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"Mister Wei..."

After leaving the academy, Luo Yi’s eyes were somewhat dazed. He felt that having been in the path of sorcery for many years, and having been nurtured by a top family, he was quite worldly as one of the future nine ministers of Great Jin.

But what he saw and heard today seemed to shatter most of his previous knowledge.

Most of the students in the academy were only fourteen or fifteen years old, yet each of them possessed a spiritual power above that of a Fifth Rank Magician.

This was vastly different from his initial assumption that there were only a few talented students.

Almost everyone was of this standard, which was a terrifying realization.

He himself was recognized and cultivated by the Minister of Rites’ family for standing out in the Sorcerer Academy due to his exceptional talent. He was very clear about what it meant to be a Fifth Rank Magician at the age of fourteen.

Such individuals, in any Sorcerer Family, would be groomed as candidates to become the family head!

But here—everywhere?

Was it because Chen Qing possessed a pair of eyes for spotting gold, capable of gathering every talented individual under his Yin Yang Academy?

If that was the case, then Chen Qing might truly possess the ability to overthrow a dynasty, because identifying prodigies is a monarch’s greatest skill.

But he was more worried about another possibility...

He had been wondering since earlier whether it’s possible... that the students here are Fifth Rank Magicians not because they have extraordinary talents, but because... they are at the Lyuzhou Academy?

Is it possible... that it’s due to Chen Qing having the ability to nurture talented magicians of this caliber?

The thought made Luo Yi shudder involuntarily—such a notion was absurd, for the talents of people in this world were determined by the heavens. But if Chen Qing actually possessed the ability to change one’s innate talent, that would be too horrifying.

"Are you thinking... that Chen Qing... might possess the ability to change a person’s innate talents?" The voice of Wei Gongcheng felt cold and chilling even under the clear blue sky, reaching Luo Yi’s ears, making the chill in his body even more intense.

Luo Yi looked up blankly at Wei Gongcheng and suddenly realized, under the bright sunlight, this man... had no shadow, and he was emitting a special kind of spiritual power that seemed to tightly bind him to the city of Lyuzhou!

Very dangerous!

His instincts told him that Wei Gongcheng was very dangerous—this man... had a grip on this city, on some terrifying rule!

Even Weichi Peng looked at Wei Gongcheng in astonishment; he felt it, too. Wei Gongcheng seemed different from before in the city of Lyuzhou. Here, he appeared to be more troublesome than even Xuu Hu!

"Minister Luo, please rest assured, it is not as you think," Wei Gongcheng’s voice remained calm: "One’s innate talent is the most unchangeable aspect in this world, and even our sovereign doesn’t have the means to defy the laws of heaven and earth."

Upon hearing those words, the frigid feeling Luo Yi experienced diminished slightly, whereas Weichi Peng’s eyes showed a hint of realization.

The sovereign...

"Then... is it just a coincidence here?" Luo Yi suppressed the chill in his body and asked in a lower voice, "Or does Chen Qing... possess the ability to see through someone’s potential?"

"The sovereign does indeed have that ability..." Wei Gongcheng suddenly laughed.

Whether it was Xuu Hu or himself, they were both brazenly recruited and nurtured by Chen Qing, who seemed certain of their potential.

Like Xuu Hu, in just two years, he had the strength to defeat Weichi Peng.

Aside from the sovereign’s miraculous training speed in the way of the gods, it was also because Xuu Hu’s potential was good enough, and the sovereign, had the eyes to discover it.

Really?

Luo Yi’s expression darkened; that ability was somewhat terrifying.

"But the level these students have reached today is not because their potential is sufficiently good."

"Hm?" Luo Yi was startled. Fourteen-year-old at Fifth Rank, their potential wasn’t good enough? How could they reach such a level?

"Rather, it is because they are at the Lyuzhou Academy." Wei Gongcheng’s smile vanished, and he spoke earnestly: "This is simply the standard here!"

Luo Yi: "...."

"Are you not joking, Mister Wei?"

"I tend to be quite reserved; actually, I’m not much for joking," Wei Gongcheng said blandly: "Though I’ve developed a bit of a sense of humor lately under the influence of Third Master Shen."

Weichi Peng: "...."

That joke is really cold...

"Perhaps to Minister Luo, it seems unfathomable," Wei Gongcheng looked at him seriously: "But this is the reality.

At present Lyuzhou Academy only has a few hundred students, and we plan to expand enrollment this year, but the quality will not change.

The students here, within two years, will see Fifth Rank as the baseline! "

Luo Yi: "!!"

Two years... Fifth Rank... baseline?

How arrogant is that claim?

But for some reason, Luo Yi felt he couldn’t refute it.

The wonders he witnessed today were too numerous, so much so that he felt numb to them, from the enchanting sorceries to the wondrous engineering. Each one was profoundly shocking and overturned his understanding of the world of sorcery.

Such a barrage of shocks made Wei Gongcheng’s words somehow seem not so unacceptable.

Technique Families mostly prefer to use their techniques in battle, yet here, they seem more willing to integrate techniques into all things in the world.

The reason Sorcerer Families advocate for combat power is to compete with Bloodline Families for influence and to fend off demons, compelled by their circumstances.

However, Luo Yi felt that this academy in Lyuzhou, the teachings here, was the true righteous path, where techniques truly belonged!

"Did that child just say that the Imperial Court... agreed to come to Nanming Prefecture to negotiate, is that true?" Weichi Peng suddenly asked.

