Huang Ying and the three other students that served as the strongest of their respective grades had gotten a bit of a heads-up, the students who had some connections also received a warning ahead of time. But when it came to the students who had no connections, the piece of news that was released by the Fierce Flame Academy caught them all off-guard.
They would be sent to a place known as Cliff's Convergence in just five days and would then have to compete over the remaining seats to enter the Forge of Heroes? One student from each grade had already been selected so in truth there were only 12 spots left, three for each grade.
Well, it was said that each grade only had three spots left, but the same couldn't really be said for the first-year students. Huang Ying had claimed the top spot, no one really dared to dispute that fact. But the second to fourth spots were also filled, albeit unofficially, by Song Yi, Chen Hong, and Ying Feixu, there wasn't really anyone that could compete with them. As such, it was almost 100% guaranteed that everyone from Huang Ying's group would get to enter the Forge of Heroes.
Contrary to what one might expect, the academy descended into silence after the news were released, all the students trying to grab hold of each second to increase their chances. But of course, there was one piece of information that the academy hadn't released. Only the four chosen students knew that this trip into the Forge of Heroes would be unlike any other, practically every academy on the planet would send in students this time. Even the Six Heavenly Kings would enter this time, and since they could even suppress several among the older generation there was no need to say what they could do to the younger generation.
There was no need to discourage all the students by divulging this information, they'd just lose all will to fight and give up on the chance altogether. So the academy brewed with quiet anticipation, each day passing by far too quickly for the students that were doing their utmost to grow stronger.
"That headteacher of yours is coming, it seems like they place at least a sliver of importance on the participation of the four chosen students. They probably hope that you can at least pick up a crumb or two from what the Heavenly Kings drop."
The voice of Li Jun rang in Huang Ying's head as the dawn of the fifth day arrived, breaking him out of his cultivation. He hadn't managed to break into the 1st Ascended Stair after devouring Xing Shue Yong, something had stopped him despite the fact that he had plenty of energy to accomplish it. He had a slight hope that he would be able to break through the final wall by cultivating on his own, but until now he still hadn't shown any result.
"Ahh~, finally time to head out. Say, Li Jun, do you think any of the Heavenly Kings will show up at Cliff's Convergence? If I have to track them down after we enter the Forge of Heroes then I really don't know how long it'll take to find them."
Huang Ying's lips couldn't help but quiver slightly when he thought about the Six Heavenly Kings, the corners of his mouth curving up unconsciously. Six true prodigies, proud sons and daughters of heaven that could suppress entire generations, how alive would he feel when he fought against people like that? Huang Ying was extremely excited about the prospects, but Li Jun was far colder about it, although there was one possible outcome he wouldn't mind.
"Who knows, they might come by since it's so close to the entrance to the Forge of Heroes. But it's not like there's anything of worth there, I hardly think any of you students will be able to enter their eyes. But hey, if they're there, go for it and interact with them, you can even go ahead and challenge them. You won't hear me complain about getting out of here that much faster."
Li Jun was trapped inside Huang Ying's body, the only way he could get out was if a new body was created for him and his soul was transferred into it, or if Huang Ying died. He personally didn't mind either one as long as he got his freedom back, so if Huang Ying was going to be toying with a suicidal plan then he would be all for it and help him push down that path.
After all, the six Heavenly Kings already stood at the peak of the Immortal Mountains, they had already transcended the Ascended Stair realm that Huang Ying was trying to reach at the moment. The only junior disciples that could fight them was another Heavenly King, everyone else was just sending themselves to an early grave.
"Disciple Huang Ying, it's time to head to Cliff's Convergence so you need to come."
The voice of the headteacher for the first years, Gang Yongye, rang throughout Huang Ying's small cabin along with the sound of him knocking on the door. Huang Ying uncrossed his legs and hopped down from his bed, his joints producing cracking sounds as he stretched his body. He slipped into a fresh blue robe, his gaze lowering slightly as he smirked at the two beings following him.
