While He Yiming and his players were making preparations, in the Northern Spirit Realm—one of the most prosperous and powerful regions, the Tianyuan Domain—stood an enormous sect.
This sect was bustling with activity. Hundreds of cultivators moved about, and its grand main hall gleamed with gold and jade. Surrounding it were over a dozen towering peaks, each crowned by a high tower exuding faint traces of Foundation Establishment cultivators' auras.
On the sect's expansive square, 800 young disciples practiced powerful martial techniques with precision. Even the weakest among them were at the peak of the tenth level of the Body Refinement Realm.
The Alchemy Pavilion, Forge Hall, and Scripture Pavilion, among other impressive buildings, were fully equipped and awe-inspiring.
Above the sect, a magnificent protective array shimmered in the sky, enveloping the entire area.
This was the Zhengyuan Sect, a second-rank sect with a century of history!
Inside the sect's grand hall, a young man listened calmly as an elder reported.
If He Yiming had been present, he would have recognized this elder immediately—it was Wang Ping, the man who had escorted him to the Desolate Wilderness.
"So… He Yiming actually established a sect in the Desolate Wilderness?" The young man burst into laughter after hearing Wang Ping's account.
"Yes," Wang Ping replied indifferently.
The young man before him was none other than Gu Changfeng, the second-ranked student in the latest graduating class of Haotian Academy—second only to He Yiming, the valedictorian.
On the day of the graduation ceremony, he had stood behind He Yiming as a shadow.
But unlike He Yiming, who had no connections, no background, and hadn't made any offerings, Gu Changfeng's grandfather was the vice-dean of Haotian Academy.
Thanks to his grandfather, Gu Changfeng hadn't needed to establish a sect from scratch. The vice-dean had directly assigned him to lead the Zhengyuan Sect.
The Zhengyuan Sect was a genuine, top-tier second-rank sect, boasting over a dozen Foundation Establishment elders and more than a thousand disciples.
To celebrate Gu Changfeng's appointment as the new sect master and to secure his first-place ranking in the upcoming end-of-month evaluation, the sect had recruited 800 exceptional new disciples.
These new recruits weren't novices; each hailed from prestigious minor sects or prominent families, and many were considered geniuses in their own right. Over a dozen of them possessed innate spiritual constitutions, and several were regarded as prodigies.
This was the power of a strong background.
In stark contrast, He Yiming was alone, establishing his sect amid the ruins of the Desolate Wilderness, surrounded by danger and desolation.
The gap between them was colossal.
"The Desolate Wilderness… Ha! He Yiming, you're courting death!" Gu Changfeng sneered.
"I've heard He Yiming graduated as valedictorian from Haotian Academy. Perhaps he deliberately chose the Desolate Wilderness. It's perilous, but it's also said to contain great opportunities. If He Yiming were to acquire such an opportunity…" an elder hesitated before speaking.
"Hahaha!" Gu Changfeng laughed uproariously, then spoke darkly.
"Sixth Elder, you clearly don't understand why the Desolate Wilderness is called the Land of Despair.
"According to Senior Wang Ping, the area surrounding He Yiming's sect is infested with War Camel Beasts—Spirit Vein Realm monsters that require three Spirit Vein Realm cultivators to defeat.
"Whether He Yiming can kill even one is questionable. Expanding his sect? Impossible!
"Even if He Yiming were a prodigy capable of defeating a single War Camel Beast, so what?
"War Camel Beasts live in herds. There are at least a thousand near his sect. It would take him three years, if not more, to clear them out—and that's assuming he survives. Recruiting disciples and developing his sect? A joke!
"And even if he somehow leaves his sect, greater despair awaits him."
Gu Changfeng's tone grew more sinister as he continued.
"To the east lies the Endless Sea, plagued by tsunamis and Sea Tribe invasions. Should the Sea Tribe discover He Yiming, they'll launch relentless attacks until his sect is obliterated. The Endless Sea is teeming with Foundation Establishment cultivators, Sea of Wheels experts, and even Heavenly Core Realm beings. What does He Yiming have to counter them? A single Sea Tribe vanguard could wipe out his entire sect.
"To the north are the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range, home to countless powerful monsters. Even Heavenly Core experts have ventured there and never returned.
"To the south lies the Infernal Desert, where the blazing sun scorches so fiercely that ordinary cultivators would be reduced to charred husks within ten breaths.
"To the west is the War-torn Land, where humans have long been exterminated. Countless alien races engage in chaotic battles there, all harboring deep hostility toward humans. Any human cultivator who appears will be hunted down.
"The Desolate Wilderness is a barren wasteland surrounded by death on all sides.
"He Yiming has nothing—no resources, no allies, and he's merely a Body Refinement Realm ant.
"Now tell me… how could he possibly seize any opportunities?"
Gu Changfeng's face twisted into a feral grin as he roared.
"Calm yourself, Sect Master…" The elders exchanged glances, attempting to soothe him.
"Calm? Who's not calm? Do I look agitated? That insect He Yiming doesn't concern me in the slightest!" Gu Changfeng bellowed, his face contorting with anger.
"Sect Master, you clearly hold a deep grudge against He Yiming," someone observed, seeing through his pretense.
"It's true," Wang Ping muttered to himself. "They say He Yiming rejected Gu Changfeng's request and thoroughly defeated him during the graduation trials. Seems the rumors are accurate."
Though Wang Ping doubted He Yiming could surpass Gu Changfeng in the upcoming evaluation, given the vast disparity between them, he couldn't deny He Yiming's composure.
Among tens of thousands of students, He Yiming had emerged as the valedictorian—a true genius.
As for Gu Changfeng…
Without his vice-dean grandfather…
"Bah!" Wang Ping spat disdainfully.
"Senior Wang Ping, is something the matter?" Gu Changfeng asked, noticing the gesture.
"It's nothing. The climate here is dry, and my throat's a bit parched," Wang Ping replied with feigned seriousness.
"I see. Thank you for bringing me this information, Senior Wang Ping. Show him to a guest pavilion!" Gu Changfeng ordered, waving his hand as attendants escorted Wang Ping away.
"He Yiming, just half a month remains until the evaluation. Don't you dare die before then! I'll crush you underfoot during the exam!"
"And that woman…" Gu Changfeng's voice grew venomous. "For four years, she never once looked at me, always staying by He Yiming's side. Damn it, damn it all!"
Recalling the elegant figure of Nangong Li, Gu Changfeng's frustration deepened.
"Nangong Li's background is too fearsome… even Haotian Academy wouldn't dare provoke her. I mustn't cross her. Absolutely not!" he reminded himself, gritting his teeth in frustration.
His mind drifted back to graduation day.
"This year's valedictorians of Haotian Academy…"
"He Yiming and Nangong Li, joint first!"
On Haotian Academy's grand plaza, He Yiming and Nangong Li had stood side by side, the center of attention for tens of thousands of students.
The two seemed to see only each other, their gazes locked.
She looked at him with tender affection, while he remained composed and serene.
They were the perfect golden couple.
Gu Changfeng, though ranked second, had been utterly ignored, relegated to the shadows.
The more he recalled, the more his fury burned.
He couldn't touch Nangong Li.
But He Yiming…
"Just wait. At the end-of-month evaluation, I'll show everyone that I, Gu Changfeng, am the true dragon among men—the ultimate genius!" Gu Changfeng vowed.
"Wait… Perhaps I can discuss this with my grandfather. Maybe we can bring the evaluation forward. That way, He Yiming won't stand a chance!" A malicious plan began to take shape in Gu Changfeng's mind.
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