Chirp! Chirp! Kuu!

The gentle hum of birds echoed across the Green Hollow City. Nearby, the collective murmurs of students, masters, and assistant masters rattled across the academy grounds. There was a huge display with a grandeur name on it: ’Grand Academy Competition.’

Several clan elders and young masters are gathered at the academy to watch the competition. Among the crowd, there were the elders from Chen clan and Gu Clan, parents of Lian Nichang and many prominent figures from Xiao clan and Chi clan. But there is no one from the Qing Clan. Lin Yuan is all alone strolling toward the academy grounds. His father, Lin Zhentian is one of the top three strongest elders of the Qing Clan. However, he had abandoned all hope in his youngest son after Lin Yuan was rejected by the River of Origin. To avoid public shame, Lin Zhentian had forbidden all clan members from attending the competition.

"That arrogant Lin Zhentian is a maniac prick," Lin Cangxuan cursed, clicking his tongue from the edge of the crowd. He watched Lin Yuan standing alone. "Lin Yuan... you are not alone..."

Lin Cangxuan’s whisper never reached Lin Yuan’s ears. But, Lin Yuan remained cold and calm, ignoring the despair of no representatives from his Clan.

"Hey... Lin Yuan. Come here!" a familiar voice from ten paces away called out loudly.

It was Chen Ming. He was standing beside Chen Yu Ming and his parents. His father, Chen Wenshu, was a Core Beast Realm - Mid Stage Cultivator and a Wind-type Serpent holder. Beside him Chen Ruolan, mother of Chen Ming, a Core Beast Realm - Lower Stage Cultivator and a Water-type Boar holder.

"Humph~" Lin Yuan sighed, letting out a quiet smirk. He slowly walked toward Chen Ming. "You are loud as always, Chen Ming."

"Tskk... I am just saving you from a disaster called loneliness, Lin Yuan," Chen Ming pouted, squabbling with Lin Yuan.

"This is my father, Chen Wenshu and she is my mother, Chen Ruolan," Chen Ming continued, pointing hand toward his parents.

"Good Morning, elder Chen Wenshu and elder Chen Ruolan," Lin Yuan sluggishly bowed, cupping his fists immediately.

"Hahaha... Such a disciplined boy," Chen Wenshu smirked, waving his hands deliberately. "Where are your parents, Lin Yuan?"

Lin Yuan didn’t answer. His face turned into expressionless immediately. Then, Chen Ming gestured to his father calmly.

"Lin Yuan, let’s win this competition!" Chen Ming muttered, diverting the topic instantly.

"Obviously, I will win this trial, Chen Ming," Lin Yuan countered, raising his left eyebrow. "I will defeat you easily, idiot."

"Hahaha... You are just yapping, Lin Yuan. Defeating me is in your dreams," Chen Ming jeered, walking toward the competitors stand.

"See who is talking, before Lin Yuan I will crush you down," Chen Yu Ming sighed, crossing her hands calmly. She is the close relative to Chen Ming’s family, he considered her as his sister. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

"Pathetic... another yapper!" Chen Ming clicked his tongue, waving his hand in disapproval.

Lin Yuan, Chen Ming and Chen Yu Ming strolled elegantly toward the competitor stand.

"All the prestigious and esteemed representatives of the disciples head to the viewers stand!" A loud voice boomed across the academy grounds, guiding the representatives politely. "The competition will begin in a few minutes!"

It was Luo Zhen, one of the assistant masters serving directly under Mo Qinghe. Standing atop the central platform, Luo Zhen held a jade vial before gulping its contents into his mouth. Moments later, his voice surged across the entire academy grounds, amplified nearly threefold by a High-Grade Voice Enhancement Potion refined by Dan Zhenren himself. The potion was created using the essence core of multiple Rank 2 Wind Cicadas, allowing one’s voice to travel across vast distances without losing clarity.

The academy grounds resembled a colossal arena more than a training field. At its center stood a circular stone platform nearly fifty meters wide, engraved with protective formations capable of enduring attacks from Spirit Beast Realm cultivators. Surrounding the platform, there were ascending viewing stands filled with clan guests, representatives, and visitors from Green Hollow City, giving the arena the atmosphere of a grand stadium.

On the eastern side of the arena rested a smaller elevated stand known as the Competitor Stand, where participating disciples waited for their matches. The stand was divided into sixteen stone seats arranged in rows, each bearing the academy’s insignia ’望 – Hope’.

And opposite to the competitor stand, stood another elevated platform far more luxurious than the others. ’The VIP Stand.’ It is constructed from polished jadewood and protected by essence barriers, it was reserved exclusively for the academy’s leadership. Seated there were the Headmaster, the Four Main Masters, and their Assistant Masters.

Seated at the very center was Lin Cangxuan. The academy headmaster calmly sat with his hands resting upon his knees, his fox-like eyes observing the arena below. His long gray hair fluttered gently with the wind while the pressure of a True Beast Realm cultivator naturally lingered around him. To his right sat Mo Qinghe. He wore dark-green robes and his posture remained straight and disciplined, while a faint emerald serpent aura flickered behind him. As the master responsible for Foundation and Control, he taught disciples how to stabilize their cultivation, strengthen their beast synchronization, and maintain precise control over beast essence during combat. He is a Core Beast Realm Lower Stage Cultivator.

