If they knew that in just over two weeks, Lin Hao had not only reached the Extreme Realm of the Elemental Realm but then entered the Soul Gathering Realm in a single thought, they would probably be scared witless.

A few senior members of the Saint Institute noticed the advancement in Lin Hao’s cultivation, and so did some of the disciples who had been keeping an eye on him.

"Lin Hao has entered the Soul Gathering Realm!" a disciple exclaimed.

"I remember he was only at the Seventh Layer of the Elemental Realm when he left. It hasn’t even been a month, and he’s already at the First Layer of the Soul Gathering Realm. That’s unbelievable!" another disciple immediately chimed in.

"You’re all making such a fuss. If I told you that my master once reached the Extreme Realm of the Elemental Realm, and then entered the Soul Gathering Realm in a single thought, wouldn’t you just drop dead from shock?" a cool female voice rang out.

All the disciples turned to look behind Lin Hao.

They had already noticed the stunningly beautiful woman, and though they’d wanted to stare, they hadn’t dared. Now that she had spoken, they had the perfect excuse to openly fix their gazes upon her.

"Who is that woman? She’s gorgeous." One disciple, captivated by her beauty, stared blankly and murmured, all but drooling.

"I heard her call Lin Hao ’master.’ Don’t tell me a woman that beautiful is his handmaiden. If that’s true, there’s no justice in the world."

"’The Extreme Realm of the Elemental Realm... What realm is that? How have I never heard of it?’" Someone finally latched on to those words.

The student looked toward the senior members of the Saint Institute, seeking an answer, but what he saw stunned him.

He saw that every single senior member of the Saint Institute was staring intently at Lin Hao, their eyes wide enough to pop from their sockets.

’What’s going on?!’

The disciple was completely bewildered.

Then, he heard one of the senior members murmuring to himself, "The Extreme Realm of the Elemental Realm... a state that surpasses the Peak of the Ninth Layer. So this realm actually exists. It’s absolutely astounding."

"Entering the Soul Gathering Realm in a single thought... I didn’t mishear that, did I? You have to understand, breaking through to the Soul Gathering Realm is harder than ascending to the heavens! Throughout all of history, who has ever been able to do it in a single thought?!"

The senior members of the Saint Institute were completely dumbfounded, as if they had collectively lost their minds. They stared blankly at Lin Hao, endlessly repeating the same phrases. The words that escaped their lips most often were "miracle," "divine act," and the like.

A female voice suddenly cut through the crowd. "My dear, you must be Princess Yunxi, the so-called number one beauty of the Mo Yun Kingdom. To become a captive, to serve as a handmaiden, and to do so with such peace of mind... What magnanimity, what skill. I, Wenren Yuxin, am truly impressed."

Wenren Yuxin had been in the crowd the whole time. She was usually one to keep a low profile, so she hadn’t spoken up until now.

As soon as Wenren Yuxin spoke, the crowd erupted.

"What?! She... She’s the princess of the Mo Yun Kingdom?!"

"So Lin Hao didn’t just capture the Crown Prince of the Mo Yun Kingdom, he got the princess too?"

"He didn’t just capture the princess, he made her his handmaiden?! Heavens, my head is spinning!"

"Making a princess his handmaiden, Lin Hao is outrageous!"

Like a stone cast into a calm lake, Wenren Yuxin’s exposé of Yunxi’s identity sent ripples through the crowd, diverting everyone’s attention.

No, not everyone.

While the senior members of the Saint Institute were still reeling from shock, several upper-rank disciples stared at Lin Hao, their eyes glinting with either fighting spirit or murderous intent. Liu Tian, for instance, was hidden in the crowd, a flicker of killing intent flashing in his eyes before vanishing.

While Lin Hao had been away in Jumo City, Liu Tian’s cultivation had reached the Second Layer of the Soul Gathering Realm. He had also carved his name onto the Saint Institute’s Holy Stele.

