Chapter 111: The Four Great Martial Academies
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Chapter 111: The Four Great Martial Academies
The Emperor's Ruins are miniature worlds.
The Jian Pavilion Pagoda is a Mystic Artifact forged from nine Emperor's Ruins.
Emperor's Ruins can be classified into Small Emperor's Ruins, Medium Emperor's Ruins, and Large Emperor's Ruins based on their size, diversity of lifeforms, and the density of Heaven and Earth Profound Qi.
The nine Emperor's Ruins used to forge the Jian Pavilion Pagoda are all Small Emperor's Ruins.
The miniature world where the Emperor's Martial Palace is located, however, is a Large Emperor's Ruins, known as the Emperor's Ruins.
The area of the Emperor's Ruins is a hundred times larger than that of the Small Emperor's Ruins within the Jian Pavilion Pagoda. It boasts vegetation, mystic beasts, mineral deposits, rivers, lakes, and even the ability to generate Heaven and Earth Profound Qi.
At this moment, Ning Xiaochuan has already arrived in the Emperor's Ruins. Along with all the other students of this year's cohort, he has been assigned to the edge of the Madaro Desert in the northern part of the Emperor's Ruins.
A total of 1,685 individuals passed the assessment and became students of the Emperor's Martial Palace for this year.
These students will now be divided into the four major academies of the palace: the Diamond Martial Academy, the Five Elements Martial Academy, the Heavenly Phenomenon Martial Academy, and the Three Masters Martial Academy.
The primary reason for this division is that each martial artist cultivates a different Divine Martial Body, leading to diverging paths and slight variations in cultivation methods.
For example, martial artists who cultivate the Vajra Divine Body can encounter instructors with the same Divine Martial Body in the Diamond Martial Academy, making it naturally more suitable for their training.
By categorizing academies based on the type of Divine Body cultivated, the talents of geniuses can be maximized.
Ning Xiaochuan has cultivated the Heavenly Phenomenon Divine Body, so logically, he should have been assigned to the Heavenly Phenomenon Martial Academy. However, because he is also a Heart Nurturer, he was placed in the Three Masters Martial Academy.
The so-called Three Masters Martial Academy refers to Heart Nurturers, Forging Masters, and Dao Masters.
Rumor has it that the dispute over whether Ning Xiaochuan should belong to the Heavenly Phenomenon Martial Academy or the Three Masters Martial Academy nearly led to a physical altercation between high-ranking figures of the two academies.
After all, a Heart Nurturer who ranked in the top ten during the assessment, possessing formidable combat strength and exceptional talent, is undoubtedly a highly sought-after genius. It’s only natural that he would be fiercely contested.
Among the 1,685 students, the Diamond Martial Academy and the Five Elements Martial Academy have the most, accounting for 80% of the total.
The Heavenly Phenomenon Martial Academy and the Three Masters Martial Academy each account for 10%.
This year, the Three Masters Martial Academy has a total of 149 students: 14 Heart Nurturers, 53 Forging Masters, and 82 Dao Masters.
Due to the small number of Heart Nurturers, Ning Xiaochuan quickly spotted Yu Qianqian after they gathered.
Yu Qianqian was also walking toward Ning Xiaochuan. She wore a blue silk skirt on the lower half of her body and a white chiffon blouse on the upper half. Her hair was tied up in a bun, adorned with a Green Gold Hairpin. Standing gracefully with luminous fair skin, she was breathtakingly beautiful.
Among the fourteen Heart Nurturers, ten were women. Most of them were lovely and elegant, but compared to Yu Qianqian, they fell far short.
Whether in appearance or temperament, they were no match for her.
Originally, a few female Heart Nurturers had considered approaching Ning Xiaochuan to befriend this top-ten prodigy of the year. But upon seeing Yu Qianqian walking toward him, they all abandoned the idea.
A faint smile appeared on Ning Xiaochuan’s face as he said, "Long time no see."
