Chapter 212

Tongxuan Realm is the bridge between the lower three realms and the upper five realms, and the dividing line for immortal sects.

Those who fully perfected their lower three realms and broke into Tongxuan after the Autumn Duel could enter the Inner Court; naturally, some would fall into the Outer Court instead.

These students who failed to enter the Inner Court could still continue cultivating, later reaching Tongxuan, and were regarded as the Outer Court's strongest combat force.

Pei Ruyi was exactly like this—though she never entered the Inner Court, she touched the threshold of Rongdao Realm and was once hailed as the Outer Court's top disciple.

Pei Ruyi's five-year term had long ended; lacking a powerful clan behind her, she chose to join the Manager's Pavilion and remain in the Manager's Courtyard.

Since her departure, this top disciple position fell to Wu Zhen.

Even so, there remained a considerable gap between Outer Court Tongxuan and Inner Court Tongxuan, just as Rongdao in the Immortal Villa couldn't match Rongdao in the clans.

Thus, Wu Zhen, this Outer Court Tongxuan, meant nothing in the eyes of the Inner Court Tongxuan who had come to watch; his defeat was not surprising in anyone's mind.

Since slots were limited, Outer Court disciples had slim chances of securing a place in the Heavenly Dao Assembly through the preliminary rounds.

Yet even so, in the eyes of Inner Court disciples, Wu Zhen was still a genuine Tongxuan.

He was supposed to lose, but not so unbelievably.

One swing of the sword, a direct strike overhead—he collapsed instantly.

Was Wu Zhen simply too weak? Had all his praise over the years been hollow?

The problem was the entire battle moved too fast—the expected beginning turned out to be its end.

No one knew how Ji You had done it, including the scorching heat and the chilling pressure—they had no idea where they came from.

Ji You, without using sword art, was still stronger than they could imagine…

At this moment, the Inner Court Tongxuan who had once been full of fighting spirit now wore grim expressions.

Fifty years old—that's the age to just drop dead in sleep…

Ji You glanced at Wu Zhen, then stepped down from the Ascension White Jade Platform, drawing all eyes with him.

No murmurs, no doubts—everyone was too stunned to recover.

Even Cao Jingsong, Ban Yangshu, and others stared blankly at Ji You descending the stage, as if they no longer recognized him.

The next day, no challenge notice.

The third day, still none.

Ji You sat in his small courtyard, waiting three days without any movement.

He was the type who disliked dragging things out; only one of five battles had occurred, and then silence—this made him frown.

It was his first time striking with pure physical strength—he hadn't mastered the control yet, and had indeed been reckless.

But he knew the Elder Pavilion wanted someone to defeat him, since he couldn't use Lingjian Mountain's sword art; if no one challenged him, the Elder Pavilion should have pushed someone forward.

Yet no one had stepped up so far—how pathetic.

The temperature rose daily; visible waves of heat rose from the white marble Ascension Platform, cicadas chirped shrilly, their voices hoarse.

After the Tongxuan battle ended, the contest stalled; meanwhile, Shi Junhao fought four matches in a row.

There were indeed differences in combat strength among Inner Court Rongdao, but not great ones.

Shi Junhao was clearly a cautious fighter; techniques he'd hidden in his first match now emerged endlessly in the next four, revealing his deep magical foundations, slowly delivering the crushing victory everyone expected.

Thus, magical clashes erupted daily on the Ascension White Jade Platform, leaving spectators dazzled.

The crowd grew daily, including several nearby clans who came to watch.

Their own clan youths were also competing in the Heavenly Dao Assembly; understanding opponents' strength beforehand was a way to improve their chances.

Taking advantage of this buzz, the taverns of Shengjing City made a fortune, sending off one group and welcoming another every day.

The kitchens never stopped bustling; the head chef nearly broke his wok spoon.

At the same time, the scent of wine in Shengjing City grew richer, for the spirit-grain brews lingered all day without fading.

Boom!

