Longevity: Starting with an infant's innate growth potential

Chapter 252 Dean Gong's Invitation

"Dean Zhong, with Zhou Ling's talent in swordsmanship, it would be a complete waste for him to be at Xuan Yuan Dao Academy."

"I wonder if we can arrange for him to transfer to my Nine Heavens Sword Academy. Perhaps he can become another sword cultivator in the Dao Alliance who comprehends the Five Realms of Sword Dao in the future."

Dean Gong and Dean Zhong smiled and said.

"A fifth-realm sword cultivator?"

Upon hearing this, Dean Zhong looked surprised. Even in the entire Dao Alliance, there were very few sword cultivators at the fifth realm.

"Dean Gong, do you think Zhou Ling has the potential to become a fifth-realm sword cultivator?"

Dean Zhong couldn't help but ask.

Sword cultivators also hold an extremely important position within the Dao Alliance.

For example, among the nine leaders of the Dao Alliance today, two are sword cultivators.

"As long as you let him into my Nine Heavens Sword Academy, I can guarantee you that he will definitely become a fifth-realm sword cultivator in the future!"

Dean Gong said with apparent confidence.

"You should tell him about this yourself!"

"Now that he's a Heavenly Guardian of the Heavenly Crafts Bureau, I estimate the chances of him going to the Nine Heavens Sword Academy are slim."

Dean Zhong shook his head.

He was grooming Zhou Ling to be the next dean, so naturally he couldn't let him go to the Nine Heavens Sword Academy.

However, given how confident Dean Gong was, he couldn't very well discourage her.

Let her talk to Zhou Ling herself.

"Okay, I'll talk to him after the competition!"

Dean Gong smiled and nodded.

She was confident she could persuade Zhou Ling.

······
"Brother Ling, your opponent in tomorrow's semi-final is Wan Kun!"

"This person fused with the essence of the Thunder Ape from a young age, condensing the acquired Thunder Ape Battle Body, and is the disciple ranked first in combat strength in the inner court of the Flying Dragon Battle Academy."

"Once the Thunder Ape Battle Body is formed, its strength is no less than that of a Golden Core cultivator in the early stage."

Sun Da-ring pointed to the second competition platform and introduced it to Zhou Ling.

Zhou Ling's gaze swept over them.

On the dueling platform, a tremendous roar and thunderous explosions filled the air. The entire platform's protective shield was bathed in a purplish-red light, and a thundercloud several dozen feet long gathered within, enveloping the opponents.

Thunder flashed and struck wildly, blinding lightning intertwined and shimmered, as if one were in a sea of ​​lightning, a sight that terrified anyone who looked upon it.

[You are observing the Thunder Soul Cloud Technique, Intermediate Observation +1]

[You are analyzing the Thunder Soul Cloud Technique, Intermediate Analysis +1]

Zhou Ling was also watching carefully.

To be ranked first in the inner courtyard of a Daoist academy like Flying Dragon Battle Academy, which focuses on exploring other worlds, one's strength is definitely not low.

They have extensive experience in fighting the enemy.

Just like the battle against Li Jun this morning, if she had a few more runes in her Flying Dragon Sword Formation, she would be really difficult to deal with.

Even if he wields five Five Elements Swords simultaneously, he may not be able to defeat his opponent.

Similarly, the power of the Thunder Soul Cloud Technique that Wan Kun was using at this moment could almost be said to have exceeded the level of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Furthermore, under the [Intermediate Analysis], there are no so-called drawbacks.

There's no shortcut to breaking through; the only way is to fight head-on, head-on.

If you can break through, then break through; if you can't, then admit defeat.

Moreover, according to Sun Dajie's introduction, his greatest power at this moment is the condensation of the Thunder Ape Battle Body.

However, he has not yet fully condensed his power, and it is clear that he is still holding back some of his strength.

Once it is formed, its combat power will increase by at least several times, and may even double.

Therefore, it should not be underestimated.

