"Chen Beiyuan, the humiliation of tonight, tomorrow, I will make you pay with blood."
Lin Xiao's chest heaved, his breathing was rapid, his teeth clenched, and his eyes were fiercely fixed on the Dragon Rise Hotel in front of him. The killing intent towards Chen Beiyuan in his heart grew deeper.
If it weren't for the Academy Grand Competition tomorrow, for that… why would he have to resort to such a desperate measure?!
Born of humble origins, one must stop at nothing, use any means, to reach a higher position, greater power.
The world's resources had long been monopolized by the aristocratic families. He had to give his all just to advance.
If only he possessed Chen Beiyuan's connections and family background, why would he have to make his beloved woman do such a thing?!
Admittedly, he did have designs on the Leng family, intending to absorb them, and he used some underhanded tactics. But for Leng Ruobing, he had truly fallen for her.
However, for their future, he could only make some sacrifices.
After a moment of silence, a trace of hesitation appeared on Lin Xiao's face. He flickered, wanting to make a final confirmation.
But before he could get close to the Dragon Rise Hotel, he suddenly felt a chilling sensation. An alarm bell rang in his heart. He paused, and quickly submerged himself into the shadows, remaining motionless.
It was unknown when, but the streets near the Dragon Rise Hotel had subtly gained more pedestrians and street vendors, subtly surrounding the entire hotel, forming an impenetrable barrier.
The aura emanating from some of the street vendors caused even Lin Xiao, hidden in the shadows, to feel a terrifying pressure.
"Damn it!"
Hiding in the darkness, Lin Xiao gnashed his teeth in anger, realizing that he probably couldn't get close.
The people nearby were likely the Chen family's vicious guard dogs, specifically employed to protect their master.
Every move, every action, captured the attention of countless individuals – that was the influence of a top-tier aristocratic family.
As the heir to such a family, not having people to protect him would be absurd.
If he rashly approached, it would likely trigger a chain reaction.
And then, he would be the one in trouble!
At this moment, though he appeared to be only a street away from the Dragon Rise Hotel, in reality, it felt like the ends of the earth, impossible to reach.
This situation only fueled the fire of his anger, intensifying his hatred for these aristocratic families.
Yet, deep within his blazing eyes, there was also a hint of uncontrollable longing.
While hating the dragon, Lin Xiao, in a way, also yearned to become one.
The next day, Donghua Academy.
As the number one academy in the Empire, Donghua Academy has always been the "holy land" most yearned for in the eyes of countless Donghua people.
Since its establishment, Donghua Academy has produced countless famous and powerful figures.
It is the gathering place for countless young geniuses throughout the Empire, the cradle of future powerhouses.
It can be said that as long as one can enter this academy and successfully graduate, it is almost equivalent to obtaining a ticket to success, with achievements that are beyond the imagination of ordinary people.
However, the number of people who can successfully graduate from Donghua Academy is very small; most end up fading away in the face of harsh reality.
The minimum requirement to enter Donghua Academy is to break through to a Second-Rank Battle Master before the age of eighteen, or to possess special skills such as alchemy or weapon refining...
After enrollment, students who broke through to the third-rank Battle Spirit within five years could continue their studies and enter the inner court of Donghua Academy, where they would receive focused cultivation. Those who didn't meet the requirements would be dismissed.
Within ten years, those who could break through to the fourth-rank Battle General could apply for graduation, undertaking graduation missions of varying difficulty. Upon completion, they would receive a "Letter of Recommendation" from the academy.
Graduates could use the "Letter of Invitation" to apply for positions in various departments of the Empire.
This was a true stairway to success!
Countless commoner geniuses and students from humble backgrounds had used this stairway to change their fates and reach the pinnacle of their lives.
Moreover, the "Academy Grand Competition," held every five years by Donghua Academy, was a chance for countless students to gain fame.
The generous rewards were enough to make countless academy disciples drool.
Especially for this year's "Academy Grand Competition," the academy's high-level officials had even brought out a "Beast Secret Realm" that was on the verge of collapse, as the grand prize.
It's said that the Beast Secret Realm contains a legacy from a high-level beast.
Anyone who obtains it can undergo a complete transformation.
Therefore, this Academy Grand Competition has caused many students in closed-door cultivation to come out, all wanting to compete for a chance.
Among them, there are even many students from wealthy families who had already met the graduation requirements and advanced to the rank of Battle General.
In the past, within Donghua Academy, the scions of wealthy families, relying on their resources and family support, nearly always dominated the commoner students. In the Academy Grand Competitions of previous years, the top three were almost always taken by those family scions, with very few commoner students able to squeeze in...
However, this year's Academy Grand Competition has seen a dark horse emerge.
A usually unremarkable and very low-profile commoner student suddenly rose to prominence, displaying the terrifying strength of a Battle General. They passed six rounds, defeating all opponents.