On Lin Cangxuan’s left sat Dan Zhenren. The old alchemist lazily leaned against his chair while sipping medicinal tea from a jade cup. As the academy’s alchemy master, Dan Zhenren specialized in Depth and Stability, teaching disciples the principles of potion refinement, pill creation, herb extraction, and essence circulation. His Flame Panther pathway had already reached Core Beast Realm Mid Stage.

Seated behind him were his two assistant masters. Shen Ruoxi sat elegantly with a calm smile on her face. Her pale-blue robes fluttered lightly in the breeze while the gentle aura of her Moonwater Deer pathway made her seem approachable. As one of Dan Zhenren’s most talented disciples, she specialized in healing potions and recovery medicines. Her cultivation had reached Spirit Beast Realm Peak Stage.

Beside her sat He Muran. He is not like Shen Ruoxi. He Muran rarely spoke. His weathered face remained expressionless while his fingers rubbed a medicinal seed between them. He specialized in herb cultivation and antidote refinement. The Earth Boar pathway had reached Spirit Beast Realm Peak Stage as well.

Further down the VIP platform sat Teng Lianhua. The middle-aged master possessed broad shoulders and a commanding presence. His deep-blue robes carried wave-like patterns that reflected sunlight. Unlike Mo Qinghe, who taught control, Teng Lianhua focused entirely on combat. Every lesson of his involved real fighting, practical battle tactics, and how to maximize one’s beast abilities in life-or-death situations. Rumors claimed that before becoming an academy master, Teng Lianhua had spent more than twenty years hunting beasts in the wilderness. As he was from the infamous Teng Clan, he was never bound to the politics of his clan. His Water Bear pathway had already reached Core Beast Realm Lower Stage.

Standing behind him was Qin Yuze. The young assistant master looked calm, and he was one of the academy’s most skilled tactical instructors. His cultivation stood at Spirit Beast Realm Peak Stage, while his Ice Wolf pathway specialized in battlefield observation and strategic support.

At the far end of the VIP stand sat Gu Yanluo. Compared to the other masters, Gu Yanluo appeared the coldest and mysterious. His sharp eyes constantly scanned the surroundings as if searching for hidden threats. As the academy’s Defense Master, he taught disciples how to survive overwhelming troubles, defend against stronger opponents, and minimize losses during dangerous situations. His Lightning Falcon pathway had reached Core Beast Realm Mid Stage.

Seated behind him, there were two assistant masters. Gu Su Feng sat quietly with his arms folded. His hawk-like gaze never left the arena. Having spent a few years exploring dungeons and escorting caravans, he specialized in survival techniques and reckoning. His cultivation stood at Spirit Beast Realm Peak Stage.

Beside him sat Shen Li Xiaoran. The young woman wore dark robes and possessed a calm but focused expression. She specialized in dungeon investigation and defensive formations. Her Dark Ape pathway had reached Spirit Beast Realm Mid Stage. Together, the four masters and five assistant masters formed the backbone of the Cultivation Academy. And today, every one of them had gathered for a single purpose. To observe the younger generation rising, and perhaps... to discover who among these sixteen students would become the future genius of Green Hollow City.

CLANG!!!

The loud clang of the bronze bell echoed across the academy grounds, straightening up most of the representatives in viewers’ stand and the disciples in competitors’ stands.

"Let’s begin the brawl of the younger generation!" Luo Zhen’s amplified voice carried across the academy stands. "First Battle: Chen Ming v/s Chi Fenglian!"

Thud! Thud!

The synchronized steps of two disciples howled against the wind.

"There is a protective barrier enchanted by Headmaster Qing Lin Cangxuan," Luo Zhen continued, watching Chen Ming and Chi Fenglian ascend. "If a disciple tries to attack an opponent who has surrendered, given up, or is unable to fight, the Seven-Tailed Fox will immediately descend to stop the brawl, and the offending disciple will be disqualified."

Lin Yuan smirked, raising his right eyebrow once. Chen Ming and Chi Fenglian stood opposite, facing each other. Chen Ming’s beast aura is dominating the aura of Chi Fenglian. This explains the difference between Spirit Beast Realm Lower stage and Baby Beast Realm pinnacle. The discrepancy between the realms is too far.

"NOW!!" Luo Zhen bellowed, stepping out from the battle stage.

Instantly, Chi Fenglian rushed forward a faint Boar outline grinned, surrounding Chi Fenglian’s body. He covered the distance in an instant, lunging a devastating slam onto Chen Ming.

Whoosh!

A crescent of green beast essence sliced cleanly through the Boar outline, slashing deep into Chi Fenglian. The crowd fell into an eerie silence as they watched Chi Fenglian take a few sluggish steps before halting. A sharp line slit across his torso from his right shoulder to his left waist, and a geyser of blood splattered violently. With a loud thud, Chi Fenglian collapsed to the ground instantly.