130: Chapter 130 A Powerful Return, Daozi's Prestige

The residual energy of the Origin that had yet to completely disperse fell onto the array platform, causing the nearby array patterns to light up in succession.

After devouring the fragment of 100,000 square kilometers, he had yet to completely retract the coercion of his Divine Kingdom.

The heavy Origin spread outward along his divine core, enveloping the center of the grand hall.

The few new students closest to the teleportation array found their breathing obstructed, and the circulation of their divine fire also slowed by half a beat, forcing them to retreat several steps.

No one uttered any complaints.

Gazing at the 100% progress on the light screen and then looking at Wang Pingan who had returned safely, their eyes held nothing but dread and reverence.

Wang Pingan's black clothes had only a few traces of dust, his aura was steady, and his divine core operated in an orderly manner, firmly restraining the newly devoured Origin within his body.

This state shattered the final shred of wishful thinking held by some people.

Wang Pingan had single-handedly punched through the Xiuluo Fragment, yet his Foundation remained completely intact.

Those few aristocratic Family descendants who had previously asserted that he would be unable to retreat unscathed withdrew to the rear of the crowd, avoiding his line of sight.

Someone put away the communication Jade Slip, preparing to modify the judgment previously sent back to their Family.

However, the school's main brain had long since synchronized the mission results to the entire circle of new students.

100% progress, ninth on the rankings, solo clearance, and a completion time shorter than top Prodigy teams—with these four results laid out on the light screen, any defense appeared superfluous.

The Grey-Robed Deacon was the first to greet him, handing back the task plaque that had completed its settlement with both hands: "Wang Pingan, the Xiuluo Fragment mission verification is complete."

"All 100,000 square kilometers of the Origin have been devoured, and the core of the battlefield has completely collapsed. The comprehensive evaluation is undergoing final calculation."

Wang Pingan took the task plaque, glanced over the settlement data, and stored it into his storage space. No arrogance from refreshing the mission record could be seen on his face.

His goal upon entering the Xiuluo Fragment had always been clear: to expand his Divine Kingdom and seize the Origin. Progress and rankings were merely additional benefits brought by the battle results.

This calmness, falling into the eyes of the surrounding new students, carried even more weight instead. Being able to view this battle record with equanimity was enough to prove that he had long since made an accurate judgment of his own strength.

Jiang Daoling walked out from the front of the crowd. His teammates remained in place, watching the two people who were less than ten steps apart.

The sound of conversation in the grand hall gradually subsided. The top-ranked Prodigy and Wang Pingan, who had just risen to ninth place, were meeting formally for the first time, naturally drawing the gaze of everyone present.

Jiang Daoling stopped outside the teleportation array and nodded toward Wang Pingan: "You single-handedly punched through the 100,000-square-kilometer Xiuluo Fragment; for this battle, I am convinced."

There were no polite formalities in his words, nor did he use his identity as the descendant of a top Central Star Domain aristocratic Family to pressure others. He acknowledged these battle results purely from the standpoint of a peer Prodigy.

The new students waiting to watch a conflict between the two did not get their wish. Jiang Daoling took the initiative to recognize Wang Pingan, a result that explained more than tit-for-tat confrontation ever could.

New students truly standing at the apex rarely measured their opponents by their backgrounds. Battle records, Divine Kingdoms, and legions were the basis upon which they acknowledged one another.

By clearing the mission solo and surpassing all team-based records this time, Wang Pingan had already earned the qualification to converse directly with Jiang Daoling.

Wang Pingan nodded in return: "For a 300,000-square-kilometer fragment, the fact that you were able to snatch away half under the obstruction of two alien powerhouses at the Peak of the Golden Core shows your formidable assault capabilities."

The evaluation was direct, with no flattery discernible. Jiang Daoling did not mind; instead, he re-examined the new student before him.

Among his peers, those who dared to evaluate his battle results to his face could be counted on one's fingers. Wang Pingan was now considered one of them.

Qin Zhaoye also walked over. He had already replaced his damaged bracers, and fractures formed by the scorching of third-order alien Laws still remained on his battle armor.

"For the half-year review, I originally only had my eyes on Jiang Daoling." Qin Zhaoye looked at Wang Pingan. "Now, another name must be added to the list."

"If you want to climb the rankings, go right ahead." Wang Pingan responded crisply, neither deflecting nor deliberately elevating the other party.

Qin Zhaoye clenched his fists, the Battle Intent between his brows growing even more intense: "I will go. As for the positions in the top ten, no one can sit securely in them for long based on just a single mission."

"Then let our battle records do the talking." Wang Pingan withdrew his gaze, making no empty promises nor sensationalizing the half-year review into a life-or-death struggle.

Hearing this, Jiang Daoling raised a hand to block a few people who still wanted to press further, and stepped aside to clear a path.

This action was not pre-arranged, but the attitude had already been clearly expressed. Wang Pingan was qualified to receive the respect of the top-ranked Prodigy.

