Chapter 499 The Holy Scholar's foundation is unfathomable!

"Pavilion Master!! It's the Pavilion Master!! The Pavilion Master is back!!"

Zhao Tiezhu shouted so loudly and suddenly that he almost fell off the stone pier he was standing on, his whole body trembling with excitement.

His rugged Face flushed red, his copper-bell-like eyes filled with irrepressible ecstasy, and his thick arms flailed in the air like a drowning man who had finally grabbed a lifeline.

The hundreds of people who were arguing and pushing each other moments ago seemed to have been hit with a pause button the instant they heard that roar.

All arguments, curses, and mocking taunts ceased in the same instant.

Then, hundreds of heads looked up in unison, and hundreds of gazes were fixed on the cyan-purple stream of light rapidly approaching in the sky.

The stream of light moved extremely fast, transforming from a tiny speck on the distant horizon into a massive figure that blotted out the sky in the blink of an eye.

Little Skylark slowly folded its giant wings, which spanned thirty zhang. Its divine feathers, woven with azure and pale purple, shimmered with a mesmerizing glow under the sunlight. The three long purple feathers on its head swayed gently in the wind, and the tail feathers, which had transformed into thunderous streamers, dragged behind it in several dazzling arcs of purple light.

The lightning storm patterns within its pupils rotated slowly, each rotation creating a visible ripple of thunder that caused the surrounding air to emit faint crackling sounds.

On the back of this ancient Divine Roc stood a slender, upright figure with his hands behind his back. His robes fluttered in the wind, and his handsome Face was calm and indifferent, as if the clamor of the sea of people below had nothing to do with him.

"It's the Heavenly Saint Student!! It really is the Heavenly Saint Student!!"

Someone in the crowd shouted first, and then the sound wave exploded like a lit powder keg.

"Welcome, Pavilion Master!!!"

Inside the Longxiang Pavilion compound.

Those official members who had joined before the tournament were the first to react.

They faced the figure in the sky, cupped their hands, bowed deeply, and their voices were uniform, each word filled with heartfelt respect and fanaticism.

Many of these people were low-level students who had come to join because they heard that Longxiang Pavilion was protected by a Heavenly Saint Student. They were not strong and had always been trampled upon in the academy.

But today, their Pavilion Master had crushed the sixth-ranked student on the Heaven Ranking on the arena, suppressed a sect single-handedly, and cleared the entire Jingfeng Sect from the arena.

From now on, no one would dare to look down on them, and no one would dare to bully them.

Because their Pavilion Master was named Jiang Yun.

"Welcome, Pavilion Master!!!"

Liu Qingshuang, Lei Qing, and Xiao Chen cupped their hands and bowed at the same time.

Liu Qingshuang's cold eyes reflected the figure in the sky, and the corners of her mouth lifted almost imperceptibly.

Lei Qing's rugged Face was filled with undisguised fanaticism and reverence, his cupped hands clenched so hard his knuckles cracked.

Xiao Chen remained his usual steady self, but he bowed deeper than ever before.

Zhao Tiezhu, Lin Kuo, Xiao Yutian, and Shang Xiaoxiao were so excited that their eyes turned red.

Zhao Tiezhu sniffled hard, shouting until his voice cracked:

"Welcome, Pavilion Master!!!"

The pride and confidence in that voice were ten times more intense than when he saw Jiang Yun crush Sect Master Feng Tianyang on the arena.

The students on the periphery who had not yet joined were shocked and moved to see this scene.

Among them were prodigies in the top thirty of the Heaven Ranking, Amethyst Rank seniors, and ordinary students who had been in the academy for years but could never find a backer.

They had seen the leaders of countless forces and countless experts on the Heaven Ranking, but they had never seen the members of any faction look at their Pavilion Master with such eyes.

There was respect, worship, and fanaticism in those gazes, but more than anything, it was a kind of unreserved trust.

It was as if as long as that figure was there, Longxiang Pavilion would never fall.

It was as if as long as that person was there, no one would dare to bully the people of Longxiang Pavilion.

This kind of cohesion could not be bought by any amount of power suppression.

"Welcome the Pavilion Master of Longxiang Pavilion!!!"

In the outer crowd,

someone was the first to cup their hands and bow. Then this action spread like a virus. In the blink of an eye, hundreds of people were cupping their hands and bowing in unison, their voices converging into a torrent that exploded over the Grade A Lingqi Valley.

Heaven Ranking prodigies, Amethyst Rank experts, and ordinary Gold Rank students—all of them were now bowing, fists tightly cupped, welcoming the figure in the sky with the most respectful posture.

They had not yet joined Longxiang Pavilion, but they had expressed their attitude in this way.

They revered this Heavenly Saint Student.

They longed to become a member of his ranks.

The scene of hundreds of people bowing at the same time was so spectacular it made one's scalp tingle.

Jiang Yun stood on the back of Little Skylark,

looking down at the sea of black heads below.

Hundreds of respectful gazes were focused on him, and hundreds of voices were shouting "Welcome, Pavilion Master" simultaneously; the sound wave was so loud that the trees in Lingqi Valley were trembling slightly.

He was slightly stunned.

