Chapter 149

The senior elder wept inwardly, his guts twisting with regret.

At that moment, an unknown cultivator casually said, "If it weren't for the Yin-Yang Saint Son provoking Lord Jun, forcing him to pass the Three Trials, we might never have witnessed such a miracle."

"Exactly! Lord Jun was too lazy to even attempt the trials—but these two Saint Sons dared to provoke him. How presumptuous of them."

Hearing this, the senior elder was furious.

He turned his head, his gaze locking fiercely onto the two.

The Yin-Yang Saint Son and Xia Lan both turned pale, stammering, "We only did it for Brother Ji Xuan and the Sacred Spirit Academy…"

"Useless fools who only cause failure!" The senior elder swept his sleeve.

Their chests trembled, blood spewed from their mouths, and they were blasted backward again.

Had it not been for their ties to the Yin-Yang Sect and the Great Xia Empire, and their status as Saint Sons, the senior elder would have crushed them dead on the spot.

The senior elder flashed forward, appearing instantly at the lake's edge.

Looking out, the entire lake was stained crimson; golden-horned dragon serpents floated belly-up, dead beyond revival.

"Xiao Qiang, Xiao Qiang, you died so tragically…" The senior elder cried out, seeing one of the golden-horned dragon serpents.

That was his favorite golden-horned dragon serpent—he'd even given it a name.

Jun Xiaoyao blinked in surprise; he hadn't realized these golden-horned dragon serpents were raised by the senior elder.

Had he known earlier…

It wouldn't have changed a thing.

"Senior elder, please accept your loss with composure," Jun Xiaoyao sighed gently.

The senior elder drew a deep breath, wanting to rage—but forcibly suppressed it.

At least Jun Xiaoyao's demeanor was decent.

Yet the next moment, Jun Xiaoyao said, "These dragon serpents all carry dragon bloodline. Excellent ingredients."

With a wave of his hand, his magic power surged, and he collected each golden-horned dragon serpent into his space treasure.

The senior elder stood frozen, mouth agape.

A demon!

In his eyes, this Lord Jun was nothing short of a complete demon.

Now he finally understood why the academy head and others warned him to avoid Jun Xiaoyao like a plague.

"Lord Jun is a ruthless man…" Many cultivators swallowed hard.

And from today onward, the Three Trials of the Sacred Spirit Academy were effectively null.

Only the first trial—the Heavenly Stairway—remained; the second and third trials were rendered meaningless.

"No wonder Ji Xuan's Dao heart shattered facing him. Lord Jun is truly peerless," Hua Xiqing murmured, dazed.

Gazing at the divine radiance enveloping that transcendent, otherworldly figure, Hua Xiqing softly spoke: "Forgive my boldness, but might I one day have the honor to discuss Dao with the Saint Son?"

Hearing her words, many academy disciples were stunned.

Was their academy's Saint Maiden defecting to the enemy?

"Hua Xiqing, you—" The Yin-Yang Saint Son and Xia Lan stared, unable to believe it.

Already betraying their own side?

"Lord Jun possesses peerless grace; we cannot possibly oppose him. The reason he shattered Brother Ji Xuan's Dao heart must have been justified," Hua Xiqing explained.

"That's right! I think we've misunderstood Lord Jun," said a beautiful senior disciple of the academy.

"Indeed…" A group of female disciples voiced their support.

The male disciples, meanwhile, trembled in fear, shivering with outrage.

This world of beauty was brimming with malice toward them.

Jun Xiaoyao was speechless.

If harvesting leeks counts as a reason, then yes—he was being perfectly reasonable.

"If I have time later, I have no objections," Jun Xiaoyao said coolly.

Hua Xiqing's face lit up with delight.

She had assumed, given Jun Xiaoyao's stature, he might refuse her.

She hadn't expected him to agree.

"Lord Jun truly is a gentle person," Hua Xiqing thought inwardly.

At that moment, from deep within the Sacred Spirit Academy, a faint, mystical chant spread outward, making listeners feel as if they were on the verge of enlightenment.