A dark light descended on the Ascension White Jade Platform; Shi Junhao switched his sword for a blade and crushed his Inner Court junior, Dong Yunfei, with overwhelming force.

With power and technique fused into his body, he left no room for the opponent to retaliate.

But the crowd's excitement no longer matched the frenzy they'd shown during Shi Junhao's battle with Yang Zijin, nor their awe at the dazzling magical bombardments.

Every time spectators watched, their minds involuntarily recalled that plain swing of the sword—their brows would furrow in distraction.

Some visiting clan members praised Shi Junhao endlessly, calling his magical arts unparalleled, yet often turned their heads and saw the Tian Shu Academy students staring blankly, deeply puzzled.

"After Shi Junhao, Xiao Hanyan will hold the Lei. Post the notice, then wait for challengers."

"Mm."

Ji Jingyao of the Manager's Courtyard picked up his brush at Qin Rong's words and began transcribing the notice for Xiao Hanyan's defense.

The Manager's Pavilion fell silent, save for the ceaseless cicada song.

Lang Hetong sat before the tea table, rolling two iron balls in his hands; after a long silence, he spoke: "Has the Tongxuan preliminary round stalled here?"

Qin Rong lifted his teacup: "I still don't understand that sword strike—how could anyone else dare climb the platform? Ji You's strike was too strange…"

"It really was too strange—I didn't even sense any spiritual energy fluctuation; Wu Zhen just dropped straight down."

"You felt it too?"

"Of course I felt it—that's why it's unbelievable."

The three recalled that single sword strike, their expressions complex and unreadable.

It ended too fast—they remembered only that simple sword stroke; everything else seemed unseen.

The only thing certain is that Ji You truly did not use Lingjian Mountain's sword art.

But what's damn terrifying is exactly this.

Everyone says Ji You without Lingjian Mountain's sword art is a tiger without teeth, but who has ever seen such a tiger?

The Elder Hall originally intended to strip Ji You of his greatest advantage, then force him to be the first to defend the platform, lose the match, and miss out on the Tian Dao Hui spot.

Now, he alone has suppressed all the Tongxuan cultivators in the academy.

"The duel must continue—we can't send only one Tongxuan cultivator to fight for Tian Shu Academy."

"This was the Elder Hall's idea to begin with—let them worry about it."

Qin Rong lifted his gaze: "They thought restricting Ji You from using Lingjian Mountain's sword art was a masterstroke—now he's become an insurmountable barrier for every Tongxuan disciple in Tian Shu Academy. How amusing."

As they spoke, footsteps sounded outside the Manager's Hall.

A figure crossed the threshold, blocking the morning light drifting through dust, and stepped firmly onto the stone tiles.

Qin Rong assumed the arrival was a disciple assigned to relay messages between inner and outer academies; he didn't look up, merely tapped his finger lightly on the table and told him to leave the results of the Elder Duel currently underway.

The young have the spirit to fight and prove themselves, but the aged elders weigh gains and losses.

The Tian Dao Hui occurs every five years—a mere blink in the lifespan of these elders. This time you go, next time he goes; the outcome won't draw much attention.

But to Qin Rong's surprise, the visitor did not leave.

So he looked up—and saw it was an inner academy disciple.

"Disciple Liu Qichen, here to enter the Tongxuan contest and challenge Ji You."

"?"

The three managers exchanged glances: "You're certain?"

Liu Qichen nodded: "That sword strike was incomprehensible to everyone—but someone must challenge him, or this matter cannot proceed. So I, Qichen, volunteer to ease the burden on the Manager's Hall and the Elder Hall."

Lang Hetong and Ji Jingyao couldn't help turning to look, watching as he pressed his fingerprint onto the challenge scroll, their expressions turning thoughtful.

"Looks like he was offered something."

"The Liu family in the Central Province has indeed declined."

At this moment, Liu Qichen stepped out of the Manager's Hall, followed by several old friends from Tian Shu Academy and junior disciples he'd been close to.

