<h4>Chapter 143: Assembly of The Strongest, Hailing From The Countryside</h4>


    Trantor: As Studios Editor: As Studios


    The fact that Dragon God Academy was named after the Dragon God was enough to show its lofty position in the Dragon God Empire.


    And in truth, not only was Dragon God Academy the top Warrior academy in the Dragon God Empire, but it was also the best magic academy in the empire—and the title well-deserved, too.


    Even in the entire Heaven’s Vault Continent, Dragon God Academy was the highest learning institution that ranked among the best. Its rich heritage and strength weren’t something that Fire Dragon Magic Academy or other academies couldpare to.


    “So, this is Dragon God Academy?”


    A magic carriage came to a stop outside the Dragon God Academy gates, and then Meng Lei and the rest alighted from it. Looks of astoundment couldn’t help but surface in their eyes as they gazed at the grand and majestic gates in front of them.


    The so-called “school gates” were actually formed by a pair of 1,000-feet-tall Golden Colossal Dragon statues that surrounded and protected the area. The two statues faced each other with their ws sped around each other’s, and their wings spread in mid-flight.


    Their dragon scales appeared vivid and true to life, and their ws ferocious and mighty-looking. Their heads were raised with their horns pointed toward the sky and their fierce-looking jaws open in mid-roar.


    Savage!


    Awe-inspiring!


    Domineering!


    Powerful!


    “President Fred, all of you are finally here.”


    Sporting an enthusiastic and cheerful smile, a middle-ageddy dressed in a violet magic robe walked briskly toward them in wee.


    “Dorothy, it’s been a while.”


    President Fred broke into a smile at once and went toward her cheerfully at the sight of her.


    It was only after they had exchanged their greetings with each other that President Fred finally gestured at the middle-ageddy and made the introductions. “Allow me to introduce you to each other—this is Dorothy Caesar, a fire-elemental and wind-elemental Saint Domain Great Magician and the vice-president of Dragon God Academy.


    “She is also my disciple, as well as an outstanding alumnus of Fire Dragon Magic Academy. Among the Fire Dragon Magic Academy graduates, she’s one of the few with the best career progression!”


    “Greetings, Lady Dorothy!”


    Awed, the contestants hurriedly paid their respects.


    “Hehe! Hello, everyone!”


    A smiling Dorothy returned the greeting. As her gaze flicked past the contestants one by one, a gratified smile appeared on her visage. “President Fred, it looks like the contestants are pretty great this time. There are quite a few good saplings among them!”


    “Hahaha, of course!”


    Fred burst into heartyughter as he stroked his beard. “We’re out for revenge this time, after all. We’ll have to consider ourselves as having failed in our mission if we don’t rank within the top three this time!”


    “Haha! To think you actually have the guts to boast so shamelessly here!”


    As a thunderingugh reached them, a burly, muscr elderly man with ck horns on his head and leading a group of people strode over with his head held high.


    He had a hawkish visage and a sinister expression all over his features.


    “I was wondering who it could be. So it’s you, Fred!”


    The burly elderly man walked over to President Fred. Then, a contemptuous look came over his visage at once. “Is there even anyone that doesn’t know how the Fire Dragon Kingdom alwayses inst ce every year? Out for revenge? Are you kidding me?”


    President Fred’s countenance darkened at once. “Angus, don’t be a pot calling the kettle ck. Your ck Dragon Academy isn’t any stronger!”


    “At least it’s a little stronger than the Fire Dragon Magic Academy.” The burly elderly man gave him a smug smile as he went on. “Fred, I’m not afraid to tell you that a genius has emerged from the ck Dragon Academy this year. Hopefully, your men won’t run into him during the exchangepetition. Otherwise, they’ll be crushed so badly that they’ll end up in tears!”


    “Hmph! We’ll see about that!”


    President Fred snorted in response. A confident smile appeared at the corners of his lips as he scoffed inwardly. “Do you think you’re the only academy that has produced a genius?”


    In his opinion, no matter how impressive the ck Dragon Academy’s genius was, there was no way they could possiblypare to Meng Lei. After all, Meng Lei was already a Saint Domain. This was enough grounds for him to perform brilliantly in the exchangepetition. There were far and few that were stronger than him.


    “Be stubborn all you want, Fred!”


    Angus—the burly elderly man—shook his head with a lightugh. Then, with a group of people in tow, he entered the Dragon God Academy. President Fred gazed at him from the back and retorted inwardly, “Wait and see!”


