Chapter 459: Absorbing the Source Energy, and the Five Academy Heads
"How is this possible?"
At White Jade Capital's headquarters in the Northern Underworld Continent, within the spiritual array, Xiao Tiance and his companions stared in disbelief. The two corpses inside the crystal coffin had not disintegrated after the coffin was opened.
Fatty Doll and Ling'er widened their eyes in shock. They had spent months analyzing and theorizing about the outcome, only to be proven wrong.
"Sigh."
Xiao Tiance let out a deep sigh, his voice drawing their attention.
"What's wrong, Master? What do you mean?" Fatty Doll and Ling'er were confused.
Xiao Tiance approached the crystal coffin and stared at the two seemingly sleeping beauties inside. Without hesitation, he reached out to touch one of them.
The moment his finger made contact, both bodies crumbled into fine ash, leaving behind two crystal clear skeletons.
"What just happened? Master, why did the bodies turn to ash the moment you touched them?" Fatty Doll asked, puzzled.
Xiao Tiance offered a calm explanation. **"The spiritual array on the coffin did indeed absorb spiritual energy to preserve the bodies. However, the coffin was sealed and lacked oxygen.
When we opened it, the bodies remained unchanged because they weren't exposed to the air. The moment oxygen came into contact with the remains, they reverted to their natural state."**
"Oxygen? What's that?" Ling'er and Fatty Doll were baffled.
"Haha, it's fine if you don't know. It's not important."
Xiao Tiance waved off their confusion. Then, with a gesture, he summoned two floating orbs of radiant energy from the skeletons and guided them toward Ling'er.
"Ling'er, these are two orbs of source energy. Absorb them, and I believe they'll bring significant changes to you."
Ling'er's eyes lit up with excitement. She had spent years traveling across countless continents in the Great Thousand World with Xiao Tiance, yet they had never found a single trace of source energy. Now, after just one trip to the Moon Temple's secret realm, they had discovered two.
Ling'er quickly expressed her gratitude before opening her small mouth and swallowing the source energy.
In an instant, her body began to radiate a faint glow. Once only the size of Xiao Tiance's fist, Ling'er's figure grew slightly larger and more defined.
Ten minutes later, Ling'er opened her eyes, brimming with joy. She darted around Xiao Tiance, laughing as she said, "Master! With these orbs of source energy, I can further accelerate our cultivation speed. And now, even the Plane Embryo of the Great Thousand World won't be able to sense my existence unless I want it to!"
Xiao Tiance shared her happiness but remained calm. The promise of faster cultivation didn't excite him much. After all, in five to six years, he had ascended from the Great Perfection of Earth Sovereign to the early stages of Sacred Heavenly Sovereign. His combat prowess was already unmatched among most Sacred Heavenly Sovereigns, except for the strongest late stage ones.
He didn't need speed. He needed refinement, experience, and battle.
This was part of why he had joined Xiao Yan on their journey to the Moon Temple. He sought challenges and opportunities to sharpen himself further.
Yet, during that expedition, the enemies while numerous hadn't posed much of a threat. Even the twin Heavenly Demon Emperors, Shi Hai and Shi Shan, didn't pressure him. Only Di Tian, the enigmatic elder claiming to have lived since ancient times, had stirred his fighting spirit. But Di Tian wasn't truly an opponent; he had revealed himself as a hidden ally of the Great Thousand World.
"We'll revisit the domain of the Foreign Demon Tribe in the future," Xiao Tiance said, gently patting Ling'er's head with his finger. "Perhaps we'll find more of your source energy then."
"Thank you, Master!" Ling'er giggled before retreating into Xiao Tiance's body to absorb the energy fully.
Fatty Doll gave a thumbs up before flying into the Heavenly Dao Tower perched atop Xiao Tiance's head.
Preserving the Crystal Coffin
Xiao Tiance closed the crystal coffin's lid and stored it, along with the two skeletons, in his spatial ring.