Although he had anticipated that Longxiang Pavilion would see a wave of new members after the tournament, he hadn't expected the scale to be this large.

The entire road from the entrance of Grade A Lingqi Valley to the gate of the Longxiang Pavilion compound was jammed solid. Looking into the distance, even more people were rushing over from all directions of the academy, continuously merging into this long line that was already crowded to the limit.

However, he quickly regained his composure.

Although the scene was large, it didn't really amount to much for him.

At the Appraisers Guild, when he was awarded the position of Grand Elder as Grand Tutor Dongxuan, Vice Dean Yan Song knelt to apologize in person, hundreds of Appraisers from the guild bowed to him collectively, and representatives from the major forces of the provincial capital crowded the entire guild hall, with even a Hidden Family like the Liu Family sending a Grand Elder to observe the ceremony.

That time, he had truly seen what a "big scene" was.

The enthusiasm of these few hundred students in front of him could only be considered a small scene by comparison.

With a thought,

Little Skylark flapped its wings gently,

and its massive body slowly descended into the Longxiang Pavilion compound.

The crowd automatically parted to make a path, and everyone looked up, their eyes tightly following the slender, upright figure.

The moment Little Skylark landed, Jiang Yun leaped off its back and stepped firmly onto the ground. He flicked his robes lightly, shaking off all the dust accumulated during the flight.

He casually recalled Little Skylark into his Beast Taming Space. The cyan-purple light flashed and vanished, leaving only a few faint lightning arcs lingering in the air, emitting faint crackling sounds.

The whole place went quiet.

Hundreds of people held their breath,

waiting for this Heavenly Saint Student to speak.

Jiang Yun's gaze swept calmly over everyone present.

He saw the irrepressible excitement and pride on the Faces of the official members in the compound, the longing and nervousness in the eyes of the students on the periphery who hadn't joined yet, and several familiar Faces in the crowd.

Lin Kuo was trying hard to maintain order, Xiao Yutian was holding a thick registration book and recording something, and Shang Xiaoxiao was standing behind Zhao Tiezhu, tiptoeing to look at him.

The time his gaze lingered on each person was short, yet it made everyone feel that they had been seen by the Pavilion Master.

Then he spoke.

His voice was not loud, but it clearly penetrated the entire Lingqi Valley.

"Everyone."

Just one word,

and the breathing of hundreds of people in the audience skipped a beat.

"After today's tournament, thanks to your kindness, you are willing to join my Longxiang Pavilion. I, Jiang Yun, would like to thank you all for your trust."

His tone was unhurried.

It was calm and filled with a certainty that was inexplicably reassuring.

"However, before joining Longxiang Pavilion, there are some things I must say upfront. Longxiang Pavilion does not accept those who bully the weak, those who act as bullies, or those who use their power to oppress others. Whether you are a top ten Prodigy on the Heaven Ranking or an ordinary Gold Rank student, once you enter Longxiang Pavilion, you must abide by the rules of Longxiang Pavilion. You must not bully the weak, you must not use your power to oppress others, and you must not tarnish the reputation of Longxiang Pavilion outside. If anyone violates this, no matter who you are, I, the Pavilion Master, will visit you in person and ask you to leave."

The moment the words "visit you in person" fell,

many people in the crowd felt a chill run down their backs.

They had seen with their own eyes how this Heavenly Saint Student "visited" people... Lin Xinmu was finished off by him, Lin Feng was made to kneel by him, Sect Master Feng Tianyang was crushed by him, and the entire Jingfeng Sect was cleared from the arena one by one by him.

When the Heavenly Saint Student said he would visit, he wasn't joking.

Jiang Yun paused,

his tone softening slightly.

"As for the positions of Elder and Deacon of Longxiang Pavilion, it does not depend on Heaven Ranking rankings or Family background, but only on character and loyalty. Today, in the arena, Liu Qingshuang, Lei Qing, and Xiao Chen were targeted one after another, but they gritted their teeth and did not retreat. They are the Deacons and Elders of Longxiang Pavilion because they chose to hold their ground when Longxiang Pavilion was at its most difficult. Zhao Tiezhu, Lin Kuo, Xiao Yutian, and Shang Xiaoxiao—their strength may not be as good as many of the prodigies present, but they are the veterans of Longxiang Pavilion because they did not leave when Longxiang Pavilion was being mocked by the entire academy. Therefore, the position of Elder is not for whoever is strong, but for whoever contributes the most to Longxiang Pavilion. When the contribution is made, the position of Elder will naturally be waiting for you."

As soon as these words were spoken,

a hushed commotion broke out in the crowd.

Those Heaven Ranking prodigies who were arguing about who was stronger and who should be an Elder were now all lost in thought.

A student in the top twenty of the Heaven Ranking said in a low voice to his companion:

"I thought the Heavenly Saint Student would prioritize promoting those strong Heaven Ranking prodigies. I didn't expect him to value loyalty and contribution. To be honest, with our seniority of joining only after the tournament ended, we really aren't qualified to compete with Liu Qingshuang and the others for the Elder positions."

"Nonsense."

His companion rolled his eyes at him.