    The Fighting Dragon Academy president also spat furiously. “That old ck dragon is still so loathsome!”


    “Everyone in the ck Dragon Kingdom is a lunatic with a dark, sinister personality.” President Fred shook his head. “Let’s go. We should head in, too.”


    “People from the ck Dragon Kingdom...”


    “Ding! Assimtion sessful. Host’s Spirit +139!”


    “Ding! Assimtion sessful. Host’s Magic Power +872!”


    “Ding! Assimtion sessful. You have obtained the spell...”


    Meng Lei walked about in the ancient, time-worn forested ind, listening to the system notifications constantly sounding in his ears and admiring the scenery in Dragon God Academy leisurely.


    Unlike their big, tall, and majestic school gates, the Dragon God Academy interior seemed exceptionally quiet, with marks and vicissitudes of life left behind in every corner of the ce.


    Sycamore trees thick enough for a person’s arms to circle around each were lined up neatly!


    Moss covered the old, aged gstones!


    Students in the midst of meditation could be seen everywhere in the forest!


    Rich, heavy, and ancient—the ce fully exhibited a historical vibe!


    “As expected of a 40,000-year-old institution,” marveled Meng Lei.


    He followed the academy presidents and the others to a big and tall teaching faculty building. Upon their arrival, he discovered that several other kingdoms’ contestants were already gathered there.


    These contestants from various kingdoms were divided into quite a few camps. All of them secretly sized up one another, yet also minded their own business at the same time, maintaining a sufficient sense of distance from one another.


    “The contestants from the Tempest Kingdom, Thunder Dragon Kingdom, ck Dragon Kingdom, and Earth Dragon Kingdom have already arrived. Including us, the Fire Dragon Kingdom, that makes five kingdoms from the empire.


    “We’re supposed to assemble and report today while thepetition officially starts tomorrow. Therefore, all contestants have to be present. I’m sure the contestants from the other ten kingdoms will be arriving soon, too.


    “Stay here and wait for further instructions, everyone. We’ll be back in a moment.”


    After the six academy presidents left them instructions, they entered the teaching faculty building together with Vice-President Dorothy, leaving Meng Lei and the other 51 contestants to wait there quietly.


    During the next hour and a little more, the contestants and teachers-in-charge from the other ten kingdoms and dukedoms arrived one after another.


    For a while, the area in front of the teaching faculty building was full of people.


    15 kingdoms!


    48 dukedoms!


    Close to 2,000 contestants—and all of them ninth-grade experts!!


    Just a line-up like this was enough to apply great pressure on many contestants. Meng Lei couldn’t be sure about those from other kingdoms, but what he did know was that quite a fair number of Fire Dragon Kingdom contestants were beginning to turn nervous.


    It wasn’t over yet, though.


    Another ten minutes or soter, an almost 3,000-strong team came approaching. They formed arge, ck mass, as though a group of Triad members had been mobilized and caused a huge buzz to go through the crowd.


    “They are...”


    Everyone raised their heads and looked over.


    At the sight of them, several people’s countenances changed.


    “They are Empire-Affiliated Academy Contestants!”


    “What? Empire-Affiliated Academy Contestants?”


    “T-they’re so strong!”


    Meng Lei also raised his head and looked over.


    A small portion of the exchangepetition contestants came from the 15 kingdoms and 48 dukedoms, while arge majority of them were from the Dragon God Imperial City itself.


    This group of contestants was also known as Empire-Affiliated Academy Contestants—in other words, contestants from academies directly affiliated to the Dragon God Empire.


    Evidently, those 3,000 people in front of them... were exactly those very contestants.


    Dressed in uniforms of varying styles, those 3,000 contestants obviously hailed from different academies. However, the way they looked at Meng Lei and the other contestants from the 15 kingdoms and 48 dukedoms was the same—full of contempt and disdain!


    As Empire-Affiliated Academy Contestants, they held an extreme sense of superiority toward others and totally looked down on contestants from the kingdoms and dukedoms.


    In their opinions, contestants from the kingdoms and dukedoms were no different from people from the countryside. How could they possibly be qualified enough topete with them on the same tform?


    “So, they are the contestants from the 15 kingdoms and 48 dukedoms? They don’t look like much!”


    “As expected of people from the countryside. They are but just a motley crew!”


    “When have they ever taken the exchangepetition seriously instead of just going through the motions...”