"It's only been seven days," Yu Qianqian replied with a faint smile, her radiant expression captivating the distant martial artists, who couldn't help but steal glances at her, as if their souls had been ensnared.
Ning Xiaochuan chuckled, "Yet your cultivation has advanced significantly in these seven days. You’ve already stepped into the Third Level of Divine Body Realm, haven’t you?"
He could sense that Yu Qianqian’s strength had surged dramatically, and there was something else different about her—her combat prowess likely surpassed even that of ordinary Third Level Divine Body Realm martial artists.
This was hardly surprising. The Jian Pavilion Marquis House possessed the "Jian Pavilion," and the Golden Roc Prince's Manor undoubtedly had its own unique cultivation holy land. Yu Qianqian must have spent these seven days training in some special place; otherwise, her progress wouldn’t have been so rapid.
Yu Qianqian said, "Your cultivation has also improved a great deal. So, about the Opening Battle—do you still think you can make it into the top ten?"
"I should be able to," Ning Xiaochuan replied.
Yu Qianqian warned, "Don’t get careless. Over these past few days, everyone must have received focused training from their respective factions. Their cultivation levels have surely skyrocketed—you’re not the only one making progress. Moreover, in the Fire Demon Mountain Range, some people likely never truly revealed their full strength. For instance, the First Leader of the Dark Emperor City still hasn’t made an appearance."
"For the Opening Battle, with such generous rewards at stake, everyone will undoubtedly bring their A-game. It’s entirely possible you could be pushed out of the top ten."
The Opening Battle would take place in the Madaro Desert, with ten square training grounds, each 100 meters in length, marked as the First Training Ground to the Tenth Training Ground.
The Opening Battle would last ten days, and by the end, the rankings of this year’s students would be determined based on their performances across these ten grounds.
The top ten students from the Fire Demon Mountain Range assessment would automatically qualify for the top eighty, needing only to participate in the final three days of decisive battles.
At this moment, the battles had already begun.
First Training Ground.
"Lu Tianshui!"
"Wang Ye!"
Two youths, around sixteen or seventeen years old, exchanged names before engaging in a fierce duel. In the end, the boy named Wang Ye emerged victorious, securing the first win.
The initial matches weren’t particularly high-level, with some Profound Qi Realm martial artists even competing. Naturally, Ning Xiaochuan found little interest in them.
Next, he headed to the Fifth Battlefield to watch Murong Wushuang’s match. With his Second Level Divine Body Realm cultivation, Murong Wushuang easily secured a victory.
Ning Xiaochuan wandered among the ten training grounds but failed to spot Ming Yang. Instead, he encountered Yu Tiadi.
Yu Tiadi was still clad in his golden battle armor, wielding the Halberd. Ning Xiaochuan often wondered if the man ever took off that suit of armor.
Accompanying Yu Tiadi was another youth—short in stature, with a sickly pale complexion, as if perpetually ill.
Despite his frail appearance, his eyes were razor-sharp. As he walked across the desert, not a single footprint was left behind, a clear indication of his extraordinary martial prowess.
Yu Tiadi glanced at the sickly youth beside him and introduced, "This is the seventh-ranked examinee, Ning Xiaochuan."
Only then did the sickly youth give Ning Xiaochuan a proper look, coldly stating, "Yiyuan Sect, He Jia."
The Yiyuan Sect, hailed as the foremost among all sects, was the most powerful faction in the Yulan Empire, with a history spanning over a thousand years.
In terms of the Yiyuan Sect's influence, it is almost comparable to the Golden Roc Prince's Manor. The Yiyuan Sect even possesses the power to command all sects under heaven, holding extremely high prestige in the martial world. He Jia is the most outstanding disciple of this generation in the Yiyuan Sect, ranking third in the Fire Demon Mountain Range assessment. Although Ning Xiaochuan found He Jia somewhat arrogant, he still wore a faint smile and said, "Pleasure to meet you. I am Ning Xiaochuan from the Jian Pavilion Marquis House."
