You have to be ruthless in this world.
Yang Xuan understood clearly: if he had begged for mercy when Chen Qing pressed him, he would never have received mercy in return, only further aggression.
That is simply human nature. The kinder you are, the more others bully you. If you try to reason with them, they act like thugs. But the moment you act like a thug, they suddenly want to be reasonable.
In the end, the fist is the only truth in this world.
Therefore, faced with Chen Qing’s aggression and provocation, Yang Xuan chose to kill without hesitation, solving the problem at its root. He would not even give the other side a chance to regret it later.
Hearing Yang Xuan’s words, Xiao Han’s expression grew complicated. He said nothing more. He could tell Yang Xuan was not a brainless brute. Anyone who could so easily slay a grandmaster-level genius was no ordinary person.
At that moment several elders in divine robes suddenly sped towards them from the distance.
Seeing this, all the Outer Court disciples hurriedly bowed respectfully.
The leading elder was a white-haired old man, thin and frail-looking, yet his gaze was as sharp as a blade.
This man was Chen Qing’s own mentor.
When he saw Chen Qing’s corpse, his face instantly darkened. He whipped around to glare at Yang Xuan. Without a word he threw a punch. Terrifying fist pressure surged towards Yang Xuan like a raging flood, intent on crushing him where he stood.
At this sight everyone’s faces changed. They hurriedly retreated, terrified of being caught in the aftermath.
Watching the white-haired elder’s fist hurtling towards him, Yang Xuan’s gaze turned ice-cold. Without a word he stepped forward and flicked his thumb against the hilt of his Qingxuan Sword.
Hummm!
A sword hum rang out. The Qingxuan Sword shot from its sheath and slashed straight at the elder’s fist.
Seeing that a mere Outer Court disciple dared to meet him head-on, a trace of contempt flashed in the elder’s eyes.
Courting death!
Yet the instant his fist met Yang Xuan’s sword, his expression changed drastically. He tried to pull back, but it was too late.
Schlick!
The Qingxuan Sword split his arm cleanly in two. Fortunately, at the critical moment the elder managed to retreat over a dozen zhang.
But one of his arms was already gone.
At this sight everyone present froze.
An Inner Court mentor had lost?
They stared at Yang Xuan as though he were a monster. This was an Inner Court elder!
The white-haired elder himself was filled with disbelief. He stared fixedly at Yang Xuan. “You…”
Before he could finish, Yang Xuan vanished from where he stood.
Schlick!
A sword light flashed straight towards the elder.
Since things had already reached this point, he would see it through to the end and send the man to the afterlife.
Seeing Yang Xuan coming to kill him, the elder’s face changed dramatically. He had never imagined this insignificant Outer Court disciple would actually dare try to kill him. Fury blazed in his eyes. “Insolence! How dare you…”
Before he could finish the sentence, Yang Xuan’s sword arrived, fast as lightning.
The elder’s heart jolted in terror. Since when were Outer Court disciples this horrifying?
He dared not meet the strike head-on and tried to retreat, but at that instant the speed of Yang Xuan’s sword suddenly exploded.
Schlick!
Before everyone’s eyes, the sword pierced straight through the elder’s forehead.
The white-haired elder froze in place, eyes wide open.
The surroundings fell deathly silent.
He killed an elder!
Everyone was utterly shocked by the youth before them.
Had this young man gone mad?
He actually dared kill an Inner Court elder?
“Insolence!”
At that moment an explosive shout like spring thunder rang out from afar. Space tore open, and a white-robed elder stepped through the void.
Seeing him, everyone hurriedly bowed. “Greetings, Elder Yuan.”
Elder Yuan!
He was the chief elder of the Inner Court, the head of the entire Inner Court.
Elder Yuan appeared not far from Yang Xuan. When he saw the white-haired elder already dead, his face turned extremely grim. He stared fixedly at Yang Xuan, a wave of killing intent locking onto him. “You dared to kill an elder.”
Yang Xuan replied calmly, “He struck first.”
He felt no fear.
Before leaving Tianqing City he had thought he should keep a low profile and develop quietly.
Only after coming out did he realise that many times, even if you do not look for trouble, trouble will come looking for you.
Taking one step back would never bring peace and freedom. It would only invite the other side to push further.
In any case, he feared neither life nor death. If someone came, he would fight.
