The Obsidian Eclipse Sect was known undisputed as the strongest Sect of the Nightingale Province for very good reason. While the outer disciples of the Luminescent Sect stopped at the Peak of Bronze Resonance, without making it to the middle tier of Silver Resonance, challenging for inner disciple would be a death sentence.
More importantly than that, though… their Chosen had to reach Gold.
The Sect had a very famous saying…
There were no geniuses beneath Gold Resonance.
As good of a reason as they had for their reputation, this saying—common throughout the wider cultivation world—stood the test of time because it too had a very good reason for existing.
Until one passed the Tribulation of the Heavens, it didn't matter how much you accomplished beneath it.
"How have none of you dealt with this yet?"
Rowan Bordeaux had been annoyed for a long while. One of their own—37th ranked or not—had been killed in broad daylight. But instead of doing anything about it, their Marquise Clan pretended as though nothing at all had happened.
What annoyed Rowan the most, though, was the fact that he hadn't been in Bronze Resonance anymore for a while. Even if he wanted to take action, he couldn't or else that would just help Theron prove his point all the more.
Looking at his juniors, all of whom were trying their best to avoid his gaze, he felt like bending them all over his knee.
He clicked his tongue, scoffing.
It was obvious why they were so antsy. It was said that the crown prince personally spared Theron in the end. It seemed on the surface that the crown was fond of this talent and would try to reel him over.
All things considered, personally acting against Theron now might get them into quite some trouble.
These few "geniuses" thought they were being clever by trying to get on the prince's good side, but they were idiots in Rowan's view.
How had Theron caught the crown prince's eye? Wasn't it by killing?
If they wanted the crown prince's favor, it was about time they realized this was the cultivation world.
Even if you were a live-in son-in-law like Theron, you could make the blood of nobles flow through the streets so long as your talent was great enough. How could they not understand this simple concept?
Rowan gritted his teeth.
It was annoying enough that these few Bordeaux disciples were just fools. But somehow, there were even more annoying troubles to deal with here.
His head snapped toward Holden and Rin. These two had been at Bronze Resonance before and could have easily held off on a breakthrough. But they dismissed his concerns and broke through at the same time.
They were the only two looking at him with smiles in their eyes as though they found his anger amusing.
"Big bro, you're overthinking things. We aren't cowards, we understand. But Thistle Brook City is too small a gameboard. Who cares about being favored over there? Let him come to the Imperial Capital and see if he can still maintain that favor."
Rowan's eyes narrowed. He was about to respond when a young woman rushed in.
The Bordeaux's had gathered in a small hall in the Imperial Capital. The Obsidian Eclipse Sect was located in the Obsidian Mountains that overlooked the city, and the two powers—Imperial Clan and Sect—formed dual pillars that held up this piece of the sky.
The only reason they were here, though, was because Rowan's patience was running out, so he summoned them all here; and as the second rank of the Third Silver Resonance of his Clan, he was their number one outer disciple in the Sect and as such had strong pull with all of them.
He had already said that he didn't want to be interrupted, but very few even knew they were here in the first place.
When he looked over, his expression softened as a young woman rushed in.
"What's the matter, Rii?" he asked.
Holden whistled, earning him a glare from Rowan.
Coughing lightly, Holden looked away. "Nice weather we're having here, huh Rin?"
"Yeah, it's gotten a little hot under the collar. Feels kind of good now that the winter cold is fading away."
"Hot under the collar is right, for sure, for sure."
Rin was a woman, and yet they both stole glances at the oncoming young woman as they made their pointed comments.
Rowan could only roll his eyes. These two would annoy him to death one day.
"Young master," Rii seemed far too innocent to understand the comments of the two, so she continued after a light bow, "there's news that Theron Galethunder is making an appearance."
Rowan's eyes flashed like lightning.
"An appearance? For what purpose?"
"The news is sparse, but it seems that he's reached 75 credits in the branch Imperial Academy and has now come to challenge the Main Academy."
Rowan's heart skipped a beat and even Holden and Rin's smile froze.
75 credits? As a first year? What was going on here?
"No, I'm sorry, young master. He reached 75 credits in the academic stream alone. He still has credit from the military stream that I didn't add. But from what I can tell, he hasn't added to his military stream credits in over a month. He suddenly returned from the Luminescent Moon Sect's Secret Realm and completed so many academic credits in one go…
"Including the infamous Fourth Year Botany Exam."
Rowan calmed down when he heard this. For some reason, he had assumed it was the military stream.
Was it shocking that he had accomplished this nonetheless? Yes. But it was more a matter of his shocking intelligence than anything else.
That was precisely why, though… that someone who could complete so many academic stream credits so early was even rarer than someone who could do the same with the military stream.
Bloodlines could have a huge influence on one's combat prowess. But in the academic stream… it should take years to accumulate the necessary knowledge.
How had Theron done it?