After two months of sparring, though he hadn't stepped through the gates to the Dou Zun realm, he felt closer than ever.

Spending so much time with Ling Feng, training relentlessly every day since the breakthrough—yet Chen Feng still couldn't gauge her true strength. He could only estimate she was definitely no lower than the Fifth Level!

A Fifth Level expert at sixteen or seventeen; even across the entire continent, such a figure could move unchecked.

Chen Feng sometimes wondered about Ling Feng’s background, just how powerful her family truly was. But after a moment of thought, he dismissed it. Firstly, his relationship with Ling Feng was purely one of mutual sparring; he didn't even know her actual age. Secondly, he wasn't the type to pry into others' affairs, and he generally avoided dwelling on trouble.

Two months spent sharing quarters with Ling Feng had produced none of the legendary romantic scenarios, nor the trope of a beautiful woman falling for the protagonist. Their time together remained utterly placid—every day consisted of cultivation, sparring, cultivation, sparring, without even an unnecessary word exchanged.

Chen Feng looked toward the stream nearby, drawing in the crisp scent of the air as he regulated his breathing, when he heard a faint voice behind him.

“You’re heading to Tian Feng Academy? If you are, you can leave now. Today is the enrollment day; the Headmaster and the others are already there!”

Chen Feng shook his head. “I originally intended to go to Tian Feng Academy to seek guidance on breaking through to Dou Zun, but now it seems unnecessary.”

“Unnecessary?” Ling Feng understood immediately. Chen Feng’s goal had been seeking a breakthrough. After training with her for so many days, he likely now grasped the path to Dou Zun, rendering a trip to the academy moot.

Ling Feng lowered her gaze, pondering briefly, then stated plainly, “I am going to Tian Feng Academy. If you aren’t coming, then stay here!”

“You’re going? Was your purpose for staying here solely to attend the academy?” Chen Feng was momentarily stunned.

“Yes,” Ling Feng nodded.

“Why?” Chen Feng found it almost unbelievable that a girl with such high cultivation would still seek out an academy.

Ling Feng glanced at him, then suddenly asked, “Can you come with me?”

“Accompany you? What are you going to do?” Chen Feng asked curiously.

Ling Feng hesitated for a moment but ultimately did not elaborate.

“If I don’t even know what you plan to do, I won’t go,” Chen Feng asserted. Although he owed Ling Feng a debt, being dragged into something nonsensical was something he absolutely wouldn't allow.

A shadow of disappointment crossed Ling Feng’s face. She said no more, turned, and walked in the direction of Tian Feng Academy, disappearing into the deep woods shortly after.

“What is she going to the academy for?” Chen Feng felt a flicker of confusion, but after thinking it over, he let it go, sinking back into the state of cultivation contemplation.

Though Ling Feng had been with him for a considerable time—barely warranting the title of friend—everyone had their own private matters. Since she didn't even wish to speak of it, he saw no reason to press the matter or accompany her.

Chen Feng remained there for another three days before finally descending the mountain.

At the foot of the mountain lay Tian Feng Town, home to Tian Feng Academy. The town’s size rivaled that of an imperial capital in any of the great Empires, spanning nearly a thousand li and housing tens of millions of residents.

Tian Feng Town was also known as the Town of Refuge. Due to the existence of the transcendent entity that was Tian Feng Academy, the laws and regulations of the Four Great Empires held no jurisdiction over those within the city walls. Because of this, the area had become a lawless vacuum. However, thanks to the Academy's deterrence, an unspoken rule had evolved: no matter what severe crime one committed in the Four Great Empires, escaping here meant freedom from legal pursuit. Yet, one could not commit further acts that violated morality or law within the town; anyone discovered breaking this rule would face the Academy’s severest sanctions.

Because the reputation of the continent’s premier academy was so formidable, despite a large portion of the city’s inhabitants being escaped criminals from various nations, the atmosphere inside the town was utterly peaceful and harmonious, presenting a façade of complete order.

Moreover, those capable of committing high crimes generally possessed sharp intellects. Once they turned over a new leaf, they were often far smarter than the average person. Coupled with the full support of the Four Great Empires, it was difficult for this place not to be prosperous and wealthy.

Walking into the town, Chen Feng finally understood true prosperity. Maya City, the capital of the Fenlai Empire, and Nobia City, the capital of the Luochi Empire, seemed vastly inferior by comparison.

Chen Feng walked slowly along the flagstone-paved streets.

“Hurry up! Today is the last day for Tian Feng Academy admissions; if we don’t move faster, we’ll miss it!”

“I know, I know, let’s hurry!” A few youths rushed past him, looking extremely anxious.

Seeing these frantic young men, Chen Feng shook his head and turned into a nearby tavern.

He hadn't come here to enroll. He wasn't even entirely sure what his purpose was anymore.

In truth, he didn't know himself. When Ling Feng invited him to Tian Feng Academy, he had tacitly agreed, but the girl seemed burdened by some secret; she left before finishing her explanation, which was why he hadn't followed her immediately.

Finding a seat by the window, he was suddenly startled by an exclamation near his ear.

“Brother Chen Feng!”

A man walked up to Chen Feng. He looked over and let out an internal sigh of surprise; he hadn't expected to run into him here.

It was Warren, the Level Eight Wind Elementalist he had encountered outside Dragon Diagram Mountain.

