Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

After the examination, Ling Han deliberately approached Shui Yanyu to ask a question, moving close to her.

He was very well-versed in cultivation, and had an extraordinarily profound understanding. A few words, and he had already managed to arouse Shui Yanyu’s interest. She was completely unaware that she was getting too close to Ling Han. Perhaps, in her heart, she had already tacitly consented to Ling Han having certain privileges, hence letting her guard down.

Ling Han secretly laughed in his heart. ‘There’s definitely bound to be Zhao Lun’s spy here; if that’s the case, take a good look then, and quickly go report it.’

***

Western Institution.

A few young men who had images of mountains and rivers fluttering behind them stood with their hands clasped behind their backs, looking down at a group of red-faced Shattering Void Tier junior brother and sister disciples, their expressions considerably unpleasant.

“Just one person, charging in alone, yet the lot of you couldn’t even manage to stop him?”

“And not only did you lot fail to stop him, but also let him injure so many people?”

“You bunch of useless trash!”

Or so these senior brothers of Mountain River Tier reprimanded them. They were all from the Lower Level Section of the Western Institution. After learning that Ling Han had single-handedly caused a stir in the Shattering Void Tier division yesterday, they had come over today to verify the situation.

“Could this Ling Han possibly have some kind of superhuman powers?”

They felt nothing but utter disdain. After all, there were too many students in the Scarlet Heaven Academy, and a mere Shattering Void Tier cultivator—no matter how much of a genius he was—would not warrant the attention of the Mountain River Tier. Hence, they found it incomprehensible. These Western Institution junior brother and sisters were really too weak, actually letting someone so effortlessly come and go, and in so doing inadvertently causing the Western Institution to lose face.

“Senior Brother Liu, that Ling Han is really very powerful. When he dueled with Luo Ba a few days ago, he killed Luo Ba with just a single move!” As testified by witnesses of the match.

Senior Brother Disciple Liu, whose name was Liu Heng, had achieved peak cultivation of the lower levels of the Mountain River Tier, and at the same time was also a one-star genius. He was the strongest of these people, and thus recognized as the leader among these few Mountain River Tier cultivators.

With a face filled with indifference, Liu Heng scoffed, “Luo Ba? One of the so-called three elites of the younger generation of the Imperial Capital? His battle prowess is merely no more than 18-19 Stars.”

“In reply to Senior Brother Liu, Luo Ba had refined a Bloodtear Stone, and his battle prowess had already reached 21 Stars. Previously, he had sparred with Ye Chengyun, which after three moves ended up being a draw,” a student reported.

Only upon hearing this did Liu Heng and his group reveal an expression of shock, for even they themselves had not reached the battle prowess of 21 Stars in the first place.

“Yesterday, Senior Brother Jia also went all out, but was still defeated by that Ling Han in one move,” another student said.

Liu Heng’s expression became more and more solemn as he said, “If that is so, then wouldn’t that person already have achieved the strength of 23 Stars?”

“That is not entirely impossible!” a Mountain River Tier student replied. “As far as I know, that guy ascended here from a small world, and on top of that, is also an emperor that opened the sky. Senior Brother Liu, there’s a rumor that if one were to come by opening the sky, they would be rewarded by the heavens and earth.”

“Rewarded by the heavens and earth?” Liu Heng questioned. Although he was a genius in the Mountain River Tier, generally he would not bother with the affairs of a Small World—whatever for? Opening the sky and being rewarded by heavens and earth… What did it have to do with him?

“It is said that one could obtain an infusion of strength, thereby making up for the gap in strength of the final three Stars!”

Liu Heng was now struck with awe as he said, “Opening the sky needs the battle prowess of at least 20 Stars; coupled with the strength of three Stars, his battle prowess has then achieved 23 stars.”

This ought to be inexplicable. There was definitely none among Shattering Void Tier that could equal such a monster.

“Right!” He suddenly clapped his hands, and remarked, “The competition between the Three Empires is about to start, which also signifies the opening of the Heavenly Sea Mysterious Realm.”

“Senior Brother Liu, what do you mean?”

“Hehe, if that guy can enter into the Heavenly Sea Mystery Realm, then his life and death would be in our hands,” Liu Heng sneered.

“Haha, if he is qualified to enter, then we’ll teach him a lesson!”

***

At the waterfall.

