Chapter 48: Demon Hunter
âThese Imperial Academy students are really too arrogant!â A cold voice rang out, drawing the attention of the surrounding crowd.
The speaker was part of another group of young professionals, who had also just arrived at Hengjiang. Their demeanor was equally impressive, and they looked at Li Yang and his group with clear discontent and hostility.
âThose are students fromâJixia AcademyââŠâ someone in the crowd whispered, their expression changing as they quietly backed away from the area.
In the Empire, three academies stood out above the rest:âImperial Academyâ,âJixia Academyâ, andâTrue Dragon Academyâ. These three academies were unparalleled in their research and mastery of the Tianqi system, possessing immense power and resources. Their students were considered the cream of the crop.
Compared to the relatively low-key and mysteriousâTrue Dragon Academyâ, the relationship betweenâImperial Academyâ andâJixia Academyâ was far from friendly. In fact, there was a longstanding grudge between them.
Every four years, all the academies in the Empire participated in a large-scale trial dungeon calledâTianqi Arenaâ. This event allowed all students to compete, with the last person standing receiving incredibly valuable rewards.
In the lastâTianqi Arenaâ, a genius student fromâJixia Academyâ was killed by students fromâImperial Academyââand not in an honorable way. The incident caused a massive uproar, with the head ofâJixia Academyâ becoming so enraged that they personally traveled to the Imperial Capital to demand justice fromâImperial Academyâ.
Tensions between the two academies reached a boiling point, nearly leading to an all-out conflict. It was only through the intervention of the Imperial Council that the situation was defused, with the offendingâImperial Academyâ students being punished by a mere one-year suspension.
Naturally,âJixia Academyâ found this punishment unacceptable. To them, it was a slap on the wristâproof that the Imperial Council was protectingâImperial Academyâ. After all, most of the students atâImperial Academyâ came from noble families, and the Empireâs resources were heavily tilted in their favor. The Council, dominated by these same noble families, would never truly punish their âgolden child.â
However, with the Councilâs decision final,âJixia Academyâ had no choice but to swallow their anger, though relations between the two academies soured to an all-time low. Thus, it was no surprise that the students ofâJixia Academyâ now looked at those fromâImperial Academyâ with nothing but disdain.
But to the onlookers, both academies were untouchable behemoths, far beyond the reach of ordinary people. As they saw the confrontation brewing, they wisely chose to distance themselves from the impending clash.
Li Yangâs expression darkened as he heard the challenge. His face twisted into a cruel sneer, and a spark of anger flared in his eyes. However, when he realized who was challenging him, he recognized them as students fromâJixia Academyâ and let out a cold laugh. âI was wondering who dared to speak upâitâs just a bunch ofâJixia Academyâ brats. Are you in such a hurry to die?â
He stood with his hands behind his back, exuding an air of supreme arrogance. And indeed, he had reason to be proud. As the eldest son of the Li familyâa noble house in the Imperial CapitalâLi Yang was equipped with a full set of Level 20 purple-grade gear. Although these werenât level-free items, his equipment was luxurious for his level, marking him as one of the strongest professionals in his tier.
Moreover, Li Yangâs background made him untouchable to most. His father was the Deputy Minister of Military Affairs, responsible for managing veteransâ benefits and the reserve forceâs organization. The Li family had connections throughout the Empireâs various departments, making them a force to be reckoned with.
Li Yangâs gaze turned sinister as he stared down theâJixia Academyâ students, calculating how best to teach them a lesson and drive them out of Hengjiang.
Among theâJixia Academyâ group, a young man stepped forward with a similarly hostile expression. His features were sharp, and his eyes shone with determination. This wasâXiao Mingâ, a freshman atâJixia Academyâ and an S-rankâDemon Hunterâ.
TheâDemon Hunterâ was a unique class, not particularly outstanding in its base stats or skills compared to other S-rank classes. However, it had a crucial trait that made it invaluable to humanity:âVoid Slayerâ.
TheâDemon Hunterââs skills dealt 500% additional damage to void creatures, making it a specialized weapon against the Void. Moreover, the class had another trait,âVoid Senseâ, which allowed it to detect the presence of void creatures with uncanny precision.
In essence, theâDemon Hunterâ was a professional tailored specifically for combating the Void.
Because of this,âJixia Academyâ highly valued Xiao Ming, even though he had only recently taken his entrance exams and was still at a relatively low level, around Level 6. Knowing thatâShattered Heavenâ was a rare opportunity that could influence Xiao Mingâs future,âJixia Academyâ had provided him with a special item:
âLevel Sealâ: Temporarily increases your level by 10, without affecting your stats or skills, for 120 hours. Single-use item.
Thanks to theâLevel Sealâ, Xiao Mingâs level had been boosted to 16, just enough to qualify for theâShattered Heavenâ raidâŠ