These men had just watched Liu Qichen sign the challenge scroll—and they truly didn't understand.

Senior Liu entered the inner academy in the Ta Wu era, but his cultivation has been stuck at the upper Tongxuan realm, unable to merge his Dao—yet his strength far exceeds Wu Zhen's.

If he avoided Ji You and faced any other opponent, he'd have near-certain victory.

Liu Qichen glanced at them, then gave a light laugh, offering no further explanation.

Avoiding Ji You, he might still secure a Tian Dao Hui spot—but whether he could enter the top ten afterward, he wasn't sure. It might all turn out to be a mirage.

But the benefits the Elder Hall promised the Liu family were real.

The Liu family's cultivation talent had thinned over generations; by this generation, only he had entered an immortal sect's inner academy.

The elders in the Elder Hall hold strong influence across the northern four provinces; if they're willing to lift up the Liu family and restore its prominence for another century, in Liu Qichen's eyes, that's enough.

This was a choice—between self and family—and Liu Qichen chose his family.

Besides, he didn't believe he had no chance against Ji You, who couldn't use sword art.

Both are Tongxuan cultivators—how could the gap be truly insurmountable?

Liu Qichen stepped up the mountain, returned to his small courtyard, and found many items laid out on the stone table.

There were magical artifacts, spirit stones, even pills superior in rank to the protective elixir Wu Zhen had taken, and a black long robe.

Meanwhile, disciples from the Manager's Hall carried invitation scrolls and climbed the mountain along the newly verdant ten-thousand-acre forest, delivering a scroll to Ji You's courtyard.

In fact, when Liu Qichen returned, word of his challenge to Ji You had already spread through the outer academy; seeing this Tian Shu disciple arrive now, they knew another battle was coming today.

"Junior Ji."

"Got a challenge scroll?"

"Liu Qichen from the inner academy."

During these days without challenge, Ji You had occasionally left his quarters to guide Lu Hanyan in sword art and beg meals from Cao Jingsong.

He'd also visited Shengjing City to see Kuangcheng.

Rumor says they're holding hands—basically acting like a couple. No wonder he acted like a fool when walking with Wei Rui, forgetting even his closest friend. Ji You kept muttering about how even long-distance lovers don't act this way.

The transportation routes in Fengzhou have been repaired by more than two-thirds; the Immortal Supervisory Office is now reviewing them.

Kuangcheng occasionally returned to Fengzhou, because he couldn't trust anyone else with this matter.

During this time, Old Qiu also wrote a letter, updating him on family affairs, and mentioned that Kuangcheng had returned to Yuyang County, wandering the streets and alleys to paint many pictures, one of which depicted Ji You accepting seventy-two adopted sons and daughters—painted exquisitely.

The letter said, surely that painting was meant for the Young Master, given that his birthday was approaching.

But Ji You never received it; when asked, he said, "What painting? I don't know."

Moreover, Shi Junhao's battles, he had watched three of them.

He watched Yang Zijin's match, and also the third and final matches.

In the comings and goings, eyes constantly followed him, countless people whispered about him, yet none dared point or gesture.

At this moment, Ji You finally received the next challenge letter, raised his hand to catch it, and quickly glanced at it twice.

Liu Qichen—he knew this man.

A Liu family disciple who entered the academy in the Taiwu era, one of the few who entered the Inner Court without sensing the Heavenly Book; he was rarely seen around the academy, fewer times than Ji You had struck Lu Er's buttocks.

Ji You was genuinely puzzled: what did these cultivators do all day, unable to break through yet constantly elusive?

They didn't train their bodies, didn't farm, didn't have a proper occupation like himself—just hid on mountains, receiving offerings from the masses, unaware of life's meaning.

Such people ought to be sent to Fengzhou to farm…

In their collective farming team, they'd at least make a decent team leader.

Soon, the White Jade Terrace of the Outer Court was packed with people, everyone standing in their usual spots.