"Let's go then, the endless sea is waiting for us. I wonder what we'll get to eat out there."
The black-furred wolf Hei Ya and the red-veined sparrow Hong Yi followed Huang Ying as he headed for the door, Hong Yi hopping somewhat excitedly as she rode on Hei Ya's head. The beasts you could tame were considered part of your power so there was no rule against bringing them, both of them could follow Huang Ying to Cliff's Convergence as well as the Forge of Heroes.
Huang Ying had already packed everything he owned into his interspatial ring, but he didn't really own a lot of things. As such, when he pushed open the door and greeted the black-bearded and brown-haired Gang Yongye, he left behind a cabin that was as empty as when he first entered it.
"You look eager, good. But don't let yourself get cocky, true monsters will be entering the Forge of Heroes so it's important to know when to keep your head low and sneak on ahead."
Gang Yongye nodded appreciatively when he saw the glimmer of light in Huang Ying's black pupils, it was somewhat similar to a starving beast that had just seen a sprawling feast. Huang Ying didn't bother giving a verbal response to Gang Yongye's warning, he simply curved his lips into an expectant grin.
"Yeah, I was a bit worried that you'd answer like that. You don't need to kneel, just don't die, it has been far too long since we got a student like you."
Gang Yongye could only sigh heavily as he looked at Huang Ying, he knew that there was no way he would lower his head or hide. It had just been an entrance test into the academy, but he had been willing to force his bones into place with earthen spikes, all so he could walk up to Gang Yongye and utter four simple words 'I do not kneel.'
Huang Ying once again didn't give an answer, nor did Gang Yongye look for one, he had done what he could to warn Huang Ying, whatever he did from here on out was out of his hands. The two men and two beasts made their way through the academy's grounds and quickly reached the entrance, four animal-shaped airships waiting in front of the academy. Several groups of students were gathered in front of the various statues, Gang Yongye waving towards the airship shaped like a snake.
"The other first-years are over there, you'll take that airship to Three Volcanoes Academy and from there we'll take a spatial array to Cliff's Convergence. Oh, a spatial array is an array that specializes in folding and tearing open space, it enables us to perform long-distance teleportation as long as we can provide enough energy."
Huang Ying had yet to ever use a spatial array, this academy was too small to fuel its own spatial array, but they were indispensable to cultivators due to how drastically they cut down travel times. Gang Yongye left to speak to the other teachers so Huang Ying headed towards the other first-years. But before he got to reach them, a lean and curvaceous girl walked over from the side and blocked his path. She had reached the 5th Ascended Stair so he guessed that she was likely a third-year student. The girl didn't introduce herself, her green eyes carrying a slightly cold glint as she locked eyes with Huang Ying.
"Shue Yong didn't return from his last excursion."
It wasn't really a question, it was just a simple statement, an observation of an indisputable fact. Xing Shue Yong had left the academy shortly after Huang Ying, and it wasn't a secret that they had a grudge that would only settle when either of them died. Huang Ying returned while Shue Yong was still missing, it wasn't hard to guess what the outcome likely was.
"No, no he didn't."
Huang Ying had stopped his steps, his gaze not showing any fluctuations in his emotions as he answered. Hei Ya and Hong Yi were already starting to flare up, ready to tear into the girl if she were to make a single move. But she didn't make a move, she simply glared sharply at Huang Ying and stated her thoughts in an exceedingly simple manner.
"I don't know what sort of trick you pulled, but I know that you are the reason. I don't care for the reasons or whatever grudge you two shared. He was my friend, and now he's gone. When I get the chance, I will avenge him."
There was no need for reasons or excuses, Shue Yong had been her friend, and now he was dead. But Huang Ying was never really one to bother with excuses or reasonings either, the corners of his lips curving up to reveal his sharp canine teeth as he stepped past her, his calm voice sinking into her ears.
