Chapter 312

After being told this by Jiang Mingtian, Li Yi finally had a clearer understanding of the money within the Golden Academy. He hadn't expected that so-called points could be used to purchase opportunities for cross-dimensional travel. The price was indeed a bit steep, but then he thought, what if a team of people pooled their resources together to travel across dimensions?

With the costs split, it seemed affordable.

While everyone was chatting, Zhou Yu, who was serving as their instructor, walked over from a distance. He said directly, "All newcomers who have entered the Golden Academy within the last five days, come with me. It's time for your first lesson."

A few days had passed, and Zhou Yu, who had been seriously injured before, had recovered seven or eight-tenths of his health; he was almost completely fine. It seemed that the higher one's cultivation realm, the stronger one's recovery ability. One had to remember that five days ago, he had been covered in blood and swaying as he walked.

Soon.

Everyone walked over. A quick glance revealed there were ten new students in total. Aside from the few people Li Yi had met during the assessment, he didn't recognize any of the others; they were all strangers. He took a brief look and was even a bit surprised, because he saw that a Spirit Perception Realm cultivator was actually among the crowd.

That was a teenager of fifteen or sixteen, very young, with fair skin and a small red mole between his eyebrows, which was quite distinctive.

"Possessing a cultivation value of over one thousand percent while only in the Spirit Perception Realm? What a freak," Li Yi thought to himself.

He was also an experienced person and understood one principle: the lower the realm, the more terrifying the potential for joining the Golden Academy. Don't look at how low their realm is now; perhaps in a few days, they will reach the Spirit Perception Realm, and their speed of condensing their soul later might even be faster than yours. In the face of such potential, no one would underestimate them; instead, they would give them sufficient respect.

Instructor Zhou Yu said, "The Golden Academy is very large. If you have time, you can first familiarize yourselves with the map of the Golden Academy and the functions of some of the buildings. I won't say much more here. As newcomers, you must attend your first lesson, because I need to tell you some of the truths and secrets of our world."

After speaking, he stopped his steps and turned his head to look at everyone.

"Our world is far from as simple as you imagine. The Spirit Perception Realm is just the beginning of cultivation, so you must break through to the Soul Realm and learn to use your soul to observe the world."

"However, I'm too lazy to talk about many things. Bringing in newcomers every day and repeating the same words makes me want to vomit just hearing myself. You should go listen to the lectures yourselves; much of the information is public, and if you listen to a few more lectures, you'll understand everything."

Zhou Yu's words revealed a sense of annoyance. He felt that he couldn't continue being an instructor, or else he would be ruined.

He couldn't even beat a Level 5 warrior and had almost let a newcomer die; it was truly shameful.

Everyone remained silent and listened to their own thoughts. They were new here and weren't very familiar with the affairs of the Golden Academy. At this time, it was natural to speak less and do less, and to listen and watch more. After all, they were experts in their own right outside, but here, they were just the weakest existences.

Soon.

Zhou Yu brought everyone into a large building.

The building had several spacious halls, and many seats were placed in the halls. In the middle, there was a podium, but standing on the podium was a mature, beautiful woman with a graceful figure. This woman had a smile on her face and didn't move at all, like a statue.

"Not a living person, it's... a robot." Everyone took one look and immediately distinguished it.

As Spirit Perception Realm cultivators, they still had that much discernment.

"This is the intelligent robot Anna. She will give you your lecture in a moment. Don't underestimate the intelligence of an intelligent robot; her intelligence is even higher than that of a normal person, and she can communicate without barriers," Zhou Yu said. "From now on, she will be responsible for all your lectures. The other experts in the Golden Academy are all very busy and won't waste time on you newcomers."

"Teacher Anna, you may begin."

As Zhou Yu's voice fell, the beautiful female robot Anna on the podium started up from her standby state. A pair of eyes flickered with a faint blue light, and then the stiff smile on her face gradually faded, becoming somewhat serious.

"Very well, Instructor Zhou Yu. I will now instruct this batch of new students," Anna said, her voice sweet and pleasant, making people feel comfortable.

