Free Web NovelChapter 93: Chapter 93: Farewell, Daoxing
’That’s right. From now on, I’ll have to protect him even more closely.’
Ling Shuanghua had seen too many geniuses from the Sword Institute die on their cultivation path before they could fully mature. She absolutely could not let that happen again.
Shen Daoxing slowly awoke and assessed his condition. His body felt much lighter, and his senses were sharper to the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi. He felt an ethereal sense of clarity.
"Let’s go!"
Ling Shuanghua’s injuries had fully healed. She was ready to return to the Martial Kingdom’s Imperial Capital. Although Celestial City Academy was located within the capital, the city was far safer than the wilderness. After all, even Celestial City Academy had to follow the rules there. At the very least, those old geezers couldn’t attack them at will.
The Sword Institute had managed to survive this long thanks to the Royal Family’s covert support, which prevented Celestial City Academy from becoming all-powerful.
Shen Daoxing nodded, stood up, and slashed out with his sword!
"BOOM!"
The cave entrance was revealed.
Shen Daoxing and Ling Shuanghua walked out of the cave. They leaped from branch to branch, moving stealthily through the mountain forest as they hurried toward the Imperial Capital.
They hadn’t gone far when Shen Daoxing spotted the Ninth Princess, Gu Yawei, dressed in white with a veil over her face, appear nearby.
"Shen! I knew you were still alive!"
A look of joy on her face, Gu Yawei ran over to Shen Daoxing.
"Alive?"
Shen Daoxing was a little confused.
Gu Yawei explained what had happened in the Imperial Capital.
When Shen Daoxing heard that Lin Haitao, mistakenly believing he and Ling Shuanghua had been assassinated, had gone on a rampage at Celestial City Academy, his heart sank. He had a very bad feeling.
Then, Gu Yawei added that Celestial City Academy had brought back its former dean, who had been away from the Martial Kingdom for many years.
Ling Shuanghua’s eyes widened slightly. "Celestial City Academy’s former dean, Ma Zheng. When he left the Martial Kingdom, he was already a master at the Ninth Layer of the Spirit Transformation Realm. He can only be stronger now. I can’t believe Celestial City Academy brought him back. If he makes a move, not even Lin Haitao will be a match for him."
Shen Daoxing frowned. "It seems Celestial City Academy has been plotting this for a long time, intent on destroying the Sword Institute. With Dean Lin in trouble, we have to get back quickly."
"No!"
Ling Shuanghua’s expression darkened as she interrupted, "Shen Daoxing, you need to leave this place. Better yet, leave the Martial Kingdom. I will return to the Imperial Capital alone!"
"The Sword Institute and Celestial City Academy have completely dropped all pretense. The Imperial Capital is no longer safe. Even though you’ve successfully broken through to the Grotto Heaven Realm, returning to the capital is suicide."
"Elder Ling, you’re no match for Celestial City Academy on your own. I’m going back with you," Shen Daoxing said calmly.
"Absolutely not!"
Ling Shuanghua said coldly, "Shen Daoxing, you are the future hope of our Sword Institute. You must live. As for me, all my loved ones have already been killed by Celestial City Academy. I have nothing left to tie me down."
As she spoke, Ling Shuanghua turned her head toward the Imperial Capital, a cold light in her eyes. "Don’t worry. Even if I die, I’ll take a few of those old bastards down with me!"
"That’s right, Shen!"
Gu Yawei spoke up. "Elder Ling is right. Returning to the Imperial Capital now is just suicide. You should leave this place, leave the Martial Kingdom."
She then said with a hint of apology, "I’m sorry, Shen. My father, the Emperor, will not intervene for his own interests. I can’t help you. All I could do was bring you this news."
"Thank you for telling me, Ninth Princess."
Shen Daoxing thanked Gu Yawei, then turned and leaped in the direction of the Imperial Capital.
"Shen Daoxing, you..."
