Free Web NovelChapter 44: Chapter 44: The Purple-Gold Pearl
’It’s Chen Guanggu!’
Hearing that voice, a chill ran down Shen Daoxing’s spine.
Chen Guanggu was the vice-dean of Celestial City Academy and a renowned expert in the Martial Kingdom. His strength had long since reached the Spirit Transformation realm.
’Run!’
Shen Daoxing knew he was no match for Chen Guanggu. He grabbed He Ku and bolted into the distance.
"And where do you think you’re going!?"
Chen Guanggu flew through the air, surrounded by dense Spiritual Qi, and struck down with his palm from above Shen Daoxing.
BOOM!
The terrifying Spiritual Qi trembled, forming a massive Palm Seal that descended like a small mountain. The very air was compressed, letting out a horrifying shriek.
How terrifying was the might of a Spirit Transformation realm Martial Artist!?
The surrounding crowd felt their scalps tingle with fear and hastily retreated.
Shen Daoxing had nowhere left to run. Just as he was about to fight back with his life on the line, a silver glint of sword light shot out from the distant sky.
The sword light streaked forward, blindingly brilliant. Before the disbelieving eyes of the crowd, it cleaved the terrifying Palm Seal in two.
WHOOSH...
The Spiritual Qi rapidly dissipated as dust and smoke billowed out. A figure appeared within the cloud of mist.
"Who is that?"
Someone whispered.
Chen Guanggu’s eyes were practically splitting with rage as he stared fixedly at the newcomer. "Lin Haitao!"
The figure in the mist gradually became clear. It was none other than the current head of the Sword Institute, Lin Haitao.
Lin Haitao said coolly, "The Sword Institute and Celestial City Academy have been in open and secret conflict for many years, but never has anyone attacked a junior. Chen Guanggu, you are the first."
Chen Guanggu was seething. "Shen Daoxing killed a student from my Celestial City Academy."
Lin Haitao replied without expression, "In a fight between juniors, death is simply a sign of lacking skill."
"Good. ’Lacking skill,’ you say!"
Chen Guanggu laughed in fury. "Lin Haitao, it seems you’re determined to protect your own today. I just wonder if you can bear the wrath of my Celestial City Academy."
"Wrath!?"
Lin Haitao took a step forward. "Then can your Celestial City Academy bear the wrath of this old man?"
As he spoke, he extended a hand.
SHIIIIING!
In an instant, countless rays of light swirled around him. A bewildering Sword Intent surged to the heavens, letting out a clear, ringing cry.
A storm of energy formed over the entire imperial city, its sharpness bone-chilling, making one’s heart grow cold.
"Heavens! Fourteen Sword Intents!? He’s only one step away from the Sword King realm!"
"Back in the day, he was known as the number one Swordsman in our Martial Kingdom!"
"So that’s Lin Haitao!"
...
As the fourteen Sword Intents began to revolve rapidly, the aura between heaven and earth became incomparably sharp and cold.
Some were shocked, others sighed in admiration!
Shen Daoxing, too, revealed a trace of surprise. He never expected Lin Haitao to have mastered fourteen Sword Intents, just one step shy of becoming a Sword King.
Attaining enlightenment in Sword Intent is extremely difficult. The further one progresses, the harder it becomes to comprehend the next level.
There were not many Swordsmen in the East Continent today who had comprehended fifteen Sword Intents. Most of them were the absolute top experts of their respective kingdoms.
For Lin Haitao to comprehend fourteen Sword Intents, putting him just one step away from the Sword King realm, spoke volumes about his terrifying strength.
Chen Guanggu’s face paled, and he subconsciously retreated a step.
"If you lay a hand on one person from my Sword Institute, I will have every disciple of Celestial City Academy buried with them."
Lin Haitao said coolly, "If you don’t believe me, you’re welcome to try."
From beginning to end, Lin Haitao’s expression was as calm as still water, as if he were speaking of a trivial matter that was also an established fact.
"You!"
Chen Guanggu clenched his fists.
