Inside the room, Eli Shan sat on his bed with closed eyes. He shut himself off from the outside world, immersing himself in the depths of his cultivation.

The room hummed with vibrant energy as the surrounding qi condensed and flowed into him relentlessly.

Until now, it was easy for him to break through, but as his cultivation realm continued to increase, it became harder and harder to break through to the next realm, because his body was absorbing eighty times of qi that he took in.

After months of tireless dedication, Eli Shan finally opened his eyes. His face filled with excitement because he was ready to break through to the Zun realm.

Let's go to my universe.

Eli Shan's consciousness expanded into the depths of his soul as he activated his soul power, soon vanishing from his room.

Inside the soul universe, a shimmering space portal materialized before the colossal form of a slumbering dragon. As the dragon's ancient eyes fixed upon the figure emerging from the portal, a knowing smile curled upon its lips. "So you are back."

Eli Shan smiled and cupped his fist, his expression filled with gratitude. "Thank you so much for the cultivation technique that you bestowed upon me. Now I am about to break through to the Zun realm."

The Big Dragon nodded, its ancient eyes gleaming with a wisdom that seemed as old as time itself. Its massive head moving with a graceful, deliberate motion. "It seems you've grown stronger since we last met," it rumbled, its voice like distant thunder. "Now, do you think you can control this soul universe of yours?"

Eli Shan shook his head, a hint of frustration in his eyes. "I feel that I can stay here for a bit longer than before," he murmured, "But still, I can't control this universe. Nevertheless, this is the best place to cultivate so... I thought breaking through to the next major realm right here is the wisest choice."

Big dragon nodded in understanding. "Do as you wish," it murmured. With that, the dragon closed his eyes, his immense form settling into a state of rest.

Eli Shan returned the nod with a grateful smile. He found a serene spot near the dragon, beneath the sprawling branches of an ancient tree before settling into his cultivation position.

He closed his eyes and fully immersed himself in cultivation, absorbing the immense amount of qi from his surroundings. The qi began to swirl around him, seeming almost joyful to merge with its master.

As Eli Shan's cultivation progressed, the qi within his dantian began to boil and his aura reached the pinnacle of the Tian realm, slowly pushing against its limits. Gradually, as his aura continued to increase, it slowly broke through the boundaries of the Tian realm, evolving into an even purer and stronger form of qi.

The evolution didn't cease until his qi, even his body, which was already eighty times stronger than his cultivation realm, began to enhance even more. His muscles bulged out and each of his bones exuded an unparalleled strength.

At the same time, his spiritual consciousness also began to expand, enveloping a vast amount of area, allowing Eli Shan to perceive everything, from the grandeur of towering mountains to the minutiae of the tiniest blade of grass. Also, his soul power surged and became even stronger, making him feel stable inside the universe.

After a while, an immense amount of qi started to spiral around Eli Shan as if it was getting attracted toward something. This swirling energy formed a vortex, emanating an immense pressure that swept through the surroundings. It was so intense that it shattered the land around him. Yet, Eli Shan remained untouched and continued to absorb it all unconsciously. With each passing moment, his realm grew even more powerful."

Eventually, the vortex of pure qi was entirely absorbed by Eli Shan's body, and every fiber of his being exuded an unparalleled strength.

Zun realm!

Eli Shan sensed his advancement to the Zun realm, but he remained steadfast in his decision not to pause at this stage. He pressed forward with his cultivation, striving to refine his realm even further.

He loved the feeling of cultivating because, unlike others, he could sense that with each passing moment, he was growing stronger than ever before.

As he continued his cultivation, the wind around him also quickened, enveloping Eli Shan entirely.

His focus extended beyond mere cultivation of his realm; he sought to refine his mastery of the wind intent as well!

Soon, the wind went into a frenzy, forming a tornado around Eli Shan. It wrought havoc, creating a destructive maelstrom that tore through everything in its path, transforming the surroundings into a valley. Only the ancient tree stood untouched, its roots firmly anchored in the ground.

Eli Shan kept his eyes closed and didn't care about anything except his cultivation.

Gradually, the wind around him intensified even more, growing stronger and stronger with each passing moment, slowly breaking through into the next realm of the wind intent!

As the dragon witnessed this spectacle, a gentle smile graced its features as if it were reminiscing about someone dear.

