The Heaven Dou Royal Academy complex, nestled among mountains and water, gradually revealed its magnificent outline under the morning light.
The carriage slowly climbed the wide stone road and entered the academy grounds.
"Water Ice, the outstanding students from all grades of Heaven Dou Academy are gathered here today. Take Water Moon and Bai Mu to look around and interact for a while," Water Cloud Heart said.
After parking the carriage, she led the three of them to an open plaza and instructed, "I'm going to meet the three members of the Education Committee. I'll be back shortly."
"Okay, Mom!"
Water Ice nodded obediently, while Water Moon looked around with a face full of curiosity.
Bai Mu swept his gaze across the area, subconsciously searching for the top-ranked figure on the Douluo Continent Must-Collect List.
Unfortunately, there were simply too many people, and he couldn't find his target right away.
"What are you looking at?" Water Moon asked curiously.
"I'm looking at their spirit rings," Bai Mu said with a laugh. "About one-third of the students here only have their first spirit ring."
"I heard that Heaven Dou Academy has three grades: Tianwei, Tianzhi, and Tiandou," Water Ice briefly explained. "Tianwei is for those below Rank 25, Tianzhi is for those between Rank 25 and Rank 30, and Tiandou is for those above Rank 30."
"If you graduate successfully, it seems you can even receive a noble title as a reward."
"Oh? What a beautiful little sister. Want to hear something interesting? Come over here—big brother will have a nice chat with you?"
Suddenly, a frivolous voice sounded from the side.
The three of them turned around and saw more than ten boys wearing goose-yellow Tianwei uniforms approaching.
The one who spoke was the young man at the front.
Water Ice glanced at him and immediately ignored him.
"Not interested."
Water Moon glanced at the group, then at Bai Mu, and decisively rejected them with a look of disgust.
"Not interested?"
The leading young man grinned and leaned closer. "What's this about interested or not interested? Once we get to know each other, interest will come naturally~"
As he spoke, he moved even closer and raised his hand toward Water Ice.
Water Ice's pretty face turned cold.
"Ice Seal!"
A burst of icy energy erupted, and the young man was instantly frozen into a block of solid ice, his movements stopping abruptly.
"Two spirit rings?!"
Seeing this, the rest of the followers hurriedly retreated several steps in fear.
"Why go so far?"
Bai Mu looked at the frozen figure, a trace of speechlessness flashing in his eyes.
Do people like this really exist even in a place like this?
"Quickly release His Highness! Otherwise, you'll suffer serious consequences!"
One of the followers shouted, forcing himself to speak up.
"His Highness?"
Bai Mu's mouth twitched. He pointed at the ice sculpture. "You mean this guy?"
"That's right! This is the current Fourth Prince of the Empire, His Highness Xue Beng!"
the follower Spirit Master said loudly.
'Bro, are you out of your mind?'
Bai Mu was completely speechless.
So you were the one who provoked Tang San in the original story, and now you're harassing the Water Ice sisters.
What a piece of work.
Dong. Dong. Dong.
He walked over and knocked on the ice.
"Your Imperial Highness, this is only a control-type spirit ability. Struggle a bit and you'll break free. Or are you staying inside because the weather's too hot and you want to cool off?"
?!
Xue Beng's eyes flickered inside the ice, as if he hadn't thought of this at all.
In the next moment, spirit power surged around him. After several seconds of struggling, he finally broke free, shivering from the cold.
"Trash!"
He cursed and kicked the nearest Spirit Master. "You idiots just stood there watching me get frozen?"
"Your Highness, they… have two spirit rings…"
The follower reminded him cautiously.
In their eyes, even a single spirit ring difference was insurmountable. No matter how young the opponents were, they stood no chance.
"Trash! What's there to be afraid of!"
Xue Beng still spoke arrogantly. "Where are you from? The academy doesn't have uniforms like yours. How dare you enter without permission!"
"We're from Heavenly Water Academy, accompanying our elder to participate in an academic exchange," Water Ice said coldly.
"Heavenly Water Academy?"
Xue Beng's expression stiffened slightly. Provoking students from other major academies wasn't worth it, win or lose.
But he was holding back his anger, so his gaze shifted to Bai Mu.
"And him? Don't tell me he's also from Heavenly Water Academy. Heavenly Water doesn't even recruit male students!"
Tch. He's dragging me into this too…
Bai Mu remained expressionless and replied calmly, "Your Imperial Highness, I graduated from Nuoding Academy and came here to apply for admission to Heaven Dou Royal Academy."
"Nuoding Academy?"
Xue Beng sneered. "Never heard of it! What backwater beggar academy did you crawl out of, daring to apply to my Heaven Dou Royal Academy?"
He sized Bai Mu up—young, plainly dressed, with weak spirit fluctuations. He was certain Bai Mu was just a commoner with no real strength.
"You—throw him out!"
Xue Beng waved his hand.
"How dare you!"
Water Ice immediately stepped in front of Bai Mu, staring coldly at the people before her.
"Your Highness, if I recall correctly, Heaven Dou Royal Academy has recruited commoner students before, hasn't it?" Bai Mu asked calmly.
To him, entering Heaven Dou Academy was ideal, but if it didn't work out, he wouldn't force it. There was no need to lower himself too much.
"Those were top geniuses who graduated from key intermediate academies. There might not even be one every few years. You, a country bumpkin, are incomparable to them!"
Xue Beng said disdainfully.
"Is that so?" Bai Mu replied. "What if I'm that kind of genius?"
Xue Beng sneered. "You? Based on what?"
"Based on the fact that even if I stand still, these so-called noble geniuses around you wouldn't be my opponents," Bai Mu said calmly.
The entire plaza fell silent.
Then, the group of Spirit Masters burst into laughter.
"Standing still? Kid, what kind of joke is this?"
"Even the most talented student in the academy couldn't defeat us without moving!"
"How about a fight? I want to see how you win without moving!"
They feared Water Ice with her two spirit rings, but not some unknown wild kid.
"If you don't believe me, want to have a match?" Bai Mu said.
"Fine, fine, fine!"
Xue Beng laughed coldly. "If you can do it, I'll personally arrange for someone to admit you. But if you can't…"
His eyes turned vicious. "I'll have you thrown out of the academy gates with broken bones!"
"There's no need to fight them. Just wait until Mom and the Education Committee members arrive," Water Ice whispered softly, shaking her head.
"It's fine. Trust me," Bai Mu replied, giving her a reassuring look.
"Mhm, mhm, mhm! We trust you! You're the best!"
Water Moon nodded furiously like a chick pecking rice, her eyes sparkling with excitement. She wished the fight would start immediately.
More and more students gathered around. Hearing someone claim he could defeat others without even moving, everyone was intrigued.
"You, go!"
A follower beside Xue Beng stepped forward.
"My name is Li Ming. Spirit: Fierce Wind Dog. Rank 18 attack-type Battle Spirit Master!"
Bai Mu stood with his arms crossed, not even taking a fighting stance.
"Bai Mu. Spirit: Zygarde. Rank 11 attack-type Battle Spirit Master."
As soon as he spoke, laughter erupted from the crowd.
"That's hilarious—he's only Rank 11!"
"Who can't beat someone like that?"
"He's probably just showing off…"
Among the crowd, several students with outstanding bearing were also watching.
The leading youth dressed in blue was tall and straight with sharp eyes, while the purple-haired girl beside him carried a lazy charm and an exotic beauty.
They were none other than Yu Tianheng, Dugu Yan, and their companions.