After leaving Ling’er in Relestia’s capable hands, Kairos returned to Saint Cadets Academy in a hurry and just in time to issue his challenge.

Without exception, the person who received his duel request forfeited almost immediately.

Only a few weeks have passed since the competition started, but he already managed to cause most of his opponents back down in this time.

No one could afford an injury sustained from a top combatant at this time when they are trying to climb up the ranks, and as the end of school term, June, approaches, the competition will turn more brutal. At that time, only those vying for the top will be left.

Kairos, amid all of his research work and training, had found time to prepare early. He noted down the strongest contenders and avoided clashing with them at this stage. Likewise, those in a similar position had the same thoughts, though many of them are final year students, sixteen years old teenagers who had long proven their mettle.

The rest of the best are all heirs from top clans and families.

But out of all of them, there is only one person Kairos is concerned with, a fighter with overwhelming victories in all his battle thus far. Sihala, the Blessed Son of the Free Factions, the Chosen One.

At only sixteen, he is already a celebrated hero of the empire and the heir apparent to the helm of the Free Factions - the third largest party in the realm.

As a group formed by different clans and families, they ran on a meritocracy loyal to the throne. To become the Blessed Son, he must outshine the others.

Having driven back the Savage lands barbarians from the north countless times and even defeated an army from the Silent Lambs Empire on his own, his deeds surpasses what Kairos had done so far.

Of course, Kairos and the Snowdrifts clan had many accomplishments that were not renowned and even more things that were kept secret. Therefore, most people consider the young Earl only as a boy with unparalleled talent but tender in age and not yet grown to full strength.

In terms of meritious deeds, few could match what Kairos had done, but he did not let it get to his head. Instead, he gave credit to his team that fought alongside him and wisely knew that regarding one on one and one against many combats, he does not have more experience than a decorated war hero.

“A Peak S ranker. He will be a tough one to take down.”

Kairos did not actually think he could defeat Sihala as he is right now. Most of his abilities are sealed, either to avoid public examination or because they are outright killing blows like the Immolation Finger.

Seeking to grow stronger, he knows that he needs more knowledge and training than what he has now.

His urgency to become stronger did not solely come from this competition, but the devil outbreak that is bound to happen in about a decade.

“My next class is Blacksmithing. Perfect,” checking his schedule, a smile appeared on his face, and he made his way over to the gathering point. Unlike other classes that are held in open auditoriums, the Blacksmithing classes usually take place in a gigantic forge.

The building was isolated from the rest to prevent fires, but with his movement technique, it did not take long for him to arrive. When he stepped in, he realised it was an oversized room, three times as tall as the standard with multiple furnaces installed in the ground around the place. There were anvils, water, tools, and blacksmith apprentices from the Trade Federate running about and Kairos stared at them with wide-eyed amazement.

But he quickly realised that the students are all gathered at the side while the apprentices are cleaning the place.

“Looks like today it wouldn’t be a blacksmithing theory lesson.”

He did not have to wait long before finding out. In a moment, the instructor came in. A tall man with bulging muscles and a tiny triangle beard that Kairos had never seen before.

He took a glance at the students, then said with a hearty smile introduced himself, “I am Er Tian, the Head of Student Affairs Instructor and your Blacksmithing Class instructor. It looks like all of you have arrived early. Good, good, younglings need to be energetic like this. Pack your things; we are going on a trip today.”

Without taking a roll call, he turned and walked out of the class with the students hastily following behind.

Kairos had not heard of the name Er Tian before, but he instantly recognised who he is by his title. The Head of Student Affairs is one of the three head instructors that stood up for the Snowdrifts in the past, and he never forgets a debt.

Previously when their group were trapped within the training grounds by the horde of Orcs, the three had gone on a rampage, taking on the rest of the instructors in Saint Cadets Academy, trying to save them.

The leader of the three was the godfather of Jones, Yi De, while the other two are this Head of Student Affairs, Er Tian, and the Head of Logistics, San Du Hou.

Following Er Tian, they quickly arrive at the academy’s warp tower, before realising the lesson was intended to be out of the school’s compound.

Travelling through the portal, they appeared before a large hole in the ground, then Er Tian finally turned around and faced his class.

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“Take a gem from the pile over there,” the instructor pointed to a large metal bin on the side that is filled with aquamarine gems, “Follow me in.”

Without given a chance to ask questions, the students obediently followed him once again. Kairos absently wondered how an instructor with as little words as him could teach a class.

As the others made their way unsteadily down the hole, a bunch of people who were late, rushed over from the warp gate.

“Ho Kairos!” One of them shouted.

When he turned around at his name, he saw Alan, Edward, Jim, the two sisters of the Autumn Blossom clan Leaf and Snow, Alucard and two of his teammates, Flora of Blue Frost – a blacksmith family – and Fauna of Northern Cross – a family of inscriptionist. More surprisingly, Calculus was in the group, although he made a face when spotted.

“You guys were duelling?” Kairos guessed immediately.

“As expected of Kairos, you could tell with a glance. We ran into a little bit of trouble with Calculus’ group, and it’s not just us. Luciette, George and a few others were also involved in the duels,” Alucard explained, giving Calculus a hate-filled glare.

“Don’t look at me. I’m not the one in control, and I only stood aside to watch!”

“You started the Blue Bloods! You dare say you have nothing to do with it?”

