Chapter 1733: Enfeoffed King
"So you are Lin Feng. I heard that on Cold Moon Lake, your battle was astonishing. You attempted to defy the heavens and become an emperor, but fell short at the last moment. Still, you achieved seven types of law power—impressive." A young man draped in a white fur robe murmured softly, his voice carrying a hint of regret.
"It's a pity you encountered the imperial tribulation and failed to become an emperor," another person said. Lin Feng was somewhat surprised—these people were well-informed about the events of Sky-Gazing Ancient Capital. It seemed that the battle on Cold Moon Lake had indeed attracted some attention.
"Young Master of the Nether, your friend is quite unique. He killed Yang Yan of the Sun Saint Clan. Now that he's arrived in Holy City Central Continent, some people from the Sun Saint Clan and the Cang Clan will likely come to settle accounts with him. Brother Lin Feng, you should be careful."
"No need to worry. Nothing happened in Sky-Gazing Ancient Capital, so what could happen here in Holy City Central Continent?" Lin Feng replied calmly.
"I heard that Lin Feng, the abandoned one, relied on the Heavenly Derivation Chessboard to kill those martial emperors. Without it, he might not have been so fortunate. That powerful treasure—could we get a look at it?" The young man who had previously spoken harshly to Tantai said coldly. The others exchanged glances and chimed in, "That's right. The Heavenly Derivation Chessboard is a treasure of the Tian Yan Holy Clan. None of us have ever seen it. Brother Lin Feng, won't you oblige us?"
Lin Feng looked at those who spoke, a faint, cold smile on his lips. "All of you here are people of extraordinary status. You must be carrying treasures as well. Why not take them out for us to see too?"
"Exactly. How rude. Are your treasures just for show?" Tantai said angrily. Among this crowd, a few were truly excessive. The Heavenly Derivation Chessboard was Lin Feng's treasure—how could he just show it off? That was ridiculous. After looking at it, would they ask Lin Feng to let them use it?
The speakers' expressions stiffened slightly. Then the young man surnamed Shang sneered, "You two have quite the temper. We admire the treasure of the Tian Yan Holy Clan and just want to see the Heavenly Derivation Chessboard. Is that a problem? You seem to be ungrateful."
"We're ungrateful? Then why don't you take out your own treasure for everyone to see?" Tantai glared, furious.
"How dare you!" The young man suddenly shouted coldly. "Do you know where this is? You were only allowed in because of the Young Master of the Nether's face."
Tantai stood up, rage boiling. But Jun Moxi pulled him back down, his expression calm. "Shang Yu, the Li Palace is a place for young talents to discuss martial arts and the Dao. You can enter, so why can't my friends? Do they need my face for that?"
"Young Master of the Nether, you flatter your friends too much. Let's set aside these two martial emperors for now. Lin Feng hasn't even reached the imperial realm, so he doesn't meet the conditions to enter the Li Palace. If not for you, could he be here?" Shang Yu said coldly.
"My friend Lin Feng has killed quite a few martial emperors in the ancient capital. Do you have such battle achievements, Brother Shang Yu?" Jun Moxi countered.
"Sky-Gazing Ancient Capital is one thing; Holy City Central Continent is another. Besides, Lin Feng relied on treasures like the Heavenly Derivation Chessboard in those battles. Can that truly represent his real strength? Without any treasures, his combat power would probably..." Shang Yu drank a cup of wine and said no more, but everyone understood his meaning.
"Among everyone here, it's no wonder you're one of the weakest, Shang Yu." Jun Moxi said calmly, making Shang Yu's pupils turn cold, a flash of killing intent in his eyes. Jun Moxi's words were an undisguised insult—one of the weakest?
The others fell silent, happy to watch the drama. It wasn't their business. Lin Feng had come from Sky-Gazing Ancient Capital with some reputation, but no one knew his true strength.
"What a lively scene." At that moment, a few people walked up from below the Li Palace to its peak and sat down in an ancient pavilion. They were all imposing, with a sharp battle intent that gave off a powerful feeling.
"It's Yu Wenhou, a strong cultivator from War King Academy, bearing a terrifying War King Intent." The crowd was slightly startled to see this young man. Yu Wenhou was quite famous in War King Academy. After two years there, he had already built up some momentum and was very strong. It was said that this year's War King Academy assessment would be decided by him.
"Don't look at me like that. I'm just taking a stroll." Yu Wenhou said calmly, sitting down at a stone table with a few companions. Beautiful women immediately served fine wine and food.
"These people aren't bad. I wonder how many will take the War King Academy assessment," one of them said with a laugh.
"Shan Meng, go easy on these little fellows during the assessment," another said to the black-clad strongman who had spoken, making everyone glance at Shan Meng. It seemed he would be one of the assessors for this War King Academy assessment. His aura was surging, like a wild beast—he wouldn't be easy to deal with.
