The Founder of Qi Cultivation, Reincarnates?

Listening to this disciple’s reluctant tone of voice, Xi Shen simply said, “There’s no need. I should have mentioned this before, but my Faction will be completely different from everything else before its creation. Its name is the Divine Music Sword Faction. And it’s going to be a faction that focuses on combining the Mystical Sword Dao and the untainted Music Dao. Unfortunately, my requirements are high, and your willpower has not reached that requirement. You're not suitable to cultivate Soul Arts. Oh, and if anyone thinks this Faction will be back by my family, then don't. I will be the only financial pillar of the Faction, and my members would have to work hard to earn their place.”

Xi Shen made sure to outline these things, so these disciples won't get any ideas. He had thought about it for a while, and he chose not to create his Faction as an extension of his family like the other Seven Major Clans have done, but for his own use. He was preparing to go on missions to earn Academy Points and explore the Maple Continent with his Faction members.

Even though he was doing what his father wanted by reviving the interest of Soul Cultivation in the Celestial Academy, he was still excited to see how leading a Faction would turn out. He wanted to hopefully one day create a legion of cultivators that obeyed his every command.

Not that he couldn't ask his father for his personal army, but where was the fun and excitement in that? Plus he wouldn't be able to exert any influence over them, as they would secretly look down on him in their hearts. As for the future members of his faction, he had plenty of time to "train" them to become loyal subordinates of his.

That disciple and others were surprised to hear about Xi Shen’s Faction, that he was creating it independent of his family. This made the desire they might have felt about getting benefits from the Li Royal Family if they purposely lost, fade away immediately.

Plus hearing that they were going to be practicing useless Soul Arts in this Faction, the four disciples were frightened at the thought of it since they had lost.

That male disciple who Xi Shen hadn't chosen, didn’t waste time bowing in respect to Xi Shen before he quickly left the stage. Happy he didn't have to join his weird Faction, as well as from embarrassment for his previous words.

Xi Shen told the other three disciples the same thing, and they all let out a sigh of relief in their hearts, but still glanced at the pill feeling it was a pity they couldn't try again. In their minds, they weren't ready the first time, so that's why they had fallen into Xi Shen's illusion so easily. If they tried again, they were sure they could brush off a small Soul Attack like that, after preparing their minds.

The crowd below watched as the four disciples left the stage, not really knowing how to react.

They didn’t really understand what Xi Shen had done to defeat them. All they saw was him plucking his Zither string and four elite Sea Expansion Realm Inner Disciples become completely motionless.

That was shocking if one thinks about the ease with which he did it.

“What exactly just happened? How did the second prince just win so easily?

One disciple asked in confusion.

Another one who was close by turned to him and said, “Weren’t you watching? The second prince just used a Soul Attack and put them in some kind of illusion.”

The disciple who had spoken first still had a confused expression as he asked skeptically, “A Soul Art? How can a Soul Art be so powerful to defeat four Sea Expansion Realm Cultivators so easily? This type of power was not what I heard Soul Cultivators could use.”

The disciple who had answered his question had a skeptical look on his face too, as he responded, “I don’t know, I heard that Soul Attacks by Soul Cultivators are easy to deal with as well.”

All eyes looked at Xi Shen strangely. It was hard to comprehend exactly what was going on, and why he had defeated four Sea Expansion Realm Cultivators with a simple pluck of his zither. They have never truly seen a Soul Cultivator battle before, but they have heard about their power and those things they heard were only about how useless they were.

As everyone was staring at Xi Shen with a skeptical expression, a voice sounded above the crowd slightly.

“Ha! What’s there to be skeptical about?! The four opponents of the second prince were just caught off guard. Do you guys really think Soul Arts would be so powerful to defeat four Sea Expansion Realm experts so easily?”

Everyone heard this voice and they too started to think this was the case. They just couldn’t believe what they had thought about Soul Cultivation for so long was wrong.

Xi Shen heard this shout as well and had turned his head to where it came from in the crowd. He was just in time to see a disciple ducking in the crowd out of sight.

Seeing this, Xi Shen let loose a slight sneer at the corner of his lips. However, he had no time to deal with these ignorant people and instead got up ready to head to the Missions Hall to challenge the next opponent.

