Chapter 99

"Dou Zhong?"

Shang Xia was slightly taken aback. The image of a naive and stubborn young man flashed through his mind, stirring up some uncomfortable memories.

"I remember asking Uncle Seven to keep an eye on this kid. What, has Uncle Seven found something amiss?"

Shang Xia threw the wet towel to the side of the training ground and walked out.

Yan Qi followed from behind and said, "This kid has already reached the peak of the Wu Yuan realm!"

Shang Xia turned back with a look of surprise and said, "So fast?"

Yan Qi nodded solemnly and said, "According to the information we gathered, not long after this kid came to Tongyou Peak, he spoke up for justice in the Performance Department and gained the favor of the head of the Performance Department, Shang Zongguan. Soon after, he successfully advanced to the Wu Yuan realm."

"What about now? It hasn't even been two months since he came to Tongyou Peak, right?"

Shang Xia asked with some curiosity.

Yan Qi smacked his lips and continued, "Young Master, you don't know. When we were hunting the Cang Ling martial cultivators, this kid also went out with a small team. Later, when the beast tide broke out, his team was scattered, and he hid in a cave, where he found a Yuan Jade. By the time Shang Zongguan rescued him, this kid had already used the Yuan Jade to advance to the peak of the Wu Yuan realm!"

"Yuan Jade? Shang Zongguan? Shang Lubing?"

Shang Xia's lips twitched involuntarily.

"This kid's luck is too good. He just hid in a cave and found a treasure like the Yuan Jade. And Shang Zongguan even went out of his way to save him, which means this kid must have gained Shang Zongguan's favor. He's a Fourth Heaven cultivator!"

Yan Qi's sigh only made Shang Xia more restless.

"Ha, is he really going to give me a 'Don't look down on a poor young man'? Unfortunately, I am also a young man!"

Shang Xia's heart wasn't so narrow that he would lose his appetite or sleep over such news.

He was originally heading back to his meditation room. When he practiced the Nine Formless Sword Techniques, the四方碑 (Four Directions Stele) in his mind had shown some unusual activity, and he was eager to return and check it out.

But after a few steps, Shang Xia noticed that Yan Qi was still following him and asked, "Uncle Seven, is there anything else?"

Yan Qi smiled and said, "Just now, Lord Fifth sent a message, asking you to go to the Tongyou Hall."

"Go to the Tongyou Hall?"

Shang Xia was somewhat surprised and said, "It can't be that they're planning to target the mutated rain swallows again, right?"

When Yan Qi heard "mutated rain swallows," his expression became somewhat strange.

Shang Xia, noticing this, couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong?"

Yan Qi's expression was somewhat uneasy as he said, "Those birds seem to be quite hostile towards me!"

Shang Xia looked surprised but quickly realized, "You mean because of your bloodline?"

Yan Qi said, "It might not just be the bloodline, but more specifically, the 'pure blood.'"

Shang Xia immediately grasped the key point: "The bloodline gem?"

Yan Qi nodded and said, "That's probably it. As soon as I arrived at Pinxiu Peak, the rain swallows stopped building their nests and flew up, circling and calling in the sky. The thunderbird even landed on a building not far from me, glaring at me. I could feel that they were extremely unwelcoming."

"They didn't attack you?"

"No, just hostile. I could feel that it wasn't hostility, but more of an extreme unwelcoming attitude."

Shang Xia thought for a moment and found this to be quite an interesting piece of news.

Then Shang Xia laughed and said, "I wonder why Uncle Seven, a Wu Yi realm expert, has become a messenger. It turns out you're not welcome on Pinxin Peak."

Yan Qi smiled bitterly and said, "That's right. As soon as I go up, hundreds of mutated rain swallows circle and call in the sky, making everyone uneasy. So I have to stay away from Pinxin Peak."

Shang Xia thought for a moment and said, "Apart from that, no one is saying anything bad, right?"

Yan Qi understood that he was referring to his status as a bloodline martial cultivator and said with a smile, "It's fine. On Pinxin Peak, everything is as usual, and many people congratulated me on advancing to the Wu Yi realm. In other places, there are always strange looks, but I don't mind and am used to it."

Shang Xia nodded and said, "That's fine. I'm just worried that someone might attack you without thinking."

Yan Qi smiled and said, "Young Master might be underestimating the influence of the Shang family on Tongyou Peak. Especially after the old master's display of strength and his imminent advancement to the Fourth Heaven, the Shang family's status has risen. Now, some people secretly believe that the ranking of the four major families on Tongyou Peak might change, with the Shang family, previously ranked last, now possibly second, only below the Ji family!"

...

The Tongyou Hall is located at the peak of Tongyou Peak, serving as the central hub for the entire Tongyou Peak and its six subsidiary peaks. It is also where the high-ranking officials of Tongyou Academy usually reside.

When Shang Xia entered the Tongyou Hall after being summoned, he found that the four Fourth Heaven experts currently overseeing Tongyou Peak were all present, but no one else was in the hall.

"Greetings, Deputy Headmasters, Shang Zongguan, and Instructor Liu!"

Etiquette must be observed. Although the academy teaches extraordinary martial arts, it places great importance on respecting teachers and elders. Even with his grandfather present, Shang Xia dared not show any disrespect.

