Chapter 414 – The Name of Red Robe

Red Robe could refine her soul form like Rakshasa and Soul Loss to achieve a state indistinguishable from an Immortal Master.

But she couldn’t be bothered.

Her motto was: float rather than walk, sit rather than stand, and dive into graves whenever possible.

Naturally, she floated as she moved.

The characteristics of ghost-type troops were fully displayed.

However, this wasn’t particularly remarkable. While most present were predominantly from the Human Race with human professions, there were also some non-human troops.

Be it fanged berserkers, Balrog sheep, dread knights, and so on—their appearances were far more eye-catching than Red Robe’s.

People paid more attention to Red Robe with the thought: three top-tier experts have appeared consecutively, each stronger than the last. Could this red-clad specter be the true final boss?

Ah, how could that be.

As if this were some novel.

The previous fierce individual named Zhou Yi possessed skills ranking high on the Dragon Gate List, not far behind the renowned Lord Red Shadow of the Limitless Sky Wolf.

Top instructor Red Shadow was naturally present as well.

Having come to demonstrate and promote on behalf of the academy, he couldn’t simply leave. Even though he very much wanted to depart—not wishing to waste time here when he could be training or fighting instead—he found today wasn’t a complete waste of time.

He had encountered formidable experts.

Ailin and Soul Loss were one thing, but Zhou Yi’s performance truly caught his eye.

Zhou Yi didn’t manage to completely break through the Water Dragon’s Song Formation, but insiders know their own affairs. Red Shadow’s ease in dismantling this Illusion-killing Formation came from his frequent experiences with it; his familiarity made breaking it naturally effortless.

Had Zhou Yi been equally familiar with the formation, he could have broken it too.

At most, it would have taken him a bit longer.

In Red Shadow’s estimation, even if Zhou Yi’s raw strength didn’t match his own, they were contenders of the same caliber. He began to entertain thoughts of sparring.

Finding a strong opponent with comparable skill was quite challenging.

Exchanging blows with an unfamiliar expert would better aid his own growth.

The more Red Shadow thought about it, the more his itch for battle grew, but the recruitment assessment wasn’t over yet—he couldn’t leave.

“Red Shadow, oh Red Shadow, you’ve waited half a day already. What’s another moment?”

“At most, half an hour until the assessment ends. Endure! Hold out for thirty minutes, then go all out!”

While muttering to himself, he caught sight of the distant red-clad ghost drifting into the formation.

This female specter looked half-asleep—could she really clear the challenge?

Red Shadow doubted it.

Indeed, only those like him and Zhou Yi were true experts.

…

Red Robe was bleary-eyed.

Awake, but not fully.

Yet this posed no issue—she had long grown accustomed to this state. In fact, in this half-dreaming, half-waking condition, her Illusion techniques came even more naturally.

“Ready, let’s begin quickly… yawn.”

“Sooner done, sooner I can return…”

Her drowsy eyes swept the surroundings, taking in each water dragon reflected in her pupils.

Their forms, light-shadows, transformations, trajectories… quickly became clear in her mind.

‘How to fight?’

‘Hmm, whatever’s fastest.’

‘The Eyes of Reincarnation aren’t suitable here, and using them would be troublesome anyway. For a mere Illusion-killing Formation, it’s hardly necessary.’

She pondered and observed.She had never been fond of thinking, but if it could save her effort and time, a little extra thought wouldn’t hurt.

First like this… then like this… and finally like this.

Hmm, plan accomplished.

Within seconds of stepping into the Water Dragon’s Song Formation, Red Robe swiftly simulated a set of tactics using Illusion and found it feasible.

Just then, the grand formation buzzed to life.

The originally harmless-looking water dragons turned violent and fierce, stirring up towering Aura and waves.

Countless water dragons surged and roared within the formation, capable of making trial-takers feel as if they’d plunged into raging torrents in the blink of an eye.

To Red Robe, it was merely background noise.

Just some light and shadow Illusion tricks.

“Break.”

She parted her lips lightly, releasing a drifting breeze.

Formless yet resembling countless sharp filaments, the breeze swept across the entire arena in an instant.

The ninety-nine majestic water dragons surrounding her froze abruptly.

Eighty-seven of them shattered like bubbles, leaving only twelve still flowing with murmuring streams.

But this single break seemed to infuriate the entire grand formation.

The Water Dragon’s Song Formation instantly operated at full capacity, even overloading.

Water mist permeated the air.

Massive waterfalls cascaded from the dome.

Hundreds upon thousands of frenzied water dragons emerged from all corners of the formation, claws bared and fangs brandished, gathering water for assault.

“She… she’s breaking the formation too!”

A spectator exclaimed outside the arena.

Nearby, some still immersed in the previous battle turned their gazes at the sound, and gasps immediately rose and fell like a symphonic piece.

This applicant called Red Robe was actually breaking the formation too!

The entire Water Dragon’s Song Formation had been enraged!