"I'll welcome you at any time, but I do hope that your last words won't be as disappointing as his."
He didn't even bother trying to deny that he had killed Shue Yong. Even if the truth was publically addressed, it wouldn't matter to him. He'd welcome all who sought to avenge the dead, he just hoped that they wouldn't disappoint him.
"Enemies enemies enemies, could it be that you have an innate physique that just lets you spawn enemies wherever you go?"
The voice of Song Yi reached him as he approached the group of first-year students, the black-haired girl with heterochromia eyes shaking her head in a seemingly exasperated manner. But Huang Ying knew how she thought and what goal she strove for so he didn't even entertain the notion of taking her words seriously.
"Bah, spare me your fake complaints, I know that you love all the chaos these fights sow."
Song Yi was quite similar to Huang Ying, both had very simple trains of thought. Huang Ying just wanted to have a fun and exhilarating life while also proving to the gods and his parents that he could achieve great things even without them. Song Yi on the other hand wanted nothing more than to create a grand wave to overturn the entire universe, she wanted to force these stagnant waters to move again so that all the rot and diseases was expelled.
"Ah, you know me too well. Or was it that visible on my face?"
Song Yi didn't even try to deny it, using her fingers to stretch out her lips into a comical grin. Chen Hong could only feel like sighing at the scene, brushing aside the bright yellow hair that fell over his face as he lowered his head in exasperation. Simplicity was endearing and attractive, but it could also be exhausting. Huang Ying didn't try to comfort the sighing Chen Hong, his gaze drifting towards Ying Feixu, who stood a bit further away.
"Do your best to get into the Forge of Heroes."
It sounded like something a friend would say while they worried over their companion, but Song Yi and Chen Hong knew what sort of relationship these two shared so they knew that there was no way Huang Ying would say it with something like that in mind. Ying Feixu also knew this, sneering sarcastically while her crimson eyes mimicked the same emotion.
"Worried about missing me all of a sudden?"
It really was a joke of a statement for him to say to her, it was borderline pointless. But Huang Ying didn't consider it pointless, the corners of his lips still curved up to reveal his sharp teeth as he grinned at Ying Feixu.
"No, I just thought that you would be far too boring if you couldn't even manage to secure such a small thing. And if that's going to be the case, then you won't even be worth my time. So don't disappoint me, I'm still waiting for you to become strong enough to make me feel alive."
She was nearly half a head taller than him, but facing that almost bestial grin was enough to make anyone feel small. And that was especially the case for Ying Feixu, she had Huang Ying train her in hopes that she might kill him someday, but she was also the one who best knew how strong he actually was, how scary he could be.
He was the human that had thrown her out of her nest and forced her to break out of her egg early, but the bloodline that flowed within him and the way he acted made him more suited to being a Demonic beast than most other living beings. As such, although she maintained her sarcastic smirk, she knew that she had to get into the Forge of Heroes. If she failed to do so then she was likely never going to be able to kill Huang Ying, she'd be forced to watch him rise higher and higher, unable to sink her claws into even his heels.
Gang Yongye and the other headteachers finished their talk and signalled for all the students to enter their respective airships, temporarily cutting short any conversations that were going on. The various groups swarmed into their respective airships, which were outfitted in a very simple manner, one large common hall with walls lined with doors that led to small rooms that could be used as dorms.
There wasn't really anything to do within the airships, even the rooms prepared for the students only contained the bare necessity. But that was just fine, all the students wanted to take this time to continue cultivating, after all, it would take them a few days to reach Three Volcanoes Academy.
So after a short tremor ran through the airship as it took off, silence descended on it as each student retreated to one of the rooms. Huang Ying did the same, he would prefer it if he could break into the realm of the Ascended Stairs before the Forge of Heroes opened. The core of that realm was the blood of an Ancestral God, a being on the same level as the Baku that gave Huang Ying his law of devouring and special bloodline. There was no telling what benefit he would get if he managed to snatch that blood before any of the six Heavenly Kings did.
