Thump~ Thump~
My heart is pounding.
Li Chen looked up at the sky, at the tattered clouds.
What on earth is going to happen this time?
Why could he feel the Forbidden Substance within his body trembling and arousing?
The whispers in my mind still echoed.
"The Forbidden servants have come to fetch us..."
"I... we should go save them..."
Li Chen shook his head slightly, somewhat puzzled.
Just then, footsteps sounded behind him, accompanied by a very familiar voice.
"Finally, I've met you, Li Chen."
Li Chen turned his head and looked over. At that moment, he finally remembered who the person in front of him was.
Cang Yue...
He hadn't expected that the Holy Maiden of the Cang Family would be this person.
I never expected to run into her in the Academy Tournament. We used to be classmates, but now we're going to fight each other for the championship.
Cang Yue pursed her red lips, her white hair dancing gracefully in the swirling snow.
Her ruby eyes were fixed on Li Chen, like the gaze of a witch admiring the creature she was experimenting on.
Li Chen exuded an eerie aura and whispered, "Indeed, it's been a long time."
"But if you're here to deal with me, then make your move."
Cang Yue shook her jade-like finger and smiled, "I'm not here to compete with you for the championship; I'm just here to take a look."
Li Chen frowned. This woman was still the same as before, completely unpredictable. He didn't have time to play along with her antics. However, since she hadn't made a move when he was dealing with the Shi Family Saint Son, it was indeed true, as she said, that she had only glanced at him.
With a "buzzing" sound.
His figure flew directly into the sky. Li Chen glanced at Cang Yue, not wanting to have too much interaction with her.
Below, Cang Yue's lips curled slightly upward as she murmured, "It seems your father has completely fallen into the demonic path."
"Shouldn't you hand over control of your body to me?"
Suddenly her voice sounded a little childish.
"No, just one last look."
"I don't believe it..."
Cang Yue's eyes flickered slightly as she glanced at the unknown Shi Family Saint Son not far away, before her figure vanished like a wisp of Black Mist.
Another major battle is still ongoing.
Swish~ Swish~ Swish~
The slashes flew across the icy plains as if they were free.
Jianping was covered in minor wounds, his face pale, his eyes fixed on the woman not far away—no, it should be said, the demon!
A legendary demon!
He had encountered beings that could transform into werewolves or other animal forms before.
But the woman before him had already broken free of that state; she was neither a fox nor a human.
"Heh... Brother Ping, how about a truce?"
"This won't do either of us any good!"
"This Academy Tournament is about to end."
The Fox Family Saintess smiled alluringly and spoke.
Jianping gripped the Demon Blade, somewhat puzzled.
Finish?
Did Su Xian and Li Chen both lose?
It's understandable that Su Xian would lose, but Li Chen couldn't possibly lose—that was Jianping's first thought.
The Fox Family Saintess narrowed her eyes and looked towards the place shrouded in white light not far away, where the Daoist Family Saint Son and Su Xian were.
The entire space was sealed off, and no one knew whether the two people inside were fighting or just chatting.
She sighed, looked away, and murmured, "I should have known better than to gamble with him."
"I was stupid to gamble with the Daoist Family."
Suddenly, a figure appeared behind her.
Jianping gripped the Demon Blade, but didn't strike. Instead, he stared intently at her, speaking slowly and deliberately.
"Ceasefire. I want to know what exactly your Imperial Capital is trying to do today."
Even after fighting for so long, he finally realized that today's Academy Tournament was too strange.
The people of the Imperial Capital seem to have no will to fight.
It seems to be waiting for something.
The Fox Family Saintess turned around, a glint of shrewdness flashing in her eyes.
Within the Black-and-White Chess Formation.
It was very quiet.
Su Xian kept her eyes closed and leaned against the barrier, not wanting to look at Gu Changkong even once.
After a long silence...
Gu Changkong suddenly stood up, a white aura swirling in his eyes.
"It's about to begin."
Su Xian opened his eyes. He sensed that the energy of the chess formation was rapidly diminishing; this was his chance.
With a loud "boom".
He punched the barrier in an instant, sending ripples flying.
A halo of white mist swirled around Gu Changkong's eyes, as if he hadn't noticed Su Xian at all.
Click~ Click~
The cracks grew larger and larger. With Su Xian's all-out attack, a small corner of the chess formation that had been sealing him was broken open, and everything around seemed to begin to collapse because of this one corner.
Su Xian glanced at Gu Changkong one last time before swiftly flying outwards.
He had no desire to play along with this Daoist Family Saint Son.
"Xiao Yuzi, I'm here!!"
Gu Changkong remained motionless for a long time, but he must have known about the commotion outside. After all, it was the chess formation he had set up, so how could he not know?
The white mist dissipated, and the chess formation was rapidly crumbling.
Gu Changkong's eyes were like a galaxy, and he took a step.
The next time it appeared, it went directly to the outside world.
At this moment, the Fox Family Saintess was sitting under a large tree with Jianping.
The Fox Family Saintess made a sarcastic remark.
"Oh, you've finally decided to come out?"
"I thought you were going to have a long talk with the second young master of the Su Family inside all night?"
Gu Changkong did not respond, but looked at Jianping and slowly spoke.
"Jianping, Sword Elder's second disciple."
Am I right?
Jianping nodded, his eyes deep.
He couldn't see through the person in front of him.
With a wave of his hand, Gu Changkong changed the surrounding environment, and the three of them seemed to have stepped into a mirror-like space.
I'm standing on a mirror, but there's water underneath.
Jianping's body was tense, and a murderous aura emanated from his eyes.
Gu Changkong shook his head, his voice somewhat cold, and said, "Don't worry, I won't make a move today."
"The Fox Family Saintess will no longer intervene; she is my bodyguard."
The Fox Family Saintess snorted coldly, as if recalling the day she made a bet with this person.
Jianping frowned and asked, "How do you know about my master?"
Gu Changkong's expression remained largely unchanged.
"Your master, Jian Wuqing, had two disciples in his life. One was named Jian En, and the other was you."
"If I'm not mistaken, you intend to challenge Jian En's projection through the Path of the Kings."
Am I right?
Jianping's eyes widened in shock. How could this person know so much?
Has this guy figured out Su Xian completely?
Gu Changkong smiled and said, "No need to doubt, we're on the same side now."
"Although we represent two colleges, we've already given up on winning this Academy Tournament."
"What's the meaning?"
Jianping was utterly bewildered; he was completely dumbfounded.
Gu Changkong smiled, his eyes bright, and said...
We are all pawns.
But then, everything is about to change!