Starting as a Grandmaster, all of my cultivation techniques are at max level.

Five days later, a bronze chariot slowly drove away from Silver Sand City.

Xia Jin, inside the carriage, lifted the curtain and looked back at Yinsha City with a deep gaze.

The city, which was not particularly grand but was exceptionally warm, was gradually shrinking in his field of vision.

This was his first stop in the Mirage Realm.

"I didn't expect to leave here so soon!" Xia Jin sighed, a mix of emotions welling up inside her.

"Give me some more time..." Xia Jin's gaze gradually hardened.

"When I stand at the top of the entire Mirage Realm pyramid, I will make Silver Sand City one of the top cities in the entire Cloud Return Prefecture, no, it should be the entire Fengyuan Prefecture."

When that time comes, he will bring Leng Yuexi and all of Xia Jin's relatives to this Mirage Realm.

After all, no matter how good the Great Xia Dynasty is, it is still just a lower realm. Once those alien races launch a large-scale invasion, even with the temples, they cannot protect them. Only the Mirage Realm can safeguard them.

"What's wrong? You can't bear to part with it?"

Just as he was lost in thought, the voice of the Grand Hall Master suddenly came from behind him.

Xia Jin snapped out of her daze, lowered the carriage curtain, and turned around.

Inside the carriage, the Grand Master had opened his eyes at some point. He looked at Xia Jin with a slight smile on his face.

"I am a little reluctant to leave." Xia Jin nodded with a smile. "Although I didn't stay in Silver Sand City for very long, it was the first place I came to the Mirage Cloud Realm, so I have some feelings for it."

The Grand Master nodded, glancing through the gap in the carriage curtain towards the direction of Silver Sand City.

"With your talent and strength, Silver Sand City cannot possibly keep you here. I have a feeling that even the Cloud Academy may not be able to accommodate such a great figure as you in the future."

As he spoke, the Grand Master couldn't help but laugh.

"Hmm?" Xia Jin was slightly taken aback, not expecting the Grand Hall Master to say such a thing.

"You flatter me, Your Highness..."

"It's not an overstatement." The Grand Hall Master looked at him seriously. "I've lived for so many years, and I do have a good eye for people. But you're the first kid who's ever misjudged me."

"Therefore, I believe that your future is limitless. In the future, you will definitely leave Yungui County and see a wider world."

Xia Jin listened quietly without interrupting.

Every word of those words resonated in his heart.

"Your Highness, I've got it."

The Grand Master smiled with satisfaction, said nothing more, and closed his eyes again.

I don't know how long it took.

Xia Jin was starting to get a little bored inside the carriage.

"arrive."

The carriage suddenly stopped, and the Grand Master's expression suddenly became somewhat solemn. He straightened his clothes and stepped out of the carriage first.

Xia Jin opened her eyes and followed the Grand Master as he jumped off the carriage.

But when he saw the environment in front of him, he froze on the spot.

Although what he was facing was a mountain gate.

But to be precise, it's more like a mountain gate that looks somewhat...desolate.

Two stone pillars stood there crookedly, their crossbeams covered with withered vines, as if they hadn't been tended to in a long time. Behind the mountain gate, a winding stone staircase led up, its surface covered with fallen yellow leaves, and the weeds on either side grew to waist height.

Xia Jin frowned.

He glanced back at the main hall master, then at the mountain gate, his expression somewhat strange.

"Grand Master, are you sure this... is the so-called Cloud Academy?"

His voice carried a hint of doubt.

This place doesn't look like an academy at all; it looks more like an ancient ruin that has been abandoned for many years. Calling it an ancient ruin would even be a bit of an exaggeration, since the weeds and fallen leaves make it look like no place where anyone lives.

The Grand Master, however, looked ahead with a serious expression.

"Hmph!! What do you know?!"

The Grand Master said seriously, "You lad, don't judge a book by its cover. The Cloud Academy has never pursued wealth and luxury; it only seeks the Dao. The more glamorous a place appears on the outside, the more restless the people inside are. On the other hand, the simpler and more unpretentious a place is, the more likely it is to hide the true Dao."

