Before the entrance to the Fiery Seed Secret Realm, the old king of the Crimson Sand Nation waved his sleeve and strode in.
Instantly, the world changed. The surroundings were no longer desolate and dead. What met their eyes were towering mountains and flowing water, shrouded in mist. It was a breathtaking immortal landscape.
"The Fiery Seed Academy, truly has a profound heritage," the old king of Crimson Sand remarked.
He was a paramount figure in the Yunhui Great Domain, a revered demigod, and the backing behind the Lions of Crimson Sand's several mythological figures.
His original plan was to win the sparring match and then appear with his demigod might.
Unfortunately, the plan had a slight hiccup.
However, even so, they disdained to leave in disgrace. Just then, the 'Vice President' of the Fiery Seed Academy appeared and generously invited them in for a chat.
The old king of Crimson Sand was quite surprised.
Firstly, he was astonished by the Vice President, Liu Feng.
The people of Crimson Sand favored brawn and might, but they weren't entirely without brains. Previously, Crimson Sand had assessed that the Fiery Seed Academy might possess means to deal with demigods, but not actual demigods.
– It was not impossible for the Fiery Seed Academy, having obtained a large amount of Kandra's legacy, to acquire capabilities comparable to demigods through certain defensive structures, Kandra puppets, war machines, or rituals.
But even with the Fiery Seed Academy's unparalleled advantage from Kandra's inheritance, cultivating a demigod would require immense resources and time.
An extremely long time!
This was assuming everything went smoothly.
Yet, the moment Vice President Liu Feng appeared, he sensed the aura of a demigod from this remarkably unreserved individual. This aura was like a colossal sword piercing the sky, radiating a sharpness that made it difficult to look directly.
Not just a demigod, but likely one who was not inferior to this king.
The old king mused.
The second surprise was the invitation from the Fiery Seed demigod to converse within.
As everyone knew, mythological figures were mobile city-destroying weapons, and demigods possessed the power to obliterate a large city with a single palm strike. The continuous eruption of a demigod's power could even cause continental plates of smaller outer-world realms to tremble, triggering global climate and environmental changes, and dragging the entire world into the abyss.
Most factions usually did not allow external mythological figures to enter their core areas, such as their capital cities.
The capital city's ritual formations could easily block attacks from mythological figures, but if a mythological battle erupted within the capital, the aftermath could destroy numerous important regions, leading to irreparable losses.
The severe losses during the civil war in the Yanlei Nation twenty thousand years ago were precisely because they engaged in mythological battles within multiple oases, causing their economy, strength, and foundations to regress immensely.
"The Fiery Seed Academy's invitation for us to converse within not only demonstrates their grand vision but also signifies that they possess sufficient means of restraint."
Perhaps rare internal rituals, or overwhelmingly powerful dominion-level forces.
Whichever it was, the pressure shifted to the Crimson Sand Nation. Within the open secret realm gate, it seemed to lead to a dragon's pool and a tiger's den, the abyss.
But they had already lost the battle, so how could they abandon their last shred of dignity?
The old king of Crimson Sand laughed heartily and stepped inside without any fear.
Accompanying him were mythological figures from other great nations. Venerable Huang, Esteemed Xiu, Yanlei Arbiter… Six of the seven great nations of the Yunhui Great Domain had sent their mythological figures.
"No wonder such prodigies were born here. The environment and atmosphere here are truly worthy of being a place for cultivation," the old king of Crimson Sand sighed.
He actually wanted to appear more imposing, but having already lost the sparring match, any attempt at dominance felt hollow.
The second match was one thing, but the third match showed a truly vast disparity.
The four-divine-seeded Lion of Crimson Sand was defeated without any resistance.
He couldn't help but cast his gaze towards the reticent Black Blade, feeling a touch of envy. This was a peerless genius rarely seen in millennia.
However, was this Lord Liu Feng any less remarkable?
They discussed the path of demigods, and the construction and application of Dharma Bodies.
