The Founder of Qi Cultivation, Reincarnates?

“Your willpower is also weak. In fact, it might just be the weakest one so far.”

Xi Shen said as he dismissively waved his hand at the female disciple who was barely thirty-five meters away from the line.

That disciple was glad that she didn’t have to join Xi Shen's Faction, but from the way he had just spoken and dismissively waved her away, she couldn’t help but feel slighted.

Glaring in Xi Shen’s direction, that female disciple who was quite well endowed in her assets, so much so it was bulging from her blue robes, turned and left the stage.

Seeing this, several disciples in the crowd below let out agonizing moans as they lost their bets.

A disciple who had on a grin and had obviously made an opposite bet spoke to the ones that have lost.

“You people should have known that the second prince would win!”

A disciple who was next to him immediately said, “What are you saying? That was sister Xue Li, who had shocked the Outer Academy a year ago by becoming a Sea Expansion Realm expert when she was 15. And she had done so from the Fourth Phase! I don’t know how the second prince was able to place her in an illusion so easily like the rest before her. With that, the second prince has reached the 908th position on the Inner Disciple Rankings.”

That disciple shook his head at the ridiculousness of the current situation.

Hearing this disciple's bitter words, another disciple who was wearing blue robes looked at him and said, “I have been thinking this for a while now, but you people haven’t realized it yet have you?”

This sentence by this unknown disciple drew the attention of the crowd around him.

One disciple asked, “Hey, what do you mean by your words?”

Seeing the looks directed at him, the youth that was around 16 years old and had sword-like eyebrows confirmed that his speculation was right.

Shaking his head at these incompetent disciples, that young man went on to say, “Beating the second prince’s challenge isn’t about how high your cultivation is, it’s about your willpower. The people who are rushing up there thinking they could do better just because they have a higher cultivation base than the one before them, are just wasting their time and the second prince’s. And all of you are just ignorant disciples who hadn’t seen bloodshed yet. A bunch of flower boys and girls.”

The young man with a distinct-looking face said mockingly as his gaze roam around the crowd.

A disciple in the crowd didn’t like how this young man was talking so arrogantly, so he sneered at him and asked, “So? What is this willpower you're talking about? Do you have it? If you're going to be so condescending towards us, why don’t you go up and see how you would embarrass yourself.”

As that disciple said that, everyone around them had approving looks on their faces, and was glaring at this young man who was trying to make enemies of everyone here.

Being called flower boy or girl was very insulting. It was a derogatory name given to someone in the cultivation world that would rather avoid the struggles and challenges of being a cultivator and only stay sheltered within a safe heaven to cultivate.

Seeing everyone’s hostile eyes on him, that young man smirked.

The disciples around him then felt a strange aura wafting from his lean physique. All of a sudden they felt like they were smelling the metallic scent of blood, and a feeling of dread and fear for this youth suddenly gripped them by their throats.

Overwhelm by this suffocating and horror-stricken feeling, all of them took several trembling steps backwards. But some who were extremely weak-minded only stood their stock still in fear, unable to retreat. They felt as if they move a muscle this young man who resemble a vicious wild beast would pounce and tear into their flesh.

The arrogant young man simply stood there with his hands to his hands by his side. He was calm and casual as he looked around at the frightened disciples. He had only released his bloodlust for a split second but for them, it felt like an eternity.

“See? Nothing but a bunch of sheltered flowers in a garden. None of you have truly experienced the cultivation world for your mental fortitude or willpower to develop. The second prince is just wasting time trying to recruit you disciples who only know how to stay safely within the Academy and compete amongst yourselves.”

As the young man said that, he went back to ignoring everyone around him and observed the stage. However, he was surprised to see that Xi Shen's gaze was trained in his direction.

Taken aback, that disciple looked at the other opponent who had just left and after thinking for a while he gritted his teeth, having made up his mind.

