"Who’s talking...?" "Who’s talking...?"

The phrase kept echoing in Zhun Cang’s mind. He was a massive man standing in the center of a high platform with only three people on it, yet despite his booming voice, he was being completely ignored. ’How can I tolerate this?’

"Of course I’m the one talking!" Zhun Cang spoke again.

This time, He Long finally noticed the source of the voice, who was as dark as a lump of coal. He muttered, "I thought it was a statue. Turns out it’s a person."

After muttering, He Long immediately said, "My apologies. I’ve just arrived and am a bit unfamiliar with the place, a little nervous. Plus, the instructors here have... quite the unique appearance. I didn’t notice you right away. I’m sorry."

A drop of sweat trickled down Zhun Cang’s temple. ’Why do this kid’s words sound so irritating?’ he thought. Outwardly, however, he said, "Not at all. From now on, you are also a member of the Imperial Academy. You’ll be part of the Holy Hall, and your dean is Qin Garden. Today happens to be the academy’s monthly tournament, and you will be representing the Holy Hall in the competition."

He Long found this utterly uninteresting. "Oh, Instructor," he said indifferently, "can I sit out of such a low-level competition?"

"Low-level competition?" Zhun Cang’s brow furrowed. Although he knew the other party was the Crown Prince of a Middle and Upper Class Empire, being spoken to like this was a blow to his pride. He said in a heavy voice, "Student He Long, please be mindful of your current status and the setting. You may be the Crown Prince of a Middle and Upper Class Empire, but as an exchange student in our Xuanling Empire, shouldn’t you do as the locals do and abide by our academy’s rules and regulations? After all, you are a member of our academy now."

"Oh? I suppose that’s true. Do as the locals do... Hmm, this place certainly looks like the countryside, so your words are quite fitting. Very well, then. I’ll ’do as the locals do’ and play along with you commoners for a bit." He Long’s tone was casual, but his words dripped with contempt for everyone in the Xuanling Empire.

"Who the fuck do you think you are? Don’t think you can just run your mouth because you’re the Crown Prince of the Celestial Eagle Empire." Some of the students could no longer stand it.

"You really think you’re hot shit, huh? This is the Xuanling Empire, not the Celestial Eagle Empire. If you don’t want to be here, then get lost!" Mu Chen recognized the voice. It was Kong Ye Ming. As the only son of the Xuanling Empire’s Imperial Left Minister, his sense of national honor was particularly strong, so naturally, he couldn’t let someone hurl insults so freely.

Mu Chen also frowned slightly as he looked at the handsome youth in the Golden Robe. From the boy’s eyes, Mu Chen could see not a hint of concern, as if everyone’s accusations were completely meaningless to him.

"Although being transferred to a low-class empire like the Xuanling Empire is a sad affair for me, I will not permit anyone to tell me to ’get lost.’ Who said that just now?" He Long’s gaze shot straight toward the Holy Hall, his eyes exceptionally sharp.

Kong Ye Ming had always been the fearless type. Seeing He Long act so arrogantly, he became enraged, took a step forward, and said, "I said it. What are you going to do about it?"

Just as He Long was about to speak, Xuan Yu, who was standing to the side, said mockingly, "This guy is Kong Ye Ming, the only son of our empire’s Left Minister. He’s always like this. Prince He Long, you don’t need to pay him any mind."

"Pay him no mind?" He Long chuckled coldly. "You’re the first person to ever dare tell me, He Long, to get lost."

With that, He Long’s body suddenly erupted with a violent burst of Primordial Power. Countless arcs of stray Thunder Light enveloped him. The next moment, his figure had already appeared in front of Kong Ye Ming, leaving only an afterimage of coalesced Thunder Light where he had been standing.

Zhun Cang cried out in alarm, "A Thunder Attribute Martial Artist!"

That was right. He Long was indeed a Thunder Attribute Martial Artist—the attribute known for its Destructive Power. Martial Artists with this attribute were just as rare, if not rarer, than those with the Light and Dark Attributes. Furthermore, in terms of sheer destructive force, the Thunder Attribute was unequivocally the strongest, bar none!

CRACKLE!

A flash of lightning flared, and a fist wreathed in countless bolts of thunder shot toward Kong Ye Ming’s face. He Long’s cultivation had already reached the Third-Ring Martial King Realm, a full Great Realm higher than Kong Ye Ming’s. Kong Ye Ming was no Mu Chen; under the absolute suppression of a higher Martial Artist Realm, he didn’t even have the strength to resist.

Watching the fist get closer and closer to his face without any ability to fight back, Kong Ye Ming actually felt a flicker of fear for a moment.

Qin Garden frowned. She knew that if she didn’t intervene, all the students of the Holy Hall would start to harbor resentment toward it. So, she made her move. Just as the thunder on He Long’s fist was a finger’s breadth from Kong Ye Ming, she acted. Qin Garden raised a single hand, her five fingers spread open, and a milky-white halo of light swiftly enveloped Kong Ye Ming.

BANG!