“I didn’t say I have nothing to do with them. It’s just that I’m not leading the group. And that’s a fact. I don’t care what you think about it, but I take no responsibility for their actions,” Calculus shouted with spittle flying.

Out of jealousy and unreasonable discontent, some nobles had gathered under Calculus’ initiatives to suppress the commoners.

However, he was not their leader for long. Summoned by the emperor promptly after creating the group, he was given the warning to lay low because of his prominent Five-clawed Golden Dragon contract beast, and he immediately left the group. Things devolved quickly afterwards as bigotry against the commoners escalated, and the nobles of the Blue Blood turned from harassment to open terrorising those of low-born.

The Snowdrifts mainly made up of commoners, became their target but also the greatest force of resistance. Their retaliation turned into savage battles during duels, and in these few days, there were many such fights every day.

With the Snowdrifts’ tremendous wealth and the Greater Elementals assisting them in secret, they were able to hold back the enemy at the start.

However, things turn for the worse when the family members of those young nobles found out about the Blue Blood and their cause.

Instead of reprimanding their children, many of those old noble houses actually supported them.

As funds, artefacts, equipment and all kinds of pills started pouring in, and the Blue Blood found a better foothold to press their attacks. Making use of the combat tournament, they had been challenging commoners with the intent to cripple these plebeians and peasant boys.

At the beginning, they thought that those targeted could easily forfeit the match immediately but soon realised with aghast that too many of them accepted the deadly challenged and suffered grievous wounds.

Anyone who wanted to back down from a challenge was ridiculed. Some were hot-headed and gloated into accepting but what was genuinely despicable were those that shamed the commoners with mocking till they had to fight with their honour on the line. As young cultivators, they are hardly weathered and firm on their martial way. To ask them to lower their heads to survive would shake their Dao and let fear and cowardice seep into their hearts like poison.

They were lucky that the enemies were not yet brave enough to do anything worse.

The leaders in the Snowdrifts were outraged when they found out, but at this time Kairos was not in the school.

They decided to take things into their own hands, and the Snowdrifts fought back with ferocity. The talismans created by Kairos and his group brought about unbelievable results. Alan’s talisman became a powerful protective shield for them to activate their other moves, Jim’s Homing Ki daggers talismans caused suppressive bombardments on their enemies, Edward’s Death Spike talismans broke through all kinds of defences, and if used on the flesh, it could be crippling. Or worse.

The most effective ones of all were Tommy’s Ki Burst talismans and Kairos’ Absolute Void talisman.

The former was a 12-charges concussive impact talisman that could blow away all kinds of projectiles or hurl a hundred kilogram target across an open field.

But that is not the true essence behind the talisman. Many Snowdrifts guild members realised that the shockwave could strike past most defences, and when aimed at the head, a single blow can knock the target unconscious three meters away.

A single wave of impact from the talisman could shudder an entire row of rock boulders. With such strength that passes through armour, it is only because they are cultivators that they were rendered unconscious and not worse.

The latter, although have only one charge, could dispel almost any Ki attacks used against them. And, more fearsomely, the students realised that it could create a gap in the enemy’s Ki Barrier and interrupt one’s internal energy.

At that time, the match winner is mostly decided, because even running away quickly will be impossible without Ki.

Of course, the casters need to infuse a substantial amount of Ki to activate each talisman, and the items had limited charges, were hard to produce and too expensive to stock up all the time. They had to limit the use to when it was absolutely necessary, but with such advantages, their group had been winning battles and forcing back the nobles with the shame of defeat.

Unfortunately, fuelled by costly talismans, this momentum will not last long.

This morning, before Kairos returned to the academy compound, Alan summoned the best fighters from the Snowdrifts and aimed to take down the Blue Blood’s leaders.

The battle may be won, but it was hard fought, more than anyone expected. Despite their advantages with the Origin Cultivation Method, they found their opponents difficult.

It wasn’t surprising that the battle was even harder for the rest, and many of them actually lost their duel.

Fortunately, the pro-aristocrat Blue Blood did not seem too blood-thirsty against other nobles. Or at least, they dared not offend families of high standing.

In this fight, Luciette, George, Small, Smaller, Leaf, Snow, Alucard, Lan Lei, Flora, Fauna, Lugh, and Calculus, were gobsmacked by how truly formidable the peasant leaders of the Snowdrifts were and had to reconsider what they think of Kairos’ group.

In fact, the Blue Blood nobles and the one with revenge in his heart wanted to question life. They grew up with the best training resources at arm’s reach and yet could only look up towards these scrawny commoners. Where did logic go? Didn't father and mother say that taking those cultivation pills they would grow up stronger than others?

Lies!

The four captains, Long, John, Silvers, and Sasha, handled the senior years with a smile on their faces. While Alan, Jim and Edward were more frightening. They thoughtfully sent out challenges to all the Blue Blood’s leaders missing not one person, and they toyed with their opponents without a shred of mercy.

Any shame that their members felt were gallantly returned. With two hands tied behind their backs, they stepped all over their enemies with Origin Infused face slaps.

In reality, after charging in and out of the Silent Lambs Empire with Kairos, they considered the Blue Blood a pathetic foe, albeit a little troublesome.

At most these young nobles aimed to do was to maim them. A far cry from the capture and torture which the Silent Lambs’ royal family, the Phrixuses, were famous for.

With this victory, they expect the other side to quieten down for a while. Unfortunately, this place is not the Silent Lambs Empire, or else they will permanently help them stay silent.