On the following day, it was just dawn.
In the Chess Palace of Jin Nation Academy.
There were more than 300 fourth generation disciples who were arguing frantically.
“Li Yan, don’t go too far, you guys were the ones who entertained the newcomers last time they came. This time, there are finally two more, and yet you want to vie with me. Aren’t you guys going a bit too far?”
The person’s voice was loud, clear, and full of anger.
“What’s wrong with that? Xu Chao, Senior Brother Fang Lei said previously that the newly recruited students will be entertained by us. You guys can go and request for it if you want.”
Li Yan’s voice sounded in the academy’s palace.
At this moment, two groups of people were glowering at each other furiously.
Li Yan was the leader of hundreds of people and was in a stalemate with the other side.
On the other hand, there was another man opposite Li Yan who seemed to be of the same age as him but was much more civilized.
He was Xu Chao, who was also a fourth-generation disciple.
The two were arguing here because of the matter of a new disciple coming tomorrow.
That was the rule of the Jin Nation Academy. Regardless of whether the newcomers came in groups or as individuals, the students of the previous batches would teach them how to behave.
That rule had been in place since the first day the academy was established, and it was also practiced in the other academies of the Ten Nations.
However, although it was an unwritten rule, the senior members of the academy all chose to turn a blind eye as long as the problem wasn’t overboard.
It would be enough to teach the new disciples a lesson and let them suffer a bit of mistreatment.
Hence, the process was usually enjoyable for the perpetrators.
Firstly, they could establish majesty in front of the junior brothers.
Secondly, they could pretend to be impressive in front of their junior brothers.
Who wouldn’t want to do such a good thing?
In particular, the disciples of the fourth generation had been bullied badly in the Jin Nation Academy before the fifth generation disciples arrived. Whenever they met the disciples of the third generation, they would have to be polite and respectful.
Although they were not bullied in all ways, they were still inferior in status.
However, now that the fifth generation disciples had appeared, the fourth generation disciples were overjoyed, especially during this period of time where they got to deal with them.
Many people, who had a discerning eye and knew how to judge the situation, would take the initiative to curry favor with them by addressing them respectfully.
Besides, there were also a lot of young girls who were extremely obedient and meek, which made the fourth generation disciples finally enjoy how the third generation disciples felt back then.
However, there was good and bad to everything. Some were happy and some were definitely displeased.
In the academic palace, the fourth generation disciples were also divided into different cliques. In the Jin Nation Academy, disciples were allowed to form cliques in their own freedom.
The two strongest cliques among the fourth generation disciples were led by Li Yan and Xu Chao respectively.
The person superior to Li Yan was Fang Lei.
The person superior to Xu Chao was Mo Xiaoping.
Both of them were aggressive existences who enjoyed prestige and respect among the fourth generation disciples.
A few days ago, Li Yan led a group of people and taught a lesson to the new disciples, resulting in them trying to curry favor with Li Yan and the others.
Although this group of newly matriculated fifth generation disciples also respected them quite a lot, they mainly tried to butter up Li Yan and the others.
That made Xu Chao and the others displeased, although they knew that they had no choice.
After all, Li Yan and others had already left a permanent mark on the hearts of the new disciples.
However, what they didn’t expect was that two additional people would come to join this batch of the Jin Nation Academy.
The fourth generation disciples were now gleeful.
After Li Yan and the others tasted the sweetness of establishing dominance, they wanted to continue to “entertain” the two newcomers who were about to arrive.
On the other hand, Xu Chao and the others also wanted to establish their dominance but not in front of these two. Instead, they wanted to do so in front of the new disciples of the fifth generation and let them watch, so that they would indirectly be intimidated.
At this moment, Li Yan and Xu Chao were arguing about that matter.
Li Yan thought that since he was the one who received them in the beginning, he would go ahead with it again.
On the other hand, Xu Chao felt that since Li Yan had already received them once, he should give them the chance.
After all, if they missed the opportunity, it would not come by again. This was the rule of the Jin Nation Academy. The previous generation could pressure the next generation and even challenge them, but the gap in between the two parties could not be more than two generations. After all, if the gap was too large, it would be atrocious.
However, the new disciples could challenge any Senior Brother at will, as long as they had the ability to. They could even challenge the Academy Master.
In the future, if there was a sixth generation of disciples, it would be the fifth generation’s turn to establish authority.