To the east stood the Management Hall and the Elders' Pavilion; the nobility of the capital occupied the south, among them Fang Jincheng and Zhao Yun once again arrived, their gazes fixed intently on the arena.

Six days had passed since Wu Zhen's battle with Ji You, yet even now, they still couldn't believe what they had seen.

To them, that sword strike had been too fast—they saw nothing at all.

They preferred to believe it was Ji You's final, desperate strike, draining his spiritual essence; no other explanation made sense.

At this moment, Ji You had descended from the Inner Court and was heading toward the White Jade Terrace with Cao Jingsong and others.

The Lu sisters had reserved seats for Cao Jingsong and the others; Ji You, sword in hand, walked onto the White Jade Terrace.

"Don't panic. Don't lose your nerve before the fight."

"Draw your strongest sword and strike forward without hesitation."

"Don't emulate Wu Zhen—charging forward only to suddenly switch to defense. He thought he was being cautious, but he didn't realize his Dao heart had already weakened by half—how could he not lose?"

On the eastern side of the terrace, Liu Qichen arrived with sword in hand; he was stopped by several Elders on the western side and given earnest advice.

Wu Zhen had collapsed unconscious after losing his challenge six days prior; no one knew why he had switched to defense at the very moment of his final strike, except himself.

Many believed that if he had struck decisively instead of trying to block Ji You's blow first, he wouldn't have lost so badly.

Hearing this, Liu Qichen nodded, his gaze fixed on Ji You's expressionless face, replaying Elder Fang's words in his mind.

Don't lose your nerve before the fight. Strike forward without hesitation.

Lu Qingqiu gazed eastward, studying Liu Qichen's black brocade robe: "It's a magical artifact—a defensive one, and of extremely high quality."

Ban Yangshu glanced for a while: "Expensive?"

"Extremely expensive. Supposedly capable of withstanding a strike from a Realm-Integration upper stage. But defensive artifacts always sell slower than cultivation-auxiliary ones. As far as I know, Qionghua Pavilion shouldn't have any left in stock."

"Probably another trick from the Elders' Pavilion. For a mere Tongxuan disciple, they've gone to such lengths."

At this moment, Liu Qichen stepped onto the terrace.

The magical robe instantly emitted a mysterious glow, then swallowed a protective spirit pill, enveloping his body in a hazy, swirling aura.

This aura was stronger than Wu Zhen's previous misty energy—clearly a higher-grade spirit pill, making Liu Qichen appear even more enigmatic.

Moreover, the aura slightly blurred his physical form.

Such a pill made the Lu sisters frown; they thought it was already a collection-grade treasure, nearly worthy of being the sect's treasured artifact.

Just then, the gong sounded.

At the very moment the gong rang, Liu Qichen lunged forward, spiritual energy surging along his Dao sword, sharpness radiating outward as he slashed violently toward Ji You.

No need for words. No need to hold back. Strike forward without hesitation!

Ji You instantly furrowed his brow, his eyes blazing with golden light; he drew his sword in one swift motion, the blade singing "clang!" as if washed clean.

His response mirrored the previous match: his waist taut, a clean, direct upward slash—immense force erupted from his body, accompanied by a scorching rush of air that sent a shiver crawling up everyone's spine.

Then—thud!

The seamless white stone slabs shattered under his foot; Ji You swung his sword upward, the heavy force making the platform tremble, the Dao sword slicing down and carving out a suffocating vacuum.

Don't lose your nerve before the fight. Strike forward without hesitation.

Liu Qichen clenched his teeth, roaring as his sword surged forward.

Seeing this, the crowd widened their eyes, suppressing their trembling, desperate to catch every detail—especially the instant the blades met.

But at that critical moment, Liu Qichen suddenly changed his sword technique—from slash to block—and in an instant poured all his spiritual energy into his defense, causing the Elders' Pavilion elders to instantly frown.

Why?