Zhou Yu said, "The first lesson will last for eight hours. During this time, you cannot leave this building. It is best to listen until the end; there is much information you must know. For subsequent lessons, you are free to do as you please—come if you want, or don't if you don't. Alright, I'm leaving. If there's anything, Anna will contact me."

He didn't stay long, and after giving a few instructions, he left again.

In the hall, only these ten new students remained.

However, after Zhou Yu was gone, everyone felt much more relaxed; at least they weren't as restrained, and they found seats nearby to sit down quite casually.

The next moment.

A three-dimensional projection immediately appeared on the open space in front of them. A huge, azure planet appeared before everyone, and then the planet traveled through the universe, entering a vast and illusory energy field. At the same time, Anna's voice rang out.

"Ten years ago, our world entered a vast and abundant cosmic energy field. The collision of powerful cosmic energy inadvertently opened the gates to other dimensions, connecting to one unknown world after another. This is also known as the Heaven Tilt Event..."

Then, the illusory images changed, and one could see that in various parts of the world, under the collision of cosmic energy, cracks in space-time appeared, both large and small. At the same time, many unexpected things invaded Earth, including extraordinary creatures, mythological creatures, ghosts, and some existences that exceeded human cognition.

"After the Heaven Tilt Event, the gates that invaded our world did not close; instead, over the subsequent ten years, they have been continuously opened, with the frequency increasing and decreasing," Anna's voice continued to sound.

"We know all these things; can't you skip ahead?" someone asked coldly.

Anna did not respond and continued the lecture.

"You don't have the permission, you can't fast-forward. Listen patiently," said the purple-eyed man wearing battle armor, who was clearly quite knowledgeable about such intelligence and technology.

"I don't have much patience. If I can't get some useful information, I don't want to waste eight hours here. I didn't join the Golden Academy to listen to a robot lecture; I came here to progress." The man stood up, then looked at everyone, and finally, his gaze rested on Li Yi.

"Hmm?"

Li Yi, who was sitting not far away, frowned slightly: "Why are you staring at me? I don't know you."

"I just heard that you have a martial arts legacy you want to sell. Would you mind making a deal with me as well?" the man said.

Li Yi tilted his head slightly: "Make a deal with you? Who are you?"

"Tianning City, Zhao Fangji. If you've been to Tianning City, you'll know who I am." Zhao Fangji's tone was calm, yet it revealed a powerful self-confidence. Clearly, in the city where he was from, he was also a top-tier figure.

"Zhao Fangji? Never heard of you." Li Yi waved his hand: "I don't make deals with just anyone."

Zhao Fangji said, "Whose money isn't money? My offer will definitely satisfy you."

"That makes some sense. Then tell me your bargaining chip," Li Yi said. The price of his martial arts legacy wasn't cheap. Among these people, only Jiang Mingtian could afford this money, and that was even a 'friendship price'; otherwise, none of these new students could afford it.

Therefore, his business wasn't very good.

Zhao Fangji reached out and took out an item, opening his palm to reveal a silver fruit that emitted a faint radiance: "This is an extraordinary fruit. After eating it, you can temper your body, allowing you to open the shackles of your body without worrying about damaging it. I'll give you ten of them. After eating them, you'll be able to be like me."

After speaking, his eyes flashed with a ray of light, and then he raised his hand and threw a punch.

This punch seemed to break the shackles of his body; it cracked the air, produced a sonic boom, and caused the surroundings to hum loudly.

Seeing this, everyone's pupils suddenly shrank.

Soul Realm power?

This Zhao Fangji had actually opened a portion of his body's shackles while still in the Spirit Perception Realm, possessing power that only those in the Soul Realm had. This was simply against common sense. Sure enough, another freak?

"How about it? My bargaining chip is big enough, right? And I haven't fully opened my body's shackles yet, so my power is limited. After you break through to the Soul Realm and all the shackles in your body are opened, your power will increase to an even higher level."

"So that's it. Your physical body is strong and your divine power is unparalleled, but you lack a martial arts method to perfectly unleash this power, which is why you got interested upon hearing the words 'martial arts legacy' and were so impatient to find me for a deal?" Li Yi now understood the other party's meaning.

