With a sway of his body, he appeared directly in front of Xiayu.
This time, Xiayu did not hesitate at all; instead of advancing, he retreated.
As he backed away, the Dragon Spear abruptly thrust forward.
"Xu Weilin, you tell me, who on earth is shameless? Four Monarch Realm experts couldn't defeat a single Spirit Origin Realm fighter, and the moment they were killed, you come scurrying out. How do you have the nerve to call others shameless?"
Shen Yuxuan said loudly, his body likewise materializing in front of Xiayu.
He struck out with a single palm, landing it squarely on Xiayu's chest.
"Bang!"
Xiayu was sent blasting backward, retreating a dozen zhang in a row.
Yet, this maneuver happened to dodge Xu Weilin's attack entirely.
"Boom..."
Xu Weilin punched into empty air, causing it to detonate directly.
The void rippled violently!
Quite a few people felt their vision blur. Those standing slightly closer couldn't help taking two steps forward, only to be instantly blasted back.
Puke!
Several of those people directly spat blood.
What a formidable punch!
A hint of solemnity also crossed Shen Yuxuan's gaze.
This fellow had improved once again.
What he had said was true; he genuinely couldn't defeat Xu Weilin.
Of course, if Xu Weilin wanted to defeat him, it would also take some effort.
Most crucially, due to the restrictions of the pact, Xu Weilin was unable to make a move against him.
He simply blocked Xu Weilin's path and crossed his arms.
When Xu Weilin moved left, he followed to the left; when Xu Weilin moved right, he followed to the right.
"Do you really think I don't dare to strike first?"
Xu Weilin frowned, staring at Shen Yuxuan with veins bulging on his forehead.
Shen Yuxuan smiled and said nothing.
"Do you really think I can't kill you?" Xu Weilin said coldly.
"You dare, and you probably could. But killing me would leave you either dead or severely wounded. Are you certain you want to fight me?" Shen Yuxuan said with a smile, "If that's truly the case, you probably won't be able to make it to the Secret Realm three months from now."
"My guess is that you're planning to make your breakthrough inside the Secret Realm."
A smile hung on Shen Yuxuan's face.
Xu Weilin narrowed his eyes; Shen Yuxuan had hit the nail on its head.
He intended to step into the Emperor Realm during the trials within the Secret Realm and become a top-tier powerhouse.
However, if he were to suffer severe injuries beforehand, his qualification would truly be out of the question.
He silently watched Shen Yuxuan and said, "Do you think that with all this, I'm completely out of options?"
"All inner disciples, fall out! Attack together and kill Xiayu!"
Xu Weilin's voice suddenly echoed across the entire Shengwu Mountain.
Today, he had to kill Xiayu.
Since they had already become enemies, naturally they had to exterminate the roots.
Especially a prodigy like Xiayu, who could slay a Monarch Realm expert while in the Spirit Origin Realm—even with the aid of a divine weapon, he could not be underestimated.
At least back when he was at that stage, pulling off a frontal kill against a Monarch Realm expert like that was something he couldn't have done.
Xiayu had to die!
Once given time to grow, the threat he posed was simply too great.
"Understood! We obey the Senior Brother's command!"
Figures shot into the sky from within Shengwu Academy, flying down the mountain at breakneck speed.
The Senior Brother of the inner sect held more authority within Shengwu Academy than some of the inner sect elders.
The inner sect elders had essentially reached the limits of their talent, their futures already set in stone.
But a talented Senior Brother like Xu Weilin possessed limitless potential.
For any sect or academy, the passing of the torch was of the utmost importance.
No matter how strong the older generation was, if there were no successors, their glory would only last for a single generation.
Hearing the call of their Senior Brother, dozens of figures leaped down.
The vast majority of them were at the Monarch Realm.
This sight left Xiayu dumbfounded.
In Huai City, a Monarch Realm expert was absolute royalty, the pinnacle of power; yet upon arriving in the capital, anyone who casually stepped forward was in the Monarch Realm.
One could only imagine that in the world beyond Huang Prefecture, in those more prosperous lands, Monarchs must be as common as stray dogs.
