A series of gasps rippled through the crowd. They stared at Ling Xiao as if he were a monster. Night Owl was deeply frustrated. He couldn’t understand why these noble students and teachers from the Imperial Academy all looked like they’d seen a ghost. ’Damn it, my master is only a Tier Four Sword Master? This is a huge embarrassment!’

That was the only thought on Night Owl’s mind. The only thing keeping him from breaking down was the memory of the earth-shattering Sword Intent Ling Xiao had displayed yesterday. Otherwise, he would have wanted to cover his face and flee in tears.

Unlike him, the students of the Imperial Academy, whether from the advanced or basic classes, knew perfectly well that the previous Ling Xiao had been a mere Tier Five Sword Attendant, a rank he had only reached last year.

All of his previous feats—defeating Wulan Tuo, toying with Qin Kang, and even his performance while rescuing Teacher Shangguan—had been attributed to him mastering a powerful sword technique and a formidable Cultivation Technique. But no one had ever believed it was possible to jump from a Middle-tier Sword Attendant to a High-tier Sword Master in just one year.

Otherwise, why would someone like Xie Xiaoyan, a Tier Six Sword Master, be considered a genius?

Xiao Lin, who had now successfully become a First-rank Mad Sword Master, looked at Ling Xiao with gratification. He decided he had to get closer to the boy when he had the chance. ’This is incredible. Ling Xiao’s performance isn’t like a Celestial Vein Master’s at all. He’s more like a super genius who suddenly had an epiphany!’

Su Embroidery also watched Ling Xiao with gratification. ’Teachers always hope to have a few more promising talents among their students. As long as they’re gifted, we love them!’

The only one who looked displeased was probably Long Xiang. He curled his lip slightly as he watched the slack-jawed students, sneering inwardly. ’He’s just a Tier Four Sword Master. A rich kid who probably got his hands on some strength-enhancing Elixirs and used his family’s influence to obtain a few sword techniques, and now he thinks he’s invincible? What a joke! No matter how amazing you are, you’re still a Celestial Vein Master. Let’s see what you can accomplish once you reach Tier Six Sword Master.’

He felt even more resentful when he saw the genuine joy and excitement in Shangguan Yutong’s eyes as she looked at Ling Xiao. He didn’t feel he’d done anything wrong yesterday, but what infuriated him was that no one—not a single person—had offered him a word of comfort. Not even one. This filled Long Xiang with humiliation and rage. His gaze toward Ling Xiao turned hostile as he thought, ’If I get the chance, I’ll definitely humiliate this brat and vent my frustrations!’

The most excited of all was Yisha. Her little face was flushed, and her clear, pure eyes were fixed on Ling Xiao. "Wow, this is amazing! Ling Xiao has finally become a Tier Four Sword Master! Even though he’s only at my level for now, he’s a true genius! To improve so much in such a short time... no one could do that but him!"

"Congratulations. You are now a Tier Four Sword Master," Shangguan Yutong said, her expression calm but her eyes smiling as she looked at Ling Xiao. "Moreover, when we return to the academy, you’ll be able to join the advanced classes!"

Applause broke out spontaneously. These children of nobility knew exactly how to treat a powerful genius. Ling Xiao’s former classmates from the basic courses stared at him, their eyes filled with envy and a hint of jealousy. Many of the girls, meanwhile, gazed at him with fervor. Some even found themselves regretting that they hadn’t been there to comfort him during the assault scandal. ’Now Yisha has beaten us to it.’

Mary was in the crowd, clapping reluctantly. She was only a Tier Three Sword Master. She desperately wanted to question whether the Crystal Stone was malfunctioning, but seeing Ling Xiao’s nonchalant expression and Teacher Shangguan’s smiling face, Mary couldn’t muster the courage. She could only repeat to herself, ’There must be something wrong with the Crystal Stone. There must be! There must be!’

"Ling Xiao, congratulations! My name is Luo Tian. I hope we can be friends!" A boy from the advanced classes extended his hand. This young man, Luo Tian, was quite handsome and well-known in the advanced classes. At eighteen, he was already a Tier One Great Sword Master. His father was a Count and held immense power in their home region. Luo Tian himself was the leading figure of his family’s younger generation. Although the Imperial Academy had geniuses a dime a dozen, gathering nearly all of the Lanyue Empire’s finest talent, Luo Tian still held a firm place among them. Becoming a Tier One Great Sword Master at eighteen was no less difficult than becoming a Tier Six Sword Master at fourteen like Xie Xiaoyan.

It might have seemed like only a single tier of difference, but in reality, that threshold was incredibly difficult to cross. Many people were stuck there for their entire lives!

Ling Xiao reached out and shook Luo Tian’s hand, sensing his sincerity. He smiled faintly. ’Respect must always be built on a foundation of strength.’

After Luo Tian was the first to extend a hand, more people rushed over to congratulate Ling Xiao on his promotion to Tier Four Sword Master, their faces showing either ingratiating or apologetic smiles.

Shangguan Yutong seized the moment to say, "All of you saw it. What was Ling Xiao’s strength a year ago... no, six months ago? He was the target of your mockery, wasn’t he?"

Shangguan Yutong’s words made many people lower their heads in shame. It was true. Almost everyone present had mocked Ling Xiao, either openly or behind his back. Even a student like Luo Tian, who was focused solely on cultivation, had once looked down on Ling Xiao as useless trash who had nothing but his family name.

"You weren’t wrong!" Shangguan Yutong said, shocking them all. "If you want to earn the respect of others, you must first work hard yourselves! We cannot choose our background or our innate aptitude, but we can compensate for those shortcomings through effort! All of you come from excellent families; even the least among you are from fabulously wealthy households. You can all cultivate without a single worry. But you’ve all seen how someone who was a Tier Five Sword Attendant just six months ago has now pulled ahead of you. Though we have Tier Six Sword Masters and even a Tier One Great Sword Master here, who among you can guarantee that Ling Xiao won’t surpass you in a short time?"

"Teacher, isn’t he a Celestial Vein Master?" Mary blurted out on impulse, her insides churning as she watched Yisha stare at Ling Xiao with near-obsession.

The moment the words left her mouth, nearly everyone turned to look at Mary. Some appeared thoughtful, but most looked at her with disdain. ’Has this girl lost her mind? Is she one of Xie Xiaoyan’s friends? Hasn’t she heard how Ling Xiao toyed with a Tier Six Sword Master? Didn’t she see him rescue Teacher Shangguan from a Tier Three Demon Swordsmen just yesterday?’

The craziest part was that the Tier Three Demon Swordsmen had actually become Ling Xiao’s follower. And though almost no one understood why, that didn’t stop them from being incredibly envious. A Tier Three Demon Swordsmen! The students from prominent noble families were especially regretful, thinking, ’If we had acted yesterday, could we have rescued Teacher Shangguan and gained Night Owl as a follower too?’ The answer was an obvious no.

’What an idiot,’ Luo Tian thought, glancing coldly at Mary with disdain.