Northern Desolate — Imperial City.

  “And that is how Celestial Qing defeated the Abyssal Lord, one of the most terrifying demonic beasts of the Forbidden Desolate.”

  Inside a classroom, warm sunlight peeked through the windows. The smell of polished wood created a calm atmosphere.

  A man wearing a white robe stood at the front of the room, holding a book in his hand as he spoke to the children sitting cross-legged on their seats. His face looked old, and his hair was white.

  In front of him was a table with a feather pen, ink, and several neatly arranged papers.

  He was the history teacher of the Imperial School.

  The Imperial Palace was the supreme power of the Northern Desolate and one of the Four Holy Lands of Cultivation.

  The Imperial School was an institution run by the Imperial Palace to build a foundation for cultivation in children from an early age.

  The Imperial School had branches across the Northern Desolate. This system existed to increase the number of cultivators in the Northern Desolate.

  After all, the Northern Desolate bordered the Forbidden Desolate.

  Students in the Imperial School were taught about cultivation, the history of the Desolate World, cultivation phases and realms, spiritual plants, demonic beasts, and many other subjects.

  As long as someone had the will to learn, they could attend the Imperial School. They would be taught without discrimination.

  Such was the will of the Imperial Palace.

  The Forbidden Desolate was a place where countless demonic beasts lived. In its deepest regions resided demonic beasts comparable to Celestial Phase cultivators.

  The top forces of the Desolate World had once joined forces to destroy those beasts, but they were never able to annihilate them completely.

  Their numbers were simply too vast.

  Even the entire Desolate World working together could only prevent them from leaving the Forbidden Desolate.

  It was as if their numbers were endless.

  The students listened to the teacher with absolute attention.

  There were about thirty of them.Most came from ordinary backgrounds, while some were from wealthy families.

  Their parents were high officials, rich merchants, landowners, shopkeepers, or other influential figures.

  However, “ordinary” in the Imperial City was quite different from ordinary elsewhere in the Northern Desolate. Those who could live in the Imperial City were already wealthier than most people in other regions.

  “Teacher Xu, is it true that Celestial Qing was the strongest man of his time?”

  A voice came from the right side of Teacher Xu.

  Spirit Phase cultivators were called Venerables, while Celestial Phase cultivators were known as Celestials.

  As for Seed Phase cultivators, they were not yet considered worthy of such titles.

  Celestial Qing was a legendary figure in the Desolate World. He was one of the strongest Celestials to ever live.

  Without even looking at the student who asked the question, Teacher Xu answered calmly.

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  “Celestial Qing was certainly one of the strongest men of the Celestial Emergence Era, but he was not the absolute strongest.”

  “There were people in that era who could rival him.”

  Teacher Xu smiled slightly.

  “Speaking of the Celestial Emergence Era, do any of you know why it is called that? Why not something else?”

  The students looked at each other and shook their heads.

  “As you all know,” Teacher Xu continued, “cultivation has three phases, Seed Phase, Spirit Phase, and Celestial Phase.”

  “Each phase contains five realms, and each realm has five sub-levels, from the Fifth Level to the First Level.”

  “But before the Celestial Emergence Era, cultivators only knew about the Seed Phase and the Spirit Phase.”

  “No one had ever stepped beyond the Spirit Phase. Celestial Yuan was the first Celestial of the Desolate World.”

  “He was the one who paved the path for cultivators to step beyond the Spirit Phase.And thus began the Celestial Emergence Era.”

  The students listened attentively.

  Many of them dreamed of reaching the peak of the world one day and carving their names into the annals of history just like Celestial Qing and Celestial Yuan.

  Teacher Xu looked at the students and smiled with satisfaction at the amazement on their faces.

  But the smile quickly turned into displeasure because one boy was sleeping.

  The boy had black hair, big round eyes, a chubby face, and a slightly chubby body. Despite his appearance, he looked quite pleasant.

  Beside him sat another boy who was also asleep.This boy had black hair, a normal build, and was quite handsome despite his young age.

  Suddenly the school bell rang.

  “All right,” Teacher Xu said. “Return home and prepare for the upcoming Imperial Palace Trial.”

  “Yes, Teacher!” the students replied.

  Soon the classroom became lively as the students began leaving. Some formed groups, while others walked with a single friend.

  Teacher Xu walked over to the two sleeping boys. they were rubbing their eyes after waking up.

  “Yun Hao. Song Yu. it seems my class was boring for you two.”

  Fear appeared in their eyes. “Teacher Xu, we weren’t sleeping,” Song Yu said nervously.“We were meditating.”

  “Yes, Teacher Xu,” Yun Hao quickly nodded.

  If Teacher Xu had not known them for four years, he might have believed them.

