Free Web NovelChapter 43: Chapter 43: What Does It Have to Do with a Sword?
"Halt!"
Just as Shen Daoxing had walked several dozen yards, a furious shout echoed from the distance.
A brawny, well-built young man in a black robe approached from afar, followed by a dozen or two students from Celestial City Academy.
"It’s Zhang Chaoyang!"
A gasp of surprise went through the crowd.
Zhang Chaoyang was one of the geniuses of Celestial City Academy, counted among the most outstanding talents just beneath Xia Junze and the Four Heroes.
One of the Celestial City Academy students looked at Tang Yun’s corpse, his face contorted with rage. "Zhang, this man killed a student from our academy! We must slay him today to wash away this disgrace."
"Kill him!"
"Kill him!"
...
The Celestial City Academy students all raised their arms and roared, their cries for blood deafening.
Seeing this, He Ku’s face turned so pale it was completely drained of color.
Shen Daoxing’s expression remained as tranquil as ever, without the slightest change.
Zhang Chaoyang’s face was icy. "I never thought a dog from the Sword Institute would dare to make a move against Celestial City Academy. It seems I can’t let you leave here alive today."
Shen Daoxing laughed. "So, Celestial City Academy is allowed to attack me, and I’m just supposed to stretch out my neck and obediently accept my death? What kind of logic is that?"
What kind of logic is that!?
His voice wasn’t loud, yet it echoed in everyone’s ears like a clap of thunder, making many of them tremble inwardly.
"Logic!?"
A hint of mockery appeared in Zhang Chaoyang’s eyes. "Go. Let him find out what logic is!"
SWOOSH! SWOOSH!
SWOOSH! SWOOSH!
Dozens of Celestial City Academy students charged toward Shen Daoxing.
Shen Daoxing set He Ku down and clenched his five fingers into a tight fist. The sheer force of his grip seemed to crush the very air, setting off a terrifying sonic boom.
CRACK!
CRACK!
Shen Daoxing threw a punch, and a surge of Primordial Energy rushed forward like a landslide.
BANG!
The student at the very front was struck directly by the Fist Force. His entire body exploded, turning into a mist of blood.
Seeing this, a chill ran through the hearts of the Celestial City Academy students.
’I can’t believe he’s so young, yet so ruthless.’
Since Celestial City Academy was playing for keeps, Shen Daoxing naturally wouldn’t hold back either.
With a single leap, he was like a tiger pouncing into a flock of sheep. His potent Primordial Energy erupted, and screams of agony and the sound of cracking bones echoed continuously from within the crowd of Celestial City Academy students.
Clearly, the average student from Celestial City Academy was no match for Shen Daoxing.
Strong!
Too strong!
Even the onlookers watching from a distance gasped in shock.
’Is there no one from Celestial City Academy today who can stand against Shen Daoxing?’
"All of you, get out of the way!"
Zhang Chaoyang could no longer stand by and watch. He roared, "I’ll kill him myself!"
"Zhang Chaoyang is making a move!?"
The crowd immediately erupted with excitement.
Celestial City Academy was the highest seat of learning in the Martial Kingdom, and every one of its geniuses had their own followers.
Zhang Chaoyang was one of the top geniuses just below Xia Junze and the Four Heroes. He specialized in Body Refining Martial Techniques. During last year’s competition between the three great academies, he had defeated a team of three geniuses from Divine Wind Academy with his Profound Tier high-grade Martial Technique, the Vajra Dominating Body, making a name for himself in that single battle.
Furthermore, three months ago in the Dark Valley, he had caused a sensation by killing a Crimson Flame Tiger with his bare hands.
One had to know that the Crimson Flame Tiger was a Seventh Layer Profound Platform demon beast. A single swipe of its paw could carry the force of several thousand pounds, yet it was no match for Zhang Chaoyang, which showed just how incredible his physical body was.
Since his debut, Zhang Chaoyang’s combat record was brilliant and his reputation for being fierce was well-known.