"I surrender!"

A moment later, a voice came from within the thunder.

The thunder then gradually dissipated.

Only then did Zhou Ling see clearly that there were two figures standing on the competition platform.

A burly, square-faced young man, calm and composed, was none other than Wan Kun.

Opposite him was a disheveled young man, his precious clothes charred black.

His face was slightly pale, clearly indicating that he had expended a lot of energy.

"Wan Kun wins on the third arena!"

A loud voice rang out from the judges' panel.

Shortly after, the other two matches also ended.

The final four have been determined, except that Zhou Ling replaced Li Jun.

The other three remained unchanged.

They came from three other Taoist academies.

Wan Kun of Feilong Taoist Academy.

Qin Hao of the Nine Heavens Sword Academy.

Zhao Jie of Tianxia Taoist Temple.

The format of the final four matches.

Zhou Ling to Wan Kun.

Qin Hao to Zhao Jie.

······.

Around noon, Zhou Ling and the other disciples of the Taoist Academy boarded the Taoist Academy's spirit boat, preparing to return to the academy.

"Zhou Ling, are you free?"

A tall, graceful figure walked towards Zhou Ling.

It was none other than Dean Gong of the Nine Heavens Sword Academy.

"Greetings, Dean!"

Zhou Ling smiled, cupped his hands in a respectful bow, and asked, "May I ask what brings Dean Gong here?"

Before the competition, Dean Gong said he wanted to have him forge a precious sword, and he had already agreed to it.

But it will have to wait until after the competition.

So he had no idea what Dean Gong wanted to see him about.
Moreover, tomorrow is the semi-final battle, so he naturally needs to maintain his good condition and have more time to recover.

I imagine that Dean Gong must understand this principle as well.

"If you have time, I'd like to invite you to dinner so we can have a good chat!"

Dean Gong smiled sweetly.

She was stunningly beautiful, possessed an ethereal air, and was also the head of the Taoist academy.

With such high cultivation, she is definitely a goddess in the hearts of many men.

Many disciples from Xuan Yuan Dao Academy were present, but none of them had the courage to look her in the eye.

Many people were envious when they heard that she had taken the initiative to invite Zhou Ling to dinner.

Why haven't I ever had such a good thing happen to me?

Zhou Ling hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said, "It is my honor to be invited by Dean Gong!"

Zhou Family Workshop is now accepting orders from the public.

And institutions like the Nine Heavens Sword Academy and the Flying Dragon Battle Academy are undoubtedly the biggest potential clients.

Unlike Xuan Yuan Dao Academy and Tian Xia Dao Academy, these two Dao Academy do not have their own weapon-refining departments.

Basically, all the precious items are purchased from outside sources.

If the sword that Dean Gong entrusted to me to forge can be successfully forged this time...

That would undoubtedly be another major publicity campaign.

If the cooperation goes well, see if we can discuss cooperating with the Sword Academy with her?
Zhou Ling was making plans in his mind.

He then said to Wang Xin, "You go back first, I'll go back later!"

Wang Xin nodded, bowed to Dean Gong, and then boarded the spirit boat with the other disciples.

After bidding farewell to Dean Zhong, Zhou Ling left Tianxia Academy with Dean Gong.

Leaving Tianxia Taoist Academy, you'll find yourself in the bustling streets of Qingyun Immortal City.

The two then arrived at a magnificent restaurant.

It's still a little early before dinner time.

But Zhou Ling had taken a fasting pill in the morning, and his stomach was already growling with hunger.

Dean Gong asked him to order, and he didn't stand on ceremony, quickly ordering several dishes.

There are dishes such as stewed spirit beast meat with spirit lotus root and steamed snow fish.

The food was served very quickly.

In less than a quarter of an hour, all five dishes of spiritual food were served.

Four dishes and one soup.

Zhou Ling poured a bottle of spirit wine for Dean Gong.

"Dean Gong, I toast you!"

Zhou Ling said with a smile.

