“Hmph, even if you kneel and beg now, it’s useless. You’ve angered me. Unless I deal with all of you, I’ll strip and run ten laps around the capital!” the middle-aged man roared, his killing intent palpable.
This young man, who crippled his daughter, remained so calm, which infuriated him.
It was intolerable.
“Some words shouldn’t be spoken lightly. If a general of the Shenhuang Empire, a royal of the Ice Phoenix Clan, ran naked around the capital, I’m sure many would enjoy the show,” Ling Xiao said with a slight smile, stepping into an odd stance, faint black and white lights appearing behind him.
While the man fumed over how to deal with this arrogant youth, Ling Xiao moved.
A blinding flash of light burst forth.
The man had no time to react.
His daughter was in Ling Xiao’s grasp, a cold sword pressed against her neck.
“Stop, you brat!” the man shouted, panicked.
Feng Yanran was stunned.
Ling Xiao’s speed was unmatched, even by a tenth-stage Tianren realm martial artist. No wonder he was so bold. Who could catch him if he chose to flee?
“Listen, old dog. I can let your daughter go, but don’t make a move. Otherwise, I guarantee she’ll die before me,” Ling Xiao said coldly.
“This kid’s got guts, talking to a lord like that,” a bystander whispered.
“If it were me, I’d have wet myself,” another said.
“You don’t have his speed,” a third remarked.
The crowd found the scene thrilling.
They’d fantasised about confronting this old dog themselves.
“Let her go, or I’ll tear you apart!” the man roared.
“Still showing off in front of me?” Ling Xiao pressed the sword slightly, drawing blood from the girl’s neck.
“No, no! What do you want?” the man pleaded. Though he wanted to crush Ling Xiao, his daughter’s life came first.
“Get lost now. Don’t let me see you again. Once I’m safe, I’ll release her,” Ling Xiao said coldly.
“No way. How can I trust you?” the man shook his head.
“I’m in the capital. What do I gain by killing her?” Ling Xiao said calmly.
“Go!” The man hesitated, then chose to leave.
After one step, Ling Xiao’s voice followed, “General, don’t forget your oath. Strip and run a lap around the capital. Don’t let people mock you for breaking your word.”
“Hmph, this isn’t over!” the man snapped. Of course, he wouldn’t actually do it. Such oaths were mere hot air for people like him.
“You, get lost too!” Ling Xiao tossed the girl aside after the man left.
“You let her go? Aren’t you afraid he’ll come back?” Ji Mingkong asked, puzzled.
“He doesn’t have the guts,” Ling Xiao sneered. His true strength wasn’t martial arts but soul power.
He’d marked the girl with a soul imprint. If he wished, she could go mad and die anytime.
Though he disliked such ruthless methods, he had to guard against the man causing trouble, especially on their turf.
Being harsh to enemies was protecting himself.
He turned to Feng Yanran. “Still here? Waiting for my thanks?”
“You dare tell me to get lost?” Feng Yanran was stunned, not expecting such words.
“Get lost when I say so. So much nonsense. A mere early-stage Liangyi Tian martial artist, acting like you’re somebody,” Ling Xiao said.
As he spoke, the World Eye appeared above him, unleashing terrifying soul power.
Under the pressure of his Mountain River Will, Feng Yanran felt fear.
At that moment, Ji Mingkong struck again, not with a sword but a kick, sending Feng Yanran flying.
“These guys aren’t pushovers. They even dare kick Qingxu Academy’s Feng Yanran?” a bystander gasped.
“That kid’s odd. Seems like a soul power expert,” another said.
“That pretty girl’s strength matches Feng Yanran’s. Who are these people?” a third wondered.
The onlookers’ eyes widened.
In all their time in the capital, they’d never seen someone from Qingxu Academy’s Young Phoenix Class get kicked like that.
“Let’s go. You all changed into your new clothes, right?” Ling Xiao said, with no plans to flee.
Having come to the Shenhuang Empire’s capital, he intended to explore.
The two great academies of Shenhuang Continent were here, showing the capital’s power.
He came to Shenhuang Continent to improve his cultivation and gain resources, and joining one of the academies was a must.
“All changed. Let’s go,” Zhao Ci said, her earlier gloom from being attacked lifted by seeing their foes’ sorry state.
As a martial artist, falling from the second floor wasn’t a big deal.
In new clothes, they no longer looked like beggars but like wandering martial artists.
The city gate was ancient and heavy, imbued with a mysterious power.
The Holy City once had such a gate, now reduced to ruins.
No matter how strong a gate, it paled against a martial artist’s power.
To hold a kingdom, strength was key. Everything else was empty.
“Move!” a shout came from behind as they approached the gate.
A seven-coloured radiance skimmed the ground, moving at astonishing speed.
It rushed toward Ling Xiao, not attacking but passing through.
Ling Xiao didn’t dodge. He focused, seeing a figure with seven-coloured wings, trailing a vibrant tail.
It resembled a peacock.
As it flew, the colourful light swirled, kicking up dust and knocking nearby people away.
“Haha, thrilling! Ying Tianxia, you’re no match for my speed!” the figure laughed, not slowing, as if intending to crash through Ling Xiao.
Behind him was another figure, flying with thunderous booms, blue lightning wings flashing, looking striking.
That must be Ying Tianxia, the “Thunder Eagle” the peacock mentioned.
“It’s Kong He, the Peacock Phoenix Son, and Ying Tianxia, the Thunder Eagle Phoenix Son, both top ten on the Phoenix Prodigy List!” someone in the crowd exclaimed.
Like Tianlong Continent, Shenhuang Continent ranked young geniuses, but on a broader scale.
The top ten on the Phoenix Prodigy List were called Phoenix Sons, or Children of Shenhuang.
