Sage Monarch

None of the others in the group felt the least bit of jealousy when Yang Qi gave the Kṣitigarbha sagejade to Liang Dong.

All of them knew that Liang Dong was particularly talented in cultivation, and if he could reach the Lifeseizing level as well, and also become an elite student, the benefits to all of them would be astounding.

With two elite students in their group, how powerful would they be?

Obviously, Yang Qi also realized how talented Liang Dong was, and hoped to help him as much as possible.

‘Kṣitigarbha sagejade. Nine Heavens godjade…. That’s right. I remember that the Chen Clan’s Chiliocosm Mirror was made from Nine Heavens godjade. It seems I just don’t know enough about treasured items. I really need to take some classes here to learn about all the different types of precious materials of heaven and earth.’

There were all sorts of courses available in the Demi-Immortal Institute: cultivation, meridian theory, vital energy classification, pill concocting, equipment forging… even classes about demonlings and devillings.

In fact, elite students could attend courses regarding alternate dimensions.

Of course, classes weren’t free for the low-level students; they cost merit points to attend.

Sadly, Yang Qi was completely ignorant when it came to all those subjects…. He knew he needed to change that. He couldn’t just rely on the Strength of the Hell-Crushing Godmammoth, he needed to brush up on deeper fields of learning. Only by gaining a better understanding of heaven and earth could he perform all the necessary lifeseizings to eventually become a Legendary.

“Come on, let’s go,” Liang Dong said. “The most important thing right now is to register Brother Yang Qi as an elite student at the Academy of Sage Studies.”

He put the jade pellet away, although he did send a bit of true energy into it, and simultaneously worked with his Cosmic Sunflare Sword technique.

With that, the entire group headed to a location deep in the institute, to a structure that resembled an ancient castle.

This was the Academy of Sage Studies.

Whenever some talented genius broke through to the Lifeseizing level they would come here to take an exam and then become an elite student.

When it came to the freshman students, outer campus students, and inner campus students, they were like ants, streaming here and there and everywhere. However, elite students were not as common, and were viewed like treasures.

In fact, they were so important that they would receive special protection from the institute.

When it became clear where Yang Qi and his friends were going, it attracted quite a bit of attention.

However, Yang Qi kept his energy under control, so that no one could tell he was a Lifeseizer. Therefore, most people in the area assumed they had just come to look around.

“Why are there so many people at the Academy of Sage Studies today? Don’t tell me someone recently became a Lifeseizer. Are we going to have a new elite student soon?” As they got closer, Yang Qi could hear the conversations of students around him, and started to get the feeling something strange was going on.

It was the same with Li He, as he realized that there seemed to be a lot of students gathering in the area.

“I've been here before to watch someone become an elite student,” he said, “but it's never this crowded. I wonder if some important person is applying for a promotion. Brother Yang Qi, considering that we’re the only ones who know about you, there’s no way everyone else is here on your account.”

“Yeah, this is weird. Well, let’s go ask around and see what's going on.”

Yang Qi walked over to a female student in an emerald-green robe and said, “Hey there, Elder Sister. Do you mind if I ask what’s going on? Why is it so crowded? Is something important happening?”

This particular female student was a Master of Energy, and was a fairly well-known inner campus student. She was also quite pretty. Looking over at Yang Qi, she said, “You’re an outer campus student? Don’t tell me you haven’t heard the news? One of the top female students here is getting promoted, the genius Junior Sis— er, wait. Now that she’s going to be an elite student, I guess I need to call her Elder Sister. Elder Sister Yun Hailan. Only a month ago, she reached the Lifeseizing level. And then she defeated some other Lifeseizers who were much more experienced than her. I’d say that at the moment, she’s the most talented female student in the past twenty years.”

‘What? Yun Hailan already reached the Lifeseizing level, and is being promoted to elite student today?’ Killing intent immediately began to pulse in Yang Qi’s heart. ‘That girl is a deadly schemer. She’ll do anything she can to get what she wants. And now she’s becoming an elite student. She must have someone helping her, that’s the only explanation.’

The fact that Yun Hailan was in the Lifeseizing level was not good news. Already, Yang Qi’s blood was pumping, and he had to resist the urge to go give her a piece of his mind. What right did she have to simply manipulate any man she wanted, and then crush him beneath her feet before moving on as if nothing happened?

Killing Chu Tiange had eased some of his fury, but deep in his heart, Yang Qi could never let go of his hatred of Yun Hailan.

