A Different Time from the Past

In college, there are always some prominent figures—like the student council president, the campus heartthrobs, or the rich heirs.

But in front of Kent, all of them pale in comparison. They don't even register.

In fact, someone like Kent is nearly a prodigy, someone who can't be judged by ordinary standards anymore.

As countless gazes—some hot, some envious, some filled with hatred, and some full of respect—land on him, Kent simply glances over them without a care. From today onward, he will be fully separated from these people, no longer sharing the same dimension as them.

This "dimension" refers to Kent's path to early graduation. Like a giant bird spreading its wings, he will soar and create a brilliant future, no longer limited by trivial matters.

Walking into the hall with Zhao Mengxi, the two separate, and Kent makes his way to the section reserved for first-year students of the Inspection Academy. He casually greets a few classmates he is on good terms with.

"Kent, I never thought you'd get this strong. In the blink of an eye, you've left us far behind, and we can't even catch up," sighed the class president, Cai Wensheng, shaking his head. Sometimes, the gap between people is just that wide. But to have it widen this quickly seems a bit excessive.

Kent smiled faintly.

At that moment, he felt a gaze that made him uncomfortable. Turning around, he saw Ye Qiugang glaring at him with an expressionless face, a trace of malice in his eyes.

"Ye Qiugang?" Kent scoffed. He didn't care. The Kent of today had already moved forward, and the opponents who once required him to look up were no longer in his thoughts.

And as for the future, he wouldn't give any of those former rivals the chance to catch up.

From afar, Huang Jintian narrowed his eyes and looked over coldly.

"Huang Jintian, huh?" Kent smiled casually. Today's opponent is you. No matter how much you look at me, you won't escape the fate of being knocked off your pedestal.

"Kent, who are you planning to challenge this time?" Cai Wensheng couldn't help asking.

The Wind and Cloud Competition is all about ranking, with seats assigned based on it. It's a chance to reshuffle the pack. Whether freshmen or upperclassmen, each participant has three chances to challenge others and three obligations to accept challenges.

With Kent's current strength, although the exact level is unknown, as a one-star Inspector, he's more than capable.

In just half a year, Kent had entered the top 100. Who knows what ranking he'll achieve in another six months?

Cai Wensheng was thrilled to have such a remarkable student in his class, but he never expected that Kent's target today was none other than the top of the Wind and Cloud Ranking.

By 9 AM, the hall, which could accommodate tens of thousands, was packed to the brim.

The Wind and Cloud Competition, as Earthstar University's grand event, naturally attracts a lot of attention. But this time, without a doubt, it was the most exciting one yet.

Why?

The reason was simple. The Inspection Academy had produced a super talented student. Kent was only a freshman, yet he had already achieved what most students could only dream of: becoming a one-star Inspector, with the opportunity to patrol vast lands and observe the myriad realms of the world.

What was even more astonishing was that Kent, having made a deal with a Sacred Tier Beast, acquired a Red Fire mine, which he sold for over 50 billion dollars, becoming the youngest billionaire.

He was handsome, strong, wealthy, and had the most beautiful girl on campus—Zhao Mengxi. He was a true winner in life.

Such a person was beyond reproach. Regardless of whether others were envious, jealous, or motivated by something else, there was more than enough allure to draw them to the Wind and Cloud Competition to see him in person.

Kent didn't think much of it, but when he saw the multitude of eyes fixed on him, he finally understood.

So this is what they call the "celebrity effect," the "star power."

Kent didn't mind but certainly enjoyed the attention.

What surprised him, though, was that the Wind and Cloud Competition this time wasn't being hosted by the school president, but by Vice President Luo Nan. No wonder he had been summoned to his office a few days ago. It made sense now, but it was undeniable that Luo Nan had no real business with him.

Luo Nan, along with other school leaders, sat on the elevated platform. He adjusted his clothes, cleared his throat, and stood up to give a speech about the competition. His tone was somewhat outdated, and his words lacked flair, causing the audience to stifle yawns.

Luo Nan, having not made such an appearance in a long time, seemed a bit nervous. He even mispronounced a few words, reading "lively dragon" as "lively fish dragon," which made the students chuckle and lightened the mood.

After Luo Nan's speech, the stage was handed over to the host, and under the host's direction, the competition officially began.

As usual, the challenges started with the Academy of Field Warfare. From freshmen to seniors, anyone wanting to challenge someone else could declare their intent.

Kent wasn't very interested. Even the most exciting matches felt childish in his eyes now. His focus had shifted.

He even found it a bit boring. Unlike last year, when he was curious about the Wind and Cloud Competition, this time, Kent took out his phone to browse the news and research some information.

"Changguo Mountain?"

That was his first destination after graduation.

The Changguo Mountain range is located in the western part of Earthstar, bordering the vast Tian Shan Mountain range, or more accurately, it's a branch of the Tian Shan range.

While not particularly large, the mountain range stretches nearly a thousand miles, with complex terrain and dramatic elevations.

Kent planned to visit because Changguo Mountain is home to a large anomalous space, rated at level seven. It's called the Fruit Space, and it's ranked ninth among the top fifty anomalous spaces.

Fruit Space is fraught with danger, hosting many perilous and unique life forms.

As a result, Changguo Mountain has been affected by Fruit Space, and the plants and trees there have mutated, producing bizarre fruits.

Some of these fruits are poisonous, some are high-energy, and some give birth to life, even transforming into living beings themselves.

Kent's beast, the Diamond Monkey Wukong, originated from Changguo Mountain. However, it wasn't created from a fruit but from a piece of white ash stone that absorbed the essence of heaven and earth.

Wukong is a Buddhist-style monkey, and Changguo Mountain is a mountain of fruit. The abundant energy from the fruit-filled mountain sped up Wukong's awakening process.