"Teacher John... really does not play by the rules," an instructor murmured.

"So that was what he had been planning during the days he disappeared!

No wonder he kept himself hidden the whole time."

"I still think this is too absurd...

Is it really appropriate to let the item-based path become so popular?"

For a time, everyone whispered among themselves. They all felt that this result was somewhat unfair.

However, their opinions had no effect whatsoever, because the ones truly deciding the results this time were the vice headmasters.

Seeing that the vice headmasters had acknowledged Rein’s result, the corners of John’s mouth lifted slightly.

This meant...

The one million points were already secured.

His side had prepared thoroughly, while the opponents had been caught completely off guard. From the very beginning, there had been no suspense about the outcome.

Sure enough, the following matches were exactly the same.

The other Class D students stepped onto the stage one after another and repeated the same method.

Each of them carried a mountain of items onto the competition stage and used the same approach to crush their Class A opponents until they had no strength to fight back.

Ayla won.

Kaine won.

All were overwhelming victories.

All advanced.

The Class D students specifically challenged Class A, and every single one of them won.

The entire grand competition turned into a one-sided item showcase.

...

The grand competition ended.

John and the others submitted their mission.

The two vice headmasters looked at John with expressions so complicated they were difficult to describe.

"To be honest, I was always curious what method you would use to raise the students’ strength..."

The left vice headmaster gave a bitter smile.

"I did not expect you to directly make the students walk the item-based path."

"You relied on piles of treasures to forcefully crush through everything."

"Although the academy indeed has no rule forbidding the use of items, after this grand competition, I fear many students will place their focus on collecting treasures instead. Their own cultivation may become neglected."

"The impact of this is too great. Do you have any solution?"

John spoke in an indifferent tone.

"Everything that reaches its peak must eventually decline."

"Before this grand competition, everyone was walking the path of personal strength.

Once the item-based path appears, the strength-based path will naturally decline for a time."

"But once everyone has treasures, what they ultimately compete with will still be their own solid strength."

"At that point, will it not return to the strength-based path again?"

"Everything is merely a cycle."

The right vice headmaster slowly nodded.

"This is the principle by which the universe operates."

"As expected of John. The rewards we promised will now be given to you."

Very soon, John, Holly, Odelle, and Silt each received a notification that one million points had been credited to their accounts.

"Farewell."

John put away the points and prepared to leave.

"Please wait," the left vice headmaster called out to him. "May I ask whether Your Excellency John would be interested in holding an honorary position at the academy?

When you have free time, you only need to occasionally give the students some guidance."

The right vice headmaster also added, "You are a true practical fighter who fought your way out of blood and fire.

I greatly approve of your philosophy. What a powerhouse needs is to become stronger and defeat enemies at all costs."

"Although the theoretical faction in the academy is not weak, they ultimately lack real combat experience and are somewhat too naive.

If you could occasionally offer some pointers, it would be greatly beneficial to the students’ growth."

After the two vice headmasters finished speaking, they looked at John with eager eyes.

John blinked, then suddenly smiled.

"Is there compensation?"

"Yes," the left vice headmaster said. "A base salary of two hundred thousand points per year.

Moreover, you do not need to stay here permanently. Even if you do not come for a long time, it will not matter."

The right vice headmaster smiled and said, "You only need to give occasional guidance."

There was such a good thing?

John agreed at once.

"Very well. In that case, I will accept on behalf of my companions as well."

"Excellent." The left vice headmaster smiled and nodded.

"Most excellent." The right vice headmaster echoed.

After taking his leave, John and the other three returned once again to the lakeside pavilion.

This time, John exchanged a qualification to enter the Cosmic Mother Tree Secret Realm for each of them, as well as specialized containers for storing the World Tree Fruit.

Their points were almost completely exhausted.

"According to the calculations, the World Tree Fruit in the Cosmic Mother Tree Secret Realm has already entered its falling period.

Once we enter, we can directly fight for it."

After John finished speaking, he took out the certificate for entering the secret realm.

It was a glass-like crystal the size of a thumb.

[Cosmic Mother Tree Secret Realm Entry Certificate]

[Type]: Secret Realm Ticket

[Affiliated Faction]: Skyvault Consortium

[Effect]: After use, one can be directly teleported to the Cosmic Mother Tree Secret Realm.

[Introduction]: Skyvault Consortium holds a place within the Cosmic Mother Tree Secret Realm. It possesses five entry slots for each layer of the secret realm.

John chose to use it without hesitation.

Swish.

His figure vanished from the Skyvault Consortium branch. In the next instant, he appeared within the Cosmic Mother Tree Secret Realm.

At the same time,

somewhere within the Skyvault Consortium branch, beneath an ancient locust tree wrapped in radiance,

two Sovereign-rank powerhouses were playing a game of chess.

At the very same moment John and the others disappeared, one of them paused slightly as he was about to place a piece.

"Oh?

A demigod-grade powerhouse has finally dared to go to the demigod sub-realm of the Cosmic Mother Tree Secret Realm."

The Sovereign-rank powerhouse playing against him smiled and replied, "The demigod grades nurtured by Eternal Summit are the most troublesome. After all, they are the best at cultivating juniors.

The demigod sub-realm has practically become Eternal Summit’s internal competition."

"Even if demigods from our other factions go there, they cannot gain much advantage. That is why, for so many years, no one has been willing to set foot inside."

"Those few little fellows who went this time seem to be unfamiliar faces.

Does Starsea Sovereign know their background?"

The powerhouse known as Starsea Sovereign nodded slightly.

"I have indeed heard of them."

"High God Duowen already reported to me that this person possesses the bearing of an unrivaled monster.

At the demigod level, it is difficult to find him an opponent."

"Now that he has entered the demigod sub-realm, he should gain something from this trip."

"Azure Lotus Sovereign, are you willing to make a bet with me?"

Azure Lotus Sovereign smiled.

"How shall we bet?"

"I bet that the little fellow can obtain a World Tree Fruit in the demigod sub-realm and suppress all enemies."

Starsea Sovereign’s tone carried certainty.

"You are that confident?" Azure Lotus Sovereign raised an eyebrow. "The demigod sub-realm is currently filled with powerhouses, all wanting to fight for those few World Tree Fruits and advance to High God."

"Eternal Summit has Aldric, who is said to be invincible among demigods. The Tower of Myriad Treasures has selected Adrian, a demigod-limit powerhouse, from countless spaces and timelines. The Shadow Divine Court has even sent Cedric, an undefeated one who crossed a timeline of ten million years..."

"Every single one of those people can kill High God-level existences while only possessing demigod strength.

In their eyes, ordinary High Gods are not much different from demigods."

"Is that little fellow of yours stronger than them?"

Starsea Sovereign smiled mysteriously, his tone unhurried.

"You do not need to ask about that.

Just tell me whether you will bet or not."

"Do you think I am afraid you will trick me?" Azure Lotus Sovereign laughed. "Fine, I will bet.

I wager one Universe Primordial Stone."

"Deal. The loser pays the winner one Universe Primordial Stone." Starsea Sovereign nodded calmly.

Cosmic Mother Tree Secret Realm.

A towering giant tree whose top and bottom could not be seen was rooted in the boundless void.

Energy so abundant that it had almost become stagnant surged through space like a raging torrent.