The True Martial Academy, Nine Palace Academy, Dragon Phoenix Academy, and Sacred Deer Academy were collectively known as the Four Great Ancient Academies. They specialized in cultivating new generations of geniuses for the dominion. Any of their graduates would eventually become an existence capable of lording over large swathes of land.

The four academies periodically competed amongst each other to determine their rankings. The True Martial Academy consistently reigned at the top, while the Nine Palace Academy and the Dragon Phoenix Academy alternated between second and third place. The Sacred Deer Academy always occupied last place.

Nevertheless, the genius disciples from any of these academies were lofty and unyielding. None...