Hu Yiqiu shook his head at Jian Cangqiong and the others.

Then, in a whispered transmission, he explained Jiang Chen's unusual state just now and added, "Regardless of whether Young Jiang's fiancée is here or not, we should assume she is. Otherwise, if there's suddenly news after all this time, Young Jiang might not be able to concentrate on his cultivation!"

Jian Cangqiong and the others all nodded. Hu Yiqiu's description of Jiang Chen's state indeed reached a very serious level, which had to be treated with caution.

"Junior brother, I didn't even know you had a fiancée! So, how is she? Is she pretty?"

Yun Tao, sensing the heavy atmosphere, plopped down beside Jiang Chen, chuckled, and threw his arm around his shoulder.

The others exchanged glances and seated themselves around the stone table.

Jiang Chen was the hope of Changlin Academy, and nothing could go wrong!

"Beautiful! The most beautiful in the world!"

Jiang Chen's lips curled into a blissful smile as he declared unequivocally.

"Oh, the most beautiful in the world? Why not say she's the most beautiful across realms as well?"

Yun Tao sneered, with a look of disdain.

Jiang Chen smiled slightly, not arguing with him. He glanced at everyone, suppressing the longing in his heart, and bowed with cupped fists, saying, "Master, seniors, sorry for worrying you all!"

"It's nothing, as long as you're okay."

Hu Yiqiu quickly responded and then changed the topic, "Kid, what were you thinking about before we arrived?"

"Yes, yes, tell us, what were you thinking about? Seeing you frowning and pondering, did you hit a bottleneck in your cultivation?"

Yun Tao chimed in eagerly, trying to pull Jiang Chen completely out of the previous conversation.

Ouyang Ruoxue gave Jiang Chen a deep look, then lowered her head, slowly closing an invisible door in her heart.

"Hit a bottleneck in cultivation? Tell us, maybe we can help."

Li Yukun became serious upon hearing Yun Tao's words.

A bottleneck for the Son of Heavenly Dao in cultivation is indeed a major one and cannot be underestimated!

"It's not a bottleneck, I was just pondering a question."

Jiang Chen shook his head slightly, then turned to Jian Cangqiong, "Dean, today while I was touring the academy with Senior Ye, I noticed there were many formations within the academy. Those formations seemed very powerful, and the crucial point is that they all appeared to be defensive and offensive formations, as if prepared for an enemy. Why is that?"

"I knew I couldn't hide it from you!"

Jian Cangqiong chuckled softly, glanced at Ouyang Ruoxue, and said, "Ruo Xue, your grandfather must have mentioned it to you, right? The battle Changlin Academy went through shortly after Elder Wine-crazed arrived a hundred years ago."

"Mm!"

Ouyang Ruoxue nodded gently, "I've heard from my grandfather that, if not for Elder Wine-crazed setting up the Protecting Institute Great Formation, Changlin Academy might have been wiped out!"

"The academy wiped out!?"

Jiang Chen was startled, looking at Ouyang Ruoxue in surprise.

"Yes, almost wiped out!"

Jian Cangqiong nodded slightly, "A hundred years ago, the old dean failed the Saint Tribulation, and the elder generation of late Integration Realm elders, who set up formations to help the old dean through the tribulation, all suffered heavy injuries. At that time, our Changlin Academy was at its weakest."

"An opposing force of our academy learned about this and launched an attack on the academy. Fortunately, thanks to the Formation set by Elder Wine-crazed, we held out until the strong warriors from the main academy heard about it and came to help."

"That battle was chaotic, and only three of the elder generation survived, with my father-in-law being the least injured. The other two elders have yet to fully recover and spend most of their time healing in seclusion; everyone else perished in the battle!"

"The entire Changlin Academy was devastated, and after the battle, the academy had to be rebuilt. At the end of the battle, we, led by the main academy's strong warriors, launched an attack on that faction's base, only to find everyone from that force had disappeared."

"Unable to eradicate them completely, we feared their return. Strong warriors from the main academy couldn't stay here long-term, so we asked Elder Wine-crazed to set up several powerful formations within the academy to guard against another attack!"

Jiang Chen nodded lightly, then furrowed his brow slightly, "With such great favor Master has done for the academy, why does Elder Lu still target Master? Is taking over Southern Maniac Mountain really that important? If it's just for the title of one of the Four Great Elders, it's rather self-aggrandizing, isn't it?"

"Lu Buping only came to the academy after the battle, so he doesn't share deep feelings for the academy or understand Elder Wine-crazed's importance."

Jian Cangqiong explained softly, hesitated a bit, and then smiled bitterly, "Also, he seems to love fame, enjoys being admired, and loves comparing himself to others. Elder Wine-crazed, like him, has been an elder of the academy for a hundred years at the same realm, yet Wine-crazed was listed among the Four Great Elders, which surely makes him uncomfortable!"

"This..."

A look of astonishment appeared in Jiang Chen's eyes.

"That old codger is wicked! Always plotting to cause trouble for Master!"

Yun Tao said viciously, "Junior brother, when you reach the Mid Divine Infant Realm, challenge one of his disciples again. He has a disciple at the Mid Divine Infant Realm—give him a thrashing, preferably with a single move!"

Jiang Chen smiled softly, "That could be arranged."

"Actually..."

Hu Yiqiu said softly, "I'm also a bit fed up with Lu Buping. If not for the vital importance of Southern Maniac Mountain, I'd have handed it off to him for some peace."

"Vital importance?"

Yun Tao was surprised, sensing a deeper meaning in Hu Yiqiu's words.

"Of course it's important! It's the entire academy's safeguard!"

Jiang Chen replied, full of implication.

"Hmm? Kid, even you noticed that?"

Hu Yiqiu exclaimed in surprise.

Jian Cangqiong and the others looked at Jiang Chen with expressions of surprise and astonishment.

"If you ignore all those formations and combine the rest of the academy's structures, the Five Great Lands of Opportunity, and the eight peaks, it's the Protecting Institute Great Formation, isn't it?"

Jiang Chen chuckled lightly.

"Kid, you really got it! Your formation comprehension is as impressive as your Great Dao comprehension!"

Hu Yiqiu spoke with delight.

Jian Cangqiong's eyes turned, and he asked solemnly, "Jiang Chen, could you help rearrange all the formations? Like the Maze Formation in the valley, make it more powerful."

"I can arrange them, but I can't make them more powerful than the current ones. Dean, you understand formations, and you should know that besides being proficient in formation arts, setting formations requires a certain level of strength and understanding of the Great Dao. Only then can a powerful formation be set up."

Jiang Chen nodded slightly and then shook his head, "But my cultivation is still lacking, especially my Great Dao comprehension, which is still at a beginner stage. To rearrange them, it might take another year or so!"

"A year or so will do!?"

Jian Cangqiong exclaimed in surprise.

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