After hearing the words of the Hudao Academy Venerable Ones, the young people from the Eastern Region patiently waited in the plaza.
A moment later.
Suddenly, red clouds churned on the horizon as a massive scarlet bird blotted out the sky, crimson lightning flickering among its feathers.
Boom!
The red bird landed on the plaza in the blink of an eye.
Three middle-aged men jumped down from the bird's back, followed by over two hundred young people descending one after another.
These two hundred-plus young men and women all had sharp, prominent auras, spiritual power surging like tides within their bodies, and they radiated powerful spiritual pressure.
"Haha… Brother Yan, Brother Yang, I've brought back the young geniuses from the Southern Frontier," one of the middle-aged men strode over.
"So these are the new recruits from the Eastern Region.
As expected, only a little over thirty. Still, it's like selecting a general from among dwarves— it'll have to do.
Brother Yan, Brother Yang, I truly feel for you both.
The greater the number of new recruits you bring in, the more credit you earn from the academy. This time, your contributions are undoubtedly going to be ranked dead last." The middle-aged man shook his head as he looked at the thirty-nine new recruits from the Eastern Region, his words tinged with obvious smugness.
"Hmph. Duan Tiande, what's there to be proud of? You just got lucky and were assigned to the Southern Frontier, that's all," said one of the two Venerable Ones leading the Eastern Region recruits, their faces dark with anger.
"Haha, Yang Chen, what a thing to say! Luck is a part of one's strength, you know," the man named Duan Tiande couldn't help but laugh heartily.
"Indeed, luck is part of one's strength. Brother Duan, well said!" the other two middle-aged men who had recruited from the Southern Frontier also walked over.
"Hmph, a larger number isn't necessarily useful; it all depends on whether there's any true talent among them," said the two Venerable Ones responsible for the Eastern Region recruits, their expressions extremely unpleasant.
"It seems there are all kinds of power struggles even within Hudao Academy. But that's hardly surprising; the world of martial artists is just like this," Ye Yunfei observed silently.
"Yang Chen, Yan Qian, you two seem unconvinced. Let me tell you the truth: the new recruits we brought back from the Southern Frontier are genuine, bona fide geniuses. In my opinion, the Eastern Region students you brought back smell more like they're merely making up the numbers. If you don't accept that, do you dare to compare? Let's see whether the youngsters you brought back are the real monsters, or the ones we brought back are." Duan Tiande spoke provocatively. He had always been at odds with Yang Chen and Yan Qian, and now that he had this opportunity, he immediately seized it to cause trouble.
Yang Chen and Yan Qian both snorted coldly but said nothing more. Because they could see that those young people from the Southern Frontier were indeed quite monstrous, their overall level higher than that of the youths from the Eastern Region.
"Zhu Tianhua, step forward," Duan Tiande casually waved towards one of the young men.
"Yes!" The young man immediately strode forward. He wore blue robes, with delicate features, presenting an elegant, handsome, and dashing appearance.
"Zhu Tianhua, it's up to you to… request instruction from the young geniuses of the Eastern Region. Remember, to the point is enough; don't make things too difficult for them." Duan Tiande curled his lip.
"Tianhua obeys." Zhu Tianhua replied respectfully, then raised his head to look at the thirty-nine youths from the Eastern Region, an unmistakable look of contempt in his eyes.
"Esteemed young geniuses from the Eastern Region, greetings. My name is Zhu Tianhua. I wish to request some instruction from you all. Of course, I will exercise restraint in my attacks; you need not fear." Zhu Tianhua cupped his fists as if politely, yet his eyes were filled with thick provocation and disdain.
After he finished speaking.
Boom…
A powerful surge of spiritual pressure erupted from his body.
"Early Stage True Manifestation Realm!" Yang Chen and Yan Qian exclaimed simultaneously.
The over thirty young people from the Eastern Region were even more terrified, stealthily retreating a few steps.
