No one dared question rules personally set by White Jade Capital’s master, Lu Ping’an—even if they seemed blatantly unfair.

  Three rounds: individual battles, team battle, kill-count war.

  Best of three decided everything.

  Yet anyone with eyes could see—these rules were tailor-made for Overlord’s Xiang Family army.

  Doubt rippled through the crowd.

  Did Young Lord Lu actually favor the army over the Academy?

  Was he still betting on the military model for raising cultivators?

  After the rules were announced, the martial field fell silent, everyone waiting for the showdown to begin.

  Xiang Family side: Xu Chu, newly stepped into Heavenly Lock, took command.

  Academy side: Jiang Li, silver-armored and stern.

  First round—individual battles. Three fighters each, first to two wins.

  Both sides huddled to choose their champions.

  Though the contestants were “only” Internal Organs realm, the stands were packed with Golden Cores, Heavenly Locks, even Nascent Souls from the Four Great Holy Lands.

  To them, this was child’s play.

  But the significance was monumental. A contest Young Lord Lu cared about this much? It carried the weight of destiny.

  Western stand.

  Xu Chu released his spiritual sense like an invisible dome, blocking eavesdroppers.

  “Zhao Zixu, you’re up first. Smash them so hard their ancestors feel it!”

  “I thought Young Lord Lu would favor the Academy—who knew he’d hand us rules like these? This was written for us! If we lose now, I’ll have no face to see the King!”

  Xu Chu roared.

  The Xiang Family soldiers stood ramrod straight, eyes blazing.

  A young man in black armor stepped forward, long spear in hand, sword at his waist.

  “Zhao Zixu!” Xu Chu barked. “As a soldier, what is most important when facing the enemy?”

  “You may scorn them strategically, but once battle begins—give everything! Underestimating the foe kills you and your brothers!”

  Zhao Zixu’s spine straightened like a spear shaft. “YES, SIR!”

  Xu Chu clapped in satisfaction.

  Eastern stand.

  The Academy’s mood was heavy.

  Jiang Li stood with arms folded, brows knitted.

  These rules crushed morale.

  He had expected scholarly trials—alchemy, artifact forging, theory.

  After all, Young Lord Lu had once openly praised the Academy path.

  Yet these rules offered no hope.

  “What is Young Lord Lu’s true intention?” Jiang Li muttered.

  “Everything except the third round feels designed to disqualify someone on purpose…”

  He wracked his brain—who among the younger generation had offended Young Lord Lu so badly?

  Eventually he gave up thinking.

  He turned to the students, expression grave.

  “First match—Lu Jiulian, you’re up.”

  “You’re our only real chance at a win. Xu Chu will send his strongest to set the tone. Your job is to crush that tone.”

  Gasps rippled through the Academy students.

  Nine pairs of eyes turned to a youth in lotus-embroidered training robes.

  Lu Jiulian stepped forward with a bright, infectious smile that seemed to lift everyone’s spirits.

  The monster who had gone from zero foundation to peak Internal Organs in half a year—mostly spent reading in the library, no less.

  “Confident?” Jiang Li asked.

  Lu Jiulian tilted his head, grinning. “Should be.”

  ---

  BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

  War drums thundered across Beiluo’s martial field.

  A bare-chested giant swung mallets like thunderclaps; blood boiled just hearing it.

  Western gate.

  Zhao Zixu strode out in black armor, spear dragging sparks across the ground.

  Eastern gate.

  Lu Jiulian walked forward like a lotus rising clean from mud—untouched, serene.

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  “Western Liang — Zhao Zixu.”

  Spear point stabbed the earth.

  “Great Xuan Academy — Lu Jiulian.”

  A polite nod.

  Silence.

  No more words needed.

  Fight!

  BOOM!

  Zhao Zixu exploded with qi. Spirit armor condensed over his body.

  His black spear spun like a drill, tearing air with a shrill scream.

  First fighter of Xiang Family—he had to win beautifully.

  Three moves. He would end it in three!

  He did not underestimate his opponent; from the first instant he unleashed his full power.

