Ancient Dragon Elephant Technique

Chapter 67: Chapter 67: The Grand Competition of the Four Institutes

Several powerful figures hovered in midair; some arrived by sword, others flew in wearing vestment robes. All of them were top-ranking members of Jialan Academy.

Among them were deputy directors and directors of the Four Major Divisions, and both Deputy General Directors had also arrived.

“What exactly happened?” Gongyang Ming asked in a grave voice.

Deputy General Director Wang Lin looked towards a tall, burly elder and inquired, “Old Man Sun, what do you think?”

This elder was Sun Tiantu, the director of Changhe Branch, and the only Spirit Array Master there.

In True Martial Country, there were only three Spirit Array Masters who had reached the level of High-level Spiritual Array Master, and Sun Tiantu was one of them.

Even the royal family of True Martial Country held him in high regard. Countless people wanted to study the Spirit Array Skill under Sun Tiantu, but he had refused all of them.

“There is a trace of a formation here. The person who set it up probably didn’t understand how to properly deploy it. He imitated without success and failed to form a complete array. However, it seems that he didn’t intend to set up a large array but to bury something here instead. Although the array wasn’t successfully deployed, it has been sufficient. Look further; this place in the Western Hills, which originally had dense Yin Sha Qi, has now become extremely thin.”

“Do you mean to say that someone, by some unknown means, has devoured all the Yin Sha Qi of this place?” another Deputy General Director, Bai Changfeng, said with a somber expression.

Dongfang Ya, the director of Purple Light Branch commented, “Could it be that someone from the Demon Dao has infiltrated our sect’s Western Hills? Only the Evil Cultivators would absorb such Yin Sha Qi. These Demon Dao scoundrels are incredibly audacious, daring to target the burial grounds of our ancestral predecessors. Fortunately, the ancestors’ tombs remain undisturbed.”

“The most pressing matter now is to send people to patrol this area of the Western Hills to prevent the Demon Dao miscreants from targeting our forefathers’ tombs, and also to increase patrols in Jialan City to see if we can locate these Demon Dao thieves. We must kill them on sight,” said Wang Yundi, the director of Falling Moon Branch.

Deputy General Director Wang Lin added, “We need to inform the City Lord about this. With the Grand Tournament of the Four Divisions looming, we can’t afford any chaos.”

Meanwhile, Lin Feng had already returned to his residence. He naturally had no idea what these academy powerhouses were discussing and was also unaware that due to this incident, Jialan City would soon be engulfed in dark undercurrents.

After returning, Lin Feng had no desire to sleep. He continued to sense the presence of the Nine Emperors’ incarnation within his Dantian; the majesty of the Holy Emperor was vast. Lin Feng tried to communicate with the Nine Emperors’ incarnation but failed.

“I need to find the remnants of the Nine Emperors to communicate with the Nine Emperors’ incarnation. I may not find them all, but just a few would be terrifying enough.”

The Nine Emperors’ incarnation, each having inconceivable power, activating any of them would grant one heaven-defying abilities, and naturally, Lin Feng was very much looking forward to it.

Time flew by, and soon the day of the Grand Tournament of the Four Divisions arrived.

That day, the Demonstration Martial Arts Field of Jialan Academy Inner Court was extraordinarily lively.

Over two thousand three hundred Inner Academy students had signed up for the tournament.

Of course, several hundred had not registered, most of them were away on training and had not returned in time.

This included Huo Xuanyi, who had run off to some place; Lin Feng was not surprised that he hadn’t returned, as Huo Xuanyi had previously been away from the academy for over a year, constantly training outside.

The Grand Tournament of the Four Divisions was an extremely important event for Jialan Academy, presided over by Deputy General Director Wang Lin. Additionally, all directors and deputy directors of the Four Major Divisions had come to observe the students’ cultivation and talents.

“Junior Brother, see that? That is our Changhe Branch’s director, Sun Tiantu.”

Gongsun Changge pointed to an elderly man on the main stage.

Lin Feng felt a stir in his heart, for he had long heard of the renowned Sun Tiantu, one of the three high-level Spiritual Array Masters of True Martial Country.

This person’s research on formations was said to be divinely transformative.

“It seems that the director truly values this tournament of the Four Major Divisions, having rushed back from abroad,” Lin Feng said.

“After all, it’s a grand competition that happens once every three years,” Gongsun Changge replied.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the tournament of the Four Major Divisions is about to begin. This time, the competition will be divided into a challenge match and a point match. You can challenge any of the top hundred students. If you can defeat them, you will take their place in the top hundred. After the challenge match will be the point match, where pairs will compete, and the winners will advance. Now, let’s begin the first round of the challenge match!”

“I challenge Dong Zhaoxuan of Changhe Branch,” a student called out, jumping onto the stage. This student, named Zhang Di, was said to have recently had a fortuitous encounter that greatly advanced his cultivation.

Dong Zhaoxuan looked quite displeased at being challenged.

Dong Zhaoxuan was one of the nine top hundred students from the Changhe Branch, ranked ninety-seventh, and his strength was extraordinary.

“Junior Brother Zhang, please,” Dong Zhaoxuan said as he cupped his fists, and a great battle ensued on the stage between him and Zhang Di.

Zhang Di was a student of the Purple Light Branch, and his fellow students from Purple Light Branch cheered for him, while students from Changhe Branch cheered for Dong Zhaoxuan.

Gongsun Changge sighed, “Among the Four Major Divisions, our Changhe Branch is the weakest. In the top rankings, we only have nine people, and aside from Senior Sister Xiao and me being fairly high in the rankings, the rest are ranked much lower. Recently, no outstanding students have emerged. I fear this tournament of the Four Major Divisions might turn out even worse than the last for the Purple Light Branch.”

Lin Feng said, “Everyone thinks the Sword Dao is minor, not realizing that in this world, all laws and paths lead to the same goal. If cultivated to the pinnacle, any can burst forth with tremendous power.”

“People who see as clearly as you do are indeed rare,” Gongsun Changge said.

On the stage, after more than a hundred rounds, Dong Zhaoxuan was hit in the abdomen by Zhang Di’s punch, his True Qi dispersed, and he no longer had the strength to fight.

“I yield,” Zhang Di said with a smile, his eyes shining in the pose of a victor. Dong Zhaoxuan, defeated, looked extremely grim as he cupped his fists and then stepped down.

“Senior Brother, Senior Sister, I have embarrassed Changhe Branch,” Dong Zhaoxuan said guiltily.

“Junior Brother, don’t mind it, victory and defeat are common in warfare,” Xiao Yafei said.

“That’s right, and besides, Junior Brother is about to break through to the Martial Master Realm, at which point you will soar into the skies,” Gongsun Changge added.

“I will try my best,” Dong Zhaoxuan said tightly, clenching his fists before stepping down.

People continued to challenge the top hundred students, but obviously, most ended in defeat. Succeeding in defeating a top hundred expert was very rare.

At this moment, Bai Yilong swooped onto the stage. With his strength in the Martial Master Realm, he was ranked forty-seventh within the Inner Academy. His entrance caused a great uproar. Bai Yilong’s cold gaze turned towards Changhe Branch and paused on Lin Feng’s face for a moment, showing a hint of menace before moving to Gongsun Changge next to Lin Feng. Bai Yilong said, “Gongsun Changge, I challenge you; dare you face me in battle?”

With a “bang,” the surrounding area burst into uproarious noise, shocking everyone. Bai Yilong had challenged Gongsun Changge, ranked nineteenth within the Inner Academy, in a clear clash of the titans.