Sure enough, martial arts methods had a high degree of compatibility with evolvers.

Whether it was Di Zhuan, the purple-eyed man who was a genetic warrior, or Jiang Mingtian, who liked swordsmanship, they all coveted martial arts methods.

The martial arts legacy in his hands might not belong to the top-tier cultivation methods in the Golden Academy, but due to its high compatibility, it had become a hot commodity that everyone wanted.

"Not bad, I need a martial arts method to unleash my potential," Zhao Fangji said. "There are also martial arts methods in the mall within the Golden Academy, but they are for cultivating internal energy. I've looked at them, and they aren't much; reaching the peak only allows one to shatter stones from a distance and leap over walls. Although I haven't seen your martial arts method, since others are willing to spend 100,000 points to buy it, it must not be bad. I'll just treat it as a gamble."

He didn't need to see it with his own eyes; he just needed to trust the public's judgment. Even if he didn't make a profit, at least he wouldn't lose.

Li Yi then said, "Your extraordinary fruit is not bad, but I prefer money. Go sell those ten extraordinary fruits and see if you can scrape together 100,000 points. If you can, come back and buy from me."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Fangji's expression sank.

One extraordinary fruit sold for 10,000; he estimated that he definitely couldn't sell them for that much, which was why he was looking for a private deal with Li Yi.

If it were changed to money, he wouldn't be able to take advantage.

After all, barter depends on the needs of both parties.

Perhaps others think it's cheap, but he needs it urgently. It's hard to say who gains and who loses; it can only be called a win-win.

"So you're refusing the deal?" Zhao Fangji's voice turned cold.

Li Yi looked at him: "What, listening to your tone, it sounds like you're threatening me? What, am I very easy to bully?"

"It doesn't count as a threat, but I've been to a world. Although that world was very boring, I liked one of its features: when encountering issues, they like to use duels to handle them. Why don't we have a fight? If you win, I'll give you the ten extraordinary fruits for free. If I win, you give me the martial arts legacy. How about that?" Zhao Fangji proposed a request.

"And we are both in the Spirit Perception Realm, so it's considered fair."

A gambling duel?

The eyes of the other students listening to the lecture nearby suddenly moved.

Judging from the strength Zhao Fangji just displayed, he could almost be called invincible in the Spirit Perception Realm. That power after opening the body's shackles could only be suppressed by people in the Soul Realm. Even if Li Yi possessed a martial arts method, if they were to fight, it was feared that his chances of winning weren't high.

"This kind of gambling duel seems fair, but in reality, it's not fair at all. It's better to refuse," Jiang Mingtian also evaluated in his heart and muttered to himself.

Di Zhuan also recalled Li Yi's performance during the initial assessment and felt that if the two really fought, this Zhao Fangji still had the greater advantage.

Upon hearing this, Li Yi was stunned for a moment, then grinned and said, "I also like that world's feature, but I'm afraid that if I accidentally beat you to death, I won't be able to get the items, and I'll have to carry a human life on my back; it's not worth it. Why don't you put down the ten extraordinary fruits first, and then we'll go to the hall next door to have a fight. If I lose, I'll immediately pass you the martial arts legacy in the next room. If I win, I'll accept the extraordinary fruits."

"Fine, then everyone be a witness."

Zhao Fangji was somewhat excited; he hadn't expected Li Yi to agree, not giving him any room to go back on his word. He put down the ten silver extraordinary fruits on a seat nearby, and then strode toward another hall.

"Hey, Li Yi, you really agreed? This guy clearly already possesses Soul Realm strength; you'll suffer a huge loss if you fight him." Jiang Mingtian's eyes widened, he stood up abruptly and said hurriedly.

"Just treat it as earning some pocket money while watching a movie. Don't worry, it's a guaranteed win." Li Yi smiled, also very calm.

Guaranteed win?

Once these words were out, Jiang Mingtian was speechless.

Can you not be so confident?

Soul Realm power, one punch down, can you take that? Jiang Mingtian had fought with the examiner and knew how fierce the Soul Realm was. Even under the condition of restricted power, just by relying on physical advantages, he could crush himself to a pulp.