"1024 divine contract nodes, collectively forming a vast demigod manifestation of infinite power, but 1024 nodes are merely the most basic configuration…"
"I rather recommend the 1668 divine contract node Golden Body mode, and the 1888 divine contract node Skyward mode…"
"On the basis of the demigod manifestation, constructing the demigod bones and demigod eyes of the Dharma Body can further enhance combat power."
When it came to the demigod realm, the old king of Crimson Sand was no longer sleepy.
Normally, very few people could discuss the path of demigods with him. But as they talked, he found himself gradually unable to keep up with Vice President Liu Feng's pace.
Lord Liu Feng further proposed many demigod manifestation construction modes that he had never heard of before.
Such knowledge could certainly be gained from perusing some inherited materials. Clearly, Lord Liu Feng was not as young as he appeared; he was certainly not a newly ascended demigod!
The king of Crimson Sand gradually adopted a tone of respect and solemnity.
Liu Feng used to frequently lecture mythological figures, and he could talk for days on end about the path of demigods. However, he was keenly aware that the current situation was different from the Kandra era. Humans were not only weak but also divided, and the number of oases destroyed by humans themselves was not necessarily less than those destroyed by malevolent entities.
While he was now seemingly imparting profound knowledge, once the king of Crimson Sand, the Lion of Crimson Sand, Venerable Huang of Yuntu, and others had time to ponder, they would realize…
It was as if he had said nothing.
Not that he had said absolutely nothing; Liu Feng had merely provided a table of contents.
This was even more tempting for the king of Crimson Sand and his retinue, but he was too proud to ask, and he knew it would be futile even if he did.
Liu Feng observed their subtle changes in expression.
"Our Fiery Seed Academy is dedicated to cultivating more human powerhouses, and we warmly welcome all of you. We will receive you with the treatment of external instructors."
The old king of Crimson Sand's eyes widened in surprise.
He had to admit that the treatment offered by the Fiery Seed Academy was somewhat enticing.
The premise, however, was not for the mythological figures of their seven nations.
Vice President Liu Feng said, "You may have misunderstood something. Our academy has very relaxed management policies for prospective students, formal students, or external instructors. Our original intention is simply to cultivate human powerhouses."
"The students' whereabouts after graduation are entirely up to their own will. Furthermore, our Fiery Seed Academy will not be rooted in this domain. By the time the academy departs, most students may still return to the Yunhui Great Domain."
"Of course, if you are interested in becoming a part of the Fiery Seed core, and taking up the torch of human inheritance, we also welcome you wholeheartedly."
At this point, the mythological figures had entered the grand reception hall. Handsome and beautiful attendant puppets, products of Kandra, served drinks. However, the mythological figures from the six great nations still frowned, contemplating Liu Feng's words.
Students' decisions about their future after graduation were entirely their own?
The Fiery Seed Academy did not intend to establish itself here?
Since its emergence, the Fiery Seed Academy had indeed not operated any external oases, which aligned with Lord Liu Feng's description. However, they still found it hard to believe, no, completely unbelievable, that the Fiery Seed Academy was so altruistic.
"May I ask, Lord, are you not intending to fully absorb the students your academy cultivates with immense resources? What is the purpose of your academy doing so?" the old king of Crimson Sand asked.
His gaze was deep and fixed on Liu Feng.
Liu Feng smiled faintly, "Indeed, we are not entirely without purpose. I have said before that our Fiery Seed will not force students to stay, but if students are themselves willing to stay at the academy, or at our external institutions, we will naturally not refuse."
"This is the first point, and the second…"
He gradually shed his playful smile, becoming serious and earnest. A sense of ancient weariness seemed to flicker in his eyes.
"The second is, our human time may be running out."
"All of you present are high-ranking officials from various nations in the Yunhui Great Domain. You must have discovered to some extent that the disaster of the evil gods is becoming increasingly imminent, right?"
...
Several hours later, the atmosphere in the grand reception hall grew increasingly heavy, and some mythological figures had sweat beads forming on their temples.
The evil gods were awakening!