In the days that followed, Eli Shan remained resolute in his cultivation, focusing on honing both his realm and wind intent. Then, one day while cultivating, he suddenly felt a sharp pain seared through his soul. He snapped open his eyes and met with the dragon's gaze, smiling bitterly, "Farewell."

He suddenly felt dizzy, and in the next moment, he found himself back in his room.

"Sigh, even now I cannot stay inside my own universe for more than a week."

Inside the universe...

The Dragon observed this scene and then turned its gaze to the sky. "You simply don't want the little master to grow too accustomed to this world for his cultivation, don't you?"

No response...

Even though no one replied, the dragon knew that this world's will had undoubtedly heard his words.

In his room, Eli Shan was still happy that he had broken through to the Zun realm.

He knew that there were not many zun realm cultivators in this place. Even the headmaster of his school, who was considered one of the strongest individuals in the city, had reached only the pinnacle of the Zun realm.

This thought filled him with a surge of happiness as he once again delved into his cultivation.

Four months passed in the blink of an eye, and once again, he achieved a breakthrough, ascending to the second stage of the Zun realm.

Even though he was happy with his progress, he showed no signs of slowing down. Regardless of how many stages of the Zun realm he transcended, he refused to stop his cultivation. Soon, winter turned to spring, heat enveloped the land, and the rainy season came and went. Eli Shan didn't even look outside and relentlessly cultivated his realm.

Before he realized it, two years slipped by like a fleeting cool breeze, leaving behind a trail of profound transformation in its wake.

On this day, Eli Shan finally opened his eyes. He rose to his feet, clenching his fist with a force capable of shattering a mountain peak if he couldn't control it properly.

Today he finally completed his seclusion, because this was the last day of his punishment. He smiled while thinking about how he reached the final year of his school. He couldn't help but acknowledge that a significant portion of his time had been spent in seclusion rather than attending classes.

While he was excited about his last year of school, there was someone who was happy for his return too—the teacher of the last year, Mu Fan!

Mu Fan was at the fourth stage of the Zun realm and part of the Mu family lineage. He learned about the deaths of Mu Cheng and Mu Jing after Eli Shan received his punishment. He was really angry when he heard the news, but given that the dean had already given him punishment, there was nothing he could do.

Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

But still, as a member of the Mu family, the weight of this matter bore down on him significantly. If word got out that a student had taken the lives of two members of his family, and he couldn't take any action, how could he show his face to his family again? So at least he had to take the revenge!

He patiently waited, and after what seemed like an eternity, it appeared that the heavens had finally answered his prayers. The moment for Eli Shan to conclude his punishment and rejoin his class finally arrived!

In the classroom, Mu Fan stood tall behind the teacher's imposing desk, his gaze sweeping across the room, searching for Eli Shan. As a teacher, he knew today was the day Eli Shan would return to his class, and he had thought of a lot of ways to torture him.

Meanwhile, Eli Shan was on his way, brimming with excitement to attend his first class of the final year.

He had recently achieved a breakthrough in a minor realm, but he didn't have enough time to consolidate it. As a result, his aura remained somewhat unstable. However, no matter what, he didn't want to miss the first day of his class.

After a while, just when Mu Fan started to think Eli Shan might not show up for class, everyone heard the sound of footsteps echoing through the hall.

Tap Tap...

Tap Tap...

The sound of approaching footsteps grew louder, echoing down the corridor toward the classroom where Mu Fan was conducting his lesson.

Upon hearing it, Mu Fan immediately guessed the person, and a sinister grin appeared across his face.

Soon, the sound of footsteps came to a halt outside Mu Fan's classroom door. Every student's attention shifted to the entrance, their faces etched with curiosity about the newcomer. Meanwhile, Mu Fan's focus remained on the door, a sinister smile dancing on his lips, eagerly awaiting this moment.

The classroom door creaked open, but before anyone could catch a glimpse of the newcomer, the expressions on everyone's faces, including Mu Fan's, changed abruptly. Because, suddenly an overwhelming aura filled the entire class, suffocating everyone and making it incredibly difficult to even draw a breath.

Everyone unconsciously used their cultivation, attempting to alleviate the pressure and regulate their breathing. However, the pressure was so intense that even after using their cultivation, they found it hard to even breathe. Even Mu Fan, one of the strongest teachers in the school, couldn't help but unconsciously use his cultivation to stand against the overwhelming pressure.

