Hearing these words, Brian Brooks grew even more anxious. He felt as if the other person had stolen his lines. Just as he was about to speak, the young man took a deep breath, suddenly raised his right hand, and the muscles on his arm visibly swelled in an instant, growing several times larger. In a shocking display, he swung the massive bow in his hand hard against the nearby rock wall, striking it more than ten times in rapid succession.

The force was simply overwhelming. Amid thunderous booms, cracks appeared in the mountain rock, and a large section collapsed, turning into countless fragments that crashed down, completely blocking the narrow passage!

Brian Brooks's eyes widened as he looked at the young man's thick arm, swallowing back all the words he had been about to say.

Everything happened so quickly, in the blink of an eye. As the passage collapsed, the red-clothed youth supported Brian Brooks and quickly returned to the group.

Witnessing this scene, all the students nearby were shaken to their core. David Clark even gasped and exclaimed in shock.

"Second level of the Ancient Martial Realm, Body Sealing!"

"Not quite Body Sealing, I'm just at the peak of the first level." The red-clothed youth glanced at David Clark, set Brian Brooks down, and explained.

"Even if you haven't reached Body Sealing, you already have its power. Fellow student, thank you for saving our lives!" David Clark hurried forward, cupping his fists in gratitude. The other students followed suit, and quite a few girls looked at the red-clothed youth with admiration. For a moment, he was surrounded by the crowd.

As for Brian Brooks, he lay on the ground, watching all this gloomily. He knew the other had saved him out of kindness, but he still felt he'd lost his chance to shine. Still, he understood there was nothing he could do about it.

"Ancient Martial Realm..." Brian Brooks sighed inwardly. After the Federation entered the Spirit Essence Era, although the age of cultivation had arrived, for the vast majority of people, the only thing they could learn was a basic technique called the Qi Nourishing Art.

This method allowed people to absorb spiritual energy and prolong their lives, and also to use their bodies as a medium to condense spirit stones for sale, so it became widely spread.

As for true cultivation, the threshold was still very high and difficult to enter directly, so a foundation was needed—thus, ancient martial arts were revived.

After being summarized and developed by the entire Federation, the Ancient Martial Realm was divided into three levels!

Vitality and Blood, Body Sealing, and Vein Supplementing!

Only by reaching the perfection of the third level, Vein Supplementing, could one be considered qualified to compete for the chance at Dao fate, like a carp leaping over the dragon gate!

However, the methods for cultivating the Ancient Martial Realm were mostly controlled by the various powers of the Federation. For most people, the most orthodox way to obtain them was to be admitted to one of the Four Great Dao Academies. Otherwise, they could only pledge themselves to a major power or noble family.

"He's about my age—most likely, he's from a noble family..." Brian Brooks sighed, feeling as if his moment in the spotlight had been stolen. At this moment, the pain in his body surged up, and he couldn't help but groan, drawing the attention of the crowd as many people hurried over.

Seeing that he was still being cared for, Brian Brooks felt a bit better. But he thought he was in too much pain, and his points were probably enough, so he might as well just die... He took a deep breath, his voice trembling as he spoke out.

"I'm not going to make it. Fellow students, when you become students of my Ethereal Dao Academy in the future, you must..." Brian Brooks's emotions were fully prepared, and as he spoke, he was about to burst forth with a passionate speech.

But just then, the red-clothed youth stepped forward with a solemn expression, took out a pill bottle from his robe, and fed Brian Brooks a pill.

"Anyone willing to sacrifice for the Dao Academy, I, Henry Brooks, will never let him die like this! Good friend, you can rest now—leave everything to me!" Henry Brooks's words were resolute and powerful, and combined with his strength, they had a strong persuasive force that made everyone believe him.

As everyone expressed their gratitude, Brian Brooks was dumbfounded, staring blankly at Henry Brooks. Once again, he felt as if this guy had stolen his lines.

He wanted to salvage the situation, but as the medicine took effect, Brian Brooks felt darkness closing in, so weak he couldn't even speak. He could only lie there in grief, staring at the bright sky, with only one thought in his heart.

"He must have cheated, just like me!"

Chapter 4: Ethereal Dao Academy

As Brian Brooks passed out in grief, in the real world, a red hot air balloon airship was speeding through the sky, already approaching the territory of Ethereal City.

But at this moment, the main cabin of the airship was in an uproar.

"This Brian Brooks, I want him for the Alchemy Department!"

"Don't fight with my Martial Department for him—he's mine!" Almost all the teachers were red-faced and arguing, sometimes slapping the table, sometimes shouting, all vying for which department Brian Brooks would join after entering the Dao Academy.

All of this was because of Brian Brooks's selfless sacrifice, which had deeply moved them. That bloodied body had touched their hearts, and every word he spoke struck them like thunder, especially the last sentence, which stirred up huge waves in their hearts!

"Alive, a person of the Dao Academy; dead, a soul of the Dao Academy!"

The courage and loyalty conveyed by these words were exactly what the Dao Academy and its departments most desired in a student. How could they let him go to someone else?