"The Star Emperor's branch sect was robbed!"
"It is said that many things were lost, one of which was a stone book placed in the restricted area. This book seemed ordinary on regular days, but on stormy nights, a vague shadow would appear."
"The Star Emperor Supreme Sect had studied it for a long time, and it was eventually deciphered as a special recording stone. The vague shadow inside is a Core Formation cultivator from ancient times. It has archaeological value, but little practical value."
"Losing this stone is one thing, but the other stolen items are outrageous… It's said that in one area, all the trees, bricks, and even buildings were dismantled by thirty percent. Some places were stripped to a depth of three feet, as if locusts had invaded the fields…"
"What's even more unbelievable is that some clothes were also stolen!"
"What's going on… Why steal them?"
Although the Star Emperor Branch Sect wasn't large, its origin was one of the ten super sects of the human race after all. Its every move would naturally attract attention, especially a matter like theft.
Coupled with the bizarreness of the lost items.
Hence, the news of the theft continued to spread. More and more people heard about it and were bewildered.
Gradually, through some channels, someone discovered some secret information. This information was like cold water falling into hot oil, instantly exploding.
"One of the thieves actually cast a mastery stage Variant Immortal School art!"
"Moreover, according to the judgment of the Star Emperor Branch Sect, this person's soul threads have reached an unprecedented number of hundreds of thousands, surpassing the two ancestors of the Variant Immortal School!"
"How is this possible? I've also checked the Variant Immortal School's art. Its cultivation speed is extremely slow. If someone wants to cultivate hundreds of thousands of soul threads… Putting aside whether their soul can support this separation, just the time needed will be close to 10,000 years!!"
"Unbelievable!"
The news spread rapidly, forming a storm. As it spread through the entire Imperial Capital, it also naturally entered the Imperial Academy.
At noon, a large number of students gathered outside the Variant Immortal School. All of them looked at the Variant Immortal School's white tower in disbelief and discussed among themselves.
This was because the representative of the Star Emperor Supreme Sect had already applied to enter the white tower and hadn't walked out yet.
After about fifteen minutes, the representative of the Star Emperor Supreme Sect walked out with a grim expression and quickly left.
Following him were the head of the Variant Immortal School and three disciples.
Although the masks of Imperial Academy hid their emotions greatly at this moment, the shock in the eyes of the four of them still displayed the unease in their hearts.
Their current mood was mixed with shock, confusion, excitement, and fanaticism.
Regarding what had happened in the Star Emperor Branch Sect, they had heard about it but didn't pay attention to it. It was only when they heard of the mysterious master of the Variant Immortal School art that they were shaken.
After that, the representative of the Star Emperor Supreme Sect found them and told them many details as well as investigated the information of those who cultivated the Variant Immortal School art. Only then did they truly know the whole details.
The commotion in their minds had long reached the limit.
The investigation of the Star Emperor Supreme Sect gained no results from the Variant Immortal School. Although there were only four core disciples who cultivated the Variant Immortal School art over the years, in reality, there were also cultivation arts related to the Variant Immortal School in the outside world.
After all, the establishment of the Imperial Academy was to break down sectarian barriers and make techniques accessible to everyone. So, even though the Variant Immortal School had regulations stating that only core members could study certain techniques, in practice, this rule often wasn't significant.
Hence, since ancient times, there were many people who knew about the art of the Variant Immortal School. Wanting to investigate was like searching for a needle in a haystack.
Under inertial thinking, people would instinctively think that there was a certain chance that this mysterious master was the school head, but there was a greater possibility… this mysterious cultivator was an old fellow who had hidden for thousands of years!
Everyone had different opinions about who it was. The outside world didn't know, let alone the four people from the Variant Immortal School.
At that moment, standing outside the white tower, the head of the Variant Immortal School suppressed the excitement in his heart and tried his best to calm down. His gaze swept across the surroundings.
He sighed endlessly with emotion.
"How many years has it been since the Variant Immortal School received such attention and was surrounded by so many students…"
As his heart churned, he was filled with gratitude and pride for that mysterious person who had mastered the Variant Immortal School art. Hence, he took a deep breath and spoke loudly.
"This old man doesn't know how the Star Emperor Branch Sect provoked that hidden senior of our school, causing the senior to mete out a small punishment. However, my Variant Immortal School can take responsibility for this matter!"
"Since ancient times, many people have learned our cultivation arts and it has been passed down from generation to generation. Hence, there are too many experts of our cultivation arts in the human race."
"Originally, I didn't want to reveal this matter because my school has always kept a low profile and doesn't participate in secular disputes. I planned to interact with the outside world like an ordinary school, but today… since my school's senior has made a move, we don't need to hide it anymore."
"That's right, this person is one of the experts of our school!"
The school head of the Variant Immortal School spoke proudly. His voice echoed, causing an uproar among the countless students in the surroundings. Amidst the commotion, the school head placed his hands behind his back and walked back to the white tower with his head held high.
The three disciples also followed excitedly.
It was only when the four of them returned to the tower and the gate of the tower closed that the three disciples couldn't suppress the excitement in their hearts anymore. They all looked at the school head.
"Teacher, what's going on?"
"Teacher, does our Variant Immortal School really have so many experts?"
"Hundreds of thousands of soul threads. How… how is this possible?"
The three of them spoke in trembling voices.
The school head raised his head and calmly spoke.
"Ignorant!"
If it was in the past, these three disciples would definitely talk back. Anyway, the school head couldn't do anything to them. They even wanted to be expelled.
