The martial hall was deathly silent, many in disbelief. Qian Lin had consumed a potential-stimulating potion, temporarily boosting his strength—they thought Dao Ling was done for.
But the result left everyone speechless. Dao Ling stood like a god incarnate, motionless, and sent Qian Lin flying with a mere震退 (shockwave)!
"Gulp."
Someone swallowed hard. Ye Yun's long eyelashes trembled. She exchanged a glance with the vice-principal, both stunned—they had felt a surging tide of blood qi!
In this world, terrifying figures could be described as having "heaven-towering blood qi"—releasing such an aura could flatten mountains!
These individuals were extremely horrifying, boasting invincible records across hundreds of thousands of miles. To forge such a terrifying physique in youth, with blood qi strong enough to injure opponents, indicated immense potential to become a great warrior.
"Prodigy," the vice-principal breathed, his fiery gaze fixed on Dao Ling's composed face. *Give him a few years, and his achievements will surely be remarkable...*
The vice-principal's judgment was sharp. He sensed Dao Ling's potential surpassed even Wang Ling's. As long as he survived, he would surely make a name in Qingzhou.
"Ah!" Qian Lin howled, his face contorted with fear. His body felt like it was shattering,瘫软如泥 (limp as mud), unable to stand.
"Dao Ling!" Qian Lin raged, his eyes fixed on the figure ahead, his face扭曲狰狞 (twisted in malice), exuding bone-chilling cold. Now, he wanted nothing more than to crawl into a hole from shame.
Dao Ling's gaze met his, calm yet sending Qian Lin into a cold sweat. He felt like he was facing a primal beast, his heart pounding in terror.
Dao Ling ignored him, gaining insight from the battle. Sensing the surging blood qi within—each strand like a runaway horse—he felt overwhelmed.
"This is the aftereffect. I must find a way to temper my body, or it will be a great隐患 (hidden danger)," Dao Ling frowned. Though his blood qi was strong, his rapid growth made it hard to control.
Most in the Body Forging Realm spent about two years tempering their bodies to make them indestructible. But he had achieved in half a month what others took two years for, leading to unstable foundations.
"The *Devouring Heaven* technique is indeed terrifying, but if I neglect my foundation, it might just devour me," Dao Ling clicked his tongue, needing a solution for the aftereffects.
The crowd watched in awe, struck by horror. *Is this still the Sleep God?* They regretted bullying him, fearing retaliation.
"Instructor Ye Yun, you're lucky to have found such an outstanding prodigy," the vice-principal smiled, envying her luck.
"I'm surprised too," Ye Yun replied, her lips curving into an enchanting arc. The stark contrast was astonishing.
"Perhaps he could leave a mark on the Small Martial Stele..." Her slender hand clenched slightly, her eyes gleaming.
Hearing this, the vice-principal rolled his eyes. "Instructor Ye Yun, you're young. Though your cultivation exceeds mine, do you truly understand the Small Martial Stele?"
His implication was clear: *Do you really think you can guide such a prodigy?* The Small Martial Stele tested Body Forging Realm warriors—only天之骄子 (heaven's favorites) could leave a prominent mark for others to venerate.
Ye Yun started, shocked by her own thought. Those inscribed on the stele were renowned prodigies. If Dao Ling were such a prodigy, he would have been recruited by a major force long ago—why stay in this backwater?
Even Qingzhou's current top prodigy couldn't rank in the top 100 on the stele, illustrating the near-impossible difficulty.
Ye Yun knew the Small Martial Stele had stood in Qingzhou for untold ages, inscribed by countless prodigies from ancient times to the present.
Squeezing out a name on it was truly a heaven-defying feat.
"Still, growing up here, he will surely achieve great things," Ye Yun said, admiringly gazing at Dao Ling.
"True. Talents from small places can't compare to those from great families," the vice-principal clicked his tongue. "They use rare treasures to temper their bodies, even true blood from ancient ferocious beasts to forge essence liquids. These prodigies can dominate entire provinces, boasting peerless combat power!"
He sighed. Those prodigies had clan elders to protect them, venturing into ancient ruins for opportunities—far beyond Dao Ling's humble foundations.
As the vice-principal left, Ye Yun turned to Dao Ling with a smile. "Come with me."
Envy surged through the crowd—this was the first time they had seen Ye Yun smile at someone and invite them out.
Qian Lin's face turned ashen, horror spreading in his eyes. He realized a dreadful truth: he might have been crippled...
Testing his strength, searing pain shot through every muscle. *I can't recover my power!*
"Dao Ling, I'll make you die! No one can save you—no one!" Qian Lin roared, eyes blood-red like a beast's, limping home.
Following Ye Yun onto a bluestone path, Dao Ling looked at her porcelain profile. "Instructor, did you need something?"
Ye Yun gave him a knowing look. "Dao Ling, you hid your strength well. Tricking even me—was that fun?"
Her words made Dao Ling nervous. "No, I wouldn't dare. I only broke through recently."
Ye Yun rolled her eyes. *Broken through recently? Who believes that?* She paused. "The Star Academy trials are in five days. Are you confident?"
"We'll see," Dao Ling scratched his head.
"'We'll see'?!" Ye Yun shook her head. "Star Academy is a major force in Qingzhou. While there are other forces, none compare. In this world, major forces hold most resources. Without a force or family, joining one is your ticket to go further."
She knew that in this vast world, climbing higher required power; otherwise, one would remain mediocre.
Especially for someone like Dao Ling—prodigies were fragile, especially in this hierarchical world where强者如云 (strong warriors were countless), and Dao Ling was no more than an ant to them.
"I've registered. Joining Star Academy shouldn't be too hard, right?" Dao Ling asked, eager to join. It was said to be full of prodigies, diverse martial arts, and monthly cultivation resources—everyone longed to enter.
"Hard to say. Every year, over 100,000 attend the trials, but Star Academy only recruits 1,000."
Dao Ling's young face froze. "100,000 participants? That's impossible!"
"You know too little about the world. How many are in tiny Qingshan Academy? You'll understand later." Ye Yun smiled. "The world is vast—even Qingzhou is enormous, with countless geniuses. Don't think 30,000–40,000 catties in Body Forging is remarkable. Body Forging is just the first realm; Rhyme Spirit is the real entry point."
Dao Ling gasped. This was news to him. *100,000 participants for 1,000 spots?* The difficulty was staggering.
They arrived at an exquisite courtyard—presumably Ye Yun's residence.
Entering the inner chamber, Ye Yun asked, "Earlier, I saw your energy was slightly狂暴 (unruly). Has your cultivation caused issues?"
"Instructor, you're brilliant," Dao Ling grinned, wondering why she had brought him here.
"Want to master your energy with ease?" Ye Yun smiled, eyes narrowing.
Dao Ling nodded eagerly, but her smile raised an ominous预感 (premonition).
Ye Yun sat cross-legged, a playful glint in her eye. "Let me help you..."