Chapter 325: Holy Land Prodigies, Nothing More!

Meanwhile.

Somewhere in the Northern Region, at an internet cafe.

"Phew, I'm tired. Time for a break!"

Lin Yan stretched his back and sat before the Game Console, loosening his muscles. Beside him, the Yao Trio was playing with great interest, showing no intention of stopping.

Suddenly.

Lin Yan's Communication Talisman received a notification.

He clicked it open, and it displayed—The tri-centennial Jade Lake Feast! Come watch the competition between the top Prodigies of the younger generation! [Click to watch the live stream]

"Jade Lake Feast? A live stream?"

Lin Yan was stunned for a moment. "They even have live streams for this?"

Dan Xuan's voice rang out, "Need you even ask? It's likely that little fellow Wang Mu's doing again!"

"However, the Jade Lake Feast has always been an internal celebration for the various Holy Lands, with little connection to the outside world. To openly display it before thousands upon thousands of Cultivators like this is truly a first!"

Pausing, Dan Xuan sighed slightly, "It's just a pity that the Jade Pool Grotto-Heaven has always only opened three levels of worlds. If they could open the fourth and fifth levels, you could have gone in to get some good stuff…"

Lin Yan smiled, not particularly bothered. "Why be disappointed? If I didn't encounter it, then it's fate. Not being able to go to the Jade Pool Grotto-Heaven doesn't necessarily mean I'm losing out!"

As he spoke, his Divine Sense subconsciously scanned the pile of fresh treasures inside his Storage Pouch, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl up.

These past few days, he had been power-leveling for the Yao Trio.

The benefits he received were truly substantial.

Not to mention, these Prodigies from the Eight Great Royal Families of the Imperial Yao Palace were truly freaking rich.

All sorts of rarities that were hard to find in the Northern Region could be seen with them.

The treasures harvested during this period alone were already comparable to what many people would get after struggling on the brink of life and death several times!

When he found some time later.

After digesting these benefits, he would surely achieve a Breakthrough to the Nascent Soul Late Stage or even the Peak as a matter of course.

Putting those thoughts aside.

Lin Yan slowly opened the Langya Forum, and what met his eyes was a massive live stream screen… At this moment.

Inside the Kunlun Mirror, the scenes from the Azure Cloud Realm were being broadcast.

In the past.

This level of Secret Realm competition and maneuvering at the Qi Refining level wouldn't have garnered much attention.

Its importance wasn't great.

Moreover, it wasn't particularly interesting to watch.

In the eyes of the Holy Land Elders and high-level officials present, it was no different from children playing house.

But this year was an exception.

All the powerhouses present focused their attention, staring at the screen of the Azure Cloud Realm, for fear of missing something.

It couldn't be helped.

This year was too special.

The emergence of the Langya Academy, the staggering bets placed by underground gambling dens like the Thousand Gold Workshop and Wuyou Pavilion, the Young Lord of the Wang Family spending money like water to support his own Langya students, and so on.

This series of events had already pushed public interest in the outcome of the competition in the Azure Cloud Realm to its Peak.

They were desperate to know.

How exactly would those Langya students perform in front of the various Holy Land Prodigies?

…When Cultivators enter the Jade Pool Grotto-Heaven, they are affected by Void Realm fluctuations, and their entry locations are completely random.

If one's luck is bad.

It's easy for several people to be teleported to the same location.

For example, right now.

On the screen.

Three figures were in a standoff.

Of these three, one wore the robes of the Absolute Beginning Holy Land, one wore the robes of the Langya Academy, and the last wore the robes of the Universe Holy Land.

[Holy crap, that person from Langya Academy is too unlucky, right? Right after entering, they run into people from two Holy Lands?]

[Tsk tsk tsk, what a dark face!]

…On the forum, countless people were lamenting.

For this situation to occur, they were truly too unlucky.

"Heh, interesting!"

Liu Yan crossed his arms, looking at the Langya student opposite him with a playful expression, as if looking at a cat or a dog.

He glanced at the Universe Disciple beside him and asked, "Are you going, or am I?"

"Either way! Let's just play around!" The Universe Disciple sneered.

The two chatted casually, not taking the Langya student seriously at all.

Liu Yan stepped forward, held his head high, and smiled at the Langya student, "It wasn't easy for you lowly Cultivators to enter the Jade Pool Grotto-Heaven. I'll give you a chance: kneel down, give us each three kowtows, and we'll let you go. How about it?"