But today, these three individuals were unusually obedient. One stepped forward to massage the school head's shoulders, another fanned him, and the third took the initiative to organize the jade slips. Each of them looked eagerly at the school head.
The school head felt comfortable. It had been a long time since he experienced such treatment, so he calmly spoke.
"Alright. Although the three of you have made some small mistakes over the years, you didn't make any major mistakes. You can be considered to have passed the assessment. In that case, it's time for me to tell you some things."
When the three disciples heard this, their ears instantly pricked up and their emotions surged.
The school head swept his gaze over and felt even more comfortable as he slowly bragged.
"This old man naturally knows this senior's identity. What I said to the outside world previously was also true."
"Our school was once extremely glorious. It attracted attention which became unfavorable to cultivation. After that, the ancestor made a secret agreement for the future disciples to keep a low profile and face the outside world with an ordinary identity."
"Hence, they allowed the school to decline."
"However, in reality… our Variant Immortal School only went from the light to the dark. There are many people in the school who have hundreds of thousands of soul threads. There's even one who has a million soul threads!"
"This matter is top secret. You can't spread it to outsiders! Now, hurry up and organize those books and put them away in order!"
The school head snorted coldly.
The three disciples gasped and quickly nodded. Although they still couldn't believe it, their current attitude had completely reversed. They immediately went to the place where the school head used to be and did what the school head had done…
Just like that, the storm about the Variant Immortal School became even more violent in the Imperial Academy and the Imperial Capital as the Variant Immortal School acknowledged it.
Time flowed by and a day passed. The next morning.
Xu Qing opened his eyes in the secret chamber.
For the entire day, he gave it his all and kept trying to absorb the flesh of the Crimson Goddess using the Variant Immortal School. He had failed during this period but in the end, he still succeeded to a certain extent.
"The conversion is a little low…"
Xu Qing frowned and sensed that there were nearly 500,000 soul threads permeating his sea of consciousness.
He had absorbed more than 50 pieces of Crimson Goddess's flesh in exchange for the additional over 150,000.
In reality, a piece of Crimson Goddess's flesh could support him in activating his second form. Hence, Xu Qing knew that this conversion efficiency wasn't high enough.
Fortunately, the flesh of Crimson Goddess didn't disappear after being absorbed. They were just shriveled and there were still divine source in their depths. However, the divine source was too closely integrated with the flesh and couldn't be refined.
"It's worth it!"
A sharp glint appeared in Xu Qing's eyes. At that moment, after he became a little more familiar with it, he could control the soul threads to instantly form the second god form. He didn't need to add the power of the Crimson Goddess' flesh.
"There are still more than a hundred pieces of Crimson Goddess' flesh… I need a higher-level Variant Immortal School art. This way, I might be able to refine more."
"After all, the third layer of god form… might not be weaved even with a million divine source soul threads."
Xu Qing remained silent. A long time later, he stood up and proceeded out of the residence under the morning sun, heading to Imperial Academy.
As for the captain, he still hadn't returned.
Xu Qing didn't care. He walked all the way to the gate of the Imperial Academy. The moment he stepped in, he appeared in a random area in the Imperial Academy like he was teleported. His clothes also changed and a mask appeared on his face.
There were many people here and the bustling sounds seemed to be more than usual.
Xu Qing identified the direction. On the way to the Variant Immortal School, the discussions in the surroundings couldn't help but ring out. Xu Qing was unmoved as he listened to the discussion about the mysterious cultivator from the Variant Immortal School.
A while later, after passing the crowd, Xu Qing saw the white tower of the Variant Immortal School. This place was completely different from usual. There were dozens of students politely asking for guidance on the Variant Immortal School's art.
The school head sat inside, looking dignified.
The three disciples each raised their heads and answered the questions.
After noticing Xu Qing's arrival, the school head nodded indifferently. The three disciples immediately summoned him and pulled him over. One of them's voice revealed pride as he spoke in a low voice.
"Why didn't you come yesterday? You heard about the major event regarding our Variant Immortal School, right?"
"Let me tell you, our Variant Immortal School has actually been hiding all along. The true us are extremely powerful. That senior with hundreds of thousands of soul threads is one of the ancestors of our school!"
The disciple was about to say more when the school head coughed.
"Someone's here. Xuan Leizi, go and receive them."
Xu Qing cupped his hands. The disciple who was speaking also immediately fell silent and said one last sentence.
"There are some things that you can't know yet since you just joined. Anyway, perform well. We… are actually very powerful!"
Xu Qing blinked. He had long expected this scene. Hence, he put on an excited expression and nodded vigorously. After that, he looked at the gate where seven to eight disciples were walking over.
Xu Qing stepped forward and calmly spoke.
"Everyone, what are you here for? If you want to understand the Variant Immortal School art, I can answer you."
In Xu Qing's eyes, because of the rules of Imperial Academy, these seven to eight disciples were all the same. However, one of them was cautious at this moment. While others were asking Xu Qing, their gaze quickly swept past everyone, including Xu Qing.
Finally, they stared at the school head a few more times and muttered inwardly.
'The outside world uttered that the cultivator from the Variant Immortal School is an old fellow who has lived for thousands of years. However, when I fought with him that day, the vicissitudes of life on him weren't very obvious. He doesn't seem to speak much, so he should have a taciturn personality. Could it be Ergou… is this school head?!'
At the believed of this, the student casually asked Xu Qing.
"Student, I have the intention to join the Variant Immortal School and want to understand more about it. For example, our school head should have a taciturn personality, right? He doesn't seem to be very old either…"
When Xu Qing learned this, he glanced at this person and a trace of vigilance rose in his heart.
