Protective Brother

The sudden turn of events came without warning. The crimson sword-shadow streaked across the sky like a phantom, astonishingly fast. Its sword intent was drawn tightly inward, without the slightest trace leaking out, yet Li Mu still sensed a danger that made his heart tremble.

In a flash of lightning, Li Mu instinctively dodged sideways. The crimson sword-shadow barely grazed his waist, leaving a sword mark across his white robe.

Just as Li Mu rejoiced at having escaped death by a hair's breadth, that extremely dangerous sword intent came again from behind him.

The crimson longsword seemed to have grown eyes as it turned in midair and stabbed at Li Mu once more. As though to prevent him from dodging, it no longer concealed its sword intent this time. Its overwhelming momentum crashed directly down upon Li Mu like mountains toppling and seas overturning.

Li Mu's pupils shrank instantly. That aura had clearly reached the intensity only a Core Formation Realm expert could possess. He had been completely locked onto; forget dodging again—even moving had become incomparably difficult beneath the mountain-like pressure.

"What do I do? Am I going to die? How could such an expert attack me?"

The vast disparity in strength filled Li Mu with utter despair. Even with a cheat-like system defying the heavens, he could not find the slightest way to break this certain-death situation.

This was the crushing suppression of the strong. No matter how exceptional one's talent, no matter how rare across the ages, it could not withstand absolute suppression in cultivation.

Time rewound to the moment Nangong Qi was blasted away by Li Mu's long-prepared One Sword. Watching the Lineage's most outstanding descendant, upon whom they had placed their highest hopes, lose to Qinglan City's infamous wastrel; watching those lowly commoners cheer with joy; watching the Nangong Family lose all face before every Aristocratic Clan in the city and the elders of the Xuantian Sword Sect—Nangong Wuqing's rage could no longer be restrained. It erupted completely.

As the Grand Elder of the Lineage, Nangong Wuqing had risen to fame in his youth. With his Merciless Sword, he had carved out a formidable reputation within a hundred miles of Qinglan City. He reached Core Formation Realm Entry at twenty-five, attained great mastery at thirty, and entered Core Formation Realm Perfection at forty. In Qinglan City, he was an absolute expert who ranked among the best.

Yet in the decades afterward, this favored son of the Nangong Family remained stuck at Core Formation Realm Perfection. No method he tried could allow him to break through into the Nascent Soul Realm.

If the Core Formation Realm was the true starting point on the road of cultivation, then the Nascent Soul Realm was the touchstone determining whether one had truly entered the path of cultivation. Once one broke through to the Nascent Soul Realm, one could truly be called an expert of a region.

Ten years ago, the Nangong Family First Elder suddenly vanished from Qinglan City without a trace. No one saw him again, while the Nangong Family only claimed that he had entered seclusion to seek that sliver of opportunity to break through into the Nascent Soul Realm.

The Immortal Realm was vast, with experts as numerous as trees in a forest. People fell every day, yet rising stars also emerged every day. Before long, everyone had forgotten the name Nangong Wuqing—until today, when the Nangong Family First Elder suddenly appeared at Qinglan Academy's annual tournament, stirring discussion among all the older cultivators of Qinglan City.

Where had he gone over the past ten years? Had he broken through to the Nascent Soul Realm? What was his strength now?

These were the questions everyone cared about. Yet Nangong Wuqing acted as though he had never been absent for those ten years, calmly continuing to play the role of Grand Elder of Qinglan City's top Aristocratic Clan.

But that composed calmness could no longer be maintained after Nangong Qi was overwhelmingly defeated by Li Mu. Ten years ago, he had made up his mind, accepted the Lineage's proposal, and gone to that hidden place. There, he had endured endless hardship and torment beyond ordinary imagination before finally breaking through into the realm he had dreamed of.

This academy tournament was his first public appearance since returning to Qinglan City. He had thought he could bring glory to the Lineage before a true cultivation sect, yet this brat named Li Mu had ruined every one of his plans. The paranoia and sickness buried deep in his heart were completely exposed.

Origin energy circulated through his body. He formed a finger with his right hand and pointed at Li Mu, who was below the stage receiving the Profound Tier Class's worship. The crimson longsword at his side seemed to be granted life. It instantly flew from its sheath, transforming into a streak of light that shot in the direction Nangong Wuqing pointed, stabbing straight for Li Mu's chest.

The art of sword control—the mark of a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator. Nangong Wuqing had truly crossed the bottleneck that had trapped him for years and entered the ranks of the strong.

Under Nangong Wuqing's Nascent Soul Realm control, the crimson flying sword darted through the air like lightning. The attack had come too suddenly. No one present had imagined that the Nangong Family First Elder would brazenly attack a Qinglan City student in broad daylight. Even Mu Bai failed to react, standing frozen on the spot.

After missing his first strike, Nangong Wuqing grew even more enraged. He simply stopped concealing himself, unleashing his Nascent Soul Realm strength in full. His powerful aura enveloped the entire area, while the crimson flying sword accelerated instantly and lunged at Li Mu.

The aura of death descended. Li Mu was held down by the Nascent Soul Realm's oppressive force and could only watch helplessly as the sword-shadow stabbed toward him.

Was I really going to die before I could even achieve anything? Was this life after transmigrating really going to end so carelessly?

Facing the unavoidable crimson flying sword, Li Mu could only lament that he would truly make a hero weep before his time—game over ahead of schedule. With difficulty, he cast one final glance around him. He saw the Profound Tier Class below the arena screaming themselves hoarse for help, Teacher Mu Bai finally recovering and flying down from the stands to save him, and Qinglan City's most beautiful evening glow overhead.