"A mere Heart Nurturer managed to enter the top ten of the assessment. Your cultivation isn’t bad. Let’s hope you don’t get eliminated in the Opening Battle," He Jia remarked indifferently. He didn’t hold high expectations for Ning Xiaochuan, as Heart Nurturers indeed had limited combat prowess compared to pure martial artists.
Ning Xiaochuan wasn’t angered and replied with a smile, "Let’s hope so. By the way, why haven’t I seen Ming Yang today?"
Yu Tiadi said with a hint of envy, "Ming Yang entered the Emperor's Ruins seven days ago. Rumor has it he was taken under the wing of a deputy dean of the Diamond Martial Academy and brought to a treasure trove for training. He’ll probably only appear during the decisive battle."
Being accepted as a disciple by a deputy dean was already a considerable honor, enough to make even a young genius like Yu Tiadi envious.
He Jia added, "Before entering the Emperor's Ruins, Ming Yang had already reached the Sixth Level of the Divine Body Realm and was a Supreme Sword Dao cultivator. After being trained by the deputy dean, he must have grown even stronger. The top spot in this Opening Battle is undoubtedly his."
Yu Tiadi sighed, "Someone like Ming Yang is destined to become the symbol of an era. The pressure of being born in the same era as him is immense."
After exchanging only a few words with Ning Xiaochuan, Yu Tiadi and He Jia departed.
Ning Xiaochuan also felt a tremendous pressure, but he refused to admit defeat. No longer paying attention to the battles on the Training Ground, he decided to return to his stone hut to cultivate, aiming to strengthen his cultivation further in the coming days.
Using the Martial Venerable's Blood to enhance his cultivation was naturally the fastest method. Ning Xiaochuan placed the Golden-Threaded Purple Wood Box beneath him, absorbing the Earth Martial Essence within while refining the Martial Venerable's Blood. The Profound Qi in his body surged rapidly.
A bright point of light gathered between Ning Xiaochuan’s eyebrows, like a tiny sun rotating within, continuously absorbing Martial Arts Profound Qi and growing stronger.
This was Ning Xiaochuan’s fifth divine ability—Blazing Sun Scorching the Heavens.
This divine ability was exceptionally domineering and immensely powerful, but it was also extremely difficult and dangerous to cultivate. The slightest misstep could cause one’s body to be incinerated by the flames of the blazing sun.
As he cultivated this divine ability, Ning Xiaochuan felt his body growing increasingly dry, his blood boiling hotter, as if flames were about to spew from his mouth. Wisps of steam rose from his skin, evaporating the moisture within his body.
Finally, Ning Xiaochuan was forced to stop, afraid that continuing would cause his body to combust.
"Why is this happening? Cultivating the first four divine abilities was effortless, like water flowing naturally, allowing me to reach Great Perfection. But with Blazing Sun Scorching the Heavens, I feel my body growing hotter and hotter, as if my bones are about to melt. Could it be because of refining the Martial Venerable's Blood?"
Blazing Sun Scorching the Heavens, this divine ability, belongs to a yang-based and domineering technique. The Martial Venerable's Blood is equally fierce and violent, akin to forcibly empowering a martial artist. When these two overwhelmingly yang and domineering forces clashed, it resulted in Ning Xiaochuan's current state—his body nearly combusting.
Ning Xiaochuan set aside the Martial Venerable's Blood and the Golden-Threaded Purple Wood Box, opting instead to cultivate using the purest form of Heaven and Earth Profound Qi. He advanced the Heaven and Earth Profound Qi to the fourth layer, achieving an eightfold increase in absorption speed.
Heaven and Earth Profound Qi is the most orthodox cultivation method. Though the absorption rate is slower, it harmonizes the balance of power within the body. This time, Ning Xiaochuan no longer experienced the previous sensation. The flickering light at his brow pulsed gently, rotating steadily.