It wouldn’t be their turn and that was the reason Xu Chao had put in so much effort.
Unfortunately, Xu Chao had a good plan but Li Yan refused to give in. After having received the benefit, how could he let go of such an opportunity?
“Brother Fang Lei is still recovering from his injuries. Li Yan, let me ask you, are you going to give in or not?”
Xu Chao asked with a cold gaze.
“No, what are you going to do about it?”
Li Yan looked at Xu Chao and began to get more and more aggressive.
‘You’re being tyrannical, huh?’
In an instant, tension arose in the palace and the two batches of students were looking at each other, as if they were about to start a fight at any moment.
At this very moment, Xu Chao looked at Li Yan and clenched his fist.
“Okay, Li Yan, bear this in mind, you will be doomed one day, hmph!”
Xu Chao looked a little furious, but he knew that the task of receiving the new disciples was indeed on Li Yan.
That was something that Fang Lei had already instructed, and thus he couldn’t snatch it at all.
Xu Chao was furious.
However, there was nothing he could do about it, so he could only lead the people away.
After Xu Chao left, Li Yan couldn’t help but smile in satisfaction.
“You guys prepare yourselves well. The newbies will be coming later, so remember to come over. Get the newly matriculated disciples to come along too, so that they can take a good look.”
Li Yan’s eyes were full of an expectant gaze.
The rest of the people could not help but look forward to it, let alone Li Yan.
They had gotten a taste of the joy of establishing dominance previously. If they could do it again, they reckoned that the Junior Sisters and Junior Brothers would butter them up even more.
At the thought of this, everyone was excited and began rubbing their fists while waiting to abuse the newbies.
At this moment, someone suddenly spoke up.
“Don’t you guys think these two newbies are very competent since they can be recruited?”
“What if we can’t beat them?”
Someone suddenly analyzed rationally.
However, as soon as he said that, he was mocked.
“You must be thinking too much, huh? Even if they’re competent, can they beat us?”
“Yes. You have to remember, we are definitely going to outnumber them, and no matter how competent they are, they’re not facing rookies!”
“You’re worrying too much. Not to mention the fact that those who are recruited do not necessarily get recruited because of their strength, so what if they are? There are so many of us, why should we be scared?”
“Yes, yes, there are so many of us, why should we be scared?”
“When they arrive later, I’ll be the first to attack and give them some leeway, lest they say that we are bullying the two of them.”
They debated, finding it unnecessary to be scared of the new disciples.
However, at this moment, a figure appeared in the academic palace. It was a fourth generation disciple who was hurrying in and speaking agitatedly.
“They’re here, they’re here. The newbies are here.”
He sounded extremely excited, and for a moment, all the disciples were agitated too as they started shrieking and exclaiming in excitement.
“Silence!”
Li Yan ordered.
“Send someone to bring those two to the combat arena!”
“Then, send someone to bring the new disciples over again. We’ll meet at the combat arena in two hours.”
Li Yan told everyone to calm down.
“Yes!”
The people spoke up and after Li Yan left, everyone did too.
At this moment, in the main hall.
Ye Ping and a woman were standing in the middle of the main hall while Li Yu stood beside Ye Ping with an iron token.
“Master, this is the identity arrow of the Jin Nation Academy. From now on, you will need this token to enter and leave the Jin Nation Academy.”
Li Yu handed the ancient token to Ye Ping, and then couldn’t help but look at the woman beside him.
The woman was in her early twenties and was looking beautiful in a long black robe. Her aura was good too and she was now standing at the side and looking around.
Sensing Li Yu’s gaze, the latter could not help but speak.
“Are you also a new disciple?”
The woman in the black robe wasn’t awkward at all and seemed to be able to feel comfortable around strangers.
“I’m not, my master is,” Li Yu answered. Although he had a noble status, he did not have the arrogance of a royal and treated everyone well. That was also the reason why Ye Ping decided to take Li Yu under his wing.
After all, in Ye Ping’s opinion, character came first be it when making friends or accepting disciples.
“Oh! Master? You two seem to be about the same age. I’m Mo Xuan, greetings, Fellow Daoist.”
The woman in black said.
“Mo Xuan?”
Upon hearing her name, Ye Ping was shocked.
He remembered Mo Xuan’s name very well because the author of the Ancient Fiendcelestial Technique was Heavenly Venerable Mo Xuan.
