Chapter 94: The Tricked-Into-Position Chief Disciple of the Serene Void Academy

Below the arena, Jun Wudi let out a long sigh of relief as he watched Song Ping and Lu Chen step forward together. His chest, once tight with tension, relaxed, and he approached Lu Chen with a warm smile.

He began directing the cultivators, helping them settle in and tend to their injuries, while also tidying up the broken tables and chairs in the cabin.

Lu Chen took the token Song Ping handed him and felt a flicker of surprise as his eyes caught the words inscribed on it.

"Chief disciple of the Serene Void Academy?" Lu Chen looked at Song Ping. "Why are you giving me this? Isn't that your role?"

Song Ping sighed, his gaze softening as he spoke. "Not any longer. I hate to admit it, but you have defeated me fair and square. From today onward, the position is rightfully yours."

"Me? Chief of the Serene Void Academy? Absolutely not. I may be greedy, but I still know to respect hierarchy."

He quickly tried to hand the token back, yet Song Ping didn't immediately accept it. "There are still many senior disciples ahead. I've just joined the sect. It wouldn't be proper for me to take this."

"There's no such thing as proper or improper here. Cultivators live for hundreds of years. In the cultivation world, age doesn't matter. Talent and strength do. Strength commands respect. Only the strong deserve the title of chief disciple."

Song Ping looked over the cultivators below the arena. "I am now a member of the Godslayer Squad. I no longer need this title myself. Usually, the token is passed down through a series of challenges, where the next disciple must prove their strength. But that process is no longer necessary.

"In the arena, you have already faced half the disciples of the Serene Void Academy. And now, you've defeated me in front of everyone. That alone is more than enough to prove your strength."

"But... this really isn't proper, and..."

Lu Chen hesitated, holding the token. When joining the Heavenly Mandate Hall, he had never intended to become the chief disciple of the Serene Void Academy. He only wanted to practice and learn the ways of the continent before setting out to find his grandfather.

"My fate... ensures I won't stay in the Heavenly Mandate Hall for long."

Lu Chen lifted his head, looked at Song Ping, and firmly pressed the token back into his hands. "You should keep this token for now. When we return to the sect, you can pass it to another senior disciple."

The cultivators below the arena noticed the exchange and paused their activities, murmuring among themselves, eager to see how the situation would unfold.

Song Ping waved to the crowd, signaling them to be quiet, and handed the token back to Lu Chen.

He looked at Lu Chen and continued, "

Heh

. I am aware of that. Lord Jun has privately told me about it."

"Uncle Jun told you?"

Lu Chen glanced at Jun Wudi, recalling his earlier words. "So giving me the token... that was his idea?"

"Yes. That was his intention. You must have heard of his past, right?"

Song Ping glanced at Jun Wudi. As he turned back, the corners of his mouth twitched into a faint smile before settling back into a calm expression.

"Lord Jun has no children. You, as his first disciple, are almost like his heir. So..."

Song Ping reached out and patted Lu Chen on the shoulder. "So he arranged a position for you—the chief disciple of the Serene Void Academy."

Lu Chen looked puzzled. "A position? There's no need. I am Lu Chen. I don't need any other title."

"Wrong. You're absolutely wrong."

Song Ping shook his head at Lu Chen with a teasing glint in his eyes. "As of now, you lack a noble background, and that's not ideal. Your future is destined to place you at the center of the continent. You need enough recognition to stand on equal footing with the disciples of noble families. That's Lord Jun's true intention, and the real purpose of this battle."

He glanced at the cultivators below the arena and leaned closer, whispering, "If you don't believe me, ask them."

Lu Chen looked down. The cultivators all stared at him expectantly, eager for him to assume the role of chief disciple.

"Is that really true?"

"Of course it's true."

Song Ping grabbed Lu Chen's arm, his tone serious. "Lord Jun had originally intended for you to prove your strength first. Only after that would he hand you the token. But your talent is extraordinary, so I have to give it to you now."

He looked around solemnly. "Now you should understand the significance of this title."

"If Uncle Jun says so, then I'll accept it... for now."

Lu Chen slipped the token into his sleeve and looked at Song Ping. "But when I leave, or if someone more suitable appears at the Serene Void Academy, I'll pass the token on."

"

Hahaha

, that's fine. But there will be no one more suitable than you. From today on, Lu Chen, you are the chief disciple of the Serene Void Academy."

Lu Chen stared at him, bewildered by his urgency. "Why so eager? Shouldn't there at least be a ceremony?"

"That doesn't matter. If you want a ceremony, we can do it later."

Song Ping clasped his hands and bowed, declaring loudly for the cultivators below to hear, "I hereby pay my respects to you, Senior Martial Brother Lu."

The disciples below the arena noticed his gesture and words. They quickly realized that Lu Chen was now the chief disciple. Over two hundred cultivators bowed in unison to him.

