Beneath the sea of clouds, the conclusion of the battle unfolded.
Leaning against the stone wall, Wu Chi remained calm, unsurprised by the outcome.
"If a hundred Rui Shi Immortals couldn't deal with these new lords, then I don't deserve to be called a 'Legendary Lord.' Might as well go back to farming pigs!"
His tone was self-deprecating, but his confidence was palpable.
"Maybe I overdid it," Wu Chi mused with a faint smile. "I mean, sending out level 100 Rui Shi Immortals—what was I thinking?"
The teachers watching from above were frozen, their faces a mix of shock and disbelief.
"Rare walls, rare defensive towers, specialized units, and powerful heroes!"
One teacher broke the silence, his tone heavy. "We underestimated Wu Chi. Completely."
His gaze shifted toward Fairy Luo, as if seeking confirmation, and he drew a deep breath. "The principal was right… We…"
The other teachers lowered their heads in reluctant agreement, acknowledging their misjudgment.
Fairy Luo, however, remained silent, her expression unreadable.
At that moment, one of the instructors perked up, listening intently. "By the sound of it, those black-armored soldiers seem to be all women?"
"Female soldiers?"
This revelation startled the group, and they strained their ears to confirm. Sure enough, the voices were unmistakably feminine.
"Are they a specialized female unit with unique bloodlines?"
"Judging by their armor's design, they might be using illusionary mech suits!"
"Interesting! Could Wu Chi's path as a lord be unconventional?"
"Hopefully, he's not using his position as an excuse to… interact inappropriately with female soldiers."
Female soldiers were indeed rare, even across countless realms.
In certain barbarian tribes, men, women, and children all fought as warriors, with entire communities going to war. Women could fight just as fiercely as men.
In some worlds, rules bound men while only women could awaken extraordinary powers.
Thus, while the teachers didn't see anything inherently wrong with Wu Chi's army, they did hope he wouldn't be distracted by lust, thereby stunting his growth as a lord.
"The battle is over," one teacher remarked with a faint smile of resignation.
Indeed, the battle had concluded.
The victor wasn't the overwhelming coalition of lords but Wu Chi, standing alone.
It was as if an adult had swatted away a group of unruly children.
One slap after another, hundreds of new lords were thoroughly defeated with little effort.
"Could Wu Chi be from an ancient family?"
"Or perhaps he's the reincarnation of an immortal or deity, regaining his previous life's domain and resources?"
"Maybe he's from a godless kingdom or a celestial stronghold?"
The result was clear: Wu Chi was the undeniable victor.
However, the teachers couldn't help but wonder: why was Wu Chi so strong?
Was it talent? Family? Reincarnation? Luck?
Each offered their own theories, but no one asked him directly.
A lord's past was private, protected by an unspoken rule among lords. In the infinite opportunities of heaven and earth, everyone had their secrets.
If strength was used to pry into others' pasts, it would make the world unsafe for all. Secrets remained secrets precisely because they were unknown.
Fairy Luo glanced down with a frosty expression. She broke the silence: "Announce the results."
"Yes!" an elderly teacher replied with a nod before turning his attention to the matter at hand.
Back on the battlefield, the army of Rui Shi Immortals had annihilated 80% of the enemy forces, leaving the rest demoralized and in full retreat.
Though the Rui Shi were few in number, their speed made them untouchable, and they quickly broke the enemy's ranks.
"Your Majesty!"
The Rui Shi Immortals regrouped at the stone wall, bowing respectfully to Wu Chi.
"The enemy has been routed!"
"Well done!"
Wu Chi smiled faintly.
At that moment, a figure clad in sharp black armor stepped forward, removing her bronze mask to reveal a stunning face.
It was Zhao Xuan Yue.
Her direct gaze and sly smile betrayed her excitement. "My lord, Xuan Yue has achieved numerous military merits today!"
Wu Chi's expression twitched. With a resigned tone, he replied, "Noted. I'll make sure to reward you properly later!"
"Thank you, my lord!"
Xuan Yue, visibly pleased, put her mask back on and stepped aside.
The other Rui Shi soldiers, however, weren't as impressed.
"Xuan Yue! How dare you ask the lord for rewards!"
"Yes! The world is no longer the Qin Dynasty; the rules don't apply here!"
"Exactly! Didn't Shang Yang say that the heavens change unpredictably, and rules aren't universal?"
"We serve the lord for survival and mutual prosperity, not for greed!"
Their chastisements were relentless, but Xuan Yue merely scoffed, offering no explanation.
Wu Chi, caught in the awkward situation, could only sigh. He couldn't explain the concept of "rewards" in modern terms to these ancient-minded soldiers.
Just then, a strong wind swept through, dissolving the soldiers and their surroundings into mist.
"It's over."
Wu Chi interrupted the bickering, signaling the conclusion of the event.
With a wave of his hand, the female soldiers vanished into clouds, returning to his domain. Moments later, Wu Chi himself dissolved into mist.
When his vision cleared, he found himself standing back on the viewing platform.
Around him, familiar faces like Li Bo and Chen Qian were also returning, their expressions pale with lingering fear.
"Wu Chi!"
Someone glared at him angrily before sighing and returning to their seat.
Others looked like they wanted to speak but held back, resigned to silence.
Not far away, an unfamiliar student stood up, his face flushed with rage. "Wu Chi, how could you be so ruthless?"
"Ruthless?" Wu Chi raised an eyebrow. "You wanted to kill me, but I was supposed to just stand there and let you? Isn't that ruthless?"
Human nature had both good and evil.
In his previous life, Wu Chi had seen devils slaughter millions in his kingdom, showing no remorse even a century later.
To him, humanity's darker tendencies were almost impossible to change.
That was why Wu Chi never believed in the idea of "repentance and enlightenment."
His expression turned cold. "Either prove yourself with strength, or shut your mouth, loser!"
"You—!"
The student's face turned pale, but when he thought of Wu Chi's power, he fell silent and reluctantly sat down.
As the crowd recovered from their ordeal, the arena buzzed with noise.
Some students screamed like they were still on the battlefield. Others panted heavily, their faces etched with terror.
But most glared at Wu Chi, their eyes filled with resentment and fear.
They had lost.
The rewards were gone, and their progress was stunted.
"Wu Chi, stepping on the bones of your classmates—doesn't your conscience hurt?"
"You're a heartless scoundrel!"
Suddenly, Chen Youyi stepped forward, feigning sorrow.
"We're all classmates. Would it have hurt to sacrifice a little for everyone's benefit?"
"Because of you, hundreds of people lost their chance at rewards. You're selfish!"
"Couldn't you be noble for once, sacrifice yourself, and give others a way out? Some people desperately needed those rewards!"
"You're killing people!"
Chen's emotional appeal resonated with many, stirring murmurs of agreement.
They thought Wu Chi could have helped hundreds at the cost of his own gain.
Wasn't that the right thing to do?
Wu Chi was too selfish!