"Pah!"

The Langya student, Zhu Cheng, clenched his fists, full of disdain. "If you want to fight, then fight. Why all the nonsense?"

"Interesting!" Liu Yan said, a mysterious light flashing beneath his feet as he charged straight ahead, engaging Zhu Cheng in combat.

His cultivation was at the Qi Refining Great Perfection, while Zhu Cheng was only at the eighth level of Qi Refining; he was clearly much more powerful than Zhu Cheng.

He suppressed Zhu Cheng as soon as they started.

Forcing the opponent into a purely defensive position.

But he was in no hurry to completely defeat him; instead, he maintained a playful attitude, teasing and toying with him in various ways, intending to humiliate him.

Zhu Cheng responded calmly, his teeth clenched tight.

His combat experience was insufficient, but his mindset was very stable. He wasn't affected by the other's teasing; instead, he was focused on becoming familiar with the opponent's Moves and capturing flaws.

Beside them, the Universe Disciple was laughing heartily, seemingly very happy.

[Wait, isn't this a bit much?]

[Better to kill than to humiliate; why go so far with the teasing? Why do several Holy Land Disciples need to act like this against an ordinary Cultivator?]

[People from the Holy Lands have always looked down on the common people; they're long used to it!]

[How detestable!]

[The difference in strength is still too great!]

…On the forum, many people watching the live stream were gnashing their teeth in anger.

There was a sense of powerlessness, of being unable to reach through the screen and deliver a slap.

Liu Yan remained smug.

Enjoying the pleasure of complete suppression.

But as the fight went on, he sensed something was wrong. The opponent was actually starting to see through his techniques and was even striking back.

And it was happening more and more frequently.

Bang!

Zhu Cheng landed a solid punch on Liu Yan's chest, causing his expression to shift as the Qi and blood within his body churned.

"What's going on? You're not going to lose to someone like this, are you?" the Universe Disciple mocked from the side.

Liu Yan's face felt slightly hot. He stared at Zhu Cheng with a ruthless expression. "An ant dares to resist? I'll send you on your way!"

He raised his hand, and two Flying Swords shot through the air with a sharp aura, heading straight for Zhu Cheng's face.

Zhu Cheng's eyes were as deep as water; he had found a flaw.

He suddenly slapped his Storage Pouch.

A cheap Tortoise Shield Magical Artifact appeared in front of him.

"You think a piece of trash like this can block my Magical Artifact?" Liu Yan sneered, dismissive.

Unexpectedly, in the next moment.

Boom!

Zhu Cheng's hand seals changed, and the Tortoise Shield Magical Artifact was directly detonated. The massive power instantly knocked the two Flying Swords off their trajectories.

Then, seeing his chance, he circulated his magic power to cover his entire body and lunged forward.

Like a charging bull, he knocked Liu Yan down.

A dagger appeared in his hand, flashing with spiritual light, and he stabbed fiercely at Liu Yan's heart.

Puchi, puchi, puchi!

In the blink of an eye, several stabs were made, and blood splattered.

"Help me!" Liu Yan panicked and shouted for help.

This change happened too quickly; the Universe Disciple on the side hadn't reacted in time either. He then hurriedly rushed forward and kicked Zhu Cheng away.

Zhu Cheng crashed through several trees.

He lay on the ground.

His hands were still forming a hand seal.

"Not good!"

Liu Yan realized something, his eyes began to glaze over, and he screamed, "Stop him—"

The Universe Disciple violently threw a massive axe.

It headed straight for Zhu Cheng's face.

There wasn't a trace of fear on Zhu Cheng's face; instead, it was filled with madness. "Come with me on the road!"

As he spoke, the hand seal was completed.

The dagger still lodged in Liu Yan's chest exploded with a bang, and a terrifying spiritual flame swallowed him.

Buzz!

A beam of light fell from the Void Realm, covering Liu Yan. He vanished from the spot, having been pulled out by the Kunlun Mirror, already eliminated.

And Zhu Cheng was subsequently sent out of the Grotto-Heaven by that Universe Disciple.

…Hiss!

Wow, what an unexpected ending!

That Absolute Beginning Disciple, regardless of cultivation, Magic Treasures, Cultivation Techniques, combat experience, etc., completely crushed the Langya student, yet he was actually taken down with him?

More than that! If it weren't for the Universe Disciple's help, the Langya student could have gotten a solo kill!

A dignified Holy Land Disciple, facing an ordinary Cultivator, actually had to resort to outnumbering them?