Soon.

The two of them left and headed to the hall next door, and closed the door, forbidding anyone from watching.

"Li Yi can't win."

Di Zhuan shook his head and said, "Although that Zhao Fangji is confident, he indeed has the capital to be confident. Possessing this level of power in the Spirit Perception Realm, I don't know how to win. This guy shouldn't be staying in the Spirit Perception Realm; he should have condensed his soul and broken through the realm long ago. In my opinion, Zhao Fangji wants to thoroughly develop his body's potential first, and then break through the realm to unlock all the shackles, allowing himself to reign supreme even in the Soul Realm."

"Don't underestimate Li Yi. Since he agreed, he naturally has the confidence to win." Although Jiang Mingtian wasn't confident in Li Yi internally, he still had to stand up and say a few words.

After all, they were considered comrades and friends.

"Is the competition so fierce just after entering the academy? Such simple and direct plundering of others' cultivation resources? Hmm, learned it, learned it." Some people also nodded, looking as if they had achieved enlightenment.

"Li Yi..."

A woman wearing plain clothes lowered her head and eyes, whispering softly, not knowing what she was thinking.

The purple-eyed man was currently sitting with his legs crossed, looking casual, but in reality, his eyes were also flickering. He couldn't take out 100,000 points either; why not also learn from the other party's example and have a gambling duel with Li Yi?

If he won, he would have everything, and he wouldn't need to sell his beloved spaceship.

"Wearing battle armor is not allowed during the assessment, but it didn't say it wasn't allowed during a fight."

The purple-eyed man was very confident that he could take down Li Yi within ten strikes by relying on the advantage of his battle armor.

Although Li Yi previously said that he had also captured a liquid metal battle armor, he guessed that Li Yi probably hadn't obtained the permission and couldn't activate it.

However, just at this moment.

With a creak.

The door to the hall next door opened.

Li Yi walked out nonchalantly, then returned to his seat, put away the ten silver extraordinary fruits, and then sat down to the side, eating a fruit as if he were eating melon seeds.

Crunchy.

"Did you not fight and choose to trade instead?" Jiang Mingtian asked with a puzzled face.

Others also looked at Li Yi in unison, very suspicious.

They hadn't heard any sounds of fighting just now, and after Li Yi and Zhao Fangji left, it hadn't even been a minute, at most thirty seconds.

"No, the fight is over, Zhao Fangji lost," Li Yi said. "I said, it's a guaranteed win."

"How is that possible? Zhao Fangji lost in such a short time? I don't believe it."

That purple-eyed man was very shocked, his tall body stood up abruptly, and he strode toward the hall next door.

Bang!

Under the huge force, the two doors were pushed open.

Everyone also immediately looked over there.

Then, everyone's expressions changed drastically, revealing looks of disbelief.

Zhao Fangji, who had been so confident just a moment ago, was now lying on the ground, his legs standing in place, his body severed in half. He was stunned, seemingly not having expected that he would be defeated so quickly, defeated so absurdly.

"He really lost?"

The purple-eyed man trembled all over and subconsciously took a step back.

What exactly happened in those few dozen seconds just now?

He looked back at Li Yi, but Li Yi was eating something and didn't want to give too much explanation.

At this moment, the purple-eyed man's expression was also slightly ugly, and he had to retract that sentence from just now in his heart; he definitely couldn't take down Li Yi within ten strikes, and would most likely end up defeated just like this Zhao Fangji.

It seemed that the path of gambling duels wouldn't work; it was better to honestly earn money to buy it.

"I lost."

Zhao Fangji was currently gritting his teeth, revealing a bitter look, and then he looked at Li Yi again, his eyes filled with both shock and fear.

If the other party hadn't severed his lower body just now, but his upper body, then his head would have already moved house.

It was evident that Li Yi had already shown mercy.

"Haha, the Golden Academy is indeed full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers; I didn't lose unjustly."

Zhao Fangji laughed loudly at this moment, but as he laughed, he started crying again: "But why, why was it only one strike? I have experienced life and death, wandered in other worlds, tempered my body and mind, transcended limits, and opened the shackles in the Spirit Perception Realm. My cultivation value is as high as 1,500 percent. In my city, I can be called invincible, but why did I lose in just one strike?"