He believed Lin Haitao was a man of his word. If he dared to kill Shen Daoxing, Lin Haitao would surely exact frenzied revenge on Celestial City Academy.
When that time came, at the hands of this terrifyingly powerful Swordsman, Celestial City Academy’s students would suffer catastrophic losses, and the academy might never recover.
Seeing Chen Guanggu remain silent, Lin Haitao said, "We’re leaving!"
"Yes, sir!"
Shen Daoxing, still holding He Ku by the collar, followed Lin Haitao and departed.
Watching their receding backs, someone walked up to Chen Guanggu’s side and whispered, "Vice-dean, what do we do now?"
A student from Celestial City Academy had been killed in public. The incident was too egregious. If Celestial City Academy didn’t respond, its reputation would be dragged through the mud.
Reputation!
For an academy, it was far too important.
Why could Celestial City Academy hold its position as the number one academy? It was because its fame was great enough to make it the first choice for geniuses in the Martial Kingdom, thus creating a virtuous cycle.
Furthermore, the one who had killed the Celestial City Academy student was from the Sword Institute.
Celestial City Academy had always considered itself the orthodox lineage, while the Sword Institute was merely a breakaway faction of traitors. To be humiliated by a branch faction now... if word of this got out, they would become a laughingstock.
"This matter will certainly not be concluded so haphazardly!"
Chen Guanggu’s gaze was grim. "If we don’t kill Shen Daoxing, the world will think my Celestial City Academy is afraid of Lin Haitao."
...
「The Imperial Palace.」
An old man with white hair but a youthful complexion stood atop the palace, looking up at the Sword Qi filling the sky. He remarked with emotion, "He was the number one genius Swordsman of our Martial Kingdom back then."
The old man wore a yellow Dragon Robe and had an extraordinary bearing. His every move carried the dignity of a superior.
And he was none other than the current emperor of the Martial Kingdom.
A lady beside him, dressed in a lavender palace gown, nodded slightly. "Indeed. If he had entered Celestial City Academy back then, perhaps the conflict between the two institutes wouldn’t exist today."
The Emperor of the Martial Kingdom sighed. "A pity. He is still one step away from becoming a Sword King."
Fourteen Sword Intents and fifteen Sword Intents. Though the numbers were only one apart, the realms they represented were worlds apart.
Taking that step meant having a chance to vie for the title of Sword King.
The emergence of a Sword King would be enough to shake several surrounding nations and bring great fame to the Martial Kingdom.
The lady’s brow furrowed. "That final Sword Intent is not easily comprehended."
The realms are worlds apart, and so is the difficulty.
She knew that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, it would likely be very difficult for Lin Haitao to take that final step.
The Emperor of the Martial Kingdom nodded slightly. "Dean Ouyang, what do you think of that new disciple the Sword Institute has taken in?"
The lady pondered for a moment before replying, "He has Lin Haitao’s flair from back then. No, he’s even more decisive, even calmer, and his sword is even faster!"
The Emperor of the Martial Kingdom stroked his beard and smiled. "This Sword Institute is truly like a centipede that doesn’t stiffen in death. First, there was a Lin Haitao, and now a Shen Daoxing. How interesting."
"In a moment, take the Violet-Gold Pearl and make a trip to the Sword Institute."
To maintain its rule, the Martial Kingdom’s Royal Family not only established the Royal Academy but also sponsored the geniuses of the kingdom.
Based on talent, they would award three types of pearls—Bronze, Silver, and Gold—which came with standard sets of resources.
In truth, not many knew that above the Golden Pearl, there was also a Violet-Gold Pearl.
This was the highest-spec sponsorship from the Martial Kingdom’s Royal Family, one that only the emperor himself could bestow.
The lady’s expression flickered. "Your Majesty, are you truly going to grant him the Violet-Gold Pearl?"
The significance of the Violet-Gold Pearl was vastly different. Not only did it grant access to immense resources, but it also represented an extremely noble status.
The Emperor of the Martial Kingdom nodded slightly. "That’s right. The single sword strike he just displayed is reason enough."