The Emperor's Ruins are miniature worlds.
The Jian Pavilion Pagoda is a Mystic Artifact forged from nine Emperor's Ruins.
Emperor's Ruins can be classified into Small Emperor's Ruins, Medium Emperor's Ruins, and Large Emperor's Ruins based on their size, diversity of lifeforms, and the density of Heaven and Earth Profound Qi.
The nine Emperor's Ruins used to forge the Jian Pavilion Pagoda are all Small Emperor's Ruins.
The miniature world where the Emperor's Martial Palace is located, however, is a Large Emperor's Ruins, known as the Emperor's Ruins.
The area of the Emperor's Ruins is a hundred times larger than that of the Small Emperor's Ruins within the Jian Pavilion Pagoda. It boasts vegetation, mystic beasts, mineral deposits, rivers, lakes, and even the ability to generate Heaven and Earth Profound Qi.
At this moment, Ning Xiaochuan has already arrived in the Emperor's Ruins. Along with all the other students of this year's cohort, he has been assigned to the edge of the Madaro Desert in the northern part of the Emperor's Ruins.
A total of 1,685 individuals passed the assessment and became students of the Emperor's Martial Palace for this year.
These students will now be divided into the four major academies of the palace: the Diamond Martial Academy, the Five Elements Martial Academy, the Heavenly Phenomenon Martial Academy, and the Three Masters Martial Academy.
The primary reason for this division is that each martial artist cultivates a different Divine Martial Body, leading to diverging paths and slight variations in cultivation methods.
For example, martial artists who cultivate the Vajra Divine Body can encounter instructors with the same Divine Martial Body in the Diamond Martial Academy, making it naturally more suitable for their training.
By categorizing academies based on the type of Divine Body cultivated, the talents of geniuses can be maximized.
Ning Xiaochuan has cultivated the Heavenly Phenomenon Divine Body, so logically, he should have been assigned to the Heavenly Phenomenon Martial Academy. However, because he is also a Heart Nurturer, he was placed in the Three Masters Martial Academy.
The so-called Three Masters Martial Academy refers to Heart Nurturers, Forging Masters, and Dao Masters.
Rumor has it that the dispute over whether Ning Xiaochuan should belong to the Heavenly Phenomenon Martial Academy or the Three Masters Martial Academy nearly led to a physical altercation between high-ranking figures of the two academies.
After all, a Heart Nurturer who ranked in the top ten during the assessment, possessing formidable combat strength and exceptional talent, is undoubtedly a highly sought-after genius. It’s only natural that he would be fiercely contested.
Among the 1,685 students, the Diamond Martial Academy and the Five Elements Martial Academy have the most, accounting for 80% of the total.
The Heavenly Phenomenon Martial Academy and the Three Masters Martial Academy each account for 10%.
This year, the Three Masters Martial Academy has a total of 149 students: 14 Heart Nurturers, 53 Forging Masters, and 82 Dao Masters.
Due to the small number of Heart Nurturers, Ning Xiaochuan quickly spotted Yu Qianqian after they gathered.
Yu Qianqian was also walking toward Ning Xiaochuan. She wore a blue silk skirt on the lower half of her body and a white chiffon blouse on the upper half. Her hair was tied up in a bun, adorned with a Green Gold Hairpin. Standing gracefully with luminous fair skin, she was breathtakingly beautiful.
Among the fourteen Heart Nurturers, ten were women. Most of them were lovely and elegant, but compared to Yu Qianqian, they fell far short.
Whether in appearance or temperament, they were no match for her.
Originally, a few female Heart Nurturers had considered approaching Ning Xiaochuan to befriend this top-ten prodigy of the year. But upon seeing Yu Qianqian walking toward him, they all abandoned the idea.
A faint smile appeared on Ning Xiaochuan’s face as he said, "Long time no see."
