Free Web NovelChapter 97: Chapter 97: Move Aside
"Shen Daoxing, you..."
Chen Guanggu was about to go insane with rage. He had never imagined Shen Daoxing had become so terrifying. Even Luo Fei and several other academy teachers had failed to stop him, dying tragically at his hands.
"You brat, you deserve to die! Do you really think Celestial City Academy has no one left to deal with you?"
Chen Guanggu roared and threw a punch. The explosive blow tore through the air, crashing down on Shen Daoxing with the force of a landslide.
Chen Guanggu was a master at the Ninth Layer of the Grotto Heaven realm, just one step away from Spirit Transformation. No matter how strong Shen Daoxing was, it was impossible for him to overcome a gap of nine entire layers.
But just as Chen Guanggu’s fist was about to land, a cold voice rang out.
"And you think the Sword Institute has no one to stand up for its own?"
As the voice spoke, a cold light flashed across the sky. In an instant, the massive fist imprint shattered with a BANG.
Then, Shen Daoxing saw Ling Shuanghua descend, landing in front of him protectively.
"Ling Shuanghua! You’re not dead!"
Chen Guanggu was dumbfounded.
’How can this be?’
’How could Senior Brother Wang Rong, a master of the Spirit Transformation realm, possibly have failed?’
He quickly scanned the area, as if searching for his senior, Wang Rong.
Sensing his thoughts, Shen Daoxing smiled faintly. "Don’t bother looking. Wang Rong isn’t coming."
"Why not?"
Chen Guanggu froze.
"Because he’s dead."
Shen Daoxing stated calmly.
Chen Guanggu’s heart leaped in shock.
’Impossible. How could Senior Brother Wang Rong, a master of the Spirit Transformation realm, have failed?’
’Wang Rong is dead?’
The Emperor of the Martial Kingdom tapped his fingers lightly on his throne, his gaze fixed meaningfully on the young man in the training grounds.
’Clearly, with his Grotto Heaven realm cultivation, Shen Daoxing couldn’t possibly be Wang Rong’s match. It seems he has a powerful expert backing him.’
The Emperor of the Martial Kingdom sank into contemplation.
’This Shen Daoxing’s background is anything but simple!’
"Let’s go."
Ling Shuanghua said coolly, shielding Shen Daoxing as they prepared to leave.
Startled, Chen Guanggu blurred into motion, leaping forward in a few bounds to block their path.
"What? You still want to fight?"
Ling Shuanghua’s expression turned frigid as she slowly gripped the hilt of the longsword at her waist.
Chen Guanggu’s expression stiffened, but he didn’t dare to strike. He had personally witnessed Ling Shuanghua’s strength years ago; he knew he was completely outmatched. However, with so many people from Celestial City Academy dead, he couldn’t bear the responsibility of simply letting them leave in broad daylight.
Just then, a hoarse, aged voice slowly rang out.
"None of you are leaving."
A figure then appeared at the edge of the training grounds.
He was an old man with a full head of white hair, yet his eyes were sharp and full of vigor.
He carried himself with an ethereal, immortal-like grace. A single step sent him gliding forward dozens of feet.
It was Ren Changfeng, the Dean of Celestial City Academy.
"Dean."
Chen Guanggu stepped forward and bowed respectfully, sighing in relief internally.
"You’ve killed so many of my academy’s students and teachers. Did you think you could just walk away?"
Ren Changfeng said coolly as he stepped forward.
"What do you want to do about it?"
Ling Shuanghua silently stepped in front of Shen Daoxing, facing Ren Changfeng without a trace of fear.
"Kneel on Celestial City Mountain and accept the Sword Punishment. The prestige of Celestial City Academy is not for the likes of you to tarnish."
Ren Changfeng’s voice was calm, but his tone was absolute, leaving no room for argument.
Ling Shuanghua’s expression faltered. She hadn’t expected Ren Changfeng to be so uncompromising, demanding their deaths right from the outset.
But Ren Changfeng was a master of the Spirit Transformation realm; he was not someone she could handle.
For a moment, Ling Shuanghua was at a loss for words, and a chill fell over the entire area.
