Chapter 554 67: Outer Star Wall

On the tower ship, Fang Cheng stood with his hands clasped behind his back, looking at the volcano and the Profound Iron Giant City ahead. He couldn't help but remark with awe, "What a prosperous age for cultivation! Compared to this place, Extreme Jade Heaven is like a backwater village."

His Divine Sense told him that on this volcanic island alone, there were hundreds of thousands of Cultivators.

It was the first time in his life he had ever seen so many Cultivators gathered in one place.

'Clearly, the academies of this world have solved the problem of Spirit Vein resources.'

Otherwise, with so many Cultivators congregated in one area, the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi simply wouldn't be enough to sustain them.

The Profound Iron City suspended over the volcano's crater possessed an even more profound aura. Though there weren't many Cultivators on it, he could sense several auras that were shockingly at the Tribulation Realm.

The nine towers, in particular, which resembled divine pillars propping up the heavens, gave him a faint sense of danger.

He steered the Golden Radiance Tower Ship straight toward the Profound Iron City, but just as he approached the gates, two Tier Four Profound Celestial Divine Puppets flew out from the city to block his path.

"Honored guest, please halt," one of the Profound Celestial Divine Puppets boomed. "According to academy regulations, visitors of the Dharma Realm must be received by a School Principal or Provost before they are permitted to enter."

Fang Cheng had already discerned that the Cultivators piloting these two Profound Celestial Divine Puppets had only just entered the Life Soul Realm. However, their control over the puppets was so masterful that he estimated they could easily unleash power comparable to an Early Dharma Stage expert.

Before he could speak, Qiu Wen Si stepped forward and replied, "My master has heard that Chongxuan Academy is recruiting a School Principal and has come specifically to apply. Please inform your superiors."

The Cultivator inside the Profound Celestial Divine Puppet was secretly alarmed to see that even the visitor's disciple was at the Dharma Realm. He hastily activated a Sound Transmission Jade Talisman to report the matter to the academy's leadership.

A moment later, one of the Profound Celestial Divine Puppets said, "Honored guest, please put away your Magical Artifact and follow me."

As it spoke, the city gates swung wide open.

Fang Cheng retracted the Golden Radiance Tower Ship, summoned an auspicious cloud to stand on, and followed the Profound Celestial Divine Puppet into the city with the Qiu Sisters.

Soon, he was led to the base of one of the tall towers.

The tower gate opened, and the Profound Celestial Divine Puppet shrank to a height of thirty feet before leading Fang Cheng inside.

Inside the tower was another world entirely.

What greeted them was a placid lake, where several tall peach trees grew. Their blossoms were in such full bloom they resembled a brocade tapestry.

A gentle breeze swept over the lake, scattering peach blossoms from the trees like crimson rain and adding to the profound sense of peace and tranquility.

The Profound Celestial Divine Puppet bowed and said, "School Principal, the honored guest has arrived."

Above the lake's surface, a brilliant light gathered, coalescing into the figure of a woman.

The woman was icily beautiful and exuded a captivating grace. She was clad in form-fitting Profound Armor, composed of countless diamond-shaped plates of Profound Gold that covered her entire body. The armor accentuated her long, straight legs and a near-perfect waist-to-hip ratio, outlining an exquisite and alluring silhouette.

The woman said flatly, "You may leave now."

The Profound Celestial Divine Puppet bowed, then turned and left.

The academies of Qianyu Heaven are led by a Ji Jiu, who holds the highest position as the head of the institution.

The Ji Jiu is assisted by a Provost.

Beneath the Provost are the School Principals, who are chiefly responsible for giving lectures, taking on disciples, and preserving the academy's heritage.

At a minimum, a School Principal must possess a Dharma Realm cultivation. In prestigious institutions like the Spirit Immortal Academy, many School Principals even have Tribulation Realm cultivation.

The woman before him was at the Late Dharma Stage.

Seeing this woman, Fang Cheng suddenly recalled the man in Profound Armor he had encountered during the Black Sun Wind Disaster in Extreme Jade Heaven.

'It seems this Profound Armor is indeed the style in Qianyu Heaven.'

'I suspect this armor has other mysteries.'

The Female School Principal studied Fang Cheng and his companions with a flicker of curiosity before her expression returned to a neutral mask. "You've come to apply for the position of School Principal," she stated. "Do you know the rules of our Chongxuan Academy?"

