By the time Zhou Yuan, Yaoyao, Su Youwei and the rest rushed to the Jade Spirit Waterfall, it was already flooded with people. All the students from the five classes of the Great Zhou Institute had gathered here. For a time, it was a boiling cauldron of voices, bustling with noise and excitement.

Zhou Yuan’s group passed through the crowd and arrived at the very centre. Their gazes swept about, only to find a steely-green-faced Chu Tianyang and Xu Hong standing in front of the former.

Behind Xu Hong was Qi Yue and Liu Xi.

When Qi Yue saw Zhou Yuan rush over, he could not help but reveal a slight smile towards the latter. However, his smile was filled with a toying sensation.

Chu Tianyang also caught sight of Zhou Yuan but did not say anything. He merely stared at Xu Hong with a steely-green face of anger, his fists clenching so hard that cracking noises could be heard as he said in an icy voice, “Xu Hong, don’t go overboard. The Jade Spirit Waterfall time allocation has been decided long ago. How can it possibly change at your whims?!”

“Hehe, what is headmaster Chu saying. The Jade Spirit Waterfall is the most important cultivation treasure land of our Great Zhou Institute and we naturally want to utilise it as efficiently as possible.”

Xu Hong looked at Chu Tianyang and slowly said, “In the past, the A class was the strongest class of our Great Zhou Institute and we naturally had nothing to say with regards to them using 6 hours of the Jade Spirit Waterfall.”

“But what about now? The A class has already been suppressed by our B class for two consecutive years and is no longer the leader of the classes. Since that is so, isn’t 6 hours a little unjustifiable?”

Cold light flashed in Chu Tianyang’s eyes as he retorted, “The Jade Spirit Waterfall allocation was determined by his majesty back then. If you have any objections, go look for his majesty.”

Xu Hong did not seem to mind these words as he smiled and said, “Ever since the Great Zhou Institute was established, we have been free to decide the matters of the institute and even his majesty will not interfere. Hence, there is no need for headmaster to use his majesty as a shield.”

He had long cast his lot in with king Qi, something that naturally substantially diminished his respect for Zhou Qing.

“You!”

Chu Tianyang was furious. A ferocious look surged in his eyes as he suddenly took a step forward. His body immediately shook as a crimson red aura soared from his the top of his head.

The crimson red aura was akin to a hundred foot long red cloud. Incomparably hot, it hovered in the sky above Chu Tianyang as a crimson red glow spread, causing the air in the area to turn blistering hot.

A powerful pressure swept outwards at this moment, causing all of the students’ expressions to change drastically as their legs began to tremble.

“So this is a Heaven Gate stage expert? It is indeed terrifying. Qi that breaks through the Heaven Gate is powerful enough to move mountains and split the land!” Reverence emerged in the eyes of the many students. The Genesis Qi they were able to use at the Channel Opening stage was akin to a drop in the ocean when compared to a Heaven Gate stage practitioner like Chu Tianyang.

Behind Chu Tianyang, Zhou Yuan’s face was also filled with astonishment as he glanced at the overbearing crimson red Qi. His heart shuddered as he thought, “Is this the Genesis Qi that Chu Tianyang has cultivated, the grade 3 Crimson Sun Qi?”

There were 9 grades of Genesis Qi. The better the Genesis Qi cultivation technique, the higher the grade of the cultivated Genesis Qi.

Currently, the highest level Qi cultivation technique in their Great Zhou royal treasury could only cultivate grade 4 Genesis Qi.

“Humph, want to fight? Do you really think that I am afraid of you?!” Xu Hong’s eyes turned frostier when he saw Chu Tianyang’s actions. The former also stepped forward as an equally powerful Genesis Qi burst out from the top his head like a shooting star.

This Genesis QI was akin to a silver torrent and was filled with bone-piercing coldness. An aura of coldness unfurled, causing frost to grow on the surrounding ground.

Grade 3 Genesis Qi, Silver Frost Qi!