"It's only been seven days," Yu Qianqian replied with a faint smile, her radiant expression captivating the distant martial artists, who couldn't help but steal glances at her, as if their souls had been ensnared.
Ning Xiaochuan chuckled, "Yet your cultivation has advanced significantly in these seven days. You’ve already stepped into the Third Level of Divine Body Realm, haven’t you?"
He could sense that Yu Qianqian’s strength had surged dramatically, and there was something else different about her—her combat prowess likely surpassed even that of ordinary Third Level Divine Body Realm martial artists.
This was hardly surprising. The Jian Pavilion Marquis House possessed the "Jian Pavilion," and the Golden Roc Prince's Manor undoubtedly had its own unique cultivation holy land. Yu Qianqian must have spent these seven days training in some special place; otherwise, her progress wouldn’t have been so rapid.
Yu Qianqian said, "Your cultivation has also improved a great deal. So, about the Opening Battle—do you still think you can make it into the top ten?"
"I should be able to," Ning Xiaochuan replied.
Yu Qianqian warned, "Don’t get careless. Over these past few days, everyone must have received focused training from their respective factions. Their cultivation levels have surely skyrocketed—you’re not the only one making progress. Moreover, in the Fire Demon Mountain Range, some people likely never truly revealed their full strength. For instance, the First Leader of the Dark Emperor City still hasn’t made an appearance."
"For the Opening Battle, with such generous rewards at stake, everyone will undoubtedly bring their A-game. It’s entirely possible you could be pushed out of the top ten."
The Opening Battle would take place in the Madaro Desert, with ten square training grounds, each 100 meters in length, marked as the First Training Ground to the Tenth Training Ground.
The Opening Battle would last ten days, and by the end, the rankings of this year’s students would be determined based on their performances across these ten grounds.
The top ten students from the Fire Demon Mountain Range assessment would automatically qualify for the top eighty, needing only to participate in the final three days of decisive battles.
At this moment, the battles had already begun.
First Training Ground.
"Lu Tianshui!"
"Wang Ye!"
Two youths, around sixteen or seventeen years old, exchanged names before engaging in a fierce duel. In the end, the boy named Wang Ye emerged victorious, securing the first win.
The initial matches weren’t particularly high-level, with some Profound Qi Realm martial artists even competing. Naturally, Ning Xiaochuan found little interest in them.
Next, he headed to the Fifth Battlefield to watch Murong Wushuang’s match. With his Second Level Divine Body Realm cultivation, Murong Wushuang easily secured a victory.
Ning Xiaochuan wandered among the ten training grounds but failed to spot Ming Yang. Instead, he encountered Yu Tiadi.
Yu Tiadi was still clad in his golden battle armor, wielding the Halberd. Ning Xiaochuan often wondered if the man ever took off that suit of armor.
Accompanying Yu Tiadi was another youth—short in stature, with a sickly pale complexion, as if perpetually ill.
Despite his frail appearance, his eyes were razor-sharp. As he walked across the desert, not a single footprint was left behind, a clear indication of his extraordinary martial prowess.
Yu Tiadi glanced at the sickly youth beside him and introduced, "This is the seventh-ranked examinee, Ning Xiaochuan."
Only then did the sickly youth give Ning Xiaochuan a proper look, coldly stating, "Yiyuan Sect, He Jia."
The Yiyuan Sect, hailed as the foremost among all sects, was the most powerful faction in the Yulan Empire, with a history spanning over a thousand years.
In terms of the Yiyuan Sect's influence, it is almost comparable to the Golden Roc Prince's Manor. The Yiyuan Sect even possesses the power to command all sects under heaven, holding extremely high prestige in the martial world. He Jia is the most outstanding disciple of this generation in the Yiyuan Sect, ranking third in the Fire Demon Mountain Range assessment. Although Ning Xiaochuan found He Jia somewhat arrogant, he still wore a faint smile and said, "Pleasure to meet you. I am Ning Xiaochuan from the Jian Pavilion Marquis House."