As they were engulfed by the overwhelming aura, a handsome boy revealed himself, strolling into the classroom with a casual hold on his bag.

With each step he took, the oppressive aura seemed to intensify, making it hard to breathe even after using every ounce of their cultivation. Horror painted their faces as they stared at the figure, their expressions twisted in a mix of fear and disbelief.

"King!"

With wide eyes and trembling hearts, each student's gaze remained fixated on the lone figure exuding the overwhelming aura. At this moment, the same thought resounded in everyone's mind, "The King is back!"

Eli Shan continued to walk, and looking at the expression of the students, a sinister smile appeared on his face as he felt a sense of satisfaction welling up within him.

He was a king, how could his entry be normal? At least he had to show that he is a guy that they could not afford to offend!

As Eli Shan approached Mu Fan, the latter stared at him in sheer horror. "Fifth stage of Zun realm!"

Eli Shan met Mu Fan's gaze with a calm smile and asked, "May I join the class, sir?"

Meeting with Eli Shan's gaze, Mu Fan felt a shiver run down his spine as if his very soul had momentarily left his body.

He couldn't manage to utter a single word and simply nodded unconsciously.

Eli Shan turned around, making his way toward the students, and noticed Feng Qiang sitting in the last seat. A warm smile graced his lips as he strode forward, leaving an intense pressure in his path. Each student he passed felt an overwhelming pressure, their brows furrowing, beads of sweat forming on their foreheads as they struggled to withstand it.

When Eli Shan reached Feng Qiang, he saw a student sitting near her. With a casual glance, Eli Shan emanated an immense pressure, making the boy feel as if his body would be torn apart.

"Move," Eli Shan commanded indifferently.

The guy nodded frantically, hastily leaving his seat and fleeing from the area.

Eli Shan didn't mind him at all. Instead, he looked at Feng Qiang, offering her a gentle smile.

She returned his gaze, teasing him, "Look like someone has changed a lot in two years."

Eli Shan just smiled and didn't say anything. He sat next to Feng Qiang and withdrew his aura back within himself.

After settling down, he looked down at Mu Fan and said politely, "You may continue your class, sir."

Mu Fan seethed with humiliation because he knew that Eli Shan was not using the word 'sir' as a token of respect. Instead, he was taunting him. However, he could not do anything about it. This was the world where strong reins, and Eli Shan was stronger so he had the right to be above him.

Completely aware of this harsh reality, Mu Fan put aside any thoughts of revenge and resumed his class.

As the lecture droned on, Eli Shan's eyelids grew heavy with the weight of his boredom. Soon, everything began to become blurred in his eyes. Despite his best efforts, his rebellious eyes refused to listen his commands, slowly getting close in sleepiness. With every ounce of his willpower, he fought to maintain focus, stealing glances at the clock, yearning for the sweet release of lunchtime.

Finally, the bell rang, jolting him to his feet. He turned to Feng Qiang, his face brightening with eagerness. "Hungry?"

Feng Qiang's eyes twinkled with amusement. "Of course. Let's go."

They moved through the classroom, and as the other students caught sight of Eli Shan, they instinctively parted away, leaving a clear path for their king.

Eli Shan walked proudly, soon reaching the bustling cafeteria. He looked at the crowd and turned to Feng Qiang with a grin. "Wait here, I'll go find us a seat."

Feng Qiang smiled and nodded. "Please do."

Eli Shan walked through the sea of students, scanning the cafeteria for an available seat. It was a bit chaotic, but Eli Shan finally managed to secure a corner spot. He turned to Feng Qiang, waving and calling out, "Feng Qiang, come here, I've found a seat!"

Feng Qiang's face lit up with a smile as she joined him.

Unaware of her smile, Eli Shan instructed, "Feng Qiang, stay here to guard our seat. I'll go grab something to eat."

Feng Qiang nodded, the smile still playing on her lips as she mused to herself, "He hasn't changed a bit, he is still as innocent as ever."

Eli Shan, unaware of Feng Qiang's thoughts, rose from his seat and headed to purchase some food.

As he approached the food stall, he saw a big crowd there. Though it was a bit chaotic, he managed to push through and get food for both of them.