"Didn't you understand? The Heavenly Saint Student doesn't want hired thugs; he wants brothers. Liu Qingshuang and the others were the ones who didn't retreat when Longxiang Pavilion was at its most difficult. The Heavenly Saint Student repaid this loyalty in public, personally handing them the spots on the arena one by one. Where are you going to find another Pavilion Master like this?"

"To be honest, I admire the Heavenly Saint Student even more. Others choose Elders based on strength because they aren't strong enough themselves and need experts to hold down the fort. The Heavenly Saint Student is the strongest himself; he doesn't need to rely on anyone else's strength to hold the fort. He wants loyalty, character, and people who can shoulder burdens together. This is the vision that someone doing big things should have."

"Following the Heavenly Saint Student is definitely the most correct choice I've made in my life. If for nothing else, just because of his words 'once you enter Longxiang Pavilion, you must abide by the rules, and if anyone violates them, I, the Pavilion Master, will visit you in person,' I know I've followed the right person. A Pavilion Master who dares to offend people for the sake of rules is ten thousand times better than a pushover who tries to smooth things over."

"That's right! The Heavenly Saint Student walked up from being weak himself. Think about it, when he first entered the academy, he was only Gold Rank. How many people looked down on him? Now he has crushed the sixth-ranked student on the Heaven Ranking. He knows best how hateful those who bully others with their power are. So he set these rules to prevent Longxiang Pavilion from becoming the second Jingfeng Sect. This kind of Pavilion Master is truly worth our following!"

Jiang Yun heard the discussion,

but his expression did not change.

He did not say any more grand words but turned around and waved at Zhao Tiezhu.

Zhao Tiezhu immediately jumped off the stone pier and ran to Jiang Yun in three steps, his rugged Face full of reverence and anticipation.

"Pavilion Master! What are your orders!"

"Tiezhu, as the number of Longxiang Pavilion members increases, there will be more appointments for Elders and Deacons. It's time to set up a Contribution Ranking. Use the Contribution Ranking as proof to reward based on merit and assign positions based on contribution. This system will be managed by you, Lin Kuo, and Xiao Yutian. You can decide the specific rules yourselves."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Tiezhu patted his chest hard, his rugged Face full of seriousness.

"Pavilion Master, don't worry! Leave this to me! I've been in the academy for so long, and although my strength is lacking, I have some insights into these matters. I will definitely handle the Contribution Ranking clearly. I won't let those who contribute suffer, and I won't let those who slack off take advantage of the system!"

Jiang Yun nodded, and then his right hand flipped slightly, and a Storage Ring appeared in his palm.

The ring was silver-white, and a deep blue space gem was embedded on the ring Face, with countless fine spiritual lights flowing faintly inside the gem.

That was the unique luster reflected only when a massive amount of treasure was piled up in the storage space.

"I have gained quite a few resources from this trip to the Bone Burial Area. Some resources are of no great use in my hands, so I might as well use them to enrich the treasury of Longxiang Pavilion, reward those at the top of the Contribution Ranking, and provide the monthly allowances for all members. Only in this way can Longxiang Pavilion flourish and continue to grow."

Zhao Tiezhu saw the Storage Ring, was stunned for a moment, and then his eyes suddenly felt a little sore.

He knew Jiang Yun had gone to the Bone Burial Area, and he knew Jiang Yun had experienced many things there.

But after Jiang Yun returned, he didn't say a word before taking down the arenas one by one to give to them, and now he was going to take money out of his own pocket to enrich the treasury of Longxiang Pavilion. This was not something a Pavilion Master was supposed to do.

"This is something one would only do for someone they consider their own."

He took a deep breath and nodded firmly. He didn't say anything overly sentimental, simply taking the Storage Ring with both hands, his voice a few shades deeper than usual.

"I understand. Rest assured, Pavilion Master."

However.

Although Jiang Yun and Zhao Tiezhu had kept their voices low, the people in the closest circles still heard every word clearly.

When Zhao Tiezhu accepted the Storage Ring.

An irrepressible wave of discussion erupted among the crowd.

"The Pavilion Master is emptying his own pockets to stock the Longxiang Pavilion treasury?! These resources were brought back from the Bone Burial Area after he risked life and limb, and he's just handing them all over for the Longxiang Pavilion members to use?!"

"Damn... How old is the Pavilion Master? Sixteen or seventeen? Which Prodigy at that age doesn't hoard their own resources tightly, afraid that someone else might take even a fraction more? But the Pavilion Master is different; he's straight-up emptying his own savings to support the people of Longxiang Pavilion! What kind of vision is this? He's running Longxiang Pavilion like it's his own Family!"

"But honestly, even though the Pavilion Master's talent is Heaven-Defying, he's still only Amethyst Rank. How many resources can an Amethyst Rank gather in the Bone Burial Area? At best, just some Amethyst Rank Materials and Attribute Spirit Crystals, and the quantity probably won't be that high. After all, an Amethyst Rank simply wouldn't have access to those truly top-tier treasures."

"That's true. But even if it's just some Amethyst Rank resources, they were still earned by the Pavilion Master himself. The fact that he's willing to take them out and share them with everyone is a gesture that many faction leaders couldn't manage. Have you ever seen a faction leader willing to empty their own pockets to support their people? Don't they usually do the opposite and suck their members dry?"