A muffled sound erupted between them. He Long’s Fist Power was completely blocked, unable to penetrate the barrier in the slightest. Kong Ye Ming subconsciously took a small step back, his temples beaded with sweat. It was clear his courage had begun to falter.

He Long retracted his fist and looked at Qin Garden, his eyes completely devoid of emotion. Qin Garden paused for a moment, then smiled. "He Long, is it? Allow me to introduce myself. I am the Dean of the Xuanling Imperial Academy and also the head of the Holy Hall, where you will be studying for the next year. I believe the exchange agreement mentioned that regardless of an exchange student’s status in their own empire, they are merely an ordinary student in the host empire. And as an ordinary student, I, as the dean, must step in to prevent my students from making mistakes. Wouldn’t you agree?"

He Long didn’t speak, but continued to stare coldly at Qin Garden. She paid it no mind. As a Nine-Ring Martial Emperor Peak Strong Person, how could she possibly be intimidated by a mere Third-Ring Martial King? "I quite like your gaze," she said, "but regardless of how special your status is, publicly insulting everyone in the Xuanling Empire is absolutely wrong."

"Tch..." He Long spat out the sound contemptuously, digging in his ear with his pinky finger. "Fine. Even though everything I said was the absolute truth, sometimes being too direct is hard for certain people’s fragile minds to handle. Kong Ye Ming, was it? I’ll remember you. We’re both in the Holy Hall, so I’ll have plenty of time to cause trouble for you. The dean protected you this time. Next time, we’ll see who can save you."

After speaking, He Long turned to leave the Holy Hall and find a deserted place to be alone. But the instant he turned his head, a stunningly beautiful face was deeply imprinted in his eyes, and He Long found he could no longer look away.

The owner of this stunning face was a tall, well-proportioned young woman. She wore a simple black, wide-sleeved dress with a cinched waist that perfectly showcased her impeccable figure. A cascade of jet-black hair draped down her back, swaying gently in the breeze. Her exquisitely beautiful and delicate face was as fair as jade, without a single flaw. Her large, ice-blue eyes, in particular, always seemed to exude a hint of coldness, yet within that chill, flickers of warmth and happiness would occasionally surface.

’What a beautiful woman. To think such a woman exists in this world,’ He Long sighed to himself. He thought of all the women he had seen in the Empire over the years; compared to this girl, they all seemed so dull and ordinary. When he recalled their pretentious affectations, the contrast with the utterly natural woman before him was almost nauseating.

’A cold temperament, like a Celestial Ice Lotus, to be admired from a distance but never defiled. Isn’t this kind of woman exactly the one he, He Long, has been longing for? Isn’t she the very woman he’s been searching for?’

And this woman was none other than Mu Bingling...

"What’s your name?" Without a second thought, He Long walked right up to Mu Bingling and asked with a smile.

Mu Bingling’s gaze had been fixed on Mu Chen, so she found it a bit strange when an unfamiliar voice suddenly sounded from the side. Turning her head, she saw it was He Long and said indifferently, "Do you need something?"

He Long was taken aback. "No, not really."

"Oh." Mu Bingling uttered the single sound and immediately turned her gaze back to Mu Chen, not giving He Long the slightest chance to continue the conversation.

He Long grew annoyed. As the Crown Prince of a Middle and Upper Class Empire, wasn’t it always other women who approached him? Wasn’t he always the one being pursued? Today, in this low-class empire, he’d actually met a woman who was not only completely unmoved by him, but had even shut down his attempt to start a conversation with a single "Oh."

Just as He Long was about to lose his temper, someone walked over from the side and pulled him away. It was Xuan Yu. "I was right, wasn’t I?" Xuan Yu said.

"Right about what?" He Long growled, trying to suppress his anger.

Xuan Yu said, "About Mu Bingling. I knew you would be captivated by her. I didn’t lie to you, did I?" 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"She’s that Mu Bingling?" He Long was somewhat surprised. He reached up and stroked his chin. "Truly a peerless beauty. She’s part of the Holy Hall too, right?"

Xuan Yu nodded. "That’s right. She’s always been a student of the Holy Hall. Her Cultivation Talent is incredibly high. I heard that in just three short years, she advanced from a First-Ring Martial Artist to an Eighth-Ring Great Martial Master. And she’s only fifteen this year."

"Oh? In that case, my interest in her has grown even stronger." There was a hint of a smile in He Long’s voice. Glancing over at Mu Bingling again, he noticed her gaze was fixed on something in the distance. Following her line of sight, He Long soon saw a distinctive-looking youth. The young man was dressed in robes as white as snow, and his long, ice-blue hair was particularly eye-catching. Even more bizarrely, he carried a strange, long black case horizontally on his back, which at first glance resembled a coffin.

"Who is he?" He Long asked, his eyes locked on Mu Chen.

Xuan Yu followed He Long’s gaze. His expression immediately darkened, and he gritted his teeth. "That’s the Mu Chen I told you about. The guy who defeated a Three-Ring Martial Spirit with the strength of a Sixth-Ring Martial Master. And the Three-Ring Martial Spirit he defeated... was the same guy you were about to attack just now."