Chapter 89

* * * * Rustle, rustle, rustle! *

* * * * A series of footsteps came from behind, startling Jiang Yi awake. He turned around in surprise and saw countless unfamiliar faces. Fortunately, a few were somewhat familiar, especially the cold and beautiful face of Su Ruoxue, which slightly reassured him.

* * * * "Jiang, Jiang Yi student? I am Deputy Dean Qi. Are you okay?" The silver-haired old woman asked, her eyes still burning with enthusiasm.

* * * * Jiang Yi shook his head to clear the terrifying images from his mind and then took a deep breath, saying, "Deputy Dean Qi, I'm fine!"

* * * * "Hmm..."

* * * * The group of mentors looked awkward. Jiang Yi was indeed very honest. Deputy Dean Qi called herself deputy dean, and he really followed suit, calling her deputy dean. Everyone in the academy called her dean, didn't they?

* * * * Fortunately, Dean Qi didn't mind these details. She looked at Jiang Yi with concern and said, "Jiang Yi student, did you... comprehend the martial arts essence of the Heavenly Tyrant of Slaughter?"

* * * * "Martial arts essence?"

* * * * Jiang Yi blinked in confusion and asked, "What is martial arts essence?"

* * * * "This... it's hard to explain to you!" Dean Qi hesitated for a moment and said, "Did you feel anything special inside the divine stele?"

* * * * Jiang Yi pondered, his eyes filled with bewilderment. Soon, he shook his head, "No, I didn't feel anything. I just saw a very terrifying scene. The person in the statue kept killing people, a million in total. After he finished, the scene disappeared."

* * * * "Uh..."

* * * * The dozens of mentors looked at each other, their faces full of disappointment. They soon all wore regretful expressions. This divine stele was left by six supreme beings with great magical power. Being able to trigger the stele's restrictions and see what they left behind was a great opportunity. Whether one could benefit from this opportunity depended on personal luck.

* * * * And Jiang Yi seemed to have missed this chance!

* * * * Dean Qi was still not giving up and asked again, "Did you really not get anything? Like martial techniques, incantations, or anything special? Anything the Heavenly Tyrant of Slaughter passed on to you counts."

* * * * "No!"

* * * * Jiang Yi replied firmly, "I only saw the scene of the Heavenly Tyrant of Slaughter killing people. After he finished, the scene disappeared. He didn't pass on anything to me."

* * * * "Sigh... What a pity!"

* * * * Dean Qi sighed deeply, her face full of regret. "The martial arts essence left by the Heavenly Tyrant of Slaughter has been triggered by two people in history, but like Jiang Yi student, they didn't get anything. Could it be that the essence left by the Heavenly Tyrant of Slaughter is too profound and can only be comprehended at a certain level?"

* * * * After saying this, Dean Qi exchanged glances with the other deputy deans, shook her head, and walked out. The other mentors also left, leaving Jiang Yi alone.

* * * * Jiang Yi looked at the stone stele for a while, and the pair of blood-red eyes in his mind reappeared. He instinctively looked at the statue's eyes but found that they were different from the ones in his mind, seemingly lacking some special aura?

* * * * After watching for a while, Jiang Yi suddenly came to his senses and quickly walked out. He didn't know how long he had been inside, and he didn't want to lose all his points.

* * * * "Dean Qi instructed that since you triggered the martial arts essence, your points are exempted!"

* * * * To Jiang Yi's delight, the guard outside returned his jade token without deducting any points. When he looked around, he saw a crowd of people outside, a sea of black.

* * * * "Boss!"

* * * * Little Fatty led a group of people over, including Zhan Wushuang and his sister Zhan Lin'er. Everyone looked at him with admiration and envy. Little Fatty came over and whispered, "Boss, you're amazing. I didn't misjudge you, you're truly a genius. What did you comprehend?"

* * * * Zhan Wushuang also asked in a deep voice, "Jiang Yi, did you comprehend the martial arts essence?"

* * * * "No!"

* * * * Jiang Yi shook his head. Seeing so many people, he smiled bitterly and said, "Let's talk about it back at the dorm."

* * * * Everyone quickly headed to the West Courtyard. As the mentors and Jiang Yi left, the surrounding people dispersed, their curiosity and disappointment gradually fading. Soon, a rumor spread from the mentors, satisfying the curiosity of countless students and making them feel a bit more balanced.

* * * * Although Jiang Yi triggered the restrictions on the divine stele, he did not comprehend the martial arts essence.

* * * * ...

* * * * "Boss, you really didn't comprehend anything? That's too bad..."

* * * * In a small courtyard in the West Courtyard, Little Fatty looked heartbroken, and Zhan Wushuang and Zhan Lin'er also wore regretful expressions. Jiang Yi, however, was still confused and asked after a pause, "What is martial arts essence?"

* * * * Zhan Wushuang explained, "Martial arts essence is a special essence of martial arts. It's different from martial techniques and the Heavenly Dao. It's a special realm that only a supreme being can comprehend based on the Heavenly Dao. For example, the essence of fire. Those who comprehend this essence have their yuan energy become scorching, increasing their attack power by at least one fold. Another example is the Western King, who created the Overlord Essence. When this essence is released, opponents weaker than him are suppressed, and their combat power is reduced to less than one-third of their original strength."

* * * * "So that's what martial arts essence is!"

* * * * Jiang Yi's eyes lit up. He recalled the Heavenly Tyrant of Slaughter's overwhelming killing aura, which suppressed a million troops, leaving no one with the will to resist. His heart was once again stirred.

* * * * "What's wrong? Boss, did you have some comprehension?" Little Fatty saw Jiang Yi's expression and immediately asked with concern.

* * * * Jiang Yi didn't respond. He felt he had grasped something, but when he tried to sense it, there was nothing. After a moment, he shook his head and said, "No, I didn't comprehend anything."

* * * * "It's okay. Being able to trigger the restrictions inside the divine stele, Jiang Yi, you're no ordinary person. As long as you work hard, you will definitely have more great opportunities in the future!"

* * * * Zhan Wushuang stood up and turned to Zhan Lin'er, saying, "Lin'er, thank Jiang Yi. If it weren't for him, you would have been in danger that day."

* * * * Zhan Lin'er's face was still covered by a black veil, her beautiful eyes smoky and alluring. She looked at Jiang Yi with bright eyes and bowed, saying, "Thank you, Brother Jiang Yi."

* * * * Looking at Zhan Lin'er's bright, beautiful eyes, Jiang Yi nodded awkwardly. It was getting late, and Zhan Wushuang and the others took their leave. Little Fatty also left with a group of people, not knowing where they were going.

* * * * Jiang Yi returned to his room alone, still replaying the scene he saw inside the divine stele and the pair of blood-red eyes in his mind.

* * * * "Martial arts essence! Could the Heavenly Tyrant of Slaughter's powerful killing aura be the essence of slaughter?"

* * * * Recalling the scene inside the divine stele, Jiang Yi muttered in a daze. Suddenly, a scene from the West Mountain of Tianyu City flashed in his mind. Slowly, he began to release a wave of killing intent, his dazed eyes gradually turning red, becoming redder and redder, eventually as red as blood, just as terrifying as the Heavenly Tyrant of Slaughter.

* * * * Fortunately, there was no one in the courtyard, and Little Fatty hadn't returned. Otherwise, such a scene would have made anyone think they saw a ghost.

* * * * What was incredibly strange was that as time passed, Jiang Yi's eyes slowly returned to normal, and the killing intent disappeared without a trace. His dazed eyes regained their light. When he fully came to his senses, everything was back to normal, and he had no idea about the strange events that had just occurred...