No one can take the lead seat

No one can take the lead seat . . . 

The Fiery-eyed Berserk Ape, hailing from the desolate expanse of the Ten Thousand Mountain Range, boasted an impeccable pedigree as a greater demon. However, even with such an esteemed bloodline, it failed to secure the coveted seat at the forefront.

It became evident that among the assemblage of supreme geniuses, only a select few possessed the qualifications to vie for the foremost immortal seat.

"I'll give it a shot," a voice resonated. White-eye, one of the demon kings of the White Tiger Race, stepped forward. While his cultivation level was lower than that of the Fiery-eyed Berserk Ape, the earlier announcement didn't specify that only those with elevated cultivations could occupy the primary seat. As a White Tiger Race king, he felt compelled to make an attempt.

White-eye unleashed his royal-grade bloodline and, with a resounding boom, stepped onto the immortal seat. Yet, once more, a burst of dazzling astral light engulfed the heavens, projecting a scene that unveiled his true form. White-eye howled in a frenzy, desperately contending against the formidable might of the Great Dao assaulting his body. However, despite his resolve to withstand it, his capabilities fell far short. After enduring for a brief moment, he was forcibly ejected by a colossal palm formed from the power of the Great Dao, suffering a fate akin to the ape's earlier, as he crashed brutally to the ground.

White-eye struggled to his feet, his countenance marred by a deep sense of chagrin. As a White Tiger Race king, his failure was a bitter pill to swallow. Following him, numerous other greater demons made attempts, yet none succeeded.

In due course, a striking and formidable figure ascended the seat. This man hailed from the Sky Demon Palace, and his presence exuded an unrivaled aura. Nevertheless, before long, he too was ousted from the seat, his efforts in vain. The experts from the God Beast Sect met a similar fate.

This seat represented the paramount position among these supreme beings. Up to this point, none among them appeared to possess the necessary qualifications.

A sudden surge of keen energy pervaded the surroundings. All eyes turned towards a soaring figure—golden wings shimmering with radiant brilliance, each feather resembling a razor-sharp sword and exuding an ancient, enigmatic aura.

"Our race's king!" The sky rocs displayed profound reverence, their hopes resting upon Jia Nantian, anticipating his successful claim to the first seat. He was their destined king, poised to reign over all demons, subduing the denizens of Dragon Island and the Ten Thousand Mountain Range. It was only fitting for him to occupy the foremost position.

Jia Nantian reverted to his true form, his eyes reflecting supreme pride, brimming with an awe-inspiring radiance. With a flash, he resembled a bolt of golden lightning, instantly reaching the immortal seat. Once again, a stellar scene unfolded in the skies. Jia Nantian emitted a piercing screech and harnessed the power of his bloodline, ready to confront the imposing pressure.

In the astral projection, an enormous roc extended its wings, seemingly intent on cleaving apart the heavens and the earth. It swung with the might to sever the heavenly force of the Great Dao.

The entire assembly of experts bore witness to the earth-shattering impact. The golden-winged great roc harbored aspirations of cleaving through the force of the heavens itself, an endeavor that appeared nigh impossible. A colossal palm, a manifestation of the Great Dao's irresistible might, bore down upon Jia Nantian with the intent to obliterate everything in its path.

"Swish~" A tempestuous gust of wind materialized. The great rocs were renowned for their swiftness, and Jia Nantian, in a desperate bid to evade the wrath of heavenly dao, utilized his speed. Alas, the palm imprint proved too ferocious and rapid. Despite his valiant efforts, he found no escape, compelled to fold his wings defensively and confront the unrelenting surge of celestial punishment. The entire space quaked, and an ear-splitting explosion resounded as cracks marred the golden wings of the great roc.

With a low groan of agony, Jia Nantian was dislodged from the seat. Yet, before he touched the ground, his wings unfurled once more, propelling him back into the skies. Soaring aloft, he surveyed the primary seat with haughty eyes, asserting, "The heavenly might of the Great Dao is simply overwhelming. Without a saint-grade bloodline, it's fated that no demon can occupy this seat."

Jia Nantian's words exuded an air of arrogance, as if he declared that, since he had failed to secure the first seat, it was an impossible feat for anyone else. His demeanor felt stifling, as if the world revolved around him.

Naturally, no one bought into his assertion. Another expert ventured onto the immortal seat as the astral scene reappeared. An ancient Kui Ox materialized in the ethereal projection, soaring through the heavens and clashing its horns with the Great Dao. Nevertheless, the outcome mirrored Jia Nantian's—failure.

"BOOM!" A resounding crash echoed as a spirited young man stepped forward. Qin Wentian's gaze sharpened; this individual was a greater demon from Dragon Island, his true form that of a demonic dragon.

As the expert ascended the seat, the starry scene reemerged. A formidable demonic fire dragon manifested, repeatedly colliding with the omnipotent pressure. Undeterred, it placed unwavering faith in the strength of its body. Alas, despite its efforts, it too fell short, unable to break through the overwhelming force of the Great Dao.

A somber hush descended over the crowd, all realizing that the sacred academy's reopening after twelve years, dedicated to the exploration of the Great Dao, was an extraordinary occurrence. Whether from humanity or the demon races, none appeared qualified to seize the foremost seat in the first row.

"Jia Nantian might be correct. Perhaps only greater demons possessing a pure saint-grade bloodline can claim this seat," Nanfeng Yunxi mused quietly. The pursuit of the lead seat, amidst an assembly of supreme experts, proved an exceedingly daunting task.

Qin Wentian turned to Little Rascal, who stood beside him, and inquired, "Would you like to give it a try?" This little creature was undoubtedly exceptional. Even Qin Wentian remained uncertain about Little Rascal's true origins.