"Brother, with this many people, your big brother here can't hold them all off. Why don't you just join our Wandao Academy?"
Xiayu was momentarily stunned. *At a time like this, you're asking me to join Wandao Academy? Aren't you afraid of bringing disaster upon your own sect?*
"Is your Wandao Academy not afraid?" Xiayu couldn't help asking.
"Afraid, yes, but this is the only way to solve the problem. Trust your big brother—the moment you join Wandao Academy, if they dare to make a move, you just kill them outright, and absolutely nothing will happen."
"Besides, with Wandao Academy backing you up, if a real fight breaks out, it becomes a war between two academies. Who lives and who dies? That's far from certain."
Shen Yuxuan laughed heartily, his voice ringing loud and clear.
Xu Weilin frowned. *This fellow is truly shameless.*
*Your Wandao Academy has been suppressed by us for hundreds of years, and you have the nerve to say something like that?*
"Fine, I'll join! Big Brother, you're not going to make me take you as my master, are you?" Xiayu agreed immediately.
It was always easier to get by when you had a powerful backing, and he wasn't an idiot. Things were escalating out of hand today; standing alone against an entire academy meant that even if he were made of iron, how many nails could he take?
"Haha, Brother, you're overthinking it. Naturally, you'll be taking my master as your master! Strange, why has my master remained silent until now? It seems your sister's condition is deeply problematic."
Xiayu's expression shifted drastically, and he hurriedly turned his head to look at Xia Yao.
At this moment, Xia Yao's expression had returned to normal.
She looked as though she had simply fallen into a peaceful sleep.
Xiayu flashed to Xia Yao's side and bowed respectfully to the old man, asking, "Master, how is my sister?"
*Master?*
The old man was momentarily stunned. *Did I say I agreed to take you as a disciple?*
However, after giving Xiayu a deep look, the old man nodded, tacitly acknowledging it.
Naturally, he had heard every word of Shen Yuxuan's conversation, and he could easily see Xiayu's innate talent.
After a moment of thought, the old man said, "The opposing forces of water and fire within your sister originate from her own body. I have temporarily sealed them."
"However, it's only a temporary seal. These two forces are absorbing Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy on their own and growing by themselves. It's very strange; I've thought about it for a long time and still can't make sense of it."
"Right, I don't know which alchemist you found, but is he an idiot? The patient's internal water and fire energies were already overwhelmingly potent, yet she was fed two spiritual pills that greatly boosted water and fire energy. Were they in a hurry to help her die faster?"
The old man stroked his beard, but his words were utterly unsparing.
Instantly, Xiayu's face flushed red with embarrassment.
Talk about awkward!
Yet, he had no idea what to say in response.
After a moment of silence, he pleaded, "I beg Master to save my sister's life! Xiayu will work like a beast of burden to repay you! If I cannot repay this in this lifetime, I will do so in the next!"
"Stop!" the old man barked sternly, saying, "Alright, cut the useless dramatics. Your opponents have arrived. Since you've entered my Wandao Academy, they aren't allowed to bully the junior with their seniority, but as for the younger generation, you'll handle them yourself!"
"Now that the business here is settled, come back to the academy and we'll figure something out for your sister. I'm leaving first."
With a flick of his sleeve, the old man scooped up Xia Yao's body and soared away into the sky.
Xiayu was left dumbfounded. *Just like that? He's leaving?*
*Wait, what if their elders decide to step in?*
*I literally just took him as my master, are you really going to pitch your new disciple into a pit like this?!*
"Brother, Master is gone." Xiayu walked over to Shen Yuxuan and stood shoulder-to-shoulder with him.
"Call me Senior Brother!"
Shen Yuxuan's expression darkened, turning exceptionally solemn.
Xiayu gave a start. *This guy changes his face faster than turning a page.*
Still, the man was indeed his senior brother.
He bowed respectfully and called out, "Xiayu greets Senior Brother!"
"Junior Brother, please rise! Please rise!"
Shen Yuxuan beamed from ear to ear, closing his eyes in sheer intoxication.