As the two Heaven Gate stage experts faced each other, a suffocating pressure spread, causing the numerous students present to feel a surge of fear, afraid that they would be caught in the aftershocks.

After all, a battle between Heaven Gate practitioners was nothing like the childish fights of Channel Opening stage practitioners. It was a stage where even the slightest move would cause mountains to crumble and the earth to split.

“Headmaster Chu, class master Xu, this is not the place to fight!”

However, while Chu Tianyang and Xu Hong clashed with their auras, someone finally shouted, breaking the confrontation between the two.

The one who had shouted was a man in a black robe. It was the C class master, Qin Xiao.

The other two class masters also hastily called out. After all, it would benefit neither party if they were to battle here,

Following the interjection of the other class masters, Chu Tianyang and Xu Hong knew that they could not really go at it. Both immediately let out a cold snort as the crimson red and silver-frost-like auras were withdrawn, burrowing back into the top of their respective heads.

Chu Tianyang icily declared, “Humph, I definitely will not agree to changing the Jade Spirit Waterfall allocation!” 

Rage emerged in Xu Hong’s eyes. Just as he was about to speak, Qi Yue suddenly smiled and said, “Headmaster Chu, our proposal is not aimed against the A class, but for all of the students of our Great Zhou Institute.”

“Headmaster should know how important the Jade Spirit Waterfall is to us students. In the past, the allocation was based on how the A class stood above all the other classes. Hence none of us had any dissent towards the A class having 6 hours.”

“But the current A class in the decline. If it is still allowed to occupy so much time, won’t it be a little too unfair to the other students? Thus, reallocating the cultivation time is what everyone wants.”

Qi Yue’s voice sounded righteous and awe-inspiring, causing the numerous students around the Jade Spirit Waterfall to secretly nod in agreement. Everyone knew that the Jade Spirit Waterfall was extremely useful to those at the Channel Opening stage. If they were allocated a little more time, their channel opening rate would rise.

With regards to obtaining benefits for oneself, everyone would always be a little selfish.

Qi Yue laughed inside when he saw the acknowledgement from the crowd. He gazed at the increasingly ugly expression on Chu Tianyang’s face as he continued, “Headmaster Chu, although you are the class master of the A class, do not forget that you are also the headmaster of the Great Zhou Institute. If you cannot be fair, I’m afraid that you will lose the will of the people.”

Chu Tianyang’s expression changed completely, because these words of Qi Yue’s were practically putting his head on the chopping block. If he dared to deny them, it would surely turn the other students against him.

“You!” Chu Tianyang’s cheeks faintly twitched.

Behind Chu Tianyang, the numerous A class students were likewise speechless while their faces had also turned rather ugly. After all, Qi Yue was doggedly grabbing onto the fact that the current results of their A class was no good and did not have the qualifications to be the leader of the classes. This was a point that they could not refute.

“According to the rules, if you want to take the A class’ place as the leader of the classes, you will have to wait till the A class loses first place in the class ranking exam for three consecutive years. Since the year-end class ranking exam has yet to arrive, isn’t kicking the A class down from their leader status being a little too impatient?” While the many A class students expressions were twisted, a calm voice suddenly rang out. Numerous gazes converged towards the origin of the voice, only to find that it was a thin, scholarly youth standing behind Chu Tianyang.

It was Zhou Yuan.

Qi Yue faintly smiled when he saw that Zhou Yuan had spoken. “Since the current A class has already lost first place in the class ranking exam for two successive years, this year will naturally be no exception. Therefore, being the leader of classes now only exists in name. There is no need for your highness to force this point.”

“Rules are the rules. Moreover, I do not believe that our A class will lose first place this year.” Zhou Yuan also smiled. His voice was flat and did not waver.

Qi Yue’s eyes narrowed as disdain emerged from the corners of his mouth, matching tit for tat as he replied, “Your highness opinion seems to be rather naive. There are only a few months till the year-end class ranking exam and the outcome is already more than obvious. Why should the A class still occupy 6 hours of Jade Spirit Waterfall training and waste this cultivation resource?”

