Extreme Spirit Chaos Technique

Before long, Zhun Cang led the two to a blue building. This building was much smaller than the academic halls and was situated in a rather remote location.

"The facilities for first-year students are the simplest and most meager. Although you two are very strong, you aren’t attribute martial artists, so you won’t receive any special treatment from the academy," the Deputy Director calmly explained the reality of their situation. "The academy is very fair when it comes to the recruitment test, but it is extremely strict regarding facilities. To put it simply, the stronger you are, the more and better resources you can use. It has nothing to do with your status or your wealth."

Mu Chen nodded to himself. ’This really would motivate students to work hard and improve.’ He glanced at the shabby building, but he actually liked it more this way.

"Alright, this is as far as I’ll take you. The dorms are three to a room, so one more person should be joining you shortly. Here are the keys to your room." Zhun Cang smiled, handing a string of silver keys to Mu Chen. "There are still matters to attend to at the plaza, so I’ll be leaving now." With that, he turned and left.

"Three to a room..." Mu Chen shook his head helplessly. ’I have to live in the same room with this guy from now on?’ The thought felt a bit awkward to Mu Chen, who had long been used to living alone. He looked at the keychain. Besides three keys, there was a white tag, similar to the one he used at the auction. On it was written "306."

Seeing Little Tiger staring at him from the side, Mu Chen paused. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

When Little Tiger saw he’d been noticed, his face flushed red. He scratched the back of his head awkwardly and said, "Uh... you’re really strong. I couldn’t beat you even after I undid my Power Shackles."

Mu Chen smiled faintly. "You’re the one who’s truly surprising."

Only Mu Chen himself knew where his own strength came from; it had been awakened through self-destructive, frenzied training. But this boy in front of him... Mu Chen was certain he possessed Innate Divine Power. There was no other way to explain his immense strength.

Thinking about how they would be living in the same dorm from now on, Mu Chen continued, "Let me reintroduce myself. I’m Mu Chen, from Luofeng City. I’m fifteen this year."

"Ah! F-Fifteen... I’m Little Tiger... I’m already fourteen this year. I came from the mountains. Grandma told me that there’s lots of good food in the city, and lots of strong people, so... I came."

Little Tiger was still a bit shy, speaking in fits and starts. Mu Chen immediately took a liking to him. In this cynical world, someone so simple and pure was practically extinct.

"I see. Since I’m older than you, you can call me Brother Mu Chen from now on. Come on, let’s go check out our dorm."

"Brother Mu Chen! Woohoo! I have a big brother! I have a big brother!" Little Tiger cheered, jumping for joy.

Mu Chen helplessly touched his nose. For some reason, feeling Little Tiger’s pure heart, even his own long-lonely heart began to slowly warm up. With a slight smile, Mu Chen led Little Tiger toward their new room...

The battles in the plaza had reached their climax. On the one hundred arenas, people were constantly being defeated, but there were still a few who had held on since the very first match. For instance... the young man named Qing Lei.

BOOM!

Primordial Power surged. With a sudden burst of force, Qing Lei slammed both fists into his opponent’s chest.

"AHH!" With a bloodcurdling scream, a figure flew off the arena like a kite with a broken string.

"Arena 100, victor: Qing Lei! A ten-win streak! He passes the test!" As the Inspector made the announcement, an uproar swept through the plaza.

"Hah... hah..." After taking a few deep breaths, a rare smile appeared on Qing Lei’s face.

Just then, Zhun Cang, who had escorted Mu Chen and Little Tiger, returned from the dorms to the high platform. He arrived just in time to hear the announcement of Qing Lei’s ten-win streak. Di Cang nodded at the Deputy Director; he knew Zhun Cang had gotten them settled safely.

"Old Di, I still don’t get it. Why didn’t you put them in the candidate class? You know, those two..." Zhun Cang hurried over, voicing the question that had been puzzling him the entire way.

Di Cang turned and gave the Deputy Director a reassuring smile. "I say, Old Zhun, we’ve been partners for so many years. You still don’t know me?"

Zhun Cang’s mouth twitched. ’Who was Di Cang? He was the second-in-command of the Imperial Academy. Though he was the vice-principal, his Martial Artist Realm was the highest in the entire academy. If he hadn’t opposed the old principal on a policy decision concerning the Holy Hall back then, the one sitting in the principal’s chair now definitely wouldn’t be that pedantic fool.’

Seeing Zhun Cang’s expression, Di Cang chuckled. "Old Zhun, have you noticed that the Holy Hall has been interacting with us in the Outer Ring less and less? In previous years, some tutors from the Holy Hall would come out to oversee recruitment. But look now. Has a single person from the Holy Hall shown up?"

Hearing this, Zhun Cang gave a bitter smile. ’How could he, as the general director of all grades in the Outer Ring, not have noticed this change? Di Cang was putting it mildly. Less interaction? It was more like the Holy Hall had completely cut off the Outer Ring. In the eyes of that group of pedantic fools, the academy’s Outer Ring was nothing more than a logistics department that fed them, clothed them, and helped them absorb fresh blood.’