"Ah, marvelous! I'm finally not the youngest junior brother anymore, haha!"
Xiayu was stunned once more. *What on earth is that supposed to mean?*
*I watched you boldly go toe-to-toe with the inner sect's Senior Brother of Shengwu Academy, how could you possibly be the youngest junior brother?*
*Is Wandao Academy really that overpowered?*
*Didn't people say Wandao Academy had been suppressed by Shengwu Academy for hundreds of years?*
Before he could puzzle it out, Shen Yuxuan spoke up: "There are dozens of their inner sect disciples here. How about it? Can you handle them all by yourself?"
Xiayu was dumbfounded!
"Um, Senior Brother, how could I possibly handle all of them by myself? Should we call for some backup? Where are the younger generation of Wandao Academy?"
Shen Yuxuan laughed heartily and said, "For this bunch, you and I are more than enough."
"I'll leave Xu Weilin to you—wait, no, you can't handle this guy."
"As for the rest, I trust you can manage them on your own."
As he spoke, Shen Yuxuan flashed forward and blocked Xu Weilin's path.
Suddenly remembering something, he added, "Junior Brother, the two academies have a rule: they can challenge you, but you can choose to refuse."
"If you do that, they aren't allowed to attack you. However, if any of them dare to strike first and attack you anyway, you are free to kill them. Our academy's seniors won't be able to interfere, and if the other side dies, it's entirely on them."
Xiayu was taken aback. *There's a rule like that? What kind of rules are these?*
It felt utterly bizarre!
However, at this moment, time waited for no man; he no longer had the luxury to overthink it.
A full thirty-one inner sect disciples of Shengwu Academy had arrived.
Well over half of them were in the Monarch Realm, and glowing circles of Monarch Domains lit up beneath their feet, releasing an astonishing wave of momentum.
While it was true that fighting a single opponent wasn't something Xiayu feared—he could even turn the tables and kill them outright—with so many of them present, how on earth was he supposed to block them?
Looking at his thoroughly irresponsible senior brother, Xiayu was left utterly speechless.
At a time like this, saying anything was useless; the only option left was to fight.
"At all costs, join forces and kill him!" Xu Weilin said coldly. "Shen Yuxuan, the moment you dare to make a move, I will kill you instantly!"
"Understood, Senior Brother!"
The thirty-one inner sect disciples of Shengwu Academy stepped forward in unison, radiating a murderous aura.
"Wait!"
At that moment, Xiayu suddenly let out a loud shout.
The next instant, he vibrated the spear in his hand and yelled, "Your Shengwu Academy really has zero shame left!"
"Is there any man among you with the guts to come out and fight me one-on-one? I challenge you!"
Xiayu's Dragon Spear pointed directly at a specific man.
The man's expression darkened, and a surge of furious rage flared up within him.
With so many senior and junior brothers present, you're singling me out for a challenge?
Do you look down on me *that* much?!
If I refuse in front of so many people, how am I ever going to show my face in public again?
"Fine! If you're courting death, I'll grant your wish! I accept your challenge. Remember, the one who kills you is Bao Yijian, inner sect disciple of Shengwu Academy!"
"Fellow sect members, watch me execute this wretch!"
Bao Yijian stepped forward, his aura skyrocketing.
"Bao Junior Brother, don't! This guy's cultivation realm isn't high, but his combat prowess is freakish, and the weapon in his hand is at least an Imperial Weapon. Do not accept his challenge!"
Hearing this, Xu Weilin hastily spoke up to intervene.
Without even looking back, Bao Yijian replied, "Senior Brother, if I refuse the challenge, my sword heart will be damaged. How could I ever cultivate for the rest of my life?"
"If I, a Monarch Realm swordsman, cannot defeat a Spirit Origin Realm fighter, I will die without regret!"
Bao Yijian quietly gazed at Xiayu and asked, "Are you ready?"
"Finally, I get to see a proper swordsman. I'm ready, draw your sword!"
Xiayu nodded; this was a cultivator worth respecting.