"Congratulations on making it to the semi-finals!" Dean Gong said calmly.

"Lucky! Lucky!"

Zhou Ling said with a smile.

He then picked up a piece of spirit beast meat and ate it.

"There are very few people who can defeat Li Jun like this. In this kind of thing, strength is strength, there is no room for luck!"

Seeing Zhou Ling eat so ravenously right in front of him without any politeness, he was shocked.

Dean Gong felt both annoyed and amused.

Or is he an instructor at Xuan Yuan Dao Academy?

Tiangong Sitianwei, Deputy Chief Administrator?

When she first saw Zhou Ling's information, she was also very surprised.

A fifteen-year-old boy is incredibly talented.

Moreover, he was born into a rogue cultivator; his talent is truly astonishing.

Even with amazing talent, it's not easy to stand out from the crowd.

You also need a lot of luck.

For Zhou Ling to achieve so much at such a young age, it's clear he's had a lot of good luck.

"Thank you for the compliment, Dean!"

Zhou Ling said with a smile as he ate.

The two matches in the morning had taken a toll on him, and he was indeed hungry.

Seeing Zhou Ling's pathetic state, Dean Gong smiled gently, his demeanor as calm as water. "Eat slowly, no one's going to take it from you. Order more if you're not full."

"Dean, you should eat too!"

Zhou Ling said shyly.

With his current wealth, he naturally doesn't care about one or two meals.

Of course, the key point is that Dean Gong said he invited him.

Dean Gong then ladled out a bowl of lotus root soup, took a spoon, and scooped up a few mouthfuls.

Then he just watched Zhou Ling eat.

Of the four dishes and one soup, Dean Gong only drank some soup and ate some spiritual vegetables.

Almost everything else was swept away by Zhou Ling.

Seeing that there was almost nothing left on the table, Zhou Ling felt he had eaten enough, and then asked Dean Gong, "Dean Gong, is there anything I can help you with?"

"I watched your match with Li Jun today."

"If I'm not mistaken, you have already refined five Five Elements Third-Order Treasure Swords!"

Li Jun looked at Zhou Ling and spoke up.

As the dean of the Nine Heavens Sword Academy, she naturally knew how difficult it was to refine a third-tier sword into a natal sword at the Foundation Establishment stage.

But Zhou Ling actually refined five of them, which shows just how terrifying his talent is.

This is why she dared to say that as long as Zhou Ling entered the Nine Heavens Sword Academy, he would be able to reach the fifth realm of swordsmanship.

"The dean has a good eye!"

Zhou Ling nodded in reply.

He was also surprised, after all, he had never used the Five Elements Sword at the same time in front of outsiders since he refined it.

Using three swords this time was out of necessity, after all, Li Jun's Flying Dragon Sword Talisman Array was quite powerful.

Without the aid of the spiritual flame, even three swords might not be able to break through it in a short time.

Moreover, tomorrow's battle may be even more difficult to handle than today's.

Therefore, it's quite obvious that the Five Elements Sword Formation will be used, and there's nothing to hide.

"Okay, I knew it."

"With your talent in swordsmanship, wouldn't it be a waste for you to stay at Xuan Yuan Dao Academy?"

"If you come to my Nine Heavens Sword Academy, with your talent, there is a very high probability that you will be able to enter the fifth realm of swordsmanship in the future."

Dean Gong looked at Zhou Ling and said with considerable confidence.

"The Five Realms of Swordsmanship".

Zhou Ling looked surprised.

Unexpectedly, Dean Gong's invitation to dinner was not for sword practice, but to invite him to the Nine Heavens Sword Academy.

However, he is still an inner disciple of Xuan Yuan Dao Academy and also has the status of an outer instructor.

In addition, there was his identity as a Heavenly Guard of the Heavenly Works Department.

Moreover, he was already familiar with both places.

Having come this far, he was reluctant to leave.

I no longer have the energy to go to the Nine Heavens Sword Academy.

