Battle Against the Inner Sect's Senior Brother

"You've disappointed me! You were actually frightened by a bunch of trash. With a mind like that, even if you entered the Emperor Realm, you'd still be trash!"

Zhang Xinyi showed no mercy. Before everyone, he slapped not only the faces of those from the Dao-Seeking Academy, but also that of the inner sect's Senior Brother-and the slap rang loud and clear.

Xu Weilin lowered his head in shame and said solemnly, "Your reprimand is justified, Great Elder. I will take it to heart!"

"Hmph, take it to heart? No, you're not convinced! I'll give you a chance. Go kill him."

Zhang Xinyi pointed at Xia Yu and said coldly, "Or let him kill you. This won't end until one of you is dead!"

"Yes, Great Elder." Xu Weilin answered and turned toward Xia Yu. He used no movement technique, merely stepping forward.

Xia Yu froze. How had this suddenly turned into an order to kill him?

Xia Yu spun around and ducked beside Su Deyu. "Master, save me."

Su Deyu's expression darkened.

"If you can't do it, you don't deserve to be the inner sect's Senior Brother. Although you aren't the academy's hope for the future, you still can't be utterly useless!"

Zhang Xinyi directed those words at Xu Weilin. Xu Weilin shuddered, but neither looked back nor replied. His steps toward Xia Yu grew even firmer.

At the same time, his aura strengthened with every step.

"But rest assured. None of this trash from the Dao-Seeking Academy will dare stop you!"

"Su Deyu, am I right?"

Zhang Xinyi's words were like a sharp sword, stabbing viciously into the hearts of everyone from the Dao-Seeking Academy.

Su Deyu looked grim. He hesitated, remaining silent.

Everyone from the Dao-Seeking Academy burned with righteous indignation, their eyes blazing with fury.

"No wonder Zhang Xinyi calls you useless, Su Deyu. You're too weak. You can't even protect your own disciples."

"Nothing must happen to my Pill Academy's Supreme Elder!"

Suddenly, Lin Xulun stepped forward and shouted, "Pill Academy, where are you?"

"Here!"

"Ten-Thousand-Poison Blood Pills!"

"Yes!"

A dozen or so pill refiners from the Pill Academy suddenly hurled pills in front of Xu Weilin, where they exploded with sharp bangs.

A pool of blood instantly appeared on the ground, poisonous fumes drifting above it.

"These Ten-Thousand-Poison Blood Pills are made by combining the blood of a Thousand-Year Venomous Spider with the blood of the Thirty-Six Poison Beasts. Whether you inhale the fumes or touch the poisonous blood, no one short of a Saint can withstand them!"

"If you don't believe me, try it!"

Lin Xulun's words immediately brought Xu Weilin to a halt. He retreated several steps.

Then Lin Xulun continued, "The Ten-Thousand-Poison Blood Pill is only one kind. If you dare bully the young with your seniority, Zhang Xinyi, we'll fight until the fish dies and the net breaks. I have plenty of poison pills. I wonder whether your Martial Saint Academy's disciples can endure them."

Zhang Xinyi fixed a hard stare on Lin Xulun and sneered. "Dean Su, you're not doing much of a job as dean. Even the Pill Academy's dean is stronger than you."

"Cut the fucking crap! Your Martial Saint Academy has pushed us too far. My Weapon Academy won't stand for it!"

"Everyone in the Weapon Academy, if the Martial Saint Academy dares advance another step, detonate every King Weapon! If that's not enough, detonate the Emperor Weapons! We'll take them down with us!"

Zhao Sihai stepped forward too, his eyes wide with fury.

Hearing their dean's command, the members of the Weapon Academy stepped forward one after another. Dozens of King Weapons shot into the sky, ready to detonate at any moment.

"Set up the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder Formation!" Zhuge Busi commanded in a low voice.

The Formation Academy acted as well.

"Confucian Academy, reinforce them with Vast Righteous Qi!" Deputy Dean Wu Wenxin barked.

"Yes!" The members of the Confucian Academy shouted in unison.

Zhang Xinyi's expression darkened. These people from the Dao-Seeking Academy had actually managed to unite for once.

At this point, he truly did not dare start a war.

Although slaughtering the Dao-Seeking Academy would not be difficult if the Martial Saint Academy committed all its strength, doing so would leave the Martial Saint Academy gravely weakened. The Imperial Family would not simply let it attack, either.

Of course, he would not leave. If he walked away now, the Martial Saint Academy would have no face left to show anyone.