He decided he would start battling a single opponent to move up the rankings. From the disciples he just battled, he realized he wouldn’t find anyone with mental fortitude and willpower strong enough to cultivate Soul Arts.

Everyone watched as Xi Shen started heading to the edge of the stage, but a disciple in the crowd suddenly shouted.

“Would the second prince consider giving me a chance?!!”

Everyone in the crowd turned to see who had just yelled with surprised expressions on their faces.

Xi Shen turned around as well to look at this disciple. He was a male disciple who wore the Inner Disciple’s blue robes. His face was that of a young man in his mid to late teens, but with a mature bearing about him.

Xi Shen was taken aback that someone would voluntarily participate in his bet. One of the reasons he liked this arrangement for recruiting members of his Faction, was that they couldn’t refuse his invitation to a match. And if they don’t want to play his game, they would have to forfeit the match and fall in the Rankings, something they were unwilling to do.

Xi Shen didn’t think people would want to take the risk of choosing the side of the prince who can’t cultivate in the Academy. But he guessed they thought his Soul Arts were weak and could be easily overcome.

However, Xi Shen didn’t want to waste time testing any and every disciple. It was better to stick with the ones on the Rankings, or else his plan could spiral out of control with everyone wanting to battle and supposedly take advantage of him.

Xi Shen shook his head at the disciple, before saying, “I’m only accepting matches from opponents on the Inner Disciple Rankings. If you aren’t…”

Xi Shen wasn’t able to finish his second sentence, as that disciple’s eyes brighten at his first, and said hurriedly, “Second prince, I am on the Inner Disciple Rankings. I’m at position number 991st!”

Xi Shen was taken aback by this coincidence, but he quickly composed himself and said, “Alright, we’ll head to the Mission Hall to arrange a match.”

That disciple looked at Xi Shen confused when he heard his words, but then realized something. The disciple leaped onto the stage and shook his head at Xi Shen.

In a respectful tone, he then said, “Second prince, it’s probably because you're new to the Inner Disciple Rankings, but disciples can register a match on their own without heading to the Missions Hall.”

That disciple then pulled out his purple ranking jade slip and said, “With our ranking jade slips, all we have to do is place ours together face first, and it will register our battle.”

Hearing this, Xi Shen marveled at the convenience, but he guessed this was natural since it would be a hassle if every time someone wanted to arrange a match they had need to head to the Missions Hall.

Xi Shen took out his ranking jade slip and then used his Soul Diffusion Art to move it towards the disciple.

That disciple and the others in the crowd were taken aback when Xi Shen’s ranking jade slip suddenly shot out of his palm and then traced a perfect arc in the air to stop several meters away from the young man.

After his initial surprise, the young man lifted up his ranking jade slip and place it against Xi Shen’s own which was floating motionlessly in the air. After the two jade slips let out a violet glow, the young man removed his, and Xi Shen called back his jade slip.

Seeing Xi Shen’s use of Soul Sense once again left the young disciple amazed. He too can lift objects with his Soul Sense, but if he wanted to exercise such perfect control of small objects, it would be impossible for him. His jade slip would be zigzagging in the air, unlike Xi Shen’s perfect arc.

After Xi Shen collected his ranking jade slip, he sent his disguised Divine Soul inside the jade slip and he saw his and the youth’s current ranking and cultivation. The youth's cultivation was at the Sea Expansion Realm, and there were even details of what Phase in the Meridian Opening Realm he had broken through to the Sea Expansion Realm from, which was the Second Phase.

Though what Xi Shen was curious about was his current cultivation level which was displayed.

“Li Xi Shen has the capabilities to battle Sea Expansion Realm Cultivators with Soul Arts.”

Xi Shen mused to himself that this would start updating constantly in his upcoming matches. He then turned around and head back to his spot to sit down.

“All the same rules apply as before.”

Xi Shen said that to the disciple, who in turn nodded his head at Xi Shen, but his eyes were completely glued on the small wooden box Xi Shen had placed in front of him.

….

…

..

Somewhere in the void above the Colosseum Arena, the figure of Ye Fei was calmly floating there while staring down at the stage in amusement.

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Word Count: 1771