“What do you girls think? Is Elder Brother Disciple Feng Yan really Master Lian’s illegitimate son?” inside the female hostel of Hu Yang Academy, a young girl with a freckled face asked the other three girls with her, a gossipy expression all over her face.
If Ling Han was here, he would definitely recognize that one of the girls here was Shen Zi Yan.
“I would assume so. If not, why would Master Lian be so protective over him? That would mean going against the Imperial Family!” a young girl whose hair was tied in two braids said.
“Maybe, but who knows if he might be the illegitimate son of his illegitimate son?” a green-clad young girl asked.
Shen Zi Yan did not say a word. She had been the most talented student in Gray Cloud Academy, which was something that had always given her great pride. But from the moment she entered Hu Yang Academy, she knew that she was only the frog at the bottom of a well. Anyone here was no weaker than her in terms of talent, and the majority was stronger than her.
Moreover, she came from a lowly background, and in this Academy that had gathered all the youths from noble backgrounds, she was naturally unable to raise her head. Within a short month, all her pride and arrogance had been rubbed out.
“What kind of enmity does Elder Brother Disciple Feng have with that Ling Han that he would let his brother collect evidence of Ling Han’s misdeeds, and would even promise a reward for information?” the braided girl asked curiously.
When Shen Zi Yan heard this, her eyes suddenly lit up.
“Younger Sister Disciple Shen, you came from Da Yuan City, and Elder Brother Disciple Feng and that Ling Han also came from there. Do you know what kind of grievances exist between them?” the freckled young girl asked Shen Zi Yan, suddenly recalling that the latter was also from Da Yuan City.
Shen Zi Yan’s expression darkened, and she said, “Ling Han is an ignorant, incompetent, despicable, and vulgar character! Do you all know how he managed to enroll into the Academy?”
“No!” the other three girls shook their heads.
“He begged his father who used his own life to trade for this opportunity to enroll in the Academy!” Shen Zi Yan declared, smiling coldly.
“What, how could someone like that exist?” the other three girls gasped in shock.
“Of course!” Shen Zi Yan continued to smear Ling Han’s name, “Have you ever heard of the Dark Demon Forest?”
“En, en, en. We’ve heard of it before. That is a very dangerous place that not even Spiritual Pedestal Tier elites would dare to enter!” the three girls nodded.
“I heard that more than a hundred years ago, a member of the Hu Yang Academy entered the Dark Demon Forest and lost an ultimate treasure inside, so Ling Han’s father managed to make a deal with the Academy. He would enter the Dark Demon Forest to retrieve that ultimate treasure, and Ling Han would be able to enter Hu Yang Academy,” Shen Zi Yan said.
“He’s really too despicable!”
“What an unfilial son!”
The freckled young girl and the other two girls all shook their heads at this. He was practically scum, actually asking his father to take such a great risk and endure formidable dangers just for himself to be able to enter the Academy.
Shen Zi Yan smirked coldly. Rumor had the highest demand, and within a few days, Ling Han would become a rat that everyone would want to throttle. She despised Ling Han—this despise had begun since the betrothal contract between Ling Han and herself had been set down. However, after Ling Han’s abrupt rise to power, this despise had transformed completely into hatred.
She absolutely did not want others to laugh at her behind her back, mocking her for being blind and missing out on the perfect husband. Thus, she wanted to utterly discredit Ling Han and for him to lose all standing and good reputation.
***
Ling Han advanced very quickly, and after a mere four days, he had broken through to the seventh layer of Element Gathering Tier.
But he was not the fastest. There was another that was even more of a monster than he was.
Hu Niu.
The little girl’s Spirit Base was not only very weird, it also possessed an ability to absorb Spiritual Qi that was no weaker than Ling Han. Moreover, after she had hatched out from the egg, she had somehow obtained a cultivation technique that was completely able to suit the rapid speed at which a Heaven Grade Spirit Base absorbed Spiritual Qi.