Though the skeletons contained valuable Heavenly Sovereign Bone Marrow, which could greatly aid those of lower cultivation levels, Xiao Tiance chose not to disturb their rest further. These two individuals had likely sacrificed themselves to resist the Foreign Demon Tribe, and disturbing their remains would feel disrespectful.
Having finished his task, Xiao Tiance took out a flower with vibrant, purple veined petals the Ascending Spirit Moon Divine Flower, which he had brought back from the Moon Temple's secret realm.
**"This flower alone has effects slightly inferior to a Nine Pattern Boundary Break Pill, but it could be refined into a potent elixir.
However, to maximize its efficacy, it must be the main ingredient and carefully paired with other spiritual treasures to avoid any conflicts in their properties,"** he mused.
Far Away, Five Elders Observe
While Xiao Tiance was deep in thought, millions of miles away in another part of the Northern Underworld Continent, five elderly men stood before an ancient mirror, their expressions filled with glee.
These men were none other than the heads of the Five Great Academies: the Holy Spirit Academy, Martial Spirit Academy, Myriad Phoenix Academy, Azure Sky Academy, and Northern Cang Academy.
Each academy was dedicated to nurturing top tier talent, and they ranked among the most prestigious institutions in the Great Thousand World. However, their actual power was more modest.
Only the Holy Spirit Academy boasted a Lower Earth Sovereign, and the Myriad Phoenix Academy had the backing of the Wen Clan, which housed Earth Sovereign level experts. The other three academies relied on their respective principals, who were merely Sovereign level cultivators.
Despite their limitations, the five academies commanded significant influence in cultivating future generations.
Looking into the mirror, one of the elders chuckled. "It seems this generation has produced some remarkable talents. I wonder who will stand out in the trials this time."
Another elder nodded. "Indeed, the selection process is almost complete. Let's see if we can recruit a few gems this year."
The ancient mirror shimmered, reflecting scenes of countless youths undergoing trials. Somewhere among them, the future of the Great Thousand World was being shaped.
At this moment, the headmaster of the Holy Spirit Academy gazed at the Judgment Mirror, his eyes glowing with excitement. He quickly exclaimed, "Hahaha! Another true prodigy has appeared. If this little girl makes it through the Spirit Road and reaches the end, she's ours. The Holy Spirit Academy will claim her."
The other four headmasters immediately turned their attention to the mirror. They all knew this old fox from the Holy Spirit Academy had an extraordinary knack for spotting talent.
Originally, the Holy Spirit Academy had been a minor institution, but under his leadership, it had grown to rival the other four great academies. The secret to this growth lay in his razor sharp instincts he rarely picked many students but always managed to choose the best among them.
Curious, the four headmasters eagerly peered into the mirror. Instantly, an adorable little girl appeared, her innocent face so sweet and captivating that it would be no exaggeration to call her universally lovable.
Through the mirror, they could also see the little girl's top tier talents displayed for all to see.
But just as the others were about to lay their claims, the headmaster of Northern Cang Academy suddenly froze. His expression shifted from shock to fear as he noticed the girl's name: Xiao Bai Ying. Standing beside her was a dazzling golden puppet.
He quickly blurted, "This girl cannot be sent into the Spirit Road! If anything happens to her, we and the Five Academies will all be reduced to ash."
The Holy Spirit Academy's headmaster frowned and asked, "Northern Cang, do you know this little girl? Have you seen her before?"
The other three headmasters also turned to him, seeking an explanation.
With a wry smile, the Northern Cang headmaster asked, "You've all heard of White Jade Capital, haven't you?"
The others exchanged knowing glances before the headmaster of the Myriad Phoenix Academy snorted, **"Of course we've heard of it. White Jade Capital is a colossus that, in just a few short years, has grown into one of the most powerful forces in the Great Thousand World.
Even the mighty Western Battle Hall's Battle Emperor, the Maha Ancient Clan's Young Master Maha Tian, and the Divine Phoenix Clan have all suffered losses at their hands.
