Academy was originally a branch of the Ghost God Collegium. We are all connected by the same lineage, we should coexist peacefully.”
“A lowly branch student dares to talk to a main academy disciple like this? Besides, now that the Evil Spirit has been destroyed, your branch exists in name only,” Xuan Ming replied coldly.
“Just take the Ghost God Collegium’s entrance test honestly. If you pass, consider yourselves lucky. If not, leave as soon as possible.”
“Is that Lord Nocturne’s order?” Jiang Mozhi asked angrily.
“What? You think something this trivial requires Lord Nocturne’s attention?” Xuan Ming sneered.
“I am a disciple of the Ghost God Collegium. I only descended to the Mortal Ascension Heaven to guard the Evil Spirit. After all these years, even if I have no merit, I’ve at least worked hard,” Jiang Mozhi said.
“Now that I’ve returned with my students, I’m not asking for great training resources. But surely the academy won’t deny us a place to stay?”
“If your cultivation were still intact, your words might carry some weight,” Xuan Ming chuckled.
“But look at you now, barely able to stand on your own. What more can you demand?”
At that, Jiang Mozhi froze.
He realized he had thought things too simply. In his current state, he truly wasn’t much different from a cripple.
“You can insult us if you wish, but to insult our Chancellor is going too far!”
The students of the Celestial Sage Academy were furious, glaring at Xuan Ming.
“We’ll challenge you!” they shouted.
Before Xuan Ming could reply, a lazy voice sounded from the side.
“Little Xuan, bullying the new juniors again?”
Everyone turned to see a young man in a white robe descending the stairs. A three-foot-long green sword hung at his waist.
His black hair was tied with a cord, though a few strands fell freely around his temples. His eyes were sharp like a leopard’s, fierce and confident.
But what drew the most attention were his hands. Both palms were crimson, as if they’d been burned by fire.
His blazing red hands were impossible to miss.
“Senior Fei... Feilin!” Xuan Ming stammered, greeting him awkwardly.
He quickly explained, “What juniors? They’re just people from below.”
“Below?” Feilin said with interest. After thinking for a moment, he continued, “Ah, from the Celestial Sage Academy, right?”
“Yes,” Xuan Ming nodded. “And I wasn’t bullying them. They’re the ones who challenged me.”
“Is that so?” Feilin laughed. “Well, since there’s a challenge, and I do enjoy a good show, how about I act as referee? Don’t worry, I’m always fair. What do you think?”
“Do I have a choice?” Xuan Ming sighed helplessly.
“Nope,” Feilin said with a grin, patting his shoulder before turning to the others.
“What about you all?”
“You and our Chancellor can be the referees,” one of the Celestial Sage students suggested.
“Fine by me,” Feilin replied cheerfully. “Let’s head to the Battle Arena. I’ll gather a few more people to cheer for you. New juniors challenging their seniors, this is going to be fun.”
As Feilin walked off, Xuan Ming shrugged, giving the Celestial Sage group a mocking look. “Well? What are you waiting for? Let’s go.”
Jiang Mozhi sighed, stepping up to Xu Zimo and speaking quietly. “These students are still immature. If things get serious, I ask that you look after them.”
“Man, you’ve been kneeling to others way too long,” Xu Zimo said. “There’s a time to kneel, and a time to draw your blade. But they, they’ve been standing too straight. There’s a time to stand, and a time not to, yet they always stand.”
Jiang Mozhi said nothing.
Sometimes, weakness forces you to bow your head. Between dignity and survival, life always comes first.
As the saying goes, ‘As long as the green hills remain, there will be firewood to burn.’
But as a Chancellor, he couldn’t help but feel he had failed his students.
The group arrived at the Battle Arena.
The so-called Battle Arena was a sunken valley, its floor paved with smooth black thunderstone.
Suspended above it hung a massive Azure Dragon Blade.
The blade looked as if it were sculpted from stone, but the tail of the weapon was wrapped around by a long azure dragon.
That dragon wasn’t carved, it was real.
Someone had killed a living dragon, sealed its intact body, and fused it into the blade.
That level of skill was beyond imagination.
Judging from its weathered appearance, the platform was likely ancient.
Around it stood numerous statues, fierce, unmoving figures with expressions like wrathful Vajras and enraged deities.
“The Buddhas here look... hateful,” one Celestial Sage student muttered.
“When dealing with evil, Buddhas take on fierce forms,” Jiang Mozhi explained. “Compassion is for the good. To suppress wickedness, one must appear terrifying.”
Xuan Ming leapt down onto the platform.
Beside him stood a massive red drum, draped in crimson silk that fluttered in the wind.
He grabbed the drumsticks and struck the drum heavily.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The sound echoed through the entire academy.
Half the Ghost God Collegium students were drawn by the noise.
“Who’s fighting now? Another duel?”
“I heard from Senior Feilin that some Celestial Sage Academy people are challenging a Ghost God student.”
“What’s Celestial Sage Academy?”
“You serious? It’s one of our branch academies!”
“Ha! A branch trying to challenge the main academy? Let’s go watch!”
The crowd buzzed with excitement, quickly gathering around.
Feilin’s words spread fast, ten people became a hundred, and soon a large crowd had surrounded the valley.
“You all, come down and die!” Xuan Ming shouted, pointing at the Celestial Sage students.
“Go!” the Celestial Sage youths roared back.
They were all young and proud, how could they endure such humiliation?
And since they had numbers on their side, fear wasn’t an issue.
One by one, they jumped down onto the platform, each radiating powerful spirit power.
“Well, looks like it’s begun,” Feilin said with a grin, swaggering toward the edge of the platform.
“I, Feilin, will serve as referee for today’s match. Once you step onto the Battle Arena, life and death are no concern. The fight continues until one side yields. It will determine both victory and survival.”
Around them, the crowd cheered loudly, eager for a spectacle.
“Letting you enter the Ghost God Collegium is already an insult to us,” Xuan Ming said coldly, scanning the opponents before him. You’re nothing but trash, I might as well clean you out myself.”
“Who the hell are you calling trash?!” the Celestial Sage students shouted angrily.
“You know the answer,” Xuan Ming replied with disdain.
“Teach him a lesson!” one student shouted.
The Celestial Sage disciples exchanged a glance, their auras flaring as they unleashed their spirit power.