In his haste, he didn't pay much attention to his surroundings and accidentally bumped into a burly guy just after leaving the crowd.

"Apologies, brother," he quickly offered.

The guy sized up Eli Shan, his face contorted with anger. "You brat, do you want to get yourself killed? Watch where you're going!"

Eli Shan's gaze turned cool and distant, his composure unbroken by the man's outburst.

Looking at Eli Shan's indifferent expression, he became even more angry. He tightened his grip on Eli Shan's collar and burst out, "How dare you to look at me like this. Do you know who I am? Next time I see you around, I will beat you to the pulp."

Eli Shan, still holding the food casually on both of his hands, looks at the guy in front of him with an indifferent gaze.

This time, as their eyes locked, the man felt a shiver run down his spine. He released Eli Shan's collar and growled, "Stay out of my sight if you know what's good for you." He moved and walked toward the food stall.

Suddenly, a voice pierced through the air and reached the guy's ears, "Why don't you try to beat me into a pulp right now?"

The guy froze in his tracks, turned around, and saw Eli Shan smiling at him with an innocent expression.

As he looked at Eli Shan's innocent smile, a flicker of recognition danced in the depths of his memory. "This smile... where did I see it?"

Suddenly he remembered something as he took a step back "N-No, that's impossible. He couldn't be here right?"

A ripple of murmurs swept through the cafeteria as the students observed the guy, inexplicably taking a step back.

"Hey hey, did Zhang Wei just take a step back?"

"This is unexpected. Zhang Wei's not one to back down from a fight. Is he really afraid of that slim guy?"

"Naah, I don't think so. He is the strongest from the second batch of last year."

"I saw Zhang Wei was about to beat that guy, and that was supposed to be normal. But suddenly he backed off and walked away as if he was scared of something."

Whispers and speculations filled the air as Eli Shan and Zhang Wei stood, facing each other. Though Eli Shan stood casually, while Zhang Wei's legs were trembling in fear.

Almost everyone had forgotten Eli Shan's face, given that he had spent the last two years in seclusion, and even before that, he rarely made an appearance.

But Zhang Wei was also from last year. It's just that he was not from the top forty so he didn't see Eli Shan's appearance in the class. Because after forty ranks, their classes and teachers were different. But it doesn't mean he didn't know Eli Shan. He remember the guy who achieved the perfect marks in the same entrance exam as him and later he saw Eli Shan killing Mu Jing without even breaking a sweat.

As Zhang Wei recollected all of his memories, he suddenly knelt before Eli Shan and began to beg for his life, "K-King, I am sorry, I beg you please forgive me, I will never come before your sight again. Just forgive me this one time."

The fight between Mu Jing and Eli Shan was still fresh in his mind. He didn't want to become a second Mu Jing here.

As Zhang Wei fervently begged for his life, a collective gasp swept through the cafeteria. All eyes were fixed on Eli Shan, their expressions a mix of astonishment and realization.

"Could it be... the King?"

"The King has returned?"

"Now that I think about it, I am sure he is the king. I just realized that his punishment should have been ending around this time."

"Wow, so King is back?"

"King is back, and Zhang Wei dared to make the king angry at his arrival?"

Everyone recognized Eli Shan and bowed before him in unison. "Welcome back, King."

Eli Shan just nodded, standing casually while holding his food. "Stand up, you don't have to bow in front of me."

Then he looked at Zhang Wei's begging face, still kneeling on the ground. "You too, stand up and go away, but next time you better control your anger otherwise you should know what will happen to you."

With that, Eli Shan didn't even spare a glance at him and began to walk back to his bench with food on both of his hands. Everyone parted away, making the way for their king.

Soon he reached Feng Qiang and gave her the food. Looking at him, Feng Qiang teased, "You are so famous and strong now, I don't think I have the right to sit with you now."

Eli Shan shook his head. "If my friend thinks of me this way, then I'd rather not be a king."

"For that, you would need to find someone bold enough to try and dethrone you, and I doubt anyone would dare to do it."

"Yeah you are right, it's really lonely to be invincible."

"Headmaster can throw you at a good distance with just a single punch, Mister Invincible Man."

They laughed and engaged in light conversation, creating a pleasant atmosphere around them.

Normally there were a lot of fights in the cafeteria but because of Eli Shan's presence, no one dared to even speak loudly.