"A mere Heart Nurturer managed to enter the top ten of the assessment. Your cultivation isn’t bad. Let’s hope you don’t get eliminated in the Opening Battle," He Jia remarked indifferently. He didn’t hold high expectations for Ning Xiaochuan, as Heart Nurturers indeed had limited combat prowess compared to pure martial artists.
Ning Xiaochuan wasn’t angered and replied with a smile, "Let’s hope so. By the way, why haven’t I seen Ming Yang today?"
Yu Tiadi said with a hint of envy, "Ming Yang entered the Emperor's Ruins seven days ago. Rumor has it he was taken under the wing of a deputy dean of the Diamond Martial Academy and brought to a treasure trove for training. He’ll probably only appear during the decisive battle."
Being accepted as a disciple by a deputy dean was already a considerable honor, enough to make even a young genius like Yu Tiadi envious.
He Jia added, "Before entering the Emperor's Ruins, Ming Yang had already reached the Sixth Level of the Divine Body Realm and was a Supreme Sword Dao cultivator. After being trained by the deputy dean, he must have grown even stronger. The top spot in this Opening Battle is undoubtedly his."
Yu Tiadi sighed, "Someone like Ming Yang is destined to become the symbol of an era. The pressure of being born in the same era as him is immense."
After exchanging only a few words with Ning Xiaochuan, Yu Tiadi and He Jia departed.
Ning Xiaochuan also felt a tremendous pressure, but he refused to admit defeat. No longer paying attention to the battles on the Training Ground, he decided to return to his stone hut to cultivate, aiming to strengthen his cultivation further in the coming days.
Using the Martial Venerable's Blood to enhance his cultivation was naturally the fastest method. Ning Xiaochuan placed the Golden-Threaded Purple Wood Box beneath him, absorbing the Earth Martial Essence within while refining the Martial Venerable's Blood. The Profound Qi in his body surged rapidly.
A bright point of light gathered between Ning Xiaochuan’s eyebrows, like a tiny sun rotating within, continuously absorbing Martial Arts Profound Qi and growing stronger.
This was Ning Xiaochuan’s fifth divine ability—Blazing Sun Scorching the Heavens.
This divine ability was exceptionally domineering and immensely powerful, but it was also extremely difficult and dangerous to cultivate. The slightest misstep could cause one’s body to be incinerated by the flames of the blazing sun.
As he cultivated this divine ability, Ning Xiaochuan felt his body growing increasingly dry, his blood boiling hotter, as if flames were about to spew from his mouth. Wisps of steam rose from his skin, evaporating the moisture within his body.
Finally, Ning Xiaochuan was forced to stop, afraid that continuing would cause his body to combust.
"Why is this happening? Cultivating the first four divine abilities was effortless, like water flowing naturally, allowing me to reach Great Perfection. But with Blazing Sun Scorching the Heavens, I feel my body growing hotter and hotter, as if my bones are about to melt. Could it be because of refining the Martial Venerable's Blood?"
Blazing Sun Scorching the Heavens, this divine ability, belongs to a yang-based and domineering technique. The Martial Venerable's Blood is equally fierce and violent, akin to forcibly empowering a martial artist. When these two overwhelmingly yang and domineering forces clashed, it resulted in Ning Xiaochuan's current state—his body nearly combusting.
Ning Xiaochuan set aside the Martial Venerable's Blood and the Golden-Threaded Purple Wood Box, opting instead to cultivate using the purest form of Heaven and Earth Profound Qi. He advanced the Heaven and Earth Profound Qi to the fourth layer, achieving an eightfold increase in absorption speed.
Heaven and Earth Profound Qi is the most orthodox cultivation method. Though the absorption rate is slower, it harmonizes the balance of power within the body. This time, Ning Xiaochuan no longer experienced the previous sensation. The flickering light at his brow pulsed gently, rotating steadily.
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