"That's true. It's the thought that counts; the quantity doesn't really matter."

Jiang Yun listened to these discussions.

His expression remained as calm as still water.

He didn't offer any further explanation, simply taking the Storage Ring back from Zhao Tiezhu and aiming the opening of the storage space inside toward the wide, open square in front of the Longxiang Pavilion base.

Then.

He stirred his thoughts.

The dark blue space gem on the Storage Ring suddenly exploded with a blinding light, and a wide spatial rift ripped open above the square.

Immediately after.

Countless treasures poured out from the rift like a breached flood, crashing down onto the square, piling up, spreading out, and tumbling over one another.

Spiritual light, treasure aura, elemental radiance, and Law fluctuations.

Countless distinct rays of light exploded at the same instant, bathing the entire Lingqi Valley in a magnificent and dazzling ocean of seven colors.

Three mountains.

Three small mountains formed by the accumulation of countless treasures occupied a large portion of the open space in the square within a few breaths.

The first mountain was a mountain of Spirit Crystals.

Hundreds of millions of Attribute Spirit Crystals were piled together, including the lowest grade non-Attribute Spirit Crystals, Rare Spirit Crystals of the metal, wood, water, fire, earth, wind, lightning, dark, and light attributes, and even a few High Grade Spirit Crystals emitting Meteor-level spiritual light fluctuations mixed in.

The seven-colored light refracted by the Spirit Crystals was like thousands of rainbows blooming simultaneously, so blinding that it was almost impossible to keep one's eyes open.

Most of these Spirit Crystals came from the treasuries of the four major factions in Black Rock City, as well as the tributes and apologies gifted by various parties.

The tributes from the Qian Family, War Beast Sect, and Huang Family, Su Qingshan's apology gift, the monthly supply from the Appraisers Guild, plus the apology gifts from various other factions—stacked together, they were enough to rival the entire savings of a medium-sized faction.

The second mountain was a mountain of Heaven And Earth Treasure.

Spirit Medicines of various ages, Ores of various attributes, spirit woods of various grades, and beast cores of various forms were densely piled together.

There were millennium snow jade ginsengs rarely seen in the outside world, dozens of perfect-quality Amethyst Rank beast cores, raw Meteor iron Ore shimmering with a metallic luster, and even a few pieces of Star Meteor Iron that would make even Diamond Rank powerhouses turn green with envy.

Those were things Jiang Yun had casually looted in the Bone Burial Area.

The medicinal fragrance emitted by the various Spirit Medicines intertwined with the elemental fluctuations of the Ores, permeating the air and forming a treasure aura so dense it was almost tangible.

Any single piece of these Spirit Medicines or Ores, if taken out, would be enough for an ordinary student to use for several months of cultivation.

The third mountain was a mountain of equipment and treasures.

Dozens of weapons, defensive gear, accessories, and secret treasures shimmering with various colors of spiritual light were piled together, each one emitting spiritual light fluctuations of at least Gold Rank or higher.

Among them, the most dazzling pieces floated in mid-air, their entire bodies flowing with the brilliant luster only Diamond Rank treasures possessed.

There was armor engraved with ancient beast patterns, a longsword burning with undying flames, a Formation Plate flowing with dark blue runes, and a set of transparent flying treasure gear.

Most of these pieces of equipment were taken by Jiang Yun from the treasuries of the four major factions in Black Rock City. Those factions were at most Gold Rank, yet their treasuries had accumulated quite a few Amethyst Rank and even Diamond Rank treasures, which no one could wield—now, they all belonged to Longxiang Pavilion.

In addition, there were the spoils of war Jiang Yun had seized from various opponents while sweeping through the Bone Burial Area Secret Realm, the Pill Formula and Incomplete Manual gathered in the Nether Ancient Ruins Secret Realm, and the Amethyst Rank Materials and Medicinal Pill from the Liu Family conservatives' compensation that he had no use for.

The three treasure mountains shone brilliantly on the square, their spiritual light soaring to the sky, coloring the entire sky above Lingqi Valley in a kaleidoscope of seven colors.

The air was filled with an extremely intense fluctuation of spiritual energy, and the rich treasure aura made everyone present involuntarily take a deep breath.

The spiritual energy contained in just this one breath.

Was enough to equal nearly half a day of their usual cultivation.

The entire square.

Hundreds of people.

At this moment, fell into a state of absolute dead silence.

It wasn't a quiet silence, but the dead silence that occurs only when one is so shocked that their mind goes blank, to the point of forgetting to breathe.

Hundreds of gazes were nailed to those three treasure mountains; pupils were contracting wildly, and mouths were hanging open, yet unable to make a sound.

The expressions on the Faces of those who had just been speculating about how many resources the Pavilion Master could have were now as if someone had slapped them hundreds of times in public.

The dead silence lasted for a full five breaths.

Then, it exploded.

"Damn it!!! Damn it!!! Damn it!!!"

A student in the top forty of the Heaven Rankings clutched his head with both hands, looking as if he had seen something that completely overturned his worldview, his voice so sharp it completely cracked.