"I won't go up. If I succeed, wouldn't people become so envious of me that they'd die?" Little Rascal shook its head, prompting Qin Wentian to chuckle. The creature grew increasingly astute. The characters gathered here were nothing to scoff at. Should Little Rascal secure the first seat, it would be the target of ceaseless envy during its stay in the sacred academy.

In the realm of seeking the Dao, there existed priorities, but there were no strict hierarchies in acquiring Daos. Qin Wentian harbored no intentions of vying for the seat at this juncture. If his interest in the matter materialized in the future, he would act accordingly. For now, he remained disinterested.

No one managed to ascend the first seat. Consequently, the two seats in the second row assumed the mantle of prominence in the eyes of all present. Those who succeeded in occupying these seats would enjoy the closest proximity to the Great Dao's discourse.

Undoubtedly, securing the qualifications to sit in the second row wouldn't be a straightforward endeavor. Every individual present harbored aspirations of occupying those coveted seats, yet none dared to presume that they were unequivocally qualified.

"For the 3,000 seats, once a seat is claimed, it becomes the exclusive domain of the first occupant." The ethereal voice resonated once more, eliciting a collective stiffness among the onlookers. This dictum implied that the initial seat-holder had an unassailable right to their place. Those fortunate enough to secure a seat inherently possessed the privilege to partake in the Great Dao's discourse.

"BOOM!" Another white tiger king strode forward, exuding a formidable eighth-level immortal foundation cultivation. He advanced toward the second row, but in the same moment, experts from the demonic dragons and heavenly scorpions races emerged, poised to wrest away the seats.

"King!" The sky rocs' gazes swiveled to Jia Nantian.

"No one has managed to claim the first immortal seat, thus rendering the second row the foremost seats. However, they're hardly up for grabs," Jia Nantian declared arrogantly, disinterested in competing with these demons. In addition to him, other greater demons also opted to adopt a wait-and-see approach, keenly observing these potent greater demons vying for the second row.

The Fiery-eyed Berserk Ape advanced toward the white tiger king, who responded with an enraged roar, emanating a palpable malevolence as the character '王' for king materialized on his forehead in an attempt to intimidate his opponent. Yet, the Fiery-eyed Berserk Ape promptly assumed its true form, unleashing a chaotic and violent aura that sent shudders through onlookers' hearts. The expansive space between the 3,000 seats accommodated the true forms of these greater demons without issue.

The auras of the two greater demons collided, reverberating through the surrounding space. The white tiger king exuded an aura of malevolence, while the Fiery-eyed Berserk Ape was cloaked in frenzied flames. Both threw punches, generating tempestuous winds so potent that spectators with lower cultivation bases were propelled into the air by the sheer force of their clash. Aspiring to claim the second row required not only potent bloodlines but also a considerably high level of cultivation. Weaker demons could only dream of such an accomplishment.

Simultaneously, the two greater demons withdrew, their eyes locked in an unyielding stare. Neither was willing to yield. Yet, at the other seat in the second row, the demonic fire dragon expert from earlier occupied it, challenging the might of the Great Dao. Observing this, the other greater demons behind him soon discerned that even for the second row, the celestial force emanating from the Great Dao remained formidable, evident in the demon's struggle against it. Within a brief span, the demonic fire dragon was ousted from one of the second seats.

How could the second-row seats be acquired so easily? This turn of events caused the White Tiger Race's expert and the Fiery-eyed Berserk Ape to cease their hostilities, their expressions stiffening in response.

The imposing figure of the white tiger king moved with swiftness as he ascended a seat in the second row. This time, the Fiery-eyed Berserk Ape offered no resistance, allowing his adversary to approach unhindered. Yet, after enduring the pressure for a brief period, the king-level expert from the White Tiger Race was forcefully cast down, eliciting astonishment among all present.

Subsequently, the Fiery-eyed Berserk Ape made its attempt but met with a similar fate: failure.

Within the sacred academy, even the second-row seats were beyond the grasp of those who sought them.

One by one, more experts stepped up to make their attempts. Finally, Jia Nantian took another stride forward, mounting the immortal seat. He once again transformed into his true form, confronting the celestial force head-on. His wings tore through the fabric of space, boldly challenging the formidable might. With a resounding roar, Jia Nantian's wings managed to cleave through the celestial pressure, securing his place on the second immortal seat. The astral light enveloped him, and the seat now belonged to him.

"Indeed, the golden-winged great rocs of the Sky Roc Race are rarer than the king white tigers of the White Tiger Race, and their bloodline is undoubtedly of a higher caliber," mused Qin Wentian in a hushed tone as he observed the spectacle. Among the sky rocs, only Jia Nantian remained, the sole golden-winged great roc among them. In contrast, the White Tiger Race boasted several demon kings. Even among the demons of Dragon Island, their bloodline was slightly inferior to that of the golden-winged great roc.

After all, the demon kings of Dragon Island were not in attendance, whereas the golden-winged great rocs held the prestigious title of kings within the Sky Roc Race.

"While we may not secure the first seat, we must at least aim for seats in the first ten rows. Go and claim them," Qin Wentian instructed the experts from the Battle Saint Tribe. They nodded and advanced toward their goal.

"We shall do the same," Qin Wentian declared as he, Nanfeng Yunxi, and their companions stepped forward, forging ahead.

"You all also covet seats in the front rows?" The experts from the Skymist Immortal Empire fixed their gaze upon Qin Wentian and his group. These two powers had maintained an uneasy truce since entering the sacred academy. However, as the critical moment for seizing the immortal seats approached, the Skymist Immortal Empire's experts seemed inclined to act against Qin Wentian.