However, the woman in front of him had ordinary strength and had yet to even reach the Foundation Establishment realm. Hence, he subconsciously thought that they merely shared the same name and didn’t dwell further on it.
“Yes, what are your names?”
Mo Xuan asked.
“I’m Ye Ping. Greetings, Fellow Daoist Mo.”
“I’m Li…”
Before Li Yu could introduce himself, dozens of people suddenly walked into the main hall.
They were wearing the robes of the Jin Nation Academy, with the word ‘Fourth Generation’ embroidered on the back. They seemed calm but aloof.
“Are you the new disciples?”
The people walked over and someone asked while sizing Ye Ping and the other two up.
“They are, I’m not!”
Li Yu took a half step forward and hurriedly explained.
“You’re not? Why are you here then?”
He frowned but soon, the person beside him lowered his voice and whispered, “He’s the prince of Jin Nation, and he’s not to be trifled with.”
The person who spoke could not help but be stunned and immediately spoke in a gentler tone.
“I’m here on Senior Brother’s order to bring the new disciples to the combat arena.”
He looked at Ye Ping and Mo Xuan.
Hearing these words, Ye Ping looked calm and there was barely any fluctuation in his expression. However, Mo Xuan panicked.
“My stomach feels a bit uncomfortable, can I not go?”
Mo Xuan seemed to know something and wanted to play dead.
Unfortunately, that person ignored her and said indifferently, “Absence is considered voluntarily giving up your status as a student of Jin Nation.”
He was adamant.
She could choose not to go, but the consequence of not going was expulsion from the Jin Nation Academy.
Hearing this, Mo Xuan couldn’t help but look very uncomfortable, but in the end, she gritted her teeth and chose to go.
Ye Ping saw all of Mo Xuan’s expressions and attitude, after which he was even more certain that she wasn’t Heavenly Venerable Mo Xuan.
“Can I follow you there?”
Li Yu suddenly asked. He wanted to tag along, lest Ye Ping really suffered.
“No, only the students of Jin Nation Academy are allowed.”
Although the latter’s attitude was somewhat mellow, he still refused to compromise and let Li Yu tag along.
Before Li Yu could speak, Ye Ping spoke.
“Okay, Li Yu, go back and take care of your own affairs. Since I’m here, I’m already prepared.”
Ye Ping instructed Li Yu to go back and told him that he did not need his help.
After saying that, Li Yu fell silent and nodded immediately afterwards. “Yes.”
Li Yu bowed to Ye Ping.
He deliberately did that because he wanted others to know that Ye Ping was his master. Since he was the prince, it would be considered a warning.
Sure enough, as Li Yu bowed, the expressions of the people changed.
They did not expect that the man in front of them was actually the master of the Crown Prince Li Yu. Hence, they had to respect him.
“Junior Sister, Junior Brother, come with me.”
However, they eventually spoke, though their attitudes became much gentler.
Just like that, Ye Ping moved while Mo Xuan followed behind him and they headed for the combat arena.
Five minutes passed.
Finally, Ye Ping and Mo Xuan both arrived at the Jin Nation Academy’s combat arena.
The massive ring could house a few hundred people and the area below the ring was also extremely spacious.
That was the place where the disciples of the Jin Nation Academy cultivated, so the space was naturally large.
“Okay, you two wait here. We’ll be back soon.”
When Ye Ping and Mo Xuan arrived at the center of the ring, the fourth generation disciples couldn’t help but speak up and told them to wait right there.
Besides, they left without giving the two of them the chance to ask anything. That somehow made them feel inexplicably pressured.
After they left, Mo Xuan’s expression changed completely.
“It’s over, it’s over, it’s over!”
“I thought this rule was gone, but I didn’t expect it to continue, it’s over for me this time.”
“My life is so hard.”
Mo Xuan suddenly said. She looked extremely nervous and seemed to feel hopeless.
As a freelance writer of immortal cultivation secret manuals, Mo Xuan usually spent her free time reading a large variety of books, especially some about strange tales.
That was also the reason why Mo Xuan knew of the rule of Jin Nation Academy.
Mo Xuan’s original plan was simple, and that was that she would arrive at Jin Nation Academy earlier.
However, after she thought about it, she suddenly realized that if she went to the Jin Nation Academy later, she probably would not have to take a beating, especially since she was a woman.