"Spirit Crystals!! Hundreds of millions of Spirit Crystals!! And Attribute Spirit Crystals!! Just those few Spirit Crystals are worth the entire fortune of a small Family!! And Amethyst Rank beast cores!! Dozens of them!! Dozens of Amethyst Rank beast cores!! What are those pieces?! Meteor iron!! Star Meteor Iron!! That's a Diamond Rank material!! I've seen it in the academy treasury's catalog!! A single piece could be exchanged for a custom Meteor Rank treasure gear!!"

"And those pieces of equipment!! That's Diamond Rank armor!! That's a Diamond Rank treasure gear!! Is that a Formation Plate?! Damn, damn, damn!! I remember that flying treasure gear!! A similar one appeared at the academy's auction last year!! The final price was eight million Spirit Crystals!! Eight million!! All the Heaven Ranking prodigies in the venue were fighting for it at the time!! It ended up being bought by the Feng Family!! The Pavilion Master actually has one of the same grade here!!"

"Isn't that a millennium snow jade ginseng?! That key medicinal ingredient that the old professor in the Alchemy Department has been looking for for three years without success!! The Pavilion Master has a whole bundle here!! Not just one root!! A whole bundle!! And what's that?! Shadow beast core?! Undying Spirit Medicine?! Just taking any one of these things out would make the major factions in the provincial capital fight tooth and nail for it!! The Pavilion Master is piling them on the ground!! Piling them on the ground!! Piling them on the ground like ordinary Materials!!"

"Who said it just now?! Who said the Pavilion Master was only Amethyst Rank and couldn't bring out many resources?! Stand up!! You damn well better stand up!! This is what you call not many resources?! This is what you call emptying his savings?! Add up everything piled on the ground—besides the academy's own treasury, which faction in the entire academy could bring this out?! Jingfeng Sect can't!! The Lin Family can't!! Tingxue Pavilion can't either!!"

The person who had just been swearing that an Amethyst Rank couldn't have access to top-tier treasures was now completely stunned.

He hung his mouth open, his lips trembling violently, the expression on his Face looking as if someone had just poured a whole vat of old aged vinegar down his throat and then dumped a basin of ice water over his head.

He muttered to himself.

"I thought... I thought the Pavilion Master could at most bring out a few million Spirit Crystals and some Amethyst Rank Materials... I... I take back what I said earlier... I take it all back. The Pavilion Master isn't emptying his savings; he's doing wholesale. No, not even wholesale—what merchant firm could wholesale dozens of Diamond Rank treasures?!"

It wasn't just them; even Liu Qingshuang, Lei Qing, and Xiao Chen, those three top-tier Earth Ranking prodigies who had seen the world, were all stunned in place.

Lei Qing's copper-bell-sized eyes were wide as two pebbles, his mouth open wide enough to fit a fist.

He rubbed his eyes hard, then rubbed them again, and after confirming he hadn't seen wrong, he felt as if he had been struck on the head with a club.

"I... I have never seen so many treasures piled together in my life. Xiao Chen, did you see that? Those Diamond Rank armors are of a higher grade than my Meteor Low Grade battle armor!! Where did the Pavilion Master get them from?! Big Sister Qingshuang, have you ever seen such a display?"

Liu Qingshuang's eyes, which were always as cold as frost, were also slightly widened at this moment.

Her Liu Family was merely a small Family in the provincial capital that didn't even rank as second-tier.

Although she didn't have a high status in the Family, she had seen the Liu Family's main treasury.

But these three treasure mountains before her.

The quality and rarity of many of the Materials among them were High Grade items that would have to be stored separately using a Restriction in the Liu Family treasury.

Yet the Pavilion Master casually piled them on the ground, like he was piling up junk.

She was silent for a long while before she spoke softly, her voice carrying a trace of extremely Rare shock.

"I have seen the treasury in my Family, but these things the Pavilion Master brought out... the number of Diamond Rank treasures alone is not much less than the core collection in the Liu Family treasury. And have you noticed? The Pavilion Master just said these are only the scraps he has no use for. Then what grade are the ones he kept for himself?"

Xiao Chen took a deep breath, and that Face of his, which was always composed, was now written with irrepressible shock.

His voice remained low.

But every word trembled.

"Sun-Level. Even Eclipsing Moon Rank. The equipment on the Pavilion Master himself is at least Sun-Level. Otherwise, he wouldn't have thrown Diamond Rank treasures to us as useless items."

Those prodigies in the top thirty and top fifty of the Heaven Rankings felt the impact much more intensely than the ordinary students.

Because they were clearer than the ordinary students about the weight of these treasures before them.

Ordinary students could only vaguely sense that these things were very valuable, but the Heaven Ranking prodigies had truly come into contact with high-end treasures, had truly seen the price tags of Diamond Rank treasures in the academy treasury, and had truly fought for their lives on the arena stage to compete for a single piece of Diamond Rank material.

So they knew better than anyone else.

These dozens of Diamond Rank treasures before them could not be scraped together by all the student factions in the entire Sky Dome Academy combined.

Yet the Sacred Student brought them out all by himself.