Everyone would say the Martial Saint Academy had been scared off by the Dao-Seeking Academy.

"What an imposing display from the Dao-Seeking Academy. It seems a battle between our academies is inevitable. In that case, don't blame me for being merciless."

Zhang Xinyi spoke coldly and slowly raised his hand.

"Stop!"

Suddenly, An Qing rushed out from the Dao-Seeking Academy.

She had stayed out of sight until now because she did not want her status to cause misunderstandings.

But she could not allow a war between the two academies.

She did not want anything to happen to Xia Yu, and this would not serve the Imperial Family's interests either.

"Seventh Princess? Greetings, Seventh Princess!" Zhang Xinyi inclined his head slightly.

"Greetings, Seventh Princess!" Everyone from the Martial Saint Academy bowed.

Their eyes, however, were filled with questions.

Of course, no one was foolish enough to ask why the Seventh Princess was here at a time like this.

"Seventh Princess, please step aside. It would be a grave offense if you were injured during the battle."

Zhang Xinyi spoke calmly. Inwardly, he was surprised, but his expression remained composed. This was confidence-absolute confidence in his own strength.

As long as he did not kill the Seventh Princess, An Qing, what would the Imperial Family dare do to him?

After all, the Martial Saint Academy now controlled the imperial court and was the strongest academy in the Great Xia Dynasty.

Although they would not betray the Imperial Family, they did not fear it!

Their relationship was one of mutual support and benefit, not subordination.

The Seventh Princess, An Qing, watched Zhang Xinyi quietly, her expression icy. "Xia Yu is my friend. He once saved my life, yet you're targeting him."

Zhang Xinyi narrowed his eyes and frowned slightly. There was such a connection between them?

He was not afraid, but it was still somewhat troublesome.

"He killed people from my Martial Saint Academy. I'm seeking justice for my students. If you insist on making things difficult for me, Seventh Princess, I can only appeal to His Majesty."

Zhang Xinyi's expression was cold, his stance unyielding.

He could not back down now.

Hearing Zhang Xinyi's words, An Qing frowned slightly too. After a moment's thought, she said, "The people he killed were all your inner sect disciples."

"Xia Yu has now joined the Dao-Seeking Academy. Since you want revenge, follow the rules. Let the younger generation settle their own disputes. Their elders should not interfere."

"Fine!"

Suddenly, Xia Yu stepped forward, head high and chest out, standing straight as a spear.

He declared proudly, "I'll accept any challenge from my peers. My only concern is that certain shameless old bastards will interfere without a shred of shame."

"Anyone unafraid of death, come forward!"

Xia Yu shouted coldly, his bearing imposing beyond compare.

Zhang Xinyi was just about to agree when he heard Xu Weilin's voice transmission. "You mustn't, Great Elder. Xia Yu's cultivation isn't high, but his combat strength is astonishing. Even Junior Brother Bao Yijian couldn't withstand a single move from him."

Zhang Xinyi gave Xu Weilin a cold look, his eyes filled with contempt and disappointment.

"If you want to follow the rules, fine. Xu Weilin, go kill him in a fair fight!" Zhang Xinyi made his decision.

The Seventh Princess, An Qing, looked at Xia Yu. Xia Yu nodded slightly, then turned to Su Deyu.

Su Deyu's brows knitted tightly. After a moment's hesitation, he said, "Fine. If the Martial Saint Academy breaks the rules, I'll stake this old life of mine on killing every last junior from the Sacred Hall Academy!"

As he spoke, a powerful aura erupted from his body and soared into the sky.

"Peak Emperor Realm!"

Zhang Xinyi snorted coldly. This old fellow had been concealing his cultivation all along. He had never expected him to have reached the peak of the Emperor Realm.

His cultivation was actually a level above Zhang Xinyi's.

"Fine. Begin!" Zhang Xinyi said coldly. "A fight to the death!"

Xu Weilin fell silent for a moment. Then a ring of light suddenly appeared beneath his feet.

The ring, more than ninety feet across, instantly appeared before Xia Yu.

Xu Weilin activated his king's domain outright, and his aura surged once more.

Naturally, he was not afraid of Xia Yu. He knew Xia Yu's combat strength was formidable, but it surely could not compare to his own.

He was at the half-step Emperor Realm. If he could not defeat someone in the Spirit Origin Realm, he might as well die.

Still, he did not underestimate his opponent. He activated his domain immediately, intent on securing a one-strike kill.

"Come on!"

Xu Weilin barked.