85: Chapter 85 The troublemakers have arrived!

The next day!

Chen An opened his eyes on the stone bed, stretched, then walked out of the quiet room and started washing up.

In fact, at his Realm, he was already spotless, so there was no need to wash up at all.

However, habit is sometimes a scary thing. He still couldn't help but want to wash up; otherwise, he would feel uncomfortable all over.

After washing up, he changed into a brand-new, cyan-white Prefectural Academy student uniform, and he looked much more refreshed and neat.

He pushed open the courtyard door, and the morning sunlight spilled onto him, carrying the faint, fresh scent of grass and trees.

Tingtao Courtyard was located in the deepest part of the Prefectural Academy, nestled against mountains and water, with a serene environment. It was the best residence for Disciples in the entire Chengtian Academy.

Those who could live here were all Core Disciples with outstanding talent, boundless futures, or illustrious family backgrounds.

The courtyard, paved with bluestone, bordered the rippling Tingtao Lake. The concentration of Origin Qi here was more than three times that of the outer courtyard. It had always been reserved for Disciples above the Acquired Realm Stage 5, serving as a dual symbol of status and strength within the entire Chengtian Academy.

However, just as he pushed the door open and walked out, Chen An saw several young men standing right in front of the courtyard gate, also wearing Core Disciple uniforms.

The leader was a tall young man with a physique as sturdy as a bear. His bronze-colored skin gleamed coldly in the morning light, and bulging veins snaked down his exposed forearms. On his back, he carried a heavy-looking mountain-splitting axe.

His eyes were as fierce as a hungry wolf. He was blocking the only entrance with three lackeys, clearly having waited for him for a long time.

"Brother Shan, that's Chen An!"

The sharp-mouthed, monkey-cheeked youth behind the sturdy young man pointed at Chen An immediately, his tone full of resentment.

"He's the guy who got lucky and occupied the Tingtao Courtyard that should have belonged to Brother Shan!"

"I don't know what the Prefecture Head was thinking yesterday, actually taking this kid who just passed the Martial Examination as a Personal Disciple, and even giving him the Tingtao Courtyard!"

Zhao Tieshan let out a cold snort and took a step forward. His heavy footsteps landed on the bluestone slab, making a "thud-thud" sound.

A pressure at the Peak of the Acquired Realm Stage 4 surged toward Chen An without any concealment.

He had been holding his breath; for this spot in the Tingtao Courtyard, he had cultivated bitterly for eight whole months. He was on the verge of a Breakthrough to the Houtian Stage 5 to move in legitimately, but overnight, the spot fell to a newcomer whose name he had never even heard of.

What made him even angrier was that yesterday, this Chen An had actually triggered the Saber Intent on the "Chengtian Academy" plaque hanging at the main gate for over a hundred years, which had been handwritten by Senior Lin, the Saber King of Qingzhou, shocking the entire Prefectural Academy.

However, some people had investigated Chen An's background and cultivation.

A kid from a backwater county like Wurong, whose Aptitude was only a Mid-grade Martial Bone, with a mere Condensing Qi Stage 6 cultivation.

By what right could he trigger the peerless Saber Intent left by Master Lin over a hundred years ago, which tens of millions of students had been unable to comprehend?!

It must be that this kid had secretly used some unorthodox methods, or some underhanded tricks, to trigger that peerless Saber Intent.

And he had used this to grandstand and deceive the Prefecture Head into favoring him, which was why the Prefecture Head had made an exception and personally taken him as a Personal Disciple.

"You are Chen An?!"

Zhao Tieshan's voice was hoarse like thunder, shaking the surrounding leaves until they rustled. "I don't care what methods you used to deceive the Prefecture Head, nor do I care what tricks you played yesterday. Now, pack your things immediately and get out of the Tingtao Courtyard."

In the distance, some students who had originally wanted to go out stopped in their tracks when they saw Zhao Tieshan and the others seemingly coming to cause trouble for the newcomer.

They stood with arms crossed, peering over, their faces filled with undisguised schadenfreude and a look of wanting to watch a good show.

"Sure enough, they came. I knew Zhao Tieshan wouldn't be able to swallow this."

"Who could swallow it? Zhao Tieshan has been looking forward to that Tingtao Courtyard for nearly a year, only to have it snatched by a newcomer."

"The Prefecture Head must have misjudged him, actually taking a Condensing Qi Stage 6 newcomer as a Personal Disciple."

"Saber Intent?! It must be a coincidence! I heard he only has Condensing Qi Stage 6 cultivation, and his Aptitude is only a Mid-grade Martial Bone. With that kind of cultivation, do you really think he can comprehend the peerless Saber Intent left by Master Lin?!"

"Exactly. I stood at that gate for three months back then and didn't comprehend a single sliver. Just based on him?!"

The Core Disciples gathered on the side nodded in agreement, each showing disdain. Their gazes fell uniformly on Chen An, their words full of undisguised sarcasm and contempt.

The incident of the plaque's Saber Intent shaking the entire Prefecture yesterday had been a huge commotion, already spread to every corner of the Chengtian Academy. Everyone knew it.

As the news spread, Chen An's background and cultivation Aptitude were all thoroughly investigated, and within one night, it had spread among all the students of the Prefectural Academy.

Looking at Zhao Tieshan in front of him, and the many Prefectural Academy students watching the show in the distance, Chen An couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

It was only the first day, early in the morning, and someone was already blocking his door?!

The students of this Prefectural Academy were too impolite, weren't they?!

Glancing at Zhao Tieshan, Chen An immediately saw that this Zhao Tieshan was just a student at the Peak of the Acquired Realm Stage 4, and said indifferently, "By what right?!"

"By what right?!"

Zhao Tieshan laughed as if he had heard a huge joke. "By the rules of the Prefectural Academy! This is the residence of Core Disciples of the Prefectural Academy, only accepting Disciples above the Houtian Stage 5! What qualifications does a piece of trash like you, who isn't even in the Acquired Realm, have to live here?"

"By the right that I am the Prefecture Head's Personal Disciple!" Chen An said with a faint smile.

The arrogant smile on Zhao Tieshan's face froze instantly. His expression turned green and white, and he was speechless for a moment.

At this moment, the sharp-mouthed, monkey-cheeked young man beside Zhao Tieshan jumped out and pointed at Chen An. "The Prefecture Head was just momentarily deceived by you. Don't think that by relying on some crooked paths to gain a false reputation, you can willfully break the ironclad rules set by the Prefectural Academy!"

"Yesterday's plaque Saber Intent incident is full of suspicious points. As a piece of trash at Condensing Qi Stage 6, what ability do you have to comprehend that peerless Saber Intent?!"

"That's right, who knows what unspeakable means you used!"

"A piece of trash with mere Mid-grade Martial Bone, and you deserve to comprehend Master Lin's Saber Intent?!"

Zhao Tieshan's other two lackeys also jumped out to spout nonsense at Chen An.

"I am the Prefecture Head's Personal Disciple!" Chen An glanced at them, still speaking with a calm expression.

"You..."

Hearing Chen An bring up the matter of being the Prefecture Head's Personal Disciple again, a gloomy look flashed across Zhao Tieshan's face.

The sharp-mouthed lackey rolled his eyes, looked at Chen An, and said, "So what if you're a Personal Disciple?! In this Prefectural Academy, strength ultimately speaks the loudest!"

"Brother Shan, let's challenge him to a duel!!!"