‘Master said that his Nine Swords of Slaughter sword formation was created with the Li Royal Family’s Nine Revolutions Sea Expansion pill as the bases. If I want to bring out the true power of the Sword Formation technique, then I would have to get my hands on that pill. It’s been over a year since my last breakthrough in Nine Swords of Slaughter, if I don’t seize this chance and get the pill I would have to give up mastering the sword technique. I’m unwilling, I’m extremely unwilling to abandon my master’s Sword Formation technique. I know that master has spent his entire life perfecting his technique. To have it then disappear from this world would have him roll over in his grave. As his successor, it’s my duty to fully learn his technique, and show the world how brilliant my master was. No matter what it takes.’

These thoughts circulated in this young man’s mind, as his eyes radiated determination that shone so bright his pupils become like two suns at mid-day.

While the disciples in the crowd fought over who was higher on the Inner Rankings, that young man suddenly leaped from his position over their heads to land on the stage.

Seeing this young man who cut the line, everyone who was arguing turned to him and began cursing at him.

However, a disciple in the crowd that saw the two swords attached to his waists, had his eyes go wide to resemble saucers before he blurted out, his voice louder than the complaining crowd.

“Fang Chen!! That’s Fang Chen he has returned to the Academy!!”

Hearing the shout of the disciples, the ones that were cursing at him had their faces go pale, and thinking of their earlier words they wanted to slap themselves for being so blind not to recognize one of the most notorious Inner Disciples, Fang Chen.

As for the disciples before that who had sensed Fang Chen’s bloodlust, almost had their hearts leaped from their throats in fright. Their legs tremble at the thought of their attitude towards him before.

Xi Shen hadn’t taken his eyes off Fang Chen ever since he had sensed the bloodlust he released previously. Xi Shen had his eyes brimming with excitement, as it looked like he finally found someone worthy enough to join his Faction.

But he wondered what was this Fang Chen's background. Luckily these disciples always like to gossip in these types of situations, and Xi Shen picked up on a few things that were being said in the crowd.

One particular story that caught his attention, was one that told of Fang Chen being hunted down by three Sea Expansion Realm cultivators when he was in the Meridian Opening Realm.

Because he had been exterminating demonic disciples across the Maple Continent, the various Cults and Unorthodox Sects had placed a bounty on his head.

There was another recent story of him being cornered by four cultivators in the 2nd stage of the Foundation Realm, but despite being a weak Sea Expansion Realm cultivator, he had even managed to escape their encirclement and kill one and injured two in the process.

Xi Shen couldn’t help but be impressed by this Fang Chen, as well as applaud his courage. Not many people would dare to walk around the continent while having a bounty from the Demonic Cult on their heads.

Seeing as they were even willing to send four 2nd stage Foundation Realm experts after him, despite his cultivation being in the Sea Expansion Realm, they must have seen him as a massive threat in the future.

But there was one thing that Xi Shen found weird. From the battle prowess shown by Fang Chen, his ranking should have been higher, though, from the look of things, he didn’t seem to be on the rankings at all.

However, Xi Shen’s doubts were cleared up when he heard that Fang Chen had openly condemned the Inner Disciple Rankings. Saying that the Academy was rewarding a bunch of useless cultivators, who were being too sheltered from the cultivation world.

He believed that the Inner Disciple Rankings should be determined by the number of the Celestial Academy’s enemies that were killed by a disciple. Doing that would lead to more disciples going after the members of the Demonic Cults, and eventually eradicate them.

One could see from Fang Chen's behavior towards the Demonic Cult, that he had a profound hatred for them and couldn’t live under the same sky as them. Because of this, the Academy couldn't really punish him as he was only expressing his opinion. As for the disciples he insulted, despite him not being from an important background, they still felt like they couldn’t retort to his words.

With his achievements for the academy, even as far back when he was a Meridian Realm expert in the Outer Academy, no one could say he was arrogant or had no right to speak.

That’s why despite his blunt personality and open scorn for most disciples, they still admire him in their hearts for his outspokenness and prowess. They felt that was what a true man should be, and some even took his words to heart and had begun actively seeking out challenges in the outside world.

The Celestial Academy was seeing the missions of Demonic Cults being completed by their disciples more frequently, all because of Fang Chen.

It wasn't a far stretch to say Fang Chen was a leading figure inside the Inner Academy.

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Word Count: 1750