Why did he change his technique?

Just moments ago, they'd warned him: don't follow Wu Zhen's example. Just strike forward without hesitation—let fate decide. Liu Qichen had repeated this many times, yet now, at the crucial moment, he switched from offense to defense.

In the staring gazes, Liu Qichen, raising his block, had eyes wide with desperation.

He hadn't wanted to hold back—he'd felt, the moment Ji You raised his sword, that he was facing an invincible monster.

That trembling from within wasn't from spiritual pressure—it was a primal biological instinct, like a physical suppression.

In that instant, he could only follow his inner instinct: defend!

No forward strike. Only defense!

Now Liu Qichen watched Ji You's sword descend, the arm gripping it taut like a drawn bowstring; before the blade even reached him, the searing wind surged like a tidal wave, the roaring sound filling his ears.

Clang!

The stone tiles beneath Liu Qichen's feet shattered instantly, his palms splitting open with cracks.

He felt a twisting, drilling force surge up the sword into his arm, the ache so intense he nearly screamed—but before he could open his mouth, Ji You roared.

"What a fine magical robe!"

"?"

With admiration in his eyes, Ji You sheathed his sword, then immediately pulled his right arm back to full extension and slashed again.

Boom! The iron sword fell again, like a heavenly blade crushing from above!

The protective aura around Liu Qichen, formed from condensed spiritual energy, burst instantly under the blow; the recoil flung him violently backward.

Seeing this, Liu Qichen used the force to leap, his feet slamming the ground as he shot upward like an arrow, aiming to attack from above.

But before he rose far, a dark shadow darted past—he saw Ji You already above him, having returned from his previous strike.

Seeing the broken tiles beneath Ji You's foot, the Management Hall disciples turned pale.

In the past two years, the White Jade Terrace had been repaired only once—last time, when Ji You shattered it with his "Small Mountain Slash" against Chu He.

Boom.

The crowd felt the heat shift from horizontal to vertical; they looked up to see a piercing sword shriek as the iron blade came crashing down.

Liu Qichen plummeted straight down, crashing into the terrace with a thud, leaving deep craters and swirling dust.

Elder Fang fell silent for a long while: "No spiritual energy."

Cao Jingsong also narrowed his eyes, murmuring, "No spiritual energy?"

Ji You's leap into the air hadn't been powered by spiritual energy—he'd simply jumped, using only his legs.

Not allowed to use a spiritual sword or Dao sword techniques, he'd simply stopped using spiritual energy altogether.

Fang Jincheng's face had long turned ashen—since Ji You's first strike had shaken the platform, his face had been white.

Amid the dust, Liu Qichen rose, clutching his chest: "I lost. I won't fight anymore…"

Ji You sheathed his sword: "Thank you."

"You're not Tongxuan."

"How could I not be Tongxuan?"

Liu Qichen clenched his teeth, sensing Ji You's spiritual fluctuations: "How could there be a Tongxuan cultivator like you?"

Ji You smiled: "What a fine magical robe."

"It is indeed a fine robe—capable of withstanding a Realm-Integration upper stage strike. Without it, I wouldn't be standing here talking to you now. But is that truly the only thing about me worth your admiration?"

"Then, what a fine landing."

"?"

Ji You sheathed his sword and turned, walking off the platform.

Fang Jincheng watched him, stepping back involuntarily: "Senior Ji… what are you doing?"

"I recall you said that even after Wu Zhen lost, there were still four more."

Ji You smiled: "Go tell Elder Fang there are only three left now. Let them pick again."

Fang Jincheng swallowed hard: "Senior Ji, your divine might shakes heaven and earth—you needn't fight five matches. Two would've secured your spot."

"No. I won't agree. I'm not from a noble family. You don't need to treat me kindly. I'll fight all five matches. Find me opponents—or change the rules again."

"Senior Ji, you're joking."

"Who's joking? Do you see me smiling?"