"But it was your Celestial City Academy that was in the wrong first."
At that moment, a timid voice spoke up.
Shen Daoxing looked toward the sound, surprised to see that the speaker was none other than the Ninth Princess, Gu Yawei.
"In the wrong? A decision made by Celestial City Academy can never be wrong!"
Ren Changfeng said coolly, his gaze falling upon Gu Yawei. His face was calm, yet it radiated an imposing authority.
As Ren Changfeng’s gaze fell upon her, the Ninth Princess bit her lip in fear. But in the end, she summoned her courage and spoke.
"How can you say Celestial City Academy isn’t wrong? If you hadn’t coveted Shen’s Cultivation Technique, if your academy hadn’t tried to eliminate him just to save face, how would things have ever ended up like this?"
"Celestial City Academy has its reasons for its actions. We don’t need outsiders telling us what to do. Shen Daoxing disgraced the academy, and for that, he deserves to die!"
Ren Changfeng said coolly, not even bothering to argue with the Ninth Princess, and simply decreed Shen Daoxing’s death.
Such was his tyranny!
He refused to entertain any reason at all.
At this, the Eldest Prince and the Seventh Prince were both stunned. They never expected Ren Changfeng to be so tyrannical. Even their own Royal Family wouldn’t act with such blatant disregard for appearances. After all, even when the Royal Family wanted to bend the rules, they still had to save face.
"Hmph! Since you refuse to kneel, allow me to help you!"
With a soft snort, a colossal aura erupted from Ren Changfeng, crashing down upon Ling Shuanghua and the others like a great mountain.
Ling Shuanghua bore the brunt of the immense pressure. With the sound of several cracking bones, a flush of red colored her face, and her entire body was thrown backward.
Shen Daoxing stepped forward and caught her, helping her regain her footing.
Without even deigning to look at Shen Daoxing, Ren Changfeng extended a large hand and continued his attack.
But at that very moment, a voice cried out, "Stop!"
The Ninth Princess, Gu Yawei, spread her arms, her small, slender body shielding Shen Daoxing.
"So this is the so-called number one academy in the Martial Kingdom—killing people on a whim, without a shred of reason. Has Celestial City Academy always been this tyrannical?"
The Ninth Princess spoke slowly. She bit her lip, clearly terrified of Ren Changfeng, but she stood her ground in front of Shen Daoxing without a hint of hesitation.
"Ninth Princess!"
Shen Daoxing looked up, slightly surprised. He never thought the Ninth Princess would dare to confront Ren Changfeng for his sake.
’Ninth Sister, you’re being too foolish!’
The Eldest Prince, watching from the side, shook his head. "She doesn’t just represent herself; she represents our entire Royal Family. By interfering now, isn’t she implying that the Royal Family intends to get involved and make an enemy of Celestial City Academy? What position does that put our Father, the Emperor, in? What is he supposed to think?"
Behind Celestial City Academy are the powerful Immortal Families from the mountains—an existence that even the Royal Family cannot afford to provoke!
As he spoke, the Eldest Prince glanced up at the Emperor of the Martial Kingdom in the stands, but the Emperor’s expression remained impassive, betraying no emotion.
"Still, since Ninth Sister has stepped in, I doubt Ren Changfeng will be so brazen as to kill him in plain sight. Shen Daoxing’s life should be safe for now,"
the Seventh Prince added after a moment of thought.
Ren Changfeng frowned. "Step aside. This is a matter between Celestial City Academy and the Sword Institute. It’s not your place to interfere."
"I will not!"
The Ninth Princess bit her lip. She looked frightened, but her eyes were resolute. "Even Celestial City Academy cannot act with such tyranny."
"Step aside!"
A hint of displeasure crossed Ren Changfeng’s placid face. "Do you think I wouldn’t dare kill you?"
"I will not!"
The Ninth Princess remained firmly in front of Shen Daoxing, her face a mask of determination.
"You’re courting death!"
Suddenly, Ren Changfeng exploded with rage. He thrust out his large hand, grabbing for the Ninth Princess with a chilling, merciless force.
