Chapter 327: Zhao Tianxing

A faint sword qi coiled within the narrow passage.

Li Zhangsheng looked at Liu Yuan indifferently.

Just that gaze frightened Liu Yuan so much he dared not move.

You should know, Li Zhangsheng is a late‑stage Marquis expert, and as a sword cultivator his battle power is already heaven‑defying.

Even a peak Marquis expert might not gain the upper hand when encountering Li Zhangsheng.

Let alone a mere Liu Yuan.

For a moment, Liu Yuan found himself torn between advancing and retreating.

Zhao Tianxing to the side looked indifferently at the crowd of Qianlong Academy and spoke earnestly.

"I've told you many times: if a dog runs up to your face and barks wildly, you hit it! Only by hurting it can you stop its noisy barking."

"On this point, I think Su Yu has done quite well."

"After all, we are Qianlong Academy; if we don't even dare to discipline a dog, how will we ever slay the myriad races?"

"Remember this: when you encounter such a situation in the future, learn from Su Yu—hit what should be hit, and call us if you can't beat it."

"We old fellows may not be strong, but dealing with a trifling Jingwu is still no problem!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xiaobai and the others could not hold back and burst into loud laughter.

Liu Yuan's face alternated between green and red.

Suddenly, an afterimage flickered before Liu Yuan's eyes.

Smack!

Another crisp sound rang out on Liu Yuan's face, accompanied by a burning sensation.

Liu Yuan dazedly touched his other cheek.

Only then did one see that Xiang Shao Yun had struck at some unknown moment, his slap landing on Liu Yuan's face—crisp and in no way inferior to Su Yu's.

Xiang Shao Yun chuckled as he looked at Zhao Tianxing.

"Old man, is it like this?"

Zhao Tianxing raised his thumb and nodded.

"Exactly, just like that—have you all learned it?"

The two performed a double act.

Liu Yuan's mood exploded in an instant, endless anger surging from his heart.

He was the heaven‑chosen prodigy of Jingwu, second only to Zhou Yuan Qing, Zhou Yong, and Ling Jun, and his cultivation had reached the terrifying late Half Moon stage.

Such strength, placed anywhere in Daxia, could be counted as a pillar of the middle stream.

Yet before such an occasion today, he suffered utter humiliation.

He glared hatefully at the people of Qianlong Academy.

"You wait for me—if you dare hit me, Jingwu will not let you off!"

Having said that, he slunk away like a stray dog.

Today they had originally come out on their own.

Like the heavenly prodigy Zhou Yuan Qing, having nothing to do today, they simply didn't come, instead cultivating in the hotel.

And Yizhong Tian was also in the hotel, acting as a Dharma protector for Zhou Yuan Qing.

Therefore, facing the two Marquis‑level experts Zhao Tianxing and Li Zhangsheng, even if Liu Yuan's nature was as unruly as ever, he could only threaten a bit before slinking away.

Watching Liu Yuan leave, Tian Ming let out a cold snort.

"The people of Jingwu Academy are no better than this!"

Chu Hong shook his head and said.

"Don't underestimate this guy—although Su Yu and Xiang Shao Yun could easily give this annoying fellow two slaps, for us he might not be an opponent."

The smiles on everyone's faces stiffened slightly.

Zhang Xiaobai said dissatisfiedly.

Chu Hong said indifferently, "It's not about boosting others' morale and crushing our own; it's simply a fact—if we truly met this guy on the arena, I wouldn't be his match."

Chu Hong said lightly, "It's not about boosting others' morale and diminishing our own prestige. Rather, this is simply a fact; if we truly encounter this guy on the arena, I am not his match."

You should know, Chu Hong this guy is full of arrogance; back when Su Yu hadn't appeared, the whole Qianlong Academy only had Xiang Shao Yun who could suppress him.

One could say Chu Hong fears neither heaven nor earth.

Yet when it came to dealing with Liu Yuan, he actually spoke like this.

Xiang Shao Yun also chuckled and said.

"What Xiao Chu said is correct—this fellow may look unpleasant, but his strength is beyond doubt."

"Su Yu and I might be able to defeat him, but if you lot want to beat him… that'll be troublesome!"

Hearing Xiang Shao Yun's words, everyone fell into silence.

Soon, everyone returned to their places from yesterday, waiting for the match to begin.

Above the stands, spectators streamed into the seating area.

For a moment, the clamor echoed throughout the stadium—namely, sound‑proofing material had been added to the exclusive area of the Martial Arts Academy.

So as not to be disturbed by these spectators.

But if one stepped outside, one could hear deafening sounds.

With the passage of time, Lei Wang's figure appeared between heaven and earth.

As time passed, the Thunder King's figure appeared between heaven and earth.

A low‑pitched voice, like a muffled thunderclap bursting into the ears.

The low, deep voice, like a muffled thunder filling the ears, exploded instantly.

In an instant, the entire gymnasium fell silent.

Everyone looked up at the Thunder King above the firmament, waiting for him to speak.

The Thunder King stood in the void, his imposing gaze sweeping over those below, and he spoke in a deep voice.

"Today, the top-tier academy competition begins."

"For the top-tier academies, based on last year's rankings, fifth place challenges fourth, fourth can challenge third, third can challenge second, and second can challenge first!"

"If the challenge succeeds, the rankings shift; if it fails, the rankings remain unchanged!"

"After the final challenge, the first-place top-tier academy may participate in tomorrow's Five Great Academies tournament; if the challenge succeeds, they can secure a place among the Five Great Academies!"

The Thunder King quickly announced today's rules.

Put simply, it's a series of layered challenges.

Take Qianlong Academy as an example: if it wants to participate in tomorrow's Five Great Academies tournament, it must defeat all four other top-tier academies.

It is worth noting that.

Moreover, if the first-place top-tier academy from the previous session is not challenged in this academy tournament, they can directly qualify for tomorrow's Five Great Academies tournament.

It must be said, this rule truly favors the higher-ranked academies.

As the Thunder King announced the rules, the crowd cheered again.

At this moment, on Qianlong Academy's side.

Zhao Tianxing slowly rose to his feet, a smile playing on his lips, as he looked at Su Yu and the others.

"You kids, today everything rests on you!"

Su Yu and the others also stood up; even the usually lazy Xiang Shaoyun rose, stretched, and said with a chuckle.

"We've waited a day; finally we can make a move—let's go!"

Having said that, he directly led the crowd toward the arena.

Because of Su Yu's arrival, Wu Ling'er became a substitute, sitting with Zhao Tianxing and Li Zhangsheng to watch their match.

At the same time, walking toward the arena alongside Qianlong Academy was the fourth-place finisher from the previous session, Mysterious Star Academy!

The two teams' gazes clashed, instantly sparking sparks.