"I am indeed quite interested. After all, inherited bloodline power is a very special kind of force that ordinary people simply don't possess. As a martial cultivator, it's only natural to be curious." Zi Ling blinked her innocent, bright eyes and answered with remarkable composure.
Seeing her like this, Jiang Wushang dropped his earlier wariness and chuckled. "Those who possess an Emperor-level bloodline already have martial talent far beyond ordinary people — they can all be considered geniuses."
"But an Imperial-level bloodline is several times more terrifying than an Emperor-level one. Those who carry an Imperial-level bloodline are geniuses among geniuses. That's why Imperial-level bloodlines are the stuff of legend."
"If there were a bloodline even more powerful than an Imperial-level one, what kind of talent would it grant? What kind of power would it hold? And what sort of person could possess such a bloodline?"
"Well..." At Jiang Wushang's words, Chu Feng, Zi Ling, and Zhang Tianyi all sank into thought. The three of them recalled, almost simultaneously, what had happened at Sword God Valley that day.
The power Chu Feng had unleashed back then was truly terrifying — so much so that the Jiang Dynasty had classified it as a natural disaster, never once considering that it might have been man-made.
So that kind of power was something they didn't yet understand, which was why they couldn't determine exactly what force Chu Feng wielded. A high-level bloodline power was one possibility they had been considering.
Just as the three of them were lost in thought, Jiang Wushang spoke up again, his face full of wonder. "However, my clan's ancestor told me that there is indeed a bloodline power that surpasses even the Imperial level."
"Really?" The moment those words left his mouth, Chu Feng, Zi Ling, and Zhang Tianyi all reacted with surprise.
"My ancestor did say that. But if even an Imperial-level bloodline is already legendary, then wouldn't a bloodline above that be a legend of legends? Whether such a thing even exists — who can prove it? Perhaps one day, when we reach that land, someone will give us the answer."
Jiang Wushang smiled faintly, then turned to the three of them. "Big Brother Chu Feng, Big Brother Tianyi, Miss Zi Ling — I believe that with the talent the three of you possess, none of you intend to stay on this Nine Provinces Continent for long, right?"
"Why don't we, after some time, head to the Four Seas Academy together for cultivation?!"
"Four Seas Academy?" At the mention of those four words, Chu Feng and Zhang Tianyi both looked completely blank.
Zi Ling, however, seemed well-informed. "The Four Seas Academy is one of the most powerful forces in the Eastern Seas."
"This academy accepts people from all over the world — no restrictions on age, no restrictions on origin, and they don't even care whether you're a demon beast or a human. As long as you pass their entrance examination, you can join."
"It is precisely because of this unconventional method of accepting disciples that it's called the Four Seas Academy."
"However, while the academy's restrictions are minimal, its entrance exam is extremely difficult. So anyone who manages to enter the Four Seas Academy can be considered a true genius. Even people from the Eastern Seas feel proud and honored to become its disciples, let alone people from other continents."
"The cultivation methods at the Four Seas Academy are also quite unique. They provide disciples with special training missions, special cultivation grounds, and even abundant cultivation resources. But each disciple is only allowed to study at the academy for four years."
"After those four years, the academy holds a graduation ceremony. During this ceremony, the graduating disciples will collectively participate in a special assessment, and based on their results, they will receive academy tokens of different ranks."
"Those who receive a token, even after leaving the Four Seas Academy, are still considered its disciples. In the future, they can receive varying degrees of assistance from the academy. Of course, if the academy ever needs help, these disciples are expected to return and lend their support."
"Overall, though, this token serves as a mark of status and identity, and it will be enormously beneficial for future development — both for any organization and for the individual," Zi Ling explained in detail.
After hearing Zi Ling's explanation, Chu Feng and Zhang Tianyi exchanged a look. It was clear that both of them were very interested in the Four Seas Academy.
After all, while they were among the top geniuses on the Nine Provinces Continent, they might not be on other continents, and the Eastern Seas in particular were a complete unknown.
Since the Four Seas Academy was where the most outstanding geniuses from countless continents gathered, they naturally wanted to test themselves against those geniuses from other lands and see what they were truly capable of.
"Exactly. Miss Zi Ling speaks the truth. My sister Jiang Yini's talent actually wasn't considered the most exceptional among her generation."
"But several years ago, she left in a huff over some trivial matter and, by a twist of fate, ended up at the Four Seas Academy. That's what changed everything for her."
"After my sister trained at the Four Seas Academy for four years and returned to the dynasty, her cultivation and strength had far surpassed everyone in her generation. That's how she became the number one among the younger generation of our Jiang Dynasty's imperial clan."
"Ever since then, our imperial clan has sent a batch of talented young members to the Four Seas Academy every year for further training. In those seas, the top young cultivators from countless continents gather together, and there are many things we've never even seen before."
"In short, being there will not only greatly help with your cultivation, but it will also hone your survival skills significantly."
"So I want to invite the three of you to join the Four Seas Academy with me. After all, it's not like the Nine Provinces Continent — to put it bluntly, many of the disciples there come from backgrounds far more powerful than mine."
"There, without connections or backing, all you can rely on is yourself. But if the four of us stick together, even in a place like the Four Seas Academy where the strong gather, we can at least look out for one another."
"And I believe that with the potential the four of us have, we'll absolutely thrive there. One day, we'll all become dragons among men and set foot in that legendary land."
At this moment, Jiang Wushang was visibly excited, his youthful face radiating endless yearning. It turned out that the place he dreamed of was the same as what Chu Feng, Zi Ling, and Zhang Tianyi desired — not the Nine Provinces Continent, not even the Eastern Seas, but that legendary land beyond.
"Sure. I, Zhang Tianyi, was planning to head to the Eastern Seas sooner or later anyway. Better to leave sooner than later. I'll join Brother Wushang at the Four Seas Academy." Zhang Tianyi agreed readily, his eyes bright with anticipation.
At that moment, Chu Feng turned his gaze toward Zi Ling, only to find that she was already looking at him. From that shared look, they each saw the other's answer, and they nodded together.
"Alright, then it's settled between the four of us."