  “Forget it. You two will be entering the Imperial Palace in a few days. Rest well and prepare for the trial. I have high hopes for both of you.”

  He waved his hand dismissively, picked up his book and papers from the table, and walked out of the classroom.

  Yun Hao’s palms were sweaty.Teacher Xu was normally very strict.But since they would soon join the Imperial Palace, he let them off easily.

  After all ,today was their last day at school.

  “Let’s go, Brother Yu,” Yun Hao said.

  Both boys stood up.They were tall for their age, though Song Yu was slightly taller.

  Song Yu nodded, and the two walked out together.

  Yun Hao and Song Yu had been friends since childhood.Their parents were also close friends.

  They had grown up together like brothers, always promising to protect each other.

  Soon they arrived at a busy street that led toward their homes.Shops lined both sides of the road, bustling with people entering and leaving.

  “Yun Hao,” Song Yu asked as they walked.“How is your preparation for the Imperial Palace Trial? What rank do you think you’ll achieve?”

  Yun Hao thought for a moment.“I think I’ll be in the top twenty.”

  Yun Hao came from a wealthy merchant family in the Imperial City.

  His grandfather, Yun Mo, was a highly accomplished merchant who founded the Ten Thousand Merchant Association.

  He was a legendary figure in the merchant world.

  The Ten Thousand Merchant Association had branches throughout the Northern Desolate, and no other merchant association could compete with them.

  Although it was a merchant organization, it frequently dealt with cultivators.

  Even powerful cultivators sought their services.

  It was said that there was no mortal item the Ten Thousand Merchant Association could not obtain.

  Because of their families, Yun Hao and Song Yu had access to better cultivation resources than most people.

  Children in the Northern Desolate usually began cultivating at twelve years old.But wealthy families nourished their children’s bodies with heavenly plants and treasures from a young age.

  Because of the residual Spiritual Essence stored in their bodies, they could progress quickly during the early stages of cultivation.

  Both Yun Hao and Song Yu had benefited from this.

  Yun Hao had reached the third level of the Root Realm.Song Yu had reached the peak of the Root Realm.

  Even in the Imperial City, most people reached the Root Realm only in their twenties.

  Thus, both boys were considered exceptional talents.

  As they walked, the crowds gradually disappeared.The street they entered was a wealthy district where many merchant families lived.Ordinary people rarely came here.

  Soon they arrived at Yun Hao’s residence.

  A courtyard stood behind the gate. On the far right side was a small pond with a bridge crossing over it, and tree leaves swayed gently in the wind.

  “Brother Yu, come inside,” Yun Hao said excitedly.

  “I heard from my mother that the Essence Tree has produced many White Essence Leaves.”

  The Essence Tree was a wonder in itself.

  It could only grow in places rich with Spiritual Essence.The tree produced Essence Leaves, which were spiritual treasures.

  Eating one could enhance the cultivation of Seed Realm, Root Realm, and Bloom Realm cultivators.

  Unlike pills, these leaves could be consumed repeatedly without their effectiveness diminishing.

  However, they were useless to Ascend Realm cultivators, whose cultivation was already too high.

  Still, even Spirit Phase cultivators valued Essence Trees because their leaves could evolve into rarer variations depending on how the tree was nurtured.

  Different resources could produce different types of Essence Leaves with varying qualities.

  “Maybe we can get two or three from Father,” Yun Hao said greedily.

  “Don’t drag me into this,” Song Yu replied.Yun Hao wanted to involve him so he could ask for extra leaves.

  “Brother Yu, you know how my father is. If I ask him for extra leaves, not only will he refuse, I might even lose the ones I already have.”

  His father, Yun Du, was very strict.He carefully controlled Yun Hao’s cultivation resources.

  “He says that someone who receives everything on a silver platter will one day become useless.”

  Song Yu nodded seriously. Uncle Du is right. Many people like us take everything for granted.”

  “They rely on their families and never work hard.When the time comes, they become completely useless.”

  “I know,” Yun Hao replied. But I won’t become like that.”

  “I want to reach the peak of this world.” A flame burned in his eyes.

  “But right now I want you to come inside. You’re already at the peak of the Root Realm. With the White Essence Leaves, you might break through to the Bloom Realm.”

  “The Imperial Palace Trial is only two weeks away. All the Essence Leaves in the market are already gone.”

  Song Yu sighed.“You’re right.”

  Because of the trial, Essence Leaves had become extremely scarce.If he could obtain one, he might break through.

  So they walked inside the house.Yun Hao’s home was simple but elegant.A small courtyard stood behind the gate with a table and several chairs.Rooms surrounded the courtyard on three sides.

  Just then A beautiful woman with black hair wearing a white dress walked out of the main door.

  “Mother,” Yun Hao said happily. I’m back. Brother Yu came with me too.”