“What?”
Ning Ke froze, expecting his display of cultivation would make Ling Xiao back down, but this new Qingxu Academy member gave him no face at all.
“I said, finish your nonsense and get lost, there’s no room for your heroics here, leave now!”
Ling Xiao restrained himself, not wanting to kill a Qingxu Academy member unless necessary.
“You’re courting death!”
Ning Ke’s face flushed with anger, alternating between red and white.
Ling Xiao ignored him, turning to Ke Yu, “Ning Ke is my senior, I don’t want to kill him, but you, if you don’t step aside, don’t blame my sword for being merciless!”
“Ning Ke, stand aside, I’ll handle him.”
Ke Yu valued his reputation.
He rarely protected anyone.
But once he did, he had to succeed.
If someone dared deny him face, they’d die.
“Hmph, if not for the academy’s rule against infighting, I’d kill you today!”
Ning Ke snorted, stepping aside.
Ke Yu gently held Chu Lin, saying, “Little Sister Lin, I’ve been feeling empty lately, would you keep me company for a few days?”
“If Brother Yu can kill that brat, I’ll do anything you want.”
Chu Lin glared at Ling Xiao with venom, hating him, wishing him dead.
“Good, that’s what I wanted to hear!”
Ke Yu didn’t do unprofitable deals, protecting Chu Lin for her alluring body.
He stepped forward, fanning himself, and said coldly, “Today, I’ll teach you the true rules of Tianyuan Pagoda!”
“Rules? Don’t make it sound noble, just admit you want to play hero for that woman!”
Ling Xiao scoffed.
“You’re right, I want her, but you need to understand the rules—strength!”
Ke Yu smiled faintly, “You’re not young, don’t be naive thinking this world has justice? It’s all survival of the fittest. I’m not mad about Ke Long’s death, he was weak, a waste, his death means nothing to us.
Likewise, if I kill you, Qingxu Academy won’t care, no one fights for a weakling!”
“I see, that rule’s simple enough.”
Ling Xiao smiled, suddenly raising his hand with incredible speed.
Before Ke Yu could act, a fiery red light appeared in his vision.
He sneered, waving his fan to block.
But though he moved, the fan was useless.
The Scarlet Sun Cone, infused with minor destructive sword intent, was far more terrifying.
It pierced Ke Yu’s defence, broke his protective Tianyuan power, and ran through his body.
All in one fluid motion.
All Ke Yu managed was to open his fan, too late to gather Tianyuan power.
In this state, his survival would be a miracle.
Thinking he controlled Ling Xiao’s fate, Ke Yu was killed in one move, even more decisively than Ke Long.
Knowing Ke Yu was also Peacock Clan, how could Ling Xiao let him use the divine light?
Strike first, strike hard!
“Survival of the fittest, you were right, this rule fits you perfectly!”
As Ke Yu’s body collapsed, Ling Xiao’s voice echoed.
Cold, laced with sharp mockery.
“Too strong!”
“Yeah, Ke Yu had no chance to react, what speed!”
Seeing Ke Yu’s body fall atop Ke Long’s, the onlookers were shaken.
Ling Xiao’s attack was too fast, all they saw was a blinding light.
Then Ke Yu was down.
They couldn’t even discern Ling Xiao’s move, their eyesight too weak.
Ning Ke swallowed hard, stumbling back several steps, nearly falling off the pagoda.
His heart was gripped by shock.
How was this newcomer so terrifying?
After a year in seclusion, breaking through to late Five Elements Heaven, had he missed something?
If Ling Xiao’s strike had targeted him instead of Ke Yu, what would’ve happened?
He dared not think.
The answer was obvious.
In cultivation and combat, he was inferior to Ke Yu.
That’s why he followed Ke Yu like a lackey.
Ling Xiao gave Ning Ke a half-smile.
That ordinary glance made Ning Ke feel his blood freeze.
“Senior Ning Ke, still want to meddle?”
Ling Xiao asked calmly.
“Ahem, Junior Brother Ling, misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding, I’m leaving, I’m gone!”
Ning Ke was adaptable.
His history with Ke Yu, a Divine Phoenix Academy disciple, showed that.
Once, Ning Ke was spirited, like Ling Xiao, fighting for the academy’s honour.
But after losing to Ke Yu in one move, he changed, becoming Ke Yu’s lackey.
Many Qingxu Academy disciples despised him.
“Leaving now?”
Ling Xiao smirked mockingly, “If I recall, you were shouting about dealing with me, right? Since you said it, step up like a man, how about it?”
“I’m no man, I’m shameless, please, Junior Brother Ling, spare me!”
Ning Ke slapped his own face hard.
To him, pride meant nothing.
“Spare you? Fine, but do something for me.”
Ling Xiao disliked Ning Ke, but academy rules against infighting held him back.
Letting him go easily felt wrong, so he’d collect a debt first.
“Junior Brother Ling, name it, one thing, a hundred, a thousand, I’ll do it.”
Ning Ke was utterly shameless, survival was everything.
“Destroy your own cultivation, would you?”
Ling Xiao said with a half-smile.
What!
Destroy his cultivation!
Ning Ke was stunned.
Though less severe than ruining meridians, as he could retrain, he’d offended too many.
Without cultivation, his enemies wouldn’t spare him, he’d die miserably.