"Hehe, External Hall Chief Shang, your name has been on everyone's lips, even for me, an Internal Hall Instructor!"

The one speaking was the Internal Hall Instructor, Liu Qinglan.

Shang Xia looked up and saw that this middle-aged woman, who still had a certain charm, was looking at him with a somewhat unusual gaze, as if she were looking at a younger relative.

"Teacher, you flatter me. I am young and rash, and I hope you will correct me!"

Shang Xia didn't know why he was summoned to the Tongyou Hall, but being polite to his seniors was always a good idea.

"Alright, enough talk!"

Liu Qinglan chuckled and said, "Child, we have all seen your achievements over the past period. With the recommendation of Shang Zongguan from the Performance Department, the academy has decided to open the Two Poles Yuan Pool for you."

"Two Poles Yuan Pool? There's a Two Poles Yuan Pool on Tongyou Peak?"

Shang Xia looked up at the four Fourth Heaven experts with surprise.

"Rudeness!"

Shang Bo's face darkened, clearly displeased with Shang Xia's questioning tone.

Shang Xia quickly lowered his shoulders, as if he had been frightened.

"Alright, don't scare the child!"

Liu Qinglan's words defused Shang Bo's authority, and she smiled, "The Two Poles Yuan Pool on Tongyou Peak is newly built, but it is full of abundant yuan energy. The opportunity is given to you, and how far you can go depends on you. Go and prepare, and find Sun Haiwei to take you there!"

"Go now?" Shang Xia couldn't help but ask with surprise.

"What, do you need more preparation? Go now!" Shang Bo said sternly.

Shang Xia immediately left the Tongyou Hall in a hurry.

After Shang Xia left the Tongyou Hall, Liu Qinglan looked at the other three and asked, "What do you think?"

Shang Bo remained silent, while Ji Wenlong just smiled.

Shang Lubing pondered and said, "This child's yuan energy is very lively, but it's not the kind of restlessness that comes from uncontrolled yuan energy. It's a lively energy with a certain spirit, like..."

Here, Shang Lubing seemed to be searching for the right words to describe it: "Like his yuan energy is full of spirit!"

"Spirit? That's something that should only appear after forming a martial will, and when the martial will is formed, the control over yuan energy improves. How could an outsider see that?" Liu Qinglan shook her head.

"So he's just at the Wu Ji realm!"

Shang Lubing added, "Could this be the reason he can tame the mutated rain swallows?"

Ji Wenlong then said, "The Two Realms War Zone has existed for twenty years, and no one has ever tamed the fierce birds and beasts here, not even those at the Wu Yi realm."

Shang Lubing said, "Then this child must have had some extraordinary encounter. His Two Poles yuan energy does seem somewhat different."

Liu Qinglan said regretfully, "So no one can replicate his path?"

Shang Lubing shook his head and said, "Cultivating the Mixed Yuan Power at the Wu Yuan realm and the Three Mysteries Two Poles Power at the Wu Ji realm is not a secret."

Shang Bo, who had been silent, suddenly spoke, "This child is very bold. He is cultivating both poles simultaneously!"

Liu Qinglan and Shang Lubing looked surprised, while Ji Wenlong remained calm, clearly having already noticed.

Liu Qinglan said with concern, "That's very dangerous!"

Shang Bo smiled but said nothing more.

Liu Qinglan thought for a moment and said, "Forget it, I'll personally oversee the Two Poles Yuan Pool!"

...

Shang Xia didn't know what the four Fourth Heaven experts discussed after he left the Tongyou Hall.

But when he met Sun Haiwei waiting outside the Tongyou Hall, she was full of envy.

"Sun Instructor, you already know?"

Shang Xia smiled and asked.

"You're about to become an Internal Hall student. As an Internal Hall student, you can travel the world in the name of the academy, so you should call me Senior Sister Sun from now on!"

Sun Haiwei corrected Shang Xia's address with a smile and then said, "Do you know that to have the academy open the Two Poles Yuan Pool, one must achieve great merit? Usually, even if someone does, it's often a group of people who pool their merits to open the pool. For you to have the entire Two Poles Yuan Pool opened for you alone, this is the first time, as far as I know!"

Shang Xia had heard of the Two Poles Yuan Pool but didn't know the details. He couldn't help but feel a bit overwhelmed and said, "Is that true? I'm truly honored."

Sun Haiwei, seeing his expression, couldn't help but laugh, "Just enjoy it. The entire Yuan Pool is yours, and no one will compete with you, unlike us..."

Shang Xia, seeing this, couldn't help but ask, "Instructor... Senior Sister, did you ever enter the Two Poles Yuan Pool?"

Sun Haiwei glanced at him and said, "Of course! But I went with Senior Brother Tian, Senior Brother Jin... Jin Guanchao, three of us together."

At this, Sun Haiwei's expression turned somewhat somber.

Shang Xia nodded and remained silent.

Sun Haiwei quickly adjusted her mood and instructed, "The effects of the Two Poles Yuan Pool will last for one day and one night. Although no one will compete with you, you must not be complacent. Use this time to improve your cultivation. This is a rare opportunity for a Wu Ji realm martial cultivator to cultivate both poles simultaneously!"

A rare opportunity, huh?

Shang Xia smiled inwardly. This Senior Sister Sun didn't know that he had been cultivating both poles all along.

——

There's another chapter tonight!