The remaining new students ranked in the top twenty nodded one after another. Those few people who had previously looked down on Wang Pingan also put away their original attitude.

An Origin from the fringe Star Domains could no longer serve as a reason to look down upon him. Wang Pingan's Divine Kingdom territory, legion battle power, and warfare system had all surpassed the vast majority of new students from the Central aristocratic families.

The deacon passageway on the side of the grand hall suddenly opened. Six deacons wearing robes of different departments walked into the grand hall, each holding a jade booklet in their hands.

The mentors behind them were at least Fifth-Order Deities, and two of them hailed from the Core Warfare Academy of Xinghe University, with their mentors' cultivation having already reached the sixth order.

The green-robed deacon was the first to unfold his jade booklet: "Wang Pingan, on behalf of Mentor Zhou of the Heavenly Formation Divine Temple, I once again invite you to enter under his tutelage."

"Mentor Zhou is willing to open up the Dao of Formations Legacy below the sixth order, provide two thousand points of Divine Power annually, and additionally allocate a third-order Formation testing ground."

The breathing of the surrounding new students stuttered for a few beats. Two thousand points of Divine Power were merely surface-level resources; that testing ground capable of accommodating third-order Formations was the true heavy gift.

Another black-armored deacon stepped forward: "Mentor Xu of the Warfare Academy is willing to provide five thousand sets of B-grade military equipment and open up three entry quotas for real border battlefields."

"As long as you are willing to acknowledge him as your mentor, the legion repair costs for this Xiuluo Fragment will be borne by the mentor, and he will also arrange a sorting of your Divine Kingdom Laws for you prior to the half-year review."

The third deacon did not promise Divine Power, instead handing over an authority token: "The private Legacy repository of the Immortal Martial Research Institute, Class-A authority."

"The mentor does not collect resource returns, nor does he require you to join an internal school faction. You only need to submit an evolution record of the Immortal Martial Legion every year."

The six deacons laid out their conditions in turn, each with different focal points. Even the teammates of Jiang Daoling and Qin Zhaoye put away their conversations and listened carefully to each invitation.

What these mentors valued was not only Wang Pingan's current battle power, but also the Immortal Martial warfare civilization that had already taken shape within his Divine Kingdom.

High-order mentors mastered resources and Legacies, yet it was difficult for them to find a Divine Kingdom capable of integrating Formations, legions, the Hundred Arts, and logistics. Wang Pingan had already built a complete framework.

By taking such a student under his tutelage, a mentor could obtain a mature research direction and also boast a new student ranked in the top ten within the school's seed sequence.

Wang Pingan did not take the jade booklets. He looked at the six deacons one by one, his state of mind undisturbed by the resources before him.

A mentor could provide Legacies, Divine Power, and battlefield coordinates, but could not plan a Divine Kingdom for him where one day outside translated to ten years of internal evolution.

After acknowledging a mentor, the mentor would inevitably come into contact with the development records of the Divine Kingdom. As the relationship between both parties deepened, the abnormal growth rate of the Divine Kingdom would also enter the field of vision of high-order deities.

Furthermore, he had already walked out his own Immortal Martial Dao. Wang Mu, Wang Shan, and the Hundred Arts Hall were still complementing this civilization system and had not yet reached the point where an outsider was needed to take the helm.

External Legacies could be purchased, and battle experience could be obtained from missions. Exposing the core evolution records of his Divine Kingdom for short-term resources was a transaction that was not worthwhile.

"I have noted the kind intentions of all mentors." Wang Pingan raised a hand to signal the six deacons to take back their jade booklets, his reply without hesitation.

"At the present stage, I do not intend to take a mentor, nor will I join any mentor faction. My Dao shall be deduced by myself alone."

Discussions within the grand hall rose once more. With six high-order mentors issuing invitations simultaneously, if it were an ordinary new student, merely striving for one of the quotas would exhaust all their mental energy.

The few deacons did not fly into a rage. Before coming, they had read the records of Wang Pingan previously rejecting disciple-taking, and were already somewhat expecting this outcome.

The green-robed deacon withdrew his jade booklet and left behind a communication imprint: "Mentor Zhou instructed that even if rejected today, the conditions in the future will not be lowered."

The Warfare Academy deacon put away the equipment manifest: "After the half-year review concludes, if you change your mind, you can come directly to the Warfare Academy to find me."

Wang Pingan accepted the communication imprint, leaving room for future Legacy exchanges, yet he did not change his judgment because of the deacons' concessions.

The six deacons stepped back in turn, their attitudes remaining courteous. Those new students who were still waiting for a mentor's attention watched this scene, the envy in their eyes difficult to conceal.

Those aristocratic Family descendants who had earlier retreated to the rear of the crowd became all the more embarrassed. Opportunities they could not fight for, Wang Pingan had rejected twice in succession.