Reaching this stage meant, at the very least, that this female ghost possessed power surpassing most experts present.

Red Shadow, who had been muttering internally, also looked over, his pupils instantly contracting.

On the field, water dragons roared as if Falling Stars were crashing toward the solitary red figure at the center.

But Red Robe was faster.

A second “Break” followed the momentum, her soft chant surging like terrifying waves that swept both inside and outside the arena. Ninety percent of the newly emerged thousand water dragons dissolved like bubbles.

Immediately after, hazy pavilions, shops, and pedestrians spread out from Red Robe as the center, overlapping with the entire Water Dragon’s Song Formation.

Amid the violent watery domain, a bustling marketplace scene forcefully squeezed its way in.

Yet this lively scene was only the initial impression—upon closer look, one could quickly notice the mottled walls of the pavilions and the blurred, ghostly figures of the pedestrians.

Before anyone could examine further, the overlapping marketplace and Water Dragon’s Song Formation began to distort.

A buzzing sound reverberated.

Both water dragons and pavilions grew indistinct.

Some pavilion gates gaped open like beasts’ maws, swallowing several water dragons as if they were mere loaches;

Some spectral butchers grinned, drawing Sabers to pin water dragons against walls, skinning and deboning them;

Phantom shadows loomed, blurring reality and illusion.

“What exactly is happening inside?”

Someone asked.

Before anyone could answer, the overlapping pavilion shadows and water dragons completely vanished, leaving only a graceful figure in red dispersing the surrounding water mist with a wave of her hand as she floated out.

At that moment, the timer hanging above the Water Dragon’s Song Formation froze.

It stopped at 9.62 seconds.

Nine seconds.

Less than ten seconds.

She… slaughtered her way through the entire Water Dragon’s Song Formation?There were no gasps of surprise, no exclamations of shock—only silence from the spectators.

Silence was the theme of the day.

Their reflexes hadn’t even caught up yet.

After a long pause,

“Wh-what just happened?”

A bystander looked around in confusion. He had just returned from a bathroom break, and now everyone seemed petrified.

He hadn’t been gone that long.

“Honestly, I don’t know what happened either.”

Another spectator stared blankly at the distant formation, still utterly bewildered.

All he saw was the Red Robe expert floating upward, the Red Robe expert making her move, and the Red Robe expert tearing through the formation.

It happened so fast, he had no idea what occurred.

The formation just shattered.

“9.62 seconds—what level is that?”

“How long did it take Lord Limitless Sky Wolf to break the formation again?”

“Was it seventeen or eighteen seconds?”

“Twice as fast as Lord Red Shadow? Hiss!”

“How could she be this fast!”

Many snapped out of their daze, and finally, gasps and exclamations began to ripple through the crowd.

They seemed to have witnessed something extraordinary.

They could now boast to their friends over meals: “I witnessed the rise of a supreme expert.”

Lord Red Shadow ranked twelfth on the Dragon Gate List.

Where would this Red Robe expert, who was countless times more formidable than Red Shadow, place on the Dragon Gate List? Top ten? Top five? Top three, or even…

At this thought, people couldn’t help but suck in sharp breaths.

Most present had seen the Dragon Gate List, but opportunities to witness top-ranked experts in person were exceedingly rare.

The chance to witness a “ranking battle” firsthand was even rarer—a once-in-a-lifetime event.

And they had seen it today.

In the distance, Second-Class Instructor Rolling Clouds stared at Red Robe, then glanced at Soul Loss, his throat working for a long moment without producing a single word.

Brother Soul Loss, you weren’t exaggerating at all.

No, Brother Soul Loss, you were being far too modest!

Wait, hold on…

Rolling Clouds keenly noticed the discrepancy. “You said you come from a small city territory? That doesn’t make sense!”

What small territory could field such an exaggerated lineup?

Red Robe, Zhou Yi, Soul Loss, and even Ailin all had the qualifications to be listed on the Dragon Gate List.

Even if Soul Loss and Ailin would rank lower on the Dragon Gate List, they were still Dragon Gate-ranked.

Four Dragon Gate experts from one city—how could that be a small city?

A pond cannot produce true dragons.

Soul Loss looked utterly innocent. “We really do come from a Level 5 small city. Our territory hasn’t been upgraded for long, and our Lord has mentioned that the city is still small, barely the size of a town, and currently under expansion.”

Rolling Clouds fell silent.

Perhaps his own territory didn’t even qualify to be called a city-level territory?

Outside the Water Dragon’s Song Formation, Red Robe hovered in place, glaring unpleasantly at the interview officer in charge of the review assessment in the distance.

Why hadn’t this old fool announced the results yet?

Even floating required effort, you know.

Under Red Robe’s “nuclear-level friendly” gaze, the interview officer finally snapped back to reality with a jolt, opening and closing his mouth. “Lady Red Robe, based on your performance, we will… we will…”

This interview officer was a seasoned lord.