Ji You stared at him, then turned and walked toward Cao Jingsong and the others; they spoke briefly before leaving the White Jade Terrace.

Seeing her departing figure, Zhao Yun, who had remained silent beside them, froze, his gaze fixed until Ji You vanished beyond the Bi Shui Lake.

More spectators quietly slipped away, heading toward Qionghua Pavilion in the city.

The shopkeeper watched the flood of cultivators pouring in, then sent a young servant sprinting out the door.

Ji You's group had returned to their courtyard, seated on stone benches; everyone's gaze at Ji You was complex and unreadable.

Much has happened during this time, and many questions remain unanswered.

For instance, why Ji You never returned to the Purple Bamboo Zen Grove to seek enlightenment—he still hasn't explained it.

But there is no doubt he has grown stronger, so much so that Cao Jingsong, who had long been at the peak of the Fusion Dao realm, couldn't help but feel a pang of dread.

Lu Hanyan and Lu Qingqiu were even more shaken; as they looked at Ji You now, they seemed almost dazed.

Lu Hanyan entered the academy in the first year of Tai Chu, same as Xiang Fu, Cong Yi, and others.

She had heard Ji You defeated Chu He, heard he founded a noble house after the Night City Mountain battle, heard he blocked a Barbarian Warlord's punch, and heard he turned the tables in a snowstorm at the Demon City of Snowlands and killed a demon general who could inflict full-body sword wounds with bare hands.

But hearing something is still just hearing.

Stories like these evoke disbelief and skepticism, but they rarely deliver true shock.

Especially after Ji You began guiding her in swordcraft and truly started interacting with her.

To the second daughter of the Lu family, Senior Brother Ji was far from gentle—he was stern, yet not terrifying; she felt he was more like a refined, courteous scholar.

Though he sometimes neglected petty formalities, that was all.

But only today did they realize just how powerful Ji You truly was.

Four swords, defeating two opponents of the same realm—this was even after the Elders' Guild imposed targeted restrictions, forbidding him from using the Sword Mountain's techniques.

Lu Qingqiu had once seen this side of him during the Autumn Duel; Lu Hanyan was seeing it for the first time.

Not the strict one, not the mischievous senior who loved to trick instructors—but a prodigy so powerful it crushed any thought of defeating him.

Especially the faint glimpse of his physique beneath his scholar's robe—a single glance made the Second Miss Lu feel she'd be shattered like porcelain.

Before entering the academy, Lu Hanyan had already heard of her sister's dealings with Ji You.

It was during her sister's first home visit, when the Spirit Stone Guild hosted a banquet, that she heard her recounting stories of Chu He and Ji You.

On her second return, it was said that Ji You, the man, had defeated Chu He and entered the Inner Academy; after careful deliberation and multiple discussions with her father, her sister decided to pursue Ji You as a son-in-law.

The Lu family men had low cultivation potential; both their eldest brother and youngest brother had achieved nothing on this path.

To her sister and father, if Ji You could truly be brought into the family, perhaps it would improve their bloodline's cultivation potential and add a formidable warrior to their ranks.

But no one expected her sister to be rejected.

Lu Hanyan had always been close to her sister; before entering the academy, she held no fondness for Ji You, who had turned her sister down.

Especially the phrase "wildland self-cultivator" made this noble lady feel superior, convinced he was too ignorant to appreciate her sister's favor.

Her view changed gradually, perhaps because every time senior students spoke of Ji You in the academy, their tone carried awe and helplessness.

But only now did Lu Hanyan seem to understand why Ji You dared to reject a noble lady like her sister.

For seeing Senior Brother Ji on the arena, she realized he and they were not of the same world, not even the same realm of existence.

At that moment, the sisters heard Cao Jingsong's voice, snapping them back to reality.

"Worthless disciple, pay me back."

"Pay back what?"

Cao Jingsong's beard trembled with rage: "I thought you'd lost access to the Sword Mountain's techniques, so I gave you money to buy a sword for aerial combat—yet you didn't even need it!"

