Chapter 245: Searching for a Successor

Supreme Academy.

This most mysterious and powerful academy in the Great Xia stands on the outskirts of the capital, nestled in the cloud-shrouded Yinmeng Mountain.

Beneath Yinmeng Mountain, demonic creatures are everywhere; for ordinary people, even approaching the mountain is no easy task, let alone reaching its peak.

At the summit, with flowing springs and waterfalls surrounded by a sea of clouds, the Supreme Academy, hidden among towering ancient trees, resembles a celestial palace from beyond the heavens, possessing an indescribable aura of immortality.

The architecture within the Supreme Academy is also antique, and the students within walk with steady steps and a presence as deep as an abyss.

Just at this moment, in the infirmary of the Supreme Academy, Zhuge Ni let out a muffled groan and woke up from her unconscious state.

"You're awake?"

A thin man with his hands behind his back stood quietly by Zhuge Ni's bed; he wore a white robe, his temperament refined and detached, as if he were an immortal who did not eat the food of mortals.

The moment she saw this man, Zhuge Ni's expression changed slightly.

"Greetings, Vice Dean!"

The Dean of the Supreme Academy is rarely seen, and many students never see what the Dean looks like from the time they enroll until they graduate.

Therefore, all matters, large and small, at the Supreme Academy are coordinated and managed by the two Vice Deans.

And the thin man before her was none other than one of the Vice Deans of the Supreme Academy, Yun Xintong!

"Tell me, what exactly happened in the Dragon Pool Secret Realm?" Yun Xintong asked in a cold voice.

Zhuge Ni's thoughts were pulled back to before she lost consciousness; she couldn't help but shiver, a look of terror appearing in the depths of her eyes—the strength of the man named Ye Mushuang was too terrifying.

"It was the Ye family! People from the Ye family made a move!"

Zhuge Ni struggled to recall the previous scenes.

"That man was named Ye Mushuang, a frost-type mage. He appeared suddenly and then attacked us directly. Heng Wu and Teacher Wen Tianyan must have died at his hands!"

"Oh? Did you see it with your own eyes?" Yun Xintong asked.

"No... I was knocked unconscious by him." Zhuge Ni shook her head.

"Knocked unconscious? Then can you explain why, in just a few short days, your level soared from 35 to 42?" Yun Xintong asked again.

"Me?"

Zhuge Ni pointed at herself in confusion, then she sensed her own state, her eyes filled with bewilderment.

She really was level 42!

But how could this be? Before she lost consciousness, she was clearly only level 35.

"I don't know..."

Zhuge Ni's eyes were filled with confusion.

"Tell me everything that happened after you entered the Dragon Pool Secret Realm in detail; do not leave anything out," Yun Xintong instructed.

Zhuge Ni nodded, and starting from meeting Ye Lin at the Class-Changer Guild and competing with him for the mission, she recounted everything she knew.

Yun Xintong listened quietly, his fingers tapping lightly on the bed rail, his brows gradually knitting together.

After Zhuge Ni finished speaking, Yun Xintong finally spoke.

"Normal people have motives for their actions."

"If what you say is the truth, then Ye Mushuang had absolutely no motive to attack you, unless... he and that Ye Lin are the same person." Yun Xintong narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Ye Mushuang and Ye Lin are the same person? How could that be?" Zhuge Ni couldn't help but shake her head.

"When you eliminate all impossible situations, whatever remains, no matter how unbelievable, must be the truth," Yun Xintong said.

"Vice Dean, you don't know this, but Ye Lin and I came from the same place. I know him very well; he couldn't possibly be a match for Teacher Wen Tianyan. Besides, he was severely injured by Teacher Wen Tianyan at the very beginning—I saw that with my own eyes."

Zhuge Ni's tone was very certain.

Ye Lin able to defeat Teacher Wen Tianyan? How could that be possible!

Yun Xintong frowned slightly, then stared fixedly into Zhuge Ni's eyes.

