Chapter 614: Confidence Soaring

"Next time we meet, I won't know when that will be! I'll stay here a few more days and keep them company before we leave!"

Ye Liuyun decided to stay at Saint Martial Academy for a few more days, to gather with everyone properly, and then leave.

Seeing Ye Liuyun grilling meat by himself, Lin Xueying came over and sat beside him.

"Junior brother, how long will you stay at the academy this time?"

"I plan to stay two more days, to keep you company. At the same time I'm waiting for the Dark Night Demon Hall to come looking for me. I seized Saint Martial Academy; they won't be so willing to give up."

"And after that?" Lin Xueying asked.

"Afterwards? Probably a hard battle with the Dark Night Demon Hall!" Ye Liuyun estimated that to drive the Dark Night Demon Hall out of the Northern Region completely, a hard fight would be necessary.

"Afterwards will you stay at the academy or return to the Iron Eagle Sect?" Lin Xueying pressed.

"Afterwards?"

Ye Liuyun couldn't bear to tell her that he wouldn't stay at either place.

"We'll see then; I can't say for sure now."

He had originally planned to go straight out of the region, but now Liang Xue is still receiving the inheritance, and it's unclear whether any accident will occur on Liang Xue's side or whether Qing Lin will look for him again.

"Then, when you leave the academy later, can you take me with you?" Lin Xueying asked, her face flushing.

She hadn't wanted to ask so directly, but feared that if she didn't now, there would be no chance later.

Lin Xueying's realm is now at Yuan Dan Sixfold. In theory her progress isn't slow, but compared with Ye Liuyun and his companions, the gap is huge.

So she worries Ye Liuyun will disdain her level.

In fact, regardless of how high her realm is, Ye Liuyun doesn't want to take her along or become entangled emotionally.

So he could only deflect, saying, "We'll see when I leave; if it's too dangerous, I can't let you risk it!"

"Alright then! When you leave, be sure to tell me!" Lin Xueying confirmed with him.

"Um… if there's time, I'll definitely tell you!"

Ye Liuyun didn't want to lie, so he didn't give a direct promise, merely brushed it off.

Nan Xin'er, Qi Tianyue and others weren't as greedy as Lin Xueying. The gap between Ye Liuyun and them is huge now; they are simply delighted just to see him and have no further expectations.

Ye Liuyun and the others gathered through the entire night, and no one felt tired.

At the academy, the Grand Elder has already arranged everything properly, having assigned people to repair the Formation of Tianqian Feng.

Ye Liuyun can't return now, so he simply stays in Lingyun Pavilion, letting the Iron Army send scouts to gather news on the Dark Night Demon Hall.

The local Helmsman of the Dark Night Demon Hall, Su Qingyang, after learning that Qu Chen Feng's plan failed outright and even caused his own death, raged and cursed Qu Chen Feng.

"You useless waste, you failed to harm anyone and killed yourself! You even dragged me into it! Had I known, I would have just charged straight in and finished it quickly; you made me waste two Formation Masters for nothing!"

He blamed all the mission's failure on Qu Chen Feng.

Although he also received orders to withdraw the Northern Region Branch, losing a major Sect like Saint Martial Academy guarantees punishment upon return, so he is mustering forces to retake the academy before retreating.

"I don't believe a rookie can be that capable. This time I will lead personally. I summon all strongmen above the Heavenly Gang Realm to join me in retaking Saint Martial Academy. Those old bastards at the academy will be wiped out, and the whole academy will be firmly in our hands."

A Dark Night Demon Hall branch fields at least a dozen late‑stage Heavenly Gang Martial Cultivators and fifteen or sixteen early‑mid‑stage Heavenly Gang Martial Cultivators; this lineup is already powerful enough for a single Sect.

He reckons that even if Ye Liuyun is strong, he can't withstand their numbers. Moreover, just days ago he elevated his realm to the Heavenly Gang Ninth Layer; now brimming with confidence, he feels unusually powerful and even disregards the higher orders.

"Helmsman, the fact that Ye Liuyun has been able to seize so many of our branches suggests he's not weak!" one of his subordinates politely advised.

But Su Qingyang couldn't take it in at all.

"Those branches had their forces too scattered and were taken down one by one by Ye Liuyun! Moreover, we have a treasure! Fill that treasure with Spirit Stones and eliminate them in one blow!" Su Qingyang ordered.

The 'treasure' he mentioned is a Metal Puppet that originally was only at the Heavenly Gang Sixth Layer. After much effort, he found a puppet master and raised the puppet's realm to the Yin‑Yang Third Layer.

His subordinates, hearing that he intended to bring the puppet, felt it would be foolproof, so they stopped opposing and began actively gathering troops to attack Saint Martial Academy directly.

The people of this Dark Night Demon Hall branch also set off in full fanfare toward Saint Martial Academy.

Su Qingyang wants other Sects to see the fate of Saint Martial Academy as a warning.

When the Iron Army's scouts received the news, they immediately informed Ye Liuyun and the Grand Elder.

The Grand Elder analyzed, "Their strength should be more than what appears on the surface!"

"Indeed!" Ye Liuyun also guessed that.

"A single Ninth Layer Helmsman wouldn't dare come after me directly. But whatever trump card he has, I'll take it! Master, have the other Elders also prepare for battle!"

"Alright. Since you're so confident, we'll fight a hard battle with the Dark Night Demon Hall."

Thus, the Grand Elder began gathering all Elders and disciples of the Sect who are at the Heavenly Gang Realm, preparing to meet them.

A party of twenty‑to‑thirty from the Dark Night Demon Hall marched grandly to the gates of Saint Martial Academy.

The Grand Elder, accompanied by Ye Liuyun's men and the academy's Elders, waited outside for them. Inside the academy, a protective Sect formation had been activated to shield the disciples.

The academy's disciples scrambled to occupy the higher buildings, watching the battle from afar, lest they miss the great fight.

The outcome of this battle is also crucial.

If Ye Liuyun fails to hold, Saint Martial Academy will fall entirely. If they win, not only the academy but the whole region will effectively break free from the Dark Night Demon Hall's control.

Su Qingyang, round and bulky, stood carefree at the front of the line, hands on his hips, surveying Ye Liuyun's formation before shouting loudly.

"People of Saint Martial Academy, listen! I give you one final chance: surrender to us at once, or bear the consequences!"