“AH!”
The disciples inside the flying boat screamed as the floor beneath them violently rocked. Long Chen then looked over at everyone. The Elite Group’s disciples were also panicking, but their weapons were in their hands. They were ready for battle. However, the other disciples were all so panicked that they only knew how to scream. Other than that, it seemed that they were simply waiting for death to come.
Suddenly, the flying boat lit up as Mu Qingyun activated its defensive abilities. As a result, lightning runes appeared on top of it, making the giant toad shudder. A burst of smoke then came from its tongue, and it let go of the flying boat.
“Heavens, that was terrifying…”
“I thought we were definitely dead this time…”
The flying boat flew off. Having escaped the danger, the disciples clenched their chests.
However, just as they were speaking, they saw Long Chen looking at them coldly. They hastily shut their mouths.
The flying boat then slowly advanced. Inside, everyone was deathly silent. The atmosphere was extremely awkward.
“Brother San, we were wrong.”
Zhong Ling thickened her face and spoke first with her head lowered.
The Elite Group had spent so many hours doing their best to teach them to keep their calm when facing powerful enemies. The reason was they couldn’t be so terrified that they couldn’t react. They had to watch their opponent and grasp their chance to fight back.
Hence, they thought that they had learned this lesson. But as soon as that giant toad appeared, everything flew out of their minds. Upon facing real danger, their terror and despair automatically appeared. They even gave up resisting.
That was why they were so ashamed in front of Long Chen’s gaze. They had even sworn that they had controlled their fear and were ready. Hence, this slap in the face was truly loud.
“Brother San, you can scold us. Don’t just stare at us like this.” After an incense stick’s worth of time, Zhong Ling and the others felt numb. Feeling like their souls had crumbled, Zhong Ling begged him to speak.
Long Chen shook his head and didn’t say anything. When the flying boat entered a mountain range, he had Mu Qingyun stop the boat.
Mu Qingyun then stopped and sighed. Just now, she had also been covered in sweat. She wasn’t much better than everyone else.
Long Chen finally started speaking. “I admit that your previous display made me a bit angry. But when I thought about it, I realized I was asking too much of you. Your lives were too peaceful, and you are different from me back then. I was someone with no background who had to go all-out just to survive. As for you, many of you wish to cultivate only to excel, to bring honor to your ancestors, or maybe even just to show off, to be a level higher than others. However, let me tell you something right now. People must be vigilant even in times of peace.
“The reason you can live like you do today is entirely due to the backgrounds of your families. But you are naively unaware of just how many lives and how much blood were shed in the past to win these peaceful lives. For a power to rise, they must be accompanied by a storm of blood. When a power rises, there will also be countless greedy eyes on them.
“Do you not have opposing factions? Do you not have enemy clans? If there comes a day that the pillars of your families collapse, what will you do? Will you cry and scream like just now? Simply await your death?
“Your peaceful lives only exist because people in your families are shielding you from the wind and rain. However, as fellow members of your family, have you never thought about becoming the person that shields your family from wind and rain?”
Everyone was silent. The reason that they were able to enter the High Firmament Academy was because their backgrounds weren’t bad. The Elite Group’s disciples in particular were created from their families piling resources into them.
It had to be known that the tuition fee for the academy was not cheap. Just the monthly benefits that they obtained from the academy were unable to keep up with the costs for their cultivation. They also received a large sum of money from their families every year.
Hence, Long Chen’s words struck them in their hearts. Could it be that they would waste a lifetime being protected by their families? How was that any different than being useless trash?
“There is no shortcut on the path to becoming strong. If you want to get stronger, you need to be able to face death. I brought you here because if you don’t have that determination to get stronger, half or more of you will be stuck here for the rest of your lives. Think well. It is time for you to face death and become a true expert. If you want, you can also be an ordinary disciple and live a peaceful life. Make sure that you make the right decision for yourself. You still have time now, but when the doors of the flying boat open, if you still regret it, I will personally kill you,” said Long Chen harshly.
After that, everyone looked at each other. His words gave them goosebumps. Half or more of them would die here?
“I want to get stronger. Otherwise, if I’m just going to be bullied every day, what is the point of living? I wish to advance.”
“Me too. My father has ten other sons. He won’t miss me.”
“I’m afraid of dying. But I’m even more afraid of dying as a good-for-nothing. I’ll bet it all. I bet that if I don’t die, boss San will turn me into a powerful warrior just like the big brothers of the Elite Group.”
Everyone had endured anger; everyone had endured humiliation. Now that they had encountered a master like Long Chen, if they retreated, they would regret it for a lifetime.
With the disciples expressing their attitudes one by one, new courage was born within them. Their blood then began to ignite. In the end, not one person retreated.
Long Chen nodded. After all, they were young people with youth’s vigor. If they didn’t even have the courage to be wild as a youth, then there really would be no need for them to cultivate.
“Good. Since everyone has agreed to stay, let me explain why I brought you here. I read a book that mentioned this place a few days ago. It’s called Crescent Moon Valley. Eighteen thousand years ago, there was an immense battle here. The academy’s experts rushed over, but the battle was already over by the time they arrived. It is said that when the experts investigated the scars of the battle, there were signs that a Heavenly Flame seed gave birth to its own intelligent mind here. There was some beast that wanted to devour it, resulting in a fierce clash. However, no one saw that battle, so no one knows who won. All that remained is a ruined battlefield in the shape of a crescent moon, hence, it is called Crescent Moon Valley. I brought you here because the will of the Heavenly Flame still remained here. Even after ten thousand years, that aura is still going strong, so this is perfect for tempering your wills. It’s the fastest way to make you gain the will of an expert. Furthermore…”
Long Chen suddenly paused, a fiery light appearing in his eyes.
“Furthermore, if my deductions are correct, a new Heavenly Flame seed will soon be born here. That is my ultimate goal.”
Right now, Long Chen urgently wished to upgrade Huo Long’s power. Only then could he truly soar.