"I only have one sword strike. Once the sword is drawn, either you die or I perish. Be careful!"
Bao Yijian stood on ceremony no longer. He held his longsword horizontally in his left hand, his eyes filled with devout reverence.
Clang!
A sharp ring of steel pierced the air!
The next moment, Xiayu only felt his vision suddenly flash, and an icy sword qi seemed to arrive right in front of him.
In a split second, a sharp pain blossomed right between his brows.
The sword hadn't even arrived yet!
The sword qi alone had already drawn blood!
This sword was too fast!
So fast that it completely left him unable to react!
Danger!
Extreme danger!
At that moment, the crisis of impending death flashed through Xiayu's mind for the very first time.
Without a shred of hesitation, he directly activated his Divine Dragon Stealth.
Because he genuinely couldn't think of any way to block it, any way to evade it!
The sword had reached an absolute extreme of speed.
This was the first time Xiayu had ever encountered a sword this fast.
So fast it was unblockable, indefensible.
It was almost fast enough to outpace consciousness itself, striking before the mind could even register the thought of parrying.
Xiayu knew very well that if the Yuan Power in his three micro-worlds hadn't cushioned the blow, combined with the fact that his physical body was now comparable to a Monarch Weapon, he would already be dead.
Instead of just suffering a split between his brows that bled a few droplets.
At that moment, Bao Yijian was likewise struck with absolute horror.
His strike just now had clearly pierced straight through Xiayu.
Yet, the next instant, he felt as though his sword had stabbed into empty air.
How was that possible?
He knew perfectly well just how fast his sword was.
Even their Senior Brother didn't dare to face his swift sword head-on lightly.
Xiayu was merely at the Spirit Origin Realm—how could he have dodged the blade the exact moment it pierced him?
He was utterly baffled!
Because of this bewilderment, his sword paused for a fraction of a second.
The next instant, a tiny point of cold light pressed directly against Bao Yijian's throat.
"You lost!"
Chapter Thirty: Never Surrender
"I lost!" Bao Yijian muttered in a daze.
He never could have imagined that he, too, would be defeated in a single move.
A single move!
Once again, a single move!
This proved that Xiayu hadn't even unleashed his trump cards yet.
That miraculous disappearance from moments ago was something he hadn't been able to perceive at all.
If you couldn't perceive it, you couldn't strike.
He had lost!
Utterly and completely defeated!
"You're not going to kill me?"
Bao Yijian snapped out of his daze, looking at Xiayu, unable to stop himself from asking.
Because just a second ago, Xiayu had already withdrawn the Dragon Spear.
"I happen to like the look of you!"
Xiayu flicked the Dragon Spear, pointing its tip toward the remaining inner sect disciples, and said coldly, "Who else wants to step up and throw their lives away?"
The crowd of inner sect disciples involuntarily averted their eyes, not daring to meet Xiayu's gaze.
Who in the inner sect didn't know about Bao Yijian's sword? He ranked third on the inner sect's leaderboard.
Since even he couldn't block a single thrust from Xiayu, going up there themselves would be suicide.
Whose life wasn't precious?
Who would knowingly march up to their death!
"Hah, Shengwu Academy inner sect disciples? A bunch of trash!"
Xiayu said coldly, "Senior Brother, let's go."
"Right, they really are a bunch of trash. Hahaha..."
Shen Yuxuan beamed, Xiayu's combat prowess continually leaving him astonished.
That sword strike just now was something he could have evaded.
However, he would have had to rely on his own formidable, hard-earned strength to do so.
As for Xiayu's footwork, it was unimaginably miraculous—something he had neither heard of nor ever witnessed before.
Seeing that Shen Yuxuan was about to leave, Xu Weilin immediately stepped forward, closing in step by step.
He swept a cold gaze over the gathered inner sect disciples.
Quite a few inner sect disciples shuddered, a chill striking deep into their hearts.
The Senior Brother was furious!
A few inner sect disciples exchanged complicated glances with one another.
Suddenly, one of them moved, bursting forth with a furious roar.