That was also the reason why Mo Xuan started relaxing and playing around, so much that she was late to the Jin Nation Academy.
She thought that she wouldn’t get beaten up since she was alone.
However, it seemed that it was difficult for her to escape the ordeal this time.
At the thought of this, Mo Xuan was regretful and furious. Had she known that this would be the outcome, she would have come earlier and suffered the beating with everyone else. She could then feign dead sooner and escape the physical pain.
However, she reckoned that she wouldn’t be able to flee now.
‘Oh dear, it’s over for me this time.’
Mo Xuan cried. Perhaps, she was being a smart alec and caused her plans to backfire.
However, Mo Xuan soon realized that Ye Ping, who was beside her, was not terrified at all. She did not know if he was fearless or just confident.
However, whatever it was, Mo Xuan still took the initiative to speak up and gave him a reminder.
“Fellow Daoist Ye, I don’t know what to say, but in short, we may both have to take a beating later.”
“However, Fellow Daoist Ye, remember, if you get beaten up later, just lie down on the ground sooner and do not beg for mercy or cry. That way, you will be beaten up less. We’re here to study after all, not to die.”
Mo Xuan did not know how to put it in words but she had given the reminder that she ought to. As for whether Ye Ping could comprehend it or not, it would depend on himself.
Just as Mo Xuan finished speaking, the sounds of footsteps filled the air.
The footsteps sounded neat and unified.
Soon, figures walked out from all directions.
There were two to three hundred people.
They were the fourth generation disciples and they were all standing uniformly around Ye Ping and Mo Xuan.
Somehow, a sense of oppression was formed and Mo Xuan, who was in the center, felt extremely pressurized.
On the contrary, Ye Ping was calm.
Li Yu had told him about that matter yesterday, and in order to deal with today’s situation, Ye Ping even spent the night deducing the Ancient True Dragon Fist.
Although he did not know if he could win, Ye Ping was confident that he wouldn’t be defeated so quickly.
However, the exact outcome would be revealed later.
Tap Tap Tap Tap!
At this moment, hundreds of people suddenly appeared, all of whom belonged to the fourth generation.
Xu Chao was the leader.
He brought them over by force, but Xu Chao didn’t say anything and simply instructed them to surround the two while staring at Li Yan
Li Yan, who had just walked up to Ye Ping and Mo Xuan, had a change of expression before he could pretend to be impressive.
However, Li Yan knew very well that he couldn’t argue at this point, and even if he did, it would be detrimental to his image and reputation.
He glanced at Xu Chao and thought to himself that the grudge had been born. However, for the sake of establishing dominance, Li Yan chose to stay silent.
However, at this moment, the sounds of footsteps echoed in the arena.
Once again, hundreds of people appeared.
However, they were all fifth generation disciples who were new to the academy and had their eyes full of curiosity.
There were more than 400 new disciples who were standing behind the fourth generation disciples and looking at Ye Ping and Mo Xuan who were in the arena.
In the beginning, they were curious, but soon, they understood something.
The people started discussing fervently.
“The two of them are by themselves?”
“They’re in hot soup. There were more than 400 of us when we got beaten up, and even then, we couldn’t get out of bed for three days after the beating. They probably won’t be able to get out of bed for three months, right?”
“They’re really unlucky.”
“This poor Junior Sister has to be beaten up alone as soon as she arrived. It’s over for her now.”
“I wonder who started this vicious habit. When the sixth generation disciples come in the future, I definitely won’t bully them like this.”
“These two are so unlucky. Previously, only about 200 Senior Brothers beat us up, but this time, there are almost 400 of them.”
“This Junior Brother is really good-looking.”
“Yes, his aura is excellent too. I reckon he’s going to get disfigured.”
“Don’t you know that the handsome ones have to be beaten up more severely?”
“Poor thing.”
“Cut it out, I’ll go and prepare superior-class healing medicine for them. Maybe this Junior Brother will fall in love with me at first sight.”
“I’ll go and prepare too then.”
“I’m ready.”
“When did you get prepared?”
“I was born with an inherent medicinal body and I can condense recovery medicine when I’m extremely happy. I can save anyone who is still breathing.”
The disciples discussed.
There was a huge commotion.
At this moment, Li Yan interjected, “Silence!”
Everyone fell silent one after another.