In a tone betraying his astonishment and disbelief, Zhao Lun asked, “Even the entire Western Institution could not stop him?”

The second follower of his men, Bai Yuansi, respectfully said, “In reply to Young Master, that guy’s battle prowess is suspected to have already reached 23 Stars. Without the support of power of the nation, it is reckoned there are none among Shattering Void Tier that could defeat him.”

Zhao Lun’s expression darkened suddenly; when he had been in the Shattering Void Tier, he had only reached the battle prowess of 20 Stars, yet now there was someone whose battle prowess surpassed his by a good three Stars. He found it somewhat displeasing.

“With his battle prowess, this time he would surely be able to lead our empire to win the first place in the competition among the three empires. Her Imperial Majesty the empress is fair and just in meting out punishments and granting rewards where it’s warranted, so probably she would bestow upon him a chance to enter into the Heavenly Sea Mystery Realm,” Bai Yuansi added.

“Heavenly Sea Mystery Realm!” Zhao Lun’s eyes gleamed. The reason why he had been able to become a four-star genius had an inseparable relation with his entering into the Heavenly Sea Mystery Realm in the past, which allowed him to attain a special ability.

“If he were to enter into the Heavenly Sea Mystery Realm, then don’t let him out ever again,” he said coldly. Though he knew Shui Yanyu’s temperament like the back of his hand, the fact remained that the recent rumors still made him utterly displeased.

“Yes!” Bai Yuansi promptly half knelt.

***

Time flew by quickly. Ling Han had been very low-key, and remained within the Academy, not giving the Dark Night Hall a chance to assassinate him. On Zhao Lun’s side, he had also become rather peaceful, and did not wreak havoc anymore.

Day by day, the competition among the three empires approached closer and closer. On this day, Ling Han was summoned over by the Left Minister. Tomorrow was the day of the competition among the three empires; thus, he was to stay at the Left Minister’s Residence today, and enter the Imperial Palace with the Left Minister tomorrow.

The competition between the three empires was held once every 10 years, and the chosen venue was rotated between the three of them. This year, it happened to be the Chaotic Stars Majestic Empire’s turn. Otherwise, they would have had to set out at least half a month in advance.

“Ling Han, if you perform well this time, you should be able to obtain the opportunity to enter into the Heavenly Sea Mystery Realm,” the Left Minister suddenly mentioned.

Ling Han stared blankly, and asked, “Milord, what’s Heavenly Sea Mystery Realm?”

“How dare you!! Are you qualified to ask questions in front of the Left Minister?” Xiang Chengyun berated him at once.

The Left Minister smiled subtly, his hand moving in a waving gesture as he said, “No matter, no matter.” He seemed to be enthusiastically engaged in the conversation as he elaborated, “Heavenly Sea Mystery Realm opens once every 10 years. Within the Mystery Realm, there is a type of stone, which can help Shattering Void Tier cultivators form mountains and rivers, infinitely shortening the time needed to break through and also greatly heightening the rate of success.

“Given it having such an effect, we all termed it as Mountain River Stone. It is the speciality of the Heavenly Sea Mystery Realm. As to why it is so, and why it’s not found in other places, that no one knows.

“Some unique Mountain River Stones even have extraordinary effects. For instance, the Heavy Origin Stone can make the mountains and rivers that you form possess an exceedingly heavy effect. Drawing it out when in combat will cause your opponent to be weighed down by your mountains and rivers.

“Meanwhile, Flame Stone will let your mountains and rivers possess an extreme fiery power; there’s no object that will not melt away!

“However, the Heavenly Sea Mystery Realm has specific restrictions on a cultivator’s cultivation level, and only allows the maximum cultivation level of the lower levels of the Mountain River Tier to enter. Hence, there are many of those in your Academy who purposely suppress their cultivation just for the sake of entering into the Heavenly Sea Mystery Realm a few more times.”

The Left Minister has spoken a great deal in one breath, a nostalgic expression playing on his face. “When I was younger, I did not have much of a background; therefore, I did not have the chance to enter. Otherwise, if I could possess certain secret powers of the Mountain River Tier, perhaps my battle prowess could already attain the level of five-star genius.”

Ling Han was astonished. If even the Left Minister had such deep emotions towards it, then this Heavenly Sea Mystery Realm was really a place worth going to.