Boom!
The ancient bell rang deep in the academy, its sound spreading outward like ripples, echoing far and wide.
This was the Dao Bell.
It was not the usual morning bell, but one that rang only during important events. And today was the day the academy's grand ceremony began.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Doors were pushed open one after another, revealing excited disciples of the academy.
Each disciple was full of energy, doing their best to get into the right state of mind.
For the majority of academy disciples, the grand ceremony was a turning point in their lives. As long as they performed excellently, they would be noticed and subsequently receive key cultivation resources and attention.
It was the beginning of a whole new life!
Boom!
The Dao Bell rang again, loud and clear, as all the disciples began walking toward the grand ceremony square of the Inner Academy.
In a room.
Luo Mu slowly opened his eyes, exhaled a breath of turbid air, and a smile appeared on his lips.
As expected of the Heavenly Water Lotus, just four days of cultivation had allowed him to break through to the third stage of the Spirit Sea Realm.
His strength had increased significantly.
"Has it started?" Luo Mu rose, casually washed up, and put on a black robe.
The copper mirror reflected a handsome and resolute young man.
"Not bad," Luo Mu nodded with satisfaction.
He turned and left the room.
Outside, the sunlight was bright and dazzling, casting a golden path on the small road in front of the door.
In the Inner Academy square.
With the enhancement of formations, the square had expanded significantly.
It was now large enough to accommodate more than ten groups of disciples battling simultaneously.
High platforms surrounded the area, reserved for distinguished guests.
Below them were the seating areas, which could accommodate tens of thousands of spectators. Representatives from the noble families of Li Xia County, which was part of the Great Zhou Empire, were seated there.
At this point, it was almost full.
Although the formation weakened the noise, it was still quite a lively scene.
"Lord Chen, I heard that your son recently ranked seventy-seventh on the Hidden Dragon Ranking. Truly, congratulations!"
"Senior Elder, you flatter me. Seventy-seventh place is nothing to be proud of, really, nothing at all."
"..."
"I heard that this time, not only is there a member of the royal family attending, but it's actually the Ninth Prince. When has a royal ever been willing to come to such a remote place?"
"Do not belittle us. Although we are far from the Imperial Capital, our strength is not lacking. Our Great Zhou Empire takes us seriously, especially people like Lord Cheng Tiancang, the Blood Courage Marquis!"
When Lord Cheng Tiancang's name was mentioned, many in the crowd looked at each other with admiration.
Born to a common family, but able to rise to such a position, it was truly something few could achieve.
As the conversation continued, more and more disciples arrived at the Inner Academy square, their faces full of shock.
Such a grand occasion was rare to see.
On the spectator stands, the representatives of various noble families, even the heads of families, were seated.
On the high platforms, the figures were even more significant.
Each high platform represented the presence of a noble house or royal family!
"That must be the Lord of Anshan, the King of Fengdu County!" someone pointed out.
The Anshan King, from the oldest noble family in Fengdu County, held hereditary rights. No conditions were attached, and even if later generations were incapable, they could still inherit the title and enjoy endless wealth and glory.
However, the Anshan King's Li family was known for being low-profile. They rarely made appearances, only showing up at grand events like this one.
"Lord Fu Guang, King Hanlin..."
"......"
"Lord Li Yang, Lord Zhongdan, Lord Wu Yang..."
The crowd gasped in awe.
They hadn't expected so many noble houses and families from Li Xia County to be here.
But the Great Zhou Empire had a history of tens of thousands of years, so this number was actually not that large. It was said that in the Imperial Capital, one could randomly pick a noble family, and they would most likely be a prince or marquis.
"These should be representatives from each noble family," one person remarked.
"Or perhaps the family heads themselves."
The family heads.
It sounded like a position of great power. However, these were people who primarily dealt with daily affairs. The true core of the family rarely had the time to engage with such trivial matters.
As a result, these individuals didn't give off an exceptionally strong aura. In fact, they felt quite ordinary.
"Look, here comes Li Jianyi!"
Someone suddenly shouted in excitement.
A figure approached from the distance, carrying a long sword on his back, his gaze calm.
He had brown hair, and his eyes were also brown, quite different from the norm.
Li Jianyi.
Currently the number one genius in the Inner Academy.
Half a year ago, he had no rivals and had chosen to enter seclusion after that.
Now, no one knew how strong he had become.
As he walked, disciples stepped aside, clearing a path for him to stand at the center of the square.
Li Jianyi's expression was indifferent, and he didn't spare a single glance at the people around him.
He had been invincible in the Inner Academy for half a year, focusing solely on studying the sword intent until today.
He seemed to have sensed something.
Li Jianyi turned his gaze toward one of the high platforms.
That was the direction of the Anshan King's Li family.
A rare smile appeared on his face as he sensed his father's presence.
This time, he would defeat all his opponents, just like always, and prove his father's legacy!
"Li Jianyi, it's been a while," a voice called from behind him.
A youth dressed in green approached, similarly carrying a sword, his arms crossed, a blade of grass dangling from his mouth.
Li Jianyi didn't respond. It seemed that nothing could interest him.
The youth didn't mind.
He appeared to have grown used to it.
"Be careful. I've made great progress. If you're careless, you might really lose to me," Huang Yuntian said slowly.
He was currently ranked second in the Inner Academy.
Li Jianyi remained silent, which left Huang Yuntian somewhat helpless. Although he had gotten used to it, he couldn't help but feel displeased after being ignored multiple times.
"Did you hear? I heard there's a monster in the Outer Academy who's even more talented than you. He comprehended the martial arts grand trend at the True Aperture Realm!"
Huang Yuntian's eyes gleamed as he spoke.
Upon hearing this, Li Jianyi's eyes suddenly widened.
His brows furrowed slightly.
He had been in seclusion and had not heard about this.
He could be called one of the best disciples in the history of the academy. Just recently entering the Spirit Sea Realm, he had already comprehended sword intent.
But the True Aperture Realm?
This was something even he had not been able to achieve.
Seeing this, Huang Yuntian's smile deepened.
He knew that this piece of information would definitely unsettle Li Jianyi's mind.
"Don't worry. He only comprehended the grand trend early. He's probably still struggling in the True Aperture Realm. Even when he reaches the Spirit Sea Realm, his understanding of the martial arts grand trend won't surpass ours."
Huang Yuntian laughed confidently.
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