Elder Yuan stared at him, killing intent in his eyes. “He struck first?”
Yang Xuan nodded, neither servile nor overbearing. “Yes.”
Elder Yuan said nothing, but invisible pressure already enveloped Yang Xuan.
Yang Xuan frowned. His left thumb pressed against his sword hilt. Just as he was considering whether, after sending this old man to the afterlife, he would need to flee, a robed elder suddenly appeared beside him.
Seeing this newcomer, Elder Yuan and the others froze, then hurriedly bowed. “Dean Mu.”
Dean Mu!
The dean of the Academy of the Gods.
Hearing Elder Yuan’s words, every disciple present bowed respectfully.
Dean Mu ignored them. He walked slowly to Yang Xuan, studied him for a moment, then said, “Follow me.”
Yang Xuan looked puzzled.
Elder Yuan hesitated, then said, “Dean, he killed Inner Court disciple Chen Qing and Elder Yuan. By rights his entire clan should be executed…”
Dean Mu suddenly turned and slapped him.
Smack!
Before Elder Yuan could react, he was sent flying.
Everyone: “…”
The slapped Elder Yuan climbed to his feet, completely bewildered. “Dean, you…”
Dean Mu gave a soft sigh. He walked over, pulled Elder Yuan aside, and said quietly, “Can you not see how monstrously talented he is?”
Elder Yuan: “…”
Dean Mu glanced at the still-composed Yang Xuan in the distance, expression complicated. “At sixteen he can kill an Inner Court elder with a single strike. In the entire history of our Academy of the Gods there has never been another like him. And you still want to kill him? What were you thinking?”
Elder Yuan’s face turned ugly. “Dean, he is indeed monstrously talented, but he killed an Inner Court disciple and an elder. That is a grave crime…”
“Idiot!”
Dean Mu said angrily, “It was clearly Chen Qing and his master who struck first. How can you say it is this Yang Xuan’s fault?”
Elder Yuan was stunned.
Of course he understood what Dean Mu meant. The dean had seen Yang Xuan’s monstrous talent and wanted to protect him.
Elder Yuan hesitated, then said, “Dean, this person is the same Yang Xuan engaged to Ye Qing’er of the Ye Clan. Right now the Huang Clan’s heir, Huang Min, also has his eye on Miss Ye Qing’er…”
In other words, protecting Yang Xuan would mean making an enemy of the Huang Clan.
The Huang Clan!
That was a super-clan of the Realm of the Gods. Even the Academy of the Gods could not afford to offend them lightly.
But Dean Mu only gave a cold laugh. “Foolish.”
Elder Yuan’s face darkened.
Dean Mu continued, “If we allow Yang Xuan to be bullied by Huang Min inside the academy, will the Academy of the Gods still have any face left in future?”
Elder Yuan fell silent.
Dean Mu glanced at him coolly. “They say Yang Xuan possesses the Invincible Sacred Body, yet later rumours claimed he became a useless cripple. But now his strength is this terrifying. What does that mean? It means he was hiding his true power all along. And with strength this horrifying, who can guarantee there is no supreme expert guiding him from the shadows? How could our academy burn bridges with such a genius? Chen Qing and his master were fools who willingly became someone else’s dog and met this end. Do you wish to follow them?”
Elder Yuan’s face grew unsightly.
Dean Mu went on, “We cannot afford to offend the Huang Clan, but can we afford to offend this youth? Are you certain the power behind him is weaker than the Huang Clan?”
Elder Yuan glanced at the still-calm Yang Xuan in the distance and fell silent.
Damn it!
This kid kills without blinking, and he has been completely composed the entire time. Not a trace of fear!
Either he himself is terrifyingly strong, or someone even more terrifying stands behind him!
Dean Mu looked at Yang Xuan once more, then said, “We will do him a favour, but we do not need to make an enemy of the Huang Clan. If the Huang Clan wins, we lose nothing. But if he wins, this favour will bring us enormous returns.”
Hearing the dean’s words, Elder Yuan sighed inwardly. He had to admit his own vision was still too shallow.
Earlier he had been so eager to target Yang Xuan simply to curry favour with the Huang Clan, but he had overlooked one thing: Yang Xuan himself.
Was this youth simple?
Now that he calmed down and thought about it, this youth was anything but simple.
If he had pushed Yang Xuan to the death just to please the Huang Clan, and it turned out someone even stronger stood behind Yang Xuan, wouldn’t he be finished?