And he threw them out casually, as if they were scraps he had no use for.

A student ranked nineteenth on the Heaven Rankings felt his legs go weak, and he almost sat directly on the ground.

His voice was as hoarse as if he had just cried.

"I... I have scrimped and saved for three years in my life, only to buy one piece of Amethyst Low Grade armor in the academy treasury. From the scraps the Pavilion Master casually threw out, any piece picked at random is a whole major grade higher than my armor. What have I been cultivating all these years? The Pavilion Master has only been enrolled for a little over a month; what on earth did he go to the Bone Burial Area to do? Did he ransack someone's treasury?"

He said this unintentionally.

But it happened to hit the truth.

Jiang Yun had indeed ransacked people's treasuries.

And not just one.

The treasuries of the four major factions in Black Rock City, the resources from the Liu Family conservatives' apology, and some of the unused resource collections left behind by the Medicine God Legacy in the Nether Ancient Ruins, etc.

They were all stuffed into his Storage Ring all at once.

These treasures were priceless items that others couldn't afford even if they bankrupted themselves, but to him, they were indeed just scraps he had no use for.

Lei Qing recovered from his shock.

But the wild joy on his Face was suddenly replaced by a hint of worry.

He strode up to Jiang Yun.

On that rough Face, a Rare, serious expression appeared.

"Pavilion Master, you've brought out so many treasures for Longxiang Pavilion, for us members... what about yourself? Are your own cultivation resources enough? If all these treasures are distributed, I'm afraid your Storage Ring might…"

He didn't finish his sentence.

But the meaning was already very clear.

Not just him; Liu Qingshuang, Xiao Chen, Zhao Tiezhu, and the official members of Longxiang Pavilion present all looked at Jiang Yun at the same time.

There was the same worry in their eyes.

The Pavilion Master had brought out so many treasures.

Hundreds of millions of Spirit Crystals, dozens of Amethyst Rank beast cores, dozens of Diamond Rank treasures.

This was definitely not a small amount, even for the core heir of a first-class Family.

Even if the Pavilion Master was a Sacred Student, and even if he had gained a great harvest in the Bone Burial Area, it was impossible for him to bring out treasures without limit.

Could it be that he had emptied all his savings?

Not just Lei Qing and the others; the Heaven Ranking prodigies around them, after recovering from their shock, also thought of the same question.

A student ranked twenty-second on the Heaven Rankings whispered to his companion.

"Heavenly Saint Student... has he brought out all his savings? He is only at the Amethyst Rank; no matter how strong he is, his accumulation cannot compare to the prodigies of those great families. So many treasures must be a significant amount for him. Has he really emptied his own coffers for Longxiang Pavilion? Is it worth it to Cultivate us, people he has never met?"

"Whether it is worth it or not is not for us to decide. If the Heavenly Saint Student feels it is worth it, he will do it. Didn't you see his expression just now? He didn't even frown. Either he truly doesn't care about these treasures, or if it is something he has determined, he is willing to pay any price."

Another student took up the conversation, their tone full of emotion.

"Regardless of which one it is, it proves one thing: following such a Pavilion Master, one will absolutely not go wrong."

"Emptying his coffers to Cultivate a group of strangers... to be honest, if it were me, I couldn't do it. I couldn't even do one-tenth of it. I admire the Heavenly Saint Student's magnanimity. I have never seen another like him in my life."

Jiang Yun heard Lei Qing's concern, saw the same concern in the eyes of Liu Qingshuang and Xiao Chen, and also felt the complex gazes cast by the students around him who had just joined or had yet to join. He shook his head slightly and responded. His voice remained calm as water. His tone was as flat as if he were just talking about the weather today.

"You don't need to worry about me. These treasures I brought out are just scraps I have no use for. You can rest assured and take them to use and distribute. I have my own arrangements for my cultivation needs; it will not be affected by this."

His tone was too calm. So calm that it was like stating a fact as natural as eating and drinking. It was precisely this calmness that plunged everyone present into even more intense shock.

"Scraps?! He said these are scraps!! Dozens of Diamond Rank treasures!! Hundreds of millions of spirit crystals!! Dozens of Amethyst Rank beast cores!! He said they are scraps!! Scraps he has no use for!!"

The student ranked nineteenth on the Heaven Ranking, who had weak legs earlier, truly slumped to the ground this time, his voice hoarse and incoherent.

"I was just thinking if the Pavilion Master had emptied his coffers... and it turns out he said these are just scraps? Then what level must the treasures he kept for himself be?! Sun-Level? Eclipsing Moon Rank? Legendary Grade? How many treasures does the Pavilion Master have?! How many things that we wouldn't even dare to imagine are hidden in his Storage Ring?!"

"Does that even need to be asked?" A student ranked twenty-first on the Heaven Ranking beside him took a deep breath, their voice full of irrepressible awe.

"The fact that the Pavilion Master can be so calm means that he has seen things even more precious than these! Otherwise, he couldn't be so composed! The Pavilion Master's foundation far exceeds our imagination. We thought he was emptying his coffers, but it might actually just be him clearing out a corner of his Storage Ring."

