Chapter 455: The True Origins of the Jixia Academy

Could this really be a fragment of the primordial world, shattered since the Age of Primordial Chaos?

A divine demon murmured.

Everyone froze, following the divine demon’s gaze—their earlier assumption that the Jixia Academy was a realm crafted by some great figure vanished instantly.

They saw a luminous membrane blocking their view beyond the towering heavens above this gate, faintly revealing a blood-red sky and blackened earth, scarred and ruined beyond.

It resembled a grand world utterly shattered.

Faintly visible were the skeletal remains of beings—only eighty-one in total—encircling this highest immortal mountain realm, standing firm like towering mountains, radiating majestic, noble energy, as if true dragons lay coiled, collectively guarding this realm.

Just as they had in life, they guarded this place.

“These eighty-one were among the founders of the Jixia Academy; they died in the earliest battlefield.”

Senior Qingyun spoke, his calm tone now tinged with sorrow and reverence; his eyes flickered with a flame—as if enraged by the brutality of the earliest battlefield, yet also angered by the deaths of his predecessors.

“Before I lead you into the Jixia Academy, there is something you must know—it is mandatory for all who enter, and must be strictly obeyed.”

He turned, his cold eyes solemn—he showed seriousness for the first time.

Everyone’s hearts tightened; they understood this might be the true deciding factor of whether they entered the Jixia Academy—or even something tied to its very nature.

“I assume all of you know of the earliest battlefield.”

Before anyone could respond, Qingyun continued:

“The proposal for the Jixia Academy predates even earlier times—not the Warring States era. It was merely during the Warring States era that King Wei of Qi publicized it, and he once served as acting head of the provisional Jixia Academy. During the Warring States era, warlords rose, vying for dominance over the Primordial Realm.”

But they were also vying for the earliest battlefield—where fierce battles erupted, and the Jixia Academy first emerged into the myriad worlds.

These are digressions; if you wish to learn more, once inside the Jixia Academy, consult the Scripture Hall yourself.

What I wish to emphasize is another point: the reason the Jixia Academy was founded.

At its inception, the Jixia Academy was established by Huaxia Mythos to promote scholarship—yes, as ancient histories record: King Wei of Qi founded the Jixia Academy to promote scholarship.

But when the earliest battlefield appeared, Huaxia Mythos shifted its purpose: to train more divine demons to fight in the earliest battlefield, for it was a one-way drain with no cycle of renewal.

To ensure no talent from the Huaxia realm was overlooked, Huaxia Mythos opened the Jixia Academy for recruitment.

Until the Ancient Era and the Warring States period, when the earliest battlefield erupted in massive warfare with catastrophic casualties, Huaxia Mythos, to maintain the battlefield’s stability, needed fresh blood—so it allied with other mythoi, and the Jixia Academy began recruiting disciples from across the myriad worlds.

To this day, the Jixia Academy continues to recruit disciples from the myriad worlds, including disciples sent by the major mythoi of the Primordial Realm.

Because the Jixia Academy is jointly managed by Huaxia Mythos and the other four major mythoi, its elders are personally appointed by Huaxia Mythos and the other mythoi, who dispatch their own great figures to teach, and collectively pour resources into it.

I can say without hesitation: the Jixia Academy is now the greatest divine-demon blood bank in the myriad worlds—the fresh blood for the earliest battlefield comes entirely from here.”

Upon hearing this, everyone understood.

No wonder the earliest battlefield raged across past and future, yet the myriad worlds had almost no information about it, and rarely saw divine demons or immortal demons fighting—because only those who entered the Jixia Academy could reach the earliest battlefield.

This also explained why the myriad worlds knew nothing of the earliest battlefield, and why no divine demons knew of it to join the fight.

So that was how it was.

The Jixia Academy was the place that supplied “soldiers” to the earliest battlefield.

Yet the world only knew of the Jixia Academy, not the earliest battlefield.

And very likely, each of their own worlds did know of the earliest battlefield—but it had been deliberately concealed, to prevent panic.

Only those who reached the Immortal level could know the truth—such beings were major combatants even in the earliest battlefield.

The First Immortal Sovereign of Jiuzhou recalled the missing Immortals from their own worlds; they grew more certain these missing Immortals had gone to the earliest battlefield, and to prevent chaos among their world’s divine demons, they had concealed the earliest battlefield, waiting for Jixia Academy recruitment.

At this moment,

“I believe you now understand: today’s Jixia Academy no longer teaches scholarship—it primarily supplies blood to the earliest battlefield, protecting the Primordial Realm and the myriad worlds.”

“Make your choice.”

“Stay in the Jixia Academy, and you will receive unwavering support and instruction—but with reward comes duty: should the Primordial Realm face peril or the myriad worlds descend into chaos, you must fight. Should the earliest battlefield fall into crisis, you must take up arms.”

“If you cannot fulfill these, the Jixia Academy will not cultivate you.”

“Decide now: stay or leave.”

“Do not fear that leaving will make the Jixia Academy resent you or blacklist you—the Jixia Academy is not petty enough for that.”

“I only hope that even if you choose to leave, you will not speak of today’s revelations—and if a true crisis ever arises in the past realm, you will lend aid, as fellow beings of the past realm. Even if you refuse to help, do not sabotage.”

He spoke gently, using only “do not sabotage”—but none were fools; they understood his unspoken meaning: betraying the past realm to side with the future.

Though unspoken, his tone was icy—they could feel the severity of the consequence should one betray the past realm.

“I stay.”

“I stay too.”

One divine demon smiled sharply: “The past and future will inevitably decide a victor. If the past loses, we cannot remain detached—we cannot hope for peace. In the end, we must face it.”

“To defeat the future, strength is key. The Jixia Academy is the place that can make us strong. Since this fate is inevitable, strengthening ourselves is the only truth—I choose to stay.”

Without exception.

Almost without hesitation, everyone present chose to stay and enter the Jixia Academy.

Just as the last divine demon said: strength was the key to protecting oneself, one’s world, or one’s loved ones. If facing the inevitable was certain, then facing it with strength was the only choice—the Jixia Academy was the most suitable path.

“Very well. Follow me.”

Qingyun nodded in satisfaction; for the first time, his calm face broke into a genuinely warm, approachable smile.

From now on, these people were his junior and senior brethren—and his rivals.

Under Qingyun’s guidance, Zhang Hao and the others passed through the massive gate and entered an ancient hall.

Many people moved within—mostly young, some elderly—all dressed in the same attire as Qingyun and the others, all Jixia Academy disciples.

“Chengxian Hall?”

……