Chapter 500: Rules
Under the gazes of everyone present, Duan Ling Tian walked step by step to arrive before a stone table outside the Dragon and Phoenix Academy gate.
"Senior!" In next to no time, Duan Ling Tian noticed that the old man behind the stone table was looking at him with a dumbstruck expression, and he couldn't help but remind him.
The old man recovered from his shock and only now did he realize his loss of composure, causing him to go red in embarrassment. Then he stretched out his hand. "Young man, your proof of recommendation..."
Presently, after the old man had seen Duan Ling Tian's cultivation, his tone was slightly courteous.
"Senior, this is my proof of recommendation." Duan Ling Tian raised his hand and withdrew the proof from his Spatial Ring, and it was precisely the proof that the Crimson Sky Kingdom's Emperor gave him that day.
When they saw the old man receive the proof in Duan Ling Tian's hand, some of the surrounding young geniuses couldn't help but move closer, and their gazes shot straight towards the proof of recommendation that was gradually opening in the hands of the old man.
Even if it was the young geniuses in the outer circle, they all had curios expressions.
"I wonder what power he's from?" Ji Feng's eyes squinted and he was filled with curiosity towards Duan Ling Tian's identity in his heart.
That Sima Yang now looked at the scene before him with interest as well.
He was similarly curious.
"Crimson Sky Kingdom? You're a member of the Crimson Sky Kingdom?" Finally, the old man found out Duan Ling Tian's background from the proof of recommendation Duan Ling Tian had passed over, and he couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.
"Crimson Sky Kingdom?!" Although the old man's voice wasn't loud, it seemed exceptionally clear under the silent atmosphere in the surroundings.
"He's from the Crimson Sky Kingdom?"
"I know the Crimson Sky Kingdom... It's one of the Kingdoms amongst the numerous Kingdoms that are subordinate to our Azure Forest Imperial Kingdom. I've never heard of any extraordinary figure coming from there in the recent years, yet I never imagined that such a monster has appeared this time!"
"A small Kingdom is able to give birth to such a terrifying genius martial artist? Unbelievable!"
"I thought earlier that he's a member of some reclusive power in our Azure Forest Imperial Kingdom..."
At that same time that the surrounding crowd of young geniuses sighed with emotion upon finding out about Duan Ling Tian's background, they couldn't help but be slightly disappointed.
Duan Ling Tian's background was inconsistent to their expectations.
After all, the shock Duan Ling Tian gave them earlier was too great, possessing a cultivation that had stepped into the Void Prying Stage at such a young age!
In terms of natural talent, he was even not inferior to the most outstanding of the five great young masters of their Azure Forest Imperial Kingdom's younger generation.
"So he's only a person from a small kingdom." Ji Feng's brows raised and he thought in his heart. "Looks like I was too sensitive. But, even if he's from a small kingdom, his accomplishments in the future will surely not be small with his natural talent... Such a person can only be a friend and not an enemy!"
"A person from a small kingdom?" Sima Yang was slightly surprised.
In next to no time, the people present were deathly silent once again.
Only because that the old man who received Duan Ling Tian's proof of recommendation had spoken once more.
"You... You're called Duan Ling Tian?" The old man's voice was filled with surprise and astonishment.
Duan Ling Tian!
When this name was called out by the old man, after the atmosphere at the scene went silent, it was like a stone that caused a thousand ripples and the scene completely went into an uproar.
"Duan Ling Tian? Isn't Duan Ling Tian the peerless genius of the Seven Star Sword Sect?"
"Supposedly, when the Seven Star Sword Sect was annihilated, the higher-ups of the Seven Star Sword Sect put their lives on the line to send Duan Ling Tian out, and took him to be the future hope of the Seven Star Sword Sect."
"He wouldn't he that Duan Ling Tian that the Azure Forest Tri-Sect wished for nothing more than to kill and celebrate after the deed is done, right?"
"It wouldn't be such a coincidence... Isn't he from a small kingdom?"