At this thought, Zhun Cang’s expression involuntarily darkened. Di Cang smiled. "Understand what I mean now? For years, we’ve handed all our outstanding students to them. This has made them look down on us more and more, taking all the honor and credit the academy earns for themselves. Hmph. If this continues, the Holy Hall will one day break away from the Imperial Academy."

The more Di Cang spoke, the uglier his expression became. "Think about it. When that happens, what will be left of our Imperial Academy? All the best tutors will have gone to the Holy Hall. All the best students will have gone to the Holy Hall. After graduation, some of those outstanding students become new tutors there. The graduates sought after by powerful factions will become their backing. Our Imperial Academy will be reduced to a second-rate, or even a third-rate, institution. That is absolutely not a result I want to see."

Zhun Cang’s face was now as black as the bottom of a pot. He had considered the Holy Hall’s arrogance, but he had never considered this problem. A schism in the academy? Such a thing had never happened in the history of the Imperial Academy. But after listening to Di Cang’s analysis, Zhun Cang felt it was becoming more and more possible.

"So, you deliberately put those two in the most ordinary freshman dorm to avoid attracting attention, and then..." Zhun Cang suddenly understood.

Di Cang let out a sinister laugh, his expression turning vicious. "That’s right. That undying old hag always thinks I’m easy to bully, thinks I’m some kind of moron. But she doesn’t know that I’m much smarter than she imagines. I saw this hidden danger in their behavior years ago. The only reason I’m acting now is that every year, she would send out her own recruitment tutors. I couldn’t risk tipping her off, so I had no choice but to put the outstanding students in the candidate class. But I never expected that bitch to underestimate me so much! This year, she didn’t send a single one. Damn it, does she really think I’m still stupid enough to just hand over the best students to her? In her dreams!"

Zhun Cang gave a helpless smile. ’He had to admire this old man from the bottom of his heart. So devious, so deeply hidden. Even he, his day-in and day-out partner, had no idea this was what he was thinking.’

"But... the teaching facilities are about the same for the Outer and Inner Rings, but the resources we use, the elixirs... we don’t have as much as them. And... and the tutors in the Outer Ring..." Zhun Cang said, his expression suddenly turning bitter.

But Di Cang cut him off, looking at Zhun Cang as if he were a complete moron. "Today I’ve discovered you’re a pig—a bald one at that. Use your brain for a second. Where do you think their resources come from? Where do their elixirs come from? Heh. I’ll tell you the truth: ever since I became the dean of the Outer Ring, I’ve been cutting their supplies. The stockpile I’ve hoarded is now countless times greater than the Holy Hall’s. If I had enough good students, I could start my own damn Holy Hall!"

"As for tutors? Damn it, my disciples are all over the Xuanling Empire! Which one of them isn’t a prominent figure? This time, I’ve even called Lingyun back. With her here, all those arrogant Holy Hall tutors can go screw themselves!"

Listening to Di Cang, Zhun Cang grew more and more astonished, until his expression was nothing but pure admiration. "Masterful planning... truly masterful planning. But, Old Cang, do you really think that highly of those two kids?"

"Wrong! Not two. Three. Isn’t there one more over there?" Following Di Cang’s gaze, Zhun Cang saw another young man. It was none other than Qing Lei, who had just achieved his ten-win streak.

"Him?"

Di Cang nodded. "Yes. He hides it well, but who can fool my senses right under my nose? That little rascal is actually a Dark Attribute Martial Artist, and he’s already reached the realm of a Second-Ring Martial Master. Yet in all his matches, he only used ordinary Primordial Power, without revealing a single shred of his Attribute’s fluctuations."

"Wh-What? A Dark Attribute Martial Artist, and a Second-Ring Martial Master? This... we’ve hit the jackpot!" Zhun Cang’s face was alight with excitement. ’What did a Dark Attribute Martial Artist represent? It represented an Assassin who could strike fear into the hearts of their opponents, constantly applying psychological pressure and preventing them from using their full strength.’

Di Cang shot Zhun Cang a disdainful look and curled his lip. "Look at you, so easily impressed. Among these three, he and the student named Little Tiger are both top-tier talents. With the right training, they absolutely won’t be any worse than any student from the Holy Hall. However, the one who surprised me the most is that kid, Mu Chen. He... is the real treasure!"

"Hm? You mean the blue-haired kid?"

"That’s right. He’s the only one who, when facing Little Tiger’s Innate Divine Power, still didn’t use his own Primordial Power. Instead, he gathered the Primordial Qi from the world around him and threw a single punch. That level of Control Power, that decisive calm when facing an opponent... even some tutors in their thirties can’t achieve that. Furthermore, every single one of his movements is incredibly efficient, his control over his strength is perfect, with not an ounce of it wasted. He always holds something in reserve for unexpected situations. Anyone capable of this is, without exception, an expert forged through countless life-and-death battles. That’s why I say that kid definitely has a story." Di Cang exhaled, and no one saw the strange light that flickered in his eyes when he spoke of Mu Chen.

Zhun Cang was utterly astounded. In all these years, he had never heard Di Cang praise a student so highly. Even for Mu Bingling, who had arrived three years ago, he had merely said faintly, "Not bad." Yet that simple phrase, "Not bad," had led everyone to believe Mu Bingling would become the number one person in the Holy Hall.