The entire square, with hundreds of people, fell into a silence even more profound than before after Jiang Yun's incredibly calm remark of "just scraps." It wasn't that the noisy clamor had been suppressed; it was that everyone was so shocked they couldn't say a word, even subconsciously holding their breath.

Hundreds of gazes focused on Jiang Yun in unison, the shock in their eyes beyond any words.

Jiang Yun felt the strangeness of the atmosphere. The gazes of these people were too intense. So intense that it made him a bit uncomfortable. He coughed twice, deciding to end this scene as soon as possible.

He turned around, facing Zhao Tiezhu, Lei Qing, and the others, his tone returning to its usual composure. "These treasures are handed over to you for distribution. Zhao Tiezhu, as the Vice Pavilion Master of Longxiang Pavilion, you are in full charge of this matter. Liu Qingshuang, Lei Qing, Xiao Chen, Lin Kuo, and Xiao Yutian, as well as the Deacon Elders, will assist from the side. You can decide on the contribution ranking system and the treasure vault distribution mechanism after discussing it; you don't need to ask me about everything."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the prodigies on the square who had not yet joined Longxiang Pavilion, his voice rising slightly, carrying an unquestionable majesty. "Fellow students on the Heaven Ranking, regardless of whether you eventually join Longxiang Pavilion, I hope everyone can give me, Jiang, some Face. In the territory of Longxiang Pavilion, do not cause trouble, do not bully others by relying on your status. If anyone causes trouble in Longxiang Pavilion..."

He paused slightly, his gaze sweeping slowly across the Faces of everyone present like a blade. "Then do not blame this Pavilion Master for paying a personal visit."

The six words "paying a personal visit" coming from Jiang Yun's mouth were spoken in almost the exact same tone as when he said "Feng Ziyue, it's your turn" on the arena stage. Calm, composed, without any unnecessary emotion. It was this calmness that made everyone present feel a chill down their spines.

They had just witnessed with their own eyes today how this Heavenly Saint Student "pays a visit." The Heavenly Saint Student's "paying a visit" literally means a visit, but actually means a reckoning. No one wanted to be the next target of his visit.

"Heavenly Saint Student, rest assured! We absolutely dare not cause trouble in Longxiang Pavilion!" "Pavilion Master, you speak too seriously! We are all here sincerely to join Longxiang Pavilion and will never cause trouble for the Pavilion Master!" "Whoever dares to cause trouble in Longxiang Pavilion, I will be the first to not let them off!" Voices of assurance rose one after another in the crowd. Their tones were full of awe and sincerity.

Those students who were arguing and pushing each other earlier were now as well-behaved as if standing before the Dean; let alone causing trouble, they didn't even dare to breathe too loudly.

Jiang Yun nodded slightly, not saying anything more. He turned and nodded to Zhao Tiezhu, Liu Qingshuang, and the others, effectively handing over the affairs here to them. Then, he lightly raised his right hand, and the massive body of the Little Skylark appeared in mid-air once again, its divine feathers interwoven with azure and violet appearing even more dazzling under the reflection of the seven-colored light from the treasure mountains.

He needed to hurry and improve the strength of his beasts. The arena competition was just an appetizer; the Molten Fire Grotto Secret Realm was the true battlefield.

Although Sect Master Feng Tianyang was crushed, he was very clear-headed. Sect Master Feng Tianyang was only a Prodigy of a top-tier Family in the provincial capital, while in the Secret Realm, one might encounter true disciples of hidden families like the Liu Family and the Huang Family that have been passed down for thousands of years. Existences like Liu Ruyan, whether in Bloodline, Realm, or combat experience, were far beyond what Sect Master Feng Tianyang could compare to.

He had to push the strength of his three beasts to the limit of their current Realm within these three days to have enough confidence in the Secret Realm. He leaped lightly, stepping onto the back of the Little Skylark.

The Little Skylark raised its head and let out a clear cry, its wings flapping violently, turning into a streak of azure-violet light that shot into the sky, speeding towards the direction of the Yunqi Courtyard on Heaven Pillar Peak. It left behind the hundreds of people in the square still standing in astonishment, and the three treasure mountains still shining brilliantly under the sun.

Heaven Pillar Peak, Yunqi Courtyard. The azure-violet light slowly converged above the Yunqi Courtyard, and the massive body of the Little Skylark landed steadily on the wide bluestone ground in the courtyard. Jiang Yun leaped down from its back. He casually recalled the Little Skylark to his Beast Taming Space. Just as he was about to step towards the main courtyard, a figure came out to meet him from the side gate.

The person was dressed in a grey robe, his hair combed meticulously, his Face gentle; it was none other than the exclusive Deacon Elder of Yunqi Courtyard, Si Bo. He had been waiting here since sensing the massive aura of the Primordial Divine Roc from the Little Skylark approaching Heaven Pillar Peak. "Greetings, Heavenly Saint Student." Si Bo bowed and saluted. His posture was respectful as always.

Jiang Yun nodded slightly in return. Then he keenly noticed that Si Bo's gaze lingered on him for a moment, and then the Deacon Elder's brows furrowed imperceptibly. Jiang Yun certainly knew what he was puzzled about. With his current Meteor Rank Divine Sense strength, he had captured the moment Si Bo's Diamond Rank Mental Energy had just swept over him.

