Free Web NovelChapter 94: Chapter 94: Kill
Shen Daoxing traveled without a moment’s rest and finally returned to the imperial city. By then, Celestial City Academy had already spread news of his death on the Martial Kingdom’s border throughout the capital.
A few months prior, the conflict between Shen Daoxing and Celestial City Academy had caused a massive uproar, making him a celebrity in the imperial city.
Celestial City Academy, having coveted one of their own disciple’s Cultivation Techniques and forced the genius to leave, had become the laughingstock of the imperial city.
"Have you heard? That Shen Daoxing from the Sword Institute supposedly died on his way back from the True Dragon Secret Realm."
A disciple of the Royal Academy whispered to the person beside him.
"That Shen Daoxing was too ostentatious. It was only a matter of time before he ran into trouble. I’ve seen too many so-called geniuses like him,"
another Royal Academy disciple chimed in.
The first disciple shook his head. "I heard that in the True Dragon Secret Realm, Shen Daoxing got brazen with lust and openly harassed Nalan Rongruo!"
"Nalan Rongruo, the greatest beauty in the Tang Kingdom? Is Shen Daoxing insane? She’s Xia Junze’s fiancée! How dare he?"
the person beside him exclaimed in astonishment.
"What’s so surprising? Shen Daoxing already made an enemy of Celestial City Academy, so there’s nothing he wouldn’t dare to do. It wasn’t just Nalan Rongruo; he even dared to harass Huang Yarong, the National Preceptor of the Tang Kingdom!"
"And that’s not all. I heard Shen Daoxing was also involved with Huang Yarong’s disciple,"
the other person added.
"Master and disciple! What a player! So that’s what he’s like. Shen Daoxing’s character is truly awful. No wonder he was assassinated. It seems Celestial City Academy was right not to take him in!"
someone nearby sighed.
Shen Daoxing’s brow furrowed as he listened. He stepped forward and said coldly, "That’s utter nonsense. None of it is true."
"Hey!"
The Royal Academy disciple who had been speaking stepped forward to argue. "We didn’t just make this up. It’s what the people from Celestial City Academy are saying."
Shen Daoxing’s expression darkened. ’Celestial City Academy is truly despicable,’ he thought. ’To slander me just to save their so-called face.’
Just then, someone grew suspicious. "Friend, how do you know all this is fabricated? Do you know this Shen Daoxing?"
"I am Shen Daoxing."
"Oh, so it’s Shen... Huh? Shen Daoxing!"
The Royal Academy disciple clasped his hands, about to bow and make conversation, when Shen Daoxing’s words registered. His eyes flew wide open, and he stared at the man before him.
But Shen Daoxing had already sped off toward Celestial City Mountain!
"But isn’t Shen Daoxing dead?"
The other Royal Academy disciples stared at one another in stunned silence.
Not far down the street, in a private room on the third floor of a magnificent restaurant, the Eldest Prince and the Seventh Prince were conversing.
Just then, the Eldest Prince spotted a familiar figure on the street below. He froze, his wine cup poised in mid-air. "Seventh Brother, isn’t that Shen Daoxing?"
"How could that be? Shen Daoxing died on his way back from the True Dragon Secret Realm."
The Seventh Prince casually followed the Eldest Prince’s gaze, then froze. "It really is Shen Daoxing! How is this possible!"
"Is he heading to Celestial City Academy?" the Seventh Prince asked, watching the direction Shen Daoxing was headed.
"Dean Lin Haitao of the Sword Institute was captured by Ma Zheng, the former dean of Celestial City Academy. He’s about to be executed by Sword Punishment at the academy!" the Eldest Prince explained.
"So Shen Daoxing plans to storm Celestial City Academy all by himself? Isn’t that a death wish?"
The Seventh Prince shook his head. He felt that no matter how lucky Shen Daoxing had been, there was no way he could survive this.
"Come on, let’s go watch."
The Eldest Prince stood up.
"Even if Lin Haitao, as the Dean of the Sword Institute, committed a grave crime, it was still within our Martial Kingdom, within our imperial city. The Royal Family should be the one to pass judgment. For Celestial City Academy to openly carry out their own extrajudicial punishment... they truly hold our Martial Kingdom in contempt."
The Seventh Prince stood up as well. Following the Eldest Prince out of the restaurant, he frowned as he looked toward Celestial City Mountain.
"Who can we blame? Celestial City Academy is backed by the ’people from the mountain’—an existence that not even our Martial Kingdom can afford to provoke." The Eldest Prince shook his head and sighed.
...
Shen Daoxing sprinted the entire way, quickly arriving at the foot of Celestial City Mountain.
The first thing he saw was He Ku, sprawled on the ground, desperately clinging to a Celestial City Academy disciple.
That disciple was raising a longsword to strike a nearby tombstone. Engraved upon it were the words: TOMB OF DEAREST FRIEND, SHEN DAOXING.
’!?’
Shen Daoxing was speechless.
"You bastards! You already killed Daoxing! I won’t let you destroy his grave, too!"
He Ku shouted, clinging desperately to the disciple’s thigh. He was dragged across the ground, his hands and feet scraped raw and bloody.
Shen Daoxing’s expression turned icy. With a flick of his wrist, he summoned the Great Ming Demon Sparrow and slashed out.
"Who’s there?"
The Celestial City Academy disciple didn’t even have time to react.
A black light flashed before his eyes.
SHHIIICK!
The man was sliced in two at the waist. Crimson blood fountained out like a Blood Arrow, staining the ground red.
"How dare you! To openly murder someone from Celestial City Academy at the foot of Celestial City Mountain."
Another Celestial City Academy disciple nearby whirled around, his face contorted in fury.
But when he got a clear look at the newcomer and saw it was Shen Daoxing, he froze. "Sh-Shen Daoxing? But... aren’t you dead?"
The disciple stared, dumbfounded, then scrambled up Celestial City Mountain in a panic.
The Eldest Prince and Seventh Prince, who had just arrived, were also stunned by the scene.
’My word! Killing someone right at the gates of Celestial City Academy... He’s declaring war on them!’
’Where does he get the audacity to take on an entire academy by himself?’
"Daoxing! You died such a miserable death! Not only did they kill you, but now they want to destroy your grave! They’re despicable! Is there no justice in this world?"
He Ku was still on the ground, wailing for Shen Daoxing.
"..."
This left Shen Daoxing at a loss for words.
Just then, He Ku turned his head and was shocked to see Shen Daoxing standing right in front of him, perfectly fine.
He stared wide-eyed. "Daoxing?"
"Are you a man or a ghost?!"
Then, He Ku actually prostrated himself on the ground, pressing his palms together in prayer. "Daoxing! Please don’t haunt me! I’m not the one who hurt you! If you want revenge, go after those guys up on the mountain!"
"..."
Shen Daoxing was speechless again.
Shen Daoxing had no time for this nonsense. He asked urgently, "Where is Dean Lin right now?"
He Ku stared blankly for a moment before pointing up the mountain. "Dean Lin... he’s on the training grounds at Celestial City Academy. He’s about to be executed with Sword Punishment by the Steward!"
Shen Daoxing’s expression froze. He shot up the mountain.
「On Celestial City Mountain’s training grounds.」
Lin Haitao was bound to a wooden stake in the center of the grounds. Four small, bronze swords were pierced through his hands and feet, seemingly sealing his cultivation.
His entire body was drenched in red, a gruesome sight. His head hung low, and he appeared to be on the verge of death.
Vice Dean Chen Guanggu sat on a viewing platform not far away, a broad smile on his face.
Seated above him was the emperor of the Martial Kingdom.