And five years ago, when the Foreign Demon Tribe reopened a spatial tunnel leading straight to White Jade Capital's Zhu Xian City, that battle saw not just ten thousand demon soldiers wiped out but also several Demon Emperors killed."**
The Holy Spirit Academy's headmaster nodded. "Indeed. White Jade Capital's reputation now echoes throughout the Great Thousand World. Our academy frequently trades with their subordinate faction, the Four Seas Trading Alliance. We're no strangers to their name."
The Martial Spirit Academy's headmaster chimed in, "Today, there's hardly a corner of the Great Thousand World untouched by White Jade Capital's influence. Even in remote regions, their name inspires awe and fear."
The Azure Sky Academy's headmaster said nothing but clearly shared the sentiment. White Jade Capital stood unparalleled, a single force capable of guarding an entire spatial tunnel against the Foreign Demon Tribe a feat no other faction could claim.
The Myriad Phoenix Academy's headmaster then asked, "This little girl could she be from White Jade Capital?"
The Northern Cang headmaster nodded solemnly. "Indeed. Since you're all familiar with White Jade Capital, you must have heard of their 'Three Treasures.'"
The Holy Spirit Academy's headmaster rolled his eyes and snapped, "Old man, are you about to boast about your own Heavenly Demon Puppet again?"
At this, the other three headmasters shot sharp looks his way.
Ever since the Northern Cang headmaster had been gifted a Heavenly Demon Puppet by Xiao Tiance, the lord of White Jade Capital, his strength had soared. Without drawing on their academies' full resources, none of the other headmasters could compete with him in combat.
"I'm not here to brag," the Northern Cang headmaster retorted. "Look closely what's standing beside the little girl in the mirror?"
The other four leaned in and gasped in unison.
"That's… a Heavenly Demon Puppet! And just from looking at it, we can feel its pressure on our souls. This must be one of the highest level Heavenly Demon Puppets, at least at the Heavenly Sovereign realm!"
They quickly averted their eyes, faces pale. Even through the Judgment Mirror, the puppet's overwhelming aura shook them to their core.
The Northern Cang headmaster's expression turned grave. **"Exactly. A puppet of this caliber would only cause such a reaction if it were one of the highest level creations.
Now, note the girl's surname: Xiao. Doesn't that match Xiao Tiance, the lord of White Jade Capital? A few years ago, I heard White Jade Capital celebrated the birth of their young princess Xiao Bai Ying."**
The room fell silent as the four headmasters inhaled sharply.
Finally, they all spoke in unison: "This girl cannot be sent into the Spirit Road! If something happens to her, none of us will survive the fallout."
The Spirit Road was a place of ruthless trials, where spiritual energy was sealed and participants relied solely on physical strength. Death was common, and survival uncertain.
For children of ordinary families, being chosen for the Spirit Road was an honor, a testament to their talent and potential.
But Xiao Bai Ying didn't need the Spirit Road to prove her worth. As the daughter of Xiao Tiance and the princess of White Jade Capital, she was already untouchable.
Even the most powerful factions in the Great Thousand World avoided provoking White Jade Capital. Those who tried whether they were peerless geniuses or fearsome demon emperors had met grim fates.
The Debate Over Xiao Bai Ying
The headmaster of the Holy Spirit Academy suddenly grinned and said, "Since we can't send her to the Spirit Road, why don't we recruit her directly into the Holy Spirit Academy?"
The Myriad Phoenix Academy's headmaster shot back, **"In your dreams! If that were possible, I'd give up all other students just to recruit her.
But do you really think it's feasible? Let's not forget that White Jade Capital already has the White Jade Academy. Its headmaster, the Iron Blood Scholar, is one of Xiao Tiance's Twelve Tower Lords. Before joining White Jade Capital, he was a renowned ruler of an entire continent.
Besides, Xiao Bai Ying is Xiao Tiance's only daughter. Do you think he'd let her study at any of our academies?"**
The room fell silent as the headmasters collectively sighed.
Even in their wildest dreams, they couldn't imagine recruiting the cherished daughter of the Great Thousand World's most fearsome powerhouse.
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