"No, I don't accept this result, I don't accept it, I want to go home, I want to go back to Tianning City, I'm not staying here anymore..."

He crawled outside while crying, not even wanting his legs that were left behind.

And he crawled faster and faster, like a rat, scurrying randomly in the hall, sometimes even crawling onto the ceiling, ignoring the blood flowing from his severed legs, while also laughing loudly and randomly: "Haha, hahaha."

"Uh..." Everyone saw him in this state.

Friend, don't be like this, you're making us feel scared.

"Another one gone crazy?" Anna sighed slightly.

"Eh? Another one gone crazy? What does this intelligent robot mean by this sentence? Is it very easy for people in the Golden Academy to go crazy?" Someone looked at Anna with suspicion.

But Anna soon returned to being serious and continued the lecture.

However, everyone was no longer in the mood to listen to the lecture and instead paid attention to Zhao Fangji's abnormal behavior.

Shouldn't this be managed?

If he were allowed to continue crawling around and laughing loudly, he would soon bleed out, and then he would really die.

Suddenly.

At this moment, a woman wearing plain clothes stood up and slowly walked toward Zhao Fangji. She lowered her head and eyes, her hands forming a precious seal, and her whole body began to emit a faint radiance.

Hmm?

While eating the extraordinary fruit, Li Yi noticed this woman's hand seal.

It was somewhat similar to his own Bone Observation hand seal, but it was a different way of forming the seal.

"Zhao Fangji." The woman in plain clothes spoke slowly.

Her voice had a heavy tone; just by speaking, it echoed in everyone's ears, and this kind of voice seemed to contain a special magic, indescribable, but very peculiar.

Zhao Fangji, who was currently crawling around and laughing, stopped immediately after hearing this voice, and then raised his head to look at the woman in plain clothes.

"Zhao Fangji." The woman in plain clothes called his name again.

At this moment, Zhao Fangji was stunned and didn't move, as if he were being controlled by some force.

"Zhao Fangji." The third call rang out.

The voice echoed in the hall.

The next moment.

Zhao Fangji trembled all over, and his whole person seemed to have woken up. He immediately revealed a look of confusion, and then gradually remembered everything from just now, feeling both ashamed and embarrassed.

The woman in plain clothes smiled slightly, picked up the two severed legs, then sent them over to Zhao Fangji and reattached them.

Her palms were glowing with a faint radiance, and the severed legs were actually reattached in a very short time.

"This is using some kind of power to stimulate cell regeneration, accelerating wound healing... It should be a technique for healing people. As for those three calls, it has quite a bit of power to bewitch people's hearts." Someone saw some clues and at the same time developed some wariness toward this woman in plain clothes.

Such an ability was somewhat eerie, making people not know how to guard against it.

"It's this woman who has been staring at me; she seems to have ideas about me. Previously, Sister Lin guessed that this woman was suspected of having obtained the other half of the Bone Observation mural and mastered some kind of cultivation technique similar to mine. Now it seems it's more than that." Li Yi also narrowed his eyes and took a look.

And as he ate a silver extraordinary fruit, he felt a special power surge out within his body. This power traveled throughout his body, and after his body absorbed this power, it was constantly becoming stronger.

His muscles, bones, and skin all underwent a brand-new change.

As a martial artist currently practicing Qi, Li Yi was very sensitive to the control of his own body.

Furthermore, this kind of strengthening was very unreasonable, violating the process of evolution, as if a power had suddenly been added to his body, directly reducing the time for cultivation and transformation.

It seemed that this Zhao Fangji's fortuitous encounter wasn't simple either.

The thing that could produce this kind of extraordinary fruit must be an extraordinary object, but he didn't know where he obtained it—was it from the danger zone in Tianning City, or from another world?

Subsequently, Li Yi didn't hesitate and ate another extraordinary fruit.

He wanted to see to what extent this kind of physical transformation would reach. Anyway, this thing was earned, so there was no need to keep it.

(End of chapter)