"Alright," the Grand Master patted his shoulder, "I'll leave you here. From now on, you'll have to walk the rest of the way on your own."

"Isn't the Grand Master going in with me?" Xia Jin asked, puzzled.

"The Cloud Academy has rules that outsiders are not allowed to enter without permission." The Grand Hall Master shook his head. "Go in by yourself."

Xia Jin opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but after seeing the Grand Hall Master's gaze, she swallowed back the words that were on the tip of her tongue.

He took a deep breath, turned around, and looked at the mountain gate.

Behind him, the Grand Master had already gotten back into the carriage, turned around, and slowly drove back the way he came.

Xia Jin shook her head helplessly and carefully examined the mountain gate in front of her.

On the stone tablet between the two stone pillars, four large characters can still be vaguely seen.

"Cloud...Academy...Palace..."

Despite the erosion caused by wind and rain, the skill of the person who carved the inscription can still be seen.

"Looks like I didn't come to the wrong place," Xia Jin muttered, then looked around.

Apart from the weeds and fallen leaves, there wasn't a soul in sight, not even a disciple guarding the gate.

What kind of place is this?

Xia Jin stood in front of the mountain gate, hesitating for a moment.

Since we're already here, we can't just go back like this.

He took a deep breath and stepped through the mountain gate.

However, the moment his foot crossed the threshold, an inexplicable force appeared out of nowhere, like an invisible wall, blocking his way and preventing him from taking another step forward.

"What's going on?!" Xia Jin's expression changed slightly.

He prepared to try again, and as soon as he exerted force, the force also increased, as if it were competing with him.

"Um?"

Xia Jin withdrew her foot, and the force disappeared.

He stretched out again, and that force reappeared.

"Does this mean they really don't want me to go in?! Hmph! Then I'll go in no matter what!!" Xia Jin's gaze swept around again before quickly stopping.

He stared at a large tree not far ahead, and behind that tree, Xia Jin vaguely sensed a faint, almost imperceptible presence.

The aura was so faint, almost nonexistent. If Xia Jin's perception hadn't far surpassed that of ordinary people, she probably wouldn't have noticed it at all.

Xia Jin clasped his hands in a fist salute and called out loudly towards the large tree, "I am Xia Jin, and I wish to join the Yunshang Academy. I humbly request that this senior brother grant me this opportunity!"

After a moment of silence, a rustling sound suddenly came from behind the big tree.

Immediately afterwards, a figure emerged from behind the tree.

It was a middle-aged man carrying a broom, dressed in coarse cloth clothes that looked like they had been washed countless times and whose original color was no longer visible.

The man, looking dazed, slowly walked up to Xia Jin and sized him up.

The other person's eyes seemed somewhat vacant, but the moment Xia Jin met his gaze, a strange sense of vigilance arose in her heart.

This person is not simple.

The middle-aged man sized up Xia Jin for a moment, then extended his hand to him.

"Bring the things here."

Xia Jin was slightly taken aback, then realized what was happening and took out the document stamped with the seals of the five cities from her bosom, and handed it over.

The middle-aged man took the document, opened it, and glanced at it. "Oh, so you were recommended by the Five Cities Alliance."

After saying that, he casually tossed the document back to Xia Jin.

Then, he took the broom and gently swept it in the air in front of the mountain gate.

The movement seemed casual, but with that seemingly effortless wave, Xia Jin clearly felt the invisible force blocking her way vanish without a trace in an instant.

Xia Jin was secretly startled.

"Thank you very much, senior brother." Xia Jin clasped her hands in thanks.

The middle-aged man had no intention of being polite to Xia Jin. He raised his hand and pointed with his broom at the stone steps in front of him that were covered with fallen leaves.

"Keep walking forward. If you can reach the end, you might have the chance to join our Cloud Academy."

Xia Jin looked in the direction the broom was pointing, but frowned.

"Just... walking up the stairs?" Xia Jin couldn't help but ask.

The middle-aged man seemed to have seen through Xia Jin's thoughts, but he only glanced at him indifferently, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly, it was hard to tell whether he was smiling or not.

Don't think it's simple.