Cataclysm was imminent!
Some mythological figures were shocked. Weren't they already in a cataclysmic era, already affected by the evil gods? Now the Fiery Seed Academy was telling them that the evil gods were not yet awakened?
Then what were they facing?!
The mythological figure from the Water Overflow Nation slammed the table and shouted, but upon reflection, he found that the mythological figures from other nations did not seem to consider this statement as fantastical… They seemed to believe it? They believed it!
Venerable Huang did not fully believe it.
If, before the sparring and exchange matches, the Fiery Seed Academy had put forth this notion, he would most likely have scoffed.
But the exchange matches had proven the academy's extraordinary nature, and the 'demigod discourse' made Venerable Huang feel that the Vice President of Fiery Seed was unfathomably profound. Such a person would have no reason to jest with them. Coupled with some external information, Venerable Huang's expression became grave; he believed it by more than half.
And…
"It matches!"
"Previously, I had wondered if the Fiery Seed Academy, being an ancient hidden power, would have no reason to emerge solely to recruit low-level individuals… but if a catastrophe is imminent, and the Fiery Seed Academy is preparing to spread some sparks of hope… then it's not impossible."
Numerous prodigies;
An unfathomable demigod president;
Unimaginable foundational power;
Could it be that humanity… still possessed an ancient, unknown mysterious force?
"Tens of thousands of years ago, during the Kandra Empire, humanity was incredibly powerful. Why are you now so certain that humanity is reduced to mere handfuls?"
"However, with our Fiery Seed's strength alone, it is far from enough to resist the world-ending disaster. We hope that the various nations will take this seriously, and we also welcome young people from all countries to come here to learn and exchange."
...
"Little Huan, how much do you think these people believed, and how much do they know?"
"Their probability of believing is only 56.9%."
Fang You had long wanted to have a more formal dialogue with the various nations, but a suitable opportunity was needed. Crimson Sand's challenge was an excellent one… taking advantage of their victory.
Regardless of whether the nations believed it this time, after they returned, they would earnestly search for similar information clues, and divert more attention to the disaster of the evil gods. Daifeng Novel Network.
The Yunhui Great Domain had been too peaceful for too long. Fang You hoped they would take it seriously.
Perhaps in the future, his own Fiery Seed would be among the taller figures of humanity, but he still hoped that humanity could produce more 'tall figures' to alleviate the pressure of the sky collapsing.
And now, his own Fiery Seed was not tall enough yet; the tallest was undoubtedly the Central Holy Court.
"After today's events, this information will surely reach the high echelons of the Holy Court. As for their reaction at that time…"
He doubted there would be any reaction.
The Central Holy Court was ancient, powerful, closed, and conservative… With the Holy Court's strength and accumulated knowledge, it was impossible for them not to be aware of the impending revival of the evil gods. As for what measures they had taken…
Fang You was still unsure.
What he could do now was to continuously accumulate strength and gather warriors with the same belief.
"After today's events, various countries may actively allow some less important royal descendants to study at our Fiery Seed Academy… However, of course, we cannot accept just anyone. Their talent can be slightly lacking, but their character absolutely cannot be poor, lest one bad apple spoil the whole batch."
"This aspect will be entrusted to our diligent Little Huan to investigate thoroughly."
"Mm-hmm, leave it to me," she patted her chest, "Information flows frequently between the cities of the Yunhui Great Domain, so it will be much easier for Little Huan to collect it."
"Also, what is the current operational status of the academy? Can the acquisition and expenditure of resources be balanced?" Fang You asked. Liu Feng, who was in charge of academy affairs, often worried about issues like unbalanced income and expenditure, and resource depletion.
Upon hearing this, Little Huan pulled up a statistical panel.
"Because our resource acquisition is relatively convenient, and there are no detestable intermediaries to profit, our income is higher than our expenses. However, after deducting the academy's operational costs and necessary expenditures for unforeseen circumstances, the Fiery Seed Academy is barely making a profit."
She said this with a hint of unhappiness.