Merely from this aspect, she was definitely not any slower than Ling Han. More importantly, she could still eat.
Her ability of being able to transform any food that she had consumed into her own Origin Power had not disappeared after she had managed to awaken her Spirit Base. On the other hand, this ability had become even more powerful. Thus, after a mere five days, the little girl had reached the ninth layer of Body Refining Tier.
However, he did not know if the barrier separating the various major Tiers would be able to detain her for a while. After all, breaking through this barrier involved the comprehension and understanding of her cultivation level, and energy was not the only thing necessary to break through.
And yet, this was completely no issue for her.
After a day, Hu Niu quietly stepped into Element Gathering Tier, so smoothly as if it was as easy as drinking water for her.
Ling Han did not know what to say anymore. Could Hu Niu also be the reincarnation of a powerful, ultimate existence like him? That was not impossible. After all, the Spirit Base in the little girl’s Dantian was really too weird. It not only took the form of a magnificent beauty, it could even open its eyes and had almost obliterated Ling Han’s spirit.
And in the eyes of the Liu sisters, these two people, both big and small, were undoubtedly both monsters. They had watched as the cultivation levels of these two soared within a short few days’ time, making them feel that this was completely unreal.
Indeed, their cultivation levels were higher than Ling Han and Hu Niu. However, one had to know that this was possible only because they had used up all the resources of the Falling Flower Court, which allowed them to reach a high layer in Gushing Spring Tier below the age of twenty. However, their future advancement could only depend on their own efforts and talent.
But when they looked at the monstrous speed that these two were advancing with, it was obvious they could continue to advance in this manner even in the higher realms, and that was the really terrifying thing.
Ling Han wanted to use Hu Niu’s cultivation technique as a reference, but the little girl could not describe it clearly no matter how hard she tried. She could only express that it was as if this cultivation technique was something she knew instinctively, and naturally knew how to circulate this cultivation technique. She did not need to understand it, nor was she able to recite it out.
On the other side, because of Shen Zi Yan, Ling Han’s name as a ‘despicable son’ had spread throughout the Academy, and everyone thought that Ling Han had forced his father to sell his life to be able to enter into the Academy, causing them to be disgusted by his unfilial actions.
In this manner, Feng Luo became the representative of righteousness. The matter of Wei He Le’s expulsion had even been brought to the surface again, as some suggested for a retrial to take place. Who knew if Wei He Le had been wronged.
“What do we do now? Everyone is talking bad about you.” Liu Yu Tong came over and gritted her teeth naturally as she mentioned the rumors. Anyone who had come from Da Yuan City would naturally know that Ling Han had entered the Academy because he had gotten the first place in the Tournament, but the mass spreading of rumors confused right from wrong, and no one would believe the truth.
“I know I am innocent, and if others want to wag their tongues, just let them be. But if they dare to say these things in front of me, I’ll punch out their whole mouth of teeth,” Ling Han said uncaringly. As someone who had once been an ultimate warrior of Heaven Tier, he would naturally not care about what others think of him.
When he displayed invincible martial arts ability, all rumors would be naturally destroyed.
Kou, kou, kou. A knock was heard from the door, and because the door was not closed, a beautiful face popped in and said, “Is Mr Ling here?”
Liu Yu Tong turned to look at her, and could not stop a strange expression from appearing on her. Ling Han’s luck with the ladies was really a bit too strong. He had just stepped into the Imperial City for a short time, and he had already gotten to know so many different beautiful girls?
Ling Han also looked at this visitor, and could not help but smile as he said, “Silly little girl, why are you looking for me?”
The beautiful girl was Yun Shuang Shuang. At first, she had been in a good mood, but when she heard Ling Han’s words, she immediately became furious, and said snappily, “Milady would like to invite you to the Cherishing Flower Pavilion so she can thank you personally!”
“Oh, when?” Ling Han asked.
“If Mr Ling does not have anything important going on, then please come over tonight.”
“All right!” Ling Han nodded. Indeed, he did not have anything pressing to do tonight.