"Yes, it’s true..." Wei Gongcheng nodded, "I also only received the news last night.

The Imperial Court replied very quickly.

The new Minister of War, Minister Pang, will lead the team, together with the descendants of the noble families and your father, General Weichi, to Nanming Prefecture for the appointment! "

Upon hearing this, Weichi Peng fell silent. He was well aware of the current predicament of the Imperial Court, just not expecting that they would compromise so quickly!

Luo Yi was not surprised since the Imperial Court currently lacked military power. If Chen Qing was willing to return Weichi Peng, it was highly likely that the Imperial Court would come to negotiate.

Moreover, the current situation of the Imperial Court was special, with the political affairs being led by the nine ministers for the first time.

Noble families were covertly preserving their strength, scheming for the ancient secrets.

The ancient secrets of Jiangnan had long been in the sights of noble families, and if they couldn’t monopolize it with the help of the Imperial Court, they would decisively give up consuming their powers and form an alliance with Chen Qing—a predictable outcome.

After all, Sorcerer Families don’t have the same military integrity as Bloodline Families...

"And I just heard... that the Princess Royale is also coming?"

"Yes..." Wei Gongcheng nodded, "Princess Chang has already explicitly replied that she will attend the meeting at the same time as the Duke of Wei from the north."

"The Duke of Wei..." Weichi Peng clenched his fists tightly, "Two traitors, one slaughtered three hundred thousand of the Golden Dragon Guard, the other has carved up the north, and yet the Imperial Court is willing to negotiate with them?"

"The Imperial Court is now led by the nine ministers," Wei Gongcheng looked up at the towering Weichi Peng, "and for Sorcerer Families, the secrets of the Dragon Palace are far more important than the interests of the nation."

Weichi Peng looked at Wei Gongcheng, "And what about you, what’s more important to you?"

As soon as he said this, the atmosphere suddenly became somewhat eerie. Luo Shilang frowned immediately; he too had thought of using the relationship between Weichi Peng and Wei Gongcheng, but not like this.

Just as he was about to say something to ease the atmosphere, he saw Wei Gongcheng looking straightforwardly at the other party, directly replying, "My sovereign is more important!"

Weichi Peng: "....."

"General, you’ve been observing Lyuzhou for a day, what do you think of it?"

Weichi Peng fell silent once again.

Here... bustling and lively, no less than the Capital City, here with laughter and joy, almost free of worries, here everyone lives with dignity, even the dock laborers seem spirited, obviously well-fed and making money, key is that everyone carries a face full of vitality, such spirits in the people he had never seen in any other city, not even in the Imperial City right under the Emperor’s nose!

Along the way, he had heard much about this place, where every Warrior Army soldier had the chance to stand out, where the farmers weren’t deprived of their land by landlords, nor were they so poor as to have only enough food to survive.

He heard that here, the farmers could be quite affluent as well.

Here, anyone who wanted to join the army had the chance, and anyone who wanted to study could earn their place in the magical Yin Yang Academy.

Whether they were children of laborers or blacksmiths, they could rise up in the ranks on their own merit in the army, become respected masters in the academy.

Weichi Peng was a stubborn man, but even he couldn’t find a bad word to say about this place!

Why did every merchant here stand so firmly with Chen Qing?

Weichi Peng actually already knew the answer in his heart.

Because Lyuzhou... is worth their people risking their lives for!

Luo Yi looked at Weichi Peng, who was at a loss for words, and changed his approach, "Chen Qing is indeed very capable, but by doing this, how can the descendants of nobles maintain their advantage?

If everyone can rise through merit, then your descendants will also be outstripped by others, falling into the dust."

"So what?" Wei Gongcheng said, "Should nobles be nobles generation after generation? Slaves remain slaves?"

Luo Yi frowned, but before he could speak, he saw Wei Gongcheng wave his hand and declare, "That’s fundamentally wrong!!"

"This world should indeed be a place where the capable rise and the weak fall, this world should have a place where the talented do not waste their years. I do not ask for absolute fairness in this world, but the higher-ups should not be worry-free, and the common folks should not be desperate!"

Wei Gongcheng looked at the two men, his eyes blazing fiercely, "And Chen Qing is the person who can make this kind of world a reality!"

"Then what about you, Mister Wei?" Luo Yi looked at him, "In this world you speak of, what role do you play? Have you realized your own value?"

He had wanted to ask for a long time. This Wei Gongcheng possessed spiritual power that even a First Rank Magician couldn’t see through, but earlier at the academy, not a single student recognized him. Clearly, Wei Gongcheng was not from the academy. So, what role did he play in Chen Qing’s power?

Weichi Peng was also curiously looking at Wei Gongcheng, "Indeed, Gongcheng, what is your status here?"

Wei Gongcheng looked down, and when he raised his head again, his face had donned a mask. His clothes had changed at an unknown time, nine black dragons roaming among the robes, and an aura as though concurrent with heaven and earth made even Weichi Peng struggle to breathe.

"I am the ruler of Lyuzhou Hell!!"

Both men were startled, suddenly casting their eyes around, only to realize that without knowing when, everything around them had changed.

The bustling Lyuzhou they had just been experiencing was now inverted above them, and where they stood was starkly opposite, surrounded by an exact replica of Lyuzhou, only tinted with a gray hue!

Luo Yi and Weichi Peng almost instantaneously understood without explanation.

The Wei Gongcheng in front of them...

Was a divine being!