But Fang You's original intention in establishing the academy was not to make money, but rather to 'gain people.'
At this moment, a large light bulb 'ding-dong' appeared above Little Huan's head. She blinked her large eyes and said, "Got it, got it! Didn't the various countries want to send some of their direct descendants to our academy to benefit from our inheritance grounds? Then we can charge extra for those students with poor talent."
Speaking of this, as if afraid Fang You would disagree, Little Huan even gave an example:
"Various countries spent a lot of money to purchase spots for their descendants to enter the Central Holy Court's academy… Our Fiery Seed Academy, after all, teaches genuine skills. Charging extra fees for those foreign descendants who do not meet the criteria, and using it for the academy's operations, I think it is very reasonable."
...
The matter of Crimson Sand Nation's challenge to the Fiery Seed Academy and their subsequent defeat spread throughout the Yunhui Great Domain within half a month.
The Yunhui Great Domain was like a calm lake; any ripple became extremely noticeable.
Just as awakened individuals in various places were discussing the origins of the Fiery Seed Academy, whether Crimson Sand would seek revenge, and what other gossip there was, another major event occurred. This event caused an even greater stir among the general awakened population.
"The Fiery Seed Academy will be holding recruitment examinations in various locations. Those who pass the initial selection can go to the academy for further trials. If all trials are passed, they will become a Fiery Seed apprentice with a promising future!"
This news first spread from bounty guilds in various regions.
And behind these bounty guilds were the mythological figures of Crimson Sand Nation.
Ordinary awakened individuals were naturally unaware of such inside information. They were only delighted by one thing: the Fiery Seed Academy was preparing to… recruit across the entire great domain?!
High-level awakened individuals, descendants of major powers, and seasoned veterans were still hesitant about whether to visit the Fiery Seed Academy to investigate.
They either didn't believe it, or they were reluctant to abandon their established foundations.
For low-level awakened individuals, the Fiery Seed Academy held even greater appeal; it was their opportunity to leap into the dragon's gate!
However, only the former had the ability to travel across great domains to participate in the Fiery Seed Academy's examinations.
The latter could only listen to the circulating stories, sigh with envy, and continue their ordinary and monotonous lives.
And now…
"Second Uncle, your daughter might be eligible. Don't miss this opportunity."
"Auntie, you're only sixty today, and I hear you're still considered young among awakened individuals. I think you can give it a try."
"Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river. Once I'm admitted to the Fiery Seed Academy, we'll see then!"
...
While the Yunhui Great Domain was stirred by the Fiery Seed's preparation for continent-wide recruitment, the domestic affairs of Crimson Sand and other nations were also discussing matters related to Fiery Seed.
The most frequently discussed point was whether to send their descendants to study at Fiery Seed.
"From the current perspective, Fiery Seed is a remarkably pure academy, and they possess inheritance grounds far beyond ours… My suggestion is, it's worth a try."
After all, among the descendants under the mythological realm, few were truly noble.
Later, the mythological figures discussed the fees.
The Fiery Seed Academy offered two options: study exchange and independent examination.
Independent examination meant their descendants would participate in the selection process like everyone else, advancing step by step.
Study exchange meant they would pay their own tuition fees, utilize the Fiery Seed Academy's cultivation grounds, and would not remain at the academy after graduation under any circumstances.
"Our designated international students can directly receive formal student treatment, but once they violate academy rules, they still risk expulsion, and… the tuition for studying abroad is rather exorbitant."
"Not necessarily. Fiery Seed also provided additional credits, so this expense is somewhat worthwhile."
It was worthwhile, but compared to getting it for free, it was undoubtedly a loss.
Mythological figures also liked to get things for free.
"I think any little brat who can pass the initial and secondary tests of the Fiery Seed Academy should be allowed to try themselves. After all, Fiery Seed explicitly stated that they will not interfere with students' departures and arrivals… The demigod's promise can be trusted."
"But what if some little brat voluntarily chooses to stay at Fiery Seed?"
"Hahaha, you worry too much."