"Zhuge Ni, do you know? Based on the entire process you described, Ye Lin is the prime suspect. If his suspicion is ruled out, then the one with the greatest suspicion... is you!"

Zhuge Ni's heart skipped a beat.

"Because you cannot explain why Ye Mushuang killed everyone else but left you as the sole survivor, nor can you explain why your level soared from 35 to 42."

"Combining the currently known information... the only truth I can deduce is that you discovered some opportunity in the Dragon Pool Secret Realm that could significantly increase your strength, and then you colluded with Ye Mushuang, working from the inside and out to kill the six of them, including Heng Wu, as well as Teacher Wen Tianyan."

"This would explain why you are not only still alive but also have seen your strength greatly increase."

Listening to Yun Xintong's words, Zhuge Ni's eyes were filled with confusion.

"Dean, I really don't know what happened."

"I will get to the bottom of this. It is best if it has nothing to do with you, but if it does..."

A cold glint flashed in the depths of Yun Xintong's eyes.

The Supreme Academy only recruits one hundred students each year, and these one hundred people are peerless geniuses gathered from all over the Great Xia.

Losing even one would make his heart ache for a long time, let alone losing six people in one go, and even a teacher!

The Supreme Academy has not suffered such heavy losses in a long time; this matter must be investigated until the truth is revealed!

Since the suspicion of that Ye Lin has been ruled out, then the first priority now is to investigate that Ye Mushuang!

Regarding the Ye family, one cannot be careless. Yun Xintong decided to make the trip himself to uncover the truth!

Just as Yun Xintong was preparing to set off, his figure suddenly paused.

Because he sensed an extremely powerful aura rapidly approaching Yinmeng Mountain, heading straight for the Supreme Academy on the summit.

"Could it be that someone from the Ye family has come?"

Yun Xintong frowned slightly; he walked out of the infirmary and stood on the plaza of the Supreme Academy with his hands behind his back, waiting quietly for the visitor.

Soon, Yun Xintong saw the visitor: the man was an old man with white hair and beard, his body covered in solid, corded muscle, but strangely, he seemed to be carrying a huge swimming pool on his head?

This filled Yun Xintong's eyes with confusion—why would this person carry a swimming pool here?

"Hahahaha! Friends of the Supreme Academy! Good afternoon!" Shen Jingbin laughed heartily.

"May I ask who you are?" Yun Xintong stared at Shen Jingbin with some confusion; he felt this guy looked familiar, but he couldn't quite remember where he had seen him.

"Who I am is not important; what's important is! I want to find a student to pass on my life's learning! I have long heard that the students of the Supreme Academy are gifted, so I came here today specifically to find a successor. After all, I must find a new owner for my divine artifact..."

Shen Jingbin muttered to himself with some sadness. His five fingers slowly closed, and the surrounding space rippled like a lake surface whose stillness had been broken. Then, a pair of brass knuckles shining with a golden metallic luster covered his hands!

The brass knuckles could completely wrap around the back of his hands, with a sharp spike at the front, and on both sides of the spike were two lifelike silver dragon patterns.

The moment the brass knuckles merged with Shen Jingbin, the entire Yinmeng Mountain seemed to tremble, and a terrifying aura spread out, pressing down so hard that people couldn't breathe.

The teachers and students of the Supreme Academy were all shocked by this aura, and then, they all began to get excited.

Because the other party had said he was looking for a successor! Doesn't this mean that as long as they are chosen by this old man, they could obtain this powerful divine artifact!

In an instant, almost all the students from freshman to senior year at the Supreme Academy couldn't sit still; they couldn't help but run to the plaza, staring at Shen Jingbin with anticipation.

Seeing more and more people gathering on the plaza, the smile on Shen Jingbin's face slowly changed from kind and amiable to ferocious and terrifying.

"Good, good, good! Everyone stay where you are, don't move! I have a little test here that I need you all to participate in!"