"Perhaps he's someone with the same name."
...
Under the waves of discussion, the gazes of the young geniuses present at the scene shot onto Duan Ling Tian, and they seemed like they wanted to obtain Duan Ling Tian's confirmation.
The three old man that were in charge of registration show their gazes as Duan Ling Tian now as well.
"You..." Duan Ling Tian noticed the old man before him looking at him, yet hesitating to speak.
Duan Ling Tian guessed what the old man was thinking and nodded lightly. "Right, I'm Duan Ling Tian... Besides being a member of the Crimson Sky Kingdom, I'm also an inner court disciple of the Seven Star Sword Sect!"
Duan Ling Tian's words had undoubtedly confirmed his identity.
"It's really him!"
"No wonder his natural talent is so terrifying... So he's that Duan Ling Tian!"
"I was thinking where so many monsters came from in the Azure Forest Imperial Kingdom. So it turns out that he's the peerless genius of the Seven Star Sword Sect, the existence that had once successively defeated the Saber Young Master and Zither Young Master!"
...
Instantly, the gazes the young geniuses in the surroundings shot at Duan Ling Tian were filled with excitement.
"He's that Duan Ling Tian?!" Ji Feng and Sima Yang looked at each other with tacit understanding, and when they looked at each other in the eye, they saw the surprised in each other's eyes.
"Ji Feng, I truly never imagined that we'd be able to see the rumored monstrous genius of the Seven Star Sword Sect..." Sima Yang's voice transmission was filled with an emotional sigh.
"Yeah, I truly never imagined it." Ji Feng had a complicated gaze.
"He's too rash... If I were him, I'd conceal myself and wait until I possessed sufficient strength before appearing before the eyes of the world! For the sake of preventing future troubles, it would be impossible for those members of the Azure Forest Tri-Sect after he appeared in the Imperial City in such a grand fashion." Sima Yang sighed.
"Everyone has his own aspirations... Since he dared come here, it shows that he's already prepared and isn't afraid of that Azure Forest Tri-Sect! Looks like there will be shows to see in the future." Ji Feng's voice transmission was filled with anticipation.
"This is your command token!" The old man passed the command token in his hand to Duan Ling Tian, and at the same time he reminded Duan Ling Tian via voice transmission. "Duan Ling Tian, I'm afraid it won't be long before the news of your appearance in the Imperial City will spread to the Azure Forest Tri-Sect. I suggest that in the next year, unless it's a mission the Academy asks you to complete... Otherwise, you better not leave the Dragon and Phoenix Academy!"
"In the Dragon and Phoenix Academy, even if the Azure Forest Tri-Sect is any bolder, they still wouldn't dare do anything to you directly." The old man's tone was serious, and his words were filled with confidence towards the Dragon and Phoenix Academy.
The Dragon and Phoenix Academy was the academy that was specially established by the Azure Forest Imperial Kingdom's Imperial Family to select the young geniuses for the Martial Competition of the Ten Dynasties, and it was protected by the Imperial Family.
Even though the Azure Forest Tri-Sect was formidable and very influential, it wasn't enough when standing before the Azure Forest Imperial Kingdom's Imperial Family.
Only because the Azure Forest Imperial Kingdom's Imperial Family possessed an expert at the seventh level of the Void Initiation Stage or above, whereas the Azure Forest Tri-Sect didn't.
"Thank you for the reminder, Senior." Duan Ling Tian's heart felt warm when he heard the old man, and he walked into the Dragon and Phoenix Academy after receiving the command token.
Not long after he walked pass the arched gate and entered the Dragon and Phoenix Academy, a middle aged man walked over to greet him, and the middle aged man glanced indifferently at Duan Ling Tian. "Wait a moment."
This middle aged man had a stiff expression and his tone was extremely icy cold. Obviously, he didn't know of the incident that occurred outside the academy earlier, and didn't know of Duan Ling Tian's identity.
Otherwise, he would probably find it difficult to maintain his composure.
