Chapter 13: Legends about the Thousand Dao Realm

Today marked the momentous occasion of Tang Jian's first day as a student at Azure Dragon Academy. Filled with great enthusiasm and eyes gleaming with curiosity, Tang Jian stepped out of his dormitory accompanied by his friend, Li Bai. Together, they made their way towards the General Studies halls, eager to attend their first class.

As Tang Jian entered the classroom, his attention was immediately drawn to three unfamiliar faces. These individuals exuded a noticeable charm, suggesting they came from noble families. Among them was a composed and disciplined girl of the same age as Tang Jian. Something about her gaze caught his attention—she seemed to harbor an intense hostility towards him, as if she wished for his demise. Tang Jian couldn't fathom the reason behind her animosity, adding to his perplexity.

Amidst the confusion, Liang Meng, known for his quick wit, stepped forward and addressed the newcomers. "Hey! I noticed you three weren't part of the entrance exams. You must be from the three great families. Only members of these families can enter the academy without undergoing trials."

One of the new faces, a fiery and rough-looking individual, directed a frustrated glare at Liang Meng. "Who gave a beggar like you the right to question us? Know your place before speaking up."

Liang Meng, noticing that he is being understimated and mocked, couldn't contain his fury. "You shouldn't assume you're something special just because you come from a noble family in this backwater Empire," he retorted with anger.

The fiery individual's rage intensified upon hearing Liang Meng's comment. "What did you say, you beggar bastard?" he seethed.

Sensing the danger, Liang Meng swiftly changed his stance, adopting a more apologetic and polite tone. "Oh my! You misunderstood, young master. I was merely suggesting that a talented individual like you should consider joining the prestigious sects instead of a backwater academy like this. And you're right; someone like me, a commoner, should know my place," Liang Meng cunningly replied, his sly smile belying his true emotions.

Liang Meng's adeptness at scheming was evident in his swift change of demeanor. Though outwardly appearing as a person without pride, in reality, he was seething with anger at the fiery person's rude remarks. However, he chose to take a step back, preserving his image as a cowardly fool.

Tang Jian's suspicions towards Liang Meng deepened. It was no small feat for a five-year-old to possess such cunning. There was more to Liang Meng than met the eye.

Gradually, the fiery person calmed himself down. "You should have clarified that earlier. Anyway, you're quite tactful, so I'll let it slide this time," he conceded.

With the heated exchange coming to an end, Li Bai approached the group. "Forgive my rudeness. I am Li Bai, a first-layer Body Forging Stage martial artist. May I request introductions from the three of you?" he asked politely, showcasing the dignity befitting a noble.

Recognizing Liang Meng's status and manners, the fiery person responded in a gentler tone, "Of course, friend. Why wouldn't I introduce myself to a noble individual like you, who knows the value of etiquette."

With that, the fiery person introduced himself as Chen Hao, hailing from the prestigious Chen family, where he was the son of an elder. Another boy by his side was Huang Xiang, belonging to the esteemed Huang family and being the grandson of a great elder. Lastly, there was Liu Ying from the Liu family, a three-year-old girl who had exhibited hostility towards Tang Jian. Huang Xiang and Chen Hao were both Body Forging Stage marital artists at the 1st layer. Among them, Liu Ying was not only a special case admission like Tang Jian but also the heir apparent to the head position of the Liu family.

Now, the reason behind Liu Ying's piercing glare became clear to Tang Jian. Her hostility stemmed from the fact that Tang Jian, an apparent nobody, was also a special case admission like her. This realization further fueled her disdain, as she believed there was no comparison between them.

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These three individuals had managed to bypass the entrance exams due to their high statuses within the three great families. While this could be deemed unfair, no one dared to object.

With the introductions concluded, everyone took their respective seats, settling in for the class to commence.

At that moment, the muscular instructor who had overseen the entrance exams as a assistant entered the room. "Nice to meet you brats," he greeted boisterously. "I am Instructor Xin, and I will be in charge of your studies from now on."

After introducing himself, Instructor Xin embarked on teaching the students about the basic information surrounding the Thousand Dao Realm—a realm so vast and full of wonders.

According to Instructor Xin, the Thousand Dao Realm is divided into four continents— Eastern Continent, Western Continent, Southern Continent, Northern Continent and Central Continent. To further explain, instructor Xin takes out a map and shows it to the students.

Tang Jian, brimming with curiosity and suspicion, raised his hand to ask a question. "Instructor Xin, why does the map of the Thousand Dao Realm appear as though this realm was not naturally formed but rather crafted by someone? Was it made by powerful immortals?"

Tang Jian's question immediately captured the attention of the entire class, resulting in a chorus of laughter—except from Liang Meng, Li Bai, and the three noble students.

Instructor Xin regarded Tang Jian with a gentle smile and replied, "Young Tang, you truly are a genius, just as the headmaster mentioned. Indeed, as you suspect, the Thousand Dao Realm is an artificial realm created around a million years ago." The revelation left the entire class in a state of shock, except for those few who had not ridiculed Tang Jian earlier, signifying their prior awareness of this knowledge.

Instructor Xin proceeded to elaborate further on the Thousand Dao Realm. "This realm is a part of the Immortal world. The three almighty Saints collaborated to create this realm as a sanctuary from a calamity that befell the Immortal world. Legends tell of a catastrophe so immense that it consumed every being it encountered, be it Immortal cultivators or Saints themselves. Thus, the three Saints constructed this realm to rescue the denizens of the Immortal world. However, due to limited resources, they could only save a portion of the population. As a result, other Saints created twelve additional small realms, similar to this one, in a valiant effort to save as many people as possible."

As the students became aware of the vastness of the world, they realized the insignificance of their individual existences, akin to ants in comparison. Yet, Tang Jian remained unfazed by this revelation. Having been reincarnated with his memories intact, such fantastical information appeared less absurd and more exciting to him. The mundane world he had known in his past life paled in comparison to the countless opportunities and wonders present in this new realm.

Observing the confusion among his students, Instructor Xin tactfully redirected the class's focus. "Ahem! Don't become too absorbed in these details, for the cultivation world is vast and boundless. It will always exceed your wildest imaginations," he cautioned, helping the students regain their composure.

Instructor Xin proceeded to provide further explanations about the Thousand Dao Realm. He expounded on how, upon its creation, the majority of the populace consisted of Immortals and their families, leaving behind the mortal beings to face their inevitable demise. This heart-wrenching decision was made due to the limited time available to migrate people into the small realms.

Within these realms, the three Saints established the three Supreme forces and divided the land into five continents.

Tang Jian, hailing from the Easter Continent, which ranked as the second most powerful after the Central Continent, absorbed this information. Initially, the Easter Continent consisted of a single empire known as the Azure Dragon Empire, but it had since splintered into three factions due to undisclosed reasons. The Azure Dragon Empire still retained the support of Tranquil Dao Valley, although in recent years, the valley had been expanding its influence within the empire, aiming to seize control.

The class continued for hours, covering various topics such as the different sects and clans that existed within the Thousand Dao Realm, the mysterious and dangerous cultivation resources scattered across the lands, and the ever-present threat of demonic beasts that roamed certain areas.

Tang Jian's mind was ablaze with excitement and curiosity, eager to explore this vast and wondrous realm. He made mental notes of the sects and clans he wished to learn more about, the cultivation resources he yearned to obtain, and the skills and techniques he aspired to master.

As the class continued, Tang Jian's journey in Azure Dragon Academy and the Thousand Dao Realm was only just beginning. Excitement surged within him as he contemplated the countless opportunities and challenges that lay ahead, ready to be conquered in this new and intriguing world.