Chapter 27: The Strongest DiscipleThe battlefield was silent.Liu Tian lay unmoving, his sword shattered, his aura completely collapsed.

    Xiao Li stood above him, calm and untouched, his golden Qi slowly fading.

    The number one Inner Court disciple had fallen.

    "Unbelievable…"

    The remaining competitors watching from a distance trembled.

    "Liu Tian lost?"

    "Not just lost… he was completely dominated."

    "Xiao Li… is a monster."

    And then—

    A loud chime echoed through the Misty Cloud Battlefield.

    "The Survival Round has ended!"

    The battlefield shifted, and in an instant, all remaining competitors were teleported back to the Grand Arena.

    Thousands of spectators and disciples filled the Azure Kingdom Royal Academy’s Grand Arena.

    The Academy Elders sat on their golden platform, their expressions serious.

    The Headmaster finally stood, his deep blue robe billowing in the wind.

    "The first round of the tournament is over."

    The massive stone ranking tablet flickered, and a new name appeared at the very top.

    ???? 1st Place: Xiao Li

    The crowd erupted in shock.

    "He wasn’t even ranked before!"

    "Now he’s first?!"

    "He crushed Liu Tian like he was nothing!"

    Xiao Li remained expressionless.

    "Expected."

    The Headmaster’s gaze lingered on him.

    "Xiao Li… step forward."

    Xiao Li walked to the center of the arena, standing before the highest-ranked elders of the Academy.

    "You have proven yourself to be the strongest in the Inner Court."

    The crowd held its breath.

    "As such, you are no longer an Inner Court disciple."

    The Headmaster’s eyes narrowed.

    "From this moment forward—Xiao Li is a Core Disciple of the Azure Kingdom Royal Academy."

    BOOOOOOM!

    The entire arena exploded into chaos.

    "Core Disciple?!"

    "That’s never happened before!"

    "No one has ever skipped ranks like this!"

    Liu Tian, still recovering, clenched his bloody fists in humiliation.

    "Damn it… he’s already surpassed me completely."

    But Xiao Li?

    He smirked.

    "Now things are getting interesting."

    As the crowd continued to roar, a figure stepped forward from the elder’s seating area.

    His presence silenced the arena instantly.

    A man with long silver hair, dressed in flowing black robes, his aura far beyond any elder present.

    He was one of the Core Elders, a true powerhouse of the Academy.

    His gaze landed on Xiao Li.

    "Xiao Li."

    His voice was calm, yet carried absolute authority.

    "Come with me."

    A murmur spread through the crowd.

    "A Core Elder… personally summoning him?"

    "What does he want with Xiao Li?"

    Xiao Li met the elder’s gaze.

    "And if I refuse?"

    The elder’s lips curved slightly.

    "Then you will never know the truth about yourself."

    Xiao Li’s eyes narrowed.

    "Fine."

    With that, he turned and followed the Core Elder.

    And as they disappeared into the Academy’s depths—

    The real game began. sea??h thё N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.