Because among the new recruits from the Eastern Region, the strongest were only at the late-stage Saint Realm; none had reached the True Manifestation Realm.
"Haha…" Duan Tiande and the other two middle-aged men exchanged glances and smiled, looking like they were waiting to see a joke.
All the young people from the Southern Frontier also watched the thirty-nine youths from the Eastern Region with schadenfreude in their gazes, their contempt endless.
"Duan Tiande, you…" Yang Chen and Yan Qian's faces turned extremely ugly.
However, Hudao Academy never forbade competition among its students; it even encouraged mutual rivalry. Challenges like this were very common within the academy, as long as lives weren't taken.
"Duan Tiande, he's at the Early Stage True Manifestation Realm, yet you actually sent him out. What are you playing at?" Yang Chen snapped angrily.
"Brother Yang, you can't say that. A true monster genius can completely ignore realms and challenge across levels. So, having Zhu Tianhua verify whether the young people you recruited from the Eastern Region are real monster geniuses is a good thing. Besides, Zhu Tianhua will restrain himself; he won't take their lives. You can rest assured." Duan Tiande pressed on relentlessly, laughing smugly.
"Haha, Brother Duan is right. We think the same way. Could it be… you two have no confidence in the Eastern Region recruits you brought back?" Another middle-aged man also laughed loudly.
The over thirty young people from the Eastern Region felt utterly humiliated at this moment, but Zhu Tianhua before them was too strong; none dared to step forward and accept the challenge.
Faced with Duan Tiande's persistent pressure, Yang Chen and Yan Qian also felt bitterness in their hearts.
Right at this moment.
"Let me handle it." A young man stepped forward and said indifferently.
"Ye Yunfei!" Yang Chen, Yan Qian, and the thirty-plus young people from the Eastern Region all brightened up with delight.
"Shame on us! We almost forgot about Ye Yunfei!" Yang Chen and Yan Qian couldn't help but exchange a glance, both revealing intense surprise and joy.
This was the ruthless character who had wiped out the Tianyou Tomb's Eastern Region branch and single-handedly forced the entire Chen Clan to bow and plead for peace! What was a measly Early Stage True Manifestation Realm practitioner to him?
"Haha, excellent! Ye Yunfei, since he's so eager for instruction, why don't you give him a few pointers? But do pay attention to restraint, alright? Don't take his life. Although, giving him a bruised and swollen face wouldn't be an issue." Yang Chen couldn't help but laugh heartily, feeling utterly at ease with Ye Yunfei taking the field.
"Right, right! Ye Yunfei, just give him a casual pointer or two to satisfy his request." Yan Qian also laughed heartily.
"Zhu Tianhua, go! Teach this ant a lesson!" The attitudes and words of Yang Chen and Yan Qian made Duan Tiande and the other two middle-aged men furious.
"I think you two have lost your minds. An ant at the early-stage Saint Realm dares to accept Zhu Tianhua's challenge? And you two are actually getting so excited about it. An ant at the early-stage Saint Realm, no matter how capable, can't defy the heavens," Duan Tiande sneered.
"Kid, defeating you will take me only half a move. However, you are too weak. For me to fight you seems unfair. How about this: I'll let you have the first three moves. For these three moves, you can use the most powerful techniques and martial skills you've ever learned to attack me. After three moves, I will make my move and defeat you." At this moment, Zhu Tianhua stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his attitude incredibly cold and arrogant.
As soon as Zhu Tianhua finished speaking, Ye Yunfei suddenly extended his right palm and, with a carefree nonchalance, gave a light, casual slap through the air towards him.
Boom!
A force so powerful it made Zhu Tianhua's face drastically change expression launched forward like a cannon shot through the air.
This power was overwhelmingly strong, firmly suppressing Zhu Tianhua, rendering him completely immobile.
Thud!
Zhu Tianhua was struck instantly, his body sent flying backward at high speed before crashing into the distant ground, creating a massive crater.