Moreover, currying favour with the Huang Clan brought no real benefit, but the potential harm could be fatal.
Cold sweat broke out on Elder Yuan’s forehead. It seemed he needed to read more books in future; his brain really wasn’t keeping up anymore.
Dean Mu walked slowly back to Yang Xuan. Seeing Yang Xuan’s left thumb still resting on his sword hilt, he gave a faint smile and said, “You killed Chen Qing and his master. That was not your fault. I will not punish you for it. However, I must tell you that Chen Qing troubled you because of the Huang Clan. Their heir, Huang Min, is currently in the city. He will continue to come after you.”
Yang Xuan nodded slightly. “I understand.”
Dean Mu looked at him. “You now have two choices. First, remain in the academy, but I cannot guarantee your safety, because the Huang Clan is very powerful. Second, I can arrange a life-and-death duel between you and Huang Min, a fair battle where life and death are in your own hands. Of course, there is a third option: leave the academy and flee to the ends of the earth. But if you run, the Huang Clan will certainly vent their anger on your Yang Clan.”
Yang Xuan thought for a moment, then said, “The second.”
Dean Mu seemed to have expected this answer and was not surprised. He nodded. “Very well. I will arrange it.”
He looked at Yang Xuan again. “Confident?”
Yang Xuan replied, “I’ll give it a try.”
Dean Mu nodded. “I will arrange—”
“No need to arrange anything.”
At that moment a voice rang out from the sky. Immediately afterwards a man stepped through the air.
It was Huang Min.
Seeing Huang Min, Dean Mu’s face instantly darkened. He had not expected Huang Min to swagger straight into the academy like this, showing no regard for the Academy of the Gods whatsoever.
Huang Min completely ignored Dean Mu. His gaze fell on Yang Xuan, a faint smile on his face. “I thought Chen Qing would be enough to deal with you, but it seems I underestimated you.”
Dean Mu said gravely, “Young Master Huang, this matter—”
Huang Min turned directly to him. “If the Academy of the Gods insists on protecting him, then from this moment forward the Academy of the Gods and my Huang Clan are mortal enemies, the kind that ends only in death.”
Hearing Huang Min’s words, Dean Mu’s face turned extremely ugly, and anger rose in his heart. He had originally planned to mediate, but with one sentence Huang Min had blocked every avenue of retreat.
What else could he say?
Nothing.
Dean Mu gave a cold humph and stepped aside.
Huang Min ignored the dean’s fury. He turned to Yang Xuan. “Today you die. No one can save you.”
“Is that so?”
An ice-cold voice suddenly rang through the field. Immediately afterwards space beside Yang Xuan tore open, and a woman in a plain dress slowly stepped out.
Ye Qing’er!
Seeing her, Yang Xuan’s expression froze. He had not expected Ye Qing’er to appear.
At the sight of Ye Qing’er, Huang Min first started, then joy flashed across his face. He hurriedly said, “Miss Qing’er…”
Ye Qing’er’s brows suddenly furrowed. “Who allowed you to call me Qing’er?”
With those words she raised her hand and slapped.
Smack!
Huang Min’s physical body instantly shattered, turning into a spray of blood and flesh.
Everyone: “…”
Yang Xuan: “…”
His body destroyed, Huang Min froze for a moment, then his face twisted ferociously. “Do you have any idea what you are doing? Behind me stands the Huang Clan…”
Ye Qing’er stared at him. “The Huang Clan? Point me in the direction.”
Huang Min pointed angrily at the sky. “The Huang Realm! You—”
Ye Qing’er suddenly grabbed Yang Xuan’s hand and vanished. When they reappeared, they were in the starry void.
In the distance lay the Huang Realm!
Yang Xuan was still dazed when Ye Qing’er flicked her sleeve. A sword turned into a blazing sword-light and shot forward.
Boom!
The entire planetary system of the Huang Realm ignited, burning like an enormous, brilliant firework in the vast cosmic darkness, dazzling and magnificent.
Yang Xuan’s mind went completely blank.
An entire minor cosmos… just gone?
At that moment Ye Qing’er suddenly took Yang Xuan’s hand and said softly, “Happy birthday… These are the fireworks I set off for you. Do you like them?”
Yang Xuan: “???”
The End
This book is complete.