Duan Ling Tian nodded and waited on the spot.
In next to no time, Duan Ling Tian saw two people walking over shoulder to shoulder, and it was precisely Ji Feng and Sima Yang.
The three of them quickly gathered together.
"You three newcomers, follow me." The middle aged man called Duan Ling Tian and the others before walking towards the inner parts of the Dragon and Phoenix Academy.
"I truly never imagined that you're actually that peerless genius of the Seven Star Sword Sect, Duan Ling Tian!" Duan Ling Tian followed behind the middle aged man when a voice suddenly sounded out by his ears, and the voice was filled with an emotional sigh.
It was precisely Sima Yang who spoke to Duan Ling Tian with a light smile on his face.
"Peerless genius?" Duan Ling Tian shook his head. "How can I be considered to be a peerless genius? How great is the Cloud Continent!? Moreover, not to mention that Foreign Lands, even if it's within the Darkhan Dynasty, there're many people that are able to possess accomplishments that surpass me at my age."
The eyes of the middle aged man that led the way revealed slight surprise and he even glanced deeply at Duan Ling Tian when he heard Sima Yang speak, and when he heard Duan Ling Tian's neither haughty nor humble reply, he couldn't help but nod to himself.
Neither arrogant nor conceited, he was indeed a good seedling!
"Darkhan Dynasty?" Sima Yang's expression froze when he heard Duan Ling Tian, and he said with a bitter smile. "I didn't compare the Darkhan Dynasty with you... In the Azure Forest Imperial Kingdom, your natural talent can indeed be considered to be a peerless genius!"
Darkhan Dynasty?
Sima Yang knew his limitations.
Perhaps he had the opportunity to become eminent in the Azure Forest Imperial Kingdom and head to the Darkstone Empire to compete with the young geniuses of the various Imperial Kingdoms...
But wanting to become eminent in the Darkstone Empire was practically impossible.
Not to mention the young geniuses of the Darkhan Dynasty, even if it was the young geniuses of the Darkstone Empire, he still didn't dare compare with them.
Duan Ling Tian shook his head and didn't say anything further.
Azure Forest Imperial Kingdom?
He'd never once thought that he would stay in the Azure Forest Imperial Kingdom for his entire lifetime, so it was impossible for him to not compare himself with the geniuses in the Martial Dao from outside the Azure Forest Imperial Kingdom.
"Haha... Sima Yang, Duan Ling Tian's vision is different from us. Our vision is fixed on the Azure Forest Imperial Kingdom, and would rather be the head of a dog than the tail of a phoenix! Whereas Duan Ling Tian possesses a monstrous natural talent and would leave the Azure Forest Imperial Kingdom sooner or later to wander in an even vaster world." Ji Feng laughed heartily, and his words seemed to have seen through Duan Ling Tian's thoughts.
This caused Duan Ling Tian to be unable to help from looking slightly more highly of Ji Feng.
Sima Yang laughed embarrassedly when he heard this. "It's my vision that's too narrow."
Right at this moment, the middle aged man that lead the way spoke slowly. "After all of you enter the Dragon and Phoenix Academy, you must comply with the rules of the academy... In the following year, besides being able to go out when the academy distributes missions for all of you to gain experience; all of you only have one opportunity to go out every month, and you can choose this time yourselves."
"Once someone goes against the rules, that person will be expelled from the academy and lose the qualification to participate in the competition one year from now!" As soon as the middle aged man finished speaking, Ji Feng and Sima Yang revealed bitter smiles, as they never expected that there would be such rules.
Duan Ling Tian's brows raised, but he remained indifferent.
As far as he was concerned, his target was the competition held by the Dragon and Phoenix Academy one year from now. Moreover, it was to become eminent and win the opportunity to head to the Darkstone Empire to compete with the young geniuses of the Darkstone Empire and the various Imperial Kingdoms.
As for if he could stay in the Dragon and Phoenix Academy, or if he had time to go out, he didn't care.