“I just wanted to see if you’d blush after saying that,” the white-clothed woman pressed her lips together and smiled.

“So are you giving it or not?” Xu Zimo asked.

“I heard Ji Ruobing came to challenge you?” the white-clothed woman asked.

“You sure get your news quickly,” Xu Zimo said with a faint smile.

“That’s because lately there have been many people wanting to challenge you, not just Ji Ruobing. I stopped a few of them,” the white-clothed woman said with a smile.

“You already owe me several favors.”

As she spoke, she tossed the token to Xu Zimo.

When Xu Zimo caught it, it was slightly warm.

And the token seemed to carry a faint floral fragrance.

Xu Zimo turned it lightly in his hand.

On one side was an inscription in white characters, and on the other was the Heavenly Dao Academy’s emblem.

“This token only lets you enter the academy. You’ll have to return it to me afterward,” the white-clothed woman reminded him.

“I’m more curious about your identity right now,” Xu Zimo said.

“If you’re hoping to help me just to gain True Martial Sacred Ground’s assistance, you’re making the wrong calculation.”

“I did think that way before, but now I’ve given up on it,” the white-clothed woman waved her hand. She turned and walked straight away into the distance. “Believe it or not.”

Xu Zimo gazed at her for a moment, but he didn’t believe her words at all.

He only believed that in this world, there was no such thing as a free lunch.

Aside from one’s parents, anyone who treats you well does so with conditions, they will surely want something in return.

But for now, he couldn’t guess what it was, nor did he care to.

As long as he was strong enough, no scheme, open or hidden, could harm him.

He returned to the academy again, and when he handed the token over, the old man from before examined it for quite a while.

Then he looked at Xu Zimo with some surprise.

“What is it?” Xu Zimo asked.

“You have some skill,” the old man said, waving his hand and returning the token.

“The information you’re looking for is on the seventh floor of the eighteenth hall, third bookshelf. You can look for it yourself.”

Xu Zimo put away the token and walked straight into the academy.

The old man watched his back and muttered, “He doesn’t seem all that extraordinary… so why would that one take notice of him?”

The eighteenth great hall was called Vast Origin Hall.

The hall was shaped like a pagoda, about a hundred meters high.

On every level were carvings of lifelike creatures, beast, human, and other races.

Xu Zimo didn’t linger and went straight to the seventh floor.

The area there was spacious, with more than a dozen bookshelves placed neatly and in order.

A distinctive fragrance lingered in the air.

It came from the wood used to make the shelves, purple sandalwood.

It would never decay even after ten thousand years and was used specifically for storing books.

After searching for a while, Xu Zimo finally found the book he wanted: “Records of the Emperor’s Fall: The Death of the God Emperor.”

The book was thick. Xu Zimo skipped over unimportant parts and looked directly for what he wanted to know.

Sunlight streamed through the lattice-patterned windows outside.

It cast an illusory image on the floor.

Dust lay lazily by the windowsill, stirred only now and then by a light breeze.

Xu Zimo slowly closed the book in his hands and sat in deep thought for a long, long time.

“So it was like this… no wonder such things are so rarely heard of. The price is far too great.”

The corner of his lips curled in a faint smile.

He returned the book to its place and strode out of the hall and the academy.

“Did you hear? The Saintess of the Immortal Extinction Sacred Ground has arranged a duel with a new student over at the Myriad Martial Platform.”

“Yeah, and that new student isn’t simple, he crossed the tenth floor of the Heavenly Dao Tower. I think his name is Mo Tianming.”

“If the Saintess is challenging him, he’s obviously extraordinary. I also heard that the other new student who crossed ten floors killed the Holy Son of the Ancient Dragon Dynasty.”

“Let’s go watch, they’re both top contenders for the Heaven’s Will struggle.”

Just as Xu Zimo stepped out of the academy, he overheard these conversations among students.

“So Mo Tianming agreed,” Xu Zimo said with a faint smile.

He happened to be planning to take a look anyway.

In his mind, he placed a question mark over Mo Tianming.

This man was far too mysterious, especially that inexplicable imperial might he carried.

When Xu Zimo arrived at the Myriad Martial Platform, a large crowd had already gathered.

The draw of this match far outshone his previous battle against Ao Nan.

All because of the Immortal Extinction Sacred Ground’s Saintess.

As a transcendent force with five Grand Emperors in its history, the lineage had produced countless geniuses.

To say they were as numerous as the carp in a river, more than the hairs on an ox, was no exaggeration.

When Xu Zimo arrived, the two on stage had already begun their fight.

Mo Tianming wore a black robe, his long hair flowing without wind.

The once-messy hair was now neatly trimmed, revealing his true face.

Blue spiritforce swirled in his eyes.

Around him, soft gusts of wind rose and fell in rhythm, making his robe flutter.

Across from him, Ji Ruobing held a broad sword.

Her purple robes trailed behind her, and her aura grew stronger and stronger as time passed.

“Come on,” Mo Tianming beckoned with his hand.

Ji Ruobing’s figure blurred into countless afterimages, moving so fast that even the afterimages could not be clearly seen.

Her broad sword carried sword energy, tearing open the void before her as it slashed toward Mo Tianming.

Mo Tianming’s eyes narrowed slightly, and he used Kunpeng’s Nine Transformations.

Blue gales swirled around him.

With the cry of a great bird, his figure also became indistinct, and he easily evaded Ji Ruobing’s broad sword strikes.

Blue spiritforce spread with his every move, and a Kunpeng formed of pure energy appeared before him.

“Ancient Sword Style, First Form,” Ji Ruobing raised her sword.

A sharp sword light erupted from it.

“Piercing Cloud Form.”

As the broad sword fell, white clouds spread out from the sword energy.

The strike seemed to pierce through a sea of clouds, bringing roaring waves with it, and stabbed directly into the Kunpeng’s phantom.

This caused Mo Tianming’s movements to pause slightly.

“Ancient Sword Style, Second Form, Withered Vastness Form.”

The broad sword swept through the white clouds, moving from birth toward death.

The blade turned pitch black, the color of death, withering, and decay.

“This is the technique of the Ancient Emperor,” a voice came from behind Xu Zimo.

Turning his head, he saw the smiling monk Great Wisdom walking over.

“You know quite a bit,” Xu Zimo smiled.

“Of course. A lineage like the Immortal Extinction Sacred Ground is just like your True Martial Sacred Ground, impossible not to pay attention to,” Da Zhi said. “With five Grand Emperors, their juniors have many choices.”