Ling Shuanghua was stunned. She hadn’t expected Shen Daoxing to be so stubborn and refuse to listen. She quickly gave chase.
After a few steps, she was shocked to discover that Shen Daoxing’s Body Technique had somehow become incredibly fast and agile. Even with her cultivation at the Ninth Layer of the Grotto Heaven Realm, she couldn’t keep up.
Ling Shuanghua shouted anxiously:
"Shen Daoxing, listen to me! Leave this place! Leave the Martial Kingdom! How can you possibly be a match for the entire Celestial City Academy by yourself? Going back is just throwing your life away!"
"Who says I’m alone?"
Shen Daoxing turned his head, smiled faintly, and suddenly accelerated.
...
「The Martial Kingdom, the Imperial Capital.」
At Celestial City Academy, Vice-dean Chen Guangu was in high spirits. Shen Daoxing had died on the Martial Kingdom’s border, so the academy’s honor was preserved. Moreover, they could completely clear the academy of any suspicion.
Furthermore, the old dean had captured the berserk Lin Haitao and was going to execute him with Sword Punishment on the training grounds according to the academy’s rules. Although the academy had sacrificed many disciples in the process, it was a trivial price to pay compared to saving face and completely eradicating the Sword Institute.
「At the foot of Celestial City Mountain.」
"Daoxing! You died such a tragic death! I can’t avenge you, but I’ll come to pay my respects every year."
He Ku, dressed in sackcloth with a white cloth on his head, wept bitterly as he burned yellow paper money.
Shen Daoxing had saved his life, after all. How could he not be heartbroken over his death?
It was just a pity his cultivation was so low. Even though he knew the people from Celestial City Academy were responsible, he had no hope of getting revenge. He could only come to the foot of Celestial City Mountain to vent his resentment.
As he spoke, He Ku looked up at Celestial City Mountain again, his eyes slightly red.
The news that the Sword Institute’s dean had suddenly gone mad, senselessly destroying academy property and killing its disciples, had already spread throughout the Imperial Capital. Today, he was to be executed by Sword Punishment according to Celestial City Academy’s rules.
Others didn’t know why, but He Ku knew the real reason. Dean Lin had done it for Daoxing!
He Ku couldn’t help but sigh. He could only blame himself for being too weak. Otherwise, he would have fought alongside Dean Lin.
"Dean, we may not have been master and disciple, but you at least fed me for all those days, and I learned so much from you. You’re not dead yet, but it won’t be long now. I’m just paying my respects to you in advance. Please don’t be offended!"
With that, He Ku wiped away a tear, threw a stack of yellow paper money into the brazier, and then sobbed, "Dean, may your journey be peaceful! I, He Ku, will come to pay my respects to you on this day every year!"
"He Ku, what are you doing?"
Just then, two disciples from Celestial City Academy came walking down the mountain.
"What am I doing?"
He Ku, his heart filled with grief, shot back angrily without turning his head. "Can’t you see what I’m doing?"
"Who gave you permission to pay respects to Shen Daoxing here?" one of the Celestial City Academy disciples said with an unfriendly expression.
"This is the foot of the mountain, not Celestial City Academy. And I’m not one of your disciples. I can do whatever I want. Is it any of your business?"
The more He Ku spoke, the angrier he became.
"Hmph. Shen Daoxing killed so many of our academy’s disciples. He deserved to die."
The expression of one Celestial City Academy disciple turned cold. "It’s just a shame I didn’t get to kill him with my own hands."
Then, his gaze fell upon the tombstone He Ku had specially erected for Shen Daoxing, and his face sank. "A man like that doesn’t deserve a tombstone!"
With that, the Celestial City Academy disciple raised his sword and swung it at Shen Daoxing’s tombstone.
He Ku was horrified. He lunged forward and grabbed the disciple. "Are you people from Celestial City Academy even human?! You’ve already assassinated Daoxing, and now you want to destroy his grave!"