Wang Pingan did not pursue them to humiliate anyone. Ninth place on the rankings and 100% mission progress hung on the light screen, carrying a weight far surpassing a few harsh words.

He walked along the path cleared by the crowd toward the exit of the mission grand hall. Along the way, no one obstructed him, nor did anyone discuss his Origin from the fringe Star Domains anymore.

Jiang Daoling gazed at his retreating figure, pondering for a moment: "He has already set his mind on his own Dao; mentor resources cannot change his choice."

Qin Zhaoye flexed his newly replaced bracers: "Before the half-year review, whoever treats him as an ordinary First-Order Deity will have to pay tuition with their entire Divine Kingdom."

Outside the grand hall, the suspended roads of Galaxy City crisscrossed and extended. The black hover car of the Wang Family Mansion was already parked at the exclusive exit of the mission hall.

Wang Cang guarded beside the car, suppressing the joy on his face several times. As soon as Wang Pingan drew near, he hurried forward to greet him.

"Dao Child, ninth on the rankings, solo clearance. The news has already been transmitted back to the Wang Family, and the ancestral land has issued three consecutive commendation orders."

Wang Pingan boarded the hover car: "Store them away first. Once the interior of the Divine Kingdom completes its first round of reconstruction, we will then handle the resources sent by the Family."

Wang Zhenyuan sat on the other side inside the car, still wearing the grey armor from when he guarded the mansion, his long saber left in its scabbard.

He placed a copy of the city's surveillance records on the table: "There were originally eleven surveillance posts outside the mansion; after the mission results came out, all of them withdrew."

"The Lu Family branch withdrew the fastest, and their two nearby foothold locations have also been cleared out. In the short term, they will not come to test the waters again."

Those surveillance posts had lost their utility. Wang Pingan had entered the top ten of the rankings, and several high-order mentors had publicly issued invitations.

Continuing surveillance would only anger both the Wang Family and Xinghe University simultaneously. Once Wang Zhenyuan obtained evidence, the Lu Family branch would also have to face punishment under school rules.

Lu Ming's previous targeting of Wang Pingan had been aimed at fighting for Family resources and the qualification to enter the main lineage of the Central Lu Family. Now, his chance of making a comeback by relying on this path was cut off.

A gap had already been opened between both parties in terms of rankings, battle records, and mentor attention. If the Lu Family branch continued to invest resources in Lu Ming, it would only amplify their losses.

Wang Zhenyuan turned to the last page of the record: "Starting from today, at least among the new students, no one will dare to come before the mansion's gates to test your bottom line again."

Wang Pingan leaned against the seat, his gaze passing through the car window to cast towards the undulating divine temples and suspended continents deep within Galaxy City.

"It is even better if no one comes. It saves time to digest the Divine Kingdom. The 100,000 square kilometers of Origin have just landed and have yet to be converted into complete battle power."

Wang Cang pulled up the mansion's resource inventory: "The new territory needs to build cities, lay Spiritual Veins, and construct teleportation arrays. The existing inventory is only enough to support the first round of construction."

"Seal the mansion, inventory the spoils of war, and then procure according to the plan submitted by Wang Mu. Postpone the expansion of military equipment; population carrying capacity and ley line construction take priority."

Wang Pingan set the order of priorities. Wang Cang recorded them item by item, while Wang Zhenyuan connected the mansion's defense Formation to the highest lockdown authority.

The hover car passed through the main thoroughfare of Galaxy City. Several new student mansions along the way received the news, and the observation Formations that had originally been activated closed one after another.

Those who used to stare at the Wang Family Mansion still wanted to find weaknesses. Now that Wang Pingan had brought back 100,000 square kilometers of Origin, continuing to observe would only expose their own intentions.

A Divine Kingdom of 180,000 square kilometers had already surpassed many veteran First-Order Deities. Relying on heavy artillery, Formations, and the logistics system, the twenty-thousand-strong ultimate-state legion had even completed the beheading of a powerhouse at the Peak of the Golden Core.

The benefits of the third-order fragment had been completely devoured by Wang Pingan, and his Divine Kingdom had also crossed the stage most lacking in Origin. Next, time was needed to fill out the population, cities, and the Hundred Arts system.

The hover car landed in front of the Wang Family Mansion. Lockdown array patterns rose along the courtyard walls, cutting off external reconnaissance and visitor passageways all at once.

Wang Pingan walked into the inner hall, placed the task plaque on the table, handed the Divine Kingdom reconstruction list to Wang Cang, and then headed towards the closed-door cultivation chamber.

Before the stone doors closed, his Divine Thought had already sunk into the 180,000-square-kilometer Divine Kingdom, and the new territory planning organized by Wang Mu also unfolded within his consciousness.

The mansion entered a closed state of rest and recuperation. With some time remaining before the review, Wang Pingan was going to forge all the territory, resources, and Legacies seized from this expedition into the Foundation for his next charge up the rankings.