Enough. This brief transmigration of mine hadn't been entirely without gain.

Taking a deep breath, Li Mu closed his eyes in despair and waited for death to arrive.

One breath, two breaths, three breaths...

The expected sight of blood splattering across the ground did not appear for a long while. Even the suffocating pressure had vanished completely. Li Mu opened his eyes, and the scene before him set his heart surging.

A towering figure stood before him, clad in bright crimson armor, shoulders broad beyond compare. He had blocked every bit of the sword's force for Li Mu.

"Big Brother!"

Li Mu cried out. The person before him was someone he could never have imagined: his elder brother, Ling Yue, who had always been sparing with words and smiles.

Ling Yue's aura was equally astonishing. The longsword at his waist had long since left its sheath, its pure sword intent forcefully blocking Nangong Wuqing's crimson flying sword in midair. The two forces collided, producing a massive shockwave that sent every student present tumbling over.

With an explosive roar from Ling Yue, the longsword in his hand surged with power and directly knocked aside the crimson flying sword. Then his blade danced, white Sword Qi interweaving into a giant net that closed in upon the crimson flying sword. It was the sixth form of the Ling Family Sword Style—Heavenly Net.

Seeing that he no longer had any chance to kill Li Mu, and that his flying sword was about to be surrounded by the white Sword Qi, Nangong Wuqing had no choice but to point with his right hand again and recall the flying sword. The longsword returned to its sheath, and Nangong Wuqing's expression grew increasingly gloomy.

"Nangong Wuqing, you attacked a descendant of my Ling Family without cause during Qinglan Academy's tournament. Do you truly think my Ling Family has no one left?"

Ling Yue swept his longsword and fixed his gaze upon Nangong Wuqing in the stands, shouting sternly.

"Young Master Ling's strength is extraordinary. As expected of Qinglan City's number one genius. This academy tournament is meant to sharpen the students through friendly competition, but I never expected certain students to strike their fellow classmates with such ruthless hands, gravely wounding two descendants of my Nangong Family and leaving them at death's door. That was why this old man acted to teach him a lesson and serve as a warning."

Nangong Wuqing quietly buried the killing intent in his heart and once again put on a calm expression as he spoke with complete composure.

"What a joke. In Qinglan Academy's Class vs. Class Competition, there are no restrictions on battles between students. So long as no one surrenders, the fight does not end. Those are rules set by my father. Besides, since when was it your turn, Nangong Wuqing, to discipline my brother?"

Ling Yue stood proudly, his gaze blazing as he stared at Nangong Wuqing and shouted. A powerful presence burst from his body, making even Nangong Wuqing's pupils contract.

"Young Master Ling certainly has an imposing manner. Since you believe I, Nangong Wuqing, am unqualified, then our Nangong Family will withdraw from this tournament. Let's go!"

Knowing that his rash attack today had crossed the Ling Family's bottom line, Nangong Wuqing could only force out a few polite words before quickly leaving with his attendants.

Watching the powerful Nangong Wuqing leave in such a sorry state, the crowd finally realized that he was a Nascent Soul Realm expert. Then didn't that mean Ling Yue, who had stopped him, was...

"Amazing. At Core Formation Realm Perfection, he could challenge a Nascent Soul Realm Beginner. Though Nangong Wuqing had only just broken through and his realm was still unstable, he was still a genuine Nascent Soul Realm cultivator. Such cross-realm combat—his talent was no weaker than those monsters in our sect. Ling Yue... interesting."

Although Elder Qin's own strength was only at Half-step Nascent Soul, he came from an orthodox cultivation sect and did not regard Nangong Wuqing highly. Yet Ling Yue's performance had genuinely piqued his intense interest, and the look in his eyes changed as he watched Ling Yue.

"Today's matter has been remembered by my Ling Family. When my father returns one day, he will surely visit the Nangong Family and personally demand an explanation from Nangong Bo."

Nangong Wuqing heard only Ling Yue's clear, resounding voice from behind him. His rage burned, but he forcibly endured it and left the academy with his family without even turning his head.

"Big Brother, thank you. If it weren't for you, I..."

Only then did Li Mu thank the elder brother standing before him. His feelings toward Ling Yue had always been complicated. Every memory he inherited from his previous life was filled with hatred for Ling Yue, but over these past days, he had come to understand that his elder brother had always shown him care in his own way.

"There's no need to thank me. I only acted for the Ling Family's honor. Still, I hope you improve your strength quickly. Don't let Father's reputation fall someday."

His face remained expressionless, and his words remained cold, yet Li Mu could still hear Ling Yue's concern for him within them.

"Teacher Mu, I was merely passing by the academy today and remembered this competition, so I stopped to watch. I still have important matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave first."

Ling Yue sheathed his longsword, cupped his hands to Mu Bai, and after a few flashes, quickly vanished from Li Mu's sight.

That brief disturbance came to an end, but everyone had been won over by the strength of the two Ling brothers. One had yet to form a core but could unleash an attack comparable to the Core Formation Realm; the other was even more monstrous, fighting a Nascent Soul Realm Beginner across realms at Core Formation Realm Perfection and ending in a deadlock.

"Li Mu, can you continue with the Class vs. Class Competition?"

Mu Bai landed in the middle of the arena and spoke to Li Mu. This academy tournament had produced one unexpected incident after another. He no longer dared sit in the stands and instead personally began presiding over the matches.

"Of course. Our Profound Tier Class hasn't won yet."

Li Mu's answer was firm and decisive. Then he turned and looked toward the Earth Tier Class camp. That gaze made the Earth Tier Class students shudder as though they were being watched by a ferocious Monster Beast.