The only way would be to crush her once and for all.

When the female student saw Yang Qi standing there silently, she said, “You know, there haven’t been any genius male students in two decades. First there was Yang Susu, and now there’s Yun Hailan. Two genius women. One of these days the women are going to completely surpass the men….” With that, she gave a cold smirk and walked off.

“Brother Yang Qi, your archenemy Yun Hailan is getting promoted too? I guess it's just destiny that the two of you meet again.” Li He knew about how much Yang Qi hated Yun Hailan, how she had tricked him into stealing a Latent Dragon Pill for her and then left him to his death. If something like that happened to Li He, he knew that he would react just like Yang Qi.

Therefore, Li He and the others were all just as angry as he was.

“She thinks she’s some sort of genius,” Yang Qi said, “but she’s only advancing because of the help of the Crown Prince. One of these days, I’ll make sure she understands how sadly lacking she really is. Come on, let’s get in there. I want to become an elite student and really stick it to Yun Hailan.”

With that, he headed into the crowd that had assembled out front the Academy of Sage Studies. Everyone was craning their necks in the hopes of seeing what was happening inside. However, a group of students from the Crown Prince Society had cordoned off the area, and weren’t letting anyone in.

That said, it was still possible to see the ceremony being carried out inside, presided over by members of the senior generation with very profound cultivation bases.

Other elite students, Lifeseizers all, were present to act as witnesses and provide moral support.

Yun Hailan wore a sapphire-blue garment, and was very well made-up. She had a somber expression on her face that made her look something like a goddess. The female students were all staring at her in admiration.

In fact, Yang Qi could tell that many of the female students considered her to be a leader of sorts among them.

It hadn’t taken her long to really entrench herself in the institute.

As for the male students, they obviously respected her, but at the same time, dreamed of courting her. Of course, they couldn’t. The only thing they might hope to do was serve as escorts for her, and perhaps win a smile.

The way that some of these students virtually worshipped Yun Hailan caused Yang Qi to frown; dealing with her was getting more and more complicated.

“Can you guys see? That’s Elder Sister Yun Hailan. She's a legend already! She joined the Demi-Immortal Institute less than a year ago, and is already a Lifeseizer! She's already surpassed many of the elite students….”

“Yeah, I know. Supposedly she has the blood of a sea god in her. She's got divine protection!”

“She's definitely going to be the champion of us female students.”

“She’s spectacular. Even if she just smiled at me, it would make my day.”

Everyone seemed completely entranced with her, and that included certain members of the crowd who were from aristocratic clans in the Sage Ancestor Dynasty, or geniuses in their own right.

It was a group of Masters of Energy who maintained the cordoned-off area, preventing anyone from entering the Academy of Sage Studies. Each and every one was a member of the Crown Prince Society, with swords strapped at their backs, and all sorts of jade ornaments and jewelry. Although they looked excited, the arrogance in their eyes was clear; they viewed themselves as being above everyone else present.

Everyone who was in the Crown Prince Society developed something like an air of nobility.

After all, they represented power, authority, and ultimate respect.

According to the rumors, their leader, the Crown Prince, cultivated a rare energy art called the Son of Heaven’s Godfist. Upon cultivating that art to completion, one would truly become like a son of heaven, an emperor descended from on high. It was a fist strike that was so powerful that everyone who faced it was like a court official facing the emperor. [1]

The dao of monarchs was one of being unparalleled under heaven.

The dao of the son of heaven was that of winning wars without deploying troops.

Yang Qi had heard stories about the Crown Prince, but had never seen him. However, based on how the Crown Prince Society students acted, he was fairly certain he knew what the Crown Prince himself was like.

“Stop right there!” said one of the Crown Prince Society students maintaining the cordon. Looking coldly at Yang Qi, he continued, “Students here to watch the ceremony have to stay behind the cordon. If you try to break past, don’t blame us for cutting you down!”

“I'm also here for promotion to elite student,” Yang Qi replied icily. “Besides, who gave you the power and authority to seal the Academy of Sage Studies?”

“What? Here for promotion to elite student? You’re in the Lifeseizing level?” 

Shocked, other members of the Crown Prince Society looked over.

One of them narrowed his eyes and said, “You're in the Lifeseizing level? Doesn’t look like it to me!” Without any warning, he let loose a fist strike.

The people from the Crown Prince Society really were overbearing.

1. In the Chinese culture and language, the “Son of Heaven” is another term for the emperor.