"Attack together and kill him! We inner sect disciples can die in battle, but we cannot die of humiliation!"
The longsword in his hand transformed into a streak of blinding light, slashing downward toward Xiayu.
Simultaneously, a massive shield materialized in his left hand.
His entire body ducked safely behind the shield.
A defensive Monarch Weapon!
He asked not for merit, only to avoid fault!
He was confident that with this shield, even the Imperial Weapon in Xiayu's hand couldn't kill him in a single blow.
When that happened, his inner sect senior and junior brothers would strike together, and they would inevitably cut Xiayu down.
Seizing the primary credit while facing zero risk to his life—this was a gamble worth taking.
Sure enough, as he charged in the very front, three other inner sect disciples by his side launched their attacks as well.
Blades flashed and swords intertwined!
Howling winds echoed endlessly!
A towering momentum filled the skies!
"Puff!"
A muffled thud.
No, four muffled thuds!
Because they happened so fast, the four muffled impacts blended into a single sound.
Xiayu flashed forward and withdrew his spear, not a single trace of blood staining the spearhead.
Meanwhile, the four inner sect disciples froze in place—the one holding the shield remained locked where he stood.
The three figures who had leaped from the air crashed straight to the ground with loud thuds.
The inner sect disciple holding the shield wore an expression of sheer disbelief.
He never in his wildest dreams imagined that Xiayu could shatter his shield with a single thrust and pierce straight through his throat.
And he had been using a Monarch Weapon!
A defensive Monarch Weapon!
How could it be so utterly fragile?
Four kills!
A quadruple kill in a single strike!
The remaining inner sect disciples felt their hearts tremble faintly.
Among the younger generation, who was even his match?
In unison, they turned their gazes toward Xu Weilin.
Among them all, probably only Xu Weilin could defeat him.
Yet, Xu Weilin was still busy holding off Shen Yuxuan.
Meanwhile, the smile on Shen Yuxuan's face grew wider and wider.
He knew Xu Weilin wouldn't make a move.
Because the moment he attacked, he could kiss goodbye to entering the Emperor Realm at his absolute peak state.
He was betting that Xu Weilin wouldn't strike.
Xiayu's expression remained as calm as ever as he indifferently asked, "Who else?"
Silence blanketed the entire area!
Shen Yuxuan glanced sideways at Xu Weilin, then flashed to Xiayu's side, throwing an arm around his shoulder.
"Haha, Junior Brother, this fight of yours was simply too satisfying! Let's go, time to head back. This bunch of trash doesn't dare to fight anymore!"
Xiayu nodded and prepared to leave as well.
He had no idea what condition Xia Yao was in, and he was consumed by worry.
"Xu Weilin, attack!"
Suddenly, an icy voice rang out from midair.
Though the voice wasn't loud, every single person present heard it with crystal clarity.
Shen Yuxuan's expression shifted instantly.
"Let's go, quick!"
"Go? Where do you think you're going?" A graceful figure materialized instantly in front of Shen Yuxuan.
"The inner sect disciples are trash, but what makes you any different from trash? When has your Wandao Academy ever dared to accept a challenge?"
"A bunch of shrinking turtles calling others trash? Harious!"
Shen Yuxuan fell silent.
"Senior Brother, who is this pretty chick?" Xiayu suddenly piped up and asked.
The woman's brows knitted together. Her gaze shifted, locking onto Xiayu as she demanded coldly, "What did you say?"
"Ah, pretty chicks always have big tempers. My mom was right—good-looking women all think they're some big deal, and that nobody in the whole world is good enough for them."
"In the end, aren't they just women? Sooner or later they get pinned down by a man, wearing a sour face all day—aren't you afraid you won't be able to marry anyone off?"
Xiayu shrugged his shoulders, looking completely indifferent.
Though, in his heart, he silently added: *Except for my sister.*
Hearing Xiayu's words, Shen Yuxuan couldn't help giving him a thumbs-up.
*Junior Brother, you're a beast!*
Upon hearing Xiayu's words, three icy words squeezed out through the teeth of the frosty woman: "You want to die!"