  ---

  Origin Lake, Heart Island.

  Lu Ping’an lounged in his Thousand-Bladed Chair, hair fluttering in the breeze.

  He paid no attention to the contest in Beiluo.

  Of course he favored the Academy—but with Lu Jiulian, his own cheat-code avatar, accidentally enrolled as the Academy’s top genius, what could he do?

  That kid’s talent was guaranteed—he was literally Lu Ping’an’s backup body, with perfect cultivation instinct.

  Guilt gnawed at him.

  But he couldn’t exactly announce: “Sorry, my clone can’t participate, carry him out chair and all.”

  That would scream rigged.

  So he crafted rules that handicapped Lu Jiulian and tilted toward Western Liang.

  Fair play.

  As long as Overlord’s side planned properly, they still had hope.

  After all—there was only one Lu Jiulian.

  He set the matter aside.

  Something far more important demanded attention.

  Beyond Wuhuang, three terrifying auras were closing in fast.

  Even after fusing Tianyuan’s Origin and ascending to top-tier Mid Martial, Wuhuang still felt fragile before them.

  Origin-level fragility.

  These three approaching worlds were likely peak Mid Martial—each stronger than the old Tianyuan.

  “Three big fish, as expected.”

  Lu Ping’an’s eyes glinted with amusement.

  He had planned to go easy.

  But that High Martial Buddha Realm really held a grudge—one dead Buddha seed, and they sent three top-tier hunting parties.

  He reached up and slowly drew the Sky-Covering Sword from his crown.

  Fine.

  He would give them the respect they deserved.

  ---

  Rumble…

  In the boundless void,

  Wuhuang drifted peacefully.

  From three distant directions, three continents tore through emptiness, closing in like predators.

  They formed a perfect triangle of pressure.

  Wuhuang was large—but dwarfed by these three.

  On one continent, a white-robed youth stood smiling, gently spinning a golden compass that radiated strange light.

  On another, a towering, muscle-bound giant stood, blood qi so dense each breath could shatter mountains.

  On the third—the white-robed monk’s continent.

  The moment they neared Wuhuang, all three silently halted their continents.

  They looked up, gazes seeming to meet across the void.

  “A newborn top-tier Mid Martial… its Origin isn’t even stable yet.”

  The youth laughed brightly, playing with his compass.

  “But it dared kill the Venerable One’s Buddha seed. This world has no right to exist.”

  He glanced at the other two oppressive continents.

  “Golden Body Continent and Prajna Continent… all three of the Venerable One’s strongest Mid Martial worlds are here.”

  He clicked his tongue, then threw his head back and laughed.

  “Guess I’ll move first—biggest reward goes to the quickest.”

  Destroying a top-tier Mid Martial world yielded massive profit—spirit stone mines, treasures, and most valuable of all: the Origin fragments and dispersed spiritual energy released upon collapse.

  They had clearly done this many times.

  The void was vast.

  Countless Mid Martial worlds had spawned over eons.

  Some were claimed by High Martial powers.

  Many were wild.

  Wild ones were fat prey.

  World Protection Force existed, but it mainly blocked High Martial incursions—between Mid Martial worlds, it was far weaker.

  The three sovereigns exchanged smiles across the void.

  Their spiritual senses clashed like tidal waves.

  Then withdrew.

  No need for pleasantries.

  They were competitors now.

  If necessary, they could cooperate.

  But to crush a newborn top-tier Mid Martial? No alliance required.

  The youth sat cross-legged in emptiness, compass spinning faster, golden characters blazing.

  “Top-tier Mid Martial at most has Infant Transformation. Only by breaking into Spirit Severing does a world truly touch High Martial qualification…”

  “First, scout their experts.”

  Cautious.

  The void birthed too many surprises.

  Even though the Buddha seed died here, who knew if a High Martial sovereign backed this world?

  Spiritual sense poured into the compass.

  Buzz…

  The compass expanded, becoming a massive golden star.

  A giant swastika blazed at its center.

  Golden light swept across Wuhuang like a laser, scanning from one end to the other.

