Chapter 162: Identity Is Not Simple

There's no need to describe what Shilei had become; suffice it to say, he was a sight too horrible to behold. As a result, only four people were present to receive the runner-up award at the ceremony...

"Next, we invite Dean Jiantong of Sacred Soul Academy to bestow the academy's exclusive combat honorary titles upon the top three teams!"

Deafening cheers erupted from all the stone towers. Combat Platform Number One was now the center of everyone's attention.

Xu Yang held Little Tuantuan in his arms. As the biggest dark horse of the competition, she had become the most beloved figure in Sacred Soul Academy, with fans flocking around her wherever she went.

Dean Jiantong arrived at Combat Platform Number One, accompanied by three vice deans. He interacted with Xu Yang and the others and presented the medals.

However, when the old man appeared nearby, Lingyao, standing next to Xu Yang, suddenly froze, her eyes widening. As if she had seen something terrifying, she instinctively lowered her head, and her aura underwent a rare, restless change.

It's worth noting that Lingyao rarely displayed emotional fluctuations within Xu Yang's team. This made Xu Yang very sensitive to her, and he immediately sensed something was amiss.

"Hmm? You..."

Dean Jiantong cast a deep glance at the disguised Lingyao. He let out a noncommittal hum, a hint of a smile playing on his lips, then completed his duties as a matter of routine and left as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.

"Lingyao, what's wrong?"

Xu Yang asked her with concern. With his keen perception, he had long noticed something was off with her.

"That Dean Jiantong... I seem to have seen him somewhere before. His aura feels very familiar to me!"

Xu Yang nodded thoughtfully and didn't say anything further.

After returning to Longkun Stone Tower, all the students from Longkun's class proactively gathered around them. They had completely dropped their previous exclusive attitude towards the exchange students, smiling widely as they approached and began to fawn.

"Ahaha, I can't believe you actually won the championship, that's amazing!!"

"From now on, our class will also be a champion class! Let's all look out for each other!"

"Later, could you endorse my blacksmith shop? Let me bask in your glory too. You can name any price for the endorsement fee!"

Xu Yang and the others felt a headache coming on as they tried to figure out how to escape the situation. Suddenly, a streak of light flew down from the sky; it was none other than Vice Dean Gallio, who had just accompanied Jiantong at the awards ceremony!

"As the champion members, Dean Jiantong invites you to dinner. In three hours, you can come to Stone Tower Number One with Longkun."

Xu Yang instinctively recalled what Lingyao had said to him during the awards ceremony. He felt that this dinner might not be so simple!

"Understood."

The Vice Dean ascended and departed, and the students from Longkun's class also went their separate ways. Only Longkun and Xu Yang's group of five remained in the vast stone tower.

"You guys are really lucky! The Dean never interacts closely with students. Even I, a teacher at this academy, rarely get to see him in person."

Xu Yang and Lingyao exchanged glances, increasingly feeling that there was something fishy going on.

"Are you sure you want to come with us tonight?"

"Of course! Why not? This is a rare opportunity for me to make an appearance. Come on, you guys aren't thinking of burning bridges, are you? I plan to thoroughly butter up the Dean tonight!"

Longkun, of course, had no idea what Xu Yang and the others had been through, and he also failed to grasp Xu Yang's subtle hints. On the contrary, he seemed to be eagerly anticipating the dinner.

In the blink of an eye, three hours passed, and the sky gradually darkened. Longkun led Xu Yang's group of five directly to Stone Tower Number One. Only then did they realize that the two vice deans were already waiting outside the tower to greet Xu Yang's group.

"So formal? It's just a championship; do they need to make such a grand display?"

A storm was brewing.

As Xu Yang passed by the two vice deans, these two peak Cavern Realm experts gave him an indescribable sense of unease. On the surface, they were courteous and pleasant, but in reality, no one knew what thoughts they harbored.

Upon entering the inner hall of the stone tower, the solemn hall appeared exceptionally luxurious and exquisite. As Stone Tower Number One, it was usually reserved for important guests and rarely open to the public.

"Welcome, the team that achieved champion glory!"

The Dean turned around, and with a smile, his gaze swept over each member of Xu Yang's team.

"Ahaha, Dean, you're too kind. It's all thanks to their strength; it has nothing to do with me."

Longkun awkwardly tried to make his presence known. The awkward part was that the Dean didn't even glance at him properly; his gaze, instead, lingered more on Lingyao.

Shortly after they sat down and exchanged a few pleasantries, the Dean suddenly changed the subject: "This young friend's mastery of the Sword Realm is extraordinary. And being an exchange student... May I ask which lineage you are a successor of?"

"Just as I thought!"

So Xu Yang thought to himself, continuing to eat the delicacies before him. It was Lingyao who put down her cutlery and softly said, "A humble sect, not worth mentioning."

"Oh? The Heavenly Sword Holy Land, one of the ten great holy lands on the continent, has become a small sect?"

As soon as the Dean's voice rang out, Bai Lianxue and Ling Qingshu simultaneously stopped their movements, both looking at the Dean with serious expressions.

"As expected of the Dean of Sacred Soul Academy, you are truly knowledgeable and well-informed. You've even heard about the Heavenly Sword Holy Land?"

Xu Yang spoke with a calm and faint smile. He knew it was time for him to step forward and confront the old man.

"To be frank with you all, the Third Elder of the Heavenly Sword Holy Land is my elder brother. Previously, the Holy Land suffered a catastrophic downfall. Fortunately, a trusted confidant from my brother's lineage brought me a wisp of his lingering will, delivering the news. That's how I learned that Xu Yang, the ancestor of the Tianlan Sect, personally led people to destroy the Holy Land and then supported Lingyao, making her the new Holy Lord."

Lingyao no longer tried to conceal anything. She looked at the Dean with sharp eyes and said, "That's right, the Holy Land did indeed undergo a major upheaval, and that's why I left Qizhou."

"Oh, so that's how it is... Then that means you must be the Holy Lord Lingyao's direct disciple, correct? Even the Spiritual Jade was passed down to you. For such a great and virtuous person to come to my small academy in the Three Thousand Dao States as an exchange student... I'm a little confused by that."

With the conversation having reached this point, it was clear that the dinner could no longer continue.

Xu Yang burst into laughter. "Dean, oh Dean, with all your great wisdom, how could you make such a fundamental mistake? Some things, even if you see through them, shouldn't be revealed, because once you do, you will bear unimaginable consequences."

*Boom!*

Xu Yang's powerful aura erupted instantly. All the pots, bowls, and utensils on the table shattered, and even the exquisite long wooden table flew out.

"W-what's going on?! Y-you guys..."

Longkun was utterly dumbfounded. He had never dreamed that these exchange students under his care would possess such incredible true identities!