Despite the terrifying pressure of Lucien’s attack, Ronan remained calm and unshaken, his breathing steady, his expression serene. Slowly, he raised his sword once more, the golden edge gleaming faintly as though preparing to unleash its own will.Seeing this, Lucien sneered in contempt, his voice sharp and cutting.“Hmph! Ronan still thinks he can resist me? Ridiculous!”But deep down, beneath the sneer, a sliver of unease crawled up Lucien’s spine. He had muttered to himself countless times that while his sword energy was unmatched, it was his mental force that truly gave him the edge.No Rank 6 should have been able to withstand it, much less Ronan Crowne. It was unheard of. Without over 5,000 Hertz of mental strength, even Rank 7 martial artists struggled to properly resist.Yet before the gathered crowd, Ronan lifted his blade with tranquil precision, eyes cold and unwavering. In that moment, he looked nothing like an Early-Stage Rank 5 cultivator.Instead, it was as though he wer

Lucien stood stiff in the arena, his body trembling as his eyes locked on the mature woman now standing protectively in front of him.For a moment, he couldn’t breathe.A whisper slipped past his lips, shaky and filled with disbelief.“Mentor…”The word rippled through the arena like thunder.Gasps spread across the stands.Dozens of students blinked in shock, realizing what his slip of the tongue meant.Aveline Westmere… she’s Lucien's mentor?Lucien’s mind raced, memories flooding back unbidden.He could still see it clearly, that day during the beast-hunting expedition.He had stood bloodied and broken, his sword quivering in his grip as he faced a Rank 6 beast far beyond his reach.Reckless, desperate, yet burning with a mad determination.And then, she had appeared.Aveline Westmere, Rank 8 Gold Master of Thalara Martial Academy, drifting like an untouchable star while gathering rare resources to prepare for her own breakthrough to Rank 9.She hadn’t intended to intervene.But she

Then, with a sneer, Aveline let out a cold, mocking laugh.“I am a Peak-Stage Rank 8 Gold Master. Disciplining a clueless junior like you, Ronan, what can the Crowne Family possibly do about it? Even if I killed you here and now, would they dare kill me in return?”“Besides, it was you, Ronan, who provoked me, a Rank 8 Gold Master. The Crowne Family would hardly have a case to stand on!”Deep inside, Aveline truly believed it.Even if she gave Ronan a severe beating, Lucas Crowne, Ronan’s father, wouldn’t dare retaliate.After all, she was on the verge of breaking through to Rank 9.Who in their right mind would dare criticize her for disciplining a junior?As for Lucas?Yes, he was a Rank 9 Elder Archmaster… but so what?She wasn’t the only one with powerful backers.These days, who didn’t have Rank 9s standing behind them?But just as her arrogance peaked, Ronan’s handsome face curved into mockery and disdain smile.“What are you laughing at?” she barked.To her, there was nothing re

Realizing that she could no longer intimidate Ronan through mere rank or arrogance, Aveline Westmere quickly attempted to shift the situation to her advantage.“Regardless of personal feelings, this is still Thalara Martial Academy. If a student violates school regulations, what harm is there in issuing a punishment?”“Punishment?”“Of course, punishment is allowed. But Vice Principal Aveline, could you point out exactly which school rule I violated?”“Or is the school’s so-called Genius Ranking Challenge Tournament, where every participant is told to give their all, nothing more than lip service?”“Or is it that this academy runs solely by your word? That you can change the rules whenever you please, simply because you hold a title?”Aveline was left completely speechless.She knew in her heart he had broken no rules.The truth was simple: she did not wish to allow Ronan to steal the spotlight.That was all.Ronan turned slightly away from Aveline and directed himself toward a distant

Beneath the gray robe, Garrick’s aged face softened into a smile, his deep wrinkles folding like a blooming chrysanthemum.Ronan’s earlier words, asking him to slap Aveline, had deeply satisfied him.Pride radiated from his eyes.This great-nephew of his had finally shown the bearing worthy of House Crowne.Garrick smiled with pride.Seeing this, Ronan’s lips curved faintly.He remembered, in his past life, Garrick had been bitterly disappointed by him.Because he had been blinded by love, neglecting cultivation, groveling for a woman, exposing weakness and disgrace, becoming an embarrassment to his lineage.But in this present timeline, everything had changed!“Since you dared to slander the Crowne family and disrespect a Martial Saint’s lineage, do you truly think a mere apology is enough?”Ronan stepped forward, his voice cutting through like steel, his smile cold and merciless.“Weren’t you using your cultivation level to suppress me from the very beginning, Vice Principal Aveline?