"Shang Yu, you've failed the assessment for a year now, haven't you? Work hard this time. Your brother asked me to 'take good care' of you," Shan Meng said to Shang Yu with a smile, making Shang Yu look annoyed. "With care like that, I'm afraid I'll need another year to get into War King Academy."
"Haha, don't worry. This time, when you come for the War King Academy assessment, it won't be like before," Shan Meng laughed loudly.
Everyone understood now. So Shang Yu had been trying to get into War King Academy all along, treating assessments from other academies as training.
"Are you the chief assessor?" Tantai looked at Shan Meng and asked.
The four academies' assessments were led by a chief assessor and a group of academy disciples, who blocked candidates trying to enter the academy. If candidates could defeat them all the way, they could enter the academy. Tantai wondered if Shan Meng was the chief assessor.
"One of the four chief assessors for the lower-rank emperor realm," Shan Meng said, looking at Tantai with a smile.
"Good. If all four chief assessors are like you, getting into War King Academy should be no problem," Tantai said with a grin. His words made everyone's expressions stiffen, and they all looked at him speechlessly.
Lin Feng choked on his wine, equally speechless. Tantai was being a bit too direct.
Sure enough, Shan Meng's mouth twitched slightly. He glared at Tantai and said, "Then I'll be waiting to see."
"Wait for me," Tantai said cheerfully.
"The Young Master of the Nether's friends are indeed interesting, one after another—all braggarts," Shang Yu sneered. He had experienced Shan Meng's strength firsthand; it was formidable. In a one-on-one fight, defeating him wouldn't be easy. And this barbarian dared to say that if all four chief assessors were like Shan Meng, he could enter War King Academy. What arrogance.
"Jun Moxi, let's go. These people here are all arrogant, only recognizing status and identity. It's not very interesting," Tantai said bluntly.
"That's not entirely true. I have a few interesting friends who like to come here, but I didn't see them today. I'll invite them another time," Jun Moxi said with a smile, standing up.
"Are you all going to take the War King Academy assessment?" Shan Meng asked Tantai and the others.
"The three of us will all take the War King Academy assessment. Wait for us," Tantai replied.
"Good. I'll be waiting," Shan Meng sneered. Shang Yu added, "By the way, let me remind you: the academy assessment only relies on real strength. No treasures allowed."
"Don't let me run into you during the assessment," Tantai glared at Shang Yu. "Otherwise, you'll just be playing around again this time."
"I'll say the same to you," Shang Yu said coldly.
Jun Moxi and the others left the Li Palace and then went to the Nether King Palace. With nothing else to do, they stayed there for a few days. Three days before the four academies' assessments, Ying Cheng was enfeoffed as a king on the Enfeoffment King Platform of the Heavenly God Academy.
The four academies had existed in Holy City Central Continent for countless years. Throughout history, they had produced countless monstrous talents who shook the world, even shaking the entire Qingxiao Land at times.
Throughout the generations, monstrous geniuses, once they declared themselves kings and were recognized by the academy, could be enfeoffed as kings on the academy's Enfeoffment King Platform. This was also an honor for the academy. Of course, those who were enfeoffed as kings had to pass the academy's extremely harsh trials. Otherwise, if they became ordinary and accomplished nothing after being enfeoffed, it would disgrace the academy.
Today, the Heavenly God Academy was open to the outside world. Ying Cheng would be enfeoffed as King Ying on the Enfeoffment King Platform of the Heavenly God Academy, facing the people of Holy City Central Continent.
At this moment, the Enfeoffment King Platform of the Heavenly God Academy was a sea of people, filled with countless powerful cultivators. Lin Feng was also among the crowd, like a drop in the ocean.
"So many terrifyingly strong people. There are even many at the Great Emperor level." Tantai's eyes were wide open, staring at some figures on the Enfeoffment King Platform. They were all extremely formidable.
Around the Enfeoffment King Platform stood statues—depictions of outstanding figures from the Heavenly God Academy throughout history, who had once dominated their eras. They bore witness to the academy's rise and fall.
"Holy City Central Continent has countless strong cultivators and geniuses emerging in succession. The four academies gather countless elite talents. However, those enfeoffed as kings by the four academies appear only once every few hundred years. On the day of enfeoffment, it is naturally a grand occasion, extremely solemn," Jun Moxi explained. But Tantai's face remained gloomy, because the person being enfeoffed today was someone he really disliked.
"Only one enfeoffment every few hundred years—that probability is indeed very small. It shows how terrifying the talent of those enfeoffed as kings must be," Lin Feng murmured.
"However, in this generation, among the younger generation, besides Ying Cheng who is about to be enfeoffed, there is also a terrifying young strong cultivator in War King Academy with the potential to be enfeoffed as a king," Jun Moxi said to Lin Feng.
"War King Academy?"
"Yes. That person is in War King Academy. Ji Shang, known as War King Ji Shang," Jun Moxi nodded. Lin Feng's eyes flickered. In Holy City Central Continent, geniuses emerged in abundance. In the days to come, would there be a place for him, Lin Feng?