“Do you really plan to fight that frog-at-the-bottom-of-the-well kid?”
Feng Ming Wuliang asked.
“No need. I have already spoken to Ying Tianxia. Your Majesty knows what kind of person he is. He is obsessed with martial arts but hates evil like an enemy. After hearing about Ling Xiao’s affairs, he went straight to Qingxu Academy. It will not be long before Ling Xiao falls by Ying Tianxia’s hand.”
Ying Tianxia, a third Cave Heaven Realm martial artist, the eighth-ranked Thunder Eagle Phoenix Child.
Shangguan Hong had once thought of challenging him but ultimately gave up. Even someone as proud as him did not dare provoke Ying Tianxia.
It was because this Ying Tianxia was a martial fanatic, someone who had truly cultivated martial techniques to an unearthly level.
In short, Ying Tianxia was very powerful, far stronger than Shangguan Hong.
That was why Feng Ming Wushan believed that even if Ying Tianxia could not defeat Ling Xiao, he could at least blunt Ling Xiao’s edge.
At the same time, it would wear Ling Xiao down a little. That way, certain plans would be much easier to carry out.
Ying Tianxia had indeed gone to Qingxu Academy. He left behind one sentence: “If Ling Xiao has the guts, he can come find me, Ying Tianxia, for a fight. I will be waiting at any time!”
Then he left cleanly.
But he left behind a terrifying eagle claw mark on the site.
That mark was directly imprinted on a huge stone outside the gates of Qingxu Academy.
This huge stone was one that Qingxu Academy disciples often used to test their palm strength. Its material was strange. Ordinary palm force could not damage it in the slightest. Disciples took pride in being able to leave a palm print on this stone.
Yet today, Ying Tianxia had clawed out a mark three inches deep with a single strike. This was something that had never happened since the stone was placed there.
Even during Qingxu Academy’s most prosperous times, no disciple had ever achieved such a feat.
Ying Tianxia’s claw power was truly astonishing.
Of course, at that moment Ling Xiao was still at the Imperial Capital Plaza and knew nothing about this.
Only when he returned to Qingxu Academy did someone mention it to him. He merely smiled faintly and said, “If he does not come, I will go find him anyway.”
A challenge did not mean a fight to the death. Different people required different methods.
There was no deep grudge between Ling Xiao and Ying Tianxia. Challenging Ying Tianxia was simply part of challenging the ten Phoenix Children. Defeating him would be enough.
As for that claw mark.
Ling Xiao gave a light smile. With a casual point of his finger, without even touching the stone, a hole appeared in it.
The hole was nearly four or five inches deep, with wisps of black smoke rising from inside.
Seeing this, the disciples of Qingxu Academy, who had been worried, finally relaxed again.
Ling Xiao paid no more attention to the matter.
Challenging Ying Tianxia could wait for now. He felt that his cultivation was on the verge of a new breakthrough. Next, he needed to focus on training.
He had already issued the challenge, even if only verbally. To defeat all ten Phoenix Children, he had to become even stronger.
His current cultivation was definitely not enough.
Moreover, what happened last night had made him sense a strong crisis. He absolutely could not let his guard down.
Back in his room, Ling Xiao sat cross-legged and began cultivating.
Leng Mei sat outside the door, standing guard for him.
She had made one mistake before and did not want to make it again.
Last night she had not been by Ling Xiao’s side, and it had nearly led to disaster. This still weighed heavily on her mind.
“Senior Brother Ling, the Vice Dean requests your presence!”
A voice suddenly came from outside.
It was a junior disciple from the academy. The voice was very familiar.
Ling Xiao slowly opened his eyes. Although cultivation was important, he still needed to meet Feng Qingyan.
“Lead the way.”
Ling Xiao stepped out and said to the junior disciple.
The disciple walked ahead, heading towards Feng Qingyan’s residence.
Qingxu Academy was built against the mountains, with beautiful scenery. But with fewer students now, it felt much quieter.
Along the way, only the junior disciple, Ling Xiao, and Leng Mei following behind were present.
When they were almost at Feng Qingyan’s place, the junior disciple turned back, looked at Leng Mei, and said with a wry smile, “Senior Brother Ling, the Vice Dean only said he wanted to see you. He did not mention letting Senior Sister Leng come along.”
“Leng Mei, wait here. I will be back soon.”
Ling Xiao glanced at Leng Mei and said, “You cannot follow me even when I go to the toilet, right?”
Leng Mei blushed and said, “Fine, Master. I will wait right here. If anything happens, notify me immediately.”
“Of course.”
Ling Xiao nodded, then continued forward with the junior disciple. Soon they entered the room and disappeared from Leng Mei’s view.
Inside the room, Feng Qingyan sat there. A few books lay on the table, which he was casually flipping through.
“Ling Xiao is here. Come, sit.”
Feng Qingyan made a welcoming gesture, then instructed the junior disciple, “Go brew a pot of tea for Ling Xiao. Use the best tea.”
“Yes, Vice Dean.”
The junior disciple left.
Ling Xiao did not sit. Instead he walked to the table, approached Feng Qingyan, and smiled as he said, “Vice Dean Feng, I was in the middle of cultivation. If you have something to say, can we get straight to the point?”
“Straight to the point?” Feng Qingyan paused for a moment and said, “Very well.”
He also stood up and reached out to lightly pat Ling Xiao’s shoulder.
In that instant, Ling Xiao’s finger had already pierced through his throat.
“Why! Why!”
Even though his throat was pierced, the man could still speak. His body rapidly retreated as a terrifying aura instantly erupted from him.
“Why?”
Ling Xiao revealed a cold smile. “Your disguise technique is impressive. Honestly, I almost fell for it. But you probably do not know this. In front of me, no martial artist of any cultivation level can hide secrets!
Vice Dean Feng Qingyan is already a half-step Yin-Yang Realm powerhouse. You may also be a Cave Heaven Realm martial artist, but you are only at the second Cave Heaven Realm. How can you compare to him?”
“But how dare you kill me? What if this was just a little joke from Vice Dean Feng Qingyan?”
The assassin felt his throat constantly tearing and rotting.
Terrifying heat was draining his life force away.
He was terrified and shocked.
He did not understand how he had been exposed, nor why Ling Xiao dared to kill without hesitation.
“Feng Qingyan would never be so bored. If you want to impersonate him, you should at least understand him. This kind of joke cannot be played in front of me.”
Ling Xiao said disdainfully.
“Heh, what a blunder!”
The assassination he thought was foolproof had been exposed by Ling Xiao before he even made a move. Regret appeared on the assassin’s fake face.
“You should die!”
Ling Xiao’s figure flickered. In an instant he closed in. Terrifying high temperature burst from his hand, and the assassin’s body began to burn rapidly.
“Senior Brother Ling, what are you doing? Have you gone mad!”
From outside the door, the junior disciple carrying tea rushed in. The teacup and pot fell to the ground. He stared at Ling Xiao with extreme terror and confusion on his face.
“He is an assassin in disguise. Not Vice Dean Feng Qingyan.”
Ling Xiao said calmly.
Then he lightly clapped his hands. The assassin was burned until not even residue remained.