Among seasoned lords, he was particularly experienced, having established his territory for over ten years. He himself had reached the Great Perfection of the Fourth Order and held an important position at Tianze Academy.

He clearly understood that, given Red Robe’s performance and skill level, awarding her the title of Special-Class Instructor would be entirely appropriate.

Originally, Tianze Academy had such regulations.

However…

They no longer had any Special-Class Instructor slots available.The quota for special-class instructors was inherently precious, with special funding allocated from above and corresponding performance indicators attached.

Only those who met the standards could receive such treatment.

Through normal recruitment, it was impossible to attract talents of this caliber.

Initially, the academy even worried they might not be able to utilize the special-class instructor quota and would miss out on the special funding. The Legendary Realm dean personally traveled far to an old friend’s territory to invite experts from the Dragon Gate List.

Red Shadow was one of them.

Of course, even these specially invited experts had to pass assessments to earn the special-class title, as all appointments required review and approval by the Alliance headquarters.

The highest level Tianze Academy could independently approve was first-class instructors.

Now, they had found exceptional talent—far exceeding the required standards—but…

The quota was gone.

What to do? What to do?

The interviewer, feeling like a small fry, knew he couldn’t handle such an important matter and needed to consult his superiors.

However… he couldn’t shake the fear that if he uttered the word “consult,” he might end up on the receiving end of Red Robe’s saber.

The intent to kill was unmistakable in her eyes.

The interviewer broke into a cold sweat—he was merely a Fourth Order Limit, after all.

Just then, an aged yet vigorous voice echoed from a distance.

“Our Tianze Academy eagerly seeks all kinds of talents. With Your Excellency Red Robe’s capabilities, you naturally deserve special-class instructor treatment here. Not only that, but the academy has decided to offer you a 20% premium above the standard special-class benefits, fully covered by our institution.”

This was spoken by the dean.

He was among those observing from behind the scenes.

Earlier, they had been equally astonished, never expecting the last Tianyuan Expert to appear would prove so formidable.

Even considering that Red Robe, a ghost-type specialist skilled in Illusions, had an exceptional advantage against the Water Dragon’s Song Formation—essentially finding herself in an ideal environment—her power remained undeniable.

She was stronger than Red Shadow.

As Legendary Realm experts, they possessed the insight to recognize this.

And precisely because they were legends, with broad experience and vision, they quickly recovered from their surprise—they had encountered or heard of even stronger Fourth Order limit experts before, so their astonishment was only moderate.

They promptly discussed Red Robe’s situation.

While Tianze Academy truly had no special-class quota left, could they offer her first-class treatment? Absolutely not!

If they dared to offer Red Robe first-class treatment today, she might very well apply to another academy tomorrow—and take talents like Ailin, Soul Loss, and Zhou Yi with her.

Red Robe and her group were only here to interview; they weren’t obligated to accept positions here.

Within days, the incident would spread throughout Taixuan, and Tianze Academy would bear the stigma of “not valuing talent.”

That was unacceptable.

But the quota was indeed exhausted—what could they do?

“We’ll provide it ourselves!”As the premier city of the Twilight Great Domain, can’t Tianze City afford special-class instructor treatment?”

“We’ll submit Red Robe’s quota request upward. If headquarters approves additional funding, excellent. If not, we’ll cover it ourselves. Not only will we cover it—we’ll even enhance the offer.”

“This situation caught us off guard, but it’s also fortunate. That a potential-laden expert like Red Robe chose our Tianze Academy proves our institution’s excellence.””We must not only give, but give even more, and we must publicize this matter widely. Understood?”

The other Legendary Realm experts naturally understood this reasoning.

It’s just…

“We don’t have the authority for this. We must contact the old principal.”

“There’s no time. This matter must be handled quickly. Old Chen would definitely think the same way. If anything goes wrong, I’ll take full responsibility!”

The name of Special Class Instructor Red Robe quickly spread throughout Tianze City.

All procedures were completed that very afternoon, with staff members assigned to assist with all the necessary errands.

This aspect satisfied Red Robe quite well.

This academy isn’t too bad.

The employment procedures for Zhou Yi, Soul Loss, and others were naturally also completed that same afternoon.

They quickly assumed their positions at Tianze Academy and began enjoying the institution’s benefits and treatment.

Classes hadn’t started yet, and which students they would be teaching remained undetermined, but they could already access various materials and resources.

Red Robe also looked up some Illusion cultivation materials.

Among them were numerous experience-sharing notes from Legendary Realm Illusion Great Masters, which proved quite valuable to her as well.

Meanwhile.

Recruitment efforts at various Advanced academies were also proceeding in full swing.

In many places, previously unknown ‘dark horse’ experts emerged one after another.

The rankings on the Dragon Gate List changed rapidly, with competition becoming unimaginably intense.

Soon, the new edition of the Dragon Gate List was published.

(End of Chapter)