Among them were even some scions from families with terrifying backgrounds, who had fought their way into the finals...
Inside the Donghua Academy, on the Battle Martial Stage.
Lin Xiao, dressed in a simple black robe, was currently resting with his arms crossed, eyes closed, enjoying the gazes of countless onlookers.
Even the high-ranking officials of Donghua Academy on the platform above frequently cast appreciative and admiring glances.
The Donghua Academy students in the audience were currently in a flurry of discussion:
"A Fourth-Rank Battle General! Just who is this Lin Xiao? He was unknown before, but now he's making a name for himself!"
"Hiss, I remember this person. Five years ago, he barely reached the standard of a Second-Rank Battle Master. He almost scraped into Donghua Academy. In just five short years, he has integrated spiritual energy into his body, condensed a Battle Spirit, and broken through to Battle General. He's probably only twenty-one years old now!"
"A Fourth-Rank Battle General already meets the graduation standards of Donghua Academy. If he can obtain a 'recommendation letter' from Donghua Academy, he can go to various departments of the Empire for employment. If he joins the military, he'll start as a major..."
"With such talent and potential, even the young masters from the aristocratic families of the same generation probably can't compare to him..."
A poor student couldn't help but sigh with emotion, and his companions around him nodded in agreement.
It was obvious that Lin Xiao, a student from Donghua Academy who came from a commoner background, had risen rapidly, making many students from similar backgrounds in the entire academy feel a sense of pride.
However, someone nearby immediately poured a bucket of cold water on them.
"Hmph, frogs in a well, not worth talking to. Lin Xiao is nothing in front of that person. You should know that that person was already a Rank 4 Battle General six years ago. He was only twelve years old at the time! Such terrifying talent could probably rank in the top ten in the entire history of the Donghua Empire."
"Undeniably, Lin Xiao's talent is indeed good, but compared to that person, he's still far behind. They're not even on the same level from the start."
"Lin Xiao broke through all obstacles in the Academy Grand Competition and only got a chance to confront that person!"
"People should always know their place."
A Donghua student, dressed in luxurious clothes and clearly from a wealthy family, ignored the ugly expressions of those around him and sneered.
Even if some students from humble backgrounds wanted to argue, they opened their mouths but didn't know how to begin.
Because, the person had spoken the truth.
At the start of this Academy Grand Competition, one person had already been pre-selected, needing to participate in no preliminary rounds and entering the final directly.
And no one had any objections!
That person was Chen Beiyuan!
Five years ago, Chen Beiyuan was specially recruited into Donghua Academy.
At that time, he was already a fourth-rank Battle General.
In the same year, Chen Beiyuan with a single punch and a single palm, killed a fifth-rank Bloodrage Flood Dragon that had escaped from the Beast Secret Realm, becoming a legendary figure of Donghua Academy.
The higher-ups in Donghua Academy had placed high hopes on Chen Beiyuan, wanting to get closer to him.
However, in the past five years, Chen Beiyuan had appeared at Donghua Academy only a handful of times. And even then, it was always to see Leng Ruobing...
It was said that many of the academy's leaders were secretly displeased with Chen Beiyuan, believing he was unwilling to associate with them.
Battle Stage.
Lin Xiao, who had been resting with his eyes closed, heard the noise and content from the audience stands. He slowly opened his sharp eyes, looking toward the audience.
It was clear that a certain name on the stands had triggered his reaction.
Only after seeing a cold and beautiful figure in the front row of the audience did the weight and wariness in his heart ease somewhat.
Lin Xiao hadn't left the previous night, instead, he'd lurked in a dark corner the entire time.
It wasn't until dawn the next day, when he saw Leng Ruobing looking haggard and dazed, her eyes unfocused, with obvious red marks from a slap on her face, and her steps unsteady as she walked out of the Dragon Rise Hotel, that he knew his plan had succeeded.
He was certain to win the Academy Grand Competition today!
"Chen Beiyuan, no matter how monstrous you are, once you're hit with my Illusion Poison, you won't be able to keep your cultivation. After today, you'll be a cripple, and I will step on your head to reach the higher peak!"
"Ruobing, I will make Chen Beiyuan pay a heavy price for the humiliation he inflicted on you last night!"
Looking at Leng Ruobing, who remained silent and lost in thought on the spectator's platform,
Lin Xiao's killing intent towards Chen Beiyuan grew even stronger, almost to the point of being uncontrollable.
However, as time passed, Chen Beiyuan's figure still hadn't appeared.
The final countdown was dwindling.
The audience began to stir, and even the high-ranking officials on the platform started to frown...
Suddenly, a wave of excited shouts and gasps erupted, capturing everyone's attention.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
A figure radiating a noble and imposing aura was slowly approaching the battle stage.
It was Chen Beiyuan.