As for the five realms of swordsmanship, are they so easy to achieve?

I am currently only barely approaching the three realms of Dao, Sword, and Dao, and the realm of man and sword becoming one.

This is mainly due to the gains made during the forging of the sword seal and sword soul.

However, achieving perfect harmony between man and sword is still impossible.

The difficulty increases even further in the fourth and fifth realms.

Besides exceptional talent, aptitude, and other innate advantages, a certain amount of good fortune is also required to achieve this.

Although he also wanted to cultivate to the fifth level of swordsmanship, what lay before him was clearly more practical: cultivating weapon crafting.

After all, Kendo requires a lot of resources.

Opportunities to acquire resources are limited.

He also had to manage the family and provide cultivation resources for Xin'er and his mother.

Therefore, it is impossible to choose to cultivate swordsmanship exclusively.

However, he couldn't directly refuse Dean Gong's kindness, so he smiled and said, "Dean, I am currently still an outer court instructor at Xuan Yuan Dao Academy, and I cannot leave for the time being!"

"Don't worry about that, I've already discussed this issue with Dean Zhong!"

"It won't have any impact."

"Besides, the Xuan Yuan Dao Academy and the Jiu Tian Sword Academy are not far apart. As long as you make the arrangements, you can travel back and forth at will."

Dean Gong naturally understood the meaning behind Zhou Ling's words, and after a moment's thought, he said as follows.

Knowing that Zhou Ling had truly refined five third-order Five Elements Treasure Swords, she had even higher hopes for him.

After all, the goal of the Nine Heavens Sword Academy is to cultivate the most powerful sword cultivators for the Dao Alliance.

However, cultivating a fifth-realm sword cultivator is not so easy.

Even the Nine Heavens Sword Academy hasn't appeared for many years.

Hearing this, Zhou Ling was somewhat tempted. Who wouldn't want to make further progress in swordsmanship?

He wondered what other conditions were needed, and then asked, "I wonder, what are the Dean's arrangements?"

Seeing that Zhou Ling was indeed interested, Dean Gong smiled and said, "Nine Heavens Sword Academy has a lot of resources for sword cultivation. As for techniques, there are enough sword techniques to match your five elements. In addition, there are many auxiliary means such as sword stones, sword souls, and sword puppets."

"Of course, these all need to be redeemed with points."

"So, I'd like you to start as a lecturer in the foreign language department. What do you think?"

“Foreign Academy instructor! I have no objection!” Zhou Ling readily agreed.

High-level sword techniques are hard to find. Even the Xuan Yuan Academy and the Tian Gong Si are not easy places to exchange for high-grade Xuan-level sword techniques.

After all, neither of these places primarily focuses on swordsmanship.

Of course, some techniques will also be provided to assist swordsmiths in their cultivation.

Upon hearing Zhou Ling's agreement, Dean Gong's pretty face showed a look of satisfaction.

"This is a sword soul stone, containing some of my insights into the three realms of swordsmanship. Take it and have a look."

With a thought, Dean Gong took out a cyan sword stone from his storage ring and handed it to Zhou Ling.

"Thank you, Dean!"

Zhou Ling bowed and thanked him.

I never expected to receive such treatment before even starting work.

Moreover, it's a third-realm sword stone, which is extremely rare.

For him, the more of this kind of thing, the better.

"Try to understand this first, and ask me if you don't understand anything!"

"Furthermore, after this competition, you may come to the Nine Heavens Sword Academy to give a lecture."

"As for the matter I asked you to handle, we'll talk about it after the competition!"

Dean Gong spoke again.

"Okay, Dean!"

Zhou Ling nodded with a smile.

Then he asked the waitress to settle the bill.

After all, Dean Gong has gone to such lengths this time, offering a third-tier sword soul stone. I can't let her spend money on this meal no matter what.

Dean Gong didn't bother with formalities.

Watching Zhou Ling pay the spirit stones.

The two then left the restaurant.

(End of this chapter)