The silence continued without interruption for an entire week, Huang Ying the only student to occasionally leave his room and wander aimlessly. But as the last day of the week passed, the loud voice of Gang Yongye reverberated throughout the entire airship.
"Stay put, students. It will get a bit turbulent when the spatial array activates, and you are likely going to throw up, so brace yourselves!"
Huang Ying's eyebrow rose slightly when he heard the warning, he had at least expected that they would have to leave the airship to use the spatial array. But from the looks of it, the array was large enough to just send away the airships themselves, which spoke a bit about the difference in strength and standing between the Fierce Flame and Three Volcanoes Academy.
The airship trembled violently a few times before space around Huang Ying seemed to bend and contort, his mind and body felt like they were being stretched out spun around inside a tornado. His stomach churned violently, but the nauseating sensation receded before the contents of his stomach got the chance to escape, the ship returning to its previous calm.
The doors lining the walls of the common hall opened one after another, most of the people that walked out being quite pale in the face after enduring the spatial transfer. Huang Ying was the first to head over to the only empty wall of the common hall, Song Yi and the others joining him as the wall slid open to reveal the land around them.
The new land they had appeared in had a rather peculiar appearance, a vast wilderness stretched out as far as the eye could see. Huang Ying had devoured quite a few memories so he knew where this wilderness was, it was the Endless Wilds that separated the small piece of land they lived on from the rest of the continent. It was also one of the most dangerous places on the planet, it rivalled the likes of the Burning Sea and the Sun-Swallowing Desert.
But the main focus of Huang Ying's attention was the opening in the forest right ahead of them. A large swathe of the forest had been removed, revealing a hole that went a few hundred metres down. Large cracks stretched out from the edges of the hole, tearing it up enough to make it look like it was actually a collection of cliffs that faced each other, there were even some waterfalls that ran down among the cracks.
"So this is Cliff's Convergence, I can really see how it got its name. Look at them all, how many fun ones are gathered among them I wonder?"
Huang Ying's lips unconsciously pulled up again as he looked at the land in front of him, especially the city that had been constructed at the bottom of the hole. Their airship was only one of many, there were several thousand others hovering around the hole, varying in shape and size. Huang Ying let his gaze sweep across the collection of airships when the voice of Chen Hong drew his attention.
"Yi? Are you okay?"
Huang Ying tilted his head slightly, immediately spotting the reason for Chen Hong's question. Song Yi was shivering like a leaf in the wind, there didn't seem to be a single part of her body that wasn't trembling violently, her face pale beyond belief. Her eyes flashed with mixtures of soul-quaking fear and violent fury, it was as if she wasn't quite sure which feeling should take precedent here. Her arm stretched out to point at one of the distant airships as she stumbled over her own words, her voice so hoarse that it almost felt like she had torn open her throat.
"Th...There...The...Them...Liangyu!"
Huang Ying and the others followed her finger, their gazes landing on a particularly large airship that was entirely golden and shaped like a five-clawed dragon. Huang Ying didn't recognize the symbol adorned on the side of the airship, but he knew the weight behind the name that Song Yi uttered with fear and fury.
Liangyu, the family that had helped tear down the Tiansheng dynasty that Song Yi was a part of. It was also this family that had kept her imprisoned since one of their young masters had taken a liking to her, using her as his toy for four years before she finally got to escape. They were the source of her motivation and the source of all her worst memories, it only made sense that she would react like that.
The Tiansheng family had once ruled all 89 planets located to the east of the planet they were currently on, they were a grand dynasty that could freely lord over every life on those planets. But they had been brought down, partly due to the family that had sent this airship, so there was no need to mention how strong the family and people within that airship were. But even so, the corners of Huang Ying's lips only turned up even further, a handful of tiny crimson eyes surfacing within his right pupil.
"Hah, so there's going to be at least one fun one, I wonder if I'll get a taste of them."
Thanks for the chapter!