However, when that wisp of Mental Energy touched him, it was like a stone sinking into the ocean, detecting nothing. Si Bo's brows furrowed even deeper. A flash of extremely obvious surprise crossed his eyes. Si Bo was indeed surprised. He clearly remembered that this Heavenly Saint Student was only at the Gold Rank when he first entered the academy. With his Diamond Rank Mental Energy, he could see the other person's strength clearly at a glance.

But now, only a little over a month had passed, and when his Mental Energy probed towards Jiang Yun again, it was like hitting an invisible wall. He couldn't detect anything. The Beast Tamer's Realm, the operation of spiritual power, and the state of the Beast Taming Space were all impossible to perceive.

This situation usually only had two explanations. Either Jiang Yun had cultivated some extremely brilliant concealment technique that could completely block the detection of experts one major Realm higher than him. Or Jiang Yun's Mental Energy strength had already far exceeded his detection ability, which meant Jiang Yun's Mental Energy Realm was at least one major Realm higher than his.

Above Diamond Rank Mental Energy, that is Meteor Rank. But rushing from Gold Rank to Meteor Rank Mental Energy in just over a month? How could this be possible? Even for the top-tier Mental Energy cultivation geniuses, it is absolutely impossible to cross nearly three major Realms in just over a month.

Doubt surged in Si Bo's heart, but his Face did not show any unnecessary expression. He had been a Deacon Elder in this Yunqi Courtyard for many years, and his greatest strength was following rules and not being gossipy. The secrets on the Heavenly Saint Student were not for a Deacon Elder like him to ask about.

"Heavenly Saint Student, Miss Su returned to the courtyard more than half a day ago and is currently cultivating in the side courtyard." Si Bo reported respectfully. Jiang Yun nodded. Fox Immortal had returned directly to Yunqi Courtyard before the start of the arena competition. After all, there were many experts in the Colosseum, and Jiang Yun, to prevent Fox Immortal's identity from being discovered, had let her return first.

I am afraid Fox Immortal is currently in the side courtyard continuing to absorb the remaining medicinal power of the nine-leaf purple lingzhi. The medicinal power of that Saint King Medium Grade immortal medicine is extremely massive; she had already refined most of it last time at the Liu Family, and if the remaining medicinal power is fully absorbed, I don't know to what extent it can push her Realm. Meteor Tier 9? Or higher?

This thought flashed through his mind, but he didn't ask more. As for Fox Immortal's cultivation, it is best for others not to inquire. "Thank you, Deacon Elder Si Bo, for taking care of Yunqi Courtyard during this time. I am often not in the courtyard, and it is thanks to Deacon Elder Si Bo's care." Jiang Yun's tone carried a few points of genuine gratitude.

Si Bo waved his hand quickly, a look of being flattered appearing on his Face. "Heavenly Saint Student, you speak too seriously; this is all the subordinate's duty. The subordinate was instructed by Dean Ming Jing to take good care of the Heavenly Saint Student's daily life. It is my duty, my duty. If the Heavenly Saint Student has no other instructions, the subordinate will not disturb you."

Jiang Yun nodded. Si Bo bowed again, then turned and retreated, his footsteps light and fast, disappearing at the end of the corridor of the side gate in the blink of an eye. Jiang Yun withdrew his gaze and stepped towards the main courtyard. He pushed open the courtyard door, and a rich and intense spiritual power fluctuation diffused from the direction of the side room.

That fluctuation was not violent, but carried a breath of Five Elements Laws that was deep to the extreme. The Law power of the five attributes of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth intertwined and circulated in the side room, forming an extremely subtle balance. That was the spiritual power ripple emitted when Fox Immortal was refining the remaining medicinal power of the nine-leaf purple lingzhi. Judging solely from the intensity of this ripple, Fox Immortal's refining had entered the most critical moment.

If fully absorbed, I don't know what Realm she can reach. He did not go to disturb her. Although the two were under the same roof, Fox Immortal had a proud and cold personality and never took the initiative to communicate with him. After the last life-and-death crisis, her attitude seemed to have changed slightly. Being able to have this kind of peaceful coexistence in the same courtyard now was already much better than the distance in the Su Family before.

Jiang Yun withdrew his gaze and walked into the master bedroom of the main courtyard. The room was furnished simply and elegantly, spotless. Deacon Elder Si Bo indeed took very good care of this place.

"I don't know to what extent Little Fire has merged with the ancestral dragon essence blood; I can go into the Beast Taming Space to take a look, and by the way, give the fire attribute Law Crystal to Little Fire; it might be of great help to its Fusion with the ancestral dragon essence blood." As Jiang Yun said this, he sat cross-legged on the futon in the center of the room, his hands naturally placed on his knees, and slowly closed his eyes. He did not immediately enter the Beast Taming Space, but first adjusted his state to the best. His Meteor Rank Divine Sense slowly spread out like an invisible giant net, enveloping the entire Yunqi Courtyard. Then, his Divine Sense sank into the Beast Taming Space...