Chapter 953: Chapter 53: Extracting the Heavenly Spirit Pearl, Explosive Soil Growth, and the Heavenly Soul Tree!
After chatting with Liu Tianning, Zhao Xing instinctively closed his eyes and fell asleep, entering a dream to retrieve memories of his past life. Moments later, he felt some doubt.
"Chu Qianqiu? Is it that Chu Qianqiu... didn’t Lao Liu spare him? Why does it feel like Chu Qianqiu won’t live long now."
"The surname Zhuang, I seem to have heard of it too, could I have remembered incorrectly?" Zhao Xing pondered, feeling confused.
In his past life memories, Chu Qianqiu didn’t die, and Zhuang Daren sounded familiar.
"I don’t know what’s going on; it seems I have to find out by going there."
...
Shangluo Academy, Military Envoy Academy.
A large manor was surrounded by many dense, sword-shaped, peculiar plants towering over a hundred meters high.
The Sword Bamboo Forest, a place of secluded cultivation for Vice Dean Chu Qianqiu of the Military Envoy Academy.
Many students from the Military Envoy Academy would come seeking a Sword Bamboo from Chu Qianqiu.
The plant species he managed in the Sword Bamboo Forest were all extraordinarily strong, possessing power about double compared to those obtained elsewhere.
However, few could achieve their wish, as passing Chu Qianqiu’s tests was exceedingly difficult.
The process is quite troublesome, acquiring a precious plant species is no easy task.
Yet, people would still come often seeking it.
Usually, June was the time when the Sword Bamboo matured.
The Sword Bamboo Forest, which should have been bustling, was now void of people.
Because this Vice Dean Chu Qianqiu had sealed off the Sword Bamboo Forest, irritated and restless, flickering within the bamboo forest.
Soon, the entire Sword Bamboo Forest grew cold and eerie.
"Qianqiu~"
A voice accompanied by bursts of Yin Wind blew through.
Chu Qianqiu stopped, because there was suddenly someone in the Sword Bamboo Forest.
"Uncle Master, why have you come."
Chu Qianqiu appeared before a giant, huge to the point of being bloated.
His Uncle Master Jiang Yaochun was Chu Qianqiu’s most steadfast supporter.
He was also the master of the Heavenly Soul Divine Tree.
"Liu Tianning is coming." The five-meter-tall, three-meter-wide figure of Jiang Yaochun, like a flesh ball, spoke in an eerie voice.
"This time he has issued a final ultimatum."
"Final ultimatum?" Chu Qianqiu’s brow furrowed, "I am late Second Grade, he has only just entered Second Grade, is he so confident?"
"Qianqiu, you cannot compete with him." Jiang Yaochun sighed, "From any perspective, you have no chance of winning."
"He wants to lead Shangluo Academy to become the leading academic institution of the time, surpassing Xuantian and Kunyuan, gaining too many supporters."
"He himself is a supreme genius, even Xu Xing doesn’t have stronger talent than him."
Chu Qianqiu could also be considered a rare genius, his background no worse than Liu Tianning, his Grass and Trees are Soldiers Skill, Divine Bamboo Sword Formation had earned much praise from seniors.
Unfortunately, what he faced was Liu Tianning.
Even after simulating it ten thousand times, Chu Qianqiu had no possibility of surpassing Liu Tianning.
"Yes, Uncle Master." Although Chu Qianqiu was proud, he understood that his uncle master’s words made sense.
"I suggest you agree to his conditions."
"Uncle Master." Chu Qianqiu swallowed his anger, "I can withdraw from the competition, but his conditions are excessive."
"Uncle Master, you exchanged your life for this, why should it become his stepping stone? I refuse!"
Chu Qianqiu respected this uncle master greatly because his uncle master was also Second Grade, and his Primordial Energy exceeded Second Grade Perfect by more than ten times!
However, the cost was ending up in this state, neither human nor ghost.
He nourishes the tree with his body, never leaving Shangluo Academy, with no combat power whatsoever.
"Qianqiu, the Divine Tree is not mine; I merely inherited it, and I feel very honored." Jiang Yaochun gently gazed at Chu Qianqiu, "Are you lamenting for me, or reluctant to relinquish your authority?"
Chu Qianqiu paused, then said, "To be honest, it’s both."
"It’s because I don’t believe Liu Tianning can lead Shangluo Academy to rise; his cultivation plan will drain the academy’s resources."
"The ancient rumor says Shangluo Academy’s glory is for the next revival period, not the present."
"True, he is stronger than me, even stronger than Xu Xing!"
"But he will also go mad earlier than Xu Xing, if he encounters a warlike monarch next generation, the academy’s future is in jeopardy."
Jiang Yaochun nodded, "You have your convictions; knowing oneself, whatever decision you make, Uncle Master supports you."
"Thank you, Uncle Master."
...
Divine Wood Institute, Zhuang Daren paced back and forth, his facial fat wobbling.
"Damn, so ruthless, disagree and it’s murder. Like Lao Xu in his younger days."
"Tell me, what’s the rush, I’m not resisting him becoming this dean."
"Sooner or later, it’s all his, right? I don’t have any personal interests."
"It’s all for the good of the academy, am I right?"
Zhuang Daren looked to a refined middle-aged woman seated at a table.
"The words have been said many times, Vice Dean Zhuang."
"This is not our first discussion."
The middle-aged woman put down her teacup, unhurriedly spoke, "Vice Dean Zhuang, now you only need to provide an answer, whether to agree or not. If you agree, swear by your Life Soul."
"If you don’t agree, it’s just a word, and I’ll leave."
Having said that, the middle-aged woman was about to get up.
"Hey, hey, wait." Zhuang Daren said, "Don’t go, I’ll agree. Isn’t agreeing enough?"
Afterward, Zhuang Daren swore by his Life Soul, pledging that the three Ninth-tier Medicines in his hands would be decided by Liu Tianning.
"Good." The middle-aged woman smiled and said, "Dean Zhuang, farewell."
"Hey hey, shall I escort you?"
"Please stay."
As he watched the woman leave, Zhuang Daren’s face immediately fell.
"Ah, it really vexes me."
At that moment, three disciples hurriedly entered.
"Teacher, Liu Tianning and his disciple Zhao Xing have already arrived at Shangluo Academy."
Zhuang Daren’s eyes shifted as he looked at one of the disciples: "Xin Bojian, you go challenge Zhao Xing."
Xin Bojian, hearing this, was genuinely speechless.
Why don’t you go capture Tang Seng yourself?
What’s the difference between this and sending me to my death?
"Um... Teacher, I suddenly feel my stomach is a bit uncomfortable, I need to see the doctor..."
Zhuang Daren snorted and looked at another female disciple: "Wen Weiqi, you go."
Wen Weiqi suddenly blushed: "Teacher, I am already pregnant, seems I’m about to give birth, I, I..."
Beside her, She Gongzhi promptly said: "Sister, I’ll immediately take you to the doctor."
Having said that, the two slipped away together.
"Useless bunch!"
Zhuang Daren cursed, letting the disciples slip away.
He then turned to look at the offerings table: "Look, you all see, it’s not my fault they can’t leave anything behind. I really can’t do anything..."