Ji You glanced at him: "Master, better not speak. What if I catch my occupational disease?"

"?"

At that moment, a knock came at the door.

Bai Ru, closest to the door, rose to open it and saw a young servant in robes bearing the Qionghua Pavilion emblem; he handed over an envelope and hurried away.

Seeing this, everyone turned curiously toward Ji You, who pulled out a large-denomination silver note.

"Why would Qionghua Pavilion give you money?"

Ji You raised his eyes and smiled faintly: "The day I bought the sword, I told the shopkeeper to stock more defensive artifacts, price them double, and give me half the markup."

【Fine magical robe】

Cao Jingsong's mind went blank; others paled, especially Lu Qingqiu.

She had previously said that in the Heavenly Book Academy, where internal combat was forbidden, defensive artifacts sold worse than cultivation artifacts, so shops rarely stocked them.

They had assumed those artifacts were obtained through Elder Guild connections—never imagining this scheme came from Ji You.

Lu Qingqiu stared at him in shock—not because he made money, but because he was so confident: the robe could have blocked a Fusion Dao realm's attack, giving Liu Qichen a chance to turn the tide.

In the Elders' Guild behind Nishan, a group of Elders sat, flanked by several other Tongxuan realm cultivators preparing for the Heavenly Dao Assembly, listening as Liu Qichen recounted the events.

The room was dim, lit only by a hundred oil lamps illuminating the incense hall's mural of ascending to heaven and the lacquered red pillars.

It was said the key to "nothing outside the mind" was to see nothing before you; in this gloom, Liu Qichen's voice stood out sharply.

Repeatedly, his message was the same: certain defeat, no chance of luck.

Elder Fang's face was grim; after long silence, he stared at the robe on Liu Qichen's body.

This robe truly was a fine artifact—not worth the price he paid? If it could block Ji You's sword, then there was still hope.

In truth, Ji You, a mere nobody, didn't warrant such obsessive pursuit from an Elder.

But Elder Fang had been humiliated repeatedly and couldn't swallow this insult.

"Qichen, you've worked hard. Take off the robe and give it to your Senior Brother Lu; tomorrow, he will take the stage—he's an exceptional combat prodigy."

"Elder…"

Elder Fang lifted his teacup, glancing up: "What is it?"

Liu Qichen bit his lip: "Though I shouldn't speak out of turn, I still suggest you send two people up to simply surrender to Ji You."

Fang Jincheng glared: "Nonsense! Are you saying I, Grandfather Fang, surrender?"

"Brother Fang, I didn't mean that."

Liu Qichen sighed, realizing he'd spoken too much; he removed the robe and handed it to Senior Brother Lu standing nearby.

Elder Fang waved him off; Liu Qichen bowed and walked out.

But after only a few steps, Senior Brother Lu frowned: "Wait—why does this robe show no spiritual energy?"

"What?"

"Elder, this robe cannot be activated!"

Liu Qichen stopped and turned: "After Ji You's final sword strike, the robe was already destroyed. I didn't notice at the time—I still don't know why he didn't cut it apart then. I think he spared us all a shred of dignity."

【Tell Elder Fang there are still three left—let them pick more.】

【I'll fight five rounds. Find me opponents, or change the rules.】

Fang Jincheng's face turned ashen, staring at the robe now indistinguishable from ordinary cloth, unable to recover his composure.

The other Elders behind him exchanged glances, their emotions deeply complex.

Ji You truly was the most talented and powerful student the Heavenly Book Academy had seen in years—he should have become a Hall's direct disciple. But after the Fengzhou incident, the Elders' Guild disapproved of him, claiming his actions ruined his future.

For the sake of nameless commoners, he clashed with noble houses; many then asked whether it was worth it.

As expected, he failed to earn Hall admission, and soon others began asking whether he regretted it.

But only today did these Elders realize: before his iron sword, no one could block his path.

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(End of Chapter)