Zhou Yuan shook his head. “I do not feel that our A class Jade Spirit Waterfall training is a waste of cultivation resource.”

Qi Yue coldly chuckled. “Since you insist on being stubborn with words, do you dare to prove your words with action?”

“Oh?” Zhou Yuan’s eyebrows raised slightly.

“Relax, I do not plan on having a match with you guys. That will be a little too unfair.” Qi Yue smiled superficially. His tone was filled with both contempt and disdain, causing the faces of the numerous A class students to turn steely-green with rage.

Qi Yue pointed at the flowing Jade Spirit Waterfall as a penetrating look surfaced in his eyes. “If you are unconvinced, each of us will send one representative into the Jade Spirit Waterfall and see who lasts the longest. This will naturally show exactly who is wasting this cultivation resource!”

It was at this very moment that he finally revealed his plan.

Chu Tianyang said in a low voice, “You have long opened six meridian channels and the quality of your body is very high. Who can possibly endure as long as you in the Jade Spirit Waterfall?”

Although Zhou Yuan’s performance in the Jade Spirit Waterfall was outstanding and the time he managed to persist was growing longer and longer, one must know that Qi Yue could do the same with just the high quality of his body.

Qi Yue indifferently said, “If headmaster Chu feels that this is not fair, you can only blame your A class for having no one who is able to reach the six channels.”

Fury flooded Chu Tianyang’s eyes. Just as he was about to speak, Zhou Yuan said, “What are the stakes?” 

Zhou Yuan could tell that Qi Yue had come prepared and would not let the matter drop so easily. Thus, it was likely that they would have to go through with it no matter what.

“The stakes huh… if our B class wins, the A class will have to cough up 3 hours of training time. 2 hours will end up with my B class and the remaining hour will be split amongst the other three classes. How does that sound?” The corners of Qi Yue’s lips raised as he stared at Zhou Yuan as if the latter was prey that was about to be caught.

“3 hours?!” Rage immediately covered the other A class students’ faces when they heard this. Practically half of their A class 6 hours would be taken away. This would be a substantial blow indeed.

The students of the other classes did not remark. It was clear from the current situation that the A class and B class were competing. However, they would be rather satisfied if they could ultimately get some additional Jade Spirit Waterfall training time.

Hence, most of the students decided to wait and see from the sidelines with regards to Qi Yue’s overbearingness.

Zhou Yuan’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the smiling Qi Yue. A brief moment later, the former slowly said, “3 hours huh? Deal! However, if you lose, the B class also needs to pay 3 hours of Jade Spirit Waterfall cultivation time!”

If they were to face each other head-on, Zhou Yuan, who had yet to open his fourth meridian channel, did not favor his chances against a six channel Qi Yue. But if they were to compete in Jade Spirit Waterfall training, Zhou Yuan was confident that he did not need to fear any of the Great Zhou Institute students.

He knew the Qi Yue was prepared, but he should not look down on Zhou Yuan.

Moreover, similar to how Qi Yue was eyeing the 6 hours belonging to their A class, Zhou Yuan likewise felt that these 6 hours were too short… He just never had any justification so far and was unable to change anything. Since Qi Yue suddenly decided to send a big present over, Zhou Yuan did not have any reason to reject.

Qi Yue’s expression turned a little rigid at this moment, evident unprepared for Zhou Yuan’s straightforward agreement. However, he soon recalled his hidden trump and an eerily vicious look involuntarily flitted across his eyes.

“Alright! If we lose, our B class will also lose 3 hours!”

As Qi Yue’s words faded, a commotion exploded from the numerous surrounding students as they swiftly began to stir. From the looks of it, there was no need to wait till the year-end class ranking exam. The clash between the A class and the B class would begin here…

However, it was obvious that they favored the B class, because the B class had Qi Yue. As the only six channel student in the current Great Zhou Institute, he was an existence that towered over everyone else.

On the other hand, Zhou Yuan had only opened three meridian channels. How could he possibly match Qi Yue?

Why had the usually calm and level-headed prince Zhou Yuan lost his cool today?