Fang Cheng replied calmly, "I come from another World Heaven. Having long heard of the great renown of Qianyu Heaven's one hundred and eight academies, I've come on a special visit to seek the Dao. I would be grateful for your guidance, fellow Daoist."

The Female School Principal remained impassive. "You must pass Chongxuan Academy's assessment," she stated slowly. "Only then can you assume the position of School Principal, allowing you to cultivate, lecture, and study our many non-core foundational scriptures within the academy."

"However, the assessment is exceedingly difficult and often life-threatening. You may reconsider and apply later if you wish."

Fang Cheng asked curiously, "And what does this assessment entail?"

The Female School Principal explained, "This tower connects to the Outer Star Wall, the lair of the Nine Netherworld Dragon clan, a type of Outer Celestial Demon. If you can slay a Tier Five Nine Netherworld Dragon within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, you will pass the assessment. Afterward, I can sign a Magic Contract with you."

Fang Cheng nodded. "That doesn't sound too difficult. I believe I am up to the task."

Wasting no more words, the Female School Principal—who seemed to have met many people like Fang Cheng before—simply pointed a finger at the lake's surface.

Ripples spread across the placid lake as spatial fluctuations pulsed outward. The interior of the tower was instantly plunged into darkness, and countless grotesque and dazzling phantoms flickered past.

「A moment later.」

The phantoms dissipated and the space stabilized, revealing that Fang Cheng and the Qiu Sisters were now standing on an Outer Floating Land.

The floating continent was several hundred li wide. Streaks of Escape Light constantly rose and fell across its surface like a shower of light, each streak containing a human figure.

Looking outward, the first thing that caught their eye was an immense, spherical iron net.

Chains of Profound Gold, each a hundred feet thick, were interwoven to form a massive sphere that completely enclosed the Outer Floating Land. The chains were coated in a thick layer of blue frost, and streams of light coursed over their surface, exuding a profound and mysterious aura. It was, without a doubt, a Grand Array.

Beyond the net, innumerable floating continents and shattered asteroids drifted through the dark, deep expanse of the Outer Void. This had to be the Outer Star Wall the Female School Principal had spoken of.

He realized the Cultivators from Chongxuan Academy were passing through the net and flying into the Star Wall to battle an endless horde of Celestial Demons, simultaneously honing their fighting techniques and gathering Cultivation Resources.

'So this is the true purpose of Chongxuan Academy's nine towers. They connect to a floating continent in the Outer Void, providing a place for the academy's students to cultivate and temper themselves. Truly extraordinary.'

He had only ever heard of Outer Celestial Demons invading a World Heaven and corrupting it with their demonic aura.

But now, he was witnessing Human Race Cultivators from a World Heaven taking the fight to the Outer Celestial Demons, invading their lairs to slaughter them.

The colossal iron net was a Fifth-rank Grand Array that securely protected the academy's floating continent.

If students found themselves outmatched or depleted of Magical Power, they could retreat to the floating continent with ease to rest and recuperate.

The tall figure of the Female School Principal appeared near Fang Cheng. Pointing a slender hand toward the depths of the void, she said tonelessly, "There are two Tier Five Nine Netherworld Dragons in that direction. If you want the position, go kill one and return."

Fang Cheng nodded. He said to the Qiu Sisters, "Wait here for me."

With that, his figure flickered and transformed into an incomparably sharp streak of Sword Aura, shooting out beyond the Grand Array.

The Female School Principal raised an eyebrow, instantly sensing the terrifying, world-rending Sword Intent contained within his Sword Aura.

In her experience, every Dharma Cultivator who came to Qianyu Heaven from another World Heaven was simply being chaperoned by a Tribulation Realm elder from their sect to broaden their horizons.

Of the Dharma Cultivators who had come to apply at Chongxuan Academy in the past, nine out of ten failed to qualify.

It wasn't that they were incapable of slaying a Tier Five Celestial Demon.

Relying on Five-tiered Magical Artifact Talismans or similar trump cards bestowed by their sects, they could usually manage to kill a single Celestial Demon.

However, to do so within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, all while surrounded by a swarm of Celestial Demons, was a drastically different level of difficulty.

Many of them couldn't even break free from the horde and had to be personally rescued by her just to make it back to the academy's floating continent in one piece.

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