Two against one and they still lost one. Do they even know how to play? And these are Holy Land Disciples? They're more like dog sh*t!

…The comments were like a sea, filling the live stream screen.

Above the Jade Lake.

The people from the Absolute Beginning and Universe Holy Lands had rather unsightly expressions.

This kind of outcome was something they hadn't expected at all.

"Although this Langya Academy Disciple's cultivation is lacking, his Heart-Nature is extraordinarily remarkable!"

"Indeed, to be able to self-detonate two Magical Artifacts without blinking an eye—such decisiveness! If he grows up, he cannot be underestimated!"

"I've been observing for a while; this person's gaze was steady. Even when at a disadvantage, he didn't panic in the slightest. He is indeed a good seed…"

"It's just a pity that his talent and Spiritual Root are too average; he's destined to achieve little!"

"It seems this Langya Academy actually has some substance!"

"…"

People from other forces were also discussing, extremely surprised by Zhu Cheng's performance, feeling a sense of enlightenment.

"Heh, it's just a blind cat running into a dead mouse!"

"Among hundreds of thousands of people, it's normal for one or two to be decent! Besides, this time the Absolute Beginning Holy Land Disciple clearly underestimated his opponent!"

"At this level, it might be impressive in the outside world, but before the Holy Land Prodigies, it's not worth mentioning!"

…Buzz buzz!

Light flashed.

Above the Jade Lake, two figures appeared one after another.

They were Liu Yan and Zhu Cheng.

"Damn it!"

Not long after entering the Jade Pool Grotto-Heaven, before he could even find any treasures, he was sent out.

And he lost to a lowly Cultivator from Langya Academy.

This made Liu Yan very indignant. He stared at Zhu Cheng, his face full of Evil Qi. "Lowly Cultivator, you're finished!"

Unexpectedly, Zhu Cheng didn't even give him a glance.

Instead, he looked up toward the palace where the Northern Dark Holy Land was located, looking at the white-clothed youth on high, and knelt directly. His eyes were filled with deep guilt. "Zhu Cheng is incompetent. To be eliminated so quickly, I've disappointed you, Young Lord!"

Wang Mu looked at him and smiled, "No, you've done very well! You've made a great start for our Langya Academy!"

Hearing these words.

Zhu Cheng, who hadn't shown a trace of fear even when besieged by two Prodigies in the Secret Realm, instantly had red eyes. He kowtowed deeply, "Young Lord!"

Wang Mu added, "My Langya Merchant Guild has plenty of money and more than enough Heaven And Earth Treasures! Even if there were several times more students in the academy, I, Wang Mu, could afford to support them! So, I don't care what Opportunities you can gain in this Jade Pool Grotto-Heaven!"

"What I want is for you to open your eyes, see this world clearly, break your shackles, and have a fearless heart. Only then can you prove the boundless Great Dao!"

"Holy Lands have never been anything special!"

"And the Prodigies of the Holy Lands are even less so!"

"You're right!" Zhu Cheng nodded, intentionally or unintentionally glancing at Liu Yan beside him. "Holy Land Prodigies are indeed nothing special!"

As he spoke, Zhu Cheng bowed deeply once more. "Zhu Cheng will surely remember the Young Lord's teachings and will never forget them until death!"

Hearing these words.

On high.

The faces of Qiu He from the Absolute Beginning Holy Land, Elder Chu from the Universe Holy Land, and others turned ashen.

Two Holy Land Prodigies besieging one person from Langya Academy was already not a glorious thing.

And as a result, one of them was even taken down!

It was an even greater embarrassment!

"In the end, he was chosen from countless people; it's normal to have a few decent seeds!" Qiu He said in a low voice with a cold face, "But the others won't be so lucky!"

…Meanwhile.

Inside the Kunlun Mirror, the scenes kept switching.

One battle after another was taking place.

"Hiss, something's not right this year. Why are they fighting all the time?"

"Yeah, the trial in the Jade Pool Grotto-Heaven is supposed to be about finding treasures and Opportunities. If they fight over an Opportunity, that would be reasonable, but this…"

"Have you noticed? Wherever there's a fight, there's bound to be a Langya student!"

"…"

As everyone discussed, they suddenly realized something.

"No, no, no. To be more precise, it's the two Holy Lands of Absolute Beginning and Universe, along with their various subordinate forces' Prodigies, who are teaming up to hunt down the people from Langya Academy!"