Song Ping waved his hand in front of Lu Chen. "What are you standing there for? A junior must pay respect when meeting a senior, and the senior must return it. It's an unwritten rule in the cultivation world."

Seeing Lu Chen still dazed, Song Ping patted his shoulder. "Hurry and return their greeting. The juniors are waiting."

Lu Chen looked down at the cultivators below and realized that they had been holding their respectful stance for a long time. "

Ah...

alright."

He quickly cupped his hands together and bowed. "Greetings, juniors."

As Lu Chen returned the greeting, the cultivators bowed simultaneously. "Greetings, Senior Martial Brother Lu. Congratulations on becoming chief disciple of the Serene Void Academy."

Jun Laoye, observing Lu Chen's expression, smiled faintly and raised his voice along with the others, cheering Lu Chen's name.

"Senior Martial Brother Lu has really become the chief disciple. With his talent and strength, I'm sure the Serene Void Academy will rise."

"Once Lord Jun recovers from his injuries, no other academy will dare bully us. The Serene Void Academy will surely become the top among the six."

"

Haha

, yes, yes, the top academy it is!"

𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

While Jun Wudi arranged the formation, the cultivators below had already pieced together much of the truth. Seeing Lu Chen's astonishing talent and strength, they hoped he would succeed Song Ping as the next chief disciple of the Serene Void Academy.

Hearing the murmurs, Lu Chen felt uneasy. He turned to Song Ping. "Brother Song, I have a feeling this is a trap. Uncle Jun never mentioned any of this."

"

Whoa?

You figured it out?" Song Ping scratched his head awkwardly and laughed. "

Haha,

I thought it'd take a while before you would find out about it. Yes, Lord Jun hasn't appointed you to be the chief disciple yet. But the fact remains that you defeated me. That proves you're qualified. Besides, you already agreed."

Song Ping gave Lu Chen a sly smile and pointed at the cultivators below. "With all these people watching, you won't back out now, will you? That'd be embarrassing."

Lu Chen's anger coiled uncomfortably within him. "You... you actually tricked me? I may have broken your spear, but you didn't have to take revenge on me like this."

"

Haha

, you broke my spear. I'd never let that slide. You brought this upon yourself! And since Lord Jun didn't stop me, it means he approves."

Song Ping turned serious. "But everything I said is true. You need recognition—a status that lets you stand on equal footing with the disciples of the great clans."

Lu Chen sighed. "Fine, alright then. I can't back out now anyway, but this still doesn't feel like the real reason. I'm already Uncle Jun's personal disciple. That status carries more weight than any chief disciple title. Tell me your real purpose."

"My... real purpose?" Song Ping smiled at Lu Chen. "My real purpose is that I hope you can truly perform as the chief disciple of the Serene Void Academy. And I want you to secure the Serene Void Academy's resources during this year's sect trials."

"What do you mean? Sect trials? So that's your real intention? What else have you not told me?"

Lu Chen hurried after Song Ping. "Little Jun said Uncle Jun forbade fighting, so the Serene Void Academy wouldn't lose resources. He never mentioned any trials."

"Second Young Master?"

Song Ping approached the Frost Dragon. He took the chain Wind Dragon passed him and gently stroked the Frost Dragon's head. The dragon calmed instantly. "Second Young Master is here for the first time. He hasn't yet understood the full situation. My real purpose is—"

Just then, Wind Dragon mocked, "

Little Lu! You're an idiot!

"

He coiled above Lu Chen's head, dispersing spirit qi across his body. Then he gradually vanished from sight.

"Whatever he handed you was like a disaster thrown your way. Definitely not something good."

Hearing Wind Dragon's mocking tone, Lu Chen braced himself for Song Ping's next words.

"Since you've already noticed the problem, I won't hide it. The Serene Void Academy is in a bit of a pinch right now."

Song Ping continued stroking the Frost Dragon. He seized the moment while Jun Wudi was still maintaining the formation and began explaining the academy's condition.

"Our resources have long been deprived. Most disciples were unable to continue and transferred to other academies. Now, the Serene Void Academy has barely over three hundred disciples left. Most are ordinary cultivators who have received the lord's favor, and their talent is mediocre.

"Other academies' top ten disciples are at least at the Qi Condensation Realm, some nearing the mid-level of that realm. The remaining disciples are mostly at mid-level Qi Regulation Realm or above. The Serene Void Academy is the only academy with disciples consistently ranked at the bottom. High-level Qi Regulation Realm disciples are rare, and I'm the only one in the Qi Condensation Realm. On top of that, I am leaving."

Lu Chen roared in frustration. "This... this is a total mess! You can't even handle it as a level-one Qi Condensation Realm cultivator, and you expect me, a level-one Qi Regulation Realm cultivator, to fix it?"