Auspicious signs descended; wondrous phenomena manifested; celestial light shimmered across the heavens.

"The Heavenly Dao Tower is about to open!" Many young cultivators' eyes gleamed with excitement.

"So it's finally opening?" Jun Xiaoyao murmured.

Breaking the record of the Three Trials meant nothing to him.

He didn't think he'd done anything extraordinary—it was far too easy.

The Heavenly Dao Tower was Jun Xiaoyao's true goal.

All major sects' prodigies and young cultivators surged toward the Heavenly Dao Tower.

The Heavenly Dao Tower stood deep within the Sacred Spirit Academy.

From afar, it pierced the clouds, ancient and solemn, as if passed down from primordial times.

Around the tower, mysterious runes were etched into the void; phantom images of auspicious beasts shimmered; celestial light flowed faintly.

Many cultivators, merely by glancing at it, felt as if their very being had been elevated.

When Jun Xiaoyao arrived, he too sensed a profound Daoic resonance.

Yet simultaneously, a faint pressure emanated from within the Heavenly Dao Tower.

The senior elder spoke: "All of you, I shall oversee this opening of the Heavenly Dao Tower. The tower will emit pressure on its own; those lacking sufficient cultivation base or destiny will be unable to enter."

Hearing this, many young cultivators turned pale.

So talent alone wasn't enough—even the right to participate was denied?

"I'll go first," Jin Chixiaopeng immediately spread his wings and shot forward.

By nature, he always charged ahead in everything.

This time, he meant to prove he wasn't inferior to Jun Xiaoyao.

As Jin Chixiaopeng neared within ten li of the Heavenly Dao Tower, he could no longer fly.

The pressure was no trivial thing.

Jin Chixiaopeng began to focus intently.

Suddenly, behind him, a golden great roc soared upward, radiating a Daoic aura.

"There's such an effect!" Many cultivators exclaimed in wonder.

"Wonderful! I never expected this to be a chance for insight—it'll clarify my future cultivation path," Jin Chixiaopeng beamed.

Seeing this, many prodigies could no longer hold back and rushed forward.

Fa Hai stepped forward; behind him, a phantom ancient Buddha emerged.

Yet that ancient Buddha faintly shimmered with a crimson glow, carrying an ominous aura.

"Hmm? That young Buddha from the Western Heaven…" The senior elder's eyes widened in surprise.

Meanwhile, Ye Xingyun, Wu Mingyue, and Jun Lingcang also moved.

Each of them manifested astonishing phenomena.

Especially Jun Lingcang—behind him stood a towering supreme being with dual pupils; his gaze opening and closing, reigniting primordial chaos.

Ye Xingyun, however, was astonishing.

Behind him, a terrifying figure draped in sun, moon, and stars seemed to materialize.

The aura of this phenomenon was no weaker than Jun Lingcang's.

"How is Ye's Starlight Body so powerful?" Some cultivators noticed, deeply surprised.

"Huh? Ye Xingyun is strange…" Jun Xiaoyao's gaze grew deep.

Seeing Ye Xingyun's phenomenon, Jun Xiaoyao suspected he might be a great destiny bearer like Xiao Chen or Yang Pan.

"Could he be a powerful being reincarnated? A supreme soul reborn?" Jun Xiaoyao speculated.

If handled well, he might harvest another wave from Ye Xingyun.

Around him, many cultivators watched Jun Xiaoyao closely.

Given Jun Xiaoyao's monstrous talent, what wondrous spectacle would he manifest?

Yet just as Jun Xiaoyao was about to step forward—

From afar, a green lotus drifted toward them, carrying a slender, veiled figure in green robes, her aura ethereal and transcendent, like a celestial immortal.

"That's… the Ji Family's Saint Maiden!" Someone cried out.

Many turned again to Jun Xiaoyao.

Because of Ji Xuan, Jun Xiaoyao and the Ji Family had already developed tension.

Now that the Ji Family's Saint Maiden had appeared—what sparks would fly between her and the Jun Family's Saint Son?

Everyone waited with bated breath.