Liu Tian had, of course, heard what the senior members had said. He’d never heard of the Extreme Realm of the Elemental Realm before, but from those fragmented whispers, he could grasp just how terrifying it was.

Moreover, the fact that Lin Hao could enter the Soul Gathering Realm in a single thought made Liu Tian fully appreciate how formidable he was.

’Perhaps he now has the power to fight me. I just carved my name on the Holy Stele. If Lin Hao comes to challenge me...’

As this thought crossed his mind, another wisp of killing intent flashed in Liu Tian’s eyes.

At that moment, all eyes were on Lin Hao; no one was paying any attention to Liu Tian.

And in the crowd, Liu Tian was far from the only one revealing killing intent.

The claims coming from Yunxi’s mouth were astonishing, and Lin Hao hadn’t refuted them, which meant they had to be true.

The more prodigious Lin Hao appeared, the more people wanted him dead.

In the shadows, an unknown number of people were already on the move. They had to get this news out as quickly as possible.

A flash of killing intent also appeared in Duan Wushuang’s eyes, though it was certainly not directed at Lin Hao.

Her cultivation was astounding; not a single movement here could escape her Spiritual Sense.

Duan Wushuang was perfectly clear about the inner workings of the Saint Institute. She had never intervened before because she knew the major clans kept each other in check, posing no real detriment to the Institute. But this time was different. This concerned Lin Hao, and Duan Wushuang would not simply stand by and watch.

"Vice Dean, I gained a great deal from my trip to the Mo Yun Kingdom." Just then, Lin Hao suddenly spoke, making a statement that left everyone baffled.

Duan Wushuang, however, understood. Lin Hao wanted to resolve this himself.

Seeing the look on Lin Hao’s face, Duan Wushuang had a flash of insight: ’He must have anticipated everything Yunxi was going to do.’

’This is the outcome he wanted.’

"Lin Hao, you truly live up to the name of a Saint Institute disciple," one of the elders among the senior members said. "However, they are the Crown Prince and Princess of the Mo Yun Kingdom. Their status is extraordinary. You should hand them over to the Sovereign to be dealt with."

"I’m afraid I can’t grant your wish. I am my master’s handmaiden now," Yunxi spoke up again.

She rarely spoke, but when she did, it was always to perfect effect, her timing unerringly precise.

"You are the princess of the Mo Yun Kingdom, a person of noble status. How can you serve as someone’s handmaiden?" the elder who had spoken before said with a cold snort.

He was clearly using this as an opportunity to express his displeasure with Lin Hao.

"She’s just a princess. Letting her be a handmaiden is already an honor," Lin Hao’s voice sounded, faint and detached.

The elder flew into a rage. "Insolence! Lin Hao, you’ve made the princess of the Mo Yun Kingdom your handmaiden! If word of this gets back to their kingdom, what position does that put Master Duan in?"

Lin Hao shrugged, his reply indifferent. "That has nothing to do with me."

"Lin Hao, don’t you forget you’re a disciple of the Saint Institute!" Hearing Lin Hao’s words, the elder was so angry he started fuming.

Lin Hao suddenly laughed. "Your memory seems to be failing you. I’m only a disciple-in-name."

"You!" The elder was momentarily speechless, but his tone quickly shifted. "If you are just a disciple-in-name, then according to the rules of the Saint Institute, for showing such disrespect to your superiors, any one of us has the right to expel you."

Upon hearing this, even Duan Wushuang’s expression changed.

And Lin Hao, too, raised an eyebrow.

Seeing this, the elder smiled.

He knew Lin Hao wanted to enter the Heaven-Breaking Pavilion. And to do that, one had to go through the Yujin Saint Institute.

The allure of the Heaven-Breaking Pavilion was simply too great—even they couldn’t resist it. He was confident that for the chance to enter, Lin Hao would yield to him.

He would make Lin Hao understand the consequences of offending him...