Chapter Ninety-Three: The Ethereal Martial Academy (Please Add to Your Favorites)

The moment Yang Ze spoke, the old man with the goatee fixed his gaze on him at once. Their eyes met, and Yang Ze’s expression was instantly seized by the old man’s stare.

In that brief clash, cold sweat had already broken out on Yang Ze’s back. For that fleeting instant, he felt as though the old man had seen straight through his very heart.

The calm look on the old man’s face also vanished at that moment, replaced by a grave expression.

He spoke with solemnity. “My name is Ning Teng. I am the chief elder of the outer academy elders of the Ethereal Martial Academy, the foremost power in Qingzhou. I am asking you now: are you willing to join our Ethereal Martial Academy and become one of our registered disciples?”

His voice was not loud, yet Yang Ze’s heart shook violently as he took in every word. The foremost power of Qingzhou, the Ethereal Martial Academy. The chief elder of its outer academy elders, Ning Teng.

Although he had never even heard of the Ethereal Martial Academy before, he knew that even a force as formidable as Wuyang Martial Academy could only be counted among the top powers of Quanyang Prefecture, and Quanyang Prefecture was only one prefecture within Yangzhou.

But the Ethereal Martial Academy in Ning Teng’s mouth was called the number one power in Qingzhou. Yang Ze had never been to Qingzhou, but Yangzhou already seemed an endless land to him. Qingzhou was one of the Nine Provinces; could it possibly be weaker than Yangzhou? The Ethereal Martial Academy was unquestionably a colossal existence.

Seeing Yang Ze’s stunned expression, Ning Teng still wore that grave look as he asked again, “Yang Ze, I am asking you: are you willing to join the Ethereal Martial Academy and become one of our registered disciples?”

Yang Ze came back to himself and said loudly, “I am willing to join the Ethereal Martial Academy. This disciple, Yang Ze, pays his respects to the elder.”

He rose to his feet at once and bowed deeply to Ning Teng.

Seeing that Yang Ze had agreed, Ning Teng laughed heartily. “Good, good, good. This old man hereby declares that from this day forth, you are a registered disciple of my Ethereal Martial Academy. Perhaps you think a registered disciple is nothing much, but I will tell you this: throughout all of Qingzhou, and even across the entire Nine Provinces, there are countless people who would crowd a whole city to bursting just for a chance to join our Ethereal Martial Academy.

“In the Nine Provinces, each province has a top-tier power. Those nine supreme forces are known as the Four Academies and Five Sects. They suppress an entire province apiece. Even the Celestial Martial Dynasty, in Qingzhou, must show us three parts of respect. That is the awe of a top power of a province. We are the supreme existence of the martial world!”

By the end of his words, Ning Teng’s face was full of pride, while Yang Ze had fallen into a dazed shock.

Only now, with Ning Teng lifting the veil on the foremost powers of the Nine Provinces, did he finally understand that his former outlook had been far too small.

“The land of the Nine Provinces is vast beyond measure. Even a single province is not something an ordinary person could ever traverse. Across this land there are countless martial powers. For example, in your Quanyang Prefecture, the strongest martial force is the Thunder Sword Sect.

“In all of Yangzhou, the Thunder Sword Sect can still be considered somewhat renowned, but when placed across the entire Nine Provinces, it is nothing worth mentioning. There are only nine martial powers that truly influence the Nine Provinces, and the Ethereal Martial Academy is one of them.

“That Wuyang Martial Academy, which once seemed so formidable to you, I alone could destroy it. Now do you understand how powerful our Ethereal Martial Academy is? Even the imperial court must give our academy some deference.”

Ning Teng explained patiently. Yang Ze had known nothing of these matters to begin with, and now that he finally had the chance to learn, he naturally would not let it slip away. Every word Ning Teng said, he memorized firmly.

“In Qingzhou, the martial world takes our Ethereal Martial Academy as its highest authority. In Yangzhou, Tianluo Sect is the one in command. Do not be fooled by how arrogant that Wuyang Martial Academy appears; if it met Tianluo Sect, it would not even dare utter a word.”

Yang Ze nodded, only then truly understanding what was going on. Soon after, however, another question came to mind, and he hurriedly asked it.

“Elder, I have heard that martial academies are directly governed by the imperial court. Why do you say that our Ethereal Martial Academy is one of the top powers of the martial world?”

At that, Ning Teng’s face revealed a trace of disdain.

“The imperial court? It merely learned from others. Our Ethereal Martial Academy already existed when the Celestial Martial Dynasty was founded. Not just us, but the four academies all stand as one, existing in the martial world in a form unlike the sects, and thereby forming immense power.

“It was precisely because the court saw the existence of our four academies that it copied our model and established the lower academies, hoping to divide and weaken the martial powers.

“But no matter how clever the court’s schemes may be, they are only that much. The academies they established are nothing special. Wuyang Martial Academy is already one of the strongest among the court’s forces, yet it can only attract a limited number of martial practitioners, while many officials’ sons and daughters enter those academies instead. In front of the Four Academies and Five Sects, they are completely suppressed and pose no threat at all.”

Hearing Ning Teng’s explanation, Yang Ze finally understood. It turned out that the court had copied the Ethereal Martial Academy and only then established the other martial academies. But from the looks of it, that plan did not seem very successful.

“I understand, Elder.”

“Your joining the Ethereal Martial Academy is absolutely the right choice. Only in the Ethereal Martial Academy will you have the chance to come into contact with the most profound martial path of the Nine Provinces. Do you understand?

“Perhaps you think you are merely a registered disciple, but this is already the highest treatment I can grant you. Right now, you are still cultivating True Qi, whereas we martial artists truly cultivate True Essence.

“One hallmark of a first-rank martial artist is the condensing of True Essence. The power of True Essence surpasses True Qi by who knows how much. Once you have condensed True Essence and tempered a single bone, you will become a first-rank martial artist. And once you are a first-rank martial artist, you can become an outer disciple of our Ethereal Martial Academy.

“Although you have not yet condensed True Essence, with the beast core I gave you, you will be able to take that step very soon. I await your good news.”

As Ning Teng spoke, he actually had a way to help Yang Ze condense True Essence right away and rise directly to become an outer disciple. But he would not do that. He wanted to see just what sort of talent Yang Ze truly possessed.

Yang Ze lowered his head and looked at the beast core in his hand. With this core, he was quite confident of breaking through to first rank.

“Right, there is one more thing I must tell you. You must condense True Essence as quickly as possible. Otherwise, once your bone age rises, then even if you condense True Essence later, your future achievements will no longer be very high.”

“This disciple has never truly come into contact with the martial path. I beg the elder to guide me.” Yang Ze said quickly. He had to seize this chance to make up for some of the knowledge he lacked in the martial way.