“Sweeping elder, please ask,” said Long Chen hastily.

“This is the Shadow Bat Hairpin, a keepsake of the Shadow Bat race. Back in the day, I helped someone look after it, and in the blink of an eye, countless years have passed. According to our agreement, when the nine heavens are reunited, I have to return the Shadow Bat Hairpin to its original owner. If you encounter anyone from the Shadow Bat race, please give them this hairpin,” explained the sweeping elder, slowly wrapping up the hairpin and handing the case to Long Chen.

Curiously, when the wooden case closed, the ferocious aura of the hairpin instantly dissipated, which meant that this unremarkable-looking box was also something with extraordinary origin.

“This hairpin belongs to the devil race, no? I…” Long Chen's expression twisted with uncertainty.

Long Chen had lost track of the number of devil experts he had slain. Because of that, the devil race’s resentment already clung to him, and anyone from the devil race would be able to sense it. What if Long Chen ended up sending them to their deaths right after giving them this hairpin?

“Not all devils deserve death, just like not all humans deserve to live. Even at this stage, is your vision still clouded by prejudice based on race?” The sweeping elder’s voice carried a tone of disappointment as he shook his head.

Long Chen was startled and suddenly thought of the winged devil in the Wine God Palace. He then looked at the wooden case in his hand and nodded.

“Junior understands.”

After saying that, Long Chen carefully put the case away and chose not to dwell on the hairpin’s origins. He had a feeling that it was related to the sweeping elder’s personal secrets.

After handing the case over, the sweeping elder gave everyone a few words of encouragement before taking his leave. As the academy bell chimed, signaling the gathering, Divine Venerate disciples hurried along.

The Divine Venerate realm… when Long Chen had first joined the academy, it seemed like an unreachable height. Back then, rumors circulated outside that the academy's dean, Bai Letian, was merely an Immortal King at best.

Now that Long Chen had reached the Divine Venerate, he still couldn’t see through the higher-ups’ realms. It was as if their realms would infinitely rise as the disciples grew.

Now, the Divine Venerate realm was the realm of the disciples. Millions of them congregated, leaving Long Chen and his companions bewildered by their sheer numbers. When had the academy produced so many Divine Venerates?

Upon asking, they learned that many disciples had just joined the academy. However, they had merely completed the initial exam and were classified as outer academy disciples for now.

Long Chen and the others understood that these newcomers only sought the benefits and protections of the prestigious High Firmament Academy. By relying on the High Firmament Academy’s name, they could avoid being bullied upon entering the Sovereign Emperor Heaven.

Of course, some hailed from less privileged backgrounds. Unable to join other factions, they felt that the High Firmament Academy was a decent option.

Moreover, most of them joined the academy because of Long Chen. In the cultivation world, following the strong wasn’t something embarrassing; rather, it could bring them boundless glory.

After all, Long Chen had managed to withstand the pressure of the factions of the Sovereign Emperor Heaven. Having thwarted two large-scale assaults from the Heavenly Province and crushed many of their nine star Doyens, he had become an undefeatable battle god in the eyes of many.

Hence, these experts joined the High Firmament Academy in hopes of drawing Long Chen’s attention, thinking that perhaps they could also become members of the Dragonblood Legion and follow Long Chen across the heavens.

The Dragonblood Legion, and even the High Firmament Academy, had announced that the Dragonblood Legion was not recruiting new members. However, the news of Bai Xiaole joining them gave countless people hope.

As long as they were strong and outstanding enough, even if there was no chance, they could just create a chance. Thus, many people dreamed of this possibility.

Most importantly, even if this dream did not come true, staying in the High Firmament Academy wasn’t a bad choice. After all, the name of the world’s number one academy carried significant weight.

When Long Chen led the Dragonblood Legion into the academy’s plaza, they were met by a sea of over a million Divine Venerates, all brimming with anticipation for their forthcoming journey into the Sovereign Emperor Heaven.

The disciples who had not reached the necessary realm had long since lined up to send them off. There was a veritable sea of people here, and flood-like cheers erupted when they saw Long Chen and the others.

Long Chen's name, along with those of his comrades—Guo Ran, Xia Chen, Yue Zifeng, Bai Shishi, Bai Xiaole, Li Qi, Song Mingyuan, and others—rang out incessantly amidst the tumultuous roar. Each wave of roars only stoked their fervor further, igniting their blood.

Seeing their wildly worshipful gazes and hearing their impassioned shouts, even Long Chen felt a fiery blaze rise within him.

Guo Ran and the others found themselves taken aback by the overwhelming enthusiasm of the crowd. The resounding cheers, the fervent waves, and the sight of people shedding tears of emotion caught them off guard.

“When did we get so popular?” asked Guo Ran, baffled.

Long Chen patted his shoulder and explained, “Every person in this world is unique, and no one can completely overshadow other people’s light. Those who like you are drawn to your most outstanding and unique points. To them, even your weaknesses are special features that set you apart from the crowd.”

In front of this tsunami of cheers, Guo Ran shouted, “Brothers, sisters, don’t worry! Once we set foot in the Sovereign Emperor Heaven, we'll carve out our own path! There, you'll find sanctuary from further bloodshed. We will welcome you into a realm of peace!”

Guo Ran’s shout ignited everyone’s passion. Countless people screamed, their voices shaking heaven and earth.

“Your eloquence has improved, much more inspiring than your embarrassing verse,” Xia Chen remarked, giving him a thumbs-up.

“Nonsense. What’s wrong with my verse?” argued Guo Ran.

Amid the thunderous cheers, Long Chen and the others arrived at the very front. Under Bai Zhantang’s lead, they bid farewell to the academy’s administrative elders and the less adept disciples. With all eyes on them, they strode grandly out of the High Firmament Academy.

Once they were out of the academy’s territory, another group immediately joined them. These were the Starry River Sect’s disciples who had been waiting outside the gates since yesterday.

In their hearts, Long Chen was on the same level as the Starry River Sage, because without Long Chen, the Starry River Sect would not survive until now. Even the sect master of the sect viewed Long Chen as a god.

Full of anticipation, Long Chen led the group straight to the gate of the ninth heaven, reminiscent of the determination he felt when embarking from the Phoenix Cry Empire for the first time.

He had a feeling that his father and mother were waiting for him in the Sovereign Emperor Heaven. Brimming with confidence, he declared, “Sovereign Emperor Heaven, I’m coming!”