  Far away,

  The muscle giant of Golden Body Continent grinned, punched out a strand of crimson blood qi toward Wuhuang.

  The monk flicked his golden alms bowl.

  Light poured down, trying to envelop the entire continent.

  All three probed cautiously.

  After the time of one incense stick,

  The compass shrank.

  The blood qi returned.

  The alms bowl’s light dimmed.

  And in all three detection methods appeared the same shocking image:

  Du Longyang standing blindfolded on his island, spiritual sense blooming.

  The island became a lotus seedpod; petals unfurled in every direction.

  Thunder gathered overhead.

  The three sovereigns’ eyes snapped open, sharp light flashing.

  Spiritual sense blooming like petals—

  “Spirit Severing Realm?!”

  The youth was stunned.

  “A newborn top-tier Mid Martial actually birthed a Spirit Severing expert… This world’s master must be a heaven-defying genius!”

  “But pity—he’s only just broken through and is still undergoing tribulation. Worth noting, but he cannot save this world.”

  The youth laughed lightly.

  His compass had scanned thoroughly.

  One nascent Spirit Severing.

  Three Infant Transformation.

  Fewer than thirty Nascent Souls.

  “Pathetic.”

  “Besides that newborn Spirit Severing, the rest are trash. Easy.”

  He grinned like sunshine itself.

  Scouting complete.

  He snapped his fingers.

  Time to move—he would reach the world first, take the brunt of the World Protection backlash, and claim the lion’s share.

  BOOM!

  He shot forward, turning into a golden streak that left his continent behind.

  Far away, the giant and the monk’s expressions changed—this bastard stole a march!

  Without hesitation, they too launched.

  Crimson and white lights streaked toward Wuhuang.

  ---

  Lu Ping’an watched everything reflected in his eyes.

  “Compass, blood qi, alms bowl…”

  Probing Wuhuang’s experts?

  He frowned, suddenly worried.

  “I’m so ridiculously strong—if they detect me, will they turn their continents around and flee overnight?”

  But he needn’t have worried.

  In all three scans, Lu Ping’an registered as an utterly ordinary Qi Condensation nobody.

  So fleeing? Not happening.

  “Oh? They’re coming.”

  “So decisive. Looking down on me?”

  Lu Ping’an raised a brow.

  He had been worried they might run.

  Instead they charged without hesitation.

  He smiled.

  A drop of divine demon blood appeared above his palm.

  The Sky-Covering Sword floated before him.

  He let the blood fall onto the blade.

  Spiritual sense surged.

  “Sky-Covering Grand Formation—activate!”

  With a flick, the sword rose, radiating profound fluctuations.

  Earth-tier formation—awakened!

  Rumble!

  The eight jade talismans orbiting Wuhuang blazed.

  Ripples spread; misty fog surged, soon veiling the entire continent in faint gauze.

  Lu Ping’an controlled the formation with his mind.

  He sensed three terrifying auras racing closer.

  Golden light led the charge.

  Red and white followed.

  Lu Ping’an’s lips curved.

  So eager?

  Then I’ll grant your wish.

  With a thought, he deliberately slowed the formation’s full deployment by a breath.

  The golden light—filled with triumphant glee—shot through the gap like lightning and slammed into the World Protection barrier.

  BOOM!

  The red and white lights arrived a heartbeat later—only to crash into the now fully activated formation.

  Sky-Covering Grand Formation spun to life.

  Impregnable.

  Unbreakable.

  Pfft!

  Two furious roars exploded in the void.

  The muscle giant’s body was torn open, explosive blood pouring from countless wounds.

  The monk shot backward, blood at the corner of his mouth.

  Giant and monk locked eyes—shock flashing.

  “Such a terrifying defensive formation!”

  “This world definitely has a High Martial sovereign backing it…”

  They sucked in cold breaths.

  This meant…

  They had become pawns in a game between two High Martial sovereigns.

  But then they turned to where the golden light had vanished…

  Their cheeks twitched.

  What do we do about that guy?!