Zhang Chaoyang clenched his fists, producing a crisp cracking sound. "I don’t make a habit of killing nobodies. Before I kill you, I’ll let you know who you’re dying to."
Killing intent spread, and the air grew heavy.
’Shen Daoxing is finished!’
This was the thought on everyone’s mind.
Zhang Chaoyang was no ordinary student from Celestial City Academy. He was a genius—a truly powerful one.
According to the rumors, it was difficult to injure his body with any weapon below the seventh grade.
Shen Daoxing gave a faint smile. "I know who you are. You’re Celestial City Academy’s Body Refining genius. You cultivate the Profound Tier high-grade Martial Technique, Vajra Dominating Body. Your physical form is incredibly tough, not even inferior to a demon beast of the same realm."
Shen Daoxing was a cautious person. The moment he knew he would have to fight Celestial City Academy, he had Ying Er investigate all of their geniuses.
Zhang Chaoyang was just one of them.
"What? Thinking of begging for mercy?"
Hearing this, a mocking sneer formed on Zhang Chaoyang’s lips. "If you get on your knees and kowtow to me three times right now, I can grant you a less painful death."
The Celestial City Academy students stared at Shen Daoxing, their gazes as cold as ice.
"Zhang’s body has long since become impervious to blades and spears! You’re dead for sure today, you mutt!"
"What’s the use of begging? You’ll die even if you beg!"
"You dared to kill someone from Celestial City Academy! Nothing can save your sorry hide now!"
...
Shen Daoxing lowered his head, the smile on his lips vanishing.
The instant that smile disappeared, Zhang Chaoyang felt a chill shoot up from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his skull.
Immediately, every hair on his body stood on end.
"Huh!?"
Zhang Chaoyang realized something and tried to retreat, but it was too late.
CLANG—!
Shen Daoxing’s hand shot to his waist. He drew his sword so fast that Zhang Chaoyang couldn’t even clearly see the motion.
A cold glint of light appeared silently between heaven and earth.
Four Symbols Sword Technique! Swift as the Wind!
The flash of the sword was imperceptibly fast, sweeping forward with the force of a thunderbolt.
In that fleeting moment, there was no longer light or darkness, only creation and destruction.
It all happened in an instant.
In the blink of an eye.
SPURT!
A line of blood appeared on Zhang Chaoyang’s neck, and fresh blood gushed out like a spring.
THUD!
His body collapsed heavily to the ground, kicking up a spray of dust, his face frozen in utter terror.
Zhang Chaoyang was dead!
Before he died, he hadn’t even seen the sword that killed him.
He had been a genius for most of his life, and he never imagined his end would be so unceremonious.
Shen Daoxing stood with his longsword in hand and said coolly, "Impervious to blades and spears. What does that have to do with a sword?"
WHOOSH...
The wind howled between heaven and earth, but everything was utterly silent.
The Body Refining genius from Celestial City Academy, the man known as being impervious to blades and spears, Zhang Chaoyang, had fallen to a single sword strike.
"My heavens!"
"Shen Daoxing actually killed Zhang Chaoyang with a single strike!"
"A genius! He’s a true genius!"
"I felt Sword Intent... and there was more than one kind of Sword Intent in that strike."
...
The onlookers were all unspeakably shocked, their scalps tingling with fear.
Anyone with discerning eyes could see that Shen Daoxing wasn’t the good-for-nothing that Celestial City Academy claimed he was. On the contrary, he was a genius—a Sword Dao genius, at that.
The smiles on the faces of the Celestial City Academy students froze completely. They stared at Shen Daoxing as if they were looking at a ghost.
They hadn’t seen how Shen Daoxing had drawn his sword at all; they hadn’t even seen him raise his hand.
’Just how terrifying must Shen Daoxing be, to be able to kill Zhang Chaoyang with a single strike?’
"Shen Daoxing, you have some nerve!"
Just then, a furious roar came from deep in the distant sky.
The terrifying voice seemed to transform into tangible sound waves, rushing toward Shen Daoxing.
