Invincible Soul Emperor

Chapter 582 Unexpected

Ye Qingchen still didn’t know that the Saint Heir was once again scheming to kill him.

Meanwhile, all four major academies had received the news announced by Li Rui: the finals would be broadcast live across the academies via light screens. Mu Changfeng, who had been waiting anxiously, immediately activated the academy’s light screen as soon as he heard the news to check on the situation in the Secret Realm. However, the only image visible on the screen was that of Ye Qingchen alone. This was because, so far, Central Celestial Academy was the only one to have completed the preliminary round, and only one of its teams had survived. The disciples from the other three academies were still in the first stage, searching for their own opportunities.

"Look, that’s someone from our Central Celestial Academy! Why have I never seen this kid before? Which sub-academy is he from?" a disciple from Central Celestial Academy exclaimed in surprise upon seeing Ye Qingchen wearing their academy’s uniform on the light screen.

"You don’t recognize him? He’s that Ye Qingchen who almost got eliminated during the entrance exam. I heard he entered some Divine Tree Academy."

"Divine Tree Academy? Does Central Celestial Academy even have a sub-academy like that? I’ve never heard of it."

"He’s just trash who couldn’t even pass the entrance exam. He must have gotten incredibly lucky to make it to the second round. It looks like our Central Celestial Academy is going to suffer a miserable defeat this time."

"Exactly! The kid’s still in the Martial King Realm. He’ll definitely be eliminated in a single move once the finals begin!"

When someone revealed Ye Qingchen’s identity, the disciples from Central Celestial Academy grew disheartened. They couldn’t help but start blaming him, feeling that he had wasted a spot in the finals. Although Central Celestial Academy had always ranked last among the four major academies in assessments, this was an unprecedented new low, with only a single Martial King Realm disciple advancing to the finals.

"I don’t get it. How on earth did a kid at the Martial King Realm advance to the finals?"

"What’s not to get? Don’t you know the rules for this assessment? Each academy has ten teams, and the last team standing gets to enter the finals."

"So you’re saying our other nine teams were all eliminated? His was the only one left, so he advanced? But all his teammates were eliminated too, leaving him as the sole survivor? How is that possible?"

"Hmph, I bet that kid is a coward who just hid by himself as soon as he entered the Secret Realm. While others were fighting to the death, he just cowered somewhere to survive!"

As more and more people joined the discussion, the sentiment in Central Celestial Academy turned almost unanimously against Ye Qingchen, with personal attacks being thrown around. Worse still, many disciples were already preparing to sign a petition requesting the academy to expel this disgrace.

"Bastards! What do you know? Junior Brother Ye is the true hero of our Central Celestial Academy!" a loud roar cut through the chattering crowd as Cao Zong, filled with righteous indignation, angrily rebuked them.

Cao Zong had been saved by Ye Qingchen in the Secret Realm and knew of his unparalleled combat abilities. He had been eliminated too early to know what had happened to Ye Qingchen afterward, but he firmly believed that if Ye Qingchen had reached the finals, it was a hard-earned victory achieved through his own strength, not by simply surviving through cowardice as these people claimed.

As an Inner Sect Disciple of Central Celestial Academy and a Martial Emperor Realm expert, Cao Zong’s words carried weight. Especially since he had also participated in the joint assessment, almost no one dared to retort after his angry shout.

However, not everyone was silenced. Wang Teng was also in the crowd. He already bore a grudge for his own elimination, and seeing Ye Qingchen advance to the finals made his blood boil. Initially, Wang Teng had felt smug seeing everyone denouncing Ye Qingchen, but he never expected Cao Zong to step in.

Wang Teng also stepped forward and said with a cold snort, "Cao Zong, I remember you being the one who complained the loudest during team selection, refusing to be on a team with Ye Qingchen. So why are you playing the good guy now? He’s just a piece of trash at the Martial King Realm. Don’t you think him reaching the finals is an insult to our Central Celestial Academy?"

Just then, Li Chunsheng, having heard that the finals were being shown on the light screen, hurriedly called Zi Xing back from his post at the Teleportation Array. The two of them arrived just in time to witness this scene.

Upon hearing someone dare to insult Ye Qingchen, Li Chunsheng’s temper flared. Pointing at Wang Teng’s nose the moment he arrived, he scolded, "Insult? If someone with Junior Brother Ye’s strength couldn’t make it to the finals, that would be the real insult! Let me tell you, we all felt fortunate to be on the same team as him. Do you have any idea what happened in the Secret Realm? You’re just here barking like a mad dog. You get eliminated because you’re useless, and then you try to tear others down? I think you are the real disgrace to our Central Celestial Academy!"

Li Chunsheng had not only advanced to the third-level Martial Emperor Realm but also held the status of a senior Inner Sect Disciple of Zhongtian Academy. The status of Zhongtian Academy was higher than any other sub-academy, so when Li Chunsheng spoke, Wang Teng didn’t dare to retort. He could only stand there, full of resentment, without saying a word.

Li Chunsheng wanted to say more but was held back by Zi Xing.

Zi Xing shook his head at him and said, "Senior Brother Li, don’t waste your breath on them. The truth will speak for itself. When the finals begin and Junior Brother Ye reveals his formidable strength, these people will shut their mouths on their own."

Zi Xing knew about the grudge between Wang Teng and Ye Qingchen. But not to mention Ye Qingchen, even Zi Xing himself no longer took Wang Teng seriously.

Li Chunsheng nodded. Looking at Ye Qingchen on the light screen, he said with delight, "Junior Brother Ye broke through again? That’s great! His chances of winning the finals are even higher now!"

Zi Xing also saw that Ye Qingchen had reached the Eighth Layer of the Martial King Realm and was genuinely happy for him. Although he was still not very optimistic about the finals, he thought that since Elder Yang had personally intervened, there shouldn’t be any problem.

However, what Zi Xing didn’t know was that Elder Yang and Mu Changfeng were also looking at Ye Qingchen on the light screen at that very moment, both with grim expressions.

"Are you saying that during the finals, life and death don’t matter? And there are no rules whatsoever—the last one standing is the victor?"

Elder Yang’s tone was very strange. He couldn’t believe Mu Changfeng had agreed to such a condition.

Mu Changfeng nodded helplessly. After all, the assessments of the four major academies had always disregarded life and death. Even when serious injuries occurred, disciples would usually stop in time, so it was rare for any disciple to actually die during the assessments. But this sudden change in circumstances had caught him completely off guard.