Warren’s injuries had long healed; he looked refreshed and full of vigor.

“You’re here to register, right? Don’t waste time eating, hurry up or it’ll be too late!” Warren grabbed his arm and urged him.

Chen Feng stood up with a sigh of resignation and followed him out of the tavern.

“I owe you a debt for that last incident; otherwise, I might still be lying in a cot now,” Warren admitted, having understood the situation after hearing Teacher Kailin’s explanation afterward.

“I know your cultivation must be higher than mine now. Since you could knock down Augustus, you must be at least a Ninth Level Fighter. With Ninth Level cultivation, you can register directly for the Advanced Class—you’ll be an advanced student right away.”

Warren finished this with a look of admiration.

“Advanced student?” Chen Feng paused.

“Exactly! Advanced students make up less than one percent of the entire school. Their instructors are the Dou Zun level masters of the Academy. Any advanced student, even before graduation, is fought over by the Four Great Empires. They certainly won't have to worry about their future prospects, especially now that the war between the Four Empires has just ended and the realm is in flux—they desperately need talent, and the offers for advanced students are astronomical!” Warren explained.

“The Four Great Empires fought a war?” Chen Feng was hearing this news for the first time and couldn't help but be shocked.

“You didn’t know?” Warren asked, seeing Chen Feng’s reaction. When Chen Feng shook his head, Warren continued, “It was about two years ago. His Majesty Suomen of the Luochi Empire was assassinated, and several princes began fighting for the throne, plunging the nation into turmoil. The other three Empires saw an opportunity and all found excuses to start hostilities…”

“The Tony Empire struck first. Their excuse was almost laughable: they claimed that the champion of their nation's Rookie Tournament had his arm severed by someone from the Luochi Empire, violating the Friendly Treaty between the Four Empires… That reason was utterly absurd; they clearly saw the internal chaos and seized the chance to march in…”

Hearing this, Chen Feng’s expression suddenly turned peculiar as he asked, “Did they say who from the Luochi Empire severed their champion’s arm?”

Warren tilted his head back, thinking for a moment, then suddenly slapped his forehead in realization. “It was someone named... Yashin-An, I think! It’s funny, His Majesty Suomen was killed by this Yashin-An, and yet they used such an excuse.”

Chen Feng felt a bitter mix of emotions. He had killed His Majesty Suomen of the Luochi Empire for revenge, and he had broken the arm of Sidney, the champion of the Tony Empire’s Rookie Selection, to compensate a coachman—and this had apparently sparked a continental war…

“Then the Fenlai Empire took the opportunity to send troops, and the Kote Empire couldn’t be left behind, forming a situation where three empires allied against one. But nobody expected such a surprising turn of events right at the start of the fighting.”

Warren spoke with such enthusiasm that Chen Feng thought he had the talent of a traveling storyteller.

“The Kote Empire actually betrayed the alliance and switched sides to support the Luochi Empire. Later, when I heard the teachers discussing it, I understood: only the Fenlai, Tony, and Luochi Empires bordered each other directly. The Kote Empire was far removed from Luochi. If the tripartite alliance won and carved up the Luochi Empire, the two bordering Empires would benefit the most. Since the Kote Empire was far away, it wouldn't get any land shares. Naturally, it wouldn't commit fully, knowing that if the other two Empires grew stronger, they would eventually eliminate Kote.”

“And something even stranger happened. Although the Luochi Empire was in internal chaos, they showed no disarray in battle. The invading armies of the Fenlai and Kote Empires were both ambushed and annihilated in turn. In three consecutive battles, over three million soldiers were wiped out!”

“What happened?” Chen Feng asked.

“Initially, nobody knew why. With the infighting among the princes in the Luochi Empire, the nation should have been weakened, right? It turned out all that was a deception!” Warren saw Chen Feng’s ignorance and became even more animated. “It turns out His Majesty Suomen wasn't dead at all! Spreading the rumor of his death was intended to lure the other nations into attacking. In reality, he had already set traps internally, waiting for them. Planning deliberately against the unprepared, he naturally defeated them all. This severely crippled the Fenlai and Kote Empires; they are likely no match for the Luochi Empire now…”

“His Majesty Suomen isn't dead?” Upon hearing this news, Chen Feng felt a booming sensation in his mind, as if it might explode.

In that instant, he finally understood why his rampage through the Imperial Palace could become public knowledge, and why, despite humiliating the Empire, no immediate action was taken against him. It was all part of His Majesty Suomen’s calculations!

“Such powerful maneuvering!” Chen Feng thought, his eyes filling with hatred.

It made sense that he had been able to leave the palace calmly after causing such an uproar—it was all to project a false image to the world: the illusion that His Majesty Suomen had been assassinated!

He thought he had exacted his revenge, only to realize he had been manipulated once again!

However, Suomen was indeed a true hegemon. To use a supposed assassination to reshape the entire geopolitical structure of the Four Great Empires—his foresight was terrifyingly profound.

He narrowed his eyes, striving to quell the sudden urge to rush back to the Luochi Empire, just as a loud shout echoed from the street.

“Hurry to Tian Feng Academy! A young woman is challenging the Headmaster, a Ninth Level Magister!”

ps: Four chapters complete, over twelve thousand characters